February 2016
READY No*5
READY A publication of Bethesda Frankel Estate Church | MCI (P) 046/01/2016
Heart
The Matter of the Heart Danny Chua
The Heart of a Mother Corinne Lo
A Heart for our Youth Tan Lai Yong
Sunday Services Worship Services: English - 8am & 10am Chinese - 9.30am Children: English - 10am Youth: English - 12pm Filipino & Indonesian: 10.15am
4 La Salle Street Singapore 456930 Tel: 6448 1800 Fax: 6448 0831 Email: bfec@bfec.org.sg Web: www.bfec.org.sg
Editor Jimmy Tan
Editorial Team Priscilla Soh Diana Chin Matthias Ong Loh Xin Ling Lim Seow Cheng
Design and Layout Abigail Ng
Printer
Regent Printing (S) Pte Ltd
Cover Illustration Abigail Ng
Centrefold Photos Teoh Teng Ngan Tan Ying Kheng
Views expressed in published articles are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Team or the Church Council. Your contributions to READY are welcome and should be submitted to editor@bfec.org.sg. The Editor reserves the right to accept, reject or edit any articles submitted for publication.
Contents READY No*5
2
Foreword
3
The Matter of the Heart
12
A Heart for our Youth
17
A Heart for Service
6
19
8
22
11
23
The Heart of a Mother
7 Numbers
Kids Say
7 Questions
Serving as a Family
Spurring One Another On
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
FOREWORD
In this issue, we take aim at the heart. You may have heard this saying; “The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.” Two idioms in one sentence, it succinctly reminds us to go for the crux of any issue. It also tells us where the crux is! How prone indeed we are to lose our way. We are experts at majoring on the minor, at peripherals, easily blinded by our own preferences and prejudices. And so some of my favourite bible verses are about the heart: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23; NIV). “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9; NIV). They warn us that our motivations, aspirations, and our very wills are key. Yet they are not as easily mastered as we would like to think. Popular wisdom has it that we can overcome almost anything if we can muster enough will power or put our heart into it. Instead, I am encouraged by what I read in this issue. We shone the concept of “heart” through a prism and got some wonderful reflections here. As you embark on this new year (lunar or otherwise), may you too be inspired and “take heart”. Back to the first saying. Crux is the old word for cross. How apt! Let’s ultimately take alignment from that old rugged Cross. We can’t find a better benchmark against which to take our bearings in all matters of the heart. Jimmy Tan
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The Matter of the Heart Elder Danny Chua shares on how our spiritual heart condition can impact our emotional health, spiritual growth and general well-being. In some way or another, we have all had our fair share of difficult, hurtful or traumatic experiences, whether they be through our own doing or those around us. Those experiences may affect us badly but we must learn how to overcome them and not let them define us and break us because we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us (Romans 8:37). Elder Danny is married to Chuey Hoon and they have two children.
Proverbs 27:19 says “As water reflects the face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.”
Mark Chapter 12 describes the lively exchanges that Jesus had with the Sadducees, Pharisees and the scribes. In hearing one of these exchanges, one of the scribes came up to Jesus and asked Him this question: “Which is most important of all the commandments?”
The heart is the core of our personality. It is the very essence of who we are. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height for I have rejected him.””
Jesus answered, “The most important one is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)
The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. For man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart. We can try to fool everybody but we cannot hide from God because He is omniscient.
Jesus called us to love God with all our hearts, to love Him completely and totally.
The heart is the foundation of our lives Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.”
The Heart The heart speaks of the total person. The heart of a person is his or her inner being. It is everything that makes a person who he or she is.
We need to guard our heart for it is the fountain of our lives. The heart contains our entire being. 3
“When we are hurt, we can have two responses - we can either live in unforgiveness and be embittered, or we can choose to forgive. How we respond to being hurt will influence the condition of our hearts!”
If our heart is sinful, then our lives will be sinful. If our heart is wounded then our lives will bear the pains of these wounds and if our heart is godly, then our lives will bear the fruits of godliness and blessings.
sinful heart can be unforgiveness, resentment, pride, jealousy, bitterness, greed, or deception. Whilst God wants to heal our hurts, He has never intended that we use them as an excuse for ungodly behaviour or sin. Often we develop sinful patterns as a means of defending ourselves when we are hurt. Defensive behaviours are things we do, often subconsciously, to avoid pain. They often become a way of life and usually go unnoticed by the person who is behaving that way. Examples of defensive behaviours include denial, self-pity, self-centredness, sarcasm, pride, perfectionism, criticism, bitterness, a need for control, manipulation and domination.
