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

Part 1: My Name

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Part 2: In His Name

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Gethsemane Prison Ministry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lim Kok Hwee

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

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

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

Ong Wei Han

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

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

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

Agnes See

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

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

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

Valencia Hutagalung

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

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

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

Andrew Jonathan Lee

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

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

Goh Ming Jun

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

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

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

Venue

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

Topic

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

Participation

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

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Report from the Philippines’ Mission Churches

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

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

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

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

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

Written by Joel Tan

I had just finished my third-year examinations in university and was preparing for the long holidays. Knowing that having nothing to do was tantamount to running the risk of drifting away from the Lord, I prayed that the Lord would give me something to keep myself fruitfully occupied during the term break while staying close to Him and His Word. Indeed, for some time, I was already in a state of deep spiritual “fault”, and I needed “urgent repairs” more than ever. Hence, I praise God for His timely provision of counsel and warning through two camps that He led me to attend in the recent two weeks – Gethsemane (GBPC) Church Camp and the Combined Youth Conference. The sermons preached in both hit me hard, as they exposed some shortcomings that I had.

GBPC Church Camp

The first lesson I learnt is that real joy is not to be derived from things of this earth, for they are only able to give us an emotional high for a time, and not in perpetuity. After gaining a lot of material things, one would look back and see that they do not edify the spirit: it is all “vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun” (Eccl 2:11). In agreement with this, I observe that it is also impossible to take these earthly things with us when we are called home, for we leave all earthly things behind when we pass on. Instead, what we should be looking for is real spiritual joy, a joy the world cannot explain and a joy that is unbreakable and unshakeable in the face of the very tough trials of life. This joy is connected to the fact that God has guaranteed that He is omnipresent and that He will be with us even in the most trying of times. Applying this to my life, I see that I have been blessed with many material things, including a comfortable home and the opportunity to receive a secular education many think is ‘world-class’. However, these and any other earthly blessing the Lord might be pleased to give me in future, are not the be-all and end-all of my life. As my chief end is to glorify God, so too must my aims be similarly aligned. May God help me to find that trust and joy in Him that would enable me to remain joyful and not be demoralised in the face of great poverty, deprivation, as well as the adversities, disruptions and trials of this life, and even in the face of repeated wrongs perpetrated against me and fellow saints!

The second thing I learnt is that real joy is commanded by the Lord, and when we are sanctified, there will be a joy that the world cannot explain. There are various passages in the Bible which exhort the saints to be joyful and constantly sing praises to God, wherever we are (even on the bed). This I can affirm in my life, whereby I have been dealt many adversities in life, such as being born without hearing, born with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and having been put on a severely restricted diet as my body cannot take many kinds of food. Nevertheless, I am contented and thankful for what I have, and I constantly praise God for sustaining me even when I have difficulties.

In one of Pastor Koshy’s messages, it was highlighted that prayer does not change things (which are so determined and permitted by God); it changes us and our view of the issue we are praying about. Reflecting on this, I have heard people saying, “Prayer changes things”, or “Prayer has the power to change things”. I now learn that this is only partially correct (correct in one sense of the word - not the ‘usual’ sense of it). We, believers, submit to and change ourselves in accordance with the will of God. The act of submitting a petition to God in prayer simply indicates trust that His perfect plan is sufficient to dispose of the subject of the petition. In other words, prayer has no power to change all the plans God since they were drawn up from before the foundation of the earth; but prayer is a statement that we look to our Saviour and that changes our perspective on the issue at hand.

This leads on to the practical application of real spiritual joy in our daily lives. Without it, we would fail very often at keeping our obligations to one another and to God. In Christian family life, trouble is still often encountered because all involved have had different upbringings and therefore may have different views on certain issues. Being in a family is never a panacea to everything - in fact, it is often the start of quarrels and troubles, and only with godly joy, wisdom and kindness can these be negotiated. As a student still under the authority of his parents, I pray that I will not be “a foolish son” nor “the calamity” of my parents (cf. Proverbs 19:13a). I have committed many follies on previous occasions. May God give me wisdom and discernment, that I will be a good witness for Him towards my family members.

