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Report by Pr Samson Hutagalung

Introduction

Recollecting God’s blessings and giving thanks for all His benefits reflect our humble desire and gratitude to honour and praise God. Scripture admonishes us in Deuteronomy 26:11, “And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house…” We take this opportunity to consider God’s abundant goodness and blessings in leading His servants to do what He has laid on their hearts in bringing God’s truths all over the world through a systematic and in-depth study of the Word made available online. The Lord has graciously used Gethsemane BPC in various ways to carry out Christ’s Commission to His church in Matthew 28:18-20. The task given to the church involves preaching the Gospel to the unsaved, and teaching and equipping those whom the Lord has redeemed to serve Him faithfully and effectively. GBI-Online, as a ministry of our church, is tasked with equipping Christian men and women globally through the expository study of God’s Word.

Background

The inception of GBI-Online came about because of the burden that the Lord has laid on Pastor Koshy to provide free online learning of God’s Word for God’s people globally. By setting up GBI online, and slowly and steadily enhancing it over the past 9 years, the Lord has enabled us to grant hundreds of people worldwide access to serious, systematic study of God’s Word. 

When I first came to Gethsemane BPC in 2013, Pastor Koshy shared with me with great enthusiasm about his desire to start an online Bible Institute to offer Biblical courses that would help the students of Gethsemane Bible Institutes in Ethiopia and the Philippines (now also in India). Having heard from Pastor his desire and plan, I felt stirred in my heart to offer my service. With God’s continued help, I laboured to learn the Learning Management System (LMS). At that time, we learned that the Moodle platform was most helpful to set up online distance learning. After much hard work, we introduced the GBI-Online Website (www.gbi-online.com) and its platform for learning God’s Word during the 4th Missionary Conference (2014) held in Singapore. For a start, two courses were offered: First, The Names of God; and second, Jonah: Divine Conquest of a Defiant Heart. They were Pastor’s messages preached during the Bible Witness Retreats.

Inception of Night Classes

GBI-Online started night classes on Wednesday, 21st January 2015, at TGCM premises. This night class was started with a twofold purpose. The first aim was to record the videos of courses on theology and expositions of Bible books by Pastor Koshy. The second was to allow Gethsemaneans and friends keen to learn those Biblical subjects to attend Pastor’s lectures that were being recorded. The first lecture, Systematic Theology 1: Theism, had 34 students who cheered one another in studying God’s precious truths. The video lectures were recorded and edited, and subsequently made available on the GBI-Online website.

GBI-Online Courses

For a period of time, the TGCM premises had been a venue for night classes (2015-2017). By the end of 2017, Pastor had completed teaching six courses on Systematic Theologies: Theism, Bibliology, Anthropology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology and Eschatology. All these classes were attended by members of Gethsemane BPC, and there was not a time we were lacking students. The classroom was full to the brim. Some students who could not attend the night classes could follow the lessons online through the GBI-Online website.

In order to accommodate a bigger number of students, starting in 2018, the GBI-Online class was moved to SingPost Auditorium every Sunday at 9.00am. Pastor Koshy taught the Book of Revelation, attended by nearly 100 brethren. Subsequently, he taught the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah in the same venue till the end of 2019.

January 2020 was the beginning of a new phase for GBI-Online. This was due to God’s gracious provision of the Gethsemane Media Centre (GMC) to our church. Truly, it was a great blessing from God as it was so well-timed to meet our desperate need for a place for administrative matters of the ministry. Because of the availability of the new place, the GBI-Online class held on Sunday morning was shifted to 6.00pm on every Lord’s Day, under the new name: “Evening Teaching Service”. 

In addition, the Wednesday Night Class, which had been stopped for a while, was resumed. Praise be to the Lord for all His lovingkindness. With the addition of Wednesday Night Class, GBI-Online courses have entered yet another progressive phase. Now, we have been enabled to provide more recorded courses for those who desire to learn God’s Word.

26th July 2023 is another milestone date in GBI-Online. The Lord has so graciously strengthened Pastor and Pr Cornelius Koshy to teach courses on Biblical Language Familiarisation (BLF: Hebrew & Greek). We see how the Lord has moved the hearts of our church members and their friends to join these night classes. 53 students attend BLF: Hebrews, and 62 enrol for BLF: Greek. For the Wednesday night classes on 1 Corinthians taught by Pastor, 112 students have registered. Praise be to the Lord! 

In addition to the above classes, Pastor Koshy leads a group of preachers from different Asian countries for in-depth study of various theological topics. This programme is called “Pastoral Biblical Studies” (PBS). The participants of this course are preachers and missionaries serving the Lord in various mission fields of Gethsemane BPC. This semester, Biblical Covenant Theology (Part 3), is the topic of study. On Monday, after PBS classes, Pastor also teaches – online – the students from GBI-India (Vizag) and Soli Deo Gloria Academy (Cherrapunji, NE India). The Lord has opened all these doors for the GBI-Online ministry to equip many (locally and overseas) with His blessed truths. 

Shall we not praise God for all His bountiful blessings to our church for using GBI-Online to equip God’s servants? Truly, the Lord is good. Next year will be the tenth year of the GBI-Online ministry. Our hearts are thrilled to see how the Lord has used GBI-Online to educate and edify God’s people everywhere. 

GBI-Online now offers several courses that you can take at your own pace: (1) Systematic Theology 1: Theism; (2) Systematic Theology 2: Bibliology; (3) Systematic Theology 3: Anthropology; (4) Systematic Theology 4: Soteriology; (5) Systematic Theology 5: Ecclesiology; (6) Systematic Theology 6: Eschatology; (7) The Book of Jonah: Divine Conquest of a Defiant Heart; (8) The Names of God; (9) Theology of Prayer; (10) Divine Adoption; (11) The Book of Revelation; (12) The Book of Ezra; (13) The Book of Nehemiah; (14) The Books of Haggai and Zechariah; (15) The Book of Ezekiel (Part 1); (16) The Book of Ezekiel (Part 2); (17) Pneumatology: Doctrine of Holy Spirit (Part 1); (18) Doctrine of Holy Spirit (Part 2); (19) The Kings of Judah and Israel; and (20) 1 Corinthians.

May the Lord continue to bless GBI-Online. As of today, 250 students have registered on the GBI-Online Website, learning God’s Word from different countries. As the Lord commands us to grow in the knowledge of His Word, let us take advantage of the opportunity provided through GBI-Online, to nourish ourselves in God’s Word. Please pray for all who labour (our GBWL staff, Pastor Koshy, Pr Cornelius, and myself), and support this ministry generously. To God be the glory! 

Dns Diana Chan

Glory be to the Holy One of Israel, our Redeemer! I thank God for His grace, mercy and strength in enabling me to join the Bible Witness Israel Bible Study Tour 2023. The main reason for me joining the tour is that I would like to visit Gethsemane BPC, Ethiopia, which was our transit point on our way to Israel.

When we were in Ethiopia, it was a joy to meet Rev Ephrem, Pr Engida, and the other preachers and their family members, as well as several of the church brethren! It was so heart-warming to see how the brethren were so formally attired, so cheerful and ready to receive us in the church in Alem Gena. I praise God that both the brethren from Ethiopia and Singapore could congregate for fellowship and worship led by Pastor Ephrem. Pastor Koshy preached the Word of God in that meeting. Pr Cornelius led our Church Choir members in the team to give a song presentation. 

Thank God also for the Christian hospitality of the Ethiopian brethren who hosted us to a lovely lunch.

I thank God for Pastor and Dn Lok for their labour in planning and organising the tour, even having to make ad-hoc changes during our journey. Thank God for His grace, good health and protection throughout the trip. Praise God for the unity, encouragement and care for one another. It was encouraging to see the stronger adults helping and supporting our senior brethren, especially in manoeuvring difficult terrain and steps. Special mention must be made of the young adults who constantly availed themselves, ever ready to provide additional help. 

Praise the Lord for the lessons learnt from GBI on the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, Haggai and Zechariah, as well as 1 Samuel. Biblical history was brought to life as we journeyed through the land of the Old and New Testaments. The various sites, such as the wilderness of Judea, Ziph, and Gibeah, brought to mind how David and his six hundred men had to flee from King Saul and his three thousand soldiers in the wilderness, desert, hills and caves. Praise God for preserving His servant, David, and his loyal men. Indeed, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

Almost every morning, before embarking on the journey, we would assemble in quietude in a room. Pastor would lead us in singing, devotion and prayer, and remind us to focus our minds on God in the Bible Study tour. I also thank God for the culminating point at the end of our tour, which was our worship in the chapel at the Garden Tomb. We had Holy Communion, in remembrance of God’s plan of salvation for mankind through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, for our sins. May the remembrance of the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, continue to spur us to love the Lord, trust in Him and serve Him.

To God be the glory, great things He had done!

Abigail Koshy

I really thank God for a wonderful time in Israel as part of the Bible Witness Israel Bible Study Tour 2023. It was a blessed eight days in the Promised Land, tracing biblical events in God’s promised land for Israel. Visiting the Promised Land has always been my earnest desire, and I am thankful to the Lord for the answered prayer to go as a family this year. God has provided for all our needs along the way, and given us the strength to carry the little ones in all our travels. Praise the Lord for endurance, safety and good health. Each day was fast-paced and filled with many places to see – from Joppa (near Tel Aviv) to the Sea of Galilee and the surrounding towns where Jesus had ministered. Enroute to Jerusalem, we crossed through the Judean wilderness (present-day West Bank), walked through the old city and the city of David, and visited significant sites around the Dead Sea. 

