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Written by Pr Kelvin Lim

Praise God for the opportunity given to Bro. Guesstine Leong and me to attend the 10th Anniversary of The Gethsemane Care Ministry (TGCM) in Cebu, and to fellowship with Pr Edsel Locot in Bohol, another island of the Philippines.

Cebu (Fri-Sun, 4th-6th October)

Our flight from Changi (via Scoot) was smooth, and we landed safely in Cebu at about noon, where we were received warmly by Rev. Reggor Galarpe, who brought us directly to TGCM premises located in Mandaue City. Lunch had been prepared for us by the expectant TGCM brothers. And what a (‘boodle fight’) lunch reception we got! It is a meal that dispenses with cutlery and dishes. Diners instead practise kamayan, Filipino for "eating with the hands". The food is placed on top of a long banana leaf-lined trestle table, with the diners standing shoulder to shoulder in a line on both sides of the table. Thank God for the fellowship with the residents and helpers (as well as some TGCM alumni whom Rev. Reggor had invited to join us), which continued after lunch. We were so encouraged to witness the bond between them. Basketball was next in the afternoon programme, during which Rev. Reggor and I had the opportunity to reminisce God’s goodness in our lives. After the game, we checked in to our hotel.

The next morning, we had breakfast in the church and Bible Institute premises, which doubles up as Rev. Reggor’s home. We spent a good two hours there being briefed on the Gospel work in Cebu and in Bohol. The Lord has been good to True Life BPC, Singapore, as well, for we heard it has also established mission stations in Cebu and Bohol! May Christ’s Gospel spread throughout the 7,107 islands of the Philippines!

The 10th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service of TGCM was held at its own premises. Currently, there are 3 residents and 3 co-labourers in the ministry. Rev. Reggor chaired the service. Bro. Guesstine shared his testimony of salvation and how the Lord led him to TGCM. I preached from Psalm 105:5 on the theme, "Remembering the Lord’s Marvellous Works". It was an exhortation to us, who have tasted God’s wonderful grace, to remember God’s works in our lives, and not to forget His words, as well as to admonish one another to tell others about God’s doings in our lives. There were 4 Baptist ministers among the guests, one of whom told Rev. Reggor that his family was blessed by Bro. Guesstine’s testimony. Praise be unto God!

Bohol (Sun-Tue, 6th-8th October)

On the Lord’s Day, we woke up early to catch the 7.00am ferry to Tagbilaran City, Bohol, to attend the worship service of the mission church in Bohol. Pr Edsel welcomed us at the ferry terminal and brought us for breakfast. We arrived at the mission church with sufficient time for Pr Edsel to prepare to teach in the pre-service Bible study, and get ready for worship. Pr Edsel chaired the service, Bro. Guesstine shared his testimony, and I preached from Acts 8:4-5 on the theme, "Preaching Christ". Among the worshippers were a toddler and 2 young children (who are the grandchildren of Bro. Bucio, one of the founding members of the church), and Bro. Levi (alumni of TGCM), besides others as well. Later at 1pm, Pr Edsel, Bro. Jheyson, Bro. Guesstine and I left Tagbilaran to visit Trinidad, a small town northeast of Bohol, which is a 3-hour bus ride away. There, Bro. Mikhail Gonzales (ex-resident of the House of Hope in Cebu) met us and drove us to visit Pr Rodolfo Gayon, a missionary of True Life BPC. Thank God we could witness the Gospel work in Trinidad and have fellowship with Pr Gayon, as well as for the hospitality of Bro. Mikhail who hosted us to dinner and opened his home to lodge us for the night.

The next day (Mon), we visited Anda (about 110 km from Tagbilaran, in the eastern part of Bohol) to conduct Bible study. This is an outreach, whereby Pr Edsel conducts the Bible study there every Saturday. We went there, first by bus to another town, and then by taking a "Chinook" motorcycle. Such vehicles are like a van fitted on a bike, which can take up to 10 passengers! We reached the village of Casica in Anda safely at about 4.00 pm. Bro. Hansel Timaan welcomed us into his home for the Bible study, where Sis. Roscelle’s relatives also came to join us. Pr Edsel led the singspiration while I shared from Psalm 105:1-4, encouraging the brethren to always give thanks unto the Lord by making His deeds known to others, by talking among ourselves the wonderful works of God, by giving glory due unto His name, by rejoicing in Him and seeking Him consistently, among others. As the sun sets at about 6pm in Bohol, we were not able to spend more time with the brethren there. We needed to find a "Chinook" motorcycle to travel back to another town, and catch a bus back to Tagbilaran. Though the time spent was short, the fellowship was sweet! We reached Tagbilaran after 8:00pm, had dinner and proceeded to Bro. Levi’s apartment (located at Panglao) to stay for the night. Thank God for safety for our day of travelling!

Cebu (Tue-Wed, 8th-9th October)

The next day (Tue), after lunch with Pr Edsel and Bro. Jheyson, we bought the 2.00pm ferry tickets to Cebu. Thank God for calm sea. We were hosted to dinner by Rev. Reggor and Bro. Bono, together with their families. Thank God for the opportunity to meet up with Bro. Bono, whom I’ve not met for at least 5 years. We updated one another about the things God has been doing in our lives, praising God for our friendship forged many years ago in Singapore. Hopefully, our conversation was an encouragement to Bro. Guesstine to press on for God’s glory!

On the last day (Wed), we visited Bro. Tibo in the jail of Talisay City, together with Rev. Reggor and Bro. Alan. The jail was located on top of a hill, and we needed to pass through 3 checkpoints to enter the area where the inmates were housed. At every checkpoint, the jail official would stamp our arm with a rubber stamp, as if our arm is a page on a passport! When we entered the compound, Bro. Tibo was waving to us from the 4th floor of a cellblock. Praise God, we were allowed to minister God’s Word to those who were housed with him. Rev. Reggor preached the Gospel to them, and I shared my testimony of salvation and God’s goodness in my life. Among the 3 jail officials escorting us, one is a Christian, who approved the inmates’ request for Bro. Guesstine to share his testimony. Praise God for such providential opportunity! In fact, the Christian jail officials were hoping for more preachers who would come to share Christ’s Gospel with the inmates. May the Lord answer that good desire! As we made our way out, the guards checked our arm for the rubber stamps at every checkpoint. Later on, I found out from Bro. Alan the reason for doing so is to ensure that the same person who goes in is the same person who comes out. Before leaving, we took a photo together at the main gate.

From there, we drove back to Cebu City. We stopped for lunch with Pastor Manny, a mutual friend of Bro. Alan who was there at TGCM’s anniversary. We packed our things in the church premises before heading for the airport. Thank God for a fruitful trip, blessed fellowship with like-minded brethren, and the opportunity to see the Lord’s work in the Philippines!

In the previous week, I raised three pitfalls of church leaders. They are: (1) having a sense of self-glory and vindictiveness, (2) succumbing to itching ears as love of truth evaporates, and (3) disregarding the family life. Today, two more pitfalls are considered here.

Pitfall #4: Wallowing in Self-pity that Excuses Worry, Bitterness and Other Sins

The struggles of a church leader are seldom fully understood, let alone empathised, by those who are around him. The apostle Paul has succinctly captured the troubles of the church leaders when he wrote: "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Some in the ministry have been so plagued by problems that they allow their souls to plunge into self-pity and many other sins that accompany anxiety, worry and fear. Some leaders have used their needs, loneliness, problems to excuse their sins of greed, theft, sexual promiscuity, abusive behaviour, etc. They would say, "Nobody understands my problems. Nobody seems to care that I also have to take care of my family’s needs. It is such pressure that led me to steal." Or they may say, "Nobody else seems to feel for me in my loneliness the way she does. If any of them knew what I was going through in this leadership role, they would understand why I need this kind of embrace, and why I need this kind of ‘unconditional acceptance’. I have borne enough of the burden of being everybody’s spiritual example; I can’t take it any more! And I don’t care if they don’t approve!"

Self-pity is a subtle sin; it is packed with deceptive power. It looks so meek and weak, but underneath it is pride. Self-pity is a blind leader of proud men, guiding them into pits of sins.

Every leader must learn to find his strength, wisdom, courage and provision in the Lord. The Lord—and He alone—must be our portion; otherwise we will give in to self-pity and all the sins that accompany it. We must seek the presence of God where there is "fulness of joy" and where "at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:11). Let us learn to draw near to God when all kinds of troubles befall us. Truly, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea" (Psalm 46:1-2).

Pitfall #5: Falling in Love with the Present World

"For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica..." (2 Timothy 4:10). Demas was a fellow labourer of Paul in the work of the Gospel (cf. Colossians 4:14; Philemon 24). Paul mentioned him along with the early church leaders like Luke, Marcus and Aristarchus.

Apparently, Demas left Paul and the ministry after he fell in love with this present world. What is it about the world that leaders (like Demas) in particular are tempted to love?

In Luke 8:14, Jesus cautioned, "...when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection." Our Saviour mentioned three causes that could lead a man away from being fruitful in the kingdom of God. They are cares of this life, riches of this world and pleasures of this world. Sadly, Demas’ motive for forsaking Paul might have been his love for worldly ease, safety and comforts, as well as his disinclination to brave danger with Paul.