All these, when taken together, eventually lead to inner joy in the soul - the realisation of celestial joy (as well as a remedy to a melancholic spirit) that lasts through the ages, for an eternity. I pray that when my time comes to leave the world, and go to be with Christ, I can truly say that the Lord had given me joy in a world which was full of trials / tribulations, and where an unbeliever would easily have said, ‘I give up’.

I am also thankful for the exhortations and reports by GBPC’s missionaries, sharing how God has provided for them and their needs, and how He has helped them overcome challenges too. I am, together with Sis Cecile, grateful to be able to witness the ordination of Rev. Donald dela Cruz, particularly seeing how Sis Cecile has prayed for the mission station and that more from her hometown would come to know God. We pray that God will give him more wisdom to tackle the increased challenges ahead.

The Combined Youth Conference

I also praise God for the opportunity to attend the Combined Youth Conference. While (broadly speaking) it was a reminder that the Christian life is not meant to be an easy one and not to be lived in isolation from other fellow saints, there were some finer points that were imparted to me in the sessions.

The first was that sin is always near us, and just because we are Christians does not mean we are free from sin. Hence, it is important that we acknowledge it, and help each other to be restored and healed from sin, seeing it as a continuing struggle till we are called home and receive glorified bodies fully redeemed by Christ. This leads us to the fact that bearing burdens is an inalienable part of this life, that is imperfect and full of trials. Wherever we are, we can help other Christians by bearing their burdens and caring for them, for example, through prayer. We should not think of ourselves as better than others, lest we fall into the same (or a worse) trap, and suffer chastisement from God. I praise God for all these precious reminders as they can be very easy to forget at times.

Secondly, Pr Samuel Joseph admonished us on the correct way to help other Christians, and bear their burdens. He warned against the embracing of ecumenism and unity for unity’s sake. Amongst the ecumenical movement, taken at its highest, it represents a dangerous degradation and renunciation of biblical standards, and taken at its lowest, it represents a false cover that attempts to use deception to mask the differences between various denominations. I thank God for the timely warning in an age when the devil is trying to unite everyone behind his ‘one-world’ church and ‘one-world’ order, so as to, if it were possible, “deceive the very elect”.

I am grateful to God for the advice given on evangelising others. We may know what the Gospel message is, and we may have accepted it with all our heart, but the evangelism message also gave useful advice on how we can minister to unbelievers and spread the Gospel. May God use us to minister to those who are currently unbelievers, that more souls may be added to His kingdom in time to come.

I also praise God for the opportunity to get to know fellow believers from other churches and to fellowship among them, many of whom are at a similar phase of life as me now and are thus facing similar struggles.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the two camps have been very much of a blessing to me, both in terms of the sermons preached (with the wisdom of God poured on the preachers), as well as the opportunity to fellowship with like-minded saints. For that, I am extremely grateful and full of praise for our Lord. My prayer is that the Lord will give us more opportunities to hear sound preaching, learn valuable lessons, and fellowship with like-minded saints in a world that is becoming increasingly hostile to Christians and the old, well-worn paths. All glory and honour be to our God and Saviour! Amen.

Pr Sujith Samuel's Testimony

Call to Salvation

I grew up hearing God’s Word preached in churches and learned many things about the Christian life through Sunday School. But those things became a mechanical routine, and I lost interest in spiritual things. I started to think that believing and following Christ can help a person live a good moral life in society. As other religions also teach people to live by upholding good virtues, I thus concluded that Christianity is just one way among many so-called religions to help people live a good life by having a sense of fear of God. I started to focus more on my academic pursuits with the hope of getting a good job. I wanted to live the so-called “morally upright” life in society by caring for myself and helping others through charity or social work. I used to spend time in studies and reading good books. I learnt much from the lives of people like Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, etc. At the same time, I had high regard for Jesus as I was aware that even Gandhi learned his principles of non-violence from the example of Jesus. Jesus said, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matt 5:38-39). I continued to read the Bible, looking for wise counsels to help me live a good life. I looked for Christian books which can also aid me in understanding the Bible and motivate me to live a good life. I ended up having great admiration for the “Positive Thinking” movement in Christian circles. Norman Vincent Peale’s “Power of Positive Thinking”, Robert Schuller’s writings, etc., became my favourite go-to books. 

