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Foreword 2

A Word from Our Advisor 3

Book Summary: John Pollock’s “The Cambridge Seven”

By John Loo 6

Testimonies:

1) God Moves in a Mysterious Way

By Karen Lee 12

2) My Life Belongs To God

By Huynh Ngoc Chan 15

3) The Grace that Calls Me

By Nguyen Van Hieu 18

4) Blessings upon Bible School in Kampot, Cambodia

By Pr Chan Sopheak 22

5) Testimonies of Current True Gospel Bible School Students 24

Reports:

1) Missions Trip to Kenya, 11 November to 22 December 2012

By Carol Lee 29

2) Missions Trip to Kampot, 12 to 18 December 2012

By Karen Lee 31

3) Missions Trip to Sihanoukville, 23 to 29 January 2013

By John Loo 36

4) Missions Trip to Kampot, 16 to 23 March 2013

By Rev Dennis Kwok 39

Kids’ Corner: “A Special Call” 42

CONT ENTS

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FOREWORD “So send I you” (John 20:21b) are the commissioning words of our risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to all His disciples including us. In the fullness of time, Jesus was sent by God the Father on a mission with a message of salvation for the lost. Jesus has completed His saving work faithfully by dying on the cross as the perfect and sinless Lamb of God for the sins of the whole world. He was buried and then He rose again bodily from the dead on the third day according to the scriptures.

Behind closed doors, the resurrected Christ appeared before the disciples. He said to them, “Peace be unto you: as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you” (John 20:21). The disciples were filled with joy when they saw Him. They were gathering to pray and find strength in their fellowship. It was time now to be sent out to reach the lost with the message of hope and salvation. This commission must be issued by Christ, for power and authority comes from Him. Let us be reminded of the Great Commission. Every one of us must go, from the pastor to the last member of the church. So long as we are born again and redeemed by the blood of Christ, we have been sent by Him on a mission with His message of salvation for the lost. It is our mission to share Christ with those whom we come into contact with. Have we neglected the Great Commission due to our busyness? Have we forgotten that we have been sent on this important mission? Even if you are not called to full-time service, you are still called to evangelise. We are empowered with His Word and by His Spirit to be His living witnesses for Him at home, in school, at work and in the streets. Let us be pro-active to fulfill the Great Commission.

In this issue, we have lined up several testimonies of those who have been called into full-time ministry and also of students who are studying in True Gospel Bible School in Cambodia. They also shared how the Lord has been wondrously working in their lives. There are also articles and missions reports for your encouragement and edification. Enjoy reading. Amen.

In Christ’s love,

Rev Dennis Kwok TMS Chairman

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A WORD FROM OUR ADVISOR, REV DR QUEK S UAN YEW:

„HOW TO KNOW I AM CALLED TO SERVE GOD IN T HE FULL-TIME MINIST RY?‰ Serving God in the full-time ministry is an honour and a privilege. At the same time, it is also most dangerous, in the spiritual sense. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the individual to know for a certainty that he is truly called by Christ to the full-time ministry or else he and his family will get hurt, the congregation he ministers to will be stumbled and above all else, he will bring shame to the name of Christ.

Some of the elements of a person who is called would include the following:-

a. A strong desire – The desire is unshakeable. Initially when the desire first comes into the person's heart, he thinks that it might just be a feeling or an impulse that will soon disappear with time. He tries to forget the feeling and brushes it off as a flash in the pan never to return. However, the feeling gets stronger and stronger. Very soon, the feeling dominates the heart of the person. What he liked before his "call" has now become "tasteless". He is consumed by this unshakeable feeling of giving up what he has planned before. He feels like a person at the crossroads of his life. A "voice" will not stop calling him to drop everything he is doing and take a totally different direction in life. He comes up with all sorts of excuses why he ought not to listen to the call. The LORD would use the Word of God to call His child. That verse will be the lifelong verse of God's servant till the day he is called home to glory. He will face many trials and difficulties in ministry and the Word of God that God used to call him will be his main stay. In a spectacular way, God would remove all his excuses and he is left with only one decision to

Obey

disobey

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make . . . to obey or to disobey! Finally there is no peace in his soul by this stage of his struggle with the LORD. His food is tasteless. He walks around like a zombie and everything that gave him great joy is now meaningless to him. There is only one way to get back the peace of God and it is total submission to God's call. The moment he cries to the LORD in repentance for delaying and disobeying and he surrenders his life totally to the LORD for his use, peace fills his heart once more. It is like cool refreshing rain to a thirsty soul who had just returned from wandering aimlessly in the wilderness for months!

b. A gift from God – After entering the Bible College to be trained for the full-time ministry, the LORD will slowly but surely reveal to him what his gift is. If he is blessed with the gift of preaching or teaching, he would know. Not only would he enjoy it, others would be blessed by it. The reason is that spiritual gifts of God are given for the blessing of others. This means that others would understand the Word of God better after he has finished preaching or teaching. They would attest that he has this gift of preaching or teaching. All who are called to be pastors must have this gift of preaching or teaching. He is able to rightly divide the Word of Truth and he does so powerfully and without the fear of man.

He remains humble and prayerful always as he knows that he is called and that without the LORD enabling him, he would fail miserably. He would not understand and speak a word without God's help. He knows that the LORD who gave him the gift could very well take the gift away. If the blessings come, he gives God all the glory. He recedes into the background and promotes only Christ. He would do whatever task is assigned to him without murmuring or complaining. He knows that it is a gift from God all the days of his life, which means he never stops leaning on Christ to see him through day by day.

Pastor will have the gift of preaching

and teaching

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c. The Word of God – His love for God's Word is second only to his love for Christ, if there can ever be a distinction. The Word of God thrills his soul in ways that cannot be explained. He digs deep into and meditates on the Word of God as if his life and the life of his congregation depend on it, which they do. He never stops studying the Word of God even as he teaches the Word of God. He would spend hours and hours every week studying the Word of God and he would do the same week after week for the rest of his life of ministry. He knows how important the Word of God is to his own soul and the souls under his care.

Every time he learns new truths from the Word of God, there is a thrill in his heart comparable to a man who finds a treasure. Each time he learns new truths, he is filled with a deep sense of gratitude and thanksgiving to God. He knows that it is the LORD who has opened his eyes to see and his heart to understand. The more he studies the Word of God, the more he wants to study. He thinks about the Word of God as he walks and goes about his day to day activities. He ponders and meditates upon the Word of God and it is

in his head all the time. If he is struggling with a Bible passage, he would study it until the whole passage is in his head and he carries it with him everywhere he goes. After he struggles for some time with the passage, the LORD would illumine his heart and mind and the passage becomes clear to him and the thrill he feels is indescribable.

These are some of the indicators that a person is called into the full-time ministry to do the work of God as a preacher or a teacher.

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BOOK SUMMARY:

JOHN POLLOCK ÊS „THE CAMBRIDGE SEVEN‰ BY JOHN LOO

The prayers of Harold Schofield

The Cambridge Seven was God’s answer to a missionary who for many years had been praying for help in the missions work in China. Harold Schofield was a brilliant Oxford doctor scholar who had sacrificed his prospects and chosen instead to serve Christ in Shansi, a province in northern China four hundred miles inland from the sea. Serving in the China Inland Mission (C.I.M.), Schofield saw the need for men such as himself, trained in mind and body to minister to some nine million Christ-less inhabitants. He prayed that God would waken the Church in England and raise up men to preach His Word. The burden on Schofield was so great that many times, he would leave food and leisure for prayer.

Unknown to Schofield, back in England, God had indeed answered his unceasing prayer. Early in 1885, on a wet winter’s night in London, seven young men dubbed “the Cambridge Seven” rose in turn to tell the crowded Exeter hall why they were leaving England the next day to serve as missionaries in inland China. One by one, they came forward to tell how in the past year or eighteen months, God had called them to renounce their careers and give themselves to Christian service overseas.