Our hearts are moulded by our life experiences Our hearts are moulded by our life experiences. Our relationships with those closest to us, such as our parents, grandparents or guardians, have a greater impact on how our hearts are moulded. Our relationships with those whom we grew up with, such as teachers and friends, will also influence our hearts. Events that happened to us, especially those that were traumatic, can also be a great influence.
Defensive behavior is a wall that we build around us in the hope that we will not experience further hurts but this wall also tends to push or keep people away from us either through withdrawal from or aggression towards others.
In all of these, we have all experienced hurts and wounds in some way or other. Psalm 73:21 refers to a heart that is grieved and a spirit that is embittered. When we are hurt, we can have two responses - we can either live in unforgiveness and be embittered, or we can choose to forgive. How we respond to being hurt will influence the condition of our hearts!
Differentiate between hurts and sinful attitudes of the heart Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” God’s word is the plumbline to discern what is in our heart – a wounded heart or a sinful heart?
Past hurts may bring about a wounded heart. An ungodly response by a person with a wounded heart may cause him or her to develop a sinful heart. A wounded heart may display grief, sorrow, fear, disappointment, rejection, or even the perception of being unloved. Our response or reaction to hurtful events (rather than the events themselves) may cause us to develop a sinful heart. What comes out of a 4
Hebrews 4:13 says, “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” God knows all things and so we need Him to discern what kind of heart we have. Most of us will have a mixture of both wounds and sins and so we need Him to differentiate which is which so they can be dealt with appropriately.
God’s healing is through the church. That is why in the book of James, we are called “to confess our sins to one another” so that we may pray for each other and be healed (James 5:16). If our sinful behaviour is the result of the sins of others in our lives, we need to forgive them. We may also need to ask God for forgiveness if we have blamed Him for our predicament. Sometimes, we need to forgive ourselves for the sins that we have committed that result in us feeling guilty or shameful.
God does not judge our wounds but He does judge the responses of our hearts. The sinful attitudes or behaviours that come from a sinful heart need to be dealt with by confession and repentance.The hurts and pains that come from a wounded heart need to be dealt with by forgiveness and healing. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the wounds and the sins of the heart. We need to separate out any sinful behaviour and repent of it. There is no excuse for sinful behaviour. In the presence of God, a sin is a sin. Once the Holy Spirit reveals the sinful behaviour, we must repent of our sinful behaviour such as anger, rage, bitterness, unforgiveness, domination, etc.
Finally, we need to make godly choices. We must exercise our will to choose to behave differently, i.e., not to walk in sinful but in godly ways. The measure of a godly heart is the fruit of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) Only by bearing the fruit of the Spirit can we have harmony with God, with others and with ourselves.
If you need to, seek appropriate help such as from BFEC Cares, or the elders and leaders of our church. God has placed us in this church for a purpose.
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THE HEART OF A MOTHER In this article, Corinne Lo shares a beautiful narrative of the love her mother, Mdm Soh Ah Bee has for her six children, and her own poignant reflections of how she carries this same love for her children and more, as she heeds the Lord’s call in Proverbs 22:6 to “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it”. May our faith and hearts be encouraged as we unite in blessing the next generation. Corinne is married to Elder Alex and they have three daughters and one son.
that each of her children had a bigger portion than herself. She would often give the children the good part of the meat she cooked, and ate the fatty part and skin rather than discard them. As I grew older, I learnt from Science class that those parts were unhealthy. So, one day I started picking up the fatty part of the meat dish and ate it. My older siblings asked me why I did that. I replied, “If everyone eats some of the fatty parts of the meat, then mother would not have to eat all of it by herself.” After hearing that my eldest brother laughed and said, “ 哗！我不下地狱，谁下地狱？”1 Then all my siblings started to eat a share of the fatty portions of the meat. My mother worked very hard to make sure that her children could attend school and get an education. It must have been a painful decision when she had to let my two eldest siblings drop out of school so that they could go to work in order to help support the family.
When I was young, probably less than eight years old, I would walk to the end of my flat’s corridor everyday without fail and look over the parapet to wait for a familiar figure to emerge from afar. I would run down the stairs towards my mother who would give me a big smile. I would help her to carry the pots and bags, which she used for her food stall in a school canteen.
If my mother had not persisted in letting me go for my tertiary education, I would not have known Jesus. It was in the polytechnic that someone shared with me about Jesus.
