Spirituality, Scholarship, and Service
The Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) is one of the oldest Bible colleges in Singapore, founded in 1962 by the late Rev Dr Timothy Tow, who also founded the Bible-Presbyterian Church movement in Southeast Asia.
FEBC endeavours to provide a comprehensive biblical-theological education (Acts 20:27) that is based solely on the forever infallible and inerrant Scriptures (Ps 12:6-7, Matt 5:18, 2 Tim 3:16-17) so as to equip both Christian men and women for effective spiritual leadership and service (2 Tim 2:2, 2:15) in the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Matt 28:18-20), and in the defence of the Reformed Faith (Phil 2:16, Titus 1:9, Jude 3).
The most important asset of the College is her teaching faculty. FEBC has a total of nine spiritually and academically qualified lecturers in Biblical Studies, Systematic Theology, Church History, Pastoral Ministry, and Christian Education, and six tutors in Greek, English, Music, and Information Technology. The FEBC lecturers are themselves graduates of the College. As such, they understand well the vision and mission of the College, and can be trusted to serve as effective teachers and mentors to our students. Know that FEBC lecturers are also practitioners of the faith in their respective churches. Being skilled in practical ministry themselves, they are no “ivory tower” professors.
FEBC is not only a Biblical-theological institution of higher learning and spiritual training, it is also a charitable trust. As a bona fide non- profit institution, every effort is made by the College to keep student fees to the barest minimum. Tuition is highly subsidised, and needy but worthy students often enjoy a full-tuition scholarship. This is only possible because of the loving support of God’s people through their freewill offerings.
FEBC seeks born again believers called of God to a life of committed and consecrated Christian service to be students of the College (Luke 9:23- 24). As such, being a student in FEBC is not a personal right but a God-given privilege.
Are you willing to serve the Lord Jesus Christ unconditionally and unreservedly, and submit yourself fully to the academic rigour, spiritual discipline, and theological excellence of this College? If yes, then we welcome you warmly to study with us. Those looking for an easy route towards their theological degree are hereby advised to look elsewhere. “There is no royal road to learning.”
The key to theological and ministerial success is, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15).
Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt 16:24).
VPP Is Not a New Doctrine
Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) is not a new doctrine. What does VPP mean? “Verbal” means “every word to the jot and tittle” (Ps 12:6-7, Matt 5:18). “Plenary” means “the Scripture as a whole with all the words intact” (Matt 24:35, 1 Pet 1:25). So VPP means the whole of Scripture with all its words even to the jot and tittle is perfectly preserved by God without any loss of the original words, prophecies, promises, commandments, doctrines, and truths, not only in the words of salvation, but also the words of history, geography and science. Every book, every chapter, every verse, every word, every syllable, every letter is infallibly preserved by the Lord Himself to the last iota.
What and where are the preserved words of God today? They are the inspired OT Hebrew words and NT Greek words the prophets, the apostles, the church fathers, the reformers used which are today found in the long and continuously abiding and preserved words underlying the Reformation Bibles best represented by the time-tested and time- honoured KJV, and NOT in the corrupted Alexandrian manuscripts and critical Westcott- Hort texts underlying the liberal, ecumenical, and neo-evangelical modern English versions.
Historically speaking, VPP is:
(1) As old as the Bible-Presbyterian Church (BPC) and the Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC). The KJV was the English Bible of both institutions since the beginning (1950/1962). The KJV was upheld as the Word of God. VPP simply underscores the infallibility and inerrancy of the original language Scriptures underlying the KJV. VPP is both logical and consistent with the KJV as used and highly regarded by the BPC and FEBC since their founding.
(2) As old as the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) and its Catechisms (1643-8) which is subscribed to by all BPCs and FEBC. The original language Scriptures that the WCF upheld as authoritative and authentic (1.8) must necessarily be the traditional Hebrew Masoretic Text and Greek Textus Receptus, ie the very Scriptures underlying the good old KJV (1611) which they used and quoted from, and not the Corrupt Westcott and Hort Text (1881) which became the underlying Text of the new and modern English version
(3) As old as the Bible itself since God had promised to preserve His inspired words in Psalm 12:6-7, Matthew 5:18, 24:35 etc “by His singular care and providence.” The Lord is true and faithful to His promise and cannot fail.
FEBC Not a New College
Why was FEBC founded? It was founded to defend the Bible. “A Bible College that is to be called a Bible College is called to defend the Bible! May the proposed Far Eastern Bible College neglect not this part of the holy ministry that is committed to her charge” (Initial Statement of the 3-man Committee, 1960). VPP defends the Bible that is in our hands today. FEBC is not a “new college” and VPP is not a “new doctrine.” FEBC’s directors are duty bound to protect the charitable purpose trust that is FEBC’s. “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set” (Prov 22:28). May the Lord, in our appeal, magnify His Word above all His Name (Ps 138:2). Please pray for FEBC.
