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Bible Witness TV, a web-TV ministry, is the latest effort of the Bible Witness Media Ministry of Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church in Singapore. God willing, this humble yet bold project will be available soon to all on the internet.

The idea of such a ministry was in our prayers and planning for almost two decades. The first step, which the Lord has enabled us to take, was the Bible Witness Literature Ministry in the year 2000, with the publishing of Bible Witness magazine. As we slowly built up our publications, we also endeavoured to make biblical resources available through various digital media (such as CDs and DVDs) and the internet (websites); hence we renamed the ministry as Bible Witness Media Ministry. In 2007, the Lord enabled us to begin Bible Witness Web Radio (BWWR), a 24/7 internet broadcast, which continues to this day. Realising the tremendous effectiveness of the internet, we exerted ourselves, with God’s grace empowering us, to build up our facilities. With the acquisition of Gethsemane Media Centre in 2019, a much-needed Audio-Video studio became a reality, and the work for BWTV began. Though many of our plans and efforts were severely disrupted by the COVID pandemic since March 2020, the Lord has enabled our church preachers, media staff, church choirs, and many of our congregants and friends to labour tirelessly to develop the content for BWTV. All glory be to God. 

Purposes of BWTV

The launching of BWTV is, firstly, for the spreading of the Gospel and sound biblical resources to all corners of the world. Indeed, our gracious Lord has opened another door before us to reach the world with His Word. May this effort help us to fulfil the honourable duty that the Lord has entrusted us in Romans 10:14-15 – “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

Secondly, BWTV provides an avenue for many from the congregation of GBPC and like-minded churches to offer their services for the proclamation of Christ and His blessed truths. Through this ministry, our people render their God-given skills and abilities for sinners’ salvation and saints’ edification. Indeed, “The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it” (Psalm 68:11)!

Thirdly, BWTV offers a godly alternative at a time when secular media drowns the minds of our children and youths with ungodly and worldly content. BWTV programmes include special content for kids (songs, Bible lessons, Bible activities, etc.), as well as for youths and adults (doctrinal and practical lessons through discussions, Q&A segments, sermon snippets, devotions, prayer, singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, etc.).

Programming of BWTV

God willing, come 1st September 2022, BWTV will start on a small scale. There will be two channels – one for the kids, and another for youths and adults. These channels will provide new content every week. We hope to make most (if not all) of the content available on demand for repeated and delayed viewing. We hope in the Lord to increase the variety of categories as well as content in the coming months and years.

Viewing of BWTV

How can you access BWTV and benefit from its content? You can view BWTV either by accessing biblewitnesstv.com or on our church app, which can be downloaded from your app store (just search for “Gethsemane BPC”). You can watch BWTV daily as long as you can access internet via WiFi or mobile data services through your computers or internet TV, tablets, or mobile phones.

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Letter from Bogo & San Antonio

Dear Pastor Koshy, elders, deacons, preachers and brethren of Gethsemane B-P Church,

All glory and honour be unto the Lord our God and our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ! 

Truly, the Lord has been faithful and good to the two mission churches in Bogo and San Antonio. His grace and mercy have sustained the two churches for 14 years and 13 years respectively. All praise and glory be unto our ever gracious and merciful Saviour for His goodness and faithfulness upon the two mission churches. Since the founding of these two churches by our late brother, Pr Dominino, the Lord has done wondrous works and the truth of the Gospel has been preached. God’s works and words are indeed great blessings to His church and His people.

The Lord has hitherto sustained the church, that the brethren would be preserved. Although it is sad that there were some who had backslidden (whom we had not seen for quite some time already), nonetheless there are those whom the Lord preserves, and who have been joyfully worshipping with us and co-labouring in the work of the Lord. We have our own weaknesses, but God’s grace has strengthened us, that we may be overcomers. Praise be unto the Lord for His preachers and for His Word giving us instruction and reproof, that His people be preserved in the faith (cf. Psalm 124). The Lord be praised for the addition of new members to the two churches. Through the preaching of the Gospel and by His grace, these brethren have been brought to salvation, and have desired to be baptised and be members of the church. All glory be unto the Lord for His working in the hearts of these new brethren (1 affirmation of faith, 1 infant baptism, and 3 adult baptism). We thank God that one of the new members has manifested great desire to study God’s Word, and right now he is taking all the subjects offered by GBI Cebu.