Who were the Cambridge Seven?

These seven young men of education and position, moved by the Word of God through the evangelistic work of D. L. Moody, an American evangelist, volunteered to leave behind cozy lives of wealth and privilege to serve God wherever they were led. They were Stanley Smith, Montagu Beauchamp, D. E. Hoste, W.W. Cassels, C. T. Studd, Cecil Polhill, and his brother, Arthur Polhill.

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It was during their freshmen years in Cambridge that their paths crossed and eventually they were brought together. Stanley Peregrine Smith accepted Christ at the age of thirteen, while listening at Eastbourne to D. L. Moody. He entered Trinity College, Cambridge in October 1879 at the age of eighteen and a half. One of Smith’s early and closest friends was Montagu Beauchamp who was a year older. Both men had much in common, going occasionally to the daily prayer meeting and helping at a Sunday School in the slums. Smith was involved in boating in Cambridge. On the river, Smith met William Cassels who was already in the third year. Smith was also particularly friendly with William Hoste who was a Christian and a rower. It was through William that Smith met William’s younger brother, D. E. Hoste.

Beauchamp was the one who introduced Smith to G. B. Studd, whose younger brother Charles T. Studd (C. T. Studd) was a freshman at that time. Cecil and Arthur Polhill-Turner were the second and third sons of a Captain Polhill-Turner. Their father died when Cecil had just received his commission in the army and Arthur was in Eton College. Cecil joined his regiment in Ireland and Arthur entered Trinity hall in the autumn of 1881. In October 1882, American Evangelists, Moody and Sankey came to preach at the University. Arthur who was in his second year, was invited. The Moody missions stirred and renewed many. Arthur and two hundred

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2 3

4

5 6

7 1. C. T. Studd; 2. D. E. Hoste; 3. W. W. Cassels

4. S. P. Smith 5. C. Polhill-Turner; 6. A. Polhill-Turner; 7. M. Beauchamp

1 4

2 3 5 6

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were moved during one of Moody’s meetings to stand up as a testimony of their faith and how they had been blessed during the week. He never looked back since that Sunday evening, 12 November 1882, when he gave his life to Christ.

How God called these seven young men to China

Of the Cambridge Seven, Arthur Polhill-Turner was to first to receive an indication that he was bound for China. Arthur shared his hopes with his brother, Cecil Polhill-Turner who had returned for his first winter’s leave after joining the army. After some serious conversations with Arthur, as well as long meditation on the scriptures and prayers, Cecil was finally brought to a true meaning of Christian faith and came to put his trust on the Lord Jesus Christ as his “Saviour, Lord and Master.”

Initially, Stanley Smith believed that he was bound by a command given in October 1880 through Ezekiel 3:5, ”Thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech”. However he could not forget the Christless millions abroad. He waited in constant prayer until he had received clear guidance as to the contrary. The guidance came on 30 November 1883. In his words, “I got set free from Ezekiel 3:5 by the Lord giving me Isaiah 49:6: “I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.” It was a call to foreign service. Smith has long been following the ministry of C.I.M with interest and prayers. On 1 April, Smith was interviewed by a Council meeting of the C.I.M. and was accepted as a probationer.

C. T. Studd led a good life. His father, Edward Studd, made his fortune from indigo planting in North India. In 1875, the sudden conversion of Edward Studd through Moody and Sankey increased the senior Studd’s earnestness to bring his friends and family to Christ. The following year, Edward Studd’s prayers were answered. Each of his three sons, J. E. K., G. B. and C. T. were won to Christ by a young man called Weatherby. C. T. was more interested in cricket which he excelled in rather than for Christ. He played for Cambridge for four consecutive years from 1879, even as a freshman. The turning point in his life was when his brother, G. B., who was closest to him, both in age and affection, fell seriously ill and

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was in danger of dying. As G. B. hovered between life and death, C. T. saw that God was showing him the vanity of this world’s goods. He thus humbly reconsecrated himself to the Lord. On Saturday, 1 November 1884, McCarthy, one of the founder-members of the C.I.M. told the story of his call once again. He spoke of ‘thousands of souls perishing every day and night without even the knowledge of the Lord Jesus’. Listening to him, C. T. Studd was convinced that God was indeed leading him to China. On the way home, C. T. told Smith that he had ‘decided to go to China’.

William Cassels was a curate in the parish of South Lambeth. There he met with Smith who took part in a mission at Clapham. It was through their many meetings, walks and heart to heart talks about the Lord and China that Cassels found his missionary interest slowly focusing on inland China. ‘He is much interested in China,’ wrote Smith afterwards, ‘may the Lord send him out with me!’

Montagu Beauchamp was very much influenced by C. T. Studd’s decision to go to China. It further strengthened Beauchamp’s determination to devote his life to Christ taken two years earlier at a Moody’s Cambridge Mission. However, his faith suffered severe setbacks. This brief period of backsliding served to increase Beauchamp’s love for Christ. A pamphlet, ‘A Strange but True Story,’ which by a parable presented the claims of the Missions Field was one which Beauchamp saw as a personal challenge. The more Beauchamp studied the Bible and prayed, the more it was made clear to him that not only he was to go but he was to induce others to go too.

D. E. Hoste’s sudden decision to devote his life to the gospel was turned down by his father, General Hoste. He cited Hoste’s newness to the faith and his quick decision. Hoste continued his work but his thoughts were constantly with the missions field. He was especially impressed by the writings of Hudson Taylor and the others who showed ‘single-hearted, self-denying devotion to the cause of the gospel in China.’ Hudson Taylor’s quiet insistent demand, ‘Can the Christians of England sit still with folded arms while these multitudes are perishing?’ also burdened him. Later at an interview, Hudson Taylor stressed the dangers and isolations of work in China and the various difficulties involved but it did not deter Hoste. Instead, he was made more conscious of his desire to go to China.

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On the evening of 8 January 1885, the seven were together for the first time on the platform of the Exeter hall, supporting Hudson Taylor. From that evening, ‘the Cambridge Seven’ became a household name. Not one of the Cambridge Seven looked back. The Cambridge Seven arrived at Shanghai on 18 March 1885. The interest they aroused for missions was enormous. their effect was felt both at home in England and wherever they went, .

The ministry of the Cambridge Seven

1. William Cassels worked first in Shansi and later in the western part of China. In 1895, he was consecrated, at the age of thirty-five, Bishop of the new diocese of the Western China, where he remained until his death in 1925.

2. Stanley Smith served in Northern China. He was a fine linguist and was as fluent a preacher in Chinese as in English. In 1902, he left the C.I.M. because of doctrinal differences and worked as an independent in Eastern Shansi. In his later years, Stanley endured severe trials and disappointments but he preached and taught until his death at Tse-Chow on 31 January 1931.

3. C. T. Studd was the best known of the Seven for his courage and endurance. In 1887, his determination to live by faith alone, saw him giving away the whole of his fortune. In 1894, Studd and his wife left China due to ill health. He went on to serve six years in India and a period in Britain and America where he did much for missionary cause. In 1910, Studd set off into the depths of tropical Africa, despite illness, criticism and poverty. He went on to start the Heart of African Mission which was subsequently renamed Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade. Studd died at Bambi, Belgian Congo, on 16 July 1931.

4. Arthur Polhill-Turner was ordained in China in 1888. For ten years, he lived in Pachow in Northern Szechuan, moving among the stations which he used as bases for evangelism. He was in China during the Boxing Rising and the revolution of 1911. He retired at sixty-six and took to country living till his death in 1935.