Anyone who sincerely serves the Lord will soon find that he needs to sacrifice all his desires for comfort, pleasure and glory of this world. Anyone who entertains an immoderate love for this material world, and its gain, pleasure and glory, will not be able to serve God fervently and faithfully. He will soon wilfully abandon the cause of the Gospel because of his love for this material world.

The best safeguard from this pitfall is to always set our mind on the glory of God and His kingdom. Paul said, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Galatians 6:14). The spell of sin’s fascination is broken when the superior pleasures of God’s presence become our preoccupation.

If we love the Lord and His work, then we must also remind ourselves that "the friendship of the world is enmity with God" and "whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4). Think long and hard about those who have fallen so painfully and drastically, having drunk the deadly poison of worldliness. May we be warned!

Pray for Our Church Leaders

"Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you" (2 Thessalonians 3:1a).

The apostle Paul often requested brethren to pray for him and his fellow labourers in the work of the Gospel (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:25; Hebrews 13:18). Though the apostles were called, equipped and endowed with the Holy Spirit and extraordinary miraculous gifts, they humbly beseeched the people of the church, both young and old, to pray for them. If Paul (with all his unique, miraculous apostolic gifts) required the prayers of God’s people, how much more preachers and pastors of our time need the prayer support of the church. Those who lead the church should not forget their need for spiritual support from the congregation. One’s office of leadership in the church or spiritual gift or past successful service does not make one self-sufficient for the work of the ministry. Mutual support, particularly prayer support, is vital for the success of one’s service.

Every member of the church, being joined with one another as the body of Christ, is to supply each other that which is needed. The eye cannot say unto the hand, "I have no need of thee"; nor the hand to the feet, "I have no need of you." Mutual support, according to the ability that God has given, is vital for the efficient operation of the whole church.

The apostle desired prayer, particularly for the ministry of "the word of the Lord". Prayer, both requested and offered to God, recognises God as the source of the progress and success of preaching. It is a great danger to attribute the success of preaching to the preacher’s talent and not to rely on God’s help, as that would ascribe to man the glory due unto God alone. Every Christian who hears the preaching of God’s Word must remember that he is in the presence of the preacher’s God rather than the preacher himself. The blessing he receives through the preaching of the Word is God-sent. So when he prays for the preacher and his preaching, he links the pulpit to the throne of God, the true fountain of all spiritual blessings.

The object of praying for the preacher is that the Word of God "may have free course, and be glorified". Paul is here using Greek words that evoke the memory of the ancient Greek runners’ success and honour. Christians must desire and pray for great success through the faithful and fervent efforts of the preachers in turning sinners to Christ and establishing faithful churches for the edification of saints (cf. Psalm 67:1-3).

Church leaders are not free from the temptations of sin. They need to be always on guard lest they be suddenly overtaken by the deceitfulness of sin. My prayer is that the Biblical expose of the deceitfulness of sin that surrounds church leaders will further intensify our vigilance and prayer so that we may keep ourselves pure for the work of the Lord.

Pitfall #1: Having a Sense of Self-Glory and Vindictiveness

The apostle John wrote about an early church leader who walked into this pitfall. "I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth us not" (3 John 9). It is not at all uncommon that the behaviour of certain men in the church leadership degenerate into one of self-assertiveness and self-glory. A sense of immunity from accountability and authority fills their minds. They act as though they are above everyone, and even the demands of morality and charity.

Like Diotrephes who opposed and sidelined the apostle John and other leaders of the early church, some of the modern-day church leaders also act highhandedly. They become domineering, bossy and love the prestige and power of leadership so much that they care for none but themselves. They forget godly men whom God has used to nurture the church. They slander good men and promote those who are just like themselves.

Let us protect ourselves from this sin of pride by co-labouring with and submitting ourselves to godly men who love God’s truth and righteousness and serve before Him humbly, faithfully and diligently. The apostle Peter advises church leaders, "Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock … Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:3-6).

Submit yourself also to a council of biblically-minded, spiritually-wise advisers. "Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established" (Proverbs 15:22). The Bible makes clear provision for rebuking an elder who persists in sin (cf. 1 Timothy 5:19-20). No one is above reproof. Everyone ought to be accountable. Let every one of us who serves in the leadership remind himself that God expects us to be humble, submissive and accountable to one another.

Pitfall #2: Succumbing to Itching Ears as Love of Truth Evaporates

The apostle Paul cautions, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Many who express a passion for God’s truth at the beginning of their ministry have succumbed later to the popular notions and expectations of the people around them. The love of truth is weakened by the love for recognition and admiration, and soon integrity has no leg to stand on. Every manner of rationalization and compromise to meet the demands of the expanding audience takes over. Doctrines are not emphasized; moral purity is not pursued after. The audience is to be entertained — the itching ears are to be "scratched" — or else he would have to face the unhappiness of the crowd. He is afraid that people would desert him, so immunity from objection and opposition is created with a heavy dose of relational ethics. The language of love, forgiveness and acceptance abounds — but for those who have eyes to see, it is but a camouflage to cover up the abandonment of love for God’s truth!

In order to protect ourselves from such perilous compromise in the ministry, we should cultivate an unflinching commitment to "preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (2 Timothy 4:2). Remain fully dedicated to proclaim the truth, even in its smallest details, and turn a deaf ear to the desires of men to have their ears scratched. Compromise with falsehood often begins in small things.

In order to be a brave and faithful preacher of the Word, "study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). In the ministry of many leaders, the Word of God has taken a back-seat to storytelling, social analysis, family discussions, psychological diagnoses, etc., which begin to usurp the authority of the inspired and preserved Word of God. Loose and sloppy handling of the Scriptures eventually leads to loose and sloppy living of the leaders and the congregation. Let all leaders protect themselves and their congregations through a disciplined study of God’s Word and faithful preaching.

Pitfall #3: Disregarding the Family Life

The apostle Paul very emphatically advises that leaders should "be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly" (Titus 1:6; cf. 1 Timothy 3:2, 4, 12). It is tragic that many leaders have failed to give careful attention in the nurturing of their own children in the ways of God. Therefore, Paul challenges us, "For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?" (1 Timothy 3:5).

Our loving treatment of our wives ought to be the reflection of Christ’s wonderful love for the church. The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:25-27, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Let every church leader remember that his treatment of his wife is reflective of how greatly he thinks of the Lord’s loving dealings with the church.

An adulterous church leader is a disastrous testimony before the church. He does not portray the Lord’s faithful and true love for the church. The apostle Paul teaches us in Ephesians 5:31-32 that Christian marriage is a token of the mystery of the relationship that Christ has with the church. "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." Adultery is an appalling desecration of the image of Christ and His church.

Let every church leader remember that God expects him to prove his faithfulness as a leader in his own home first. Remind yourself repeatedly that your marriage is a living testimony of Christ's relationship with the church. We simply must recover the wonder of this truth. Marriage has to do with Christ, not just two people trying to seek fulfilment. It is a mission whereby God’s love is to be portrayed to the world. It is an extraordinary calling.

As it was mentioned before from the pulpit, the Board of Elders have decided that all the present members of the Church Session will be nominated to serve for another 2-year term. All of them have been assessed according to the Scriptures and our church’s constitution, and are deemed eligible to stand for election to the Session.

Information on the candidates’ prior service is published below. This information is not exhaustive. In fact, all of them have been actively serving the Lord in our midst, both as members and leaders, for many years. We thank God for their faithfulness in their appointed areas of service in the past, and for their readiness to continue in the service to which the Lord has called them.

Today, the election to the Church Session (2019-2021) will be held, along with the Annual Congregation Meeting, at 2:00 pm. All communicant members are required to attend the ACM which is deemed their constitutional duty.

Let us continually pray for the members of the Church Session and their families to remain faithful, humble and diligent in their lives and ministries.

Rev. Dr Prabhudas Koshy

Candidate for the office of Pastor and Chairman of the Session

• Since 1990, Pastor Koshy has been preaching God’s Word in Gethsemane and was ordained as the Pastor of Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church in 1994. Since 1999, he has been leading the Church Session as its Chairman.
• His main areas of ministry have been the preaching and teaching of God’s Word during Sunday worship services, Tuesday Prayer Meetings, various fellowship meetings, seminars, retreats and camps of Gethsemane B-P Church.
• He regularly provides pastoral counselling to the members and worshippers, and also leads the Pastoral Visitation Ministry.
• He also gives pastoral supervision and leadership to the Bible Witness Media Ministry (as the Editor of the Bible Witness magazine), The Gethsemane Care Ministry, and all the fellowship groups of the church.
• He is also actively involved in training men for the ministry through FEBC, Gethsemane Bible Institutes in the Philippines and Ethiopia.
• He also conducts lectures on Systematic Theology for GBI-online. He also corresponds with our missionaries and visits our church’s mission stations.
• He serves presently as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gethsemane Bible Witness Limited (GBWL).
• He is married to Carolyn, and they have 3 children, Cornelius, Andronicus and Dorcas, and they serve the Lord as a family in Gethsemane BPC. Cornelius, having received the Lord’s call, is undergoing theological training in FEBC.