Nevertheless, we had not been spared from difficulties and trials, especially in this time of crisis, but through them all, the Lord has sustained us. Through God’s Word, His people have been guided to continually trust and hope in Him. And the Lord has not failed, for He has provided jobs and work for some of the brethren. Likewise, we thank the Lord for having used you, our brethren from Gethsemane Church in Singapore, to show His love, care and provision for the brethren here in Bogo and San Antonio. Praise be unto the Lord for your untiring love, care and support for our brethren in both churches here. 

Thank you very much, Pastor Koshy, leaders and brethren of Gethsemane Church, for remembering us and for your support to us. Your prayers and generosity are very much appreciated, for which we constantly give thanks and praises unto the Lord. 

“Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth” (Psalm 105:3-5).

Sincerely in Christ,
Elder Eliezer Ortega

Sermon Text: Psalm 18:20–50
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 21st August 2022

This is the testimony of Bro. Andronicus Koshy, which was submitted to the Board of Elders (BOD of GBWL) for his interview prior to his appointment as a staff of GBWL. We thank God for graciously granting Andronicus the assurance of his calling to salvation and full-time ministry. He joined GBWL as a full-time staff on August 15, 2022. Being a graduate in Media (Animation), his joining of GBWL is indeed a divine provision as the Bible Witness Web TV is about to be launched. Though BW WebTV will begin as a small-scale effort, we pray that it will grow from strength to strength in the months and years to come, for the extension of His kingdom.

Part 1: My Name

“Even when we were dead in sins, (God) hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:5).

I was born into a family that was in a long generational line of Christians and preachers. As such, since birth, I was exposed to, surrounded by and, on a few occasions even lived in, the church. Despite this, I was not saved growing up.

As much as a birth name is chosen by a child’s parents, I felt that Christianity was something appointed to me. I learnt the ways of behaving, speaking and thinking like one till it became part of my identity, yet somehow not what I wanted to be a part of. In other words, a Christian only by name. Hence, I soon found that anything outside the church attracted me more, and this continued longing for an experience outside of where I belonged made everything of it seem suffocating.

My dad often expressed his conviction and the importance of living by example as a pastor and a pastor’s family. But as a child of the family, I struggled, knowing that if I revealed my unbelief, his submissiveness to God and my lack thereof would lead to his eventual resignation. Hence, over the years, I maintained being a superficial Christian, adopting an appearance of godliness, attending services, and even serving in ministries, but only to ensure no one from the church would find out my “real” self.

I did come to enjoy certain elements of being part of the church. After all, most of my childhood revolved around it. However, though friends and playing with them in church excited me, I also vividly remember my apathy towards every other aspect. As I matured through GCM, prayer meetings and Sunday services, my Bible knowledge increased, but my application did not. So, while I did genuinely appreciate the Bible’s teachings as generally good and even often wise, my unending internal conflict gradually hardened my heart; apathy steadily grew from disinterest to disassociation.

My home felt like an extension of the church, and staying with my family was equally repressive, to the point where even though I didn’t enjoy most subjects, attending school was ironically the highlight of each week. Being given remedial classes and having multiple CCAs also meant that I had more hours away from home, and I gladly took any opportunity there was to not think of God. Needless to say, this meant that going to polytechnic was a high point for me. The extra hours needed for travel gave me an excuse to have more time on my own, and for the first time, I felt “free”.

I had learnt to draw distinct lines between the two worlds by now (my family together with the church being the first, and school as the second), and how to switch personalities while I was present at either. By the end of year 3 (in polytechnic), I had strayed past the point of guilt. I had long thrown out any remaining semblance of biblical wisdom and fully embraced the unfiltered world that I had so long coveted after. I became bolder in my excuses to go out and internally rejected God’s control entirely, even identifying with the agnostic clique I hung out with.

