FILIPINO BIBLE MINISTRIES
Dr Jose Lagapa
The Filipino ministries grew out of the Lord’s burden upon the hearts of our leaders in True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church (TLBPC) and their passion and zeal to reach out for lost souls among the foreign workers in Singapore. The influx of foreigners in this city-state is God’s open door for the glorious gospel to be taught to them. As they come here to benefit from the material richness of Singapore, they have more to profit if they find Christ as their Saviour and Lord. It is the concern of the church that they go back to their own respective countries not only with the material blessings they earn, but above all, with spiritual blessings of everlasting life for them and their families. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “… It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4).
Reaching out to the Filipinos started with a Filipina Bible Study during the early years of TLBPC. The burden was to cater to the spiritual needs of the domestic helpers from Philippines who were employed by church members. Mrs Ivy Tow encouraged sister Manuela Heng to gather the maids of the church members for a Bible study. There was a desire to reach out not only to the domestic helpers, but also to other Filipino workers in Singapore. This continued for almost six years, studying various books of the Bible. Recently, the book of Genesis is being studied. God willing, it will take three years to complete studying the whole book. The Lord also opened an opportunity to minister to the Filipinos in Calvary Pandan BPC. The Bible study there is held on every 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month from 1:30 to 2:30 in the afternoon. Currently we are conducting a series of studies on the Gospel of John.
In TLBPC, many of the maids employed by church members had already gone back to the Philippines for good. The number of attendees is dwindling. Currently, we have three coming every Sunday morning for the Filipino Bible Study: Mrs Manuela Heng (FEBC Bookroom Assistant), Nelly de la Cruz (c/o Edward and Eunice Wong) and Mary Joy Enriquez (c/o Mrs Elizabeth Mahadevan).
Since the Filipino Bible Study is at 9:15 am and those who are not employed by our own church members cannot come that early, a different schedule was prayed for. We thank the Lord for His leading to start a Filipino Fellowship at 3 pm every 4th Sunday. This Fellowship started two months ago. It is our prayer that we can have meetings twice a month in November and December, 2016 (2nd and 4th Sundays). God willing, this fellowship meeting may be conducted every Sunday afternoon from January 2017. This is to provide opportunities for those who are available on other Sundays of the month.
As there is an estimated Filipino population in Singapore of at least 170 thousand, a compelling bigger work still needs to be done. They are mostly working as domestic helpers, nurses and IT professionals. Since the population is composed of not less than 80% Roman Catholics in the Philippines, it is expected that the same religious demography is true among Filipinos here. Many of them fall prey either to deceptions from false gospels or become victims of grave immorality. The aim has always been to bring them to “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21), and to the believers that they might “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Pet 3:18).
We would like to encourage you to be a part of this harvest of souls. Invite your friends and colleagues to attend our Bible studies and fellowship meetings. May the Lord grant us the love and concern for perishing souls. May we take heed to what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ says “… My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours” (John 4:34-38).
We praise God for the employers who willingly provide their maids a time off to attend the Bible Studies and Fellowship meetings. We thank the Lord for the contacts made by students during the Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) Wednesday evangelism. Three of them have recently attended our meetings, one in TLBPC worship service and the other two (a father and his daughter) attended our Filipino Fellowship meeting. We pray they will continue to come and feed on God’s Word and be saved. The Upper Room of FEBC where my family and I reside is where we meet. We thank God also for those who kindly provided the refreshments for our fellowship meetings, especially sister Tan Mui Mui.
The Lord graciously opened an opportunity for us to minister to a Filipino family who are staying with sister Catherine Lim. A Bible study once a month is conducted at her home in Bishan. We thank the Lord they are faithfully attending the Bible study and we are praying that in the Lord’s time they will believe and come to church.
We continue to pray for God’s preservation of TLBPC. The Lord is using the church so that this ministry will prosper for the salvation of souls and for the believers to grow into maturity in order to serve our Creator and Saviour. We pray for the leaders of the church, especially our pastor whom God ordained to be the under-shepherd, to guide and to lead us. We pray for the members of the church that the Lord may keep them hungering and thirsting for the Word of God.
Please pray for us that we may also be useful members of this church which the Lord has appointed for us to be a part of and that we remain faithful to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ guided by His perfectly inspired and preserved Word. To God be the glory!
Testimony of Nelly de la Cruz
My hope is in the Lord for His Word says, “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD” (Ps 31:24).
Being a Christian I have experienced God testing my faith in Him. In 2011 to 2013 my life was rough and there were a lot of problems I encountered. I really did not know how to handle them. I paused for a while and asked myself why I experienced all those problems. Then I prayed to God and lifted up my whole life’s burdens to Him. I realized I am nothing in this world without Him. I appreciate and thank God for the Filipino Bible Study group and for their prayers as well.
I am really very thankful to God Almighty for having good, caring and understanding employers (Mr & Mrs Edward Wong). No words can describe the way they have helped me during those storms in my life; only God knows. (Thank you Sir and Madam). At the same time, I am very grateful to Marcus and Andre when they say to me, “Aunty, we will pray for you.” It felt so nice and I was touched by their concern for me. God bless them always.
I would like to share this passage from the Scripture to other domestic helpers: “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.” (Eph 6:5-8).
I thank God for His countless blessings, unconditional love and for carrying me through every storm in my life. Amen.
FROM THE HOLY LAND
20 August 2016
Dear brother Pastor Dr Jeffrey
Christian Greetings from Baraka BP Church, from the Land of our Lord.
Church update news: In July, we had an open evening service. Over 300 people, most of them the first time, came to hear the gospel. It was blessed meeting from and for the Lord.
Praise the Lord for the children’s retreat in the church. They enjoyed singing and Bible stories and they enjoyed playing together.
Praise the Lord for the safety of Mrs Awad. On the 3rd of February she had big surgery (open heart surgery replacing two main heart valves). She is doing well. Thank you for your prayers.
Daycare we have 20 children, 5 of them are Muslims. They learn to sing and pray with others. Our main difficulty is the teachers’ salaries. Thank you for your prayers and concern. We miss your visitation to the church and I wish to be able to visit you and all our beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord in Singapore.
We never forget Dr Timothy Tow, his love and encouragement toward Baraka BP Church and we love the fellowship and friendship to continue. We are carrying same faith and same responsibility before God.
Our best greetings to our dear sister Mrs Timothy Tow and dear brother Dr SH Tow and congregation and to your family and your congregation.
Yours in the Lord’s service and love
Pastor George and Danny Awad
Baraka Bible Presbyterian Church
PO Box 11665, Jerusalem 9111601
