PASTORAL CHAT
My Dear Readers
Our Young People’s Fellowship worshipping with 300 at RELC stand for a perfectly inspired and preserved Word of God. How do we all believed the same? By the logic of faith and not by the logic of intellect. “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.” (Heb. 11:6)
Dr. Jeffrey Khoo’s Sunday School Class is simultaneously a Catechism Class. We shall hold our first big baptism in Oct?
Easter is soon here. I shall preach during Holy Week, Palm Sunday Apr 4, Good Friday Apr 9 and Easter Sunrise Service Apr 11, 7am. A bus will take you from Newton Car Park, leaving 6.40am sharp for Labrador Park. I propose Eld. Han Soon Juan to chair our outdoor service. Several ladies will bring in food for our Easter Breakfast. I propose our choir to sing one of the old favourites and two FEBC graduating students to give their testimonies.
One week after Easter, April 18 is the 52th Anniversary of Kelapa Sawit Church and they have invited me to preach. To take my place Dr. Jeffrey Khoo will speak and Eld. Mahadevan will be chairman. Kelapa Sawit is served by FEBC graduate Tee Chung Seng.
Miss Ng Sang Chiew who is now at Ling Kwang Home suffering numerous pains had put in 20 years of yeoman service. We should not forget her on this happy occasion.
Your affectionate pastor
T T
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FEBC YOUNG PEOPLE’S FELLOWSHIP
INTRODUCTION TO YEAR 2004
The Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) Young People’s Fellowship (YPF) is a ministry of the FEBC (RELC) Worship Service, which was formed in 2003 with a call to stand for the perfectly inspired and preserved Word of God. We minister to all the young people in the congregation ranging from ages 13 to 35. Our inaugural meeting was held on 21 February 2004 with our beloved pastor Rev Timothy Tow as our speaker. The advisor for our fellowship is Dr. Jeffrey Khoo. Our focus is not numbers, but rather to be a faithful and teaching fellowship, where “iron sharpeneth iron” (Proverbs 27:17), exhorting and encouraging one another in our walk with the Lord, giving all glory unto God. We also aim to be involved in the life of the church, working as part of the body for the edification of the saints (Ephesians 4:12), as well as to be a witnessing light for Christ (Matthew 28:18-20, 5:14-16).
As this is our first year, we are especially concerned with getting our foundations right. In John 15:5, Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Just as Jesus must be the Rock and foundation for every Christian, similarly by application, the fellowship must also be firmly rooted in Christ our Saviour. This explains our theme for this year, which is “To Know Christ”. Through our Bible Studies on the Teachings of Christ, and various messages which deals on the ministry of Christ as portrayed in the gospels, we pray that we will indeed come to experientially know our Saviour, and draw closer to Him. Other messages will deal with practical Christianity as well as contemporary topics. We will also be having regular visits to Old Folk’s Homes (such as Ling Kwang Home) or houses of members to mutually encourage one another in the belief that part of pure religion is “To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction” (James 1:27).
Most importantly, all the planning and hard work will be for nought if we do not depend on and trust in God’s Spirit. Often times, man proposes but God disposes. As Zechariah 4:6b goes, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” Proverbs 3:5-6 also urges us to “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” A ministry is not formed on man’s intellect, neither by his power or his riches, but it is formed by the very hand of God and not ours. Let us press on then by walking in His Spirit and in the Light of His Word.
Our prayer is that the YPF may indeed “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). May the Lord find us faithful, till we meet Him face to face. The grace of God be unto all who love our Lord Jesus in sincerity. Amen.
In Christ,
FEBC Young People’s Fellowship 2004
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FEBC YOUNG PEOPLE’S FELLOWSHIP 2004
Motto: To Know Christ And To Make Him Known
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Khoo
Theme for 2004: To Know Christ
Theme Verse: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” – John 17:3
Objectives for 2004:
– To have a close communion with God
– A faithful and teaching fellowship, giving God all the glory
– A praying and practicing fellowship
Detailed Explanation of Objectives
To have a close communion with God
It is vital to realise that our lives are crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), and we henceforth live no longer to ourselves, but unto God (Romans 14:7-8). Jesus says in John 15:4-6, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”
We are told in Galatians 5:16 to walk in the Spirit. Genesis 5:22-24 tells us of Enoch who walked with God for three hundred years. His walk of faith was so pleasing to God that He was translated (Hebrews 11:5-6). May Enoch’s example be our inspiration as we strive to have a closer communion with Him each day. “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8)
A faithful and teaching fellowship, giving glory to God
This objective follows the injunction which our beloved pastor, Rev Timothy Tow, has set for us at the inaugural meeting on 21 Feb 2004. 2 Timothy 2:2 says, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” For a fellowship to be strong, it must be a teaching fellowship where “iron sharpeneth iron” (Proverbs 27:17). God looks for faithful men and not men of intellect or of great ability. We must always attribute all things to the glory of God. “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”
A praying and practicing fellowship This follows the injunctions given in the following verses:
“Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” – Luke 18:1b
“Pray without ceasing.” – 1 Thess. 5:17
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” – James 5:16
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” – James 1:22
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” – Luke 6:46
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” – James 2:20
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10
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FEBC YOUNG PEOPLE’S FELLOWSHIIP
A STATEMENT ON THE PRESERVATION OF THE BIBLE
In the early years of our B-P history, the preservation of the Bible was a nonissue as it was then accepted as a matter of fact. However, in recent times, it has become an issue with certain parties denying the vital doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) of the Bible. The Young People’s Fellowship stands firmly on this doctrine. As a matter of contending for the faith, we will like to present the following statement to affirm our positional stand.
“We believe in the divine, verbal and plenary inspiration and preservation of the Scriptures in the original languages, their consequent inerrancy and infallibility, and as the perfectly preserved Word of God, the supreme and final authority in faith and in life. The Providentially Preserved Texts are none other than the Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus Receptus underlying the King James Bible.
The Bible is none other than the voice of Him that sitteth upon the throne. Every book of it, every chapter of it, every verse of it, every word of it, every syllable of it, every letter of it, is direct utterance of the Most High. The Bible is none other than the Word of God, not some part of it more, some part of it less, but all alike the utterance of Him that sitteth upon the throne, faultless, unerring, supreme. Amen.”
We have a Perfect Bible then and today. “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Peter 1:24-25). May the Lord give us faith to believe and obey what He says in His Word, that the name of Christ may be glorified. Soli Deo Gloria. Amen.
