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The Gospel of John emphatically speaks of Jesus Christ, who is called "the Word", as the Maker of the world (John 1:3, 10). It categorically declares that He was in the world, though the world refused to acknowledge Him as such. John wrote in John 1:10, "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not." He immediately reiterated Jesus’ coming to earth in the next verse – "He came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11).

The greatest wonder that this world has ever experienced is that "He was in the world". Christ, the Word, the Creator, was in the world (cf. John 1:1-3)! But wasn’t He here on earth before? Did He not visit and commune with certain individuals and people since the time of Creation? Yes, He did. Such appearance of the Lord is known as "Christophany" (i.e. a visible appearance of Christ in the Old Testament period). However, they were mere manifestations of Christ. Now, what John speaks to us is His incarnation – "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Christ, the Son of God, took on a human body and a human nature. Thus, forever He will be God-man (Theanthropos) – truly and fully God, truly and fully man! In the Person of Christ, since His virgin birth, both divine and human natures co-exist without confusion, without change, without division, and without separation.

Is it not most amazing that He who made all things (cf. John 1:3, 10; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:2, 10) would become a Man? He who was with God in the beginning, and was God, and has created all things, was in the world as a man living among people! It is so great a mystery that we are moved to ask of the birth of Christ in wonder: "How can these things be?" It is a great and wondrous mystery that God "was made flesh and dwelt among us". Indeed, "without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (1 Timothy 3:16). So wonderful is this revealed truth that Christ’s incarnation has engaged the interest and attention of good men of all ages, and even of angels (cf. 1 Peter 1:10-12)!

He came to this earth as the true revelation ("the Word") of God to man, and that He might fulfil the divine plan for the salvation of sinners. He came to the earth as the Divine Saviour. His glory as the Son of God was evident in His miraculous virgin birth, His life, His ministry, His preaching and His miracles. His death and resurrection also unmistakably pointed to His divinity. The divine attributes that He exhibited testified of His deity. As John testified about Him in John 1:14, "(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." What a privilege it had been for those who were around Jesus, that they could experience the physical presence of the great Creator among them!

But thousands and thousands of Jews, who had the privilege to see, hear and even interact with the incarnated Son of God, rejected Him. John, who had communed with Christ and recognised Him as the Divine Saviour, tells us of the tragic rejection of Him by the Jews: "He came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11). This was the kind of situation that was described in the Old Testament Scriptures – "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider" (Isaiah 1:3). Sadly, the very people to whom He had revealed (through His prophets) concerning His incarnation and redemptive sufferings, death and resurrection, rejected Him! The Old Testament prophecies concerning His first coming provided plenty of evidence that He, who was born in Bethlehem as the son of the virgin Mary, was the Son of God. Yet, thousands and thousands of men, who met Him just as we meet with each other, refused to acknowledge His divinity.

Will you also turn your back on Him? Or will you in repentance and faith come to Him as your Divine Saviour? If you sincerely trust Him, then adore and worship Him, and yield in obedient service to His praise.

Let the words of the great hymn, "All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ Name!", ring in our hearts as we approach the Christmas season:

All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ Name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all!

Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race,
Ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace,
And crown Him Lord of all;
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace,
And crown Him Lord of all!

Let every kindred, every tribe,
On this terrestrial ball,
To Him all majesty ascribe,
And crown Him Lord of all;
To Him all majesty ascribe,
And crown Him Lord of all!

O that with yonder sacred throng
We at His feet may fall!
We’ll join the everlasting song,
And crown Him Lord of all;
We’ll join the everlasting song,
And crown Him Lord of all!

– Edward Perronet (1726–1792)
[adapted by John Rippon (1751–1836)]

The Lord has given the church a Gospel mandate to send preachers to all around the world – "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). It is our blessed privilege to play a part in fulfilling our Saviour’s commission with total fervour and readiness.

As Paul challenged the church in Rome, "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!" (Romans 10:14-15). May we too be summoned to carry out the Gospel work!

I praise the Lord for the opportunity given to me to minister to pastors and church leaders who gathered for a special conference arranged by Dr Jose Lagapa, a preacher of True Life B-P Church, in the Philippines. This ministry is organised under True Life B-P Church, especially for pastors and church leaders from the Mindanao Island. It was held in Central Mindanao University, Musuan, Bukidnon.

The Lord has been gracious to bless Dr Jose’s efforts to equip men in the work of the Lord and to encourage them to fight a good fight of faith in these days of apostasy and compromise. There were about 100 participants. Two people who rendered much help in the holding of this conference in CMU, Bukidnon were Dr Einstine Opiso and Prof. Patria Solidum.

I was asked to preach 6 messages on the main theme: "The Supremacy of God’s Word" (cf. Hebrews 4:12). The messages were: (i) God’s Word in Personal Lives, (ii) God’s Word in Worship, (iii) God’s Word in Prayer, (iv) God’s Word in Missions, (v) God’s Word in Church Discipline, (iv) God’s Word in the Defence of the Faith.

I was accompanied by my wife, Carolyn, and our son Cornelius. They were also tasked to speak to ladies and youths. Carolyn ministered to the ladies in their group meetings on: (i) God’s Word in teaching children, (ii) God’s Word in counselling ladies and children, (iii) God’s Word in disciplining children, and (iv) God’s Word in children outreaches. Cornelius preached to the Christian students of the university who regularly meet to study the Word.

Rev. Reggor Galarpe (Gethsemane BPC, Cebu), Pr Edsel Locot (Gethsemane BPC, Bohol), Eld & Mrs Eliezer Ortega (Gethsemane BPC, Bogo) were also present in the conference. They too ministered to the participants. While Rev Galarpe ministered the Word in the group meetings, the preachers led the meetings of the conference.

Let us continually pray for the work in Mindanao and in other places of the Philippines. Last Sunday, True Life B-P Church has begun a new work in Bohol island – Trinidad B-P Church. God be praised!

"O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him" (Psalm 34:8).