I continued to be part of the church with all these pursuits. I am thankful to the Lord that I was baptised in an evangelical church as an infant. The church has catechism classes and confirmation before admitting a person into communion. The local pastor then started conducting catechism classes regularly to prepare some youths for confirmation. I started attending them regularly. It shook my views about Jesus and the Bible. I came across claims of Jesus, like “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6); “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). Moreover, Peter, one of Jesus’ close disciples, declared: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). I understood that Jesus is claiming that He is God and there is no other way to be saved except by believing in Jesus. I was wrong in thinking that Christianity is one among many ways to reach God, or that it is a religious system to help people live the good life. I repented of my sins and put my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I was confirmed as a member of the church and had the privilege of partaking my first holy communion with the understanding that Christ’s body was broken and His blood was shed for the forgiveness of my sins.

Call to Ministry

Since then, I started reading the Bible with a renewed interest. I used to get up early morning to do my school homework and studies. Before starting my studies, I spent some time in prayer and in chronological reading of the Bible, starting initially with the Gospels and then the Acts of the Apostles. When Jesus called the apostles, they forsook all and followed Him (Luke 5:11). I also saw the need for preaching the Gospel, especially in unreached areas. It was also a time when I started to read biographies of Christian missionaries. The Lord impressed upon my heart to consider becoming a preacher of the Gospel. But I could not entertain such thoughts as I was doing quite well in my studies and had ambitions of getting a good job. So, I resisted the thought of serving God by forsaking all. I started comforting myself with thoughts like “I can serve God by doing work and supporting the church and preachers.” I was also aware of the difficulties of the ministry and was very concerned whether I could handle these. 

While I was reading Acts, amidst going through all the doubts and fears concerning the ministry, I came across this verse – “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). I felt as if this verse was speaking to me directly. I found comfort in the fact that the Holy Spirit will help me in all difficulties of the ministry. I decided to give my life for the Lord’s work. I shared this with a close Christian friend and the pastor of my church. Both of them encouraged me to pray and prepare for the ministry. The pastor also suggested going for Bible college training after finishing my studies in school. Once I finished my school studies, I was very concerned about what to do next. I had the desire to study in a Bible college. However, as soon as I got good results, I sought admission to a secular college. My family also was not supportive of me going for Biblical studies. I decided to seek admission to an engineering college and settled for secular studies.

Doubting the Call to Ministry

Frankly, I was not very interested in engineering as I was sure that after the course, I needed to study for the ministry. But slowly, I developed a great interest in some subjects of Computer Science (like Open-Source Software). I started promoting open-source software like GNU / Linux OS on campus. I decided to work in the IT industry, where I could promote and develop open-source software. The devil used it as an “idol” to draw me away from Christ and my calling. I started to doubt my calling. I concluded that my desire and call regarding the ministry was purely out of excitement after becoming a new believer, and that I was not called for the ministry.

But God worked in an amazing way to bring me back from my pursuit of an IT career. The college where I was studying was run by a Roman Catholic church, and the locality was also full of Roman Catholics. There was no Protestant church nearby. So, I started listening to sermons online. I came across R. C. Sproul’s Ligonier ministries and started listening to him regularly. I got convicted that God is sovereign over every affair of my life, including my salvation. The truth is that salvation is wholly a work of God and that He has “chosen [me] in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4). This doctrine changed my perspective about God, myself and also about ministry. I understood my ignorance concerning Scripture and the need to study God’s Word more. I started to study more about Reformed doctrines and theology. As there is a lack of Presbyterian or Reformed churches in the place where I grew up, I was not able to learn much, apart from the occasional hearing of sermons or reading of books available online. The only Presbyterian or Reformed pastor I personally knew at that time was Pastor Koshy. By God’s providence, I had met him once before in a youth camp (in India) where he spoke. I then got his email, phone number, etc., since I liked his messages. I occasionally raised my doubts to him about Reformed doctrines through Facebook, which he did sometimes reply. I understood the need to study the Word of God systematically and started enquiring about different Reformed Bible colleges, and later also told Pastor Koshy about my desire. He suggested Far Eastern Bible College, and I decided to apply. Though doubts regarding my calling were still there, I decided to proceed and get trained if admitted.