Numbers 32:23 warns us to “be sure your sin will find you out”. And as sure as day, on a night in early 2016, my sins caught up with me. This led to a confrontation with my dad. Distraught, he asked me why. As rehearsed, I replied that I never did believe in Christ but had only gone to church for ‘filial piety’s sake’. But calm as I tried to be, I was shaken. After years of “serving two masters”, the two worlds I had built up (within me) had collided unexpectedly, and I was exposed. He asked again point-blank if I was sure I did not believe. As I sat there, doing my best to deny God while facing my dad, I felt shame. He told me to go to God in prayer.

For the first time in many years, I kneeled by my bed that night to pray. Then I trembled, not out of anger, but in that moment’s realisation of the years I had spent being dead in sin and the implicating weight of it all. Surely, the past years spent in the church were not in vain, for I remembered God’s promise of immediate and accompanying saving grace; so for the first time in my life, I cried in repentance.
At 20 years of age, I finally understood what it meant to be saved.

Part 2: In His Name

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).
So, though I have now lived 26 years with the church, I often feel like a young believer. After all, it was merely 6 years ago that I verbalised my faith in prayer to God.

Tried as I had in denying Him, I was always quietly aware of His presence, and I praise His name that God in His mercies made me run bitterly for many years before bending me to His side. For it was only through this that I could know God personally and understand His will.

Having completed my Diploma and Bachelor’s Degree in Animation, I have grown to love the medium, but have seen the power and lasting influence it has on minds, both young and old. In recent years, the interest and demand for it have also increased tremendously, as video became the communication means of choice in our modern world. On this wise, there have been (and will be) many windows of opportunity for me to make use of my talents and thus, in a commercial way, this puts me in a position with plenty of potential openings.

But Mark 8:36 calls me away from that path. To what end should I continue chasing the world? Out of various Scripture verses through which God spoke to me, this remains as the most prominent. It serves as a cautious reminder of my past wantonness, but also my call to use my abilities for His glory and work, which alone bring true purpose and blessing.

I know that whether through monetary gain, fame, lusts, or labour, the world will always be there, temptingly ripe for me to partake in all its forms. But I have tasted it and know that in the end, vanity of vanities, all of such is dust.

Ecclesiastes accounts the ventures of King Solomon, and his perplexity while being the greatest achiever of his time. With all wisdom, wealth and power at his disposal, he chased education, pleasure and work to their full extents in search of life’s purpose. Yet after traversing each of those “ventures”, and having “seen all the works that are done under the sun”, the common conclusion was “and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit” (cf. Ecclesiastes 1:14). At the height of human significance, even he determined that the ultimate purpose of man is for God (Ecclesiastes 12:13). This book has similarly called me away from pursuing a career in the world, as well as gave clarity in my understanding of Mark 8:36.

God has not only used these Scriptural texts to convince me, but His people too. On top of my parents, I have witnessed the life testimonies of other members in the church who have chosen to give their lives to Christ, and how, though deemed simple in the world’s eyes, there is undoubted peace and joy in knowing their treasures are laid up in heaven (cf. Matthew 6:19-21). Since salvation, I noticed God moving me to prioritise and covet after these eternal securities, and these individuals and families in the church were silently used by God as living testimonies of the path I should follow.

For these reasons, I am convinced that God has prepared a place for me in Gethsemane’s Bible Witness Media Ministry, where in recent years, much groundwork has been laid out with regard to video work. The harvest is there, and so is the timely need. How can I still run away while I hold the tool to harvest?
In conclusion, I end this testimony with the story of Eleazer, son of Dodo, and one of the three mighty men with David in 2 Samuel 23:9-10. When “…the men of Israel were gone away: he arose and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.”

My name is Andronicus, and it means “victorious man”.

