BAPTISMAL TESTIMONIES
I Can Put My Trust in Him
As a small child, I had the opportunity to learn about Jesus as I attended a church kindergarten. Sometimes, I attended Sunday School with my mother’s friend who was a Christian and the daughter was a close playmate of mine.
As I was growing up, I followed my mother’s belief and her rituals of ancestor and idol worship. It was only when I was pregnant that I started reading the Bible. I had a very difficult pregnancy. One of my colleagues encouraged me to read the Bible and pray. My sister also encouraged me to pray and gave me the KJV Bible to read. Reading the Scriptures brought me peace and I found that I could cope with the changes brought about by the pregnancy much better.
When my daughter grew older and through my sister’s encouragement, I began to attend church service but not regularly. Later, when True Life started at RELC, I started attending regularly. I read the Scriptures and pray. With the acceptance of Christ, I find peace and confidence and I am able to accept the daily trials of life because I know God is there for me no matter what happens. He has His plan for my family and me. I can put my trust in Him. I also hope that my daughter will learn and grow in her faith and that she will always look to God for guidance.
I feel ready to be baptised and truly become God’s disciple. Christ endured agony for people like me. He endured mental and physical torment so that those who trust in His sacrifice for sins might have health of mind and emotional freedom. He suffered for us on the cross so that those who trust in Him would never be separated from the love of God. Jennifer Chng
I Now Understand Many Things
Although I was born into a Christian family, I really could not deny the fact that I was not spiritually converted as I was unable to understand the Bible. I was often jealous of my younger brothers and was in constant conflict with them. I took many things for granted and was never a joyful person.
However as I grew older I tried to learn from the Bible. Things became much more different from the previous times when “church” in my heart was just a place to socialise and sing songs. Owing to the charismatic church I was going to, I thought that church was more of a place for play than for worship.
Christ has helped me a lot in my stay in Hong Kong. As I attended a Christian Alliance Church in Hong Kong, which was also a small village church, I felt that I was really growing and realised the central importance of religion. In Hong Kong, we sang traditional songs, many of which were meaningful and encouraging for they were based on the theme of praise and faith. I began to join the adults’ service and it was really an eye opener for me. I was able to find peace.
After four years staying and studying in Hong Kong, I came back to Singapore so as to regain my sense of identity as a Singaporean. I was determined to find a church that I felt would be suitable for me, not the charismatic church.
I came to know of True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church through my aunt’s friend, Aunty Jenny Kan. I joined the YPF (Young People’s Fellowship) first and slowly joined the Sunday service and found it to be equally suitable for me. I am really glad that the Lord by His everlasting grace has led me into another level of maturity and I feel the need to get baptised, not only for the ceremony but especially for my faith.
After conversion, I now understand many things like how to look at things in the way God would want me to, and to grow in character. I believe that the catechism class would strengthen me in spirit and in truth. May my testimony glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. Samuel Wong Wei Jin
He Had Chosen Me
Coming from a non-Christian family and having a keen interest in science, I have for the greater part of my life been fascinated by the discoveries of science and rejected God and religion. I believed that I could do anything I wanted and sinned as I wished. Science could not be wrong, I thought, but I was wrong. As I studied the Bible and learned from Sunday School and sermons, I have come to know that science is a human invention to measure what we make of the world. On the other hand, the Bible being the Word of God tells us the world as it is and more importantly about the Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time when I was still struggling with my uncertainties and unbelief, several friends of mine invited me to their churches. Some of them used versions other than the KJV, some played pop/rock music and some were charismatic churches. I could not explain why I rejected those practices then, but now I know and I thank God that He brought me to True Life B-P Church. His plans unfolded and from the first time I attended the church, sister Jenny witnessed to me and eventually led me in my sinner’s prayer when I had come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and accepted Him as my personal Saviour: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Rom 10:9). God has been most merciful and I am amazed and thankful that He had chosen me.
As I live the rest of my life as a child of God, I pray that my faith and my desire to walk on God’s decreed path will never waver, to obey His words and commandments and to witness to family and friends. “I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless; Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness”—as long as the Lord abides with me. Amen. Tan Ming Wei
My Life Has Changed
I first heard about Jesus Christ and the Gospel story when I was a young child as my mother’s friend brought my sister and me to church. However, I was too young to understand it and did not open my heart to the callings of our Lord. As I grew up, I was exposed to the teaching of Buddhism that man is born without sin. I began to reject the Christian belief that all men are born with sin. I did not feel that I needed a Saviour.
In 2003, a friend brought me to a charismatic church where members prayed “in tongues.” On one occasion, the pastor invited non-believers to step forward to receive his blessings and become a Christian. My friend urged me to do so, and I became a “Christian” just like that. After a couple more visits, I still could not pray properly “in tongues” and felt depressed. Thinking that I was not good enough to become a Christian I stopped attending the church. However, I continued reading the Bible that my friend gave me. I wanted to learn more about Christianity and knew that I needed a church. I started to attend the church near my home—Calvary Pandan Bible-Presbyterian Church. Thank God for leading me to a Bible-believing church! Initially, I had doubts about my salvation and was not sure if I was a Christian yet. Thus, I approached a deacon of the church. He told me that “for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8), and that once saved, the believer is always saved. He led me through the salvation prayer. I felt an immense joy and relief.
Since then I knew that my life has changed. I have a trustable and loving God whom I can lean on at all times. I am thankful for everything that Jesus Christ has done for me. This year, I brought my friends to True Life B-P Church as it is closer to their homes. I am thankful that my friends decided to stay in this church and I have decided to stay too. I thank God for the opportunity to be baptised and to declare my Christian faith publicly. I pray that God would use me to witness to my family and friends, and in His time, they will come to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour too. Amen. Bernice Xu Huiling
I Should Let Him Take Charge
I came to know about Christ when I was young. My mother would bring me to Novena Church occasionally. Back then, Christ (to me) was perceived as someone who can protect me and would answer my prayers like any of the other “gods.” I would pray with the rosary without really understanding what I was chanting.
Then in my teens, my sister brought me to Life B-P Church. That was the first time that I have listened to a sermon which made many references to the Bible. However, understanding the KJV was an uphill task. Being young, I was also fearful of attending the Sunday School in an unfamiliar place. Eventually, I became disinterested and stopped attending church services.
Somehow, God has His way of speaking to me through my circles of Christian friends. They would invite me to their charismatic churches and share accounts of their walk with God. I attended the services. Every sermon was so moving. As a result, I “accepted” Christ umpteen times. But it never really went far after acceptance. I was uncomfortable because they spoke gibberish which they claimed to be tongues, and the Bible used was the NIV. That conflicted with what I have learned in Life B-P Church. So, I stopped my attendance.
As I entered the working force, life was hectic. I was working late hours. My walk with God took a back seat as a result. After working for more than seven years, I felt lost, frustrated and did not enjoy my work. I felt I had no purpose in life. That was when I started praying for His guidance and finally decided that I should let Him take charge of the situation.
I began attending Sunday Service at True Life B-P Church, and even took a theology class at FEBC, “The Book of Genesis,” by Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew, so that I could learn the “basics.” The class was really enjoyable and explanations were clear and concise.
There was one sermon that has made a great impact on me. It was mentioned that we have to be patient for God’s answers. Although God may not show us everything (our purpose) in one go, He will be there to guide us. Step by step, He will show us our purpose in this life as long as we are willing and obedient.
Over time, I felt the peace that I needed and was assured of my future. That was when I truly accepted Christ as my personal Saviour and Lord.
Since the proof of faith is obedience, I believe that baptism is the next step of obedience in my walk with God.
Tina Tan Yoke Lin