Conviction about the Call to Ministry

I got admission to FEBC and started my studies. I am thankful to the Lord for the faithful teaching and training the college offers. But I was not able to make full use of this, as I was studying without conviction about my call to the ministry. I even started thinking about discontinuing my studies. While studying, my sister got diagnosed with tuberculosis in her school in another city, far away from our hometown. As my other family members could not travel to help her, I was asked to go and visit her immediately. Her condition was severe, and all family members, including me, thought she would die. I requested the principal (Dr Jeffrey Khoo) for permission to leave. He advised me to visit her and also to read from the Book of Psalms to her. Thus, while I met my sister in serious condition, I read verses from Psalms to her and prayed to the Lord to save her. I also prayed that if the Lord would heal her, I would serve the Lord. The Lord indeed answered my prayers. She got healed from her sickness by undergoing treatment for around six months. I came back to resume my studies in FEBC with full conviction to serve the Lord. The Lord also rebuked me through Luke 9:62 – “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Preparation for Pastoral Ministry

The Lord has truly helped me to finish my training in FEBC. I am thankful that He led me to a good Bible college and also to Gethsemane BPC for worship. I was greatly blessed by the teachings provided in the college and also in the church. After completing my course, I was given the privilege to serve as a preacher of Gethsemane BPC. The Lord has blessed the work and helped me to start a church, GBI, and a bookroom in the mission station, where He has led me to do the Gospel work. I have the privilege to further learn about pastoral ministry through the “Pastoral Biblical Studies” class taught by Pastor Koshy through GBI (online). It was very beneficial as I could learn while engaging in the ministry. Many practical things related to the ministry were taught and discussed in the classes.

Meanwhile, the ministry was slowly growing, and we thought of granting some regular worshippers church membership. But the whole ministry was greatly affected due to the Covid pandemic. Most of our ministries were shut down except for online GBI classes. I am thankful to GBI (online) and FEBC for providing many online subjects to train students. Once the restrictions were lifted, we managed to resume some ministries of the church. God has also blessed me with a wife (Dorcas Koshy) and helped us hold our wedding amid all the Covid restrictions. As a family, we now serve the Lord (cf. Joshua 24:15). But as I was not ordained, we were not able to conduct baptism, issue church membership or conduct holy communion regularly. I am thankful to the Lord that He has led Pastor Koshy, the Board of Elders and fellow ministers to ordain me into the pastoral ministry, so that I may serve the Lord in the church more effectively. 

Please pray for me that I will serve the Lord faithfully, and that the Lord will also raise more men to be pastors, preachers, elders and deacons in the mission church. “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” (Matt 9:37-38).

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Pr Donald dela Cruz's Testimony

God’s Leading to Worship Him in Singapore

I first arrived in Singapore on August 30, 2004. Like most Filipinos working overseas, I came to Singapore with the goal of earning and saving money, so that I can provide a comfortable life for myself and my family. It has always been my dream to retire early and enjoy the fruits of my labour. It was my desire to have my own big farm, growing fruit-bearing trees and rearing domesticated animals, especially horses. So, I worked daily with that objective in mind. When I became a new believer, having received the Lord on July 18, 2004, I first attended a Baptist church in Manila. This church had been receiving copies of RPG published by Calvary Pandan B-P Church, Singapore. About a month later, the Lord opened an opportunity for me to go to Singapore for employment. I asked the pastor to recommend a church for me to attend worship while in Singapore. They gave me an RPG devotional, and advised me to contact the two addresses printed on it.

After settling down and familiarising myself with the way of life in Singapore, I sought to worship the Lord. When I checked out the two addresses printed on the RPG devotional, I realised that 9A Gilstead Road was nearer to where I was staying in Ang Mo Kio. So, I went there one Sunday afternoon and I met Eld Ng Poh Kok inside Life B-P Church. (Elder Ng was then an Elder of Sharon B-P Church before coming to Gethsemane B-P Church). He introduced me to one Filipino student (then studying in FEBC), who gave me the address of Gethsemane BPC. I attended my first worship service in Gethsemane BPC on October 10, 2004. I continued going there to learn God’s Word, and was very happy serving the Lord in Gethsemane.

