Why A New Website
Tan Sok Sin
A new website for our church has been launched. There are two reasons why a new website was developed. The first has to do with advancements in design and development tools for building modern and functional websites. After more than a decade of serving its purpose, our current website is out of date. Its look-and-feel no longer resonates with today’s social-media-savvy users. But more than just a facelift is needed. The old website had many technological limitations. For instance, some coding had to be done whenever the Church Weekly and sermons were uploaded. Adding another page to our website was even more challenging. It became clear that we needed to use a more efficient system to redevelop the church’s website, such as the Content Management System (CMS). This is a user-friendly software application that helps create, store, manage and modify digital content. It is often used for websites that frequently publish new content.
The second reason has to do with taking ownership of our IT responsibilities, and a timely opportunity to do so came when FEBC’s systems were up for a replacement. Not many know that for as long as True Life BPC has been in existence, we had been using FEBC’s email system for our emails and its IT server for hosting True Life BPC’s website. But because FEBC and True Life BPC are two separate entities, there must be a clear segregation of resources with each entity being accountable to its own Board or Session. Encouraged by two experienced IT professionals from our church who agreed with me, I started looking for solutions.
God’s Providence
Knowing how careful our church is in spending, I looked for IT solutions that give the most bang for the buck. “I being in the way, the LORD led me” (Gen 24:27). By God’s Providence, I found out that Microsoft has a very special pricing scheme for non-profit organisations. So, with the Session’s blessing, I applied. Thank God, Microsoft approved our Non-Profit status in September 2023. To our great delight, Microsoft also granted our church 10 complimentary M365 Business Premium licenses and an annual US$2,000 credit for Azure services. This means that we can use the Microsoft email system for free for our church leaders and staff, and enjoy a yearly discount of US$2,000 to host our church’s website on the Microsoft Azure!
A Church Project
With God’s help, in November 2023 the Session approved my proposal to engage a vendor, Verz Design Pte Ltd, to redevelop our Church’s website. Truly, “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” (Ps 37:5).
Guided by God’s wisdom that “in the multitude of counsellors there is safety” (Prov 11:14), I approached several church members to form a team. By God’s grace, He provided Ee Jia, Eileen, Way, Natalia, Sze Anne, Josiah, Joycelyn and Soo Cheng. They readily agreed to serve together on this project. Each time Verz Design sent us an updated design, they would review and give their feedback. They were a sounding board for scripture verses on the banners, photos, and other ideas.
Soo Cheng has been a great advisor. Always making himself available whenever there were meetings with the vendor, he contributed a lot to the interesting features on the website. Without Soo Cheng’s and Natalia’s help, I would not have been able to populate the website with the contents and test them thoroughly.
The contents and pictures under “Ministry” were provided by the leaders of the various ministries and fellowship groups. When I needed more photos, Dr Chan, Timothy Nguyen and Biboy were there to help.
The Reverends Jose and Jian Wei are very glad that there is a page each on the Filipino and Chinese congregations. I hope that more Filipinos and Chinese working in Singapore will join us after learning about us from the website.
Lee Wei is on stand-by. He is prepared to jump in to review the technical details when necessary. There are several other church members I consulted who I believe prefer to remain anonymous.
I am thankful to God for Judith who painstakingly vetted and edited many pages on the website. She has made sure that the message is clear and interesting.
The new website project is a church project. Thank God for uniting us through this project and I hope that with a shared vision to advance God’s Kingdom, He will draw us even closer to one another and to Him.
New Area of Service
It is my hope that we will use the new website as a channel for God. As it is a digital platform, we can share the Gospel in an engaging manner that visitors – young or old – will desire to learn more about Jesus. This is a new area of service especially for the young and creative to fulfil the Great Commission.
Soli Deo Gloria!
YOUNG PEOPLE’S BIBLE CONFERENCE
Jose Trinipil Lagapa II (Biboy)
The Young People’s Bible Conference ministry in the Philippines was initiated back in 2014 for the purpose of reaching out to the youths of the various churches in Mindanao, especially those that were under the care of the pastors who participated in the Pastor’s Bible Conference. It has then been held biennially along with the Pastor’s Bible Conference which is held every other year.
However, it has been 4 years since the last physical gathering of the YPBC back in 2018 due to the Covid-19 lockdown that affected both the years of 2020 and 2022. These 2 YPBC sessions had to be conducted online and through recorded messages. Thus, we are thankful to the LORD for allowing us to finally gather in-person again last year.
The theme chosen for the 6th Young People’s Bible Conference was “Be Not Ashamed” taken from 2 Timothy 1:8 with Rev Jose Lagapa as our main speaker. Held from the 18th to the 20th of December 2024 (Wed-Fri), it was conducted at the premises of the Central Mindanao University (CMU) with an attendance of about 80 youths; not just from the region of Mindanao, but also with some attendees from Cebu (Christ BPC), and Bohol (Trinidad BPC).
Unlike other youth conferences commonly held in the Philippines where games and other activities would overflow the timetable with only a sprinkle of 15-minute half-baked sermons, the conference focused mainly on the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. With a total of 6 messages, the Word of God was expounded to the youths on why a Christian should not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ: (1) The Basis, (2) The Burden, (3) The Bestowal, (4) The Boldness, (5) The Blessings, (6) The Behaviour.
Today, God’s Word is what Christian youths need the most, and all the more in these end times where sin is all around, immorality is normalized, conscience is seared, and truth is silenced. “Be Not Ashamed.” This is the call for all believers who live in this anti-Christ world.
Are we ashamed to tell our family and friends that we are children of God? Are we ashamed to face the repercussions and consequences that would come if they know of our faith? Are we ashamed of becoming alone or an outcast because we are Christians? Are we ashamed of Christ?
This is a struggle that all Christians face. Yet, a struggle is an obstacle that we should overcome. The Apostle Paul exhorts us in 2 Timothy 1:8, which says, “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;”
From this year’s conference, we learned and were encouraged to stand up to be witnesses for Christ. For if Jesus was humiliated, beaten, scourged, and agonized on the cross of shame to atone for our sins, how can we, who are saved by His sacrifice, be ashamed of Him? “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38).
We were also blessed through the preaching of God’s Word by our brother Jonathan Hendricks when he spoke on the topics of Justification and Sanctification during the morning devotions. A workshop on Evangelism was also held on the afternoon of the 2nd day in order to not only encourage the youths to evangelize but also educate them on how we ought to evangelize according to what is taught in God’s Word.
A special event was also held on the last night of the conference. A graduation ceremony was conducted for the students who enrolled in the Bible Equipping School of Theology (BEST). 10 graduates (1 in absentia) were awarded their Certificate of Christian Education. It was purposely held in conjunction with the YPBC in order to introduce the BEST Program to the youths and encourage them to further their knowledge of God’s Word through such means.
We thank God that several other FEBC alumni (Rev Jose Mangco, Dr Einstine Opiso, Gyzza Dandoy, Theya, and Thessa) & current students (Car Vincent, Maria Mae, and Charlyn) served along with us. Some sisters who used to be with us in the Filipino Worship Service and have returned to the Philippines also came over to assist us in the work. Throughout the conference, it was a wonderful time of fellowship and reunion with old and new friends.
Finally, we would like to thank and praise God for the abundant support and prayers from True Life B-P Church. May the LORD continue to bless our church to press on in fulfilling Christ’s Unfinished Commission that many of the churches today ignore. Christ is coming back soon – be not ashamed of Him!
Philippines Young People’s Bible Conference, 18-20 December 2024