Eld. Mah Chin Kwang

Candidate for the office of Elder & Assistant Treasurer

• Since Gethsemane BPC’s inception in 1988, Eld. Mah has been serving in the leadership of Gethsemane as an elder. He served as the chairman of the Interim Committee till 1994, and of the Session (1995-1999).
• He has laboured in various leadership roles of Gethsemane: Clerk-of-Session, Leader of Gethsemane Encouragers’ Ministry, Finance Committee Member, Building Committee Member, etc.
• He regularly teaches in Catechism class, Seniors’ Ministry, The Gethsemane Care Ministry. From time to time, he also preaches in fellowship groups. He also serves as worship chairman on Sundays and renders his advice and help in many areas of church administration, such as Finance Committee.
• In the recent years, Eld. Mah has led several mission trips to places like Kuching, Pangasinan, Cebu, etc.
• He serves presently as the Secretary of GBWL’s Board of Directors.
• He is married to Lean Choo, and they have two children, Melissa and Matthew (who is away on work assignment in Spain together with his family). Melissa serves the Lord in BWMM.

Eld. Ng Poh Kok

Candidate for the office of Elder & Treasurer

• In 2008, Eld. Ng and his family joined Gethsemane B-P Church. Prior to that, he served as a deacon in Sharon BPC (1978-2002) and as an elder (2002-2008). He also served in Sharon BPC as a Sunday School teacher and as its Superintendent.
• Eld. Ng was elected as an elder of our church in 2013. During the present term of the Session, he has served as the Treasurer. He has also served on the committees of Gethsemane Adults’ Fellowship and Gethsemane Men’s Fellowship. He now co-labours with Pastor in the leadership of the Pastoral Visitation Ministry.
• He serves presently as a member of GBWL’s Board of Directors.
• His wife Dorothy, and their two daughters, Sarah and Sharon, are also members of Gethsemane BPC. Sarah is married to Samuel Yong, and they both actively serve the Lord in our church. Sharon, who was married to our late missionary Dominino dela Cruz Jr, now serves the Lord in our midst together with her son Nehemiah.

Eld. Alan Choy Weng Heng

Candidate for the office of Elder & Session Member

• Since 1995, Eld. Choy has been a member of Gethsemane BPC. From 1997 to 2003, he served as a deacon. In 2003, he was elected and ordained as an elder of Gethsemane BPC.
• In the Session, he has laboured in various leadership roles: Clerk-of-Session, Treasurer, etc., as well as being a member of the Finance Committee and Building Committee in recent years. He presently leads the GYF committee with Pastor.
• He attended FEBC as a part-time student and graduated with Certificate of Religious Knowledge in May 2013.
• He regularly teaches in Catechism class and ministers at the Lions Home for the Elders, etc. In the Chinese Service, he serves as a worship chairman and preaches God’s Word, when the need arises.
• He serves presently as the Treasurer of GBWL’s Board of Directors.
• He is married to Luan Kheng; and they have three children, Eunice, Jenice and Amoz. As a family, the Choys serve the Lord actively in various areas of Gethsemane BPC.

Eld. Francis Lee Kek Gee

Candidate for the office of Elder & Session Member

• Eld. Francis and family joined Gethsemane as members in 2008. Before that, he was a member of Life B-P Church (since 1988), and True Life B-P Church (2003-2007). Upon joining Gethsemane, he rendered his services in various ministries of the church.
• He became a deacon in Gethsemane in 2011 and diligently served in the Session to date. He has faithfully served in the Session as the Clerk-of-Session and also as the Treasurer. He is a member of the Finance Committee of the church.
• He has given his service as the Camp Master in annual church camps, Committee Member of Gethsemane Adults’ Fellowship and Gethsemane Men’s Fellowship. Presently, he also serves in Gethsemane Defenders’ Ministry. He also served along with Eld. Mah in the past mission trips to our mission fields.
• He sought theological learning through FEBC as a part-time student and graduated with Certificate of Religious Knowledge in 2008, and Certificate of Biblical Studies in 2010.
• He serves presently as a member of GBWL’s Board of Directors, and Project Owner of the building renovation committee of Gethsemane Media Centre.
• His wife Stephanie and their four children, Sarah, Michelle, Samuel and Moses, worship and serve the Lord in Gethsemane BPC and various fellowship groups.

Dn Daniel Lim Hoe Chiang

Candidate for the office of Deacon & Session Member

• In 2005, he was appointed as a preacher in the Chinese Service of Gethsemane BPC and has faithfully devoted himself to ministering to the brethren in that ministry. Preacher Daniel Lim, after obtaining his Diploma in Theology from FEBC, served with The Helping Hand (2000-2005) as a missionary in the Philippines, and then upon his return to Singapore, as a counsellor and a director of The Helping Hand.
• Since 2007, he has been serving as a deacon in the Session of Gethsemane BPC.
• He conducts weekly Bible Study in The Gethsemane Care Ministry (TGCM) and assists Pastor in counselling and in the leadership of TGCM.
• He serves together with Pr Jeremiah Sim and Eld. Mah in the Seniors’ Ministry on Thursdays and also preaches God’s Word regularly in Changi Prison. He also frequently travels to Malaysia (Kemaman, KL, etc.) to preach God’s Word in sister churches.
• He is married to Roscelle, and they have two children, Mehetabel and Jesimiel. As a family, they participate in church fellowship activities and ministries.

Dn Lok Kwok Wah

Candidate for the office of Deacon & Session Member

• Since 2001, he has been faithfully serving in the Bible Witness Media Ministry as a full-time worker. He transferred his membership to Gethsemane BPC in 2005 from Life BPC and became a deacon of Gethsemane in 2007.
• In the Bible Witness Media Ministry, he supervises the printing, distribution of the Bible Witness magazine. He also assisted Pastor in organising BW retreats, Holy Land Bible Study Tour, etc.
• He has been serving as a deacon in the Session of Gethsemane BPC since 2007. He has served in the Session in various roles: Assistant Treasurer, Assistant Clerk-of-Session, etc. He led the Ushers’ ministry (2009-2016).
• He now serves as the Operations Manager for GBWL.
• Together with him, his wife Jenny and three children, Qian Hui, Qian Yi and Qian Ning, worship and serve in Gethsemane.

Dn Kelvin Lim Cheng Kwang

Candidate for the office of Deacon & Session Member

• In 2000, he was baptised in Gethsemane BPC and became an active member of the church.
• The Lord called him into full-time ministry in 2002, and in 2004 he joined FEBC for theological training. He completed the Bachelor of Theology in 2008 and was appointed as Assistant to the Pastor in Gethsemane Children’s Ministry.
• He was elected as a deacon in 2009.
• He leads the Gethsemane Children’s Ministry. He also avails himself to preach and to teach God’s Word during worship service, at prayer meeting and different fellowship meetings, and in TGCM.
• He travels to Malaysia to preach God’s Word in Kemaman Life BPC, Calvary Jaya B-P Fellowship, Kuching Mission outreach.
• His wife Jasmine and their three children, Joash, Jorim and Joses, worship and serve the Lord in Gethsemane BPC.

Dn Low Boon Siang

Candidate for the office of Deacon & Clerk-of-Session

• Dn Boon Siang was saved and baptised in Gethsemane in the year 2001.
• Over the past 14 years, as he steadily grew spiritually, he served the Lord in Youth Fellowship (2002-2008); Ushers’ Ministry (2005-2009); Young Adults’ Fellowship Committee (2008- 2012); Audiovisual Ministry (2009 till 2015); Men’s Fellowship Committee (2013 to 2019). He also served in committees of Church Camp (2009 and 2012).
• As a teacher of God’s Word to children, Bro Boon Siang served in Junior Worship (2006 to present) and in GCM (2008 to 2013). He also served the Lord in the Fundamental Christian Ministry of NTU and NIE (2006-2008), and the B-P Combined Youth Conference Committee (2007-2008).
• Upon his election as a deacon in 2015, he was appointed to be a member of the Finance committee, and was given the leadership of Young Adults’ Fellowship. In 2017, he was appointed to lead the Ushers’ Ministry. He laboured much in organising the 5th Missionary Conference held in Kuching. In the Church Session (2017-2019), he served as the Treasurer.
• His wife Hui Lin and their two young sons, Christopher and Caleb, worship in Gethsemane BPC and participate in many fellowship groups and ministries.

Duties of Elders

When a person is ordained as an elder of the church, he is being entrusted with God-given duties to fulfil. His ordination is a public acknowledgment of his calling and equipping by the Holy Spirit to carry out the God-given duties of an elder. Following is a brief discussion of some of the major biblical duties of an elder.

Oversight of the Church

In conjunction with the pastor (the teaching elder), the elders take the oversight of the spiritual and administrative matters of the church. Elders are exhorted in 1 Peter 5:2 to "feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind". The word "feed" translates a Greek word (poimaínō) which denotes the duties of a shepherd towards the flock. An elder is to be like a shepherd who cares for the flock of God in the local church where he is appointed to the office. His duty of shepherding means that he must willingly and readily "take the oversight" of the congregation. Exercising oversight – as denoted by the Greek word (episkopeo) – would mean that he cares for the nurture, protection and guidance of God’s people like a shepherd (Acts 20:28a).

