What My Faith MeansTo Me
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Pre-Conversion Days
I was born on 5th Sep 1952 into a family of 11 children. I am the second, with an elder sister, 3 younger sisters and 6 younger brothers.For the first 14 years of my life, I enjoyed life with all my siblings as my father was a merchant who also led a Chinese opera troupe, and a triad boss. We were sheltered, protected from poverty and lived as well-respected children of a triad boss.My father passed away in a traffic accident when I was fourteen years old. My father’s business was failing prior to his untimely death, and our family was plunged into poverty. My elder sister, myself and my second brother and sister (who stopped schooling after primary six) had to work after school to help out with family expenses.
After my father passed away, I worked as a lorry attendant after school, and satay stall helper at night until I was called up for National Service.My mother only worked during the lunar seven month as a singer in a Chinese puppet troupe. During this month all my brothers and sisters would cook for themselves at home.
But by God’s grace, He sent many people (some were grateful of my father’s help during their life crisis) to help us to meet our expenses every month. Also by God’s providence, I was able to give $200 of my army pay of $245 a month to my mother to help with bills and other expenses.
Life was hard for us, especially for my mother, who had never done any housework prior to my father’s untimely death. We had servants to take care of us. Though she was gentle, soft and kind she also possessed a mind of steel and endurance. She quickly adjusted and adapted to the traumatic change, from being a rich man’s wife to a poor widow with 11 young children. She learned to cook, wash and do her best for the 11 of us.
To me, she is truly a woman of substance.All my siblings are close knit even to this day, though we may not meet as frequently as we should, but we have learned through these 39 years that when one rejoices, all rejoice; when one weeps, all weep.Due to our family background and lacking a good role model, I participated in my first gang fight when I was 16. Subsequently I even formed my own gang and whenever trouble came, I relied on my father’s gang members and friends’ help to settle matters.
My mother never allowed her children to join or be involved with any gang activity but nevertheless my second brother and I were. Both of us started work at a very young age and had seen and admired my father’s great influence on others, even after his death. Our other siblings were too young to understand these things then.
After my national service, I joined The Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) as a junior clerk, enrolled in the PSA training scheme, and upon passing the examination I begin work as a Clerk-of-works in the construction industry.
The Days At Moulmein And AMK Church Of Christ ~ 1978 I obeyed the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on April 2nd. What happened that day is still vivid in my mind. Brother Richard Loh preached a sermon entitled “Change of Heart“, using the illustration of a man who was given three months to live unless he was willing to risk a heart transplant. I obeyed the call to be baptized into Christ. Brother Ronald Tay explained to me 1 Peter 1:18, 19 and the significance of baptism prior to immersing me into the watery grave and rising to walk in newness of life.This is one of the ways that God has blessed me; a good memory to remember His grace reaches me, to be thankful for the salvation only found in Christ Jesus. This is why I still hold to God’s unchanging hand despite trials, temptations, successes and failures in my Christian life.
Besides learning as a new convert, I was encouraged and guided to participate in personal work every Saturday and taught to serve in worship.
1979-1986
This period was characterised by my joining 14 Christians to start the AMK Church of Christ, which involved worshipping, learning to preach and teach, taking English lessons, and attending extension courses in the evening at the Four Seas College.This is the period where I learned the most. Apart from receiving mentoring from brothers Gordon Hogan and Richard Loh, I began to serve in the ministry of evangelism and edification. This has benefited me greatly in my full time ministry years later. The Church grew from its original 15 members to about 70 in 1986 when I returned to worship at Moulmein.
Full-Time Ministry ~ 1986-1989
In 1980, while I was at the AMK Church of Christ, Moulmein Church began a Chinese service on Sunday evenings. I was called to participate and learn to preach and teach the Bible in Chinese.
In 1986, I decided to enter into full-time ministry with support from both the Chinese and English speaking congregations. During my three years in full time ministry, I teamed up with brother Danny Han to teach the gospel, visit the sick and joined hands together to publish a Chinese magazine for the brotherhood. I also came to Pasir Panjang Church of Christ to teach the Chinese-speaking brethren on Wednesday evenings.