The Bible indeed comes alive! Most places we visited were archaeological excavations of biblical cities, and various locations of biblical events. I was struck by the beauty of the land: the olive trees and palm dates, vast lakes and bountiful springs, as well as the rolling wilderness and arid weather. I loved its topography: vast hills and valleys, deserts, plains, lakes and seas – places which our Saviour trod and travelled across during His earthly ministry. Above all the sights, most of which are overrun by sheer idolatry and vendors seeking the tourist dollar, one thing stands out clear to all who believe in the Truth: “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).

Finally, I thank God for our very knowledgeable Jewish tour guide who, along with Pastor’s daily devotions, made the trip an in-depth Bible Study in a moving “classroom”. May our continual prayer be: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces” (Psalm 122:6-7).

Pr Cornelius Koshy

I thank God for the grand opportunity to go through Ethiopia and visit the brethren who serve in the Gethsemane Church and GBI campus in Alem Gena. Ethiopian Airlines’ resumption of the route from Singapore to Tel Aviv (through Addis Ababa) was just in time for the BW Study Tour to Israel – praise the LORD! As Paul says, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Gal 6:10). We seized this opportunity to show our love to our fellow Ethiopian brethren (cf. Rom 12:9a – “Let love be without dissimulation”), and to spend time in worship and thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness through the past 17 years! I also thank God for nine GCC singers who cheerfully sang the encouraging hymn, “He Leadeth Me”, bringing a part of Singapore-style singing to brethren in Ethiopia. The whole team was treated to a sumptuous spread of authentic Ethiopian cuisine, which was concluded with live-roasted, ground and brewed Ethiopian coffee! 

The bus ride back to Bole International Airport for our connecting flight to Israel was a test of faith! We did not anticipate an afternoon traffic congestion, and many of us were anxious because we had only about two hours to travel back to the capital (Addis Ababa), get our luggage and check in to the next flight. Some urged the driver to “go fast!”; others tried to contact the airline. Everyone prayed earnestly, and when we finally reached the airport, Pastor led us in a prayer of thanksgiving, and the team moved quickly as one unit to the gate. We praise the Lord for truly, “He leadeth me, O blessed thought … By his own hand, he leadeth me!”

On a personal note, I thank God for this third visit to the Holy Land, which strengthened my geographical knowledge of the biblical accounts. At each site, I was transported back to its biblical narratives, and my heart was encouraged by the spiritual lessons and promises attached to each location. There was also a renewal of eschatological anticipation for Christ’s return during this trip. Apart from visiting Megiddo, where the nations’ armies would gather to battle Christ (Rev 16:16), we spent an hour in a private garden in Gethsemane, on the western slope of Mt Olive. This was a special booking made possible by the tour agent. Gethsemane (church) was in Gethsemane (cf. Luke 22:42)! Pastor exhorted from Zechariah 12-14 and we contemplated Christ’s second coming, which would unfold in the very space and land where we were. Such contemplations, made in meaningful places, tend to be etched deeply and enduringly in one’s mind. 

May the joys of living in Christ and our love for Him endure all the way till He calls us home, or when He returns! All glory be to God! 

As God’s people, our lives must be dedicated to His glory. We are chosen and saved, “that we should be to the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:12a). We are to yield ourselves to be instruments of His honour, glory and praise. 

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:20). Christians’ bodies are God’s temple, and a temple is for worship. All things done in the temple are unto the glory of God. Our bodies, therefore, are only for the purpose of God’s glory and honour. 

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). Even in the most mundane routines of life, like ordinary eating and drinking, we must seek to honour and glorify our God. His glory is to be our life’s commitment. It is the purpose of our whole life, which now belongs to the Lord because we have been “bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20; cf. 7:23). Not only when we eat or drink, but in whatever we do, we should do all to the glory of God. 

The first question and answer in The Shorter Catechism are: “What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.” The most honourable and commendable thing a Christian can do is to be totally absorbed in doing all things in life for His glory. That is the perspective of the true worshipper, the one who truly glorifies God. 

It is to encourage and help us to glorify Him that God gave us His promises - “For all the promises of God in him (Christ) are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Cor. 1:20). All the great and precious promises are given so that we may be stirred in our hearts to live for His glory. As a church and as individuals, let us remember: “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” (Eph. 3:21). 

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A Thanksgiving Note from Pr Engida Tefera

Dear friends in the Lord,

By God’s will, I have returned to my family and church in peace on Wednesday morning (14 Jun 2023), after spending time in Singapore and Indonesia for the church camp of Gethsemane BPC, Singapore. May God bless you for the love you have shown me while I was with you.

I was very happy during my time in Indonesia hearing the Word of God being expounded by different preachers, especially the messages under the topic, “Be Spiritually-Minded”. Our pastor’s lessons were touching and alarming to many of us. The fifteen points he shared with us from the Scriptures are so wonderful and helpful for our spiritual growth. I also decided that I would share the blessings I received through those messages with our church members in a series of sermons during our Sunday worship services. Indeed, the recent camp was a wonderful church gathering. May God bless all who shared the Word. 

I also want to thank Pastor Koshy and his family, who welcomed and hosted me in their house, and treated me as their brother. May God bless them. Again, I thank all of you who have shown me your love in different ways. 

Finally, I thank the Lord for helping me to share His Word with you. All glory be to the Lord!

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9th Anniversary Thanksgiving of Gethsemane BPC, Pangasinan

(A brief report compiled from the letters of Pastor Donald dela Cruz)

I praise the Lord for enabling and sustaining the mission church in Pangasinan for the past 9 years. We celebrated our 9th Anniversary Thanksgiving last Lord’s Day with a simple get-together. We ordered catered lunch and shared the meal in the worship hall. The rain was pouring in the morning, but stopped during lunchtime. Praise the Lord for enabling us to have fellowship!

Please view a video clip of the anniversary occasion in the link below. The video shows God’s faithfulness, as testified by the recent events in the mission station. We showed the video to the congregation last Lord’s Day. The video was prepared by Bro Jumar and his wife, Sis Olive. I praise the Lord for enabling them to produce this video clip: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TTsWgaVMsa4GQihgYWM7EwqqXNlRfldp/view?usp=drive_link

I praise the Lord for enabling my nephew to graduate from senior high school. My mom came from Negros to attend his graduation. We also attended his graduation ceremony yesterday to show our support. We have been helping my nephew in his studies here in Pangasinan for the last two years. His parents can hardly support his studies, and I praise the Lord for enabling my family to help them. He will be going to Manila to attend college, and will stay in my younger brother’s home … 

 Meanwhile, I praise the Lord for helping me and my family prepare for ministering God’s Word in Melbourne. I will preach in the Youth Camp of Bethel BP Church. We will be leaving on June 29, and will return on July 12. 

My last trip to the Philippines was four years ago. Visiting our mission churches in the Visayas region of the Philippines had been a burning desire for some time. By His grace, after boarding a midnight flight last Saturday, my wife and I reached Cebu on Sunday at 5.30am. We were joyfully received at the airport by Pastor Reggor Galarpe. He took us to a small, cosy hotel near our church in Cebu City. We quickly freshened up and had breakfast. Bro Allan Ebarle came in his car at 9am to take us to church for the morning worship service, which starts at 9.30am. The congregation was seated and ready for worship when we entered the church. Soon, the worship began with Pastor Reggor leading the service, and I was called upon to minister the Word. After the worship, we had a wonderful time of fellowship with the Cebu brethren.

Praise God that most members have continued in the faith and service of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord also added some new brethren to the church. We are grateful for Pastor Reggor’s labour for the Master in the ministries of the church, TGCM and GBI.

By 1pm, Rev Reggor drove us in the new church van (from an anonymous giver) to our next worship service – San Antonio – where a combined service of the two small congregations north of Cebu Island was arranged by Eld Eliezer Ortega, who ministers God’s Word among them. On the way, we visited Eld Richard Tiu, who had undergone surgery to remove a tumour from his liver. Seeing that God has graciously given him much recovery and relief, I exhorted him to serve the LORD faithfully. After the warm fellowship extended to us by his family, we journeyed north with some brethren from TGCM, who joined us in the church van for the trip to San Antonio. Four other families from the Cebu church drove up in their vehicles to join the combined worship. All arrived safely by 4pm, and soon the worship service began. I ministered the Word during the service. We were much encouraged to see that the brethren have been steadfast and persevering in their faith and service amidst the many trials they face in life.

After a sumptuous evening meal prepared by the brethren in San Antonio and a blessed time of fellowship, we started our journey back to Cebu at about 7.30pm. Everyone returned safely to Cebu by 10.15pm. The Lord granted us a good night’s rest for our tired bodies.

The next day, Monday morning, at 9am, Bro Allan fetched us, together with Pastor Reggor, to the ferry terminal and sent us on our journey by sea to Bohol Island. Pastor Reggor joined Carolyn and me on this visit to Bohol. Though there was a gale warning (maritime weather warnings) due to a typhoon passing through that region, the Lord gave us a smooth journey to Bohol. We spent time in the mission church with Pr Edsel, his wife Sis Juvy, and their daughter Eunice (19 months old). We heard their testimonies and reports of the various outreaches in far-flung places like Anda, Candijay and Trinidad. We thanked God for sustaining and using them for His glory. Sis Juvy served us lunch, which she had so lovingly prepared. We were much nourished and refreshed! We then checked into a nearby hotel for a short rest and returned to the mission church at 5.30pm for the fellowship meeting. Almost all the members arrived by 6.15pm. In the meeting, I exhorted them from the Word to bear unashamed testimony for the Lord. We rejoiced in communing with one another, and enjoyed the post-fellowship meal with the brethren.

