MISSIONS, AND THE FAR EASTERN BIBLE COLLEGE

By Elder (Dr) Tow Siang Yeow

The revival of Missions has seen a reversal of trend, remarkably in Korea, significantly in Singapore and tentatively in China where trained Christian workers are reaching out to surrounding countries with the Gospel. The hey day of Western missionaries leaving in droves to Third World countries in the East can be said to be on the decline.

An initial reaction to this change may be asking the question “Why should the local Church consider reaching out to foreign fields of Christian endeavour, establishing Missionary Services and even Colleges for the training of workers for the harvest field? And why should it not confine itself to Home Missions and neighbourhood evangelism?” Whilst home missions and evangelism are undoubtedly important, the following two paragraphs will enlighten the reader as to why and how the Far Eastern Bible College was founded by the Pastor of Life Church English Service at Princep Street.

The story goes back to October, 1950 when Rev Timothy Tow, newly graduated from Faith Theological Seminary, U.S.A. returned to pastor the English Service of the Teochew Life Church at Prinsep Street. Subsequently, Life Church English Service was renamed Life Bible-Presbyterian Church in consonance with the Bible-Presbyterian Church of U.S.A. Rev Tow’s vision in obeying the Lord’s Great Commission to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matt. 28:19)” was constantly on his mind. The theological training of our consecrated young people to meet the challenges of the Mission Field, became an increasing burden upon the Founding Pastor’s heart. And so, with the enthusiastic support of Life B-P Church leaders, the Far Eastern Bible College was inaugurated on Sept. 17, 1962 at the Church premises at Gilstead Road.

The Far Eastern Bible College, starting from a small beginning, grew from strength to strength, nurturing a new generation of evangelists, pastors and teachers. Its watchwords are, “Holding forth the Word of Life” (Phil. 2:16) and “Holding fast the Faithful Word” (Titus 1:9). In a time when Seminaries and Bible Colleges were capitulating to end-time apostasy, Far Eastern Bible College stands stedfast, unmovable, securely fastened on the ‘Rock’, even our Lord Jesus Christ and His holy, inspired, infallible and inerrant Word.

Far Eastern Bible College stands for the “Old-time Gospel” which was once delivered unto the saints in opposition to the counter-forces of liberalism, neoorthodoxy, neo-evangelicalism and charismatism. F.E.B.C. hence, does not only train ‘labourers’ but also hardy ‘soldiers’ to earnestly contend for the Faith (Jude 3). To date, more than 500 men and women have graduated and are serving in harvest fields around the world.

Is God calling you to be a missionary? When the Lord asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Would you then say, “Here am I, send me” (Isa. 6:8). However, before committing yourself, it is imperative to search your own heart and answer these questions:

If your answer is “yes” on all counts, I would recommend that, as your first choice, you apply for admission to the F.E.B.C. which is, to my mind, the Fundamental Bible College par excellence in this part of the world.

The Far Eastern Bible College will provide one with excellent training, tutoring and other needed facilities, under the guidance of God-fearing, Bible-believing lecturers and tutors who are highly qualified in their various fields. Many B-P Pastors are graduates of F.E.B.C. and are pastoring Churches both locally and abroad.

F.E.B.C. stands tall after 42 years of training workers for the Mission field. At its last Graduation Exercises in Convocation on 9th May, 2004 at Calvary Pandan B-P Church, there were amongst the 37 graduands, 14 with Certificates, 4 with Diplomas, 9 with Bachelor’s Degrees, and 10 with Master’s Degrees. Students come from 16 different countries, making F.E.B.C. a truly international Institution of Higher Learning! There are 11 Faculty members, not including the Principal, Rev (Dr) Timothy Tow, and the Dean of Students, Rev (Dr) Jeffrey Khoo.

Brethren who are fully convinced of their calling to serve the Lord in His vineyard may wish to write for a Prospectus to:

for further details.

May the Lord bless richly all who have been called to be trained and be equipped to serve Him in His harvest field, to God’s glory! Amen.

THE GOSPEL OF LIFE:
Chapter III

John 3:28-30
“If Christ is to be First, we must be last”

The circumstances under which John the Baptist made this famous statement, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” which is re-stated above, are these: John’s disciples were naturally more attached to him than to Christ. For not looking to Christ the Lamb of God, they were admonished. Sectarianism is sinful.

John was only a prophet, a mouthpiece of God, whose ministry was to herald the coming of the Saviour. In so doing, he must preach the baptism of repentance, but inseparably linked to repentance is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. John’s converts did repent of their sins and were baptised by John himself. But they stopped short at that. They clung to the Baptiser of Water but did not look to the Baptiser of Fire, Jesus Christ. John therefore had to clarify to his followers that he was not the Christ but His forerunner. He is not the Bridegroom but the bestman. The bestman stands in the shadow of the Bridegroom. Therefore his disciples were dissuaded from following him. He was fading out like the bestman having done his job, so that Christ his groom-friend might be seen in all the resplendence of His glory. Every true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ humbles himself at the Master’s feet that He might have the Preeminence.

John the Baptist sets every servant of God a good example. He does not care what men will say of him so long as Christ is exalted. Like the donkey that carries Christ into Jerusalem, he doesn’t care to look to the left or right so long as he can take his Master into Jerusalem.

The reason why God cannot bless certain Christian ministries is that they put themselves first and Christ last. What do you think of a donkey who tries to ride his Master? But listen to St Paul: “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col.1:18). “If Christ is to be first, we must be last!”