CHURCH AND COLLEGE TOGETHER
A message delivered at the 12th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service of True Life BPC, 4 October 2015
True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church (TLBPC) and the Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) have a special symbiosis. According to Chambers, a symbiosis is “a mutually beneficial partnership.” This partnership was forged 12 years ago when FEBC started a Lord’s Day service on 5 October 2003. A group of believers started to worship together at the Regional Language Centre (RELC). This group was finally registered as a society called “True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church” on 21 July 2004, and recognised as a charity on 4 February 2005. TLBPC was born out of FEBC.
This symbiotic relationship did not end after TLBPC was registered. Till today, the Church and the College still work hand in hand, or hand in glove to accomplish the Great Commission, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matt 28:18-20).
In a joint effort, we have sought to fulfil the Great Commission by (1) depending on God’s power, and (2) teaching God’s Word.
God’s Power
We must be mindful that God’s work must be done with God’s power or else it will be in vain. We need to depend on our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who is all powerful. Our Lord can move the forces of heaven and earth to fulfil His purpose and plan for His people. Psalm 127:1 tells us, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” We see God’s power at work in both the Church and the College.
Let me first talk about the College. FEBC was founded 53 years ago. It was founded “for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:9). FEBC from the start has upheld the 100% perfection of the Holy Scriptures. For this Satan is not well pleased, and has sought to destroy FEBC and her Bible-Presbyterian witness. There were four attempts—in 1962-66, 1968-70, 1986-88, and 2003-2014. The last one was the longest and the worst. You can read all about it in “50 Years Holding Fast the Faithful Word” in the January and July 2012 issues of FEBC’s theological journal—The Burning Bush.
It is only by the grace of God that FEBC has been preserved till this day. The opposition was strong, but our God was stronger. Who can fight God and win? None is stronger than He. To those who persecute His saints and servants, Jesus says, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” (Acts 9:5). When the Sanhedrin sought to silence the Apostles, Gamaliel was wise enough to see the futility of such an act, “And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.” (Acts 5:38-39).
There are people who do not fear God at all and do what they can to destroy His Truth. They continue to speak wickedly against Him, His Word, and His servants not only from the pulpit but also through the internet, some writing anonymously or pseudonymously to hide their identity. But no one can hide from God. God sees all and knows all. He is Judge and He will judge all the false and evil words of wicked men in His own just time.
We see the power of God protecting FEBC by His providence. We marvel at the very detailed way in which our late founding pastor and principal—Rev Dr Timothy Tow—recorded the history of Life Bible-Presbyterian Church (LBPC) and FEBC, including how funds were raised to purchase and develop the properties at 9, 9A and 10 Gilstead Road. It is all this written evidence published in LBPC’s Weekly and anniversary magazines that saved FEBC. All this evidence was produced in Court and all found to be truthful and accurate. How did Rev Tow know that all this was necessary to save FEBC? He didn’t, God knew. Our God who is all-knowing knew, and moved His servant to write in such a way as to save FEBC when the time came. That is why we are comforted by the fact that Jesus has all power and is more than able to save. As we do His work His way, He will protect, preserve and provide for us all the way. He promised, “lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
As a Church, we also see God’s powerful hand helping and keeping us all these 12 years. The Church built upon Christ the Rock can never be destroyed. Jesus promised, “upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt 16:18). We see God’s good hand upon TLBPC right from the start. After Rev Tow resigned as pastor of LBPC, God led him and some LBPC members to start a new church. Who would have thought an elderly pastor already in his 80s, so old and weak, could do this? We held our inaugural service as the FEBC Lord’s Day Service on 5 October 2003 in Rooms 506 and 507 of RELC. 200 came. Rev Tow preached a sermon entitled, “In the Steps of Our Saviour” (Luke 4:16-24, 28-32, Matt 13:57, 58).
Why did Rev Tow resign from LBPC on 20 August 2003 after serving as the founding pastor for 53 years? At the inaugural FEBC Lord’s Day Service, he testified, “There is a Cantonese saying, ‘Local ginger is not hot,’ the equivalent of Jesus’ observation of the people of His hometown Nazareth, being contemptible of Him because of familiarity so that ‘He did not many mighty works (miracles) there because of their unbelief’ (Matt 13:58). Jesus, being a Preacher of Righteousness touched on the sins of many who became His enemies, especially the Pharisees and Sadducees. These were they who tried to push our Lord down a hill. Why are we not at Life Church today but worshipping at RELC? It is my being taken lightly by the majority of Life Church Session and their lambasting without a drop of brotherly love left that I have to run here, following our Saviour’s example.”
There were those who said, “Rev Tow is so old already, he should retire. If he doesn’t, our faith will suffer and the church will dwindle.” If our faith is misplaced, then yes it cannot stand. But our faith does not rest on any old man but on the Ancient of days (Dan 7:9). Furthermore, “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are.… So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” (1 Cor 1:27, 28, 3:7). We followed Rev Tow because he followed Christ and believed in a 100% perfect Bible. By the grace of God, we have grown spiritually and numerically. It is God who gives the increase. People are getting saved and backsliders are getting right with God. Today we have 450 in two services, English and Chinese. We have grown because of God’s Word. This brings us to our next point.
God’s Word
We are TLBPC because we believe the Bible is 100% inspired and 100% preserved, that it is not only infallible and inerrant in the past but also in the present. We do not believe that the Bible has been lost or corrupted. We believe the Bible is pure and present, visible and tangible, available and accessible today. By the logic of faith, we believe the inspired Hebrew and Greek words are preserved in the traditional Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus Receptus. We believe and use the KJV as the most faithful and accurate translation of the inspired and preserved words of God over against the many new but corrupt versions out there today.
Our conviction is a faithful one because it is based on God’s promise. Jesus said, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matt 5:18). We affirm with the Westminster theologians who wrote, “The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the writing of it, was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by his singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical; so as, in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal unto them.” (WCF 1.8). This is the truth of Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP). More and more who were tricked by Westcott and Hort and modern textual criticism are returning to and believing in this age-old truth. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.” (2 Cor 13:8).
Believing in this truth is important if we are to fulfil the Great Commission, for the Great Commission is first and foremost a teaching commission. Note the twofold command to teach all nations and to teach all things. The first concerns evangelism, the second indoctrination. We evangelise with the Gospel, and we indoctrinate with the whole Bible. 1 Timothy 4:16 says, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” That is why we have FEBC.
FEBC has been a blessing to TLBPC. Many of our Sunday School teachers are FEBC students. Many have earned their Certificate of Religious Knowledge (CertRK) or Certificate of Biblical Studies (CertBS) after many years of studies, some taking as long as eight years. They know their Bible and they know how to teach our children properly and correctly. Our children have been blessed. They are growing in their faith. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Prov 22:6).
The College has thus blessed the Church and the Church in turn has blessed the College. TLBPC and other BPCs have been granting scholarships to our full-time students and supporting the work of FEBC. FEBC needs half a million to survive each year. FEBC fees cover only a third of this amount. Where do the rest come from? We thank the Lord for those who believe in the Great Commission and give lovingly to His school of prophets. By taking care of Elijah, the widow of Zarephath was blessed by the Lord—“And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.” (1 Kgs 17:16).
Rev Dr Paul Contento who laid the foundation stone at FEBC’s opening had well said, “Without the Bible College, the Church will die.” But the opposite is also true, “Without the Church, the Bible College will die.” Both Church and College need each other. Let us keep this symbiosis going, for one shall chase a thousand and two shall put ten thousand to flight (Deut 32:30). JK