Every elder must co-labour with the pastor and fellow elders to provide the necessary spiritual and administrative oversight. He must work with genuine pastoral concern for the flock of God. He must know the affairs of the flock and oversee their spiritual well-being. As part of the Board of Elders (or presbytery), he must personally and jointly labour to watch over the flock of God. The wise words of Solomon are applicable to every elder: "Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds" (Proverbs 27:23).
The oversight of the flock would include visiting the poor, the sick and the afflicted. The elder must be willing and prepared to attend to the spiritual and temporal needs of the needy among the congregation. In fact, Scripture encourages the needy to call on elders – "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord" (James 5:14). As under-shepherds of Christ’s flock, every elder ought to manifest Christ’s compassion and care, with much love and tenderness to His suffering sheep. He may minister to the afflicted with an appropriate hymn, or the reading of a portion of Scripture, or a brief prayer.

That is not all. He must also attend to the backsliding members of the church in order to correct them and nurture them back. Every elder must prayerfully work to avoid the spiritual decline of the congregation. He should admonish members who neglect the fellowship gatherings and sacraments, which are means of grace that are essential to spiritual growth and health. Without proper supervision, the members of the church can slowly slip into spiritual lethargy and degeneration. Every elder must labour to avoid having members of the church degenerate and fall away unnoticed. Though the pastor bears much of the responsibility of the pastoral care, elders are also called to share with him the pastoral supervision of the church.

Teaching of the Church

According to 1 Timothy 3:2, elders must be "apt to teach". In Titus 1:9, elders are expected to be "holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." The Greek word (parakaleô) translated as "exhort" can also mean "encourage", "comfort". Thus, the ruling elder’s teaching – though not formal or on a full-time basis like that of the pastors who are teaching elders – includes informal counselling and words of encouragement. The elder should also be able to "convince the gainsayers" by sound doctrine (Titus 1:9). The Greek word (antilegô) translated as "gainsayers" refers to "those who speak against". Hence, elders must acquaint themselves with the biblical doctrines and practices of the church, that they may give a sound response to those who object to the doctrines of the Word of God.

This, of course, does not mean that every elder must be equally knowledgeable and gifted to perform the task of teaching. It is abundantly clear that there are some elders (being pastors) who are specially tasked to "labour in the word and doctrine" (1 Timothy 5:17), while others focus mainly on ruling the church. However, every elder must be able to communicate sound biblical knowledge. To fulfil such an important duty, elders must have a constant, prayerful commitment to equip themselves with sound theological knowledge. They must equip themselves to teach competently in Bible studies and to answer the inquirers wisely and adequately. They must labour to both propound sound doctrines and defend them for the purity of the church.

Rule of the Church

Elders are expected to rule well, and such are worthy of double honour (1 Timothy 5:17). As rulers, they are not to be "lords over God’s heritage" (1 Peter 5:3a), but rather as fathers who rule their household (1 Timothy 3:4). They teach the Word of God (Hebrews 13:7), and labour to admonish the church (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:12). They watch for the souls of God’s people (Hebrews 13:17b), and lead them by example (1 Peter 5:3b; cf. 1 Timothy 4:12). As men entrusted with responsibility for the well-being of the souls of the people, they will have to give an account to the Lord for them (Hebrews 13:17b).

Elders ought to be in charge of the admission, spiritual nurture and discipline of the members of the church. Their collective supervision as rulers of the church is crucial to maintaining the purity of the church. The special attention of the elders to catechise those who seek membership and to ascertain them to be credible followers of Christ is most needful. It is also their duty to admonish (with a loving and firm spirit) members of the church who walk disorderly. They are expected to carry out their roles as rulers with much diligence and labour (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:12).

In order to rule well, the elders also have important duties to perform in the meetings of the Board of Elders and the Church Session. In those meetings where the situation and needs of the church will be considered, the elders should confer together to find the best biblical way to manage matters at hand for the benefit of the church. Hence, elders must have a commitment to attend all such meetings and to participate in the discussions concerning the administration of the church with eagerness and patience. As the Board and Session meetings cannot be held in a hurried or perfunctory manner, much forbearance, tolerance and endurance are expected. Elders must not think of themselves as mere advisers in the Board or the Session, but as co-labourers together with the pastor to shepherd the flock of God. In this respect, elders must also be careful to avoid any misunderstandings, quarrels or alienation among themselves.

The importance of godly, able and dutiful ruling elders in taking the oversight of the church cannot be overemphasised. The apostle Paul knew this full well, hence he was not at all apologetic to write: "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour" (1 Timothy 5:17a). Indeed, such honour would be gladly rendered by the discerning church which recognises that only when the elders – who are the rulers of the church – endeavour to work together in sincerity and faithfulness, in harmony and love, and with zeal and patience can the church be effective in bearing a glorious testimony for the Lord.

To understand the biblical importance of ruling elders in the church, it is pertinent for us to recognise the necessity, nature and duties of ruling elders.

Necessity of Ruling Elders

In the apostolic times, when the Gospel spread through Judaea, Samaria, Asia Minor and in other regions, churches were formed. Their proper spiritual and administrative care became a great concern to the apostles. Paul then wrote to Titus regarding what should be done for the proper management of the church – "that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee" (Titus 1:5).

The apostolic instruction is that the appointment of elders as church officers who oversee her affairs and ministries is vital to an orderly, well-managed church. The ordaining of elders is an imperative. It is on no account to be omitted. Paul’s counsel was that Titus would go through city by city (wherever there was a church) and ordain a body of elders in each congregation (cf. 1 Timothy 3, where Paul also mentioned the appointment of deacons, who are to be assistants to the elders). The elders, then, are to rule and organise the church.

The basic biblical pattern for the proper organisation of a local church is that elders (plural in number) ought to be ordained from within the congregation, in accordance with the biblical requirements of abilities and standards of behaviour. This is corroborated by Acts 14:23 – "And when they (Paul and Barnabas) had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed."

Nature of Ruling Elders

Spiritually Pious Men

Elders ought to be men of sound moral and spiritual character. Their qualifications are plainly laid down in the Word of God, as attested to by Titus 1:6-9 – "(being) blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers."

A similar requirement of irreproachable conduct is also given in 1 Timothy 3:2- 7. "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."

The passages quoted above lay special emphasis upon high morals and sound spiritual abilities and character. So, every man who is considered for the office of eldership ought to be blameless in life and steadfast in the faith. He should be a man of wisdom and discretion. Neither wealth nor social position can qualify a man to be a ruler in God’s house. Holiness must characterise his pursuit of life so that he may be an example to the flock. Devotion to God – piety – should characterise every ruling elder. He must be a godly, spirituallyminded man. His piety is an indication of the measure of his strength. All his duties require godliness, without which all his skills and capabilities are of little use in the governing of the church. If he is truly godly, then he will truly influence the church for the glory of God. It is the elders’ godly influence that is instrumental in directing the proper conduct of the church.

Capable and Competent Men

Though piety is indispensable, it is not the only qualification. Not every church member who is devout is qualified to be an elder of the church. A candidate to the office of eldership must also be a man of intelligence, practical wisdom, experience and no mean administrative capacity. The best and wisest godly men in the congregation should be selected. From time to time, the Board of Elders will have to deal with matters of utmost gravity and grapple with perplexing problems. In such situations, the ablest of minds and the most knowledgeable of men are to be found among the rulers of the church. It goes without saying that men who lack excellent mental capacity would not be able to handle such duties. Thus, we should thank God for capable men whom God gives to us in the church leadership. In the same vein, we must also pray for more competent men for the eldership.

The apostle Paul also insisted that an elder should be "apt to teach". This is not necessarily a reference to public and official instruction, for ruling elders are not those who are called to labour in the Word as teaching elders (cf. 1 Timothy 5:17). What this means is that there must, however, be present in them the ability to communicate and defend sound doctrines of the Bible. Elders must take every opportunity available to them to increase in the knowledge of God’s Word. They should be diligent and faithful students of God’s Word so that they may teach in the Bible class, and guide worshippers and inquirers in the wisdom of God’s Word.

Elders who are "apt to teach" ought to have the competence and purposefulness to teach true doctrine and to refute false doctrine. Hence Paul’s instruction to the Ephesian elders: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For … grievous wolves (shall) enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also … shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:28-30). This role of the elders is of vast importance in preventing the church from departing from the truth of God’s Word and in defending the church against errors of all kinds that will creep in through false teachers!

By the grace of God, in the upcoming Bible Witness Retreat (September 11-13), about 50 participants will be studying the prayers recorded in the Book of Acts under the theme, "Church: A People in Prayer". In the previous retreat held in March 2019, we studied the prayers found in the earlier chapters of the Book of Acts.

It is indeed a special blessing to contemplate on the legacy of prayer recorded in the Scriptures. The Book of Acts mentions prayer to God about 50 times, thus making it as the book with the second-most reference to prayer in the New Testament book– the first being the Gospel of Luke. Of the 28 chapters of this book, 20 of them have references to prayer. When we study those instances of prayer in their specific contexts, many spiritual truths can be gleaned that will benefit our Christian life. Not only principles of prayer, but also many essential spiritual truths that will impact our personal and church life will be touched upon when we pursue the expository study of those prayers.