Life was hard for my mother who largely raised six children on her own because my father was hardly at home since he had another family. During mealtimes, my mother would always make sure
1. Editor’s note: This is a Chinese saying which translates into “If I do not venture into hell, then who will?”. Corinne’s brother probably used this phrase in a lighthearted manner but it is usually used when one is being selfless and making a sacrifice for the greater good. 6
Love will cause a mother to wait very patiently to see the change in her children which she has been praying for even though the wait may be painful and long drawn. Love will cause a mother to do impossible and immeasurable things for her children because a woman cannot forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb (Isaiah 49:15). Where can a mother draw such a great power of love? The sustaining power comes from God who is Love (1 John 4:8). Without God’s grace, a mother may find that her heart would not have been able to hold up the anxieties, worries, fears, frustrations, etc., which are as much a part of motherhood as are joy, hope, faith and encouragement. Being a Christian mother, I have an even higher calling. Not only do I want to meet the physical and emotional needs of my children, I also need to be aware of and meet the spiritual aspects of their lives. I have to teach my children the fear of the LORD (Psalm 34:11). I have to help them to be rooted in God’s word, and to cheer them on in their walk with God. I have to remind them to rely on the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), and to be aware of the evil one in this world (1 John 5:19). They must learn to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33), and to be ready for Christ’s return (Luke 12:40).
Now, not only have I found Jesus, but I also have a Christian family of my own. I thank God that my mother worships at BFEC’s Chinese ministry now.
Finally, we are to bless each one of our children. The world has many expectations and distractions so we are to bless them with the blessings of our Almighty God to help them persevere and be focused on Jesus.
Being a mother myself, I began to understand the sacrificial love of a mother’s heart. The tenderness of a mother’s heart will always remain unchanged because of one ingredient, that is, LOVE.
As I pen off, I would like to share a verse from my favourite song with you:
Love will cause a mother to stand at the window, waiting for her children to come home safely every night.
“世上只有妈妈好，有妈的孩子像个宝。投进妈妈的 怀抱，幸福已来了！。。。”2
Love will cause a mother to give up her promising career to stay home to take care of her children. Love will cause a mother who has no idea how to whip up a meal, to not only learn how to cook but to become a ‘Master Chef ’.
2. Editor’s note: This verse comes from an old and popular children’s folk song whose title is translated into “Mother is Best in this World”. This verse means “Mother is best in this world. A child with a mother is like a precious jewel. Enveloped in my mother’s arm, I find joy.”
Love will cause a mother to discipline her children even if it may hurt her to do so. 7
7 NUMBERS Numbers don’t tell the full story but these that Lim Seow Cheng researched certainly say something about the heart for overseas missions in Frankelites.
21 Missionaries sent out since 1973 Since 1973 (Excludes many others BFEC also partnered with). Willy & Sharon Ong, with Astrid & Nicholas
Average age of current missionaries overseas
35
Elder Seet Poon Soo
Children currently overseas with parents
8 (aged from 2 to 8 years)
Daniel & Joylyn Lau, with Grace & Faith
8
Most missionaries sent to any one country since 1973
6 To East Asia (followed closely by 5 to Japan)
Bibles distributed in China since 2011
28,287 In 11 trips to 77 districts & villages in 13 provinces.
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Mission trips made to the IP ministry since 2000
80 By some 70 different Frankelites. Excludes trips made by our first missionary and founding Elder Seet Poon Soon along with others in the pioneering years.
Most years in overseas missions by any BFEC missionary
25 By Melville and Salome Szto in Japan. If you count their stints in Singapore, it adds up to 42. 10
KIDS SAY God loves us even before the world began. God takes care of me. He gave me my body and mind to help others too. – God loves Jude Lau, 7
God gives me food, a home and money. He blesses me. He loves us all – I read this in the Bible. – God loves Aiden Toh, 8
Several years ago, my parents brought me to church and I got to know that God loves me and sacrificed His son for me. – God loves Daniel Chua, 11
A well-loved, perennial favourite song of both children and adults reminds us that “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” We asked some Junior Sunday School kids, “How do you know God loves you?” Hear what the 7 to 12 year-old beloved children of God say.
God helps me in my daily life and answers my prayers. – God loves Laura Koh, 8.5
I am blessed with many things like happiness, family and eternal life. I experience His grace and mercy in that whenever I make even serious mistakes, He forgives me. – God loves Faith Toh, 11
God heals me when I am sick and cheers me up when I am feeling sad. – God loves Matthew Chang, 10
God provides my daily needs and takes care of me. – God loves Shobi Yap, 8
God gave us His only Son. He was sacrificed for me. He has helped me through many hard times. – God loves Erica Cheong, 12
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God helps me to know Him better. He helps me to help others. – God loves Mitchel Choo, 12
A Heart for Our Youth Our brother, Tan Lai Yong is no stranger to the human heart – he is a medical doctor by training and has also ministered to many hurting and needy hearts in his years as a missionary in Yunnan. He is now actively involved in his ministry with our youth in Grow@Noon. In this article, Lai Yong shares what it means to have a heart for our youth. They are growing up in a world that is fraught with many challenges, dangers and temptations and we need to do our part to walk with them. As they say, it takes a village to raise a child. But we say, it takes a church to raise a godly youth. Lay Yong is married to Lay Chin and they have two children, Amber and Edward.