For many years in my wandering, I have wondered if there was a greater purpose and significance to my life and work. Now I know my calling, and I pray God would grant me the similar courage to arise and be instrumental in fulfilling His intentions even if others turn away, valiantly living up to my name for His name’s sake.

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

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Gethsemane Prison Ministry

(Bro. Yong Choon Leong, a member of Truth Bible-Presbyterian Church, joins Pr Jeremiah Sim in the weekly preaching and teaching in Changi Prison.)

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

I thank God for the opportunity and privilege to conduct weekly Bible Study on Tuesday afternoons for the inmates in Changi Prison. There are an average of 10–15 inmates who attend this Bible Study class each week. About 80% of them profess to be Christians, while 20% are seekers.

The object of my Bible Study class is twofold: (i) to encourage and strengthen the believers, and (ii) to preach to the seekers of the truths of the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation.

Generally, the students are attentive to the Bible truths taught and are responsive to the questions asked. Nonetheless, it is a great challenge for me, a layman, to prepare a 1 ½-hour Bible lesson weekly. By God’s special providence, I am provided with the following, which I use regularly, to prepare my Bible lessons:
Lecture notes, my assignments, and my exam papers from my studies in FEBC. (Suddenly, those documents became very apt and useful).

Bible Witness magazine and other publications (which are readily available on the websites and in digital formats). These are excellent tools for those who seek and share biblical teachings. What blessings they are from Gethsemane B-P Church!

With the availability of all the above resources, and by His grace and strength, I am able to serve in the prison ministry. I am glad to experience His faithfulness, and receive His goodness that provide such wonderful help to those who cry unto Him.

Please pray for us, weak earthen vessels. We need to have wisdom, strength, and a faithful spirit to share the Bible truths with the inmates. Pray also that the Holy Spirit will work mightily in the hearts of the inmates through the preaching of His infallible, inerrant, and preserved words of God.

All praise and glory to God our Heavenly Father. Amen.

Sermon Text: Psalm 18:1–19
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 14th August 2022

Lim Kok Hwee

I have, in many instances of my life, heard the preaching of the Word of God. However, because of my prideful self, I rejected God many times with a hardened heart. Yet God continues to be gracious towards me and continues to open up opportunities for me to be guided on the right path. I thank God for giving me another opportunity to attend the Gethsemane B-P Church (GBPC) Chinese Service through an invitation by Dn. Gan in December 2020. Since then, I have committed myself to attend and be part of the Chinese Service, which has become an essential part of my spiritual growth and learning.

As I regularly attend Gethsemane’s fellowship meetings and worship services, I was guided and touched by the Word of God. I realised that I had not been on the correct path and was regretful for rejecting Christ in the past. I admitted I was wrong. Under the guidance of Pr Daniel Lim during the catechism class, I accepted Christ as my personal Saviour and am grateful for all He has done for my salvation.

The Bible teaches us that we all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. I realised that many of my past actions and conduct are missing the mark, and have to be repented of, that I may live a new spiritual life that is worthy of His glory. May I be diligent in my efforts in walking with God and submitting to His guidance, constantly asking for His forgiveness and relying on His strength and wisdom. May I, as a believer and God’s child, continue to strive to live my life bearing a good witness, and remaining faithful in prayer. As I continue to seek the truth through every word of God, may I be guided by the Holy Spirit, to be God-fearing and to please Him in every aspect of my spiritual life. As for this spiritual journey, I look forward to serve and rejoice in Christ with other members of GBPC.

Ong Wei Han

I come from a non-believing household, where both my parents are Taoists. Growing up, my understanding of Christianity was largely mixed. Lessons learnt from sermons during weekly Chapel services held in my school contrasted with my parents’ expressing of their prejudiced opinions on church issues, such as Charismatic practices and Christian tithing. It was a confusing process, where Christianity seemed to relate with “virtuosity” more than the grace and goodness of God through salvation in Christ.
It was through these small “sparks” that eventually ignited an interest in me to find out more about the Bible. While studying in university overseas, I started to attend weekly Sunday Services at a local church and attend its Bible study sessions. I thank God that through His Word, I was moved to acknowledge my sinful ways and take the step in accepting Christ on 21 July 2017.