Early next morning, at 4.30am, we left the hotel for the ferry terminal to travel back to Cebu City, and then to the airport to return to Singapore. We were thankful that the ferry was allowed to leave as the previous night’s ferry was cancelled due to a gale warning. However, our ferry ride was not without incident. Soon after leaving the port, the boat ran into powerful waves. When huge waves kept slamming against the boat, it started to lean more and more towards one side. The boat was considerably slow and battered by the waves for a while. There was great fear in the hearts of many on board, from whom screaming and loud prayers could be heard. On the other hand, we thank God for the peace and safety throughout the several minutes (probably about 20 minutes) of tremulous experience during that voyage. Providentially, I was led to think of some experiences in our Christian life and ministry as being like the rough and violent period of that two-hour sea voyage.

Brethren, I urge you to continue to pray for God’s servants who lead the work, that they will remain prayerful and faithful to Him. Their life and ministry have been tested by many difficult circumstances over the past four years. Pray for the younger ones (children of the first generation of members) that they will resist the world and be overcomers. (By the way, our Youth Fellowship is looking into the possibility of having a retreat in Cebu or Bohol in December. Pr Cornelius and Eld Low will visit Cebu next week to recce for the retreat. Remember them in your prayers.)

Report by Pr Jeremiah Sim

The Gethsemane Seniors’ Ministry praise and thank the Lord for His grace and mercy upon its members. As we recollect and commemorate 18 years of God’s goodness, care and faithfulness upon this ministry, we can’t help but to rejoice and be glad, like the psalmist who declared in Psalm 111:1-4, “Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.”

It has been almost 4 years of restriction in meeting and travelling, due to the Covid virus forbidding us to travel abroad. Nonetheless, we rejoice and thank the Lord that this year, the restriction has been lifted, which enable us to travel to Malaysia. We are therefore able to hold our second Seniors’ Retreat at Holiday Inn Hotel, JB, Malaysia, in conjunction with the 18th Anniversary Thanksgiving of Gethsemane Seniors’ Ministry. (We thank God for 43 participants in all.) Needless to say, the seniors were overwhelmed with joy in their hearts, as they have been earnestly looking forward to this 3 day-2 night retreat. We praise God for the much effort made for the smooth execution of the entire retreat. May God bless all the laborious efforts and logistical arrangements behind the scenes, as well as the labour of love put in by those brethren involved in much planning. We thank the Lord for aiding them in this whole retreat.

On the actual day of departure, we gathered joyfully with excitement at the Eunos open-air carpark near the MRT station at 9.15am, and prayed to the Lord for journey-mercies before we boarded the coach. The coach then proceeded to the second pick-up point at the Kranji MRT station area to fetch the rest of the brethren, before heading to Holiday Inn Hotel, JB, Malaysia. Praise God for His divine aid to bring us safely to the hotel, as well as for our safe return to Singapore after this retreat. Truly, this calls to our remembrance the apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 4:6 – “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” 

Having received our hotel room card-keys, we had some free time till 6pm, when we had a sumptuous dinner. Thereafter, we had our first service at 8pm. It was wonderful to witness not only the elderly, but also the teens who had joined us, raising our voices in one accord to glorify God with our singing. After that, we received our first message from Pastor Koshy, who preached from the Matthew 5:13-16, on the topic: “Salt and Light”. We were taught that as Christians, we are to influence others by our testimonies, and also to live our lives for the edification of the saints. After the service, we proceeded to have our refreshments amid fellowship, whereby we encouraged and exhorted one another in the Lord.

On Day 2 of our retreat, our worship began at 8.45am with singspiration. Throughout the day. Pastor continued to teach us from Matthew 5:13-16. As “salt and light”, we must be prepared always to declare the Gospel and God’s marvellous works to the people of this generation. We truly thank the Lord for the three messages of Day 2, which not only assured and strengthened us, but further reminded us that we have this incomparable privilege (as God’s children) to declare His truths.

On the final day before we make our way back to Singapore, we continued with our worship from 8am onwards, followed by Pastor’s 5th message from Matthew 5:13-16. He taught us that as light of the world, we must be ever ready to shine for the Lord and not shy away from His Gospel truth. We must seek the Lord to help us expose the errors of others and declare His truthful message.

After the 5th message, we had “testimony time”, where several brethren (namely Dns Diana Chan, Sis. Miriam Wong, Bro. Ong Chin, Sis. Kim Lei and Pr Jeremiah Sim) gratefully testified of the Lord’s grace and goodness upon their lives and their loved ones. Their encouraging testimonies have indeed stirred the hearts of many of those present to give glory and honour to God too. After our lunch, we checked out from the hotel at 2pm, and arrived back safe and sound in Singapore around 4pm. 

Throughout these 3 days, the seniors put into practice what they have learned by encouraging one another in the Lord. Many of them have been helpful to care for and help those who were feeble and not so mobile. Certainly, we thank the Lord for His protection throughout in our travelling. All praise be unto God!

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Testimonies

Ng Jui Keng

I am blessed to be one of the 40 plus ‘old folks’ who attended the Gethsemane Seniors’ Ministry Retreat (26-28 April 2023), held at the JB Holiday Inn. We were privileged to have a few ‘younger’ members joining us who were very helpful towards those needing assistance. Thank God for these brethren – who indeed proved to be living examples of “salt and light”.

It was a joy and blessing for me to meet and interact with a number of our more aged members over meals, refreshments, chit-chat sessions and short walks (during the afternoon free time). There is nothing like spending a few days together to have several relaxing and heart-to-heart conversations with various brethren at different times.

On a spiritual level, I was particularly struck by Pastor Koshy’s statement that “being ‘salt and light’ to both the Christian and non-Christian communities, is not optional but a command from Jesus”. In Matt 5:3-10, Jesus taught us how we are to live our lives according to the Beatitudes’ instructions. In Matt 5:11-12, Jesus warns us that the world will mock and persecute us as their worldview is contrary to what the Beatitudes teach. In the midst of this, we are commanded in Matt 5:13-16 to be “salt” in our interaction with the world, and to be “light” in pointing to Jesus Christ as well as sharing the Good News. As Jesus has said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

As “salt”, we must exhibit purity in speech and life. Through holy living, we can demonstrate the preservation impact of salt, as the world can receive peace and grace from God through our obedience to His Word. (A direct impact is the reduction of bitterness and moral decay in the community.) “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom 12:2).

Ong Chin (translated from Chinese to English)

“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 107:1).

I want to praise God for bringing us to attend this 18th Anniversary Thanksgiving Retreat of the Senior’s Ministry. Praise God for allowing our pastor, Pastor Koshy, to preach God’s Word to us, on the topic: “The Salt of the World and the Light of the World”. This is the duty of all Christians and how all of us must strive to be. I, together with my wife, have learnt much from this retreat. Praise God also for the fellowship we had together with the brothers and sisters in Christ. Praise God! 

Hannah Wong 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 

I would like to thank God for granting me the opportunity to accompany my grandparents to attend the Seniors’ Ministry 18th Anniversary Thanksgiving Retreat. Praise God for the safety He has granted to each and every one of the participants, especially to the elderly folks. Praise God also for the fellowship that we had with one another during the free time. I am thankful to God for Pr Jeremiah, Elder Mah and the rest of the organisers who helped make the retreat a smooth one, especially when there were some problems on the first day. 

Thank God also for the fruitful time of listening to God’s Word, whereby I have learnt much from the preaching by Pastor Koshy on the theme: “Salt and Light”, based on Matthew 5:13-16. As salt and light of the world, Christians must be effective, useful vessels of God, bringing ‘taste’ and ‘light’ to the world around us, so that our testimony may be a blessing to many. We are saved to serve, and not saved to be served. I pray that I will be a shining light to those around me, both in the present and in the future. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Mary Pang

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men” (Matthew 5:13).

Because of the lack of refrigeration in the early days, salt was used to preserve food (especially meat), which would quickly spoil in a hot environment. Believers in Christ are like “preservatives” to the world, preserving it from the evil inherent in the society of ungodly men, whose unredeemed nature go hand in hand with corruption by sin. (cf. Psalm 14:3; Romans 8:8).

The analogy of light to the world teaches us that the good works of Christ’s followers are to “shine” for all to see. Matthew 5:14-16 highlight this truth: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” The presence of Christians must be like a light in the darkness, bringing light to sinful men and doing good deeds which ought to be evident for all to see. Only by remaining focused on Christ and being obedient to Him, can we expect to remain as “salt and light” in the world.

Kim Lei

I have been truly blessed by fellowshipping with members of our Seniors’ Ministry for the past one decade. The Lord had done great things to our seniors in our midst. They are sober, humble, peaceable, loving and compassionate to one another. May the name of the Lord be magnified. “The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head” (Prov 20:29). 

Being directed by the Lord to be involved with the Seniors’ Ministry has helped me to grow spiritually. I learnt how to interact with the elderly, how to comfort them when they are struggling with their health issues, loneliness and distress, how to assure them of the Lord’s comfort and presence in their every situation. Thank God also for the faithful preaching of our leaders (Pr. Jeremiah, Eld Mah and Pr. Daniel), as well as their care and patience towards every one of us in this ministry. 