Heartbeats of Our Youth
Blood flows through our bodies because of the beating of our hearts - the contraction and expansion of our heart muscles. In human anatomy class, we learn that the heart is surrounded by a translucent membrane called the pericardium (from the Greek περί, “around” and κάρδιον, “heart”). The pericardium protects the heart, enables it to beat on inside a well lubricated sac. There is usually about 30 to 45 ml of a clear yellowish fluid in the pericardial cavity and this allows the heart to move freely as it beats on to supply blood and vital ingredients to the rest of the body.
At BFEC, we have had our precious GROW@ Noon ministry for our youth for the past 4 years. G = Glorify God R = Relationships O = Outreach W = Word of God Here, we have the privilege of sharing our lives with about 70 youths – enjoying camps, doing Bible quizzes, building friendships and worshipping God together. It has been a fascinating journey but in quieter and more sombre moments, I wonder if we are missing out on the very core of what it means to be a Christian. Are they caught in a “tamponade”?
A “Cardiac Tamponade” is a life threatening medical emergency when the pericardial cavity is filled with abnormal fluids – e.g., blood or pus. The heart is now squeezed as the pericardium cannot expand and there is heart failure. The heart just cannot expand and therefore cannot contract with the force that it needs to pump out the blood. The heart is healthy but the lack of space and the pressure that the tamponade exerts on it causes it to fail and life ebbs. The pressure on the heart causes the heart to fail.
Are our youths – healthy and energetic youths – being squeezed out and therefore not able to live out a spiritual adventure of trust, faith and prayer? There are many issues but I will highlight three that squeeze our youths as well as our families. 12
This does not mean that we should shield our children from the harsh realities of life. The translucent pericardium surrounds the heart so that it can beat more efficiently in a well lubricated sac. Once infected, the pericardium stiffens up and may turn fibrous. The heart is then trapped inside. We need to develop a parenting and youth ministry model that allows our youth to grow and to know that there is a life time of hard work ahead – to have a heartbeat for Jesus.
A = Anxiety B = Busyness C = Competition It is not wrong or sinful to be anxious. Feeling anxious is part of being human. We have feelings of anxiety just as we have feelings of happiness and sadness. The issue is not to become anxious about the wrong things or it could lead us to make wrong choices. Similarly , there is truth in the old adage that the idle mind can be the devil’s workshop.
We must learn to apply the words that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi for our youth today:
Healthy competition can potentially bring out the best in people. Again, the point is to make sure that we do not turn it into something that can harm us or those around us.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8-9)
The challenge is that we should not succumb to the ABCs that surround us – but to discern and know that the LORD is with us in everyday life. Our Heavenly Father seeks to grow us as godly people despite the ups and downs of life. Perhaps we are just too anxious for our future and the future of our youths. Feeling insecure about the future, we think that we should win as many competitions and score as many achievements as possible in order survive and so we keep ourselves busy all the time.
ABCs to Protect the Heart Instead of Anxiety, let’s develop the good habit of Affirmation, and be ready to affirm in our youths that which is true, noble and right, following the example of the Apostle Paul. To do this, we have to refrain from being constantly and mindlessly busy. I find that I get angry easily when I am overly busy and there is another timely reminder from Paul:
The fact that the Apostle Paul writes about anxiety means that he knew that we Christians can be anxious people too. This is how we should handle anxiety:
“In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry (Ephesians 4:26)
“The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5-7)
Thus we have to handle our Anxiety, not through anger but through Affirming what the LORD wants to do in our lives and the lives of our youth. Be the firm instrument that the LORD can use to hold and protect the hearts of our young people. Remember not to allow anxiety, materialism and skepticism, which is so often seen in adults, to harden our hearts.
Anxiety is not good for our hearts. When parents are anxious, the children feel it instinctively. Their hearts get squeezed too. Tony Campolo said, “I am convinced we don’t live in a generation of bad kids. We live in a generation of kids who know too much too soon.”
Instead of Busyness – let’s be a Blessing. Consider how we can be a blessing to our youths each day. As our children become teenagers, I suggest that we - especially the fathers - can be a blessing by helping the youth grow deep Convictions and to have a strong Community in Christ. 13
A- Affirm our Youth B- Be a Blessing C- Convictions and Community
Finally the Apostle Paul reminds us that Christ is with us – He is our very heartbeat that can spur us on:
Perhaps, we adult Christians can do better at winning the hearts of our youth if we heed some ancient wisdom from Marcus Tullius Cicero who wrote : “As I approve of a youth that has something of the old man in him, so I am no less pleased with an old man that has something of the youth. He that follows this rule may be old in body, but can never be so in mind”.