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5. Cecil Polhill-Turner moved from Shansi, north-west to the forbidden land of Tibet. He became great friends with the Tibetans in Kansu. He and his wife almost lost their lives in a violent riot in 1892. After recovery in England, they went back to Tibet and China. In 1900, during the Boxer rising, Cecil Polhill returned to England because of poor health. Although forbidden by doctors, Cecil made seven prolonged missionary visits to China. He died at Howbury in 1938 in his eightieth year.

6. Montagu Beauchamp was the itinerant member of the Seven. He loved the hard evangelistic journeys. He once went with Hudson Taylor, ‘about a thousand miles in intense heat, walking through market towns and villages, living in Chinese inns and preaching the gospel to crowds day by day.’ He was ordained in England and has also served as a chaplin during World War I. In 1929, Montagu revisited China when his second son was starting work with the C.I.M. and again in 1935. In 1939, at the age of 79, he joined a party of missionary recruits driving overland through French Indo-China via Hanoi to Chungking. Already suffering from cancer, he died at his son’s station, Paoning, in October 1939.

7. D. E. Hoste worked with the famous Pastor Hsi in Shansi until 1896. Hoste was appointed Acting General Director of the C.I.M. in 1901 and succeeded Hudson Taylor as its head in 1903. He was an outstanding missionary statesman and led the Mission for over thirty years. Despite revolution, civil war and anti-foreign agitation in China, C.I.M.’s strength rose from 716 when he took over, to 1326 when he retired. Hoste remained in Shanghai and in 1944, was interned by the Japanese. He left China in October 1945 after spending more than sixty years there. He died in London, as last of the Cambridge Seven, in May 1946.

The story of the Cambridge Seven spoke of their wholehearted devotion to the call and cause of Christ when they use the gospel to reach out to unevangelised millions overseas. It is a story of how God had worked powerfully in the lives of ordinary men who were willing to go and serve Him wholeheartedly in the mission fields of the world. Amen.

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TESTIMONY:

„GOD MOVES IN A MYST ERIOUS WAY‰

BY KAREN LEE

In calling me to salvation

I was born in a family that does not know the one living and true God. Nevertheless, out of His mercies, God provided opportunities for me to know Him, and in my university days, He caused me to seriously consider what Christ had done for me. Coming to know Him had been a path filled with obstacles. Due to Charismatic practices observed at evangelistic outreaches, I developed misconceptions of God. Thank God for providing Rev (Dr) Jeffrey Khoo’s book on Charismatism Q & A which helped to dispel the distorted picture I had of God, and caused me to see Him rightly in light of Scriptures. With the misconception of God cleared, and knowing I am a sinner in need of a Saviour, I, by God’s mercies and grace, came to know Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour on 8 August, 2006.

In calling me to full-time service

The desire to serve God full-time came during the later part of my university studies, when He opened my eyes to see the vanity of things I was pursuing. The motivating reason in striving for academic excellence during most of my earlier school years had always been to attain a well-paying job so that I can help to provide for my family, and use the wealth to help others. However, the Lord helped me to see that good pay and wealth were not really what I needed in life. What my family needed was also not financial security, but a security that can only be found in Christ. The Lord led me to look at things from a very different perspective, and has also during this time led me to look at people not as people, but as souls in need of Christ. Slowly the desire to teach in secular schools also went away, and God used Matthew 9:36-38 to convict me of what I should do with my short life here on earth. There was not only a desire but also a

Karen Lee, ministerial staff of Truth BPC

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burden He laid in me that I could do no other but to spend my remaining time on earth well in equipping myself to serve Him.

Such a desire I had stems neither from self-will nor my design. This, I know very certainly in my heart, because of the Lord’s mysterious workings I see in my life and His gracious providence that led me thus far. I am particularly thankful to God for the sister He used to lead me to Christ who had been most instrumental in influencing me positively for the Lord with her heart for lost souls. Her godly guidance and influence caused me to be mindful that wherever God places me, it is my “missions field” where I am to reach out to lost souls with the saving Gospel of Christ. Apart from the human agency He used, God also worked very actively in me through His Word and by His Spirit, changing me slowly to become someone unlike the person I used to be, with less love for the world and more love for Him.

The mysterious workings of God and His gracious providence could also be seen in how He made a way for me to be equipped for His service. Although I knew I could never run away from God’s calling, it was nevertheless my desire that I could also obey God with my parents’ approval, because I love them very much. It was one of the things I had asked God as a sign of confirmation. Not only did He answer my prayer and cause my mother (then a young believer) to guess my desire, He also moved my parents to give their consent, and even provided the fees for my Bible College studies through my unbelieving father, whom I believe, did so out of a father’s love. I am also thankful for the ministry of the Far Eastern Bible College, through which I am greatly indebted to the Lord for nourishing me in His words, and for the training of my hands and heart.

Not only did God work mysteriously in the events of my life, He also worked mysteriously within me to help me with my weaknesses and struggles. There were also discouragements and doubts from within and without about my calling, but God encouraged with the testimony of His calling, and love of others. More importantly, the irresistible desire and burden He first laid on my heart became stronger with time, and offered me much consolation against man’s discouragements. As the Lord worked on me and prepared me for His service, He also laid

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upon my heart a special burden for foreign missions and convicted me by the same verse He called me to full-time service. Unlike in Singapore, where one can still easily receive faithful teachings of God’s Word from fundamental Bible-believing churches and from classes held by FEBC, and have easy access to godly literature and resources, such is often not the case in poorer parts of the world, even if God’s people there wanted them. Yet, there are still souls in such places who need the life-saving and life-changing Gospel of our Saviour, and God’s people who need quality instruction in God’s Word. Although there are, by the mercies and grace of God, gospel witnesses set up in many parts of the world today, there lacks, nevertheless, a quality and faithful teaching of God’s Word, and trained labourers to do the work.

The burden God laid on my heart requires me to be equipped with the knowledge of God’s Word which I felt I had still much to learn. As I wait on the Lord to show me clearly where exactly He would like me to serve Him, I am thankful He has given me the opportunity to serve Him in Truth B-P Church and to minister to people whom I have grown to love dearly. I am also thankful for opportunities to take some classes at FEBC to improve myself and my service. I pray that the Lord will help me give my very best in all that He has given me to do, to learn how to serve and to love His people the way He does. I also pray that the Lord will continue to equip me to serve Him in foreign missions, and direct my steps as I wait on Him. “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. Then saith he unto his disciples, 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 9:36-38)

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Editor’s note: Since August 2012, sister Karen has been serving as a full-time ministerial staff of Truth B-P Church. Her main duties and responsibilities are preparing teaching materials for the Junior Sunday School, doing E-Band follow-up work and serving as coordinator for Team Barnabas and Agape Love Ministry. Please remember her in your prayers that the Lord will use her to be a channel of blessing.

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TESTIMONY:

„MY LIFE BELONGS TO GOD ‰ BY HUYNH NGOC CHAN

I am thankful to God for the love, mercy and blessings that He has given me. I am not worthy to receive all these but God has chosen me to be His child and given me all these freely. My life now belongs to God. Therefore, I would like to testify how God by His grace saved me and why I wanted to give myself to God and serve Him full-time for the rest of my life.

Called to salvation

I was brought up in a Vietnamese religion named “Cao Dai.” My family worshipped idols and ancestors. Since seven years old, I was taught to read its scriptures, pray to its idols, and also eat the food offered to them. I did all these without understanding of the truth. However, when I entered secondary school, my teachers taught us Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. I was so convinced that man originated from animals that I became an atheist. But just to please my father and other family members, I continued to take part in the family’s religious activities such as burning incense every evening, praying to the dead, and partaking food offered to idols.

I lived such a life until university. I was a student in a public university in Vietnam. I took pride in this fact. This pride caused me to ignore God’s existence. I rejected the Gospel of Christ which was shared to me by my Christian friends and arrogantly said that I would never go to church.