I am truly grateful to God for His goodness and faithfulness in sustaining me for the past semesters in GBI. Thank God for the many lessons I have learned. I am thankful also for God's faithfulness in providing for all my needs through GBPC-Singapore, and through love gifts from brethren. Thank God also for Pastor Reggor for giving me many opportunities to serve here in Cebu, particularly in Junior Worship.

Thank God also for the "school of God's providence", which put me through trials, difficulties, challenges and oppositions. Through all those experiences, I have learned many precious lessons that cannot be learned from theological classes alone. I believe that they are part of my training from the Lord in equipping me for the work that God has prepared for me.

God, in His mysterious and wonderful way, has led my path to Preacher Edsel’s life; God willing, after my last semester in GBI (January-April) next year, we will be joined in holy matrimony on the 18th of July 2020.

Please do continue to pray for me as I prepare myself for the future ministry that God has prepared for me, together with Pr Edsel, in Bohol. Please do pray also for the church and GBI in Cebu.

(Pastor’s note: Sis. Juvy Lynn Anaviso is a student of GBI, Cebu, in her last semester of biblical studies. She had heard the Lord’s call into full-time service, while she was working in Singapore and worshipping with us. We thank God for her good testimony amongst us during the years she lived in Singapore. She joined GBI, Cebu in June 2017 and is expected to complete her studies by May 2020. Please pray for Sis. Juvy as she looks forward to all that the Lord has planned for her in His vineyard.)

Sis. Peggy Lee

"The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad" (Psalm 126:3).

With much joy and gladness, I witnessed how the Lord our God has multiplied what Gethsemane BPC, Singapore, gave to the Gospel-work that is being accomplished in her mission stations in Ethiopia.

In Alem Gena, the mission compound consists of: (i) a church building (with a seating capacity of about 300), (ii) a college building which houses a library, 4 classrooms, a storeroom and an administrative office (for both the church and Gethsemane Bible Institute [GBI]), (iii) a fellowship hall (with a kitchen attached), and (iv) a block that provides accommodation for GBI students and the 2 missionary families, as well as classroom for Gethsemane Children’s Ministry (GCM) usage. All these are situated on a land of about 11,900 sq metres (not sq feet)!

Likewise, in Addis Ababa, a 3-storey rented building caters for church gatherings (of about 30 people), a small administrative office, and a place of residence for the preacher and his family.

Despite many trials, GBI is a thriving ministry. 30 full-time students come daily for theological training. Furthermore, GCM provides free pre-school education and imparts biblical knowledge to about 80 young children. Thank God that members of the mission team had many opportunities to visit the homes of the children and witness to their parents.

By God’s grace, Pastor Koshy taught the GBI students on "Anthropology" (despite his suffering from high-altitude sickness), while Bro Cornelius and the sisters (namely Dorothy, Carolyn and Peggy) ministered to the GCM children over a period of 6 days. Of note also was the joy of being able to see a section of the fence around the perimeter of the Alem Gena mission compound being further strengthened (with the help of a gift from one of our sisters in the mission team) for security purposes.

I am most grateful to God that my desire to visit the missionaries in Ethiopia had become a reality, and all the more so, for allowing me to serve with them. His provision had granted us much sweet fellowship and mutual encouragement. Thank God also for our safe return flight, and smooth clearance through the Ethiopian immigration and custom checks. All glory be to God!

Pastor Prabhudas Koshy

It has been almost 3 years since I last visited our Gospel mission stations in Ethiopia. How excited I was to see how the Lord has sustained and blessed the work of our dear Ethiopian preachers! Even though regular ministry updates came from them, I eagerly looked forward to be with our brethren in their field of labour to know their affairs, their struggles and their joys.

Our three missionaries (Rev. Ephrem, Pr Engida and Pr Imane) and their families are in good spirits as they press on in the work of the Lord. The areas where these men labour for the Lord have many difficulties, opposition and resistance. They encounter hostility not only from the non-Christian people around them, but also from those who are "Christians", but unbiblical in their doctrines. The Ethiopian Coptic Christians and Charismatic Christians often spread rumours that our Reformed, Presbyterian teachings are heresies. Such unabated attacks from these so-called "Christian" communities often unsettle people who come to worship with us.

Nonetheless, we rejoiced to see that our brethren find much grace and strength, through constant prayer to the Lord, to stand firm and boldly proclaim the truths of God’s Word. Their steadfastness amidst open hostility and insidious rumours from unsound "Christian" teachers is indeed commendable. Let us praise God for our brethren for embracing the truth in 2 Corinthians 3:5 – "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God".

The congregation in the city of Addis Ababa (capital city of Ethiopia), ministered to by Pr Engida Tefera, has been the most troubled by the deception of Charismatic teachings. It is indeed an uphill battle. The Christian community in this city is overwhelmingly affected by Charismatic preachers. They seduce the people with their offers of "prophecies" (a kind of divination) and "signs and wonders". They even compel and coerce those who come to Gethsemane BPC, Addis Ababa, to leave us and go to their churches! Not a few have been affected by their persuasions, causing them to leave the church. But the remnant find cheer and strength in the truths of God’s Word, and in the faithfulness of God who has called them to unwavering commitment in declaring the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pr Engida, his wife Mulu and their daughter Yohana, together with another dozen brethren, continue to serve the Lord.

The church in Alem Gena, situated amidst a large Muslim community, faces hostility to their Gospel efforts. Besides, there have been several violent communal clashes between the tribal communities. While we were there, we heard that two Christian pastors were murdered in a nearby place. Such circumstances obstruct the outreaches of the church and also prevent brethren from coming to the church regularly. However, the Lord continues to bless our brethren’s efforts to spread the Gospel.

Gethsemane Children’s ministry in Alem Gena provides free pre-school (kindergarten level) activities for children in that community. Many children from poor homes come. About 80 children are attended to by two recent graduates of Gethsemane Bible Institute (Bro. Bayera and Bro. Bedada), and three sisters (Mrs Gete Ephrem, Sis Alemitu and Sis Kamise). The two brothers reach out to the children and their parents with the Gospel.