Since we are exhorted to be prayerful in everything (Philippians 4:6), the study of biblical prayers will provide lessons that would permeate every aspect of our life and ministry. It will provide us with biblical perspectives on various facets of godliness. Hence, we can expect our study of the prayers in Acts of the Apostles to provide biblical counsels that span beyond the spiritual exercise of prayer.

Prayer is communing with and communicating to God. It involves acts of worship – praise, thanksgiving, confession about God’s attributes and works – repentance, oath, vows, consecration, supplication, intercession, inquiring of God’s will, His guidance, His help, His blessing, etc. The attitudes expressed in prayers found in the Bible teach us about faith, submission and obedience to God’s Word, dependence on His promises, love for God and His church, commitment to His work, preoccupation with God’s glory, etc. That’s not all. The answers to the prayers recorded in the Bible teach us about God’s sovereignty, providence, wisdom, power, faithfulness, guidance, sufficiency, etc.

Acts records private prayers, as well as public prayers. All of the prayers recorded in Acts are vital to the fulfilling of the book’s major theme that believers may be witnesses in the power of the Spirit "unto the uttermost part of the earth" (1:8). Prayer, as a vital factor, can be seen in the following instances: (i) as believers waited to receive the power (chap. 1); (ii) when the Jerusalem church was constituted and began its activities (2:42); (iii) in the performance of the apostolic ministry (9:40); (iv) in precipitating the release of the imprisoned apostles (4:24-30; 12:5, 16:25); (v) at the time of Stephen’s death (7:59-60) (vi); in sending missionaries (13:3); (vii) in establishing churches (14:23); (viii) at the time of bidding farewell (20:36; 21:5); etc.

These and other aspects of prayer in Acts will provide us with an exhilarating and edifying time of meditating on His Word. Let us gather together with great expectation of His blessing upon the retreat. We covet the prayers of the church for the blessing of the upcoming Bible Witness retreat.

Mdm Ang Tua Moi

I thank God for His salvation grace upon me and my family. I accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour in 1986. My youngest daughter, Stephanie, was the first to believe in Jesus in 1984. Through her testimony and sharing of the Gospel, all my other three children and I came to believe in Jesus. My husband, who initially was anti-Christian, also became receptive to the Gospel. Before he passed away at aged 56, he accepted Christ and was baptized in the hospital. Though widowed at aged 50, the Lord has been my constant strength and comfort. I was illiterate but the desire to know more about God and His Word motivated me to learn to read the Bible. Soon, I was able to read the Bible (and even write some simple words) – giving me much joy to know Christ more, and understanding / comfort during times of painful trials.

I was baptized in Calvary Pandan BP Church in Dec 1988, worshipping there for about 20 years. In 2006, I left Calvary Pandan BP Church because my eldest son-in-law asked me to reach out to his Teochew-speaking mother, Mrs Ng, with the Gospel and to accompany her to Singapore Life Church’s Teochew worship service. Praise God she eventually accepted Christ and was baptized. I continued to serve with Mrs Ng in Singapore Life Church and in their Teochew choir. I transferred my membership to this church on 1 June 2008.

It has always been my desire to share the Gospel with all my unbelieving relatives and friends, though they have repeatedly declined my invitation to attend Gospel rallies. Thank God for such a providential opportunity granted on my 80th birthday (in 2016) to hold a birthday thanksgiving celebration cum Gospel meeting, where Pastor Koshy preached the Gospel with Chinese translation. I invited many of them to attend. May the Gospel seed sown reap the fruit of salvation in due season.

Within a week of my 80th birthday, I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. God filled my heart with peace despite this news, as I am ready to go home and enjoy heaven’s bliss with the Lord. "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). I know God is in control and will carry me through this trial at such an old age. Stephanie provided caregiving for me during this difficult time and I moved in to live with her. I thank God for seeing me through 12 sessions of chemotherapy and all the tumours in my lungs and liver have vanished on the post-chemotherapy scan. (My cancer is not totally cured, but under control with ongoing monthly antibody treatment.) During this period, I received much encouragement and love from many brethren in Gethsemane BPC. Thank God for their prayers, love and warm fellowship.

When I sustained a fractured spinal disc due to a fall in May 2019, I was thankful that God spared me from paralysis. Though the MRI showed a possible spread of cancer to my spinal bone, further tests proved negative, and the Lord continues to bless me with good health reviews month after month. Despite the chemotherapy side effects of permanent numbness in my toes and fingers, I have learnt to trust and rely on God’s grace and strength day by day. Truly, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:9). I thank God for sustaining me and giving me much joy and peace despite this bodily affliction.

During my recent hospitalization, I was once again touched and encouraged by the love, care, prayers and visits of many Gethsemanean brethren. After the Lord has seen me through this recent trial, I thank Him for giving me the conviction to transfer my membership from Singapore Life Church to Gethsemane BP Church. Thank God for leading me to worship in Gethsemane BP Church as I see the love of Christ exhibited in so many brethren, and also how God’s Word has been faithfully preached by Pastor Koshy and the preachers. I am also encouraged and blest to be found in a mission-minded church, with which I share the same passion for lost souls. May the Lord continue to sanctify me for His glory, and help me to be an effective witness for Him and serve Him in Gethsemane BP Church until He calls me home. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16).

Yin May Nee

About 20 years ago, I was called to salvation in the nick of time, before I plunged deeper into the occultic practice of the New Age movement of Reiki. Though a non-Christian then, I was very well aware of the presence of religious cultic groups and was careful not to get myself involved in such. At that time, Reiki had promoted a type of channelling of positive energy in oneself to heal oneself and even others. I was told it’s not religion-based. So, I was sold to this idea as I was then having an issue with a hand injury that hinders my daily duties of cooking, cleaning and caring for 3 young children as a housewife and mother. I thought foolishly that learning this skill would help our family save a lot of money for medical expenses. Over 2 weekends, I attended the Reiki course. On the 1st Sunday when I was away on course, God sent His servant to preach to my husband who was at home looking after the children. The 2nd Sunday, my husband and children went to church for the first time, without me, as I was still on course. The 3rd Sunday, I joined my family in church. However, I continued with my Reiki practice as I didn’t know it’s a dark art. To cut the long story short, by God’s grace and mercy, I became a believer after going to church with my family for some time. The Holy Spirit illumined me and helped me to realise that Reiki is evil. I can’t praise the LORD enough for His salvation of my soul!

From my early 20s, I had rejected the Taoist religion of my mum and grandma because my grandma had failed to answer the many questions I posed her whenever she practised her belief. My questions were either brushed off as she had no answers for them or I was told not to ask too much. Being fiercely loyal to my Chinese roots, I had never sought Christianity whic9999h to me was an ‘angmoh’ religion. I was exposed to Christianity in a mission junior college, but becoming a Christian is like betraying my Chinese roots. To satisfy my spiritual needs, I turned to Buddhism, which many Chinese also practised. Practising and studying Buddhism for a short while at the basic level were enough for me to realise that it has no answers to my many questions about life and the spiritual realm. Buddhism doesn’t recognise the existence of a Creator God. Yet, deep in me, I know there’s a ‘Supreme Being’ up in heaven. I want to know who He is, and how to worship Him. In my workplace, I came to know of Christian and Catholic colleagues who are insistent that theirs is the real faith. I wasn’t spiritually discerning enough to know the truth. Besides, I was cautious, sceptical and wary not to jump into the wrong religion or wrong church without some sort of assurance. Somehow, at this point of my life, I was no longer averse to Christianity. In fact, I desired to go to church with my family. But which church? I believed God had already prepared the hearts of my husband and I. By God’s providence, when my husband said they were going to church on the 2nd Sunday while I was on the Reiki course, I was very happy actually. I knew at that moment God was directing my family and I to Him. He had sought me and prepared this stubborn and foolish heart of mine to receive Him without any doubt.

I came to Gethsemane BPC as I found out that this is a vibrant, God-honouring church, with many ministries for God’s children to serve and grow in faith. I like that in GBPC, biblically sound doctrines are preached, taught diligently and practised; and leaders are prepared to administer church discipline without fear of man, but with fear of God. Many churches nowadays have fallen short of one, or even both, of these conditions, including my former church. This is the reason for my transfer of membership.

Charlene Mae Abrena

I was born in a Roman Catholic family. My parents would bring me to church every Sunday and observe all the Catholic traditions, like praying the rosary, lighting candles and bowing down to the images while reciting prayers. I was led to believe that traditions and my own efforts to do good works were my ticket to enter heaven, and my only goal was to attend the mass for my sins to be forgiven.

When I was 20 years old, one of my closest friends (who is a Christian) invited me to a youth gathering in her church. That was the first time I heard of the Gospel. At that moment, I realised that I really didn’t know Jesus. I was so full of myself, being self-righteous and very prideful. Even though I claimed to know God, I rarely read the Bible and had very little knowledge of Him.