Providentially, God led me to Hope Presbyterian Church to hear the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in 2006. By His grace, God opened my heart and mind to the Gospel and I received the Lord Jesus Christ as my

Huynh Ngoc Chan, Vietnamese FEBC

graduand whose studies was supported by Truth BPC

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personal Saviour when I first attended the church service. Since then, I committed my life to the hand of my beloved Saviour Jesus Christ. The verse that touched me at that time was Matthew 6:33 which says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Unfortunately, I faced objections from my father. He did not allow me to go to church to worship God. However I did not listen to him and still went to church. He regarded me as a betrayer of our ancestors and religion. In deep despair, I remembered Psalm 27:10. “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.” From this verse, I received encouragement. I am really thankful to God for His salvation so rich and free in the Lord Jesus Christ and also for His wonderful encouragement in persecutions. I am happy that my life belongs to God.

Called to service

Since my life belonged to God, I used to ask myself what I could do for Him. He has been good and gracious to me, I have to do something in return. This thought led me to a decision to serve Him full-time. However, I was in a dilemma. If I go into full-time ministry, who will take care of my father? I would also not earn the respect of others.

The Word of God came to me again. Luke 9:62 helped me to make up my mind. It reads, “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” I recognized that my life belongs to God. I have no other choice but to follow Jesus. If I hesitate to follow His call, I would not be fit to be His child. Therefore, after I finished my university, I decided not to look for a job but to seek His will for me. I am thankful to God for opening a way for me to study His Word at Far Eastern Bible College in Singapore. It was there that I was trained and equipped with the Word of God. After finishing my studies, I was sure that God wanted me to serve Him. When I looked back at my past, I saw how wonderfully God had prepared me to work for Him.

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Current ministry

After I finished my studies at Far Eastern Bible College, I returned to Vietnam to serve God. Thank God for the work He has prepared for me. I am serving as an assistant preacher in Hope Presbyterian Church in Ho Chi Minh City, under Rev Le Van Khai. I am assigned to preach every third week of the month. I am also helping Rev Le to conduct a Bible Study every first and third Sundays. Besides Hope Presbyterian Church, I am also serving God in Shalom Presbyterian Church in Binh Duong Province, which is pastored by Rev Le Vu Bao An. I preach there every fourth Sunday of the month and conduct a Bible Study every Tuesday evening on the topic of “Charismatism”, based on Dr. Jeffrey Khoo’s lecture notes.

I am also in charge of the evangelism ministry in Shalom Presbyterian Church. I use the English classes to preach the Gospel and share God’s Word to others, especially to the non-Christians. I have started a class for worshippers in Shalom and will start another class for outsiders. While they learn English, I will have the opportunity to speak to them and share the Gospel to them.

I am really thankful to God for what I am doing now. Even though the work is not much or heavy for me, I am happy that I am doing it for God. I will use whatever ability, strength and talents God has given me to serve Him alone. Pray for me that I will stand firm on the Word of God and serve Him faithfully to the end. I hope I will overcome all weaknesses of the flesh and temptations of the world and live a life acceptable to God .

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TESTIMONY:

„THE GRACE T HAT CALLS ME‰ BY NGUYEN VAN HIEU

Call to God’s Household

I grew up in a Buddhist family. My parents and grandmother were zealous devotees to Buddhism. Since I was a small boy, my grandmother wanted me to follow in her steps to devote my life to Buddha. Thus, she often brought me to Buddhist temples and taught me the teachings of Buddhism. Thankfully, God spared me from idolatry for I always fell asleep by her knees when I went to the temple. She has also tempted me by saying she would give me her possessions if I followed her devotion to Buddha.

Providentially, one of my cousins, Nguyen Van Thien was a Christian. By God’s grace, he always told me stories about Jesus and invited me to go to church. My cousin also brought me to his house to read Bible stories. I really loved stories with pictures, stories about miracles in the Old Testament and stories about Jesus who died on the cross to pay for my ransom. Hence, I realized that I was a sinner in need of God’s grace to save me from my sins.

By the grace of God and the working of the Holy Spirit, I decided to commit my life to Jesus at Dai An Evangelical Church in my village in the year 1998. I really thank God for choosing me to be His child and strengthening me to overcome many persecutions from my family during those days.

My grandmother and parents persecuted me for my faith. They did not allow my two younger brothers to accompany me to church. My father repeatedly warned me not to bring them to church because he feared my grandmother. But later, God touched my parents to allow my two younger

Nguyen Van Hieu, Vietnamese FEBC student supported by

Truth BPC

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brothers to attend church worship service. He also called my second younger brother to full-time ministry. After my father passed away in 2010, my mother came to Christ. I really thank God for what He has done for me and my family. I still have three sisters and one beloved grandmother who are not saved. May God be merciful to save them in His time.

Call to full-time service

After graduating from High School in 2003, I entered college. My ambition was to earn a lot of money from a career in Aquatic Breeding. During my two years away from my family, God used the Youth Group of the Tam Ky Evangelical Church to help and encourage me. Through the many meetings, fellowship and preaching, I learnt to love and care for new believers and the lost. At that time, I stayed with uncle Vo Xuan Huong. His faith, sharing, guidance and his good Christian testimony influenced me a lot. Now, I realised that this was all part of God’s plan.

Upon my graduation from college, I went to Binh Duong province, 1,200 km away from my home, to work. During this time, I earned a lot of money but it did not satisfy me. I was not able to attend services regularly because of my work. My heart yearned for God’s Word and Christian Fellowship. The thought of serving God came in the year 2007 when I met Rev Le Van Khai, a Presbyterian pastor, and my cousin Thien in Ho Chi Minh City. They encouraged me to serve God and invited me to stay in the church but I struggled to make a decision. As the eldest son in my family, I had the responsibility to help my parents support my brothers and sisters’ studies. If I decided to quit my job, my family would be disappointed with me. They would not be able to understand my decision since they were still non-believers. I kept on praying and asking God to guide my decision. Providentially a long time ago, my friend shared Romans 12:11 with me which says, “not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.” This verse woke me up. I realised that serving the Lord is God’s command.

As I remembered how the Lord guided me thus far, I believed that He will also take care of me and my family. Thus, I decided to give up my

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job, heed God’s call and enter into full-time ministry. Thank God for what He has taught me and how He has guided me in His work. I was involved in church planting for more than a year in Soc Trang province. Even though I could see fruits of my labour, the strong presence of other religions and cults made me realise that I was lacking in the knowledge of God’s Word. God opened a way for me to be trained and equipped in Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) so that I may better serve the Lord in Vietnam.

After being accepted into FEBC, I returned to my hometown to bid farewell to my family before leaving for Singapore. After a ten-day visit, I was on my way to the airport. However a call from my elder sister made me turn back home. She was crying as she informed me that our father has passed away! I could not understand what she said initially but soon I realised that I would not meet my dear father again. Why has God taken my father away so early in life (50 years old) and at that point of time? After being with my family for another ten days, I came to FEBC one week late. I was filled with all the memories of my father. This sadness mingled with the hardship of studying, weighed heavily upon me.

Six semesters have passed since I studied in FEBC under the program Bachelor of Theology. I can indeed testify it was only by God's grace. I was not English educated. Therefore when I first came, I faced difficulties understanding lectures and doing assignments. Life in FEBC had not been easy but this is part of training. The life outside of school would be many times more difficult than the training in college.

Many thanks to all my lecturers who have been teaching me the fundamental doctrines. The battle for God's Word is real. Its reality is before my eyes. How can I doubt the Word of God? Where can I get the perfect Bible today? Is God preserving His Word? Those questions had occurred in my mind and I even had a hot debate with my friend (Ngoc Chan) when I first came and heard about the doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation. May God forgive my ignorance! May He help me to understand more and more of this vital doctrine so that I may teach others when I go back to Vietnam. God is so good to use this college to train and mould me to be a useful vessel for the Master's use.