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)
Our children and our youth need to see Christ clearly in all aspects of our lives–our work life as well as in leisure, family and politics. They need to see that we are still making friends, caring for the community, witnessing to new friends, building bonds with old friends and loving our own aging parents.
“We need to develop a parenting and youth ministry model that allows our youth to grow and to know that there is a life time of hard work ahead – to have a heartbeat for Jesus.”
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A Heart for Service Matthias Ong shares his experience on how he started volunteering at Junior Sunday School (JSS) 12 years ago and how it has enabled him to nurture our young Frankelites and be blessed by his interactions with them in return. Matthias is married to Davina, who also serves in JSS. They have an adorable son, Ashyr.
I have served in JSS for 12 years. I had never thought I was cut out for it even though I had been born and raised in BFEC – I was actively attending KSS, JSS, CPM and church camps. There was a period when I dropped out but at 18 years of age, I came back.
Now, 12 years on and all of 30 years old, looking back on my time in JSS through the different phases of my life, I realise I have a lot to thank God for. Each phase of my life has had its challenges but also blessings.
That was in 2003, and at that time, Adelene, the Superintendent of JSS, came to the Young Adults Ministry to look for youths to serve in JSS. At that time, very few responded, but clearly, there was a need for teachers that was apparent to me. I wasn’t exactly new to engaging children as I had been in my school’s Interact Club for almost six years and was doing a lot of children’s programmes with underprivileged children, yet I knew that this was not the same nor was it going to be as easy. However, I told myself, if there was a need, even if i wasn’t talented in music or drama or storytelling, surely I could help out in some way or another. So, I started in JSS as a helper assisting Uncle Tony Soh in his class. I started off mostly observing, and then slowly trying to talk to the kids one-onone, before finally having opportunities to talk to the kids as a group and then having a go at delivering lessons. I tried to help out in any way I could, whether it was arranging chairs and tables, leading worship, organizing camps, thinking up activities, designing camp t-shirts or buying prizes. Of course, I made mistakes along the way but the other teachers encouraged me. Later that year, JSS decided to take me on as a teacher where I got to take on an entire class.
I was serving in JSS when I was in the army and in university, so I had all the time in the world to explore who God was, plan my lessons and go for meetings. I was fitter, more energetic, and more adventurous to run alongside the kids. However, my greatest challenge in serving in JSS was that I felt somewhat alone. There were other teachers for sure, but there were no youths or even young adults serving in JSS at that time. In addition, serving in JSS meant I had to attend the 8am instead of the 10am service which my peers attended. Apart from the Young Adults ministry helping out occasionally at JSS camp, that was it. It was quite demoralising as I lost touch with my church mates and peers. Inevitably, I felt like a stranger to many and that I was being left out in many ways. On the flipside, however, I forged meaningful relationships with many of the teachers as we served together, learnt a lot about God from preparing lessons, and most of all, enjoyed myself in relating to the children.
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After university and entering the workplace, the main challenge was finding time and energy, and also the focus, to continue serving in JSS in light of the competing demands of exams and work. I failed many times, choosing work over JSS, but I regret
every single time I made that decision. Now, I believe that everyone can serve God no matter what the circumstance, because it is simply a choice and acting on one’s faith. I knew I could not keep putting God off for later. I vividly remember watching the BFEC 50th anniversary video where Mr Seet Poon Soo, one of our founding elders, said so profoundly “Early or late, the call of God is there, but it is better to answer the call of God early before things happen in our life.”
We just need to let our willing hearts be matched by willing hands that God can use. Indeed, serving in JSS does require commitment, perseverance, humility to learn from your mistakes, and most importantly, time and energy. But, really, it is the same no matter where you serve. For myself, having interacted with so many different children, each with their own story and background, all I can say is this: I guarantee you that there is at least ONE child in JSS that would benefit from you and identify with your sharing of your own experience and journey with Christ. I’ve seen kids undergo amazing transformations after getting to know Christ right here in BFEC and I can testify that many of them accepted that faith because they saw that faith not only in their parents, but also in their teachers who had played a part in sowing that seed.