Gethsemane Bible Institute (GBI) continues to receive men who seek theological training for the work of the Gospel. The work of GBI, Ethiopia, has increased in recent years. Presently, 30 students are undergoing theological training. On November 24th, 6 part-time students graduated, having completed their course. If the students remain faithful to the Lord, through them the message of the Gospel will reach hundreds – and even thousands more – in that country, resulting in the establishment of more churches and the building up of believers in the most holy faith.

Let us praise the Lord for enabling our Ethiopian missionaries to make steady progress in the midst of many adversities and dangers. May our prayers ascend to our God for them, that He will prosper the work of their hands. Let it also be our constant prayer that more will hear the call of God and be well-equipped to serve in that vast harvest field.

Psalm 128—"Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel."

A godly man ("one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways") has the promise of a happy and holy home-life. "The fear of the LORD" is that reverent and loving regard for the LORD, which will make a man shrink from transgression (cf. Job 28:28). This fear of the LORD is the essential foundation of the truly happy home. A man’s true piety guarantees his family’s blessedness which all the wealth and fame in the world cannot secure. Godliness is the best assurance of a blessed family life. It will make his home the scene of purest joy, strongest comfort, and highest domestic happiness and family welfare.

When a man’s heart is full of love for God and the Holy Scriptures, all his motives and aims will be sublime and pure. Such a man will walk in the ways of God. In his house, he becomes an unhindered channel of supreme moral and spiritual sentiments and emotions. Truth, honesty, purity and holy love will be his pursuit. True piety is not dormant but vibrant. A pious soul will bloom and scatter the sweet aroma of divine virtues and purposes through his leadership in the home.

A man who fears the LORD will seek after divine pleasure. He endlessly pursues the joy that is in the LORD. His house will have an abundance of wholesome laughter and lyrical expressions of Christian joy. As highlighted by the famous hymn of Ackley, "Jesus is the Joy of Living, He’s the King of Life to me; Unto Him my all I’m giving, His forevermore to be. I will do what He commands me, Anywhere He leads I’ll go; Jesus is the Joy of Living, He’s the dearest Friend I know."

A man who fears and loves the LORD is like a happy, singing bird on the hedge. He makes all else sing along with him. He guides his wife, instructs his children and assures them of divine blessings. Home-life is not always easy. Like the bird on the hedge that is wary of thorns and briers around it, the pious man with divine grace in his heart leads his family safely through many temptations and trials of life.

As the saying goes, "It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest", so is an ungodly man who makes his own home wretched. Our homes must be full of love, holiness, prayer, joy and mutual care. True conjugal affection is a source of lasting and uplifting gladness in the home. Husband and wife ought to maintain throughout life the sweetness and excellency of their relationship through mutual courtesy, self-sacrifice, concession, tender ministry in health and in sickness, and united effort on behalf of others. If at any time they fail to show mutual love and respect, they should quickly repent of their errors and make every effort to live together in godly affection towards each other.

Together they must provide children with a biblical, godly, loving environment to grow up. A wise mixture of love and firmness should go into nurturing the children. Godly nurture of children demands respect and obedience towards parents; indeed, children should rejoice to love and respect their parents.

None of our homes should be like that of Eli the priest, who spoiled his children. The wisdom of God’s Word says, "Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul" (Proverbs 29:17). Not to chasten our children betimes is disastrous, and it would result in ourselves being chastened for our neglect of duty! However, this does not mean that we fill our home with "fire and fury" all day long. Parents who hurt their children in rage at their slightest mistakes, will surely bring about greater trouble to themselves. The principle of biblical discipline is concisely stated in Proverbs 3:12, "For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." Love, not rage, ought to be the motivation for the parental discipline of children.

A home led by a man who fears the LORD shall be a blessing to society. Such a home will be a blessing to those around them through their godly and loving actions, exemplary conduct and many prayers for the people and the society in which they live. Godly fear is the root of domestic and national happiness and peace. Godliness, not worldliness or materialism, is the source of all divine blessings. There should be no greater goal and prayer cherished by a Christian man than his pious living and labouring in the home, church and country to the end of his life.

Greetings from the Mission Fields (backdated to pre-GMC Dedication Service)

Pr Sujith Samuel (Vizag)

Dear Pastor,

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

GBI classes for the last semester were over on Friday. Though most students attended the exam, many were not able to do well as they took exam for the first time. We will be conducting supplementary exam for some who didn’t finish the assignments. The new semester starts in the first week of January.
Thank you for giving all the courses, materials, support and guidance needed for the work here. FEBC online-classes were also very helpful for the students. They were really happy to study many subjects offered by GBI and FEBC.

Last week, we started a Telugu service after our English Service. Pastor Thomas, who is one of our students, is helping to organise it. Bro Joshua, who is a local, is very interested in bringing more people to our Telugu Service. He is trying to spread the Word, especially among his relatives and friends.

We thank God for helping the church in Singapore to finish renovation works of the new premises. May the Lord use this new place for the extension of His Kingdom and His glory! May the Lord bless tomorrow’s special Thanksgiving and Dedication Service. May the Lord be with you and the team as you travel to Ethiopia, Philippines etc.

Rev. Reggor Galarpe (Cebu)

Dear Pastor,

Greetings to you in our Lord’s most blessed name!

As you all look forward to the Dedication Service of Gethsemane Media Centre on Saturday, on behalf of our brethren here, I would like to convey our greetings and well wishes to the church on this momentous and joyous occasion.

I am totally in agreement, even with a resounding "Amen", to what Bro Cornelius wrote in his poem. Indeed, God is faithful! In His own good time, it pleased the Lord to bless Gethsemane BPC-Singapore with a place that does "far exceed our expectations of just a bigger space". "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21).

We may not be with you physically, but please know that we rejoice together with you in spirit. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

We have always been concerned about the nurturing of our children in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from the Junior Worship, Catechism Classes and Children’s Choir practice on Sundays, the Gethsemane Children’s Ministry (GCM) conducts regular children’s programmes on Saturdays as well. Our church has always taken the spiritual nurture of our children very seriously. We praise God for the leadership of Pr Kelvin Lim and the hard work of the GCM committee members, and all who sincerely and faithfully labour to teach God’s Word to the children in love.