After graduating from University, I worked in a private school for one year before deciding to come to Singapore to look for a job. By the mercy of God, I was given an opportunity to work as a child-care teacher. While here, I was invited to a church where most of the people I knew were attending. When I first came to that church, I witnessed how people were hyped up by the expressive worship, wherein people dance, scream, cry and "speak in tongues" as they normally call it. They passionately "declared" healing and blessings upon the people. Soon I also was part of their practices. Instead of turning to the Word of God and seeking the truth about all these things, I blindly followed them. I listened to what I wanted to hear and what was appealing to me personally. That resulted in me making terrible mistakes and falsely assuming I knew God better. I really thank the Lord that by His mercy and faithfulness, I was delivered from this bondage.

Indeed, we have a merciful and faithful God who never forsakes us. Thank God for using someone to lead me to read a passage in the Bible pertaining to the things that had blinded me for years. As I spent several hours reading and praying, I cried as I realised how the Lord has treated me with undeserved grace. I thank God each day for illumining me by the Holy Spirit, for opening my eyes and causing me to see the truth in the Scriptures.

Praise the Lord for bringing us to Gethsemane BP Church in September 2018. I thank God for the faithful preaching of God’s Word (which is the supreme and final authority of our faith and life) by Pastor Koshy and other preachers. The constant reminder about repentance towards God, salvation by grace through faith in Christ, and obedience to God as His people, moved us to decide to worship here in Gethsemane. We are fully aware that it was the gracious Hand of the Lord which led and brought us to this church. God is sovereign, He knows how things will turn out before they happen. Therefore, I rejoice and praise the Lord, who is my Deliverer and Redeemer, who bore my sins in His body and paid the price for my redemption. I thank the Lord for the gift of faith to believe in Christ and trust in His plan for me. And it is my sincerest prayer that I will grow closer to God, serve Him with clean hands and a pure heart, and rely on the Holy Spirit to live a life that glorifies God.

Rowell Nicodemus Gabriel

I had been attending a Pentecostal/ Charismatic church for a couple of years before God amazingly brought a group of us to Gethsemane B-P Church. In the meantime, through online videos (such as YouTube), some of my fellow Filipino brethren (from that same church) and I, through listening to the sermons of John MacArthur and R. C. Sproul, became aware of the teachings of John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, etc. Our hearts were opened up to the truths of God’s Word. After several months of listening to the expository teachings of the reformed, fundamentalist pastors, we became aware of the wrong teachings and practices of our previous church. Praise be to God for giving us the opportunity to see His truth.

By God’s providence, in August 2018, I engaged in a serious conversation about the Bible with Bro Melvin Mendoza, with whom I regularly had lunch in a coffee shop. Bro. Melvin shared with me about the church he was currently attending, i.e. Gethsemane BPC. I googled, and viewed some of the sermons of Pastor Koshy and Rev. Reggor. About 2 weeks later, on 2nd September 2018, I came to attend Gethsemane, with some of my Filipino friends. Since then, we are able to learn more of the truths of the Bible. We are thankful for the sound doctrines expounded by Pastor Koshy. We are also thankful for the guidance we have received from Pr Jeremiah Sim (who teaches us in KBS), as well as Bro. Norefel Resuma (who oversees the Filipino Fellowship). We are greatly encouraged through GBI classes, the English worship services and other fellowship groups of Gethsemane. Day by day, having learnt more and more of the Word, we are led to live according to His will and acceptably in His sight.

Thank God for the warm welcome we have received in Gethsemane BPC. May more lives be transformed through God’s blessing of the church members’ outreach and evangelism. Praise God for bringing us out of the errors of Roman Catholicism, Pentecostalism and Charismaticism, to attend this church. We are very grateful that we know more of our God and His Word, that we may follow and obey Him. All glory be to our God!

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:3-6).

Gao Jing

I am Gao Jing. For more than a decade, I have been a Buddhist. I constantly felt remorseful about my sins. I also felt that I could not find my direction, whenever I needed help or support. I was in Singapore alone, and singlehandedly brought up my children here.

By some unexpected coincidence, I was brought to Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church. It was through one of my customers that I came to the church. I felt at home here since then. Subsequently through the preaching of God’s Word, I am convicted that I am a sinner under the curse of sin, and the only way to be forgiven of my sins is to receive Jesus to be my Saviour. I believe only Jesus can forgive my sins and save me. I began to learn to pray and to read the Scriptures. Every time I met with a problem which made me perplexed, the Lord Jesus has always led me forward step by step through prayer and God’s Word. I have felt the true existence of the Lord Jesus, and have experienced the power of preaching and the mutual sharing by the brothers and sisters in the church. Therefore, I am now at ease and very joyous in the Lord!

Nydel Castines Fernandez

I was brought up as a Catholic and went to church every Sunday together with my family. Yet, all I knew about Jesus was no more than many unbelievers. I didn’t know what it meant to have a saving relationship with Jesus, although I prayed to Him and continued to attend my local Catholic church.

There came a period in my life when I felt a deep yearning for life’s meaning. But I wasn’t sure what it was. Though I had a great job, active social life and my family around me, I didn’t feel contented. On the outside, life seemed good. But on the inside, it was like a gaping hole, which I yearn to be filled. God awakened me to realise that a life of joy and peace was not through abundance of worldly things. From that moment, I wanted to know more about what God is like. I was curious as I had plenty of questions about God and life. I tried to look for answers in the Catholic church but I couldn’t find them.

Life went on, despite those feelings inside me. When I later moved to Singapore to work, my friends invited me to their church. When they subsequently left their previous church, I too left together with them. I knew they were leaving because of the errors within the church. Thank God for moving all of us in His own peculiar way to bring us to Gethsemane. I thank God for inspiring me with His precious Word through the preaching of Pastor Koshy and the rest of the preachers. By attending several of the fellowship groups in Gethsemane and being surrounded with believers, I am blessed with opportunities to learn and grow in faith.

When I first came to Gethsemane B-P Church, I had only a little knowledge of God. After learning more of the Bible truths, I have been able to discover answers to many things that had troubled me earlier in life. It is only through the love of God that calls me to prayer, worship and fellowship, that I have been able to let go of all the lies that I had held onto for so long. Praise God that He helped me to step out into the light and believe in the truth. I now experience peace within me. In the past, I found it a real struggle to move forward; today I have found the confidence to bear my struggles because of the Lord who is with me.

Now I know God has a plan for my future. As part of the body of Christ, I believe God has given each one of us a part to play within the family of the church. I pray He will show me the path that He wants me to go – and that, I believe, is the secret to finding true contentment in my life.

Charlene Mae Distor

I was baptised in a Roman Catholic church. During my childhood days, my family and I regularly attended the early mass at 6:00 a.m. in Manaoag, Pangasinan. At an early age, I was led to memorise the different "mysteries" in the rosary by my mother, who conducted prayers in our house everyday. This practice went on until my mother became a Christian during my college days. She also brought me to her church service. Then I was baptised in a Charismatic church. I followed the teaching and practices of the church. Slowly, I learned how to read the Bible and pray.

When I came to Singapore to work as a preschool teacher, I met a group of Filipinos who were also working here. They invited me to attend their church. As a Christian, I was longing to attend Sunday services, so I followed them to Hope Church, where I attended their "life groups". As time passes, I knew that what is being practised in the church is totally different from what is in the Scriptures. For instance, the Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 2:11-13, "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve." But why is the pastor of our church a woman? I started to question the leaders, pointing to those verses.

Another thing that troubled me was a certain phenomenon they called "Holy Spirit Encounter", wherein they will just worship God with the songs composed by many ungodly singers from groups like Hillsong, Bethel, etc. Many of these events were conducted by the woman pastor and woman leaders in the church. During those worship services, I was distracted by people who were shouting, crying and engaging in the so-called ‘speaking of tongues’.

When God convicted me through His Word concerning their errors, I started to look for a Bible-believing church. I first went to Zion Presbyterian Church in Bishan. Sometime later, some brethren in Gethsemane BP Church invited me to attend Gethsemane’s worship service at SingPost Centre. By the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus, I was glad to hear God’s Word preached, with understanding and clarity based on the context of the Scriptural passages that are preached. I was happy that the sermons were not attempts to stir up the emotions of the hearers. I thank God and also would like to thank the GBPC family for teaching and correcting me with God’s Word.

Leong Kin Meng

I came from a Christian family and was baptised as an infant in 1990, during the Christmas Service at Galilee BP Church. Though I reaffirmed my faith on 22 December 1996, I only came to know the Lord Jesus Christ in the year 2000 during a Christmas musical entitled "Emmanuel Has Come", where I was playing the role of one of the soldiers torturing Jesus Christ. During the rehearsal, the act of torturing Jesus Christ was hurtful and unbearable, knowing that He is the true and living God whom we should love, honour and obey. So whenever I partake of the Holy Communion, I will always remember how He was crucified on the cross for our sins.

Brother Herbert used to bring me to FCM (NTU/NIE) to listen to God’s Word taught by Rev. Wee Eng Moh on Wednesday nights at NTU. He also invited me to join him every Sunday for worship service at True Life BP Church. After much persuasion, I decided to join him once a month (every 3rd Sunday) as I needed to serve as usher back in Galilee (Youth Worship Service). After a while, Bro. Herbert advised me to consider leaving Galilee and transfer my membership to True Life BPC because our church pastor, Rev. Heng, believes that the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible has mistakes, and that is against the Word Of God. That time, I just ignored it as I was serving faithfully and dutifully as an usher in Galilee Youth Service.

