Back to 2019 Church Weekly List

TRUE LIFE BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
RELC Auditorium, 10.30 am

30 Orange Grove Road, down Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore 258352
Mailing Address: 1 Goldhill Plaza, #03-35, Singapore 308899
Email: admin@truelifebpc.org.sg; Website: http://www.truelifebpc.org.sg
(Ring Pastor Jeffrey Khoo 62561189 Anytime)

Vol. XVII No. 8
24 November 2019
“The LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep SILENCE before him.”
Call WorshipPastor Jeffrey Khoo
Opening HymnWe Gather Together
Invocation/Gloria Patri
Responsive ReadingPsalm 133
HymnA Psalm of Brotherly Love
Announcements
Music MinistryEvangelistic Band
Offerings/HymnMay the Mind of Christ, My Savior
Doxology/Pastoral PrayerPastor Jeffrey Khoo
Scripture TextRomans 15:5–13
SermonOne-Mindedness
(Pastor Jeffrey Khoo)
Closing HymnThe Church’s One Foundation
BenedictionPastor Jeffrey Khoo
ALLOWING GOD TO DIRECT OUR PATH

Aw Beng Teck

Report on Men’s Fellowship Retreat in Ipoh

Twelve members of the Men’s Fellowship (MF), including spouses and speaker Rev Dennis Kwok, were in Ipoh 12–14 October 2019 for a retreat cum visitation to Word of Life BPC.

When the MF received a request to visit and minister to someone in Ipoh, we seized on the opportunity to serve God and readily agreed. But this person whom we were supposed to visit was not in Ipoh during that time. What we eventually realised was that God was actually leading us to Ipoh so that we could minister to our sister Choy Leng and her ministry in the Word of Life Bible-Presbyterian Church (WOL). Indeed, this was the highlight of the retreat.

WOL has eight regular worshippers, comprising teenagers, the elderly and middle-aged—quite diverse for a small congregation. Also, fifty percent are Chinese and the rest Indians. Coming from Singapore, we felt it was such a privilege to be able to join in this combined worship service and be an encouragement to the members.

What we took for granted at True Life where there is always a speaker on stage each Sunday, the WOL church had to watch a video of the service streamed live from a Singapore church. But for this worship service, Rev Dennis Kwok was present to preach the Word of God, where he spoke from Galatians 5 on the “Fruit of the Spirit”.

In addition, for the first time since it was formed, the church also had its first Lord’s Supper served “live”. It was a touching experience. The lingua franca among the Chinese in Ipoh is Cantonese. It was opportune that Elder Douglas Ho was in the team and could minister to the three elderly lady worshippers in their mother tongue. We were able to get to know the WOL members after the service over lunch, which was hosted by MF at a Chinese restaurant.

Most of us were first-timers in Ipoh and were intrigued by the retro feel of Ipoh which resembles Singapore in the seventies, but perhaps cleaner. Getting around in Ipoh was not an issue as the local Chinese, who form the majority, spoke Cantonese, Mandarin and English with a high degree of proficiency. The food is of course legendary. The pride which the hawkers put into preparing their specialties is the reason why Ipoh cuisine is the main draw for many.

Choy Leng had a session with the MF to share about her ministry and challenges. (Highlights of the sharing are in the accompanying article “Sharing Session with Sister Choy Leng”). What is striking here is a woman of hard knocks and great faith, who looks to her Heavenly Father for strength and guidance—one who is single-minded and focused on accomplishing her Master’s will. It was an encouraging and inspiring session.

We thank God that we could also learn from His Word on “Loving Your Wife”. We were able to gain a deeper understanding as we shared on how we could apply this truth in our life.

We thank God that He directed us to visit WOL as part of our retreat and be an encouragement to a dear sister and the people whom the Lord has entrusted to her. All of us firmly believe this is God’s perfect leading. All glory to God!

Sharing Session with
Sister Choy Leng

Sister Choy Leng graduated from FEBC in 2017 with a Bachelor of Theology. She returned to her hometown Ipoh and started the ministry and Word of Life BPC. The Men’s Fellowship visited her and the church on 13 October 2019. We had a sharing session with her and below are highlights of the session.

How did you get started?

I had to start everything on my own. I prayed very hard. Then the Lord provided an Indian lady to join me. At the beginning, we had many arguments as she’s the president of the Sister Fellowship in another church. She loves studying God’s Word and I encouraged her to enrol in FEBC online courses. Once, the topic was on First Corinthians offered simultaneously by FEBC and a local Bible college. She compared both the materials, and she concluded: “FEBC is really teaching the Bible.” She found the true teaching and came to visit us more often.

My sister and brother-in-law also had disagreements with me. With God working in them, my sister signed up for FEBC online courses, and she realized the importance of learning the truth of God’s Word. They compared the teaching from their church and what I shared with them, and gradually they understood what the right teaching was. They now accept and listen to what I teach, and are attending Word of Life (WOL).

Describe to us the ministry you are in now?

There are eight regular worshippers (including me) in WOL. We have a weekly worship service which is a live broadcast of the service from Gethsemane BPC in Singapore. The English-educated members will watch the live broadcast. There is a small group of Cantonese-speaking members whom I will conduct a Bible study with separately during the service. I am not Chinese educated, and it takes me a long time (2–3 days) to prepare the teaching materials.

Besides the church ministry, God has opened the door to an old folks’ home for me. Each week I visit the home and have Bible study in Cantonese with about 20 people. I also spend time with members who are taking online courses to discuss and clarify some of the lessons they do not understand. I also do outreach and visitation to the surrounding areas.

What challenges do you face in the ministry?

I used to go out for evangelism, giving out tracts, but I stopped after I keep receiving prank calls. Once, I tried preaching to a lady but she scolded me and chased me out of the house, accusing me of contaminating her religion. Another time, I shared with a couple, but the wife was so fierce and scolded me. So now, I go out for meals and visit crowded places so I can share tables with fellow diners and share the gospel with them. The work has not been easy as I was in poor health. I also faced opposition to the work from my Christian relatives. I was down and feeling helpless, and cried out to the Lord. But the Lord wanted me to be patient.

What lesson is the Lord teaching you?

I need a lot of patience in the ministry. It is practically impossible for me to attempt to plan in the ministry. Often I have to wait for the Lord’s will and His leading. For example, I used to lead a group of Chinese believers from a local church for Bible study at my place. I tried to plan for them but in the end, they stopped coming as they could not accept the truth. Everything that I do, it is the Lord who opens the way. My ministry here is not by me. Everything is arranged by God.

What keeps you going?

It is the Lord who keeps me going. It is feeding on the Word of God. I have had a near-death experience before and I am prepared to die and be in heaven. But sometimes, I wish I could run away and go and serve in Singapore or somewhere else. But the Lord has kept a thorn in my flesh so that I cannot run. I have to remain in Ipoh, as the pace here is comfortable for me. My health cannot cope if it is too hectic. So I stayed on and decided to start a work here. I did not have any support, or any co-workers. I could not do much except to trust in the Lord.

How can we pray for you?

Please pray:

  1. For my health so that I can continue with the ministry.
  2. That the Lord will bless His work here in Ipoh.
  3. The believers will be hungry to study God’s Word diligently.
  4. For genuine seekers of God to join us.
  5. For protection from evil men. It is not easy for a single lady in the ministry.
  6. For co-workers to join in the ministry.

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Ps 126:5–6)

Men’s Fellowship Retreat at Word of Life BPC in Ipoh

1 Goldhill Plaza, #03-35, S(308899)
admin@truelifebpc.org.sg
6254 1287

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