Daily Vacation Bible School (DVBS) is an additional year-end effort of the church to glorify our Great Saviour unto our next generation. Like the ancient saints, may we also be always resolved thus: "I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments" (Psalm 78:2-7).

Yearly, we conduct DVBS for children with a two-fold purpose: firstly, for reaching children with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and secondly, for equipping believing children with the truths of God’s Word so that they may live a triumphant Christian life.

Programme

The theme for this year’s DVBS is "Rooted and Built Up in Christ". The lessons will cater to children’s need to grow in faith, love and obedience to Christ. Let us pray that the participating children will grow up as Christ’s genuine followers, who are full of the knowledge of His Word and Christ-likeness.
For teaching purposes, children will be grouped into three levels: (i) Preschool; (ii) Primary 1-3; and (iii) Primary 4-6. The daily programme of the 3-day DVBS (December 11-13, Wednesday-Friday) will include two Bible lessons, Singspiration time, Art and Craft session, games, etc. Children will be provided with refreshments and lunch. On the final day, the programme will culminate in an outdoor activity.

The GCM committee will be taking care of the organisation matters of the DVBS. If you need any information on the DVBS, please see Pr Kelvin Lim or Sis. Choy Luan Kheng. Please pray for the GCM committee members, teachers, helpers, etc., that the Lord may strengthen them by His Spirit to serve together for the praise of our Saviour.

Video Recording

Bible Witness Media Ministry will be making videos of the DVBS activities, in order to make them available on our websites and social media platforms as ‘On-Demand’ videos and Web-TV (still in the planning stage). We would like parents to take note of the video recording, and advise children to be at their best in conduct.
As this is the first time such an effort will be made in the DVBS, we need the patient cooperation of all who are involved in the DVBS – children and also parents. Please let children come in modest and semi-formal attire.

Invitation

"Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?" (Psalm 34:11-12). This biblical example of urging children to come, hear and be taught of the true religion is the duty of parents and all Christian adults. Ushering children into the fear of the LORD by effectually teaching them the truths of godliness should never be neglected. No child naturally desires to reverence God and live a godly life. Unless they are consistently urged and taught, they would not turn to God. All education that omits consistent spiritual education is most defective. Children who are not taught godliness will be ill-equipped even for this life on earth. Improving intellectual capacities without improving the heart in the fear of the LORD is great folly (E. Cooper).

However, children who learn to fear the LORD will be filled with (i) wisdom to depart from evil (cf. Job 28:28; Proverbs 16:6), (ii) wisdom to choose the paths that please and honour God (cf. Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7), (iii) confidence and courage in the midst of trials of life (cf. Proverbs 14:26); as well as (iv) true "riches, and honour, and life" (Proverbs 22:4). The fear of the LORD in a child’s heart is so valuable that Proverbs 15:16 says, "Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith". Let none of us foolishly neglect the great necessity for our children to be taught the fear of the LORD.

Let us make every effort to bring children to Christ. Let not this opportunity to invest in the future of our children be missed. Let us strive to obey Jesus’ words when "Jesus called (the children) unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:16).

An elegantly designed pamphlet is available for you to invite children to DVBS so that they may learn the Gospel of Christ and be nourished up in His Word.

Written by Elder Francis Lee

Introduction

The work of the Lord requires the Spirit of God to guide and help us. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts" (Zech 4:6). Nobody is able to accomplish anything for the Lord by his own power or strength. As Jesus said, "without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). Today’s dedication of the Gethsemane Media Centre (GMC) is testament to God’s goodness and faithfulness to His people. This building project, which took 6 years to complete, was accomplished because God has been good and gracious to us, as recounted by this report.

1) God’s Call to Start the Church Building Project: Aug 2013

In mid-2013, with increasing ministries and worshippers in our church, it became clear that we would need a larger space for our church’s administrative centre, better studios for our Bible Witness Media Ministry (BWMM) and a more spacious work area for The Gethsemane Care Ministry (TGCM). In addition, finding venues to accommodate our fellowship meetings and seminars became difficult in terms of capacity and affordability. Just as God, by His Spirit, worked on the hearts of "the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites" to rise up and set forth to rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in the days of Ezra (cf. Ezra 1:5), God likewise acted on the hearts and minds of our church leaders. In Aug 2013, the Church Session unanimously agreed to work towards raising $5 million by 2015 to purchase a larger place to meet our increasing needs.

that point in time, we did not know many things. Can we ever reach this mammoth target of $5 million, as we are not a big or wealthy church? Will this $5 million be enough, considering the very high property prices in Singapore? How to go about buying a place, in view of many restrictions on churches buying property? We did not have all the answers, but we were assured that God is ever faithful to His people and He will help us. "For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Ps 84:11).

2) God’s Testing in the Early Years: 2014-2015

In the beginning, the funds came in at a very slow pace; by end 2014, we only had $548,000. But we continued to trust God. Thank God for Pastor, who led by example and sold his HDB flat to raise money for the Building Fund. In 2015, the church had 4 fasting and prayer sessions (March, June, Sept and Dec) as we sought the Lord’s help and recollected His promises (cf. Phil 4:19). In 2015, while our General Fund was running a deficit of about $41,000, we were also trying to raise about $120,000 to buy a new van for Pastor’s continued ministry use. Thank God we were united in the Lord’s work! We fasted and prayed together, and members gave cheerfully so that we resolved the deficit, bought a new van and continued to contribute to the Building Fund.

By end 2015, we had about $1.74 million (still far from our target), but we "staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief" (Rom 4:19), and continued in faith, knowing that God will work out all things for our good in His time (cf. Rom 8:28). The so-called "delay’ in our finite minds turned out to be providential. In addition to funds, God showed us that He had to help us to obtain a number of government approvals before any purchase was possible. Furthermore, when we were ready to purchase a place in 2018, the property prices were not as high as before and it became advantageous for us to buy. Truly, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (Prov 3:5-6).

