OBEDIENCE TO GOD

YPF Camp 2016 Report by Joshua Chan

The True Life Young People’s Fellowship held a combined youth camp with the youths from Truth BPC from the 26^th to the 30^th of December at Resort Lautan Biru, Mersing. A total of 79 campers attended the camp, including parents and speakers. Most of the campers travelled by coach and arrived safely at the resort at 11.45am.

Messages

The camp’s theme was “Obedience to God” taken from the theme verse, Joshua 1:8. Our pastor, Rev Jeffrey Khoo, was our speaker for the theme messages. Preaching twice daily, he exhorted us on the different aspects of obedience, such as (1) Obedience to God, (2) Obedience to the Word, (3) Obedience of Faith and (4) Disobedience and Its Consequences. Bro Shobastian spoke to us on being a disciple of Christ during the morning devotions. During which, he shed light on (1) The Call to Be a Disciple of Christ, (2) A True Disciple and His True Master, (3) The Journey of a Disciple of Christ and (4) The Commission of a Disciple of Christ. By God’s grace, all the messages were well-received.

After the theme messages each day, the campers would break into their respective groups for a time of group discussion, which would last for an hour.

Activities

Activities were organized for the youths in the afternoons. On Monday afternoon, we had some ice-breakers for the youths to get to know each other. On Tuesday afternoon, a time of object lessons was organized. During which, several Bible lessons were taught and incorporated through games. On Wednesday afternoon, pastor gave us a workshop on “Knowing the Will of God”. He explained to us how we can discern and be sure of the specific will of God in our lives. Thank God for this very timely workshop! Many shared that they were facing crossroads in their lives, mostly with regard to what school/course or subjects to choose in the coming year, but were now much more sure on how to seek God’s will for their lives. On Thursday afternoon, we had a skit presentation, where the different groups presented their skit based on the lessons learnt from camp. The afternoons were kept free for the parents and they took the opportunity to fellowship, rest, and to visit the nearby shopping centre.

Programmes were organized for all in the night as well. A video entitled “Pamela’s Prayer” was screened during Tuesday night and a prayer meeting was held on Wednesday night. Thursday night was devoted to the giving of testimonies by the campers. Each camper gave thanks to God for what they had learnt and shared how God had so graciously worked in their lives.

We had a Question and Answer segment on the final day of camp. There was a flurry of questions for pastor to answer. As a fitting end to camp, a thanksgiving offering was collected and given to the running of the resort.

We left the resort at 1.30pm on Friday afternoon, and arrived at FEBC at 5.00pm after a smooth three and a half hour trip. God has indeed blessed us with another wonderful and blessed YPF camp! When we resume our daily activities, when Satan and the world pulls hard at us, when the weaknesses of heart begin to show, I pray that God will help each camper to continue in obedience and to live holy lives for His glory. All praise and glory be to God.

[A video of the camp can be viewed at the True Life BPC YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=735odwk-cEg].

“BE NOT UNEQUALLY YOKED”

A Report on the Young People’s Bible Conference in Mindanao
by Dr Jose Lagapa

The Young People’s Bible Conference was held the second time in Central Mindanao University. The theme for the conference was “Be Not Unequally Yoked!” taken from 2 Corinthians 6:14. The doctrine of biblical separation is one of the most neglected doctrines in the church today, even amongst Bible-believing churches. This doctrine is based on God’s holiness, “For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy… For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (Lev 11:44-45). The God of the Bible always emphasizes separation from sin, for He is “of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity” (Hab 1:13). Peter said, “…as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Pet 1:15-16).

Messages

Eight messages were delivered under the following titles: (1) The Necessity of Biblical Separation, (2) Biblical Separation from Sin, Worldliness, Ecumenism and Erring Brethren, (3) The Reasons, Method and Blessings of Biblical Separation. A video entitled “Captivated: the Movie” was shown to address the evils and perils of social media among the Christian youths. A Q&A session on the last day wrapped up the messages for the 3D/2N conference from December 19 to 21, 2016. There were 67 young people from 23 churches (mostly Fundamental Baptists) who participated in this year’s YPBC.

Critical issues tackled throughout the conference included immorality among youths, bondage of social media, contemporary Christian music, relationships with unbelievers and church divisions. The lack of the teaching of God’s Word to the youths has redirected the focus of their meetings into fun and games. The absence of biblical separation among the youths is due primarily to the deficiency of biblical instructions.

In 2014, the conference was co-sponsored by the Central Mindanao University–Christian Students Fellowship (CMU-CSF). This time the sponsoring and organizing committees were from True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church (TLBPC). The group discussions, dorm fellowships, object lessons and games were facilitated by the young people from TLBPC. Although there was an apparent lack of facilitators, the Lord was so gracious to strengthen them to be able to handle the heavy burden of expediting the whole conference to the glory of God!

Other Activities

The Lord be praised for other preaching opportunities at Dagumbaan Fundamental Baptist Church (15^th December), the Thanksgiving Service of the Gingoog Fundamental Baptist Church (18^th December), and the house-warming of Prof Pat Solidum (21^st December).

Thanksgiving

Praise and thank the Lord for True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church, Singapore, for sponsoring these ministries. We acknowledge our pastor, the Rev Dr Jeffrey Khoo and the Church Session for their support both financial and spiritual. Praise God for Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) with special acknowledgement to the principal for allowing us the use of the FEBC publications Theology for Every Christian and Biblical Separation.

Praise the Lord for the never-ending support of Hokkaido Bible Center, Sapporo City, Hokkaido, Japan. We thank God for Pastor Robert Kluttz for his love for the Philippines. Thank God for the burden and zeal laid upon Dr Einstine Opiso, Prof Patria Solidum, and their respective families, and also for the great help of Gingoog Fundamental Baptist Church as God used them in inviting and organizing this year’s Bible Equipping Seminar and Training and the Young People’s Bible Conference.

Young People’s Fellowship Camp, 26–30 December 2016,
Resort Lautan Biru, Mersing