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What will I do in my future ministry?

As a student of God's Word in FEBC, God has opened my eyes to realise that I must be a faithful student of God's Word first before I can impart the truth to other faithful Christians. When God works, Satan also works. Satan has been working in Vietnam to sow seeds of compromise. The Evangelical Church has fallen and therefore I greatly desire that the faculty of the Saigon Presbyterian Bible College (SPBC) be united in the same doctrinal stand for the sake of Christian fundamentalism. There is an urgent need for our college (SPBC) to have teachers who have been trained in the fundamental doctrines to train pastors and teachers. This was one of the reasons why I have been sent to be trained in a college like FEBC.

Fundamentalism must not only be taught in the bible colleges but also in our churches. Young men and women need to be trained so that these fundamental doctrines can be passed on to the next generation. Every child of God must obey the Truth of God and every leader of the church must be watchful not to fall into the tragedy of compromise. Their focus should not only be on evangelism but also on teaching the whole counsel of God. However to do so, the leaders of the church must be first grounded in God's Word. May God help me so that I may help them.

Translating fundamental books is also one of the ways to strengthen fundamentalism in Vietnam. It is my great desire for the growth of fundamentalism. I believed that when people have fundamental books in their hands, they will better understand fundamentalism and thus be better informed to choose the right path. Lastly, I would like to call for help to those who have the truth to go to Vietnam to teach and train those who have dedicated themselves for the work of the Lord. If those who are faithful cooperate in training these men, I believe that the work in Vietnam will surely multiply and bring forth abundant fruits. Glory to His name! Amen.

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It was God who raised up True Gospel Bible School in Kampot, Cambodia. Since Pr Liv Rotha and I graduated from FEBC, we prayed about starting a Bible School in Cambodia where everyone can have the opportunity to learn more about God’s word. This was one of the reasons why Pr Liv Rotha, Pr John Saray and I came together to Kampot to start the church in the beginning. Thank God for enabling Pr Rotha and me to eventually start this Bible School in Kampot in January 2010, after Pr John Saray left to start a church in Sihanoukville.

Objectives of the True Gospel Bible School:

1. To teach sound doctrines received from FEBC (2 Timothy 2:2) 2. To defend the faith once delivered unto the saints (Jude 1:3b) 3. To take a firm stand on Biblical separation (2 Corinthians 6:17) 4. To hold onto the belief that God’s Word is verbally and plenarily

inspired (2 Timothy 3:16) and verbally and plenarily preserved forever by divine “singular care” (Psalm 12:6-7; Matthew 5:18)

Commencement of first semester studies (January to May 2010)

Praise and thank God for answering our prayers. Initially, God sent eight students but three dropped out after a few weeks. Thank God, we have five faithful students who continued on their studies with us even till today. During the first semester, we had three teachers. This was because although Pr Saray had moved to Sihanoukville, he came back to teach in the Bible School for one semester. We offered nine subjects, with a total of 16 credits for the first semester. Pr Saray taught “Church History I” and “Homiletics”, while I taught from the “Book of Genesis”, “Joshua, Judges and Ruth”, “Contemporary I”, and “English.” Pr Rotha taught “Systematic Theology I (Theism)”, “Life of Christ I” and “Westminster Standard.”

After the first semester, Pr Saray could not continue to teach. Thank

TESTIMONY:

„BLESSINGS UPON BIBLE SCHOOL IN KAM POT, CAMBODIA‰ BY PR CHAN SOPHEAK

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God that starting from this semester (January 2013), he has resumed teaching in the Bible School. Please pray for journey mercies as he has to travel between Sihanoukville and Kampot in order to teach in the Bible School for two days each month. The two subjects that he offered this semester are “Old Testament Survey” and “Cults (Jehovah Witnesses).”

We thank God also for sending Brother Kiet Thaven to help us in the Bible School for one and a half years. In our third semester (January 2011), he was asked to teach “Thinking and Study Skills”, “Biblical Counseling”, “The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Old and the New Testaments.” Besides this, he also took charge of Bible memory verses and Evangelism. Other subjects which he had taught in the fourth and fifth semester includes “The Epistle to the Ephesians,” “Second Timothy,” “The Acts of the Apostle”, “Colossians and Philemon”, “Hosea & Joel” and “Homiletics”.

Thank God for enabling Pr Rotha and me to teach every semester. Pr Rotha has taught subjects including “Systematic Theology III (Soteriology)”, “Systematic Theology IV (Eschatology)”, “Homiletics”, “The Ancients and Modern Heresies”, “Harmony of the Gospels”, “Pastoral Lessons from Paul”, “Biblical Separation”, “Book of Hebrews” and “First Corinthians” whereas I have taught “Old Testament History II”, “Contemporary III”, “Contemporary IV”, “First Kings”, “Minor Prophets” and “Second Kings.”

Beside Pr Saray, Pr Rotha, and myself, sister Sun Leakena would be teaching English in the Bible School starting this semester. She is also one of our Bible students. We are thankful to God for her as she has been very helpful in the ministry. She is currently involved in the children’s ministry and teaching in the English classes.

The first graduation service of True Gospel Bible School will be on 26 May 2013. Thank God five students will be graduating. God willing, four of them will graduate with a diploma while one will receive a certificate.

Lastly, please pray that if God wills, He will provide a piece of land so that a permanent building may be built for True Gospel Bible School and True Gospel B-P Church.

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TESTIMONY:

„TEST IMONIES OF CURRENT TRUE GOSPEL BIBLE SCHOOL STUDENTS‰

Sim Dara (front row, squatting on the right)

I would like to share how True Gospel Bible School has helped me in my spiritual understanding that only Jesus can save and redeem me from the darkness of sin. He is the only God whom I believe and will continue to trust until the day He returns.

First of all, I confess that I am a sinner. I went against God when I was blinded by Satan. Thank God for His grace and mercy who has called me out of false teachings and from the wrong things that I did in the past. I want to thank the Lord for the Bible School and my two teachers, Pr Liv Rotha and Pr Chan Sopheak who have been teaching me the Word of God faithfully. They encouraged me to read the Bible which is the perfect Word of God even today. At times, I face many trials and difficulties, yet God’s Holy Word comforts me. I trust that my living

From left to right - Front row (squatting): Meas Bolen, Sim Dara Middle row: Pr Sopheak (lecturer), Hon Sokchea, Yoeung Sokchamroen, Chev Sreymom, They Saron, Sean Bolin, Sun Srei Leakena, Liv Chada

Back row: Aun Vancheart, Kiet Leakena, Pr Rotha (lecturer) Absent: Pr Saray (lecturer)

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Savior, Jesus Christ, will help me go through all these hardships.

Secondly, I thank the Lord for the Holy Bible that He has given us. I believe that the KJV Bible is the most accurate translation among all the English Bibles. 2 Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” God’s Word has motivated me to give my life to glorify God and His name alone.

Lastly, I would like to share my knowledge of the Bible with my brethren so that they may know and receive salvation of the Lord. I will tell them about Jesus Christ who alone can redeem us from sin and God’s final judgment.

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Chev Sreymom (middle row, fourth person from the left)

Life before studying in Bible School

Before I went to study in the Bible School, I did not understand much of God’s Word nor did I understand doctrines. I was not able to distinguish which doctrines were right and which doctrines were wrong. In the past, I also could not read the English Bible. I did not have this knowledge and I wanted to study in the Bible School, so I prayed to the Lord.

