FEBC BOOKROOM

The FEBC Bookroom was the brainchild of our late founding pastor and principal of Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC)—the Rev Dr Timothy Tow. It had a humble beginning in the 1950s when the Rev Tow became “self-appointed colporteur” promoting God’s Word by taking stocks from the Bible Society and selling them wherever he could.

When Life Bible-Presbyterian Church (LBPC) and FEBC occupied the property at 9A Gilstead Road in 1962, the bookroom took more concrete shape when it was allotted a corner room and was named Malaysia Christian Bookroom. By selling mainly Bibles and some Christian books, a small profit was made to provide a work scholarship for one FEBC student who managed the bookroom.

In January 1976, Mr Stephen Kuan, an FEBC graduate, found a job with the bookroom which was renamed Life Book Centre. Life Book Centre became an official project of LBPC. However, the business, without private initiative and wholehearted devotion, finally ground to a halt in August 1979.

In September 1979, the business was given over to a new management, a private enterprise headed by Mr Paul Wong, another FEBC graduate. With much drive and vision, the old bookshop was given a completely new dressing. An adjoining classroom of the College was annexed to the new bookroom. The bookroom was renamed again and called Christian Life Book Centre (CLBC).

At that time, the Rev Tow advised CLBC to hew a separatist line in the books they sell and publish. (1) Anything that is repugnant to the Truth should not appear on our shelves. (2) Service with a smile is our business, prompt, efficient and courteous. (3) “Owe no man anything” (Rom 13:8) in all our business transactions. (4) Remember the book business is a spiritual work. It cannot succeed without the power of the Spirit.

As the CLBC began to carry books and Bibles not hewing the separatist line, the management agreed to return it to the Church. One important issue was their promotion of the NIV which is based on the corrupt Westcott and Hort Text which we reject. We uphold and promote the King James Bible. So in May 1996 CLBC became FEBC Bookroom—a joint ministry of LBPC and FEBC. Mr Yiew Pong Sen, then a deacon of LBPC, was asked by Rev Tow to help manage the bookroom. Mr Lok Kwok Wah was employed to take care of the daily operations of the bookroom before he was called to join the Bible Witness Media Ministries of Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church.

In 2003, the bookroom changed hands again. This was due to LBPC’s antagonism towards Rev Tow’s and FEBC’s belief and defence of the Reformed doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation (Ps 12:6-7, Matt 5:18). The doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation is supportive of the King James Bible especially its underlying Hebrew and Greek texts (Hebrew Masoretic Text and Greek Textus Receptus) … “for we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” (2 Cor 13:8). LBPC Session then voted not to have anything to do with FEBC. When the Rev Tow resigned as pastor of LBPC in 2003, the bookroom became the sole ministry of FEBC. Mr Barnabas Yap was employed to manage the bookroom, and Mrs Manuela Heng, an FEBC alumna, was roped in to assist part-time.

In 2008, LBPC filed a lawsuit to evict FEBC from 9 & 9A Gilstead Road. LBPC lost the suit. In 2011, the Court of Appeal in a landmark judgement declared that FEBC has equal rights to the premises at 9, 9A & 10 Gilstead Road. The High Court issued a scheme in November 2014 to regulate the occupation and use of the premises.

In the scheme, the space occupied by the FEBC Bookroom was allotted to LBPC. FEBC took this as a sign that the bookroom should be downsized since it has been running at a loss for a decade. The FEBC Bookroom has been relocated to Beulah House (house with the turret), 10 Gilstead Road. Mrs Manuela Heng is put in charge of bookroom sales.

 

The FEBC Bookroom is now a specialised bookroom selling mainly KJV Bibles, college textbooks, FEBC Press books, and used books. The FEBC Bookroom has a wide variety of KJV Bibles from various publishers—Trinitarian Bible Society, Dean Burgon Society, Holman & Broadman, Thomas Nelson, Reformation Heritage Books etc. Recently, with the help of the Rev Lee Kim Shong of Calvary Jaya BPC, the bookroom brought in a handsome KJV Bible of high quality binding with zipper stocked by the Malaysian Bible Society, only $20.60. The bookroom also sells FEBC T-shirts and souvenirs.

The FEBC Bookroom is open to the public and the opening hours are as follows: Monday–Friday: 10.30am–6pm (till 7.30pm when Mon & Thu night classes are on), and Saturday: 12pm–6pm. Closed on Sundays and public holidays. Starting 27 September 2015, the bookroom will open on the last Sunday of the month, 9.30am–12.30pm, for the convenience of LBPC members who requested for this service.

There are about 30 Christian bookstores in Singapore, three of which are operated by or linked to BP churches, namely, Tabernacle Books (Calvary Pandan BPC), Bible Witness Bookroom (in Chinatown under Gethsemane BPC), and FEBC Bookroom.

FEBC Press has published over 50 books. They are downloadable for free at www.febc.edu.sg/ publications.htm If you wish to have the printed copies, you may purchase them from FEBC Bookroom.

FEBC has a YouTube channel. Google “FEBC College YouTube” and it will appear as the first entry in the search. Uploaded for posterity’s sake are videos of FEBC’s golden jubilee thanksgiving and graduation services, and Holy Land and Reformation pilgrimages.