3) God’s Leading of the Church Leaders: 2016-2017

In 2016, the Church Session decided to buy an industrial unit due to the following reasons:

Firstly, buying an industrial unit was the most viable option in terms of the space we needed and the financial outlay required. Secondly, the media work of BWMM and the printing work of TGCM qualified us to use industrial premises zoned B1, which was for light and clean industries. Thirdly, with new URA rules (effective June 12, 2012), there was greater flexibility by the government in allowing for religious use in industrial buildings, limited to 2 days a week and up to 40% of total space.

However, there were statutory regulations to surmount. The church, being a society, is forbidden to buy. God gave the leaders needed wisdom, and an entity known as a CLG (Company Limited by Guarantee) came to our knowledge. The CLG is used by non-profit organisations for charitable purposes. We did not want a private limited company as it would give an impression that the church is involved in business activities for monetary purposes. We needed professional help; by God’s leading, we went to a law firm through a sister from True Life BPC. At our meeting with them on 25th Jan 2016, we were briefed on the steps required to register a CLG. On 21st Feb 2016, we explained to the congregation the concept / purpose of CLG. Thereafter, we took 6 months working on the CLG’s constitution. We named the company, Gethsemane Bible Witness Limited (GBWL), whose constitution we wanted to be closely aligned to that of the church, so as to reflect the purpose for setting up this company. Being for the work of the Gospel, not as a profit-making business, it is to be operated according to Scriptural truths. However, the lawyers kept warning us not to link GBWL too closely to the church as the authorities viewed religious entities more stringently, and our application might fail.

Notwithstanding, we trusted in God and proceeded with what God’s Word has guided us to do. "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Joshua 1:8). We had an ECM on 7th Aug 2016 to seek the congregation’s endorsement of the registration of GBWL and the selling of the old Church Resource Centre (CRC), which was duly given. Praise God for the unity of hearts! We submitted for incorporation in Sept 2016 to the government regulatory body known as ACRA (Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority). Thereafter, it was a time of waiting patiently upon God. "I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry" (Ps 40:1). Having heard nothing from ACRA for almost 4½ months, God finally answered our prayers and we had successful incorporation on 14th Feb 2017. What a relief! Otherwise, we cannot buy an industrial unit even if we had the funds. This successful incorporation of GBWL was an encouragement to our hearts from the Lord and prepared us for further "battles" ahead.

4) God’s Providential Guidance: 2017-2018

For any property acquisition, we had to seek the approval of MCCY (Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth) as church funds were involved. However, the ministry would process our application only if we have a specific property in mind. We had to sell our old CRC and with the monies in hand, exercise an option to buy a property before applying to MCCY. We had much difficulty in selling the CRC as the property market conditions then were poor. We had few viewers in 2017, and those that came were not interested. God guided us to Knight Frank in Oct 2017 and provided us a buyer through them. The buyer requested that the completion to be within 6 months instead of 3 months. We agreed and sold the CRC on 28 March 2018 for $1.25 million, with completion in 6 months. With this sale, we had about $4 million in our Building Fund, and we set forth to search for a property, during which we discovered that with the softening of the property market, prices had come down significantly since we started this project in 2013. Hence the "delay" in our earlier years of this project was not really a delay, but God’s good timing, for we were then able to consider bigger units.

In 2013, we had thought we would only be able to afford to purchase a 5,000 square feet unit, but now we could even consider units of 11,000 square feet. Then God providentially guided us to 33 Ubi Crescent in April 2018. The premises met our requirements but the seller initially wanted $4.6 million, which was way beyond us. We intended not to consider it, but the agent and owner were eager to do the sale with us; after negotiations, the owner was willing to sell at $4.1 million – a reduction of $0.5 million! We could sense God helping us but even at that price, we were stretched in our finances. Other than the purchase price, we had to factor in renovation costs, legal costs, stamp duty and GST. Furthermore, we were also aware that the sale completion date of the CRC was 28 Sept 2018 while that of this new place would be 15th Aug 2018 (i.e. a month earlier), if government approvals were obtained. This was a concern, for the money from the CRC sale will not come in on time. How will all things work out?

God said in Isa 41:13, "For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." We trusted God to work it all out for us and we paid the initial deposit on 15th May 2018. Some weeks later, we learnt that the (33 Ubi Crescent) owner’s daughter had come to our church to worship, being a new believer in Christ! Ironically, she was initially not aware that we were buying her father’s property. She only learnt of it through our church prayer meeting and from her father’s incidental mention of selling his property to a church during their drive past Ubi Crescent. To the church leaders, this was an amazing situation! Anyhow, the buyer of the CRC subsequently requested for an earlier completion in Aug 2018. Praise the Lord! There was no need for worries. God is in control of all things!

5) God’s Moving of the Authorities: 2018

After exercising the option to purchase 33 Ubi Crescent, we had to get approval from 3 government bodies. Firstly, we applied to IRAS for the GST registration of GBWL to get GST refunds on the purchase of the property and subsequent renovations. (The GST on the property purchase was $287,000, a very significant amount!) Approval was obtained on 5th June 2018 and IRAS refunded us the money. Secondly, we had to apply for change of use of the premises for our media ministries. God gave us the grace to write the application to URA which was submitted on 4th July 2018. Praise God, we got the approval on 3rd Sept 2018. Thirdly, we wrote to MCCY on 27 Aug 2018, to seek permission to transfer the Church Building Fund to GBWL for the purchase of the property and subsequent renovations. MCCY set many tasks for us to do before they would consider giving approval. It was a struggle trying to fulfil all these governmental requirements, but God gave us wisdom to complete them and we obtained MCCY’s approval on 31st Oct 2018.

In all our applications, God moved the people in authority to help His people and accomplish His purposes. Proverbs 21:1 says, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will." For the record, the purchase of 33 Ubi Crescent by GBWL was completed on 15th Nov 2018!