Well, 12 years and a marriage later, I will honestly say new challenges have come up as I enter another season of life. Davina, my wife, and I are now parents of our baby son, Ashyr. Yet we are very sure that we need to serve God as much as we can, even despite the increasing commitments of bringing up a child. We hope Ashyr has that same conviction as he grows. So I pray you will consider spending a season of time serving our children or youth – in KSS, JSS or Grow@Noon. I hear that the Young Adults ministry also needs mentors to come alongside them in their small groups. Brothers and sisters, the demands of teaching children and youth have increased in quantum leaps as we are challenged to help the children focus on God in a world that’s cluttered and distracting.
I would like to end by quoting Mark 10:45 which says “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” While we are not called to “give up” our lives for the world as Jesus was, we ARE called to impact the lives of those He has entrusted to us – and that includes our young ones right here. Who knows? These lives you play with and teach Sunday after Sunday will raise future Uncle Lai Yongs (who grew up in then SSS), Elder Melvilles (who grew up in the JSS of those days), and many other future disciples of Christ that will be His most entrusted servants, each placed to make a difference. Imagine what your act of obedience can do not just for the future of the church but for God’s kingdom.
So while we are thankful to God for all the many faithful teachers who’ve been serving, I believe our Heavenly Father wants us to come alongside them to meet the real and continuing need to serve as teachers or helpers. By all means, talk to the heads of ministries listed in the bulletin. But really, remember that each of us has at least one spiritual gift, according to the Word of God. All of us have unique abilities and skills.
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7 Questions Chua Jong Haw, 64, known to many simply and affectionately as “Uncle Haw”, has been our church’s go-to and fix-it man for the last 18 years. Ngoo Chih Yuan caught up with this handyman over breakfast and, conversing in Hokkien, found out these interesting glimpses about his life.
1. What was growing up like? I was already a strong and resilient “adult” at age 13, carrying the burden of feeding the family. I had different apprenticeships in the shipyard, finally becoming adept and most proficient as a welder. Taking my mother’s advice, I would work double shifts during weekdays and continue to work even on weekends just to earn enough for both the present and future. 2. That’s a lot of hard work! Yes. It was unforgettable too. Looking back, God protected me. Do you recall the infamous “Spyros” disaster in 1978 which claimed 76 lives?1 I could very well have been assigned to work in that ship as it was docked while I was working as a welder there. Instead, I was posted to work on building a new ship (rather than repairing an old one)! 3. Tell us about your family. My lovely wife, Da Mei and I have been blessed with two lovely children, Sin Min and Jia Feng. My wife is also like me, a hard worker. We spent our youth working, saving and bringing up a family. We now own our HDB flat and are debt-free. It was difficult when my children were growing up as we could not help with their studies at all. It was only through extra tuition that my daughter could understand the basics of her work in school. Being an intelligent, mature and hardworking child, she was soon able to keep up and excel on her own. She then, in turn, taught my son when he faced the same problems early in school. He was able to follow and keep up with no tuition! Both my children have since completed their studies and are now working professionals.
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4. What was most challenging about working at BFEC? I had come to work here in 1998 when I was approached by Peter Chua, who was a deacon then. The most challenging thing was picking up English at the age of 45! Before that, I hardly spoke a word of it! I was fortunate enough to have learnt it in this encouraging community, from interacting with folks like Edwin Tan and others. Another challenge was that I was not familiar with many of the DIY skills needed in my job. It was with gratitude that I remember Laurie Chan (affectionately known as “Sifu� to me) who was volunteering regularly as a handyman in church at that time. It was through his selfless sharing and tutelage that I slowly picked up many of the DIY skills that are still used today! Of course, I still had to figure out some by myself along the way. 5. What is your best memory about working in BFEC? The day I was baptized on 2 December 2012 declaring Jesus as my Lord and Savior. It was a proud moment. My wife had to work but my children came to witness it that day. I now try to attend the Chinese Ministry service in between chores on Sunday. 6. What led you to be baptized? I had believed in Christ after the Good News was shared with me at different times. My prayers had also been answered during the darkest times of my life. Yet, despite having worked in church since age 45, one of the things that held me back was my smoking habit. I decided that I had to quit before getting baptized. Easier said than done! Many members were also asking why I did not quit smoking or get baptized but 20
Uncle Haw baptised by Elder Ong Paak Loey
Uncle Haw with Uncle Laurie Chan
being a private person, I just nodded and said quietly to myself in my heart “just you wait and see”. Many must have prayed for me and this must have moved God’s hand for I started to feel frustrated and angry about smoking. It happened like this: I had a strong urge to smoke one day when I was on a bus. When the bus finally “crawled” to my destination, I quickly alighted and pulled out my cigarettes only to find that I had nothing to light the cigarette with! The opposite happened soon after - a strong urge followed by a long wait but this time, I had the lighter but NO cigarette! I got so angry about the situation that I threw away all my smoking paraphernalia and have never looked back. I was finally immersed in the waters of baptism at age 60 after I recovered from my second hospitalization. I had taken seriously ill and was warded in ICU one Sunday night after I had finished work on a baptism Sunday! 7. How have you changed over the years after receiving Christ into your life? Christ gave me strength and faith to lead a better life after each difficult episode in my life in the past few years. I had been hospitalized not once but twice in the past 4 years, both in critical condition but He healed me. I am also grateful to all Frankelites for the love and care shown to me throughout my 18 years’ service in BFEC. Thank you and may God bless you!
