EASTER TESTIMONIES
Committed My Life to Christ
I was born into a Buddhist family that piously practiced ancestral worship.
When it was time for me to attend school, my mother intended to enrol me in St Patrick’s School on East Coast Road. However, by what I now believe to be Providential decree, there was no vacancy. As a result, I was eventually enrolled in Presbyterian Boys’ School on Koon Seng Road, where I received both my primary and secondary education.
It was there that I was first exposed to the story of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for me. Every Wednesday morning, all students assembled in the school hall to hear an exhortation and recite the Lord’s Prayer. However, I was still not a Christian, as no one had led me to make a personal commitment to the Lord.
In 1956, a Chinese-educated student was admitted into my class. We became friends, and he wasted no time in letting me know that he was a Christian. His name was Marcus, and he gave me gospel tracts to read. He also invited me to his church, the Fishermen of Christ Fellowship, which I began attending. At first, I went under the pretext of improving my Mandarin. Each Sunday, I participated in the motions of worship, doing all the things that the others did. However, it was only one year later that I came to a personal knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour.
I attended a gospel rally held at Bethesda Gospel Hall on Pennefather Road in Katong. When the missionary extended an invitation to those in the congregation who wished to receive Jesus Christ into their hearts as their personal Saviour and Lord, I raised my hand. While the congregation was singing “Just as I Am,” I made my way to the front of the church. The missionary then took me to the back of the church, where he further counselled me. That night, I committed my life to the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour, who died for me on the cross so that I might receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
That night, I went home and told my parents that I had become a Christian. On March 11, 1956, I was baptised by immersion in the sea in Pasir Panjang by Evangelist and Bible teacher Wilson Wang. May the Lord be praised. Amen. Stephen Khoo
I Finally Understood
I was raised in a single-parent, low-income family, where I witnessed domestic violence and a host of other family problems. I lacked supervision and parental support, both emotionally and physically. My disappointment and anger toward my family led me to play truant at school, spending time with friends at shopping centres instead. My studies suffered, and I turned to sports as an escape from my troubled home life.
I was filled with anger and frustration, questioning why life was so unfair—why I had a broken family and the shame that came with it. A turning point came when I was almost arrested for shoplifting. That moment made me realise the need to distance myself from bad influences and refocus on my studies.
Even as I improved academically, I was still troubled by deeper questions about life. I had no answers to fundamental questions: Why was I born into these circumstances? Where did I come from? What is the chief end of man? These burning questions consumed me, and I began searching for answers through science and various religions.
In secondary school, I chose Buddhism as an enrichment subject. My mother was a devoted Buddhist, and through her sect, I sought to understand the meaning of life. I participated in religious activities and worship, but none of these satisfied the void in my heart. Deep inside, I could not bring myself to believe in their idols and doctrines.
I did well enough to enrol in a Junior College, which happened to be a mission school. As part of school assembly, we attended compulsory weekly chapel sessions. On numerous occasions, the pastor preached about Jesus Christ shedding His blood on the cross for sinners. Although I often joked around with my non-Christian classmates during these sessions, I unknowingly became more curious about the topic.
I began to ask myself: Why did the Jews crucify one of their own, a man named Jesus? Who was Jesus, and why did the pastor keep thanking God for His bloodshed? These questions led me to read more literature on God’s existence, the creation account, and the origin of sin.
During National Service, I was posted to a vocation that required me to attend a combat survival course. One evening, the trainees were invited to a special movie session by our course commander, a commando captain. We were told that attendance was completely voluntary, and out of curiosity, I decided to go.
The film turned out to be a Christian evangelistic movie about Jesus Christ—His life, His sacrifice on the cross, and His atonement for sinners. That night, I was deeply convicted of my sins and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I finally understood that man cannot save himself and that only Jesus Christ can redeem us before God through His sacrifice on the cross.
Later, during university, I was invited by friends to attend a church in Queenstown. After a few years, I was eventually baptised, publicly declaring my faith in Jesus Christ.
Indeed, as Scripture says: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6). All thanks and glory to God for His mercy upon me! Tan Kian Chuan
Born in a Christian Home
I was born in a Christian home, with God-fearing parents and paternal grandmother. I was baptised as an infant in the family’s church and attended the Chinese Sunday School and Chinese worship service from young. Since young, I always thought of myself as a Christian, as I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He came to die on the cross for my sins.
Yet, I prayed to receive Christ many times as a child. Each time someone at Sunday School were to ask for non-believers to turn to God and believe in Christ, I was fearful of not being saved. I did not know how to be sure, other than praying to receive Christ again.
When I was in Primary School, I started attending the English Sunday School at another church nearby. At the church’s children’s camp in June 1989, there was a call to repent and believe in Christ as our personal Saviour. I decided that this would be the final time I would be praying the “Sinner’s Prayer”; I would definitely remember that I was sincere in my prayer and that I should not doubt that God heard my prayer. That night, parents visited the children at the campsite. I remember singing with my parents the camp theme song, “The Lily of the Valley” and being relieved that I was now saved.
I attended church regularly. I even attended all the Saturday Teen Fellowship meetings during examination season. However, my enthusiasm did not last long. As the Junior College years came around, I became caught up in my own busy schedule and newfound priorities. Because I was attending a different church, my family would not know if I skipped a Sunday or two. I became prideful and self-centred. Because of my bad attitude, my relationship with my family also suffered. I spent the two “lost” years truly struggling and wrestling with giving up and letting Christ reign in my life.
By the grace of God, in the midst of my preparation for the ‘A’ levels examinations, it suddenly hit me that I could not go on like this. The Holy Spirit convicted me and I could not ignore Him. That day, I repented and begged God for forgiveness. God helped mend my relationship with my family. God also provided godly friends and gave me faith as I learnt to obey Him.
I thank God for His mercies. He did not give up on me. Indeed, it “is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Ruth Tan