It used to be a habit of mine to always try and solve problems on my own first before requesting for help. Many a time I found myself struggling and feeling lonely. Thank God for His Word in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” It is always helpful for me to take a step back and remember this verse, which is so full of hope and joy. Indeed, it reminds me that God loves us deeply and wants to be involved with our lives daily, granting His wisdom and guidance if we only approach Him and ask.

I am grateful for the opportunities God has granted me to share the Gospel with my family and those around me. As I continue to journey with the Lord, I aim to live out His truth in Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the Lord with all thine; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” For all good things proceedeth from the Lord. Amen.

Agnes See

For as long as I can recall, Christianity has been very much a part of my life. I have been attending church and Sunday School since I was three years old, and had accepted Christ as a child. During those early years, my mother would read Bible stories to my siblings and I almost every night. I loved the stories and the life application lessons. When we were slightly older, we progressed to reading “Junior Read, Pray & Grow” booklets daily. Still, while my heart was intrigued by the miracles of God and courage of the patriarchs, God seemed to be a distant figure; somehow I did not feel a personal relationship with Him until much later.

God has a wonderful way of drawing His children to Him. When I went overseas to study, God’s providence led me to join a very caring and vibrant church, where sound doctrine was preached. What especially touched me was how the members loved and actively ministered to one another, which deeply encouraged my fledgling faith. It was during this period that my walk with God came to life. Although there wasn’t any specific or emotional moment for this, the daily close personal devotion, where I experience peace and joy in God’s presence, is something that I treasure till today.

While overseas, I had also been following Gethsemane’s online sermons and have been greatly blessed (and equally chastised) by the faithful preaching. Having recently completed my overseas education and now back in Singapore for good, it is my desire to find a church with sound biblical teaching, where I could also grow and serve in. I sincerely thank God for His constant guidance and mercies throughout my life, and for leading me to Gethsemane BP Church. All praise and glory be to God.

Valencia Hutagalung

I am thankful for having been brought up in a Christian family and having the opportunity to attend various church activities, such as worship services, prayer meetings and fellowship groups since I was young. Over the years, as I listened to the preaching of God’s Word, I grew in the knowledge of God and understood that we are all sinners who are doomed to hell if we are not saved. We must confess our sins, seek His forgiveness, and repent. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

As I experienced the struggles in my life, there were instances when I did not seek Him and tried to overcome them on my own. Though at times I got so overwhelmed by my own struggles, yet I did not think to look unto Him to guide me. However, over time, I realised that I must always pray to Him as I am unable to do anything without His help. He is a gracious God who will always be there to guide us in every step of our way. As Isaiah 41:13 says, “For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” By the grace of God, I hope to be able to walk closer with Him.

I pray that I will be a faithful Christian who obeys His will. I also pray that I would be able to bear a good testimony to those around me, so that they may come to know the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. All glory be to God!

Andrew Jonathan Lee

I grew up in Gethsemane BPC, as my parents are members here. When I was younger, I felt that going to church was just a kind of routine to do on Sunday. However, as I grew older and listened to more messages, I started to understand that churchgoing cannot be treated the same way as going to school. Our pastor’s messages made me realise that God must occupy the most important place in my life, not studies or other things, which should all be devoted to God’s glory.

I thank God and pray that He will continue to help me to understand the doctrines being taught in the church, and to enjoy learning more about God’s truth in His Word. Not just in the church services, but also in church camps and seminars, such as the recent youth seminars on Calvinism and on church history. Thank God for Pastor’s sound advice through his preaching from Proverbs, and I pray that I will continue to faithfully attend the Youth Fellowship. I also am thankful for the catechism class that has helped me understand the fundamentals of our salvation. Thank God for saving me, and may He help me to continue growing, that I can be a good example and bear good testimony for Jesus in and outside of school.