Praise the Lord for enabling Pastor Koshy to teach us during the retreat on the topic: ‘Salt and Light’, based on Matthew 5:13-16. Thank the Lord for reminding me that the Lord sent light while I was in the valley of darkness. I also learnt that:

We should not be a “hidden” Christian, but be wise to be “light” to help others. “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward” (Isa 58:8).

We should be useful “salt”, to bring flavour to His people. We should live as a peacemaker with a pure heart, by following the example of our Lord Jesus.

May the Lord bless our seniors for many more years, that they may worship Him and serve Him as ‘salt and light’ for His glory.

Yin May Nee

I am very thankful to God that my mother, her caregiver and I could attend the retreat. Truly, thank God that none fell ill or had any accident (like falls) during the retreat, especially since we’re having the retreat amid another Covid infection wave, coupled with occasional heavy rainfall during the afternoon break (when many elderly brethren left the hotel for short walkabouts in the nearby shopping mall). 

The topic of “Salt & Light”, preached by Pastor Koshy, was a timely reminder to all that it’s appointed unto us by Christ to be the “salt of the earth and light of the world”, despite our frailty as we age. To be “salt”, we are to influence quietly through prayers, being self-sacrificial in love, being pure-hearted and useful – much like salt which dissolves in the food, thus making it tasty. Furthermore, there are times when God wants us to shine our “light” through Jesus – by standing up against the darkness of sins in this world, sharing the Gospel and making ourselves a blessing to others. That means we cannot be a dim light, but be shining brightly for Christ when God wants us to do so. We are reminded that we are saved to serve both God and men, as well as to care for others more than ourselves. 

Praise the Lord that the messages were preached in English, and translated to Mandarin by Pr Daniel Lim, so that even our Chinese-speaking seniors could benefit from them. All praise and glory to God!

Esther Quek

Thank the Lord for a blessed 4-day long Bible Witness Retreat in Shillong, India. We were able to fellowship with many participants hailing from the different villages in the state of Meghalaya, as well as with Rev. Sujith and his fellow co-labourers from Vizag. It was eye-opening to see how the Lord has blessed and preserved the work of the early Presbyterian missionaries, who ministered to the people there. There has been, unfortunately, some dilution of the faith over the years.

As such, the retreat’s theme, “The Purity of the Church”, was an apt one. It also serves as a reminder that we, as a church, are called to be separated from the world, to be used for God’s own purpose. There are three lessons which I have learnt from the messages preached:

1. Being pure in the eyes of God is not an option. It is a calling. “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (1 Thessalonians 4:7). The church, which is made up of her members, must be aware of and respond to the call of God for His people to be pure in our daily living.
2. Biblical separation is necessary. We have to move away from unbelievers and apostates. 2 Corinthians 6:14 admonishes us to be “not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?”. Similarly, Jude 4 cautions that “there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
3. The purity of the church is dependent on the teaching of the doctrine of the Gospel, the administration of the ordinances and the performance of public worship. As a church, we must always be vigilant and on guard for attacks of “seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” too (1 Timothy 4:1).

May the Lord keep us faithful till He returns, so that we may be presented to Him “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27).

Elder Alan Choy

Thank God for granting my wife and I the opportunity to join the team of brethren on the 22nd Bible Witness Retreat to Shillong. Once again, I was refreshed by the Word of Truth. It was an eye-opener to the mission work in N.E. India. We met many Presbyterian brethren and also some from Charismatic church background. They all expressed great joy and thanksgiving to God, hearing our Pastor preaching on ‘The Purity of the Church’. One of them said he was so thankful to hear the accuracy of the Word of God being preached.

Many from all these local churches were not instructed in the Reformed doctrine. I sensed that they were hungering for the Word of Truth. It was my joy to meet a very zealous Pastor Jied. He was very hospitable, having invited the campers to his home for tea and snacks. He started a small Bible college and a chapel near his home in Cherrapunji, and recently was granted a piece of land behind his home, on which he intended to build a small church. It was a wonderful privilege to have a small part in this work of God, with the preachers and myself having the opportunity to see and pray for the work. Most of the campers gave generously towards this building project and a sum of about S$15,000 plus was quickly raised. According to Pastor Jied, two local sisters who attended the Retreat expressed interest to join the church, and according to Pastor Koshy, 2 young boys wanted to stay behind to learn God’s Word there.

Praise the Lord! Truly, I saw the hand of God working. It was a small humble beginning; it was the mighty God who works in the hearts of men. I pray that more will follow suit, and as time goes by, the church will grow from strength to strength. “O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles” (Psalm 43:3).

Shillong is a very fertile ground for the Gospel work. May the Lord raise up more like-minded able, young men who would learn God’s Word and steadfastly love the work of the Gospel to establish more mission churches there.

Esther Tang (Choy Foong)

Learning at the feet of Rev Koshy concerning the importance of the purity of the church, I thank God for a blessed time of feasting on His Word amidst the warm fellowship of like-minded brethren in Shillong, India. Thank God also for travel mercies, and for holding the rain during our visit to Pastor Jied’s church in Cherrapunji. May God bless and keep Pastor Jied and his family, as well as Bro Seraph, Sis Ribka and the Reformed Books’ team at Vizag as they serve Him faithfully in their respective ministries.

In Rev Thomas Jones and his mission work in India in the 19th century, I see a parallel in our B-P founding pastor, the late Rev Timothy Tow and his mission work in Malaysia. In his book, “Forty Years on the Road to Church Growth”, Rev Tow had called Malaysia “our Judea”, even as he envisaged himself as being sent forth from Life Church, his “Jerusalem”. Rev Tow heeded the Great Commission and took the Gospel to Malaysia almost seven decades ago. His mission trips starting in 1951 took him literally “unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Today, ought not we to follow in his footsteps and continue the good work he had begun? God has given us the Gospel light, so that we may bring it not only to our loved ones and friends still living in darkness in Malaysia and Singapore, but also beyond. Will we pray and rise up to the occasion? “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38).

Dns Diana Chan

I praise and thank God for a very blessed 22nd Bible Witness Retreat (held from 14th – 17th March, 2023) in Shillong, India. Thank God for Dn Lok and Dn Norefel for their patience and labour in organising the Retreat.

The Lord is good. I thank God for His grace, wisdom and strength in enabling Pastor Koshy to preach the Word of God from the theme of the Retreat, “The Purity of the Church”. I have learned much from the various messages, and the Q&A session. Some of the key learnings include:

1. When there is purity, there will be great joy in the church.
2. When there is no purity, there will be division and deep pain in the church.
3. Christ’s love for the church has one single motive, that is, in His love, He will keep us sanctified: through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, and “with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church” (Ephesians 5:26-27).

What a joy it was that brethren travelled, far and near, to assemble for the retreat, to learn God’s Word together. With voices united to sing praises unto God, to pray and to rejoice in communion with one another. The conference room was filled with people from a diversity of background, age, ethnicity, country, tribe, language, race, colour, etc. Praise God for the assurance of His Word that regardless of our status or background, all of us who are believers in the Lord share the same spiritual inheritance, the same grace, the same power, the same wisdom from God. Indeed, “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24).

I also thank God for the opportunity to visit particular site in Cherrapunji; and from where we stood (on higher ground), we could look down and see the piece of land given by the local authority to Pastor Jied for him to build a church. Praise the Lord for His providence of the gift of the land! Significantly, Pastor Koshy requested Pr Kee How, Pr Jeremiah and Eld Choy to pray for the building of the church, for Pastor Jied, his wife and their two children, as well as for the brethren, for their service and labour in the Lord’s vineyard. Pastor Koshy then encouraged brethren from the retreat to give towards the building of the church, and we thank God for the generous giving of the brethren.

Let us pray that, in God’s time, He will build a beautiful church in Cherrapunji … “Dressed in His righteousness glorious and bright, Stand in the presence of Christ our King”, as in the theme song, “Church: His Gracious Redeeming Work”. May the Lord’s name be glorified and magnified!

Aileen Tan

I give thanks and praise to God for enabling me to attend the 22nd Bible Witness Retreat in Shillong, India.

I thank the Lord for His enabling grace on Pastor Koshy to preach and teach 6 messages on the theme, “The Purity of the Church”, and taking the Q&A session. I rejoice in the Lord for over 90 brethren who attended the BW Retreat. Besides the 58 brethren from Singapore, we were encouraged to see over 40 brethren from Vizag, Shillong, Cherrapunji and Pune – and all because of their earnestness to come together to receive the blessings in learning God’s Word.

From this BW Retreat in Shillong, India, I am blessed to be with our Gethsemane church to pray for:

1. all participants to heed the call for purity, individually and also as a church;
2. spiritual revival of brethren from N.E. India;
3. an open door for Gethsemane to start a work in N.E. India;
4. the brethren from Shillong and nearby places to come out from unbiblical churches; and
5. the building for a church and college in Cherrapunji.

I praise God for a very blessed and warm fellowship with Rev Sujith and Sis Dorcas, participants from India and our Singapore participants. Also, many thanks to Dn Lok and Dn Norefel for their assistance to me in administrative matters (including help with my E-visa to India).

Tan Yeh Wen

Firstly, I like to thank God for His provisions, as well as His grace, in bringing my family to Shillong, India, to join the 22nd Bible Witness Retreat. Thank God for the generous help rendered to us by the brethren to and fro, and for the strength given to my wife in order to bring our daughter around throughout the trip. Though it was not easy, yet the Lord sustained us, that we may see the Lord’s goodness in the city of Shillong. May the Lord be pleased to use Gethsemane B-P Church, that a good work be done in Shillong.