Life in Bible School

I thank the Lord so much for He has blessed me through teacher Sopheak and teacher Rotha who started the Bible School. Teacher John Saray has also been a blessing. He taught us for the first semester and this semester, he has returned to teach us again. The Bible school started in January 2010. Thank God that He has raised a Bible School at a time like this. God answered my prayer by giving me the opportunity to study God’s Word. I am happy in this Bible School. I enjoy the classes. All the teachers teach me from God’s Word. They focus on the doctrines of the Bible and other subjects such as Biblical separation and Charismatism.

Besides having received sound doctrines through this Bible School, I have also improved in my reading and writing of the English language.

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This Bible School has blessed me so much and it is my prayer that God may continue to use this Bible School for many more years. Amen.

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Kiet Leakena (back row, second person from the left)

My name is Leak. I am 22 years old. I am the youngest son in my family. The reason why I entered the Bible School was because as a Christian who believes in Jesus Christ, I want to know the Word of God more and more. I love to study God’s Word. After I complete my studies, I plan to share this knowledge that I have received to the unsaved. This is the summary on why I want to learn the Bible. Finally, I just want to thank God for His love, forgiveness and every blessing including health, peace, and life.

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Yoeung Sokchamroen (middle row, third person from the left)

I did not believe in Jesus Christ in my early years because my family members were Buddhist. I thank God for His mercies for He called me from wickedness, blindness, and darkness. I heard the good news through the three preachers, Pr Sopheak, Pr Rotha, and Pr Saray. All of them shared the gospel with me at the old church near my house. Although I went to church, I did not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ then. I went to the English classes as I wanted to learn English. The preachers would share the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ to the students. This made me interested in the Gospel. When the church moved, I continued my study of English there on the invitation of the preachers. At this new place, the preachers started the Bible School. I was asked if I wanted to study the Bible. I said "yes.” While studying at the Bible School, I finally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. I came to know Him as both Lord and Saviour of the world and as my personal Lord. After three years of studying, I have learnt much from God's Word which has changed me into a better person. May God continue to help me walk in the way of light. May God’s name be praised!

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Sun Leakena (middle row, second person from the right)

Even though, I had graduated from FEBC with a Diploma of Theology not long ago, I still thank God for sending me to serve in True Gospel B-P church and to study God’s Word afresh in True Gospel Bible School. Truly, the Word of God is always fresh and sweet in Christians' lives. There are many new spiritual lessons yet to be learnt. Thank God for a blessed time of learning, to be corrected and also to be reminded by the Word of God each day. I always give thanks to God for all FEBC lecturers. Not only did they hold fast to the Word but they also taught the whole counsel of God faithfully to all the students who pass through the halls of FEBC. I regret that I did not do my best while I was in FEBC as I should have done. This year’s new semester began on 8 January 2013. There was quite a number of new students. Thank God for calling these people to study His Word. For me, there were many new spiritual lessons to learn because I have not taken many of the subjects yet. I found the studies still very challenging, but I am also enjoying it.

I was born into a Buddhist family and never had the desire to be a Christian at all. However, God’s plan was greater and higher than mine. He turned my life upside down and made me realise that He is the Almighty God who is controlling the whole universe and my life. Before I was born, my father worked in the sea port in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Most of the people who worked there were rich and wealthy. Sadly, just months before my birth, my father got into a car accident and died. As a widow with three children, my mum had to support the entire family together with my eldest sister who just became a teenager. As the youngest child in my family, I was never hungry. Our family business was good and my family was well provided for.

No matter how good or well supported I had been, I still lacked one thing and that was the love of a father for he passed away before I was born. This was the struggle of my heart. I was very jealous of my friends since young and through my teenage years. This sin consistently bothered me. I never had peace whenever I see my friends, neighbours

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and others with their father. This pain did not depart from me even though my mother and my siblings loved me very much. I used to murmur to the idol by saying, "Why do others have a father who showered them with so much care and love to their children and I did not?”

I was then a Buddhist. I was taught by my mother, my teachers and also the elderly people that in order to get salvation, I have to worship other gods and do good works. I went to the pagoda on most of the special days together with my loved ones to worship idols and to do all kinds of religious rituals. I thought that by following these practices, I could find peace and my jealousy would stop, but that was not the case.

In His perfect timing, God called me to become His child. I heard the gospel messages through my elder brother. He invited me to go to church to worship God every Sunday. However, it took several years before I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour. The reason I hesitated was because I thought that He was a foreign God. It seemed strange for me to close my eyes to pray and sing praises in the church as I was a shy person. A few years after that, I was invited by my brother to help him in his new ministry. This started one year after his graduation from FEBC. Thanks to God for that opportunity to help even though my motive was to improve my language and not to serve God.

I helped in Sunday School to take care of the children’s physical needs, such as bringing them to the toilet, preparing refreshments and sending them back home after the service. The Bible lessons, gospel messages and Christian songs which I listened each week was used by the Lord to teach me many precious spiritual lessons. I learnt that I am a sinner. I needed His grace each day to survive and have peace. I am a different person for the Lord had transformed me. I now have a Father who will never leave me. He will always be near me when I call on Him. I found peace and joy in Him which no other gods can give. All praise and thanks to God. May the Lord continue to use me to be a channel of blessing to others each day!

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MISSIONS TRIP REPORT:

„KENYA, 22 NOV EMBER TO 11 DECEMBER 2012‰ BY CAROL LEE Praise and thank God for yet another opportunity to minister to our brethren in Kenya. I arrived back in Singapore on 11 December (Tuesday) with much joy and thanksgiving to our gracious Lord for His safekeeping throughout my trip and His rich blessing of Christian fellowship with our Kenyan brethren.

In Bomet, the building project (a 3-storey accommodation block) of the Bomet Bible Institute (BBI) continues to make slow progress. Funds are still needed for the work to continue to completion. This year, I was able to stay in one of the rooms on the ground floor.

The BBI Library and the Children’s Library continue to welcome donations of used Christian books in good condition from Singapore. As invited by Rev Michael Koech (Principal of BBI and Vice Bishop of the Africa Gospel Unity Church), and by God’s grace, I conducted a 20-hour Vacation Bible Course on “Women in the Bible” at the BBI from 26 to 29 November. The course was repeated the following week (3 to 6 December) in Eldoret, in the campus of the Faith College of the Bible (FCB) for the benefit of members of local churches in the Eldoret region. A total of 30 BBI students, pastors and church leaders from the Africa Gospel Unity Church (AGUC) attended the course at Bomet while at Eldoret there were 8 members from two groups of churches: the AGUC and the Holy Trinity Church of Africa (HTCA).

Do continue to pray for the training ministry in Bomet and Eldoret that labourers may be further equipped to serve our Lord in their local churches.

Bomet Bible School’s building project has been making slow progress

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Do also pray for the AGUC’s missions work in Tanzania: (a) the registration of the AGUC in Tanzania, and (b) the establishment of a local church in Kome, Tanzania.

This year, Pstr Nelson Were also invited me to conduct a one-day Leaders’ Seminar at the HTCA in Kisumu. So, on 8 December

(Saturday), we left Eldoret at 6.40 am to make the two-and-a-half-hour journey (by church van) to Kisumu. The topics covered in the Seminar were “Church Leadership: The Call of God”, “Church Leadership: Biblical Qualifications” and “Christian Education for Leaders and Members.”

About 40 pastors and leaders attended the Seminar, which ended with a time of Q-and-A. May our Lord be pleased to use this Seminar to aid the HTCA in their development of leaders and to instill in them a love for the Word of God and to obey it. After the Seminar, we returned to Eldoret. The evening drive (on mountain roads and through towns without street lights) took us about 3 hours. Thank God for His safekeeping. We arrived back in Eldoret at about 8.15 pm.

