Vision Management Class: Interview A Visionary Leader
I had the privilege of interviewing a visionary leader. I have the honor of calling Pritam Singh Sandhu a friend and pastor I look up to and admire.
He is currently pioneering a South Asian church in Singapore. He is the founder of South Asian Connection as well as the International Coordinator for the South Asian Global Convention, which began in Vancouver, Canada some three years ago. He has served as the Youth Pastor at Khush Khabri Fellowship in Singapore as well as Youth Pastor at the International Punjabi Masihi Church in Vancouver, Canada. Pastor Pritam was formerly a Sikh following the ways of Sikhism and the Sikh Gurus, but is now is a Christian. He has acknowledged Jesus as his Saviour, Lord and King and is in a deep, dynamic love relationship with God.
He is a dreamer, a visionary leader, and a risk taker in God's Kingdom. His passion lies in raising up the next generation and mentoring South Asian leaders from around the world. He holds a M. Div, a B.Sc., and Post-graduate diploma in education. He currently lives in Singapore with his wife Dr. Balbir Kaur Chaal, and daughter, Sujaan Kaur Sandhu.
I got to know Pastor Prtiam when he came to Vancouver to do his M.Div at Regent College. From that point on, I was always amazed at the dedication and diligence he displayed when overcoming obstacles, finishing tasks, and seeing his dreams become a reality.
Pastor Pritam's vision for his life is: "To honor my Maker, Redeemer and Friend in all that I do by becoming a living sacrifice 100% totally dedicated to the cause of Christ." When I look at this man, there really is nothing else that beats in his heart. He honestly lives out the Great Commission, and believes what the Bible says. He honors his God as he pastors, as he fathers, as he is an awesome husband, as a amazing friend, and as a exemplary visionary. This man speaks what he lives and I appreciate that so much about him.
As a pioneer of an International South Asian Christian Conference, this man has his sights set on something worldwide, effecting the lives of many people, through local and global means. He believes that South Asian Connection will, “serve God's purposes in our generation by fulfilling the Great Commission and the Great Commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ.” His vision is both philosophical and practical. He believes that for this to happen, he must challenge South Asian Youth and Young Adults to embrace the Great Commission.
He wants to connect South Asian churches, ministries and individuals, locally and globally. He sees this happening through conventions, retreats, meetings, and missions. He sees the world wide web and other electronic media as a key in connection South Asian Christians around the world. What amazed me is that this pastor does not settle for vision on paper, but works out what his vision means when he applies it in his life and lives it out.
This vision for Pastor Pritam has gripped and governed his life. His whole life has been given for this vision. His wife understands this well and has done everything she can to assist and aid him in furthering this vision.
This vision has caused him to be passionate, bold and extreme. In instances when others would take the easy way out, Pastor Pritam has been the one to stand his ground and follow the vision God has given him. He says his life first and foremost must be saturated with the fruits of the spirit. What this means is that his charisma and gifting will always be driven first by his character. He understands that he must first be a child of God first, a husband second, a father third, a pastor fourth...and so on and so forth. What this also means is that inspite of not knowing or even seeing, he lives by faith when he knows God has asked him to do something.
When I sit back and look at all these attributes, I am encouraged because everything he says is so true in this man's life. He is governed by the vision that God has given him and it has consumed him to the core. I am blown away by his framework of vision and understanding and purpose and calling.
In his pursuit of vision, Pastor Pritam has sacrificed his time, talent, and earthly treasures, knowing that his vision is what God has called him to. He forsakes the familiar, the comfortable, and the ordinary. There is nothing normal about this man. His vision-mindedness keeps him rather abnormal.
In a lot of ways in his pursuit of this vision, he has done what it takes to see the vision come to reality. He keeps himself going until what he has seen in his mind's eye becomes a reality or is well on its way to becoming a reality. The sacrifices Pastor Pritam has made are small things in his eye, because he knows that what God's called him to do is most important.
His vision has affected his family, friends, church, and people; locally and globally. Pastor Pritam has made the choice to affect and influence everyone he comes in contact with. Because of this, people know this man for who he is. There is nowhere that he goes that what he believes in and fights for are not vocalized or applied in his personal life. People know him because he is genuine, and that integrity of being the same all the time affects people. Now as what he's started is international, his vision has affected and influenced the lives of many all over the world.
Of the challenges of vision one that affected him most is finding time to fulfill vision amidst complex roles and tasks that are asked of him. He's found that at times certain people and situations that life brings your way can affect vision negatively. Another challenge is finding resources and skilled talent when the pool is so limited. This has been a challenge because what Pastor Pritam is doing is very ground-breaking. Professional jealousy and character assassination have come his way from other Christians who so easily doubt, discourage, and destroy vision. He's had to work with people who have promised but never came through on their promises.
The greatest satisfaction for Pastor Pritam is leaving a legacy. This is done by inspiring the next generations. He has made it a point to surround himself with younger people. He's always making sure young people have caught the vision whenever he moves forward with something. He understands that his life is an investment in the kingdom. His life is not his own. He finds satisfaction in people coming to grips with the vision God has given him and now has ownership of the same vision.
There have been mistakes and Pastor Pritam willingly told me of some. There have been time when he trusted people or circumstances to come through rather than trusting in God's working in his life. At times those mistakes have cost him financially, relationally, emotionally and hurt the cause of vision in his life. At times there has been an unbalance in the area of personal time, family time, and vision-time. At times his decision-making skills have been overbearing on others. At times his lack of communication and active listening has hurt his cause. Another mistake has been that at times he's overlooked things because he was afraid of confronting that certain individual or issue.
The insight with regards to vision that I receive from this man is that character always matters more than what you achieve or do. Make sure you relationship with God is first and foremost...that's been the key to his life. Only when we truly live out the relationship we have with God in Christ are we capable of living out the vision God has given to us.
As I look at the life of this man, I am amazed at how God works in such wonderful ways. The worldwide conference that God has started through him has influenced hundreds of people already. He is currently pioneering a church in Singapore, and the vision mindset he developed for pioneering a conference will now help him pioneer a church. It's an honor to know this man. I have been touched by his dedication to ministry and to fulfilling the call of God on his life.
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