To me, the physical highlight of the entire trip was the journey to Cherrapunji in order to see the first Presbyterian church in Meghalaya, as well as to pay a visit to Pastor Jied’s church / Bible academy and home. It is a sombre experience to think of - and actually see - the Lord’s good hand through faithful men of old instituting the Lord’s work in faraway lands, to bring sinners to repentance and into His kingdom. The thought of what Pastor Koshy mentioned in a sermon later on - that the Presbyterian church in Meghalaya could have done so much more for the Gospel work, given their rich history of two centuries - rings in my soul! Oh, that God would be gracious to us, that we would not forget the place wherein God has placed us, and do our very best for the Gospel work!

Surely, no Bible Witness Retreat can go without the spiritual feasting provided to us by Pastor Koshy. I thank God therefore for the lessons concerning the purity of the church. To begin with, Pastor spoke about what the church is - without which there would be no understanding of why there needs to be purity in the church. Understanding that the church is a unique organisation on this earth, separated by God for His glory alone, for whom Christ died, to be the pillar and ground of the truth – and how the visible church is currently embattled and will be till the Lord returns – puts into perspective the necessity as well as the urgency to be concerned with and to act for the purity of the church.

Thank God for the teachings regarding the individual believer’s responsibility to separate from the world, from sin, from heresy, and even from believers who compromise and support those who spread heresy. I pray that every member in the church, young and old, no matter how big or small be his role in the church, would be gripped by the need for personal purity, for the members individually and collectively affect the purity, and therefore effectiveness, of the church.

Thank God also for the teachings regarding the need for faithful leaders to be concerned about the purity of the church, and to be vigilant to guard against sin and falsehood brought in by false believers and teachers. I pray that God would grant us faithful leaders to tend to the spiritual state of the church.

In closing, moved by stirring thoughts in the wake of the 22nd Bible Witness Retreat, I’ve penned the following two poems (to be set in tune):

The Definition of the Church, the Call for Separation

O Lord, Thy Church, which Thou hast called out from the sin-filled world,
To be Thy only Ground and Pillar of Thy matchless truth,
Its slumb’ring members cause to wake from every deadly sin,
To man the posts, and stand their ground, and valiant fight for truth!

Cause every member of Thy church, Thy sheep whom Thou hast called,
To have a heart aflame from Thee – though young or old they be.
No member is too big or small; yea, all have this command
To purify themselves so that Thy church be pure from sin!

(Refrain)
O Lord, lead Thy church in this dark’ning day,
Our Saviour, our Shepherd, the Church’s glorious Head,
Though the battle be long, the way may dreary be,
Our fainting souls now strengthen; cause our sight to be fixed on Thee!
O Lord, keep Thy church pure for Thee, From sin and falsehood, set us free!
Not for our sakes, but for Thy glory alone, O Lord, keep Thy church!

Prayer for Godly Leaders
O Lord, now raise up leaders, valiant, truth-filled, faithful men,
Who stand for Thee undaunted in this hate-filled dark’ning world,
To boldly preach without a fault Thy timeless, flawless Word,
To call Thy sheep to come to Him; to cleanse Thy church from sin!

Give them a kind, perceptive heart that gently guides the flock;
Much patience and much tenderness to tend to their wounds;
And give to them a watchful eye, a mind of clarity,
To firmly guard - within, without against all dreadful sins!

(Refrain as above)

Jeremy Chan

By the grace of God, I was born into a Christian family and brought up in a Bible-believing church. For as long as I can remember, Christianity has always been a significant part of my life growing up.

However, I was not spared from some of the potential pitfalls faced by second-generation Christians. Growing up in church, I had said the sinner’s prayer many times with my Sunday school teachers, but still wasn’t exemplifying and living out the Christian life outside of Sundays.

It was only in my early twenties that there was a significant evidential change in my life. There was an interest in the reading and studying of God’s Word that wasn’t there before. Attending Sunday service, Bible studies, and fellowship meetings became more than just a routine, accompanied with a desire to be instructed by the Word of God. It was an eventual realisation of the release from the grip of sin, and finally experiencing peace with God after all these years. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

The Lord first led me to Gethsemane BPC in 2012, having heard Pastor Koshy preach during my time in Teenz and YF. However, it was only during the COVID period that I began attending more regularly together with my wife, Sandra. Throughout our time here, we’ve been greatly blessed by the messages which place emphasis on how we should be seeing our life here on earth through the lens of God’s Word. The warm reception shown by the members at Gethsemane BPC to both my wife and myself also helped us assimilate into the family of God here.

We look forward to growing more in the Lord and serving Him here in Gethsemane BPC.

Sandra Wong

I first heard about God during my preschool years. Despite coming from an unbelieving family, my parents had placed me in a Christian kindergarten, by the grace of God. It was during my time in school that I first heard about His goodness – and how He loves the little children, as we sang to the lyrics in ‘Jesus Loves Me’ and gave thanks before every meal. Even though I knew that God existed, I did not associate the singing of hymns nor the giving of thanks to His perfect goodness or to the Gospel. 

God continued to draw me closer to Him as I progressed on to a Christian primary school. It was then that I first experienced His goodness. My classmate had shared, with a hopeful demeanour, that her grandmother had passed on. Puzzled, I asked her why she was smiling, to which she responded, “Because God is with her in heaven, where we will meet again.” That was the first time I witnessed the goodness of Christ in His turning ‘death’ - a supposed fear of all men - into faith, hope and joy. Ever since that day, I would always seek Him, though lacking in spiritual knowledge, during times of darkness. Looking back, I realised it was God’s special favour upon me, in allowing that exchange between two young girls to take place and ultimately calling me to commence on my walk with Him. 

However, even though I started to identify myself as a believer, my life had not been freed from sin. Despite saying the sinner’s prayer in church during a Christmas service (which I was invited to as a teenager), my desires continued to be worldly. I thank God for eventually leading me to a Bible-believing church in my late twenties - and for prompting me to eventually seek baptism. I was exposed to His Word regularly, and by God’s grace, I found my life deeply nourished by the added knowledge of His Word. I experienced significant changes in my life, which has since revolved around a motivation to be a holy witness for Christ to point my unsaved loved ones to Him. 

God eventually led my husband and me to attend Gethsemane BPC more regularly during COVID - a period when access to in-person worship was scarce, yet even more precious. We thank God for Gethsemane BPC’s dedication to allow as many of God’s people as possible to worship within His house. We have been greatly blessed by the messages preached by Pastor Koshy, which have enabled us (through understanding Christ’s love for us) to continue to love and serve each other through our marriage. We have also been truly blessed by the warm fellowship extended to us by fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in Gethsemane. We thank God for calling us to Gethsemane BPC, and hope to continue growing in the Lord here.

Elder Mah Chin Kwang

“Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.” Thus saith the LORD in Psalm 72:18-19. May we all humbly acknowledge that it is the LORD God Almighty alone that doeth wondrous things in our lives. And so may we all always bless His glorious name for ever! I am certain that this is the happy, recurring affirmation, the joyous perspective and reaction of the entire mission team, as we reflect on what the Lord has done in our midst during the short-term mission to Pangasinan. 

There were several significant uncertainties encountered in the planning of the mission trip. In certain situations, we were able to plan for contingencies, but for several others, we would not know till the very moment of execution. The need to actualise the very theme of this mission, “Give Me Understanding”, amidst these uncertainties, was in the hearts and minds of many who were actively praying and waiting on the Lord for answers to our prayers. 

The Lord did not disappoint. Indeed, what He did for us will surely be the repeated refrain of brethren who will be sharing their testimonies in the coming days. Do read the testimonies from team members’ perspectives when they are available. For now, my reflections of the Lord’s goodness expressed in the paragraph below would suffice as a lead-in of the entire blessed story to be told by other team members, together with the photos accompanying their reflections.  

The Lord’s providence, undertakings and leading are certainly evident when we consider the spontaneous show of support by our BOE, other leaders and brethren who readily rendered love-gifts (financially and in kind), words of encouragement and prayers. That’s not all. God’s mercy was further manifested as follows: this mission trip’s timing of a choice window of opportunity during a special, atypical one-week school break; the safety and well-being of every team member, together with local brethren (some of whom having to travel several hours from their homes to the Mission Church); safe and incident-free clearance by the Immigration and Customs authorities; an 11th-hour approval by the authorities of the local elementary school of its covered basketball court and assembly hall as the venue that amazingly accommodated 349 adults and children who came for the special event on Saturday, 11 February. “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 107:1). And so we say in response – “Praise the Lord! Purihin ang Panginoon!” – as our Filipino brethren would echo.

Mission Pangasinan 2023 gave us all the blessed opportunity to be mutually encouraged and strengthened in God’s Word, and in serving joyfully as His people. Furthermore, the mission trip gave us the joy of renewing our ties with brethren we have known before and of being acquainted with other brethren we have just met in the mission church. In particular, we thank God for the joy of standing and seeing for ourselves the very place that we all hope (in the Lord and by His providence) will stand the Mission Church’s building, for the extension of God’s work. 

May the Word of God in Zep 3:17 – “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing” – be our joyful assurance and hope, as we all continue to walk and serve Him; as well as be that of Rev. Donald, his family and brethren in the Pangasinan Mission Church.