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Serving as a Family Jessica Tan, married to Darius Lum, is a relatively new JSS teacher. Like all of us, there is that challenge to carve out enough time and energy while balancing other legitimate needs. But she has found a way to serve out her passion despite having a very young child. May we also be inspired to serve Him in 2016 with the spiritual gifts and talents He has blessed each of us with.
I started serving in JSS in January 2014 together with Darius. We were helping out with the J1s together with the other teachers, Aunty Siew Ling and Uncle Simon. I’ve always enjoyed working with children and when Matthias (Ong) approached me to check if I was interested to help out with JSS, I immediately agreed.
At 16 months old, we are able to drop her off and Darius attends the service without having to worry about her. “Don’t you get enough of teaching already since you are a school teacher?” you may ask. Indeed, teaching five days a week may be tiring but by God’s grace, I am able to cope with work, family and I still have the strength to teach every Sunday. Seeing the children grow in their faith makes me happy and makes me want to be there to grow together with them. May I leave a quote with you, one I have found very meaningful in my teaching journey, both professionally and in church, and which spurs me on to do my part for Him.
During my pregnancy, I sometimes wasn’t able to attend JSS weekly due to nausea and giddy spells. However, in the weeks that we did go, the children would never fail to encourage me. Their desire to learn more about God inspired me. I used to worry about my Bible knowledge as I felt that I did not have the capability of teaching the children well. However, over time, I overcame this fear by praying and asking God to use me as a vessel to teach the children. I felt more confident and was able to speak to the children at their level and to be a listening ear to them as well. With that, it encouraged me to continue helping out and spending time with them every Sunday.
“Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” – Charles R Swindoll
Having little Danielle has definitely shifted our focus a little. After having discussed with Darius, we agreed that I would continue to help out at JSS whilst he takes care of her. This also works very well as a father-daughter bonding session for both of them. Danielle goes to the crèche and after a few months, she is now accustomed to being there, very well taken care of by the aunties and “big sisters”. 22
SPURRING ONE ANOTHER ON In this issue, we field reports on the Bethesda Katong Kindergarten’s Annual Concert, Ladies’ 50th Anniversary and Nativity, our Christmas evangelistic special.
Bethesday Katong Kindergarten’s Annual Concert: 28 and 29 October 2015 Having two children of my own, it never ceases to amaze me how kindergarten teachers manage 30 squirming pre-school children in a class for 3 hours. How do you keep them attentive and engaged? How do you help them understand and learn? Gasp! How do you have them follow instructions to the ‘T’?
I must say that such “prowess” is evident each year at the BKK Annual Graduation and Concert. This is the time when our BKK pre-schoolers turn performers on stage. Vibrantly dressed to reflect their hopes and their future, they infect the audience with their energies as they prance to the beat. The most delightful to see is always the way the children are absorbed in their particular number, giving their best while having a ball, oblivious to the world.
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I have never failed to feel a sense of pride for the children at each concert finale. Having attended three concerts now, I have also come to realize the amount of time and effort that the teachers put in to create such wonderful memories for us all. So, my pride and gratitude extends to Miss Irene Wee and her team for their love, care, and dedication toward the children who enter BKK’s gates. – Ethan Pang, father of Elisha Pang, Green Grapes class (2015)
than 80 years old and still attending our meetings! She reads her Bible faithfully. (4) Judith Gomez – she started attending because her sister-in-law (friend of our late sister & one of our founders, Mrs Pat Sabapathy) invited her. Judith is currently serving in our Committee.
Ladies’ Group 50th Anniversary 18 August 2015 We praise the Lord for granting the Ladies’ Group 50 wonderful years. Yes, they were wonderful in spite of the challenges we faced in keeping it alive, summarized in these brief words! Word of God The heart of our existence has always been, and still is, the Word of God. Faithful servants of God have come from near and far to minister to us, week after week, year after year. Oftentimes the speakers mention the faithfulness of the Bethesda Frankel Ladies’ Group in meeting every week for so many years. They truly cheer us on! Our physical bodies may grow weary but our spirit grows stronger day by day, fed by the Word of God. We have learnt so many precious lessons which have helped strengthen our faith in God all these years. Witness The seed of the gospel is constantly being sown among us.
