Pastor Binh Nguyen’s journey began in South Vietnam. After the fall of Saigon in the mid-70s, his family fled by boat. “We were out at sea for eight days,” he recalled. “I remember being chased by pirates, screaming as a little boy.” In 1981, Australia became their new home. Binh grew up in Perth, studied, worked as a teacher, and later followed his calling into ministry.
A Calling to Plant a Church
As a young man, Binh felt God’s pull. “People were prophesying over me, seeing me sharing the gospel,” he said. Yet, he resisted. “I was doing a Jonah, running away from God.” Eventually, he embraced ministry, completing a Master of Divinity and planting Sonlife Church. What began with 13 people in his living room grew into a congregation of 600, worshipping in a historic building on Oxford Street, Leederville.
When Tragedy Struck
Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the 100-year-old church building. “We’ll be out of a building for two years,” Binh explained. “It’s been very hard. People saw this place as their second home.” The loss affected not only church members but also the wider community. “Business owners, families, even the footy club where I serve as chaplain they all felt it,” he shared. Yet their support revealed something deeper: “At least it means the church is doing something right. We don’t exist for ourselves.”
Faith in the Midst of Loss
When news of the fire reached him while traveling, Binh found himself preaching a message of trust in suffering the very encouragement he needed. “My three points were simple,” he said. “God is in control. God is still doing a deep work. And God is still worthy of praise.” He admitted the season has tested him. “I’m a big planner. But right now, I’ve had to take it one day at a time. I’ve learned to worship God with nothing and it’s beautiful.”
A Community Moving Forward
Despite the setback, Sonlife Church continues. They gathered outdoors at Kings Park, worshipping and sharing a picnic. Nguyen believes this season will produce fruit. “God’s ways are higher than ours,” he said. “We can trust Him even when we don’t know what’s next.” As the congregation rebuilds, Binh is thankful for the prayers and encouragement pouring in from across Perth. “Your prayers will always be appreciated,” he said. “God loves His church more than we ever could.”
Listen to Pastor Binh Nguyen’s full conversation with Doug on Table Talk below.