6) God’s Provisions: 2018-2019

Even as the Lord was moving the authorities to approve our applications, He was also providing the funds needed for the renovations and other expenses. We had about slightly over $4 million when we bought the property, but it was not enough. God moved His people to strengthen their leaders’ hands with their cheerful giving. Indeed, "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2 Cor 9:7-8). We received over a million dollars in about 6 months, from May 2018 to Oct 2018, and our Building Fund rose to $5.2m. More funds came in during our renovations. This was the Lord’s marvellous work. "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?" (Jer 32:27).

7) God’s Uniting and Using of His People for the Renovations: 2018-2019

The planning and execution of the GMC renovations was a mammoth task, in which many brethren stepped forward to offer their expertise and time. Praise God for their dedication to the work, and their spirit of cooperation and unity. We were also heartened by the brethren who were knitted with us in this work through their prayers and cheerful giving. Not everyone could be physically doing the work, but God uses them in many other ways. "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all" (1 Cor 12:4-6).

The planning took a few months, from Nov 2018 to Jan 2019. Tenders and evaluation of quotations were carried out from Feb to March 2019. Work started on the premises on 22 April 2019. We are grateful that God kept all the workers safe during the renovations, with no mishap or serious injuries. Praise God that He sent people who were not from our church to help us with our renovations. Thank God we were able to preach the Gospel to the workers during our Thanksgiving dinner for them on 11 Oct 2019, the day when we also obtained the permit for occupation!

Closing Words

When we began our Church Building Project in Aug 2013, nobody could have foreseen the magnitude of the task and the difficulties in this endeavour. Now, as we look back, we thank God for all that He has done. During these 6 years, our hearts were at times faint and weak, but His goodness and faithfulness towards us never failed. God provided for us, strengthened our hearts, increased our faith and kept us united in heart, so that by His mighty hand, we are led to victory with the accomplishment of this work. As we recollect the Lord’s help and blessings, let us cry out like the psalmist in Ps 103:1-2, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits". To God be all the glory, honour and praise!

Dear brethren, the long-awaited day of Thanksgiving & Dedication Service of the new premises – Gethsemane Media Centre – is now literally within sight. God willing, we shall meet this Saturday in two services (10:30am & 4:30pm respectively) to praise our God. To prepare our hearts to praise Him, I exhort you with the following article, and thereafter a poem written by Bro. Cornelius Koshy.

The prophet Isaiah says, "I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth" (Isaiah 25:1b). Praising God is the outflowing of a thankful heart. When a heart is full of gratitude towards God, it hastens to bless His name. A thankful heart is resolute in praising God’s name, just as Isaiah said, "I will praise thy name". Here the prophet was determined to praise God.

In chapter 25, Isaiah (speaking in the first person) described the great wonders which will occur when the LORD’s kingdom is established on the earth. His heart, being full of adoration and thanksgiving, was greatly excited to express itself to magnify the LORD. It is those who are so stirred up within themselves to praise God that will stir up others also to do the same. Isaiah thus began with an intensely personal affirmation that the LORD is his God. He had already laid claim that the LORD is his God; he had earlier said, "O LORD, thou art my God". Such acknowledgment of the LORD as one’s God provides the desire and motivation to exalt Him.

Having in his heart the knowledge of the great wonders of God which will occur when the LORD’s kingdom is established on the earth, the prophet determined to praise God. Here he gave two specific reasons for praising the LORD. The first reason for exalting the LORD is that He "hast done wonderful things". In fact, Scripture presents our God as "the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things" (Psalm 72:18). Even when the LORD acts to chasten us or try our faith, we must confess that all His works are wondrous. His works are perfect, great (cf. Psalm 92:5), marvellous (cf. Psalm 139:14), powerful (cf. Psalm 111:6), merciful (cf. Psalm 145:9), holy (cf. Psalm 145:17), and in truth (cf. Psalm 33:4).

The second reason for Isaiah’s dedication to the LORD’s praise is that His "counsels of old are faithfulness and truth". The ancient counsels of God’s Word are perfectly trustworthy. All that God has revealed from the days of old remain steadfast and true even today. Not a word of His revealed counsels shall fail. The fact that His promises and prophecies continue to be fulfilled assures us of the veracity and profitability of all the counsels of the Scriptures. Isaiah later declared that "the LORD of hosts… is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working" (Isaiah 28:29). Praise the LORD!

A poem by Bro. Cornelius Koshy

Recollection

Excited though we may be,
Patient, and trusting still in Thee.
We look towards the day of dedication,
after five years of prayer and supplication.

Five years – (was it too long?) –
Did you once think that it was wrong
that God who promised to supply
would, seemingly, pass us by?

This journey was a test,
of our Faith when sore distressed
by the regulations, laws and more
when buying a property in Singapore.

Oh! that we were reprimanded
to have the blessing of God demanded.
When we gave as His Word commanded,
He never for a moment left us empty-handed –

God blessed us according to our need
with a place and funds: did they not far exceed
our expectations of just “a bigger space”?
He gave us 4-floors in an ideal place!

Never once we turned to the banks,
so that to God alone we can give thanks,
as we do now with grateful hearts,
and sing with joy in our four parts:

Rejoicing

Come, let us raise our voices incessant!
Fill the halls of 33 Ubi Crescent!
Soprano, Alto, Bass and Tenor
sound forth in Gethsemane Media Centre!

The First floor with its ceiling high,
greeted by Care-brothers whose lives testify
of God’s saving grace which transforms –
their hands His Work now perform.

A spacious lecture hall on the Second,
Gethsemane Bible Institute beckons
every believer to hear and hide
His Word and in Christ abide.

Dwelling richly in God’s Word,
Let’s go up to the studio on the Third!
Singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
with instruments unto Whom praise belongs.

Each labourer of God doing his best –
Our church office works with little rest
on the Fourth floor – where a library of books
sit on shelves for them – Go, have a look!

And when the sun begins to set,
Climb to the roof (children, not the parapet!)
To have fellowship “with a view”
Around his Word, and maybe barbecue!

Resolve

When God has blessed us manifold,
It is required of us as His household
to be courageous for the Lord and bold
That for His Kingdom we reap a hundredfold.