God’s Leading to Serve Him Full-Time

When I returned to the Philippines for a short visit in February 2008, the Lord laid upon my heart a very heavy burden for the Gospel advancement. While there, I visited a church that I came to know through Bro Randy’s wife. {Bro Randy was my closest college friend. It was he who shared with me the Gospel when we were in college, but I did not believe then. We also worked in the same company in the Philippines. After I came to Singapore, I recommended him to my boss and, by God’s grace, he was accepted to work in Singapore.} Anyway, when I went to that church, the worship service was delayed for almost an hour. When I enquired about the situation, I was told that they did not have a resident pastor – only a pastor from another church visited them to preach the Word once a month. On that day, a deacon was assigned to preach. However, he did not come because his wife became unwell. Though the service finally started, to my surprise, when it was time for the sermon, they just pointed to one of the deacons and commanded him to go up to the pulpit and preach. He was unprepared to preach. My heart sank and was gripped with a sense of burden and pity for the hungry souls waiting in the congregation to be fed. It was that time the Lord started to stir my heart to consider the necessity and duty of feeding His flock with His Word. 

Hebrews 13:17 kept ringing in my ears: “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” What account would these church leaders give unto the Lord on that day? They will be ashamed when the Lord requires them to give an account of the ministry entrusted to them. I was also reminded of another verse: “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).

I returned to Singapore with a heavy burden. I could not understand what was happening to me. I am happily serving the Lord in Gethsemane and suddenly things became so different. I was not aware then that the Lord was already working in my heart. The calling to serve Him full-time came to light while attending FEBC night lectures. I was struggling because I was not ready to let go of my ambitions. I was starting a business and it was doing well. My dreams were taking shape and I was questioning the Lord, “Why now?” It was a great struggle. 

The Lord was pleased to “remove the obstacles” – my flourishing business crashed during the 2007-2009 financial crisis. I was in debt to the banks and I prayed to the Lord to restore me. I vowed that if the Lord would give me the strength to pay my debt, I would serve Him full-time. I worked diligently with a different purpose, even to fulfil my obligations and then go on serving the Lord. The Lord enabled me to pay my debts after 1½ years. He also gave me extra, so I could contribute to the Lord’s work. I felt relieved. I was prepared to serve Him full-time. I joined FEBC for my theological training in January 2010. Looking back, I can say that the collapse of my business and the giving up of my life ambitions were the best things that happened in my life. The Lord gave me the assurance in Hebrews 13:5 – “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” 

I enjoyed my studies in FEBC. I always looked forward to the lectures. Though there were many struggles, the Lord sustained me. Three and a half years of theological studies went by very fast. I am very thankful for FEBC for moulding me to be a minister of the Gospel. The training was both biblical and practical. It was also there that the Lord provided for me a life partner, Se Jin. 

God’s Leading to Serve in Pangasinan

When I surrendered my life to serve the Lord, He also opened the door of opportunity for my future ministry. I was attending and serving in the Gethsemane Filipino Fellowship (GFF). I supported the work in whatever capacity the Lord allowed. Many of our sisters in GFF at that time came from northern Philippines, and they harboured hope that some of us would visit their family members to share the Gospel. Sis Cecile Batrina was the most persistent among them. In several such GFF-organised mission trips to Pangasinan, I joined them and saw the “vineyard” really ready for harvest. Many believed and trusted in the Lord during the mission trips. Among those were the families of Sis Margie Jasmin (Cecile’s sister) and Bro Mario Naranjo (Cecile’s cousin). Sis Jinky Batrina (Cecile’s sister-in-law) later trusted in the Lord during the 2nd mission trip. These three families are still serving the Lord with us till this day. Praise the Lord!

The harvest field was ready but the preacher was not, because I was still studying in FEBC then. In order to attend to the spiritual needs of the newly converted brethren, the then Pr Dennis Kabingue made arrangements with Cornerstone Baptist Mission in Villasis (led by Pastor Louie D Hitosis) to let the brethren join their worship service. That church was more than an hour away. The GFF contributed towards their meals and the rental of a jeepney to transport them. The arrangement continued until the inauguration of Gethsemane B-P Mission Church, Pangasinan. 

