PASTORAL CHAT

My Dear Readers

Our Involvement in Missions from the Very Beginning

When Life Church was founded in Oct. 1950 in no time we went out to evangelise the West Coast of Malaysia in obedience to the Great Commission, Matt. 28:18-20. This took us to the heart of Pahang and to Alor Star in Kedah in mid-1951. My good partner was Deacon Hsu Chiang Tai who supported our Church for over 40 years though he migrated to New York in 1960.

In mid-1951 we also headed for the East Coast, to Jemaluang, 87 miles north of Singapore and 13 miles south of Mersing. Now our involvement takes us further north to Kuantan 210 miles and Kemaman 245 miles north of Singapore (show by map, adding J.B. and Kota Tinggi and Kelapa Sawit).

When an independent YPF First Anniversary, Feb 19, 05 missionary from Hawaii, Miss Adeline Char came to us in 1952, we decided to bring her to Jemaluang. We went to the British Land Officer located in Mersing and on the spot he gave us a quarter acre piece of land to build a church. The British were desperate to fight the Malayan Communist Uprising, hence the urgency.

Miss Char ministered in Jemaluang for nearly 30 years before she left for wider horizons. Now the church premises are taken over for private business, but has the Jemaluang witness stopped entirely? Miss Char sent a young man to study at Chin Lien Seminary and he is an ordained pastor now actively serving.

Out of our West Coast Evangelistic drive we have come to possess a church at Kelapa Sawit, 43 miles north of Singapore. Some years ago this church sent Tee Chung Seng to train at Far Eastern Bible College. After graduation his zeal has inspired a young people’s team to join him to evangelise Jemaluang. Now on the fourth week Tee Chung Seng and his young people would have YF Sat afternoon and Church Service the following Sunday (20 come to Church). Now they meet rather at a house near the Government school.

Being greatly thrilled by Jemaluang’s Revival Mrs Tow and I, using Judith’s car, with Deborah coming along to sing we will not be in church this Lord’s Day when Rev Koa preaches. Just as I say this there comes a message from Helen Eio that God has taken her father home which now alters the picture. Our plan to go to Jemaluang is totally changed and this Lord’s Day afternoon I shall conduct the funeral at 2 pm at No. 10 Ava Tower, Ava Road.

Your affectionate pastor
T T

Testimonies of YPFers on the occasion of YPF First Anniversary, Feb 19, 05

The YPF first started out with only three members – Herbert, Wei-tse and me. That was not a very encouraging beginning. However, by the Lord’s grace, the YPF has since grown to about 15-25 people attending each week. It is a most wonderful blessing to hear the Word of God preached every Saturday and see the people grow in Christ with each passing week. May the YPF continue to preach the truth each week, and grow from strength to strength!

I would also like to thank God for Mr and Mrs Foo who kindly open their house for us to use for every meeting, and also providing invaluable advice to us. The Lord will surely bless their family for their faithfulness.

Expect great things from a great God. And expect even greater things. Amen.
– Clement Chew

 

In all my years in Church, I did not join any fellowship group. There were always school work, extra curricular activities, and other excuses that would take priority over attending fellowship meetings on Saturdays. I thank the Lord that when True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church was started and the Young People’s Fellowship (YPF) was formed, I joined the YPF. I realized that if I put God first in my life, I will desire to make time for fellowship meetings, for the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

It truly is a blessing to be able to gather with other like-minded and Bible-believing brethren to learn precious truths from the Bible and to experience the warmth of sweet Christian fellowship. Most importantly, YPF is truly a God and Word-centred fellowship, and not a social gathering. I thank God for the Word that is faithfully taught to us by God-fearing and God-honouring servants of God.

Indeed, God has been very gracious to the YPF this past year. It has grown from a handful to the group that it is today. It is only by God’s grace and mercy that we are sustained.

May all praise and glory be to God!
– Jacelyn Chng

Thank and praise God for YPF! I have learnt many precious lessons from the Word of God and it has without a doubt brought me closer to our heavenly Father. This is the place where I look forward to come week after week – to meet likeminded brethren to share about the things of God and to give God all the glory for the things He has done in our lives.

Special thanks go out to Dr Jeffrey Khoo, our advisor, the speakers who have ministered to us and each and every one in YPF. Not to mention our wonderful hosts, Mr and Mrs Foo Chee Yong, for being so gracious to us in opening their home for our gatherings and fetching us from Watten Park week after week tirelessly and the labour of love of our beloved sister-in-Christ, Nina. “Thank you so much! You have been a great blessing to my life and I sincerely thank God for you!”

I also want to thank the Lord for the chance to serve Him. Indeed, we are chosen to be His soldiers to do things for Him (2 Tim 2:3-4) – we are saved to serve God. What a privilege! I pray that God will continue to use me to be a blessing unto others as much as possible, that His matchless name alone may be magnified!

It really warms my heart as I see all in YPF grow together in the Lord. Without a doubt, this is my greatest desire and words cannot describe the blessedness that I feel inside my heart of hearts. All I can say is, “Praise the Lord!” I sincerely pray that our heavenly Father will continue to work a good work in our hearts that we may continue to grow in Him together – One in Christ and one in heart!

Soli Deo Gloria (To God be all the Glory).
– Herbert Goh

 

I pray that my testimony may be edifying.

Firstly, I would like to tell you how I got to know my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. When my father first brought me to church, I just went as I was told, and not because I wanted to worship God. That was how I started going to church. Then after that, I tried not to go to church for awhile. I found that I sinned even more when I stayed at home instead of going to church.

Now I realize that attending church activities (like YPF) is a higher purpose of God. God wants me to be like Moses who will rather suffer with God’s people than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season.

Is going for church services and activities suffering? Not at all. By attending YPF I am given many opportunities to serve God in different areas. There are many seniors like Clement and Herbert who help and teachme in the service to God. I also learnt something from Clement’s testimony – he does things by faith.

After I heard what Clement said, I started to sing in the choir. Clement said, “when I sing, I sing by faith.” “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6). Sometimes when I serve God, I will face some difficulties, but it is all a test of our faith.

Thank you for reading as I end my testimony with a few verses. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (I Corinthians 15:58)

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)
May the Lord bless you and keep you!
– Samuel Goh

 

As a member in Young People’s Fellowship, which is also known as YPF, I’ve grown more mature in the spirit and got to learn more about the Bible, the Word of God. I’ve been to most of the meetings and have seen YPF grow as the days go by. It is an encouragement to see more people, new faces, appearing in the meetings. Thank God for that.

Thank God that I’ve found a fellowship which helps me to understand the scriptures. Thank God also for the people I’ve met here who are always showing care and concern.

Resolution for 2005: I would like to help out in any area which God would direct me. As I lack the courage to speak publicly, I hope it would be in an area where public speaking is not required.
– Esther Kiew