FEBC IS GOOD FOR LIFE
“Without the Bible College, the Church would die” were the words of the late Dr Paul Contento who was an OMF missionary and good friend of the Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) and FEBC’s founding principal, the Rev Dr Timothy Tow. Dr Contento had the honour of laying the College’s foundation stone in 1962.
On FEBC’s opening day of prayer, 7 January 2013, the Rev Dr Jeffrey Khoo commented that the saying of Dr Contento is true only if the Bible College is faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ and His forever infallible and inerrant Words. A Bible college that is liberal, modernistic, ecumenical and worldly can only bring death and destruction to the Church. Many a good Bible college have turned bad.Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Dartmouth were founded by Bible-believing and Christ-honouring Puritans and Calvinists in the 17th and 18th centuries. Today they have become citadels of apostasy and unbelief. For example, Princeton Seminary’s denial of the doctrines of biblical inerrancy, and the virgin birth of Christ, His miracles, substitutionary atonement and resurrection back in 1924 has led to the demise of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUSA). Owing to the liberalism and modernism that have plagued many a theological seminary, the mainline denominational churches today are dying; in fact many are already dead, and their buildings have been turned into restaurants, mosques, motor garages etc.
Fundamental and evangelical churches are not spared either by neo-evangelical, postmodern and emergent seminaries which repudiate biblical separation and reject the total inerrancy and divine authorship of the Holy Scriptures. Fuller Seminary and Biblical Seminary today are filling churches with more new-age and worldly-minded pastors. Not only this, but the rising tide of neo-fundamentalism, neo-deism and textual criticism as found in Bob Jones University, Central Baptist Seminary, Detroit Baptist Seminary and other fundamental Baptist seminaries which deny the infallible preservation and present inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures have undermined and weakened the biblical orthodoxy and gospel witness of fundamental churches even further.
Will FEBC also fall away in days to come? Many a good and sound Bible college have already gone to the dogs, having succumbed to liberalism and modernism. There is no guarantee that FEBC will continue to be a fundamental, Bible-believing and Bible-defending college, earnestly contending for the faith after the present generation is gone. A lot depends on the spiritual quality of present and future students and alumni. The principal prays for sincere, godly students to enroll—students who are truly born again and genuinely called to be servants of God, fully given to their Saviour. False students, not just false teachers, can wreck a school. FEBC in the past has had her fair share of Judases and Demases. May the Lord spare us from such treacherous students and graduates. May all our students take to heart Paul’s charge to Timothy, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” (1 Tim 4:16).
FEBC continues to suffer under those who wish to squeeze the life out of her. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Tim 3:12). Practising charity, we remain longsuffering and pray for deliverance. Please pray that the Lord will continue to protect and preserve FEBC from those who seek to hinder her growth and progress. Pray the Lord to grant FEBC the freedom and space she needs to do His work and to do good for His people. The unbelieving church may be dying, but let FEBC and all remnant Bible-believing churches continue to be lively for Christ. FEBC is only good for life if she will remain faithful to the Word of life (Phil 2:16). Jesus said, “be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Rev 2:10).
We thank the Lord for nine new students who have joined the College this semester: three from China (Guo Yueguang, Li Chunjing, Li Lexian), one from India (Vethamonickam Cycil Bright Singh), two from Indonesia (Stefanie, Zakharia Suhartono), and three from Singapore (Joycelyn Chng, Choong Sin Chun, Samuel Goh). We welcome Mr Tamahito Yamazaki from Japan who came to visit FEBC and is praying for God’s call to enter full-time studies and ministry. Brother Yamazaki was saved 20 years ago under the ministry of our beloved friend and fellow servant—Dr Robert Kluttz of Hokkaido Bible Centre.
Praise the Lord for the many who came to attend FEBC’s Basic Theology night classes on Leviticus and Calvin’s Institutes. Don’t miss the joy of studying God’s Word. Registration is still open. JK
ON YOUR DAY OF PRAYER
To Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC), my beloved FEBC lecturers, friends and all dear students from different parts of the world,
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor 15:58).
While other Bible Colleges and Seminaries have compromised their doctrinal stand, FEBC remains faithful because it is built on a Firm Foundation; the Word of God (Incarnate and Written Word). Since FEBC has the Word of God fully preserved without error, hearken unto this commandment from the Lord, “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Josh 1:9).
May the Lord prosper you all in this another year of equipping God’s servants and at the commencement of a new semester of studies. May your day of prayer be filled with much contemplation of what the Lord has done in past years for you. This truth will make us all realise how the Lord is good and how He has blessed the College bountifully.
God has used FEBC through her faithful lecturers to fight the present battle of Christian Faith. Praise the Lord for our forefathers who fought their battles on the Word Incarnate (Deity and Humanity of Jesus Christ). The battle today is on the Written Word (the Inspiration and Preservation of the Bible).
As FEBC trains God’s servants, it is not only enough for them to preach about salvation, it is also important to defend the truth concerning that salvation! Truly Jesus Saves! This is the Jesus of the Bible. This is the promised Seed of a woman (Gen 3:15 cf Gal 4:4). He is the same Jesus (Saviour) spoken by the prophets (Isa 7:14 and its fulfilment in Matt 1:23). All these truths and others are from the infallible, inerrant, inspired and preserved Word of God. No Preservation of the Scripture means no Bible today and literally speaking, no Gospel today! Thank God for preserving His precious Words (Ps 12:6-7) and that we can have surety of the message we are preaching.
I remain indebted for the many spiritual lessons I have learned from FEBC. Truly FEBC is my kind mother. God bless FEBC for her uncompromising stand for the faithful Word of God.
Serving God in Africa at the Bible
College of East Africa, Tanzania,
Judah K Pallangyo
Academic Dean, BCEA Tanzania
FAITHFULNESS IN DECLARING GOD’S WORD
Dear Rev Dr Jeffrey Khoo (Principal), Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew (Academic Dean), board members, Mrs Tow (Matron), lecturers, administration staff and students of FEBC and families,
Greetings in the blessed name of our risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Praise God for the FEBC “Day of Prayer” today to complete the final semester of the Golden Anniversary academic year. Praise God also for the faithfulness of lecturers at FEBC declaring the Word of God (cf Jer 23:28; 2 Cor 2:17; 4:2).
Jeremiah said, “The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD,” (Jer 23:28). Jeremiah challenged Judah’s prophets and priests who got their messages from foreign gods and promoted ungodliness, promising peace to everyone, even to those who stubbornly continued to follow after their own sinful desires (Jer 23:16, 17; see 6:14; Judg 21:25). During the day they boldly proclaimed that God spoke through them, but they made up the words (Jer 23:16-24). During the night they had false dreams, proclaiming their lies in God’s name (Jer 23:25-32). The prophets and priests ridiculed Jeremiah for his warnings about God’s judgment (Jer 23:33-38). The false prophets used God’s name to give authority to their own misconceived ideas.
All glory to the Lord for the opportunity that all students have to study the Truth of God’s Word at FEBC this year, including those studying online courses and for the faithfulness of FEBC in declaring God’s Word.
In His Service,
Rev Errol D Stone.
Pastor, Faith Presbyterian Church, Perth
Chairman, Faith & Freedom Ministries, Perth