May our love for God never grow cold,
neither for his Word – more precious than gold.
The Gospel of Jesus must be told
to all the four corners of the world.

The isles of Philippines yearn,
The land of Ethiopia must learn,
The Indians must be taught to discern
And to God the Chinese must turn!

We in Singapore must be careful:
Pride comes if we are not prayerful;
None of these blessings we deserve,
so God’s truth we must preserve!

O Lord, sanctify us with thy Truth!
That in the strength of our youth,
and with clean hands and pure hearts,
we may produce Christian Media and Arts –

To nurture the heart of the young child
and the youth, that they be not defiled;
The adults, too, by the Spirit’s leading,
guide Gethsemane to be God-glorifying!

A report of the Choirs' Seminar by Bro. Cornelius Koshy

The Gethsemane Church Choir, Youth Choir and Children’s Choir give thanks to God for blessing us in the Gethsemane Choirs’ Seminar held at City Beach Resort on Monday, 28 October 2019. Pastor Koshy instructed 112 adult, youth and older children participants on the biblical understanding of the music ministry of the church. Concurrently, 10 younger children were separately taught on the same topic by Mrs Carolyn Koshy. This report serves as a brief summary of the key lessons learnt from the two sessions of learning, so that the choirs may reaffirm these biblical principles, and others may be reminded of God’s guidelines for music in the church.

More than an accompaniment of God’s Word, music is a carrier of God’s Word! In worship, music should not be for the mere pleasure of the ears, but for the declaration of God’s Truth (cf. Deuteronomy 31:19; Colossians 3:16). Therefore, singing should be prioritised over mere music without lyrics because the lyrics invoke our understanding. "Sing praises to God, … sing ye praises with understanding" (Psalm 47:6-7, cf. 1 Corinthians 14:15). With this as starting point, worshipful singing must fulfil the following three purposes:

Firstly, music must be God-glorifying (Psalm 92:1). Moses declares, "The LORD is my strength and song" (Exodus 15:2), and Isaiah joins in: "the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song" (Isaiah 12:2). Secondly, music must be used for teaching (Colossians 3:16), with lyrics which are rich with the wisdom of the word of Christ. Finally, music must affirm the congregation in God’s Goodness and Righteousness. Music helps the children of God retain the things which He has done for them or which they have learnt, so that "they shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness" (Psalm 145:7).

Anything contrary to these purposes is a perversion of music in the worship of God. So, great caution must be exercised in the choice of music in the worship. While some argue that music by itself is amoral (i.e. ‘not concerned with morality’), the way it is arranged and articulated can represent worldly, heathen backgrounds and associations (cf. Daniel 3:7). Moreover, when music is carelessly expressed, it will promote misconceived spiritual assurance (cf. Amos 5:23; 6:1, 5; Isaiah 5:12).

Having laid down the principles for worshipful music, Pastor went on to delineate the prerequisites for singing in the choir ministry:

1. A singer in the choir ministry must be a saved person. The worship ministry is exclusively for believers: "Sing …his praise in the congregation of saints" (Psalm 149:1; cf. Psalms 22:22, 25; 68:26; 89:5; 111:1; 116:18; Hebrews 2:12). The believers must be baptised (or at least in the midst of being prepared through catechism for baptism). God does not want the wicked to take His Word in their mouth (cf. Psalm 50:16).
2. The singer must be filled with the Spirit, and have a commitment to gain understanding of God’s Word (cf. Ephesians 5:18-19; 1 Corinthians 14:15).
3. Finally, the singer must be skilled in singing (cf. 1 Chronicles 15:22).

Concerning the singer’s attitude in the choir ministry, the singer must:

1. be ready to be musically trained (cf. 1 Chronicles 15:22);
2. be spiritually prepared (cf. 1 Chronicles 15:12, 14);
3. be completely devoted in the ministry of music – to the extent that those who are called to serve full-time in the ministry of music should be supported by the church (cf. 1 Chronicles 9:33; Ezra 7:24; Nehemiah 11:23);
4. have a commitment to serve patiently and pastorally – as manifested by the choir which David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD: "they ministered … with singing … and then they waited on their office according to their order" (1 Chronicles 6:31-32). The choir is called to minister in song and patiently serve ("waited on their office") in their appointed times. While pastors and preachers, as ministers of the Word, proclaim the Word, singers minister the Word in song.

Indeed, the calling of a singer in the worship of God is a high calling, which requires strict spiritual and choral discipline. It is the sincere prayer of the choir leader and choir members that we will press on to be biblical, beautiful-sounding, and the best singers for our King! Where we have not been up to scratch as singers, we are grateful to God for the gentle correction we received from His Word and the opportunity to sanctify our lives for an acceptable service to Him. May the choirs be obedient to His Word in their personal lives, choir-practices, and presentations of praise unto God!

With regard to administrative matters, the choir leader gives thanks to God for the sacrificial service of many who have rendered help in planning and preparing for the seminar. From the booking of the function room and logistical / transport arrangements to the food contributions and assistance with the children’s programme, God has greatly blessed us with edifying fellowship around His Word and His people. All glory be to God!

The Reformation of the 16th century began with Martin Luther in Germany, which took various forms and emphases in different places, particularly in Europe. Luther’s efforts were foundational to all the Reformation activities in Switzerland, France, England and Scotland. It affected not only Christianity, but also the social, economic, and political realms of those societies.

Luther stood out among all the Reformers as one who was mightily used by God to bring about biblical changes in the Christian church. All that had happened within the church regarding its doctrines and practices (sacraments, church organisation, church’s relationship with the state, etc., culminating in the Council of Trent) proceeded from Scriptural truths proclaimed passionately.