Dns Diana Chan

When I learned that Mission Pangasinan 2023 would be held from 8th to 12th February 2023, I prayed that God would enable me to join the trip. Praise God for His grace in clearing the way for me to join the Mission Team. I thank God for the help rendered by Elder Mah, Sis. Luan Kheng and Bro. Matthew Mah in sharing the children’s Bible lesson outlines and other material (such as bookmarks), as well as pointers on how to plan the Children’s Vacation Bible School in Pangasinan.

Throughout the 4-day mission trip, God is ever faithful. Morning by morning, new mercies we saw. On the first day (Thursday, 9 February), we did 4 home visitations. When we visited the homes of Bro. Kyt, Sis. Charlene Mae and their daughter Hannah, and later, Bro. Jumar and Sis. Olive, I praise God for them – for their serving, hand-in-hand, with Rev. Donald in the Lord’s vineyard. I thank God that we could visit Sis. Charlene Mae Abrena’s family. I was so impressed by and thankful for how the family could use a half-complete house for the home worship of the Lord and for the communion of saints. I felt so blessed that the Mission Team, together with the brethren of each family, could listen to the preaching of God’s Word (by Elder Mah, Pr Samson and Pr Jeremiah) and also sing hymns and spiritual songs to praise God.

 Home visitations on Fri (10 Feb), were a different experience from those of the previous day, whereby we had to travel long distances from one home to another. That day, we did more walking (which was over rather rugged terrain). Thank God for His protection as some of us are quite senior in age. Along the way, we could enjoy the beauty of God’s creation, the lush greenery of corn fields, golden yellow rice fields, dried river beds, fruit trees, colourful flowers, goats and cattle. It was a joy to visit Sis. Cecile’s family. Praise the Lord for her siblings, nephews and nieces – for their service to the Lord. I was encouraged by the brethren for their warm Christian hospitality. We were delighted when served with fresh home-grown organic groundnuts, which is something so rare in Singapore.

I praise God for the street evangelism conducted with the local brethren, youths and adults alike. We paired up with the local brethren. I thank God for partnering with Sis. Marianette, who is the sister of Bro. Jomart Tindaan. By God’s appointment, we shared the Gospel with a villager. Sis. Marianette interpreted the sharing of the Gospel from English to Tagalog, the local dialect. I was pleasantly surprised to see the young man’s wife, son, mother-in-law and two other family members attending the Saturday’s children programme throughout the whole day. Praise the Lord! May God be merciful to save the family unto salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

How wonderful it was that, at the end of that day’s activities of home visitation and street evangelism, we could go into the quietness of the Lord’s sanctuary in the Mission Church for the Friday Prayer Meeting. Thank God for a blessed hour of prayer, listening to God’s Word, delivered by Pr Jeremiah. We brought before the Lord our praises and thanksgiving, as well as our petitions and prayers, especially for the Adults’ Teaching Programme and the Children’s Vacation Bible School (to be held the next day on Saturday).

Come Saturday (11 February), we were excited. Everyone in the Mission Team had a role in serving the Lord, either in the Adults’ Teaching Programme or in the Children’s Vacation Bible School. When we stepped into the Inlambo Elementary School, we tried to familiarise ourselves with the place. As we were discussing the layout and logistics, testing the equipment, we could see children, adults (some of whom with toddlers in their arms), all streaming into the school. They. We were caught by surprise by the great numbers! Yet we were joyful! Thank God for giving us “understanding”. Our local brethren quickly changed their way of registration. Rev. Donald quickly relooked at the ordering of meals for lunch and tea breaks. The Mission Team quickly reviewed the schedule of the programme and made changes to the singspiration, art and craft session, with little or no compromise on time allocated for the Bible lessons.

Thank God that the brethren from the Mission Church and the Mission Team were united in serving the Lord joyfully. I thank God for the youths, who were so ready and prepared to serve the Lord. They stepped in quickly to “fill the gap” on their own accord, such as in interpreting Bible lessons to small groups of younger children, singing with them, helping them in art and craft, and serving lunch. As I looked at the multitude of children and adults, the harvest truly is great. I pray that, by the Lord’s grace, many of the children and adults will be saved through faith, according to God’s will and time. 

On the morning of the Lord’s Day, we could see little children, youths, adults and senior brethren all getting ready to worship the Lord. It was heartening to hear that some brethren, who have to travel long distances to the Mission Church, would come to the church on Saturday and camp overnight in the open field of the church, so that they could be on time to worship the Lord on the Sabbath day! How grateful our hearts are to the Lord! Thank God that all of us could “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalm 100:4).

I thank God for Rev. Donald, Sis. Sejin and their son Jesher, together with the local brethren, for their labour and toil in the Lord’s vineyard. I praise God for Pastor Koshy, our elders and the church for the support of the Lord’s work in our Pangasinan Mission Church.

Praise the Lord for Elder Mah for his leadership in Mission Pangasinan 2023. Thank God for Dn Gan for his support of the Lord’s work in the trip. Praise God for all the brethren, for the care and concern for one another as we served the Lord together. Most of all, I thank our most High God for His grace, mercy and protection of the Team. I am awed by the miraculous power of God and how He could use each of us in the mission trip for His purpose. To God be the glory, great things He had done!

Dn Gan Chin Hwi

I thank the Lord for the encouragement of my daughter, Chien Huey, to participate in Mission Pangasinan way back in April 2020. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this mission trip was postponed to February this year – a lapse of almost 3 years.  By the grace of God, we were once again able to travel to serve the Lord in the mission field of Pangasinan. Indeed, the Lord decides the timing.

This is my very first mission trip. I did not have much idea of what to expect.  Elder Mah had asked me to support the mission as the assistant mission lead; I simply yielded myself, knowing that the Lord had placed me there for a specific purpose and that I would be able to learn from Elder Mah and other team members.

I praise the Lord for enabling the Mission Team to work together as one body in Christ, everyone functioning as a member of the same body, receiving the grace that is given unto us by God to work on the different needs of the mission (cf. Rom 12:5-6). In the process, I have experienced the love, joy and commitment of each of the team members, serving harmoniously together, with much humility, and with one heart.

I have also seen God’s intervention in facilitating the Mission Team to cross the checkpoint at Clark International Airport smoothly. We were granted a swift clearance by the customs officer when we presented the supporting letter from Rev Donald to him. I knew we cannot take this for granted, it was truly the intervention of God!

The visitation to 8 homes by the Mission Team was most encouraging and enriching. Our hearts were knitted together with the brethren in Pangasinan as we fellowshipped and rejoiced in the same Lord, sharing the same faith in Christ Jesus. Whilst the purpose of the Mission Team is to encourage our brethren in Pangasinan, I was even more encouraged by the testimony shown and the hospitality showered by our brethren in Pangasinan. They live a simple life, as compared to us; yet they showed no lack of praising and thanking God for what they have (cf. 1 Tim 6:6). At times, I felt that the Lord had given them a more rewarding and enriching life than us living in affluent Singapore. Our daily quests for the material world have, on many occasions, blinded our hearts to turn away from the simple truth of leaning on our Lord and enjoying Him forever!

Saturday (11 February), was one day that I will not forget. The sovereign Lord had brought many to hear the Word of God – way in excess of our initial estimates. When I looked at the faces of those children, I saw many eager souls wanting and determined to learn, and to know more. This is especially the case for those Grade 5 & 6 students, as I observe their focused participation during the art & craft session. I cannot help but pray within my heart that the Lord of the harvest will be merciful unto many of them, and that some will soon come to the knowledge of the saving grace of our Lord. Though none of these children turned up at the worship service the following day, I am comforted that the Lord had used us on that day to sow the seeds. The rest, I know my Lord will lead the way. 

I praise and thank the Lord for this unique experience of serving Him in the mission field of Pangasinan. The Lord has been very gracious and merciful in leading us all the way; it was not as tough as I expected it to be. My heart is enlarged, and encouraged to serve Him in future mission trips. Indeed, the Lord has preconditioned and planted the deep desire in me to serve Him in future mission trips. There may be different challenges and even greater obstacles to come, but whatever it may be, there is joy going through the process of submission to the Lord, trusting in His protection and provisions, and seeing the mighty hand of God leading us to serve Him in the mission fields. As Psalm 32:8 reminds us, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” All glory be to His name!

Elder Mah Chin Kwang

All of us praise and thank the Lord for His grace and mercy in bringing our lives a little closer to what they have been in early 2020 before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The sudden surge of the virus upon the shores of our little island resulted in 2.2 million confirmed cases and 1,700 deaths, thus far. In our church, many brethren and friends, together with their respective families, were infected, but none succumbed to the disease. All glory and praise to His precious Name!

We praise the Lord that after 3 full years, the Lord is pleased to ease His hand of judgment and chastisement upon our sinful world, re-opening windows of opportunity to serve Him. Like God’s people of old (as we read in Scripture), we too would be guilty of gross negligence and disregard of Him if we do not seize every opportunity to share the blessed Gospel once again, near and far. And thus, by God’s singular grace and pleasure, with the unanimous support of the Board of Elders of our church, Mission Pangasinan 2023 shall be held from 8th to 12th February, God-willing.

Owing to the opportune short school break this week, Rev. Donald dela Cruz, our missionary in the mission church in Pangasinan and his co-workers have worked extremely hard to organise and facilitate the upcoming event. Not all in the 25-member team of 2020 are able to join us this time, owing to the date of this mission and other personal constraints. Nevertheless, all praise to the Lord that despite the present smaller team of 16 brethren, the scope of this short-term mission was not curtailed.