With the love gifts from members of Truth BPC, Pastor Nelson has been able to continue with his Swahili sermon radio broadcast ministry where, for S$150 a month, he can have his Swahili sermons broadcast over radio for 15 minutes a week. May many listeners be brought under the gospel sound through this ministry. I thank God for extending my ministry beyond Bomet and Eldoret this year and into Kisumu to co-labour with our Kenyan brethren in the training of church leaders. Lord willing I shall return to minister to them again in 2013. May God bless many who prayed for this trip, as well as those who give of their substance. All glory be unto God!

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With the participants at the Leaders’ seminar on 8 December 2012 at the Holy Trinity Church of Africa, Kisumu

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Students at the Leadership Conference

MISSIONS TRIP REPORT:

„KAM POT, 12 TO 18 DECEMBER 2012‰ BY KAREN LEE Team members: Rev & Mrs Dennis Kwok, Ernest & Caius Kwok, Karen Lee

Objective: To conduct True Gospel BPC 5th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service and the 1st Leadership Conference

The Great Commission that the Lord Jesus Christ gave His Church in Matthew 28:18-20 comprises not only evangelism, but also indoctrination. The Church is not only to teach the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ, but also to teach His followers to observe all things He has commanded them in His Word. We thank God for the people who had come to a saving knowledge of our Saviour through the work of True Gospel BPC (Kampot, Cambodia) and for the opportunity to rejoice with the brethren there during their 5th Anniversary. We also thank God for the opportunity to encourage them in their work for the Lord through the 1st Leadership Conference.

We arrived Kampot in the evening on Wednesday (12 December). The Leadership Conference commenced the next day with Morning Chapel on an exposition of the Lord’s Prayer taken from Matthew 6:7-15. This was followed by two one and a half-hour sessions on the study of Biblical Separation (based on Dr Jeffrey Khoo’s book). These were held over 3 days from Thursday (13 December) to Saturday (15 December), with Pastor Dennis as the speaker, and Pr Sopheak as interpreter.

Pastor Dennis led the students to consider portions of Scripture that exhort them to obey this important doctrine, and addressed contemporary issues that particularly call for such a practice. Teachings were made relevant to the people’s life when specific examples were given in response to questions raised during the Q-&-A held

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at the final session.

It is important for all who profess to be followers of Christ to follow their Master even in practising this important doctrine in their daily life, and particularly so for the leaders. We pray that the Lord will be merciful, and that He will help the leaders live a life of purity and to lead His people in ways of purity, that the church may indeed be the “called-out” ones, set apart for the Lord’s use.

I conducted a one-and-a-half-hour Sunday School Teachers’ Training on Thursday and Friday afternoons after lunch to encourage the teachers in their service. This began with an exhortation from God’s Word taken from 2 Timothy 3:16-17, where we consider the importance of God’s Word in light of its (a) Nature (v16a), (b) Use (v16b), and (c) Results (v17). May the teachers see how important God’s Word is in these perilous times, and how the only thing they can offer others is the Word of God,

a living Book with a living Author that is able to change lives.

Over the two days of Teachers’ Training, the example of Ezra in Nehemiah 8:1-8 was used. We considered the importance of attention given to the Word of God and the explanation of it. We also looked at some examples of how God’s Word can be taught effectively. The teachers were introduced to some teaching aids (eg. powerpoint, flashcards, flannelgraphs, models and sketch-and-tell) and their effective use. We also looked at some examples of pictures that may not give an accurate description. The teachers were reminded that teaching aids are but only aids to teaching and are not to replace the Bible, and that they can still be a good Bible teacher without any teaching aids, if they have God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit indwelling and helping them.

Not only must the teachers hold the children’s attention, they must also explain God’s Word in their teaching. They are reminded that they are

Sunday School Teachers’ Training

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not merely a storyteller, but a Bible teacher, and hence the importance to read God’s Word distinctly, give the sense and cause the people to understand. (cf. Nehemiah 8:8). Through examples given, they were led to see how they can make God’s Word come alive in the hearts and minds of the children when they explain God’s Word in light of its times and customs. The teachers were reminded that they must first be students of God’s Word before they can be teachers of it, and were also introduced to some Bible study resources. May the Lord help all Bible teachers to always be good students of God’s Word that we may be used by Him to also be good teachers of His Word. Thank God for Pr Rotha and Sis Leakena who interpreted on the first and second day respectively. About 16 students attended the Conference.

English classes were conducted in the evening with Yee Min as teacher, using powerpoint slides, and Ernest and Caius assisting. To ensure these classes serve its evangelistic intention, Yee Min not only taught the children simple conversational English to aid our communication, but also words contained in the Gospel message. Songs like “O, How I Love Jesus” were sung and the Gospel shared. The

lessons were repeated later for another class on Thurs. On Friday, only one class was conducted, after which we made our way to True Faith BPC to conduct an English class.

A Christmas Gospel Rally was conducted at the Andong Khmer Village (one of the church outreaches) on Sat evening where Pstr Dennis gave a message based on Luke 2: 8-18, with Bro Tann Heng as interpreter. The

English Class

Pstr Dennis gave the message at the Christmas Gospel Rally at Andong

Khmer Village

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140 children attended the gospel rally in the church

children presented song items as well as a Christmas skit on the birth of Christ. However, the skit included an inaccurate presentation of the wise men visiting baby Jesus on the night He was born, together with the shepherds. Thank God this was corrected in light of Matthew 2: 11 before the skit was repeated the next day at True Gospel Christmas Rally. Thank God for the humble response showed when the error was pointed out, which we ought to emulate. The Lord brought about 90

children to attend the Gospel Rally at the Village, and about 140 children at the evening Gospel Rally held the next day in the church. A last minute request was made for me to speak to the younger children during the Christmas Rally while Pastor Dennis spoke to the older children and adults. Thank God for helping me to deliver a message on the birth of Christ based on Luke 2:1-7, which was later

reinforced by the children’s skit presentation as well as our song item “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne.” May the Lord help these little ones to give their hearts to Jesus.

We thank God for the opportunity to worship God with the Cambodian brethren at True Faith BPC Christmas Service before we made our way to attend True Gospel 5th Anniversary Service in the morning. At True Faith, the Lord’s Supper was served and there was a song presentation by the children, as well as by our team before Pstr Dennis spoke on Matthew 2:18-25 with Pr Rotha as interpreter. However, during the message, Pr Rotha experienced great stomach pain and was unable to continue interpreting. Bro Sim Dara who was the chairman quickly took over while

True Faith BPC Christmas Service

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Pr Rotha retired to his room to rest. Please pray for Pr Rotha.

After attending the service at True Faith, we made our way to True Gospel worship service. Thank God for His faithfulness upon True Gospel BPC for the past 5 years. As we rejoiced with the brethren there, and remembered the Lord at His Table, God also brought two new visitors from Holland to join us at the Anniversary and to hear the Word preached from Mark 10:17-27. We thank God that they were able to join us at the Christmas Rally held later in the evening.

God’s faithfulness never fails, and we pray that God will continue to keep True Gospel faithful to His cause, and to continue to use her to be His witness to preach the true Gospel to a world dying in sin, and to teach the whole counsel of God in all its fullness and purity. Although our purpose is to minister to the brethren there and to encourage them in

their service for Christ, we were also greatly ministered to and encouraged by them. Thank God for their kind hospitality, and for their labour of love such as preparing meals to feed God’s people, etc. Thank God also for opportunities to fellowship with the brethren during our short time there, and to enjoy God’s creation in an excursion to one of the mountains on Monday

before we left. The Lord is good.

May the all-powerful and all-present God grant us His grace to obey Him in the Great Commission, and to also help our supporting churches to do the same.