Luther’s early protest stemmed from his deep convictions about the sound doctrines of Scripture. His vehement protest through preaching of the Word helped to clear the widespread disenchantment with the church. It paved the way for people to overcome their own ignorance of the pure Scriptural doctrines and to reject the fallacious teachings of the church. He objected to its indulgences (sales of pardon or remission of sin for the living and dead, who were believed to be in purgatory), idolatry, ritualism in public worship, monastic routine, immoral and power-thirsty hierarchy, etc. He also brought to light the erroneous teaching of the Catholic Church that salvation could be achieved by faith and good works, and asserted the biblical doctrine that salvation is the gift of God’s grace through Christ, which a man receives by faith alone.

(For a brief reminiscence of Luther’s part in 16th Century Reformation, I include the following extract on Lutheran Reformation from "The Reformers and Their Reformations" by Trueman, C. R., & Kim, E. in M. Barrett (Ed.), Reformation Theology: A Systematic Summary (pp. 112–114).)

Born in 1483 in Eisleben, the son of a mine manager, Luther became an Augustinian monk in 1505 as the result of being caught in a terrifying thunderstorm. He was also ordained a priest, which meant that he would always have regular pastoral duties in addition to those connected to his monastic vocation. In 1509, he transferred to the new University of Wittenberg, where he taught for much of his remaining life. A year later, a visit to Rome on business for his order confronted him not only with the heights of medieval piety, focused on relics, but also with the corruption of the Roman See.

Luther came to prominence when, in October 1517, he nailed his famous Ninety-Five Theses against indulgences to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. In doing this, he was merely calling for a debate on the practice of allowing Christians to buy time off purgatory for themselves or their loved ones. This had become a pressing pastoral problem for Luther when Johann Tetzel (1465–1519) arrived nearby to sell indulgences. For Luther, this practice effectively turned the grace of God into a commodity to be bought or sold on the market, with no reference to repentance or faith.

The details of the subsequent events that this initially nondescript act precipitated have been well rehearsed many times. The Ninety-Five Theses became a popular tract and rallying point for opposition to Rome. In April 1518, Luther presided at a disputation in Heidelberg, where he most memorably articulated his famous distinction between the theologian of glory and the theologian of the cross. Put simply, the theologian of glory assumes that God is made in man’s image and thus conforms to human expectations. So, for example, to please God, one does good works to earn his favor, as one would do with a fellow human being. The theologian of the cross, however, looks to God’s revelation of himself on the cross to understand how God has chosen to be toward us. There God shows that he is strong through weakness and overcomes death not by avoiding it but by going through it. This counterintuitive God contradicts all human expectations.

After Heidelberg, Luther’s move toward a definitive break with the medieval church both theologically and ecclesiastically continued apace. The church failed to take him into custody at the imperial Diet of Augsburg in late 1518. He debated with Johann Eck (1486–1543) at the University of Leipzig in 1519, at which point the issue of authority (i.e., sola Scriptura) emerged as a central Reformation concern. He wrote the three great manifestos of his reformation project in 1520, the year in which he was also excommunicated. And then in 1521, he was tried at, yet survived, the Diet of Worms.

What emerged in the four years after the posting of the Ninety-Five Theses were the central tenets of Luther’s theology. Human beings are dead in sin, incapable of moving to God in their own strength. God himself in Christ has taken human flesh and died and risen again. The righteousness of Christ can be grasped by the believer as he trusts in God’s Word, which unites him to Christ and leads to a joyful exchange of the believer’s sins for Christ’s righteousness.

Practically, this meant that the Word preached became central to Luther’s understanding of the Christian life. The preacher had to proclaim first the law, to remind his hearers of how far short of God’s holiness they fell, and then the gospel, to point them to the promise of salvation in Christ, who had done all things for them. This law-gospel, command-promise dialectic lay at the very heart of Luther’s understanding of the Christian faith."

Testimony on Cebu-Bohol Mission Trip by Bro. Guesstine Leong

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I would like to thank and praise God for the wonderful privilege of visiting The Gethsemane Care Ministry (TGCM) in Cebu with Pr Kelvin Lim, as well as the opportunity to share my testimony at TGCM’s 10th Anniversary Thanksgiving service.

Incidentally, it was Pr Kelvin who brought me to The Gethsemane Care Ministry in Singapore upon my release from Changi Prison more than 3 years ago. During my last incarceration, I said to myself, "I never want to step inside prison again, and if I were to step inside a prison, I mustn’t be in custody, but as a volunteer to encourage the inmates!" By the grace of God, I now have a new life in Christ, and I am no longer in the bondage of drugs.

Praise God for the opportunity to visit Bro. Tibo in the Talisay City Jail in Cebu with Rev. Reggor, Pr Kelvin and Bro. Alan. The configuration of the jail and its compound is so different from Singapore’s, not to mention the culture. We literally walked in, and visited him outside the dormitory openly with those locked up with him. Of course, this was done under the escort of three jail officials. Rev. Reggor exhorted the inmates to follow Jesus, and I shared my testimony of salvation and of how the LORD led me to TGCM in Singapore. Only the truths of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ can set a person free from the shackles of drugs!

In the Philippines, I was told that the authorities can shoot to kill during the raids on drug dens. Many drug addicts and pushers had been killed in the raids! As a Singaporean, I had been given many opportunities by the authorities to stop using drugs, unlike those in the Philippines. Many of them did not even have an opportunity to do so, as they were killed during the raids. These facts made me realise how much God had preserved me! I am thankful to be alive, and more so to be a child of God.

Next, I would like to thank God for the opportunity to visit Pr Edsel in Bohol and to get to know / fellowship with the brethren there. I am indeed humbled by the simple lifestyle of the people. I spoke to some of them and realised their poverty. One such brother only had the means to come for worship, and not back. Yet, he came! Thank God for using this brother to teach me to love Christ more, and to worry less about the material things of this world.

Furthermore, I also thank God for the privilege of visiting two other Gospel stations at different parts of Bohol – one located at Trinidad, and the other at Anda. As one of the locations is more than 100 kilometers away, the bus ride (which was on a non-air-conditioned bus) actually took up to 3 hours! I am grateful to God for this eye-opening experience to witness firsthand the love for God among the brethren there. How they would be willing to travel hundreds of kilometers to minister the Word of God or to worship the LORD!

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!