The evangelistic fervour and brotherly care of the apostle Paul and his co-labourer Timothy set for us an enduring example, as we read in Colossians 1:9, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding”.

Truly, not all can be with us on this mission, but all can be engaged in prayer for the Lord’s outpouring of His blessings in the learning of God’s Word, and through the fellowshipping with the saints in praise and prayer. May the Lord bring salvation to many, and grant strengthening to all saints, during the following planned spiritual activities:

• Visitations of 8 homes on Thursday (9 February) and Friday (10 February), with devotions to be shared by Pr Jeremiah (at 2 homes), Pr Samson (at 2 homes), Elder Mah (at 4 homes)
• Street evangelism on Friday (10 February)
• Prayer Meeting on Friday (10 February), with a message by Pr Jeremiah
• Adults’ Teaching Meeting on Saturday (11 February), with 4 messages by Pr Samson
• Children’s Vacation Bible School on Saturday (11 February), with 3 lessons to be taught by Pr Jeremiah, Dns Diana, Sis. Aileen, Sis. Gina, Sis. Kim Lei
• Worship Service on the Lord’s Day, with Rev. Donald delivering the sermon 
• Junior Worship on the Lord’s Day, incorporating a lesson by Sis. Aileen, Sis. Kim Lei.

May the Lord Jesus Christ be highly exalted in these spiritual endeavours.

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Things That Wreck Short-Term Missions

Prabhudas Koshy

Our self-conceited attitude, unreasonable expectations and hypocrisy can disrupt, or even ruin the short-term missions organised by our church or fellowship groups. To maximize your contribution to the missionary, mission church and the mission team, please avoid doing the things mentioned below:

1. Negligence of personal daily devotion. Some have neglected their time of prayer and meditation of God’s Word because they have to pursue a busy schedule. It is inadequate just to rely on group devotions and the preaching of the Word during the mission activities.
2. Unwillingness to do any menial work. To make a mission trip successful, everyone in the team must always be ready to take up any task or challenge. It is absurd to refuse to do any menial work, saying that your only duty during the missionary trip is to win souls. It is false to think that doing menial work (like data entry, loading trucks, cooking, etc.) will distract you from your primary task of winning souls. Not everyone is called to be a preacher. For example, younger Christians in the team who are not equipped to preach and teach can contribute by helping in the physical aspects of the ministries.
3. Pick on the missionaries and their mistakes. Do not jump to conclusions quickly when you notice something that appears wrong. Be patient and careful not to make an unjust and erroneous judgment.
4. Disagree, criticise and murmur against your team leaders. Normally, leaders of mission trips are Christians who are experienced and mature. They make decisions based on their best knowledge and judgment. It will be far better to prayerfully cooperate with the leaders in whatever way you can, than be a “dissident” in the mission team. If you complain and murmur, it will affect the team’s unity and effectiveness. 
5. Harshly deal with team members who make a mistake. Unkind remarks and discourteous behaviour can lead to much grief and problems during mission trip. Be gracious and affectionate to one another.
6. Being too suspicious or too trusting of everyone you meet during the trip. It is wrong to think everyone in poor countries is out to get something from you. Also, it is dangerous to think that everyone who appears to be friendly is safe to trust. The best is to follow the instructions given by the team and local leaders.
7. Refuse the local food, as it might not have been cooked well to your taste.
8. Keep your distance from team members who cannot raise their full support. Be kind and generous towards one another.
9. Get involved romantically with someone or get into a quarrel with your friend. Though there is nothing wrong with getting to know someone closer, you must not lose focus of the nature and purpose of the mission trip. Also, avoid getting into petty quarrels with your friend.
10. Scold your home church upon your return from the mission field for their lack of commitment, their weak prayers, or their inadequate giving to missions. One or two mission trips do not prove that you have become the “perfect” evangelistic Christian. Instead, encourage the home church by your example in supporting the missions, since you have witnessed the needs and struggles of the church’s overseas missions.

Lim Xin Hui

I thank God that this retreat was possible, according to God’s gracious providence. Thank God for all the planning and hard work that went into it since mid-2022. Because of the service of many brothers and sisters, the retreat went smoothly. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn God’s Word together as a fellowship, and to get to know the youths better.

I am thankful for the theme of this retreat, “Laying a Firm Foundation”. I learnt valuable spiritual lessons. One of them was that I cannot stay stagnant in my Christian walk, but instead exercise my faith, build up my knowledge of God’s Word and apply it daily. Love is a commitment to be like Christ because God is love. I must have faith to say, “Yes, I want to walk with Christ.” May God use the lessons I’ve learnt to change me and help me to grow in Christ!

Ron Nathan V. Resuma

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7). First of all, I thank God for enabling me to attend GYF Retreat 2022 on the theme, “Laying a Firm Foundation”. 

From the theme messages, I learnt that as a Christian, I must build my life on Christ and His Word. I must ensure that my faith is well-grounded and firm, like the wise man who built his house upon the rock, as in Christ’s analogy from Matthew 7:24-25. And that as a Christian, I must live in obedience to God’s Word so that I can be fruitful in the work which God has called me to do. I also learned that it is not enough to claim or profess that I am a Christian. I must follow Christ and obey His Word by abiding in Him. And that willingness is not just the lack of resistance, but wholeheartedly following God’s will. I must take God’s will as mine, willingly and cheerfully. Though there are afflictions and struggles in life, these experiences can teach me to endure and become a conqueror through Christ. In the concluding message, I learnt that I should make it my desire to abound in the work of the LORD and do it with thanksgiving, living a godly and faithful life for Christ. 

I also thank God for His grace in enabling Pastor and Pr Cornelius, who laboured to preach on the theme messages, as well as to answer our queries in the Q&A sessions during the workshops. Praise God also for the GYF Committee and Auxiliary Committee’s labour of love in organising this retreat. I thank God that after two and a half years of Covid restrictions, we could finally have our retreat physically. All glory be to God!

Samuel Teo

I thank God for granting me the opportunity to join the GYF Retreat 2022 with the Gethsemane youths. It is truly a blessed time of fellowship and learning of God’s Word with the brethren in Christ – a much-needed refreshing for my spiritual well-being. Most of all, I have been encouraged to follow the high calling of God to do His will, instead of chasing after worldly desires of our hearts that are not pleasing to God and do not bring glory unto His name. Although it takes much perseverance and endurance to follow the will of God in difficult circumstances, it is assuring and comforting to know that, by His grace, He will guide us through the challenges of our lives. May God grant me godly wisdom to do His holy will and glorify Him!

Joshua Nah

Thank God for the opportunity to join the youth retreat. Before the camp, I only knew of 2 Gethsemane youths. However, it did not take long for my brother and me to make friends and feel “right at home”. Praise God for the warm fellowship of the youths in Gethsemane! It was equally encouraging to witness the various committee members working together so well to guide us throughout our stay. The youths’ serious attitude towards studying God’s Word and serving in various roles was also a delight to witness. 

I am especially thankful to Pastor Koshy and Pr Cornelius for their uncompromising zeal in guarding the purity of God’s flock through the preaching of His Word. Through their heartfelt and direct messages, I found little room to mentally excuse myself from the commands of God’s Word. Perhaps, what resonates most with me is an overall impression left from witnessing the truths shared in the sermons lived out in the conduct of godly brethren at the camp. 

I especially give thanks for the clear, no-nonsense definition of biblical love and counsel on courtship given by Pastor in the workshop on BGR. It is a far cry from the general attitudes towards this topic which I had unwittingly imbibed from the world; it is a sound word which I hope to take heed of going forward. Pastor Koshy’s continual reminders that we are called to be victors and more than conquerors in our Christian lives were a sharp rebuke to the occasional helplessness I had felt in my own walk with and service for God. I pray for endurance to not run from my challenges when I return to Melbourne, but bear them faithfully wherever the Lord places me. 

One final reminder tied all that I had heard together: do not be discouraged by your failures. Instead, repent and purpose in your heart to do God’s will now that you know it clearly. I will surely fail on my own to uphold all I’ve heard at the retreat, but I thank God for His reassurance of His unchanging love for sinners such as myself (cf. Luke 5:32).

Jesimiel Lim

I thank God for the opportunity to join the youth retreat, where we could immerse ourselves in learning God’s Word on the theme, “Laying a Firm Foundation”. I thank God for this aptly chosen topic which has moved me to desire to seek God’s will more. Praise God for the many takeaways from the messages preached faithfully by our Pastor and Pr Cornelius. One key thing I have learnt is that we must exercise our faith by acting out God’s Word in obedience, and that biblical willingness is putting God’s will above ours. I pray that God will help me to be obedient and willing to do His will in my day-to-day life, laying aside my own selfish feelings and desires. The long-term blessings God gives when we willingly do His will, far outweigh the short-term struggles we may experience! 

Next, I learnt that we are “running towards Christ-set goals”. It gives me much assurance and comfort to know that God, the Author and Finisher of our faith, has set perfect and victorious plans for us. So, our duty is to trust Him and endure our peculiar trials, and to “walk, even as he walked”. I also thank God for the time to “unwind” through the fellowship and fun we could enjoy, in a special natural setting! I pray that we will continue to build on our spiritual foundation in Christ, not lose our fervour for Him. “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7).

