Having jumped into the corporate world from a young age, Samuel Chan is no stranger to the marketplace.

Armed with over 20 years of working experience across various prestigious global companies, one would not hesitate to think of him as a successful high-flyer.

Although he now has an impressive resume to his name, however, Samuel shared that his journey wasn’t always a straight path to success.

Jumping into an unexpected field

As a fresh graduate with a Diploma in Engineering, Samuel decided to switch careers to join the business industry just shortly after his first job in an engineering company.

“Within the first year I knew I didn’t want to do engineering, but I didn’t know what was next,” he recalled.

While he did have an inkling that he sought a commercial role, his motivations back then weren’t particularly driven by passion or led by the Holy Spirit.

“There was nothing spiritual or wise about it. It was just being young, I guess,” Samuel recounted.

“I thought it was much fancier to carry a sales or business development executive title as compared to being an engineer.”

 

As such, Samuel began writing to companies who were looking for commercial roles and landed a job with a shipping company involved with business development and pricing work for containers.

That proved to be the start of his unexpected entry into the logistics industry.

In time, as Samuel began hopping between different roles and companies within the industry, he came to acquire a broad range of skills within the field of logistics and supply chain.

Marrying marketplace and ministry

Although the field of logistics was an unexpected career path, God would use the skills Samuel acquired along for His Kingdom work. 

For example, in 2009, Samuel took a detour to go into full-time ministry for a season. 

“I felt a change in season with regards to my career. While I was serving in church, the question to go full-time crossed my mind numerous times. So when the opportunity came, I felt at peace to leave the corporate world in response to it,” he recounted. 

At that time, the church was undergoing a site migration. Samuel was appointed to head operations within the church, leading the project team to transit the church from the former compound to a new building. 

It was a timely project: Samuel was able to reconcile his skills from the marketplace with ministry, as his expertise in procurement and IT logistics came in useful in serving the church.

“There was a combination of worldly wisdom and spiritual work,” Samuel mused. “When I joined full-time, all the knowledge and experience came in handy to prepare for that particular project.

“I think I was called for that particular purpose for that period of time!”

Samuel also believes that operational work, such as the work that goes on backstage, also has an equally important role to play in ministry as what happens on the front end.

“I guess ministry has been very much painted spiritually, defined as pastoral work,” he said. “But don’t overlook the management staff behind the scenes who are orchestrating the entire organisation to make things work!”

With the completion of the church’s transition from the old site to the new building, Samuel’s season in ministry came to an end, and he then decided to move back into the marketplace.

Faith and doubt

Upon re-entering the corporate world, Samuel’s career journey was by no means smooth-sailing.

Despite being armed with over 20 years of working experience, he faced many obstacles including application rejections, a failed business venture and being laid off when his company was caught up in an organisational restructuring.

These disappointments and difficulties sometimes led Samuel to doubt God’s goodness.

However, though these setbacks were painful, Samuel believes that they taught him to grow in perseverance, patience and faithfulness to stay the course.

Likening his experience to some people in the Bible who had to go through various setbacks to grow, Samuel said: “Every Bible hero had to go through a journey before he landed up at the place that God had already predestined him to be.”

Just like characters such as David, Samuel, too, sometimes found himself in “regression”, going one steps forward and two steps back. 

“These are moments where faith will be confronted,” Samuel said. “Why suffer? Why must I go through this? Why is there no clarity? Why is there no certainty?”

However, Samuel came to see that setbacks and challenges can be reminders of God’s sustaining grace and faithful providence.

“Challenges in life, no matter how much He has blessed us with, will always be there,” he said. “And I believe this is the exact reason why God allows it to happen, so that His grace can be manifest in our lives.

“Even the most faithful need to be reminded of His faithfulness. It’s not so much about our faith, than it is about His faithfulness.”  

God’s faithful provision

As Samuel trusted God, he started to see God’s hand at work in his career. 

“God works in a very miraculous way,” Samuel said, speaking of God’s divine provision for him.

For instance, shortly after he was laid off by his previous company, a business associate suddenly contacted Samuel via LinkedIn to recommend a potential job opening.

“This friend of mine coached me for what I needed to prepare myself for so that I hit the mark for every single one of the three interviews,” Samuel recalled.

“And so I landed the job for the position in the start-up company that I prayed for two and a half years ago, doing the e-commerce and logistic work that I asked for.

“Two years later, God brought me one round to this place, all prepared and ready, to re-join the company that He already appointed 2.5 years ago!” remarked Samuel.

Letting God lead and direct our career paths

After many years in the marketplace and various career transitions, Samuel has plenty of experience to guide him in making career choices.

However, his ultimately priority is to always seek God’s will regarding all career matters.

“I have a practice in my life,” revealed Samuel. “I always say: God, if it’s Your will, then I will enter. If it’s not Your will, just shut the door, and if I don’t get the job, I will accept that it’s not Your will.” 

Additionally, he also believes in seeking confirmation from God.

While the confirmation may not necessarily be some earth-shattering event, Samuel recognises that God’s confirmation comes with a peace that transcends human logic.

“God speaks to us in different ways. It doesn’t have to be a thunderbolt striking the tree in front of you kind of confirmation,” Samuel said with a laugh.

“There’s peace in confirmation. Even if the mind tells you otherwise but there’s so much certainty, peace or rest from the heart — just follow.”

And as we seek God for clarity and confirmation, Samuel also believes in being patient and allowing God to bring revelation in due time.

“Time is a factor of God’s modus operandi,” he quipped.

Citing different biblical examples of waiting, Samuel said, “God actually uses time a lot. It took 2000 years before Jesus came into the scene. It took 40 years before the children of Israel entered the Promised Land.”

“Don’t be too quick to judge. Some young people that enter the workforce may have a preconceived idea of what their career should be, and when it doesn’t meet this expectation, they’re too quick to decide.

“Let God use time to show us, and the decision will be clearer.”

Samuel Chan is one of the mentors participating in a new nationwide Marketplace Mentorship Programme. Started by Samuel Tan, an undergraduate from 3:16 Church, he noticed that graduating students transiting to the workforce may struggle and stumble to live out their faith in the marketplace.

Through the mentorship programme, he hopes to help them to become salt and light in their specific industry. Registration for this year’s intake closes on April 20. Visit www.faithx.one to learn more.