June 7 and June 8, 2014 were important dates in my life and ministry – my wedding day and the new mission church’s inauguration respectively! Praise the Lord for bringing many brethren to witness the events. We started the work at 84 Sarmiento Village, Bolosan, Dagupan City. We stayed in Dagupan City until March 2021. 

The Lord added more souls as we faithfully declared the Word. Though the recent pandemic caused disruption to our regular evangelistic visitations and gatherings, the Lord still opened doors to preach the Gospel. For example, while we visited our sick brethren in the hospital, I shared the Gospel with an elderly lady patient, Rosie Manuel. The Lord used her testimony to reach out to her family in Pugaro, resulting in her family regularly attending our church in Dagupan. Though Covid restrictions interrupted their participation in worship, the Lord has brought them back to the church again to worship. They continue to come to the present address of the mission station (Macayug, Mangaldan). 

Praise God for leading us to Macayug, Mangaldan, where we have 2 children ministries in the vicinity. It is also nearer to most of the brethren from Binday. When we moved here, the Lord brought brethren (who had returned from Singapore) to focus on building up their families in the ways of the Lord. We thank God for Bro Jumar Balicao and Bro Kyt Bince and their families; they are faithful supporters of the Lord’s work here. They serve as worship chairmen and bring along others every Lord’s Day. Bro Jumar’s father, Julito Balicao, also joins the church meetings. These brethren use their private cars to fetch brethren from the towns of Binday and Villasis. The family of Sis Charlene Mae Abrena from Villasis also join us in our worship service.

In the midst of serving God, I rejoice to have an opportunity to continue to learn and sharpen my theological and pastoral knowledge. Praise the Lord for GBI (online) Ministry. While I was studying at FEBC, I was just focusing on studying. When I began the ministry in the mission field, I felt the need to further equip myself to face the theological and pastoral challenges I encounter. The ministry has been a daily learning experience even until this day. GBI’s Pastoral Biblical Studies (PBS) were designed to tackle the ministerial challenges. The PBS truly helped me to understand sound theological and practical truths pertaining to the ministry. We can never exhaust the learning of God’s Word; that is why I want to learn continuously. The PBS also was a great encouragement to me. We students see one another every week online, and share our burdens and struggles. Such interaction encourages me to press on with the ministry that the Lord has given us. I feel very joyful to hear how the Lord is working in other parts of the world. 

Now, as I will be ordained to the pastoral ministry, I pray that the Lord will continually equip and empower me to serve Him faithfully and fervently, together with my family, in His church, particularly in Pangasinan. Brethren, please pray for us!

Written by Pr Cornelius Koshy

On Monday, 16 May 2022, 40 youths, 16 young adults and 3 members from the GYF committee spent the public holiday together on an outing to Pulau Ubin – our first outing in two years! This was also the first time the newly formed GYF Auxiliary Committee (comprising Bros Amoz Choy, Gideon Lee, Marcus Chee, Rayson Tan) were involved in organising activities for the youth fellowship.[1] We thank God that the Aux Comm did an excellent job in meticulously planning the entire day's itinerary and activities. Moreover, we thank God for the young adult helpers who assisted as group leaders, group overseers and game masters. They were committed in their respective roles and looked after the youths' safety throughout the trip. We thank God for cloudless skies and a crowd-less island where we could enjoy the day together!

The day began at 9.00 am, in GMC Seminar Room. Pr. Cornelius led the youths in a devotion from Job 39, which recorded God's wise works in the animal kingdom, giving some creatures more strength than others (Job 39:9-10), and removing wisdom from some creature (39:17). After being split into four groups, and playing some ice breaker games, the youths left GMC at 10 am on a chartered coach to Changi Ferry Point Terminal, where they were greeted by more young adult helpers. We had packet “brunch” along Changi Point Coastal Walk before embarking on five bumboats to Pulau Ubin. We thank God that there was no queue at the ferry terminal! We were concerned because the queues for the bumboat were 1.5 hours long a week before. We prayed and the Lord answered our prayers!