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Thank God for the kind hospitality of Pr Sopheak and family

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MISSIONS TRIP REPORT:

„SIHANOUKVILLE, 23 TO 29 JANUARY 2013‰ BY JOHN LOO Thank God for seeing Lively Hope B-P Church in Sihanoukville through another year. Our team (comprising Pastor Dennis Kwok, Martin Cheong, Jacob Lim, William Tan and myself) arrived safely at Phnom Penh and proceeded immediately to Kampot. After a three-hour ride, we reached Kampot and spent a night there. The next day, the team met with Prs Sopheak and Rotha and a few Bible School students. The team also made a short visit to True Faith B-P Church. We then proceeded to Sihanoukville to meet with Pr John Saray and family, and we spent the next few days there. The main purpose of this visit was to celebrate with the brethren of Lively Hope B-P Church their 2nd Anniversary.

Pastor Dennis conducted a Family Seminar on “The Roles of Christian Parents and Parenthood” on two mornings. Pr Saray was the interpreter. The Seminar was attended by fourteen people, including Prs Sopheak and Rotha and a few Bible School students from Kampot, a Japanese

lady and some local residents from the neighbourhood.

Participants of the Family Seminar conducted by Pastor Dennis

The team went to Kampot for a short visit

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Martin and I helped with the evening English classes. Bible lessons were incorporated into the teaching of English words and phrases. Lydia and Pr Saray stood in to interpret. The classes were attended by about twenty children, aged seven to fifteen. The children were active participants and eager to learn.

Together with Pr Saray, Lydia and their family, we visited a few families staying in rented quarters opposite Lively Hope B-P Church. The children of these families regularly attend the Sunday School and English classes. They live in squalid conditions, with the bare minimum. Pastor Dennis shared the

Gospel and spoke words of encouragement to them and their neigbours.

The 2nd Anniversary Thanksgiving Service was held on the Lord’s Day of 27 January at 2 pm. Pstr Dennis exhorted from Psalm

Visiting the rented quarters opposite the church

Teaching at the evening English classes

2nd Anniversary Service of Lively Hope BPC

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126 on God’s goodness. He also conducted the Lord’s Supper. The Cambodian children rendered a song item followed by our Singapore team singing “The Lord is Good.” About 70 people attended this Thanksgiving Service, about half of whom were children. May our good Lord continue to pour His richest blessings upon our brethren and prosper their ministries both in Sihanoukville and in Kampot.

Early the following day, our team made a four-hour trip in a 13-seater commuter to Phnom Penh, arriving in the afternoon. We stayed the night and took a tuk-tuk to the airport to catch our morning flight back to Singapore.

Indeed, the Lord is good. All the way through, the Lord had been very gracious to us all. He had gone before us, led us and brought us safely back. Thank God for every opportunity to witness for Him and to be an encouragement to our brethren in Cambodia.

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Children’s presentation during the Anniversary Thanksgiving service Blessed 2nd Anniversary

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MISSIONS TRIP REPORT:

„KAM POT, 16 TO 23 MARCH 2013‰ BY REV DENNIS KWOK Thank the Lord for my second trip to Cambodia in 2013. I am expected to make six trips this year. Brother Yirong was able to join me, and this trip was his first visit to Cambodia. We came back with much joy and thanksgiving for the blessings we received from God, as well as for the sweet fellowship with the brethren there. Their hospitality was excellent, for which we thank God. May God bless their labour of love.

On the Lord’s Day (17 March), we were at True Gospel BPC for the Worship Service at 9.30 am. We had good fellowship with the worshippers after the Service. One of them, Keerth Srent, is the father of a student of True Gospel Bible School. He has been worshipping regularly at True Gospel BPC. He works as a detective for the government. A few months ago, he was hurt in an accident, and his left arm was broken and it had to be put in a cast. When Pr Sopheak visited him and shared the gospel with him, he readily accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. According to Pr Sopheak, Keerth Srent reads the Bible every day and tries to witness for Christ whenever he can. Thank God for his faith. As his injured hand is not recovering well, it needs to be operated on. As the cost of operation is high, he is trusting the Lord to provide. Praise God again for his unwavering faith. He is currently preparing himself for adult baptism. Pr Sopheak will be going through the Basic Bible Knowledge course with him. God willing, Keerth Srent can be baptized when I meet with him again.

On the same Lord’s Day at 4 pm was True Faith’s First Anniversary Thanksgiving Service. The sanctuary was packed to the brim. I was informed that there were at least 130 people present, majority being children. Even the camera could not capture them all in one photo. We thank God that some of the neighbours came too. We pray that the gospel seed that had been sown in their hearts will yield increase in due time. We thank God for the blessed Anniversary.

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One reason why there were so many children was because of the new outreach at Kampong Kreng that Pr Rotha started last October. It is a ten-minute drive away from the church. What amused me was that this new outreach started

under a tree. Every Sunday afternoon, Pr Rotha and Sim Dara (a student of the Bible School) take turns to teach Sunday School to about 20 to 30 children under the tree. May the Lord continue to bless this outreach.

From Monday to Friday (18 to 22 March), 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm, I conducted a 15-hour book study on the Epistle of James at the True Gospel Bible School. Sixteen (including the eleven students of the Bible School) attended this one-credit-hour course. One of the students (a Methodist pastor’s wife) had met with a motor accident a week earlier. Her right foot was fractured and was put in a cast. Instead of resting and recuperating at home, she chose to attend the five-day course. I was moved by her love for God’s Word. Her Methodist pastor

Thank God for T rue Faith BPC’s 1st Anniversary

True Faith BPC’s new outreach which was started under a tree

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husband fetched her to school on a motorbike. Despite the injury, there was always a smile on her face. She was an encouragement to everyone in the class. I was told that when she first became a student in True

Gospel Bible School, her knowledge of English was almost zero. That was three years ago. Today, not only is she able to understand English, she is also able to write in English. I am very happy that she has made such great improvements. She did well in the daily quizzes and the final exam which were all in English. Praise God for that!

At both True Gospel and True Faith, Yirong was asked to introduce himself to the children in the English classes. As a result, he was involved in some interesting conversation with the children using simple English. This enabled the children to practise their spoken English. Thank God for the opportunity.

This has been the longest trip (8 days, 7 nights) I had ever made to Cambodia. God willing, my next trip will be in May, with the objective of rejoicing with five of the Bible School students who will be graduating with their diploma. Sim Dara and the pastor’s wife will be among the graduands. And this will be the first graduation of True Gospel Bible School scheduled to be held on 26 May. Join me if you can to witness the graduation together. May God’s Name be magnified and glorified. Amen.

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The final exam at the end of the course

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KIDSÊ CORNER:

„A SPECIAL CALL‰

Have your parents ever called you to do a special job? The “Special Call” we are talking here is a different kind of call. Yes, it is a call for a special task but it is not a call from an ordinary human being. It is from God. While Jesus was on earth, he called some fishermen. To learn more about this special call, read Luke 5:1-11 and complete the following activity.

Instruction: Read the statements below carefully. If it is true, circle the letter in the corresponding column and vice versa. If your answers are all correct, the circled letters will form the answer to the last question. The first one is done for you.

True / False

1) P / R Jesus was by the lake of Gennesaret when he saw the fishermen.

2) R / E Simon obeyed Jesus when Jesus asked him to launch out into the deep, and let down his nets.

3) O / E Simon had already caught a lot of fishes the night before but he still obeyed Jesus and let down his net.

4) A / W The number of fishes caught was so great that it broke the net and filled two boats, even to the point that they began to sink.

5) F / C This made Simon Peter angry and he scolded Jesus.

6) L / H Jesus said unto Simon Peter, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

7) E / U James and John (the sons of Zebedee) who were partners with Simon Peter were surprised by the great catch.

8) R / K Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.”

9) S / D Peter, James and John answered Jesus’ call and they gave up everything to follow Him.

Jesus called Peter, James and John to be fishers of men. Fishers of men is another way of saying ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ of the Gospel.

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P