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Paul and Onesimus

“I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels” (Philemon 1:10-12).

While the apostle Paul was imprisoned in Rome for the preaching of the Gospel, he met Onesimus, who was not a Christian then. Though it is not stated how Onesimus met Paul, who was languishing in prison, Paul did state that he converted Onesimus to Christ while he was in chains – “…Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds” (v. 10). Onesimus was a runaway slave. His master, Philemon, was a wealthy man from Colossae who became a devout Christian (cf. Colossians 4:9). It seems likely from Paul’s statement in v. 18 that Onesimus took money or possessions from Philemon and fled - “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account” (v. 18). 

Onesimus escaped from Colossae to Rome (which had taken him a distance that was well over 2,100 km) with the hope of not being recognised and caught. He would have been hoping to hide himself in the multitudes that thronged that city. In the Roman world of Paul’s day, fugitive slaves would flee abroad to large cities and be absorbed into the workforce or attempt to disappear into the subculture of the cities or join groups of robbers. Somehow, Onesimus’ plight put him in contact with Paul, perhaps as a fellow prisoner. Paul took this providentially arranged opportunity to preach the Gospel of Christ to Onesimus, which led to his conversion.

Whenever God provides opportunities to preach the Gospel to those behind bars, we must not miss them. It was also our Lord Jesus’ mission to minister the Gospel to those who were locked up in their sins, crimes and troubles – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19; cf. Isaiah 61:1). 

As Charles Wesley expressed it in his magnificent hymn, “O For a Thousand Tongues”,

“He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free.”

Let us avail ourselves to the preaching of the Gospel to the prisoners, and those who are lost in addictions and the vicious cycle of sinful habits and their brutal consequences. Pray for The Gethsemane Care Ministry and Gethsemane Prison Ministry, and participate in them.  

Our Preachers and Prison Ministry

During the TGCM Anniversary Thanksgiving Service on Aug 9th, 2022, Pr Jeremiah Sim presented a report on Gethsemane Prison Ministry. The following is an extract from that report:

In the year 2010, some brethren of Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church (GBPC) were moved in their hearts to reach out to the inmates of Changi Prison with the Gospel message. With the encouragement and support of GBPC’s leadership, our preachers, as well as some brethren from our church and our affiliated churches, endeavoured to bring the precious Gospel truth to the prisoners, praying that they would come to Jesus Christ for their salvation. 

While engaging in the prison ministry, we face tough challenges from (i) hardcore criminals who disrupt the classes with their loud conversations, argumentative questions, distracting conduct and gangsterism; (ii) professing Christians who are repeat offenders, having not fully given up their vices and crimes; and (iii) prisoners with personal issues (physical, mental, emotional problems), family issues, mutual disputes /conflicts, etc.

It is solely by God’s abundant grace which worketh in us that we are able to do this work for His glory. We earnestly thank the Lord for granting us the grace, strength, wisdom, patience and boldness, not only to face all the difficulties and challenges, but also to extend our hands with love and compassion to care for their souls.

Gethsemane Prison Ministry is an enormous opportunity to bring the Good News to the prisoners. We praise God for His grace upon us, as we minister and attend to them with much patience and love. We covet your earnest prayers for our prison ministry, particularly for those brethren who are entering the prison to minister the Gospel to the inmates. Pray also for more labourers to serve in this ministry.

Pr Jeremiah, Pr Daniel and Pr Kelvin make weekly visits to Changi Prison to minister the Word; and they are joined by several brethren from our church (Dn Ah Sang, Bro Kenneth, Bro Cayson, Bro David) and sister churches (Bro Samuel Goh, Pr William Goh, Bro Yong). We also thank God for two sisters from True Life B-P Church (Sis Joycelyn and Sis Katherine), who regularly visit the prison for women with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Welcoming ex-prisoners into our church

Scripture teaches the church to be always welcoming of those who come with sincere hearts of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wanted Philemon to receive Onesimus back to fellowship. Paul wrote, “whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels” (Philemon 1:12). The church today must continue to welcome prisoners who come to faith in Christ. Through the church, may they experience God’s restoring love and forgiveness. 

We thank God for the joy and privilege of receiving several ex-prisoners, who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, to the membership and fellowship of our church. Some of them even serve in our church as full-time staff. 

It is also my personal joy that, on a few occasions, the Lord had given me the opportunity to minister His Word to ex-prisoners. One of them, whom I visited in Queenstown Prison (before its closure), came to our church upon his release and worshipped the Lord for a few Sundays. Not too long after that, he went back to the world, entangling himself in a life of sin. However, he was struck with a sudden health emergency. I was given an opportunity to minister to him. He did indicate his repentance and renewed his faith before I left his hospital bed. Soon after that, the same day, he passed away.

In 2016, the Lord enabled me to minister to another young man in Changi Prison. I thank the Lord that eventually he came to our church, and now he worships the Lord with his family in our church. There are others also from similar background who presently worship regularly with us. Let us welcome them and encourage them to grow in the wisdom of His Word. May every one of us rejoice that God has commissioned us to a great ministry of liberty and restoration.