Goh Ming Jun

Since young, I have always been brought to church by my parents. Like most conventional churchgoing children, I attended Sunday School, joined the Children’s Choir, and also became a regular reader of the “Junior Worshipper’s Page” in the church bulletin.

At first, the concept of there being a Creator watching over me, was quite easy to accept. However, when I entered secondary school, my faith was challenged, having greater exposure to the internet, as well as the increasingly liberal (and even immoral) attitudes / conduct of students in my school. There were times when I felt vexed by the acts of sin performed with seemingly no shame by ungodly students in school. Although I felt frustrated regularly (an experience that I believe many students would be able to relate to), I found solace in reading God’s Word, and found explanations to my problems. In these almost hopeless moments, His Word was truly a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path! This light banished away worldly distractions, making me realise that my studies ought to be but a vehicle to bring me closer to God. As a creature born into sin, I would never be able to fully comprehend the will of an omnipotent, perfect Creator. Through constant prayer and supplication, I hope to be more in tune with His will, as revealed in His Word. I look forward to the day that I will be called home, or swept up to the clouds to meet my Saviour. In the meantime, may I uphold the doctrine of Christ to show forth a good testimony to those around me, praying that my Master’s words to me would be: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Praise God for giving this church a faithful pastor, and a God-honouring board of elders. I thank the Lord also for giving me parents who have been steadfast in the Word, administering discipline where needed. Their desire for their children to live holy lives is shown through their chastening of us (though I suspect such chastening hurt them as much as us children). I hope that the church will remain attuned to God’s Word, even in this increasingly secularised society. Through thick and thin, I hope we will remain faithful and united in Christ, until our service in this world is ended.

Studying the Scriptures and serving the Lord Jesus Christ are integral to the life of those whom the Lord has called into the ministry of the Word. Serving God ought to be supplemented with studying of the holy Scriptures so that the servants of God will know and do His blessed will rather than their own! While every born-again Christian has been redeemed to serve the LORD, not all are called into serving Him in the ministry of the Word. This ministry of the Word is to be complemented with continuous prayer (cf. Acts 6:4). Therefore, I am very thankful to the LORD my God for opening this door of learning again to me in the Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC), with the support of our beloved Pastor and the Board of Elders in Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church (GBPC).

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven … and a time to build up” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 3b). “Re-signing” to study God’s perfect Word in FEBC is indeed a God-given privilege! One reason for returning to study is to equip myself and be rooted and built up in the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord and Saviour. Re-learning the biblical doctrines of the Reformed faith which I have been taught will surely strengthen the foundations that were earlier built. It would be like the reminder of Paul to Timothy, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). It will be very refreshing for me to hear again those wonderful teachings which we profess and hold on to! Moreover, there might be things for me to unlearn as well if I have unconsciously come to know them. Jesus said, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:2). In the process, there would be some painful pruning or “sharpening”, yet it is needful! “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 this regard, I long for your continuous prayer that the LORD sustains me both in college and in church for the next three years. It is a heavy responsibility to study the Word, not to mention to serve the LORD at the same time.

Next, there is nothing more meaningful and interesting in the life of a person called of the LORD into the ministry of the Word than the study of theology. To study the Bible continuously is joy unspeakable, especially when doing so with a grateful and prayerful heart together with many others. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7). Indeed, I am very thankful to the LORD for this opportunity to return to my alma mater, FEBC, to continue and complete the Master of Divinity (MDiv) programme, which I had started but left stranded for a while. “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). As much as there is joy within, fear is not absent either! The concerns regarding the ability to cope with all the demands during the course of study, especially in the subjects of Greek and Hebrew, are real but I trust in the LORD for help. For His grace is ever sufficient, and He “is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

The ministry of the Word to the inmates in Changi Prison Complex continues on Wednesday afternoons and sometimes on other days. The LORD is pleased to bless this work and has brought some of those inmates to our midst. Among them is Bro Vijay, who is attending our church service on Sundays and studying in FEBC on Thursday evenings. Moreover, teaching children from the Gospel of John during GCM on Saturdays, held concurrently with various fellowship gatherings, remains unaffected. May the LORD be pleased to save the souls of our young ones through the teaching and preaching of His infallible and inerrant Word, and even to call some to serve Him one day!