Subsequently, I attended the Combined Youth Conference at Calvary Pandan BP Church on the theme, "Tongue-Tied: Don’t Be Caught Speechless When Your Faith Is Under Fire". The message was about the different Christian denominations from "charismatic" to the "third wave" – about how they originated and how to refute them from the Word of God. Something struck me while listening: "Can we Bible-Presbyterians believe in demon-casting?" This question did bother me quite a bit, for I remembered that someone in our church told me that Rev. Heng used to participate in demon-casting. Is this practice exhorted by Scripture as part of the church ministry? I only know that if we are born again, we will not be possessed by demons. After talking to one of the FEBC students about demon-casting and whether I should leave Galilee because the pastor believes that the King James Bible has mistakes, things became clear in my mind. I do not want to worship in a church that has no full confidence in the Bible, nor want my kids (when I have a family later on) to grow up believing the Bible has mistakes. That’s why I wanted to transfer my membership to True Life BPC, and to entrust the rest to God.

On one Sunday that I went back to Galilee for Youth Worship Service, I told a church brother that I am transferring my membership to True Life BPC. He was surprised and asked me the reason, to which I replied, "Because our pastor, Rev. Heng, believes that the KJV of the Bible has mistakes." He told me not to believe unless there is a proof. I agreed, so I went to find Bro. Herbert to ask him if he has any proof of our pastor believing that KJV has mistakes. He searched through the internet and came across Life BPC’s website on the VPP issue. He printed a copy for me to read. I found out that our church pastor was one of the signatories against VPP. After much prayer and consideration, I transferred my membership to True Life BPC during the Easter Service.

In January 2018, in the midst of my stressful work load, my friend Beng Wee from FCM encouraged me to join the Bible Witness retreat in March 2018. After praying, I booked my leave and went for my first Bible Witness retreat in Johor Bahru. I felt so welcomed when I boarded the coach from Big Box to JB. I never had this kind of feeling before in my life as a Christian. On that day, I told myself this is the church I want to grow with. Since then, I have been attending every Bible Witness retreat and have learnt a lot of lessons from the preaching of God’s Word.

On 3 June 2018, I attended my first worship service in Gethsemane BPC. As I attended regularly, I learnt a lot of biblical lessons from Pastor Koshy and the preachers. I also joined the Young Adults’ Fellowship. Thank God for the privilege to transfer my church membership to Gethsemane BPC. I am looking forward to that day when I can serve God in this church.

A Note of Encouragement

Dear Rev. Prabhudas Koshy,

I had managed to get the complete address of Mr Tan SQ as his phone was always engaged when I called. He was one of my former Sunday School pupils on St. John’s Island during the period between 1962 to 1964. He is now a grandfather of two grandsons. Every Lord’s Day, his wife brings the two grandsons to church with her while SQ prefers to stay at home. I hope by reading the Bible Witness, he will be convicted and follow his wife to church.

Praise God for The Gethsemane Care Ministry (TGCM). On Wednesday, 10th July 2019, Brothers Gary and Cayson kindly came to help me move some heavy furniture. Before leaving, Gary presented me with an invitation card to attend the 14th Anniversary Thanksgiving of TGCM. Congratulations, and I wish you God’s blessings for the success of this ministry. Enclosed is a POSB cheque, as a love gift for this happy event.

Before I continue, I apologise wholeheartedly for another error found in Mdm Q S Lee’s address. She moved house recently and gave me her block number wrongly, which I only found out later while talking with her on the phone.

All thanks be to God for the discovery and correction of all the errors before the Bible Witness magazines are posted out. Though a long and tedious struggle for me to send the Bible Witness, I view it a joy as the articles provide enlightenment, encouragement and edification of God’s Word to my friends here in Singapore and a dear relative in Penang. I consider sending the Bible Witness magazines to them as the best gifts, for they offer insights of eternal life to the readers. I greatly appreciate if you can send the magazines w.e.f. Jan-Feb 2019 issue (i.e. Volume 19 Issue 1).

Enclosed in my letter dated 10th July 2019, were five names and addresses to receive the Bible Witness magazines. However, I have now written out a new copy (without errors) for the Bible Witness team to refer to when mailing out the magazines. Please convey my greetings and thanks to Mr Lok Kwok Wah for the circulation of Bible Witness.

May the Lord continue to bless the Bible Witness Media Ministry and Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church abundantly!

Yours sincerely,
Mrs Lim K. H.
22.07.2019

(We continue to publish the testimonies of brethren who will be joining the church. May their testimonies bring joy to our hearts and praise to the Lord.)

Sunyani Kurniawan

I still remember the weekly chapel sessions that I attended when I was in Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School. Even though I was still a Buddhist then, I could not help but be drawn by the messages / songs, and even marvelled at the brightly-lit interior of the chapel within the school compound. It was a sharp contrast to the dim, eye-stinging and smoky temple my father took me to back in Jakarta.

It was only years later when my father got to know Christ, that he encouraged all of us to go to church. He had experienced a great sense of peace which he was not able to have from the idols which he had worshipped for over 3 decades. I was not into the idea as I felt that I was a betrayer – wouldn’t that make me a disloyal and disobedient person if I turned my back on these gods? There are many of them; what if I was punished for my "misconduct"? On hindsight, it was undeniably by God’s grace that I went to church.

The first church we went to was a branch of Zion Presbyterian Church. We prayed to the Lord and repented of our sins, placing our faith in the Lord Jesus. We were baptised in the mother church in late 2009. Subsequently, I worshipped in Zion for about 4 years, even after my family members respectively went to different churches. I eventually ended up in Orchard Road Presbyterian Church, as I felt a greater sense of belonging there. I stayed for about 5 years, made many friends and was able to grow spiritually somewhat. As time passed, I felt rather stagnated – and lukewarm in my faith.

To satisfy the thirst to learn more about God and His Word, I decided to get out of my comfort zone and explore other options. It was time for a "new chapter" for me. I searched in Google for "Presbyterian church in the east". As I scrolled, the word ‘Gethsemane’ caught my eyes, and I clicked on the link. I began to listen to the Live Webcast every Sunday, but I yearned for more: communion and interaction with fellow believers. By faith, I went ahead to attend the service and have continued to do so until today.

In retrospect, I am truly thankful that God’s providence had brought me to GBPC, where I am constantly edified, rebuked in gentleness, and enlightened by His Word through the preaching and also through the fellowship with everyone in the church.

Jumar Balicao

Since birth, I’ve always been a follower of Roman Catholicism, blinded by the superstitions / rituals and the belief that only the priest has the right to read the Bible. However, every now and then I attended my aunt’s Christian church (which is charismatic) for the sake of sweets and games. Back then, I did not really know what is the reason for going to church.
In 2014, when one of my colleagues asked me to join them to attend his (charismatic) church, I started to consider Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. I then trusted Him and continually sought to learn God’s Word.

"All is going well," I thought to myself, until I came across Reformed Theology or Calvinism (which I believe was the work of the Holy Spirit). Then I wondered why this truth was not taught or preached in that church. More questions arose which no one in that church answered. A question that my friends and I raised up to the leaders of the church became a big issue – "Why is our pastor a woman?" And their answer was: "Why not?" We pointed out from the Scriptures why it should not be the case, but to no avail. They quoted Romans 8:1 to justify their appointment of women-pastors, though that passage was clearly not referring to the questions we raised about church leadership. They began to call us sexist and such. It was hurtful to see friends denying and hating us. I am always reminded of what Jesus said in John 15:18-19, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."

Lastly, I thank God that we came to know about Gethsemane BP Church through a member of the church. In his conversation with one of my housemates (a fellow believer who was just as distressed as me about our previous church’s charismatic doctrines and practices), he said, "I don’t believe in the modern tongues-speaking". We then decided to visit the church. Upon attending the church for the past one year, we were convinced that our coming was the work of the Holy Spirit. All glory and praise be to God!

Juffrey Balicao

I praise God for the privilege to write a short testimony on how I came to know our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I came from a Roman Catholic background. In September 2014, I came to Singapore to look for a job and my brother invited me to join him to attend church (which is a charismatic church). In December that year, I received Jesus Christ and was baptised the following year. For 3 years, I was blinded by the carnal and sensual system of that movement. Thank God for helping me realise that their doctrines and teachings are unbiblical, for they promote a prosperity gospel. I praise God for His grace and mercy in opening my spiritual eyes through reading and hearing sermons of reformed pastors.

In end August 2018, I left that church with nowhere to go for worship the next Lord’s Day. Until my brother Rowell shared of someone worshipping in a reformed church. We searched the internet and came across Gethsemane’s website, where we listened to the sermon uploaded on 26th August 2018.

On 2nd September 2018, we came to Gethsemane to join the Filipino Fellowship. Rev. Reggor Galarpe was preaching that day. Our time of fellowship with him was rather short (as they were heading to India for the Bible Witness retreat). During this period, I feared that we were unable to find a biblical church that is preaching the truth. I was also worried that I might find myself comparing different churches, ending up criticising their weakness and using these as excuses to look for a better church. Thank the Lord for keeping and leading us to Gethsemane BP Church, that we may see wondrous things out of God’s law.

