FAR EASTERN BIBLE COLLEGE

Praise the Lord! The FEBC family celebrated another successful semester with a thanksgiving dinner and service on April 28, 2017. Nasi Briyani was served to 150 who came for the service. We had the Rev Paul Cheng—FEBC alumnus and pastor of Bethel B-P Church (Melbourne)—as our speaker. He spoke on singlemindedness in ministry from John 21:18–25.

Daily Vacation Bible College

The DVBC was held at Resort Lautan Biru (RLB) in Mersing—FEBC’s external campus. RLB is the brainchild of FEBC’s founding principal Rev Dr Timothy Tow. Since its opening in the year 2000, FEBC has been holding its yearly retreat in RLB—our home away from home. We had 80 participants.

May 1–4 saw the students studying the “Seven Stars of the Protestant Reformation”, namely, Wycliffe, Huss, Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, Tyndale, and Knox. These were “stars” because they were God’s messengers in an apostate age—“The seven stars are the angels (angeloi, ie messengers) of the seven churches” (Rev 1:20). Besides the lectures by the Principal, seven videos on the life and times of the Reformers were screened.

The course was a sober reminder of our God-given duty to be faithful and true to our Saviour and His forever infallible and inerrant words, especially in this atheistic and apostate age. Against postmodernism, neo-liberalism, neo-evangelicalism and neo-fundamentalism which deny the present perfection and absolute authority of the Holy Scriptures, claiming that the inspired Scriptures were only infallible in the past (in the autographs) but no longer infallible today, we in FEBC stand foursquare on the truth of God’s extraordinary providence in keeping His inspired words pure throughout the ages (the apographs). The Reformers preached authoritatively—“Thus saith the Lord”, “It is written”—from an infallible and inerrant text they had in their hands, and so do we. We have the same Bible.

42^nd Graduation Service

FEBC’s 42^nd Graduation Service was held at Calvary Pandan B-P Church on 7 May 2017. 29 received their well-earned certificates and degrees. The Rev Errol Stone—an FEBC alumnus and pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church (Perth)—was the Lord’s messenger. He preached passionately on the topic “Loving God by Shepherding His People” (John 21:1–17). The Calvary Pandan Choir sang, “I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go”. A copy of Heavenly Melodies: Hymns, Choruses and Verses of Timothy Tow—a new publication by True Life B-P Church—was presented to each graduand. About 700 came to rejoice with the College.

4^th Reformation Pilgrimage

On the occasion of the 500^th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, FEBC embarks on its 4^th Reformation Pilgrimage led by Dr and Mrs Jeffrey Khoo, May 10–22, this time to the cradle and the crucible of
the Reformation—England and Scotland respectively. There is a stopover in Amsterdam, Holland enroute to London. We have 30 pilgrims from seven churches. We spend two Lord’s Days away—first Lord’s Day at New Life B-P Church (London) and Metropolitan Tabernacle (Spurgeon’s), and the second Lord’s Day at the Edinburgh Free Church Continuing (DV). In our pilgrimage, we shall study how God used Wycliffe, Tyndale, Knox and others to reform the Church which had been corrupted by covetousness and worldliness, idolatry and superstition. Two credits to all who submit a substantive research paper. JK

Ordination

Greetings in the most blessed name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I am very pleased to write to you that the ordination of Rev Lal Lian Uk, as agreed by the ordination ministers, was conducted on the Lord’s Day, 30 April 2017, at BK Center Hall, Insein, Yangon, arranged by First BPC. The ordination was conducted by Rev Stephen Khoo, and assisting in the laying on of hands were Rev Paul Cheng, Rev Joseph Poon, and Rev Biak Lawm Thang.

We are very thankful to the Lord for His leading that the ordination service was conducted and concluded in a solemn and God-glorifying manner. The ordination service was witnessed and attended by the following people: Dn John Meimaris who is Bethel BPC’s Deacon in charge of missions, five brethren from the Bible-Presbyterian Church of Western Australia (BPCWA), Perth, Mr Aw Beng Tek of Singapore who accompanied Rev Stephen Khoo, and the people from the three mission-churches of Myanmar (First BPC, Bethel BPC [Dagon], and Ngalti BPC), friends and relatives. Our sincere thanks to all who attended the service.

On behalf of the three mission-churches here, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the ordination ministers who were involved in the laying on of hands: Rev Stephen Khoo, who led in the ordination. He was the man used by God to pioneer missions work in Myanmar according to the BP faith seven years ago when he was Pastor of Bethel BPC, Melbourne. We are very thankful that despite his old age and physical weakness he was given good health and strength by the Lord to travel to Myanmar and lead in the ordination. We are extremely thankful to Rev Paul Cheng, the Pastor of Bethel BPC, who faithfully and most enthusiastically continues the missions work started by Rev Stephen Khoo, for all his loving oversight, organizing and arranging everything pertaining to the ordination. We are deeply thankful to Rev Joseph Poon, Pastor of BPCWA, for his participation in the laying on of hands and helps in various ways; he organized mission trips to Myanmar with five people from his church, and faithfully ministered God’s Word to us for four days at our church camp just before the ordination. Our sincere thanks to them all.

In addition, I would like to take this opportunity once again to thank all the ordination ministers—Rev Dr Jeffrey Khoo, Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew, Rev Stephen Khoo, Rev Paul Cheng—who spent precious time and gave many valuable advices during the interview leading to the ordination. We greatly appreciate and value your godly instruction and advice. We pray and hope that you will continue to render help and give advice in the ministry. Please continue to pray for Rev Lal Lian Uk and the work of the Lord in Myanmar.

Also I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Pastor, Session, and congregation of Bethel BPC, Melbourne, for their valuable prayers, advice, and financial support all these years and particularly for things that pertain to this all important event of the ordination at First BPC. Our sincere prayer and hope is that the Lord will be pleased to pour down His bountiful blessings upon you and continue to use you mightily for His glory.

Finally, from the very bottom of our hearts we give all praise, thanks, and honor to the Almighty God, for the many great things He has done for us and through us. It is truly both a privilege and an honor to have Rev Lal Lian Uk ordained in our church. It is all by God’s grace. May His name be highly exalted and His church greatly strengthened.

“For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” (2 Cor 13:8).

Please find enclosed for ordination photos.

Faithfully yours in His service,

Biak Lawm Thang

Daily Vacation Bible College, Resort Lautan Biru, Mersing, May 1–4, 2017