Serving the LORD gladly must be the desire of every born-again believer. It is the reasonable service of every saint to learn good doctrines of the Bible, and to present himself according to the truth thereof to serve God as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Him (cf. Romans 12:1-2). Moreover, having learnt all these wonderful teachings from godly men in the faith, let us pass it on to the next generation for the blessings of God’s people, and for the extension of His kingdom here on earth. May the LORD our God be praised as all glory and honour belong to Him, the living and true God!

Sermon Text: Psalm 17
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 7th August 2022

Venue

The 21st Bible Witness Retreat, if the Lord permits, will be held at Pullman Hotel in Kuching, Sarawak (E. Malaysia). We truly thank God for providing us with this excellent venue at a reasonable cost. We chose Kuching as the location for the September retreat so that the participants from Singapore would have an opportunity to encourage the brethren of Calvary Kuching B-P Church, a work that the Lord has given to the care of our church, GBPC. However, due to the COVID travel restrictions and the recent surge of infection in Singapore and South-east Asia, we could not plan early to secure a venue in Kuching. We appreciate the timely help of Bro Jeremy Teo (from Calvary Kuching) and Bro Simon Chung (a Gethsemanean residing in Kuching) to find and secure a suitable venue in Kuching.

Topic

The retreat’s topic of study is the “Doctrine of Repentance”. We know that our risen Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, having ascended to heaven, does “appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb. 9:24). And there, “he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25). His Word assures us that “if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 Jn. 2:1). This gracious Saviour lovingly urges us not to live in sin, guilt, shame, and broken communion with Him. He desires that “we confess our sins, (for) he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9). Our Saviour is graciously disposed towards us, that we may come to Him in repentance and live in the joy of our fellowship with Him. That being so, should we not earnestly learn His counsels to put away our sins, and rejoice in His pardon and restoration?

Participation

More than 50 participants (from Singapore) have registered thus far for the 21st BW Retreat. We also expect 10 or more brethren from Kuching to join the retreat. Though more than the initially anticipated number of attendees have signed up, we encourage more to come and benefit from this opportunity to learn God’s Word, and to enjoy the Christian fellowship. If the Spirit of the Lord moves you to give for the support of this retreat (especially for certain needy brethren), please give towards “BW Retreat”. We also covet your earnest prayers for the blessing of the retreat.

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Report from the Philippines’ Mission Churches

(The following is an abbreviated version of reports received over the last two weeks.)

I praise the Lord for enabling us to use the temporary place of worship. The cementing of the floor is already completed. The workers are currently finishing the children’s classroom and fixing the doors. We praise the Lord for Bro. Jumar and Sis. Olive, who helped us to clean and prepare the place for the last Sunday’s worship. We had also put up the curtains to decorate the hall, and laid the electrical extension cords for the electric fans. Praise the Lord that the new worship place is very spacious and cooler. We praise God for this temporary provision as the present place cannot hold all the worshippers. Praise the Lord that we can have a good shelter for eating and fellowshipping as well. Indeed, after the worship, we had lunch together inside the worship hall.

We also thank God for a new family from the neighbourhood that joined the worship. God willing, this week, Bro. Renato Olarita will come from Valenzuela to live and serve with us here in Pangasinan. He will be coming with his wife, Sis. Marianette, and their 3 children.

Please pray for my wife Se Jin’s 5-year amendment to her ‘Permanent Resident Visa’. May the Lord enable us to serve Him as a family in this place. Se Jin also had to see the doctor, and we thank God for the normal blood-pressure and blood-sugar readings. The doctor has advised her to continue the medication, and will see her again after four months.

The Lord recently helped me to travel to preach God’s Word in Tactac, Sta Fe. There, I met Bro. Jomart and his wife. They came here from Singapore to visit their family members. Bro. Jomart requested me to share the message of salvation with more than 40 relatives who came to listen to God’s Word. Praise God for enabling me to preach from Romans 10:5-13.