(5) Evelyn Tan – she started joining a ladies’ exercise dance group under the leadership of Linda Lee, a member of Bethesda Bedok Tampines Church (BBTC). A couple of our We do not know the final count own Ladies’ Group Committee of those who have been led to the members also joined the same dance Lord through their attendance at group, got to know her and finally, the Ladies’ Ministry but we wish to Irene Tan had the privilege of leading share the experiences of some of our her to say the sinner’s prayer. She is ladies here: among one of our latest additions. (1) Esther Liew – she recently mentioned that she first came to know the Lord by attending the Ladies’ Group. Her neighbour, our dear Mrs Maria Wee (one of our Committee members, now safe in the arms of Jesus) encouraged her to attend Ladies’ Group meetings. As Esther loved to cook and we had a cooking demonstration then, she came along. Esther has been attending Ladies’ Group meetings for many years. (2) Alice Lim - she used to live opposite our church. Doreen Seow shared with us that she brought Alice and, after that, her son to our church. Alice attended faithfully until she moved to Bukit Timah. (3) Mrs Stella LaBlond – she is from a Roman Catholic church but has been attending our Ladies’ Group meetings for some 30 years. She came because her neighbour, Mrs Wee Cheng Neo (one of our 9214 key members) brought her to our meetings. Stella is now more 24
Warmth God showers warmth and camaraderie to our Ladies’ Group so that we can share our talents and faith with others. Among our members are many good cooks, so they share through cooking demonstrations every now and then. We also invite outstanding male cooks who have come willingly to share their culinary skills with us. Amongst them are a Japanese Singaporean, Akira, our previous church member, Ong Koon Seng and current church member serving the Lord in Cambodia, Tan Hwee Yang. We hold talks and demonstrations to learn how to lead healthy lives, talks about cancer, dementia, good nutrition, line dancing, the Great Singapore Workout to mention just a few fun things. We also organized some outings to interesting places within Singapore.
The highlight in 2015 was our 50th Anniversary dinner held on Tuesday, 18 August at Bliss Garden. We had a lively programme which included a solo performance by one of our talented speakers, Mrs Jingles Cortes, a dance skit led by Linda Pereira and staff of Bethesda Katong Kindergarten, a mime titled “Before the World Began” led by Linda Tan and lastly, a Peranakan dance performance by BBTC members. The Ladies’ Group presented a medley of songs with the audience singing along. Elder Jimmy Tan prayed and dedicated us for another year of service. Finally, our speaker, Elder Caleb Chua Soon Boon presented a touching gospel message. Among the 420 who attended were speakers and their spouses, church members, friends from other churches and quite a number of pre-believers. We give thanks to the Lord for their presence and for His Word which went forth and “will not return to Him void”.
Nativity, 12 December 2015
attended the two performances.
It is not often that the church is presented with the opportunity to organize an evangelistic outreach through a dance performance and so, when a professional ballet troupe, the Austrian Ballet Company Tokyo (ABC-Tokyo), which was touring Kuala and Singapore in December, offered to perform for us, we quickly agreed.
Many found the performance meaningful. The last scene where Jesus broke the bondage of sin, symbolized by the cord around the necks of people and ushered them into the kingdom of God was especially powerful.
Some comments from our guests when asked which part of the performance touched them: The founder of ABC-Tokyo uses “I am very grateful for this their performances as their ministry timely reminder of God’s love and they often include Christian through Jesus” themes, e.g., Messiah and Nativity. “Jesus showed me his love and his sacrifice” By faith we booked a proper “It really encouraged me to concert hall with a seating capacity learn more about Jesus” of 800 people and did two shows. From the response forms, The next step was calling for there were eight salvations, nine helpers and volunteers to organize rededications and one request for the event. As always, Frankelites baptism. Assuredly, the gospel seeds rose to the occasion - the young have been planted in many more who were actively involved in the hearts and we pray that these will publicity, our church office staff yield their fruits in due time. who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, the ukelele team and emcees, It was a fitting end to the year the not-so-young who came to pack as we declared Christ the Reason the 1,600 goodie bags as well as for the Season. helpers attending to the refreshment and ushering duties, and befrienders To God be the glory!! on the day of the performance. – Deacon Ng Geok Chye It was marvelous to witness Head, Evangelism Committee everyone offering their labor of love for the cause of the gospel. On Saturday, amidst the rain, our guests streamed into the concert hall. We had over 1,100 who
May “all those who come behind us find us faithful”. – Betty Ong, Chairperson, Ladies Group 25
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21