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A Report of Special Blessing of BWTV

Dear Pastor Koshy,

Last Saturday, I let the children in Anda and Candijay (two outstations of Gethsemane B-P Mission Church, Bohol) watch the Bible Witness Web TV. Praise God for the edifying spiritual songs and sound biblical teachings about the Bible. I praise God for enabling me to translate the lessons into Cebuano. The children had a fruitful time answering the activity sheets I printed out for them from biblewitnesstv.com. God willing, every Saturday, I will let the children watch the programme on Bible Witness TV. May the Lord help the children to learn and remember many precious lessons from the Bible. All glory to God. I’m sending you some photos of the children in Anda and Candijay.

—Pr Edsel Locot

Sermon Text: Psalm 20:1–9
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 11th September 2022

The church of Jesus Christ needs godly men in the pews and pulpit whom He can count on to do His will and purposes in the church. When people within the church increasingly become materialistic, selfish, prideful, pleasure seekers, haters of the truth, and irreverent of God, we need to pray for godly men in our congregation. Very few men are genuine lovers of Christ and His righteousness these days. We live in a pernicious time, and hence we need to pray as David pleaded, “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men” (Psalm 12:1).

God seeks those whose hearts are right with Him to take up the church’s offices, such as pastors, elders, preachers, deacons, etc. His chief concern is not about abilities or skills, but spiritual character. Hence, 1 Timothy 3:1-13 enumerates the spiritual and moral qualities required of elders and deacons who serve in church leadership.

God expects those who serve Him to be men of devout hearts. He delights in the humility and loyalty of the leaders of His people. In the Scriptures, we see God’s commendation of pious and zealous men who served Him. Here are some examples:

• Nehemiah 9:7-8 notes God’s assessment of Abraham, “Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram … and foundest his heart faithful before thee”. 
• Numbers 12:3, 7 records God’s words about Moses – “(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) … My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.” 
• When the LORD directed Samuel to search for a successor to Saul, the LORD advised him to “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). Saul was chosen because the people wanted a man with the physique that would suit a king – “there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people” (1 Sam. 9:2). But their choice of Saul was catastrophic because he was not dedicated to do God’s will. So he was told, “Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king” (1 Sam 15:23). Concerning David whom God has chosen to replace Saul, it is written that He “raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will” (Acts 13:22; cf. 1 Sam. 13:14). 
• When King Jehoshaphat of Judah “hast prepared [his] heart to seek God” (2 Chron. 19:3), the Lord blessed him. 
• King Josiah, whose heart was tender, and who humbled himself before the LORD, was used mightily by the LORD to lead His people to a spiritual revival (2 Kings 22:19). 
• Daniel, whom God greatly used during the Babylonian captivity, “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…” (Daniel 1:8).
• Ezra, who “prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it”, was appointed by the LORD “to teach in Israel statutes and judgments” (Ezra 7:10). 
• Nehemiah chose faithful men to fill responsible positions – Hanani and Hananiah to supervise the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall (Neh. 7:2); Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, Pedaiah, and Hanan as treasurers over the treasuries (Neh. 13:13); etc.
• The apostles and their co-labourers in the ministry were devout and faithful men. The apostle Paul testified as well to the godliness and faithfulness of his co-labourers in his epistles (cf. Col.4:7-15).

There is no greater honour that our church can receive than the godliness of its members and leaders. On the other hand, when the congregation is least concerned about godliness, the church will be scandalised, dishonoured, and degraded.

The Launch of Bible Witness TV

We praise God for the successful launch of Bible Witness TV on the 1st of September 2022. We are very grateful to note that people have started to watch it from around the world. Let us earnestly pray for the team that work daily on making the programmes available on BWTV for the edification of God’s people all around the world. 

We would like you to introduce BWTV to your friends. You may send the following information to your contacts. 

How to access:

If you use a smartphone or tablet, access it through our Church App (Gethsemane BPC, downloadable from your app store) for the best viewing experience. You can also view BWTV on a larger screen by casting from the app to your smart TV.

If you use a laptop or personal computer, you can watch BWTV on biblewitnesstv.com.

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Notes received:

Dear Pastor,  

Just a short note to add on to the many notes that you must have received, praising and thanking the Lord and you in leading the Bible Witness team over the many months culminating in the launching of Bible Witness TV. What a joyous occasion on this blessed first day of September 2022, to watch and be blessed by these wonderful videos! These videos showcase very well the often-quoted statement, “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God”, in the minds and hearts of all who laboured for Him in this endeavour. May the Lord be gracious to grant more great things for His glory. 

—Elder Mah Chin Kwang

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We praise God for the effort made in getting WebTV live. Thank you, Pastor. Please share with the BW team that we are praying for the good work they have done and thank God for their efforts.

—Bro. Lijoy K George

Sermon Text: Psalm 19:7–14
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 4th September 2022

Sermon Text: Psalm 19:1–9
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 28th August 2022

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.