Sermon Text: Psalm 16
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 31st July 2022

The first day of the week, Sunday, was the typical day of gathering and worship of the early Christians (Jn. 20:19; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2); and it is referred to as “the Lord’s day” (Rev. 1:10). The phrase “the Lord’s day” is best understood as a reference to Sunday. It became customary to refer to Sunday because Christ rose from the grave on Sunday. The apostle John was met by the risen, ascended, and exalted Christ on the first day of the week to reveal the prophecy of the Book of Revelation. When early Christians gathered for their worship on the first day of the week, they would spend a lot of time together in worship, studying God’s Word, praying, fellowshipping, breaking bread, etc. (Acts 20:7, 11). Listening to the exposition of the Scriptures was their delight, and hence a whole-day affair (Acts 28:23).  

The church historians record that in the first four centuries after the Reformation, most Protestant churches met for worship on the Lord’s Day in the morning and evening; the believers considered both services necessary for their spiritual rejoicing and edification. In the last six decades, the evening service has been frowned at and has become so uncommon. This abandoning of the evening (or afternoon) service in Protestant churches is a sign of the growing spiritual apathy and worldliness of the Christians of our time, who spend much of the Lord’s Day for secular purposes rather than spiritual. 

Brethren, there is no good and acceptable reason why our generation of Christians will allow ourselves to be less passionate about spiritual things, and be unlike the godly Christians of yesteryears. Let us not waste our opportunity to serve the purposes of God devoutly. Let us consider our short time here on earth with utmost seriousness in using it for our spiritual nourishment and for God’s glory. Let us take heed of the Scriptural exhortation: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16). 

There are amazing blessings in coming together and learning God’s Word from the teaching service on Sunday evenings. Come with your families to learn from God’s Word. We are now learning from the biblical history of “The Kings of Judah and Israel”. Let us gratefully come to hear His Word and save ourselves and our children from the evils of this generation. Make it our habit to be found in His house on the Lord’s Day.

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Photo News

The 18th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service of Gethsemane B-P Church, Cebu, the Philippines, was held last Sunday (17th July 2022).

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Praising God for the Prayer Meeting!

Over the past two weeks, two sisters came forward to give their testimonies during our church’s Tuesday night prayer meetings. They are published below to encourage all Gethsemaneans to consider the prayer meetings.  

Judy Chan

I would like to testify of the Lord’s goodness in helping me overcome my struggle in attending prayer meetings. Coming for prayer meetings initially had been an intense spiritual battle. Before coming to Gethsemane, I thought prayer meetings were optional, on a need-to basis. Since coming here, I learned that the prayer meeting is crucial to our spiritual growth, as shown by the pattern of the early followers of Christ. They “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1: 14). Even though I became aware of the importance of the prayer meeting, because of the weakness of my flesh, I felt like my whole being was resistant to going for prayer meetings. I thank God for speaking to me continually through the messages preached. Yet, regular participation in prayer meetings was challenging for me. Sometimes I thought this struggle would never end, but God was gracious to see me through. Slowly, I experienced less resistance within me and even look forward to coming every Tuesday for the church prayer meeting. Praise the Lord for helping me overcome my struggle! Truly, as the hymn often sung by the children declares, “God is so good”!

Xin Hui

The hymn “Amazing Grace” truly testifies of God‘s goodness to me. The third stanza of this hymn spoke to me, especially when my parents were against my faith in Christ in its early stage. I went through a lot of stress and fear. Yet, God’s grace has seen me safely through all those testings of my faith. He has shown me how good He is, even in my bouts of depression and hopelessness. When we are weak, God’s strength is made perfect! I pray that we will constantly be reminded of God’s saving grace in our lives that saved us from eternal damnation and into the wonderful hands of Jesus Christ. Oh, how good our Saviour is! This comforting and assuring truth is also declared in Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”