Reaching Pulau Ubin at 11.30 am, the youths began trekking along the undulating paths of Pulau Ubin, on both tarmac roads and stony paths, to reach the game stations between Jelutong Campsite and Mamam Campsite. Youths also had to complete side-tasks, such as spotting certain species of flora and fauna, as well as engaging in challenging opposing teams with games along the way. We thank God for protecting the youths from harm and danger throughout, and especially for supplying strength to Elder Choy and Dns Diana who also trekked the entire route! On average, we all trekked 8 km on the island.

All activities ended by 4.30 pm, and the youths regathered for prizes and refreshments. The last bumboat left Pulau Ubin at 5.30 pm, and the youths were refreshed yet again with sugarcane juice from Changi Village. Some left directly from the jetty, while others boarded the chartered coach which had two alighting points – at Pasir Ris and Bishan MRT stations respectively. We thank God for withholding the rain till the very end, and for everyone's participation and mutual help. We also thank God that Bro Hans' two friends were able to join us in this outing. God willing, they may join us in future for Gethsemane Youth Bible Hour on Saturdays. Our grateful thanks to all who have prayed for and supported us on this trip. May the meditation of the Word and the shared fellowship work in the youths' hearts to bring about God-honouring fruits in due time (cf. John 15:1-5). We also pray that the bonds formed among the youths will continue, so that Christian charity may abound among us (Psalm 133:1). We look forward to the overseas Youth Retreat at the end of the year, God willing, from 26 to 28 December.

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[1] Formed in March 2022, the Auxiliary Committee assists the GYF Committee (Pastor, Elder Choy, Dns Diana, Pr Cornelius) by executing the plans made by the GYF Committee. The Auxiliary Committee does not hold autonomous authority over the fellowship. The Aux Comm is given specific leadership over their assigned areas of service, and are to be exemplary in all manner of conversation.

Today, with much thanksgiving to God, we publish the testimonies of the first batch of three students who are completing their course in GBI, Vizag. We praise the Lord for the enabling grace upon Pr Sujith Samuel who has laboured assiduously for the past 5 years to set up churches and GBI in Visakhapatnam (Vizag) and its vicinities. Let us pray earnestly for open doors for those who are trained to preach.

Pastor Murthy James

Greetings in the name our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! I’m Pastor Murthy James, a student who is completing the course in Gethsemane Bible Institute.

Firstly, I thank God for the opportunity to study in GBI. I feel very blessed to complete the course in this institute. During the course, I have learnt a lot of spiritual truths that help me a lot in my biblical thinking. As I attended the lectures on many doctrinal subjects during the course, they gave me a clear-cut understanding of the Scriptures. Really, this period of study in GBI has been a very wonderful period in my life that enhanced me spiritually to serve the LORD.

I was very motivated to learn about TULIP (5 points of Calvinism), and I am still very excited about the truths it imparted to me. Oh, how essential are those doctrines! It taught so clearly God’s election, depravity of man, salvation by faith alone, the eternal security of believers, etc. In addition, I greatly benefited from the course on Systematic Theology taught by Rev. Dr Prabhudas Koshy, who explained theological topics in a very efficient and devotional manner. While learning the doctrine of Ecclesiology, I learned biblical truths concerning the church and its government, which would certainly help me in my pastoral ministry to organise and guide the church. The classes on the doctrines of Pneumatology, Eschatology and all the other topics were interesting, and helped to mould my Scriptural understanding on those topics.

Likewise, learning Westminster standards, taught by Pr Sujith Samuel, a faithful servant of God, was also a great experience in His Word. Every subject (including the online courses from FEBC) of each semester was very profitable. The topics taught were essential, which deepened my understanding of the Holy Scriptures and also increased my spiritual devotion. Learning from God’s revelation in His Word filled me with fear towards God and excitement to serve Him.

As I graduate, I thank God for His help and guidance through the entire course. I am also thankful to each faculty member who has taught me with utmost efforts and with God’s love. May God bless the organisers of GBI, and use the ministry of GBI to expand His kingdom on earth. Please pray for me and my ministry work.