Since then, we regularly worship the Lord in Gethsemane. We not only found a church but also a pastor who, by the grace of God, is bold enough to challenge the congregation to follow him as he follows Christ. Truly, the Lord is with him and the elders whom God has called and appointed to lead and watch over His church. God uses His chosen servants, like pastors and elders, to bless, feed and guide His flock. Surely, we are under God’s mighty hand, for our leaders are led by the Spirit of God.

Praise God for His mighty works upon His people. May the ministry of our church flourish and prosper to the glory of His name.

Ignatius Law

From young, I had been brought up in a BP church. I thank God for my mother bringing me constantly to church – firstly, to Maranatha BPC while a toddler; and later, to Moriah BPC in my primary school days. Being a playful and rebellious child, I treated the church premises as a playground instead of a holy sanctuary for worship. Instead of going to Sunday School, I would often play in the church premises. I had little regard for the things of God, being young and foolish. Truly, "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9).

As I grew older, with no knowledge of God in my life, I gradually reduced attendance in church during my early teenage years. By the time I was 16 years of age, I had completely drifted away and was lost to the world and its carnal ways. I got into trouble regularly and was a cause of exasperation and frustration to my parents. However, the Lord did not forsake me, but instead opened the way for me to study in Perth despite my mediocre results.

My first "encounter" with BPCWA in March 2017 came about as a result of my intention to purchase a second-hand textbook from another student. Praise the Lord for a brother who approached me and explained the Gospel to me. He then invited me for a "welcome dinner" at BPCWA, which I gratefully accepted. Afterwards, different people would come and talk to me about salvation, heaven and hell, but I only listened with a pinch of salt.

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ" (Ephesians 2:4-5). During the sunrise service on the 16th April 2017, Rev. Joseph Poon preached about Christ’s suffering on the cross and the amount of pain, suffering and humiliation Christ suffered. I started feeling uncomfortable as my conscience was pricked by all that Christ had done for me. That day when I went home, I asked Jesus Christ to be my Lord and my Saviour, and to deliver me from eternal judgment. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

May I constantly depend on God in my life, and continually grow more in grace and in the knowledge of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Peter 3:18a).

Marcus Chui

I was born into a non-Christian home and attended Anglo-Chinese School (ACS), a Methodist school, for 12 years – from primary school to junior college. Although my education in ACS exposed me to Christian teachings through chapel services and Religious Emphasis Week events, I gave minimal thought to my salvation.

During my upper secondary school years, I was introduced to New Creation Church (NCC) through my relatives. It was during this period that I started developing a deeper interest in reading the Scriptures. Subsequently, I pursued tertiary education overseas; some time during this period (in my early-20s) I was born again, receiving the Gospel and salvation. That marked the start of a tumultuous journey, because as I studied the Scriptures, I could not reconcile with many of NCC’s practices vis-à-vis the Bible. When I returned to Singapore upon completion of my tertiary education, I embarked on a "mission" to seek the truth of the Scriptures. Though still attending NCC at that point of time, I did not feel peace in my heart when I listened to the sermons and when I observed the church’s practices. Thus, I began to question the veracity of NCC’s teachings.

By the grace of God, I was introduced to FEBC and I enrolled in FEBC’s online modules from early 2018. As I studied God’s Word through FEBC, it confirmed what I had long suspected in my heart: that "tongues-speaking", "signs-and-wonders", "faith-healing" and charismatic worship are contrary to God’s Word. Therefore I initiated my departure from NCC, and I thank God that I successfully cut ties with NCC since last year.

Through FEBC, I heard Pastor Koshy’s teachings; I decided to worship in Gethsemane BP Church because I firmly believe that GBPC’s teachings align with God’s Word. I look forward to being baptised and becoming a member of GBPC. Henceforth, I also identify myself as a Bible-Presbyterian. "Truth is always with the minority" – these are the words of Rev. Dr Timothy Tow in The Story of My Bible-Presbyterian Faith (page 38). I concur with this statement. The basis of our faith must always be the Scriptures, and nothing else.

May God help me to maintain my testimony, set me apart from worldliness in all my ways. May God guide me always in my pilgrimage until He calls me home.

Karina Leong

I first came to know of the Lord Jesus in Primary 6 when my cousin, who was worshipping at Calvary Tengah BPC then, invited me to their YF camp. However, I only came to accept Christ as my Saviour in Secondary 2 when I was experiencing some difficult times in school and at home. Church had become a haven for me as it was where I felt comfort and joy. I said the sinners’ prayer after I realised that I needed the Lord as my Comforter and Saviour. That was the year I also stopped hanging out with the people in school who had been influencing me to sin.

The church later suffered a split when I was in Secondary 3, and I followed my friend to Gethsemane BPC, which is near my house. After a while, I realised that I was growing spiritually much more in Gethsemane than when I was in Tengah. The key factors are my increase in Scriptural understanding and talking about spiritual things with like-minded Christians. I liked Pastor Koshy’s way of preaching which enables me to better understand his sermons. Moreover, the warm fellowship of church members in Gethsemane also makes me at home.

Thank God for leading me to Gethsemane, where I can grow spiritually through Pastor’s preaching and encouragement from God’s people.

Nikko Paroan Sario

I’m from Lucban province of Quezon, Philippines. I grew up in a Roman Catholic family, a typical Roman Catholic boy who went to church only for special occasions like birthday, or Christmas, or when I had something to pray.

In May 2018, I came to Singapore to work and a good friend of mine invited me to his church. At their fellowship meeting in June, I heard for the first time about Jesus Christ, of what He did to save us from our sins. Two days later, at my first Sunday Service in that church, I repented of my sins and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. I continued joining my friend in that church – until one day, our group raised a few concerns. One of these was on tongues-speaking, which the church leaders were unable to provide a good and acceptable answer. This led us to leave and look for a Bible-believing church that can teach us the Truth.

When I first came to Gethsemane BP Church, I felt awkward because it is very different from my previous church, in terms of worship, prayer and teachings. But as I stayed on, I felt a sense of peace / assurance when listening to the faithful preaching of God’s Word by Pastor Koshy and the preachers. Even though most of the preaching provoked and rebuked me, it is okay because I know that God’s Word will help me pursue His kingdom. Now I am so blessed to be in GBPC, because I know this is God’s will for me.

Rhovie Kyt Bince

I was raised by my Roman Catholic parents. As a child residing in Manila, we attended mass every Friday in Quiapo Church, which is well-known for the "Black Nazarene". Our family moved to Pangasinan (when I was 8 years old), where we spent our Sundays in Our Lady of Manaoag Church, known for its massive number of devotees. I was exposed to the doctrines and sacraments of the Catholic church until I graduated from the University at the end of 2015.

All these, however, did not make me any holier. I was a person who shows excessive pride. I was full of my own self, a smoker, a heavy drinker, a gambler and a constant trouble to my family and others.

In May 2016, I came to know about Hope Church in Singapore, and visited the church with my girlfriend. I attended the Life group. During this period, I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour. As I started to read and study the Scriptures, I started to discern the charismatic errors within the church, being led by the Holy Spirit. I was among a group of Filipinos there who trusting in His mercy and grace decided to leave the church. By God’s providential leading, we found GBPC and heard the pastor’s sermons in Youtube, subsequently attending my first GBPC’s worship service on 2nd September, 2018.

I praise God for protecting and preserving me and my fellow brethren, and leading us to GBPC, a church with a leadership that have the marks of Jesus Christ and preach the Scriptures faithfully.

Koh Kian Ann

I came to know about the Lord Jesus when my daughter Yan Ling fell sick last August. At that time, my wife and I were lost and helpless. We sought for advice and help from my former army friend, Brother Ricky Yang, and his wife, Sister Stella. We hoped for divine help even though we had not believed in Jesus.

Through Ricky and Stella, we came to know about Gethsemane BP Church. We started to attend Sunday service since last August, and got to know Pastor Koshy and Preacher Daniel Lim. All of them had given us the support and help during our tough time through visitations, prayers and God’s Word. So, we decided to worship in Gethsemane.

After we came to believe in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, our lives have become more peaceful and joyful. Praise and glory to the Lord!

Huang Li Hui

Before becoming a Christian, I was very lost and had a very negative outlook on life. When I faced difficulties and challenges, I would spend a lot of my time and efforts to try to resolve the challenges, but it all proved futile.

In July 2018, my family faced a crisis. We were so helpless and full of despair. So we asked our family friends, Brother Ricky and his wife Stella for advice and help. Through their strong support, encouragement, patience, love and care, we felt God’s love and grace. Then my husband and I started to follow them to Gethsemane BP Church in August 2018.

On 26th September 2018, Pastor Koshy and his wife Carolyn, Preacher Daniel Lim, Brother Ricky and Sister Stella visited our home in Sengkang. We prayed, confessed our sins and received the Lord Jesus as our Saviour.

Events in the past 12 months have caused me to rely more and more on God through prayer. I have not doubted that God is always with us, and my faith has brought me peace and joy. Baptism means a fresh start to me. It’s an important step to a faith-filled life in Jesus Christ. Praise and glory be to the Lord!