Parousia Chan

Praise God for the blessed time spent at the recent youth retreat 2022 held in Sinar Eco Resort in Malaysia! I learnt many lessons from the theme messages on “Laying a Firm Foundation”, preached by Pastor and Pr Cornelius, and the two workshops held on the last day of the retreat. One lesson is that our faith should lead to increased knowledge of the Bible, and finally, obedience to do the commands in His Word. I have also learnt that we are to rise up with hope and expectation of victory, always enduring and persevering in our Christian life.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to fellowship with fellow like-minded youths, and for the good weather that allowed us to enjoy His creation amongst the many animals and plants at the resort. Finally, thank God for granting the GYF and Auxiliary Committees the ability to plan well, such that the programme was still able to run smoothly despite some changes in the schedule along the way. All glory be to God!

Hadassah Wong

I thank God for the opportunity to attend the youth retreat 2022. Thank God for the messages preached by Pastor and Pr Cornelius. I have learnt much and have benefited much from this youth camp. In particular, I have learnt that every step of endurance in trials is a victory in itself, and to give up is equivalent to admitting defeat. But if we put our trust in God, God “causeth us to triumph in Christ” (2 Cor 2:14). I pray that I will endure and triumph in my trials. 

I am thankful for the fellowship that we had during those 3 days. Thank God for good weather so that we could record the music videos. Finally, I pray that I will stand firm in the Lord and not be influenced by the world in the days ahead.

Gabriel Teo

Thank God my brothers and I could join this youth retreat to study God’s Word with the youths in Gethsemane. I have learnt a lot about the importance of laying a firm foundation in our spiritual lives, from the messages preached by Pastor Koshy and Pr Cornelius during the retreat.

Steffi Tan

Thank God for the blessed time of learning and fellowship at the youth camp! Thank God for sustaining & enabling Pastor Koshy, Pr Cornelius, the YF Committee, the Auxiliary Committee, as well as the young adult helpers to plan for and organise this camp.

As I stand on the threshold of 2023 and consider my plans for the new year, the camp messages are a much-needed reminder to align myself with God’s will & obey it. Walking the “strait and narrow” path presupposes that our lives are built on a firm foundation. Having Christ, the solid Rock, as our foundation goes beyond understanding basic doctrines. Our faith must lead to a knowledge of and obedience to God’s will. We must be loving & cheerful in our service, desiring for others to benefit. Indeed, this is a high calling, but God has promised us victory over our struggles and trials. Thus, we must endure. I realise that as a student at University, I am first a student of Christ. None of my physical achievements will contribute to my spiritual growth; I must not forget this, especially when I face the temptation to chase after worldly accolades and neglect spiritual duties. 

I pray that these lessons learnt in camp will be remembered and applied by me and all the youths. May we have a dogged persistence in fixing our eyes on Christ and resisting the distractions of the world.

Hannah Wong

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7). I thank the Lord for enabling and providing for my siblings and me to attend the GYF retreat at Sinar Eco Resort. I have learnt much from the 5 theme messages preached by Pastor and Pr Cornelius on the theme, “Laying a Firm Foundation”. One of the lessons learned during the retreat was that we ought to walk as overcomers and victors, not to be weary in well doing or give in to weariness. Even as Christ who had “endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2), we also must endure to the very end - to be more than conquerors.

Praise God also for the GYF Committee and the Auxiliary Committee for their planning in making this retreat possible, and for their unity in Christ, despite certain changes in some of the events. I am very thankful for the blessed time of learning God’s Word, the fellowship with friends and brethren from other churches, as well as the safety for all participants. Thank God also for the opportunity to get close to nature (God’s wonderful creation), and away from the city! 

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19).

Andrew Lee

Thank God for the messages which made me reflect on the need to build a strong foundation before trying to understand doctrines and build up my faith, which would be easily shaken otherwise. We had good fellowship and enjoyable activities at the farm resort, such as playing with the chickens. Pr Cornelius reminded us that they, together with the other animals, are God’s creation over which man is given dominion.

Nehemiah dela Cruz

I would like to thank God for the bountiful blessings that He has showered upon me, especially in letting me attend GYF Retreat 2022. I thank God for the safe travel and good health He has granted us in and out of Singapore / Malaysia. Thank God for some key spiritual lessons I have gathered from this retreat.

Firstly, I learnt that we need to have a firm foundation in our Saviour and His Word, and that we have to constantly build upon His Word to bear forth much fruit. Secondly, we have to walk closely with our Saviour and have charity. Thirdly, we must have the willingness to accept challenges, evangelise, give and live as a Christian. I also learnt we have to strive to achieve the goals that Jesus has set for us, so as to be victorious over the world and Satan. Lastly, I learnt that we should be firmly rooted in our faith, so that we will not crumble under the pressures of this world.

Truly, I am very thankful for this retreat, and may the Lord continue to sustain and preserve us in our walk with Him.

Grace Ho

A 3-day spiritual retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city, packed with rich biblical lessons on “Laying a Firm Foundation”, is truly something I praise the Almighty Lord for! Thank God for Pastor Koshy and Pr Cornelius, who were the speakers for the theme messages and workshops! The theme messages were instructive, and taught me on various ways to build a firm and strong foundation amid the shaky, treacherous worldly surroundings about us. I learnt much about Christian values, such as obedience, humility, willingness, and endurance, just to name a few. 

One specific theme message that spoke stirringly to me was on the topic, “Willingness, Cheerfulness”. Through the various texts expounded on, I realise the need to demonstrate willingness in different ways, such as through evangelism and cheerful giving. Willingness in the Christian life should go beyond just a lack of resistance, and instead moving forward to experiencing great joy when the LORD’s purposes are fulfilled, which should also resonate with ours, as God’s desire must be our desire too. Thank God also for the two respective workshops on “BGR” and “Ambitions and Contentment”, something new and fresh to me in the retreat. I thank God for Pastor and Pr Cornelius who answered our numerous questions, thus enabling me to glean new truths. 

Thank God for the GYF Committee, Auxiliary Committee, young adults and all others who helped in the smooth running of the retreat. Praise the Lord for good and timely weather, even the cool and refreshing rain! “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Psalm 145:9). May we youths always remember all such God-given spiritual refreshment, and apply what we have learnt to our lives. All glory be to God!

Lorraine Yong

I would like to thank God for letting me join the youth retreat this year. Thank God for Pastor and Pr Cornelius’s preaching on the theme, ‘Laying a Firm Foundation’, and for giving them the wisdom and strength to expound God’s Word to the youths. Through the messages, I have learnt to trust in the Lord without wavering, no matter what obstacles may come our way. Pray that all the youths will apply the lessons they have learnt from this retreat in their lives, and be a good testimony to others. Also, thank God for the time of fellowship with other youths and for helping me make new friends there. Praise the Lord!

Jored Ballega

Thank God for enabling my family and me to join the GYF Retreat! Indeed, it is a gift I received before the year ends. It serves as a spiritual refreshment and revival for me to be more responsible in my Christian life. As a young youth, I realise that I ought to be grounded and rooted in all the doctrines and truths of God’s Word, and that I should lay a deep and firm foundation through Christ. 

My prayer is that the 10 virtues (faith, knowledge, obedience, humility, love, service, willingness, cheerfulness, endurance, and hope) which I have learnt during the youth retreat shall take root and grow in my heart, so that I would be a wise youth as I walk closely with the Lord. I learnt that I should also be mindful of the worldly things that can hinder us in building on this foundation. I pray that every youth would be committed to these virtues in their hearts so that we may be grounded and rooted in Christ, and that we may not waver from the truth. The blessed 3-day programme was fully packed with spiritual feasting of biblical and practical lessons from the Bible, physical feasting of the tasty food, making new friends, and having a wonderful time of fellowship. Thank God for the blissful experience of interaction with nature and meditating on God’s Word. 

I thank God for blessing the GYF Committee and the Auxiliary Committee with strength and spiritual knowledge in planning and executing all the camp programme. Likewise, thank God for the provision of a peaceful resort, with kind staff who happily served us good food and assisted us in using all available amenities. Moreover, thank God for granting good health, wisdom and knowledge to Pastor Koshy and Pr Cornelius, as they both faithfully expound God’s Word to us. All glory and praise be to God.

Mehetabel Lim

I thank God for the opportunity to attend the youth retreat 2022. I thank God for Pastor and Pr Cornelius, who took time to prepare the sermons to be preached. I thank God for granting me many lessons that I could learn from the messages. 

Firstly, I have learnt that we cannot just listen to God’s Word being preached, and do nothing about our lives. Secondly, I learnt that we must build up our knowledge on God’s will for us and act on God’s will for us. Lastly, I learnt that we must not reject God, no matter how God tests us or how difficult our life may be. I pray that I will be able to know God’s will for me, to do it with submission, readiness and willingness! I also pray that I will be an obedient Christian. All glory be to God!

Gan Chien Huey

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).

All praise and thanks be to God for the blessed time of studying God’s Word in the GYF Retreat 2022. The messages were a timely reminder that we must lay a firm foundation on God’s Word. Not only must we lay a firm foundation, but we also must endure and build on this foundation, so that Christ may be glorified. 

Thank God for the great comfort and counsel through the preaching of God’s Word. These are indeed perilous times, considering the corrupt environment our youths are living in. I praise God for the many youths who have grown in the Lord, and were seen serving Him in many ways during this retreat. It was also a great joy to see the then young youths growing into older youths and taking on the responsibility of caring for the younger ones in our midst. 

The Lord has been truly good to provide all who have laboured in the preparation and running of this youth retreat. May the Lord’s name be greatly and continually praised. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).