Kattu Praveen Kumar

My name is Kattu Praveen Kumar. I was born in a Christian family and I lived in K. Kotapadu village for 34 years. After receiving Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour, I was later baptised on 8th April 2007. In 2008, while I was fasting and praying, I was overwhelmed by the reading of the Word of God from Psalm 45:4 – “And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.” It excited and strengthened me, filling me with a great desire to be in God’s ministry, and I began to consider God’s work and the church ministry.

In those days, my idea of ministry was to do whatever I can in the church, like cleaning the church and preparing everything for the worship, helping the poor and needy who are within and outside of the church, preparing and encouraging the believers for outdoor evangelistic meetings, etc. I would also do my best to help the families of those who went to be with the Lord, and those who are getting married with necessary arrangements. However, I was not spending much time in reading and studying the Bible on my own. In 2015, I attended a 6-day seminar conducted by Haggai International. In that seminar, I have learned about integrity, leadership and evangelism. Then I experienced great struggle in my heart to choose between my job and the ministry. There was a lot of pressure from my family, but my desire was to be in the ministry. In that same year, my elder brother Vinod sent me to a Bible college run by the Church of Christ in Visakhapatnam. However, I could not agree with their doctrinal stand, and I stopped going to the college.

Then in 2017, when Pr Sujith Samuel came to Kotapadu, my native village, I heard his message. When we conversed, he encouraged me and asked me to spend some time with him in fellowship. This was also the time that I was studying the books of Ezra and Nehemiah with my church youths. Through that study, my desire to serve the LORD in the ministry started increasing. When Rev. Prabhudas Koshy came to Visakhapatnam in June 2018, he asked me, “Are you ready to serve God?” I replied him that I was ready. Then Pr Sujith encouraged me to study in the Bible Institute, which he started in the city. With his encouragement, I enrolled in GBI, and I was the first student there. Although I had to stop (after only one week) due to some severe problems, God gave another opportunity a year later (July 2019) to return to GBI and continued with my studies. By the grace of God, I studied for the past three years in GBI.

It was, firstly, an opportunity to correct myself in many areas of my life according to His Word. Through GBI, I came to understand what the ministry of the church is all about, and the importance of the Word of God in the ministry of the church. I learned how to study the Word of God, how I should apply its truths in my life, and how I should preach it in the church. I am also thankful to learn how to preach the Gospel to the unbelievers. All these encourage me a lot to look forward to the ministry.

I thank God for the following who have been used by the Lord: our local pastor, Rev. G. E. Stephenson, my family who encouraged me to undergo training, and especially Rev. Prabhudas Koshy and Pr Sujith Samuel for giving me the privilege to study at GBI (even though my study was disrupted for a year).

Joyson Kumar Chinchani

My name is Joyson Kumar Chinchani. I am from the state of Odisha. Though I was born and brought up in a Christian family, I was lost in the world, living a worldly life. By the grace of God, on 22nd November 2010, I was led to attend a prayer meeting and listened to the Word of God. I was convicted of my sins there and then, acknowledging that I am a sinner. I sought God for the forgiveness of my sins that I have done in my past, and I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour.

Then I wanted to know more about Jesus Christ. I started to desire to attend a Bible college to learn more of His Word. By the grace of God, through my elder brother, in 2011, I had an opportunity to study in a Bible college in Secunderabad. While I was studying there, I got baptised. I studied there for two years. After completion of my studies, I did not join any ministry, but took a job in a company because of the severe financial crisis my family encountered.

However, I was sure about my calling to serve the Lord in the ministry. In the year 2017, through my elder brother, I came to know Pr Sujith Samuel and Rev. Prabhudas Koshy. My brother and Pr Sujith conducted a pastoral training in my hometown. The teacher was Rev. Koshy. When I had an opportunity to talk with Rev. Koshy, he asked me to come to GBI, which was being organised in Visakhapatnam, and study His Word. I was happy that such an opportunity was available, and immediately I said “yes” to it.

Subsequently, on 6th August 2018, I joined GBI. I am thankful to God for learning His Word in GBI. By His grace, I am about to complete my course, and I wish to serve God according to His will, seeking His guidance upon me and my family.