I met with a very serious traffic accident one month after I began my full-time ministry. On August 7th, 1986, after visiting brother Danny Han at the Pasir Panjang Church; both of us were travelling in the Moulmein Church van to Tan Tock Seng Hospital to visit and teach 2 cancer patients. Exhausted from the day’s labours, I momentarily fell asleep while driving. I was trapped in the vehicle, with both legs injured while Brother Danny Han was unhurt. After being rushed to the hospital for a complicated six-hour operation to save my right leg by God’s grace and the prayers of all the Christians in Singapore, the operation was successful and I begin to walk without crutches after 5 months.
During these months, many visited me in the hospital and the AMK brethren set up a task force to take care of my wife and Nehemiah, who was only 5 months old then. They came to cook, wash and do whatever their hands could find to help.
I continued to serve in the full-time ministry and in 1989, I left when the church was unable to continue with my support.
I worked as an insurance supervisor for three years but left the industry and a reasonably lucrative income, preferring to spend more time to serve God and His people.
In 1993, through the recommendation of brother Wat Tat Chuen of Moulmein Church, Brother Pang Tee Liang offered me a job. This is one of the wonderful blessings sent from God that helped me to use the skills for which I have been trained and it has provided for my family till this day.
I remained with the Moulmein Chinese speaking congregation, continuing to lead, serve, preach and teach until 2002. They moved to Bedok in 1996. After I left full-time ministry, I encouraged the Chinese-speaking brethren to provide financial support to preachers like brother Edwin Choy, Charlie Ong and Andrew Ng.
My Family And I At Pasir Panjang Church Of ChristMy wife, Li Li and I met each other at the Moulmein congregation. Later she came to AMK and we served together there. We were married on May 14th, 1983. Our son Nehemiah was born in 1986 and Charmaine, our daughter, in 1988.
I thank God for a wife who loves me, who honours the marriage vow of being together through all situations and at all cost. Besides the providence and strength from God, she is the great support in my ministry to God and man.
Even after I left full-time ministry, I was frequently called to visit the sick in hospital, to preach and teach the gospel to members’ parents, either after work in the evenings or on weekends. My wife would encourage me to go on.
There is always a great struggle between earning a few more dollars for the family and the ministry of the Kingdom of God. I thank God for sending me a wife who seeks His will, and children who understand why their father has to do these things, and who bear with me when their cousins are enjoying overseas vacations while we remain at home during school holidays. My wife and I are thankful to God for blessing us with obedient children, both to us and to Him.
Most of you have known we came to visit Pasir Panjang Church in 2002, after I was invited to participate in your Shenzhen tent-making mission.
We thank you for your warm hospitality and love from sincere hearts; we believe God has blessed us to be with you. After a year of visit, we decided to place membership with the Pasir Panjang Church.
We are thankful the Lord has counted us to be faithful, calling me and my family to serve. My family and I have grown in faith and service and have benefited greatly in our Christian life since we came to visit you. Now my sister, Tan Geok Khuan, too is worshipping with the Pasir Panjang Chinese congregation.
God Is Shaping Me For His Purpose
I firmly believe that our God in heaven has His plan for my life. God knows what is best for me. He works according to His plan, His timing and also His desires.
As a Chinese-educated person, God has not only shown His mercy on me, but placed me to be baptized into an English-speaking congregation to learn and grow among so many faithful, able servants to coach and train me with His word. God later called me to learn and serve in a Chinese-speaking church. At the same time, the three years of full-time ministry and 16 years in the Chinese-speaking church proved invaluable to my ministry today.
Now God has called me to His Church at Pasir Panjang where I can serve Him in both Chinese and English speaking ministries, especially the China mission.God called me to Kunming, China in 1997 and 1998; I was there at AMK Church’s request to preach to a family. The two mission trips gave great insight though I did not realise God was beginning to prepare my heart for greater things to come.
In 1999, there were several young and old Chinese nationals who obeyed the gospel at the Bedok Chinese congregation. I began to encourage the church, especially those who worked or travel overseas, to prepare to serve God in other nations.
In 2001, I worked with 500 Chinese nationals at a construction site. They shared with me their beliefs and the situation in China.
Then God opened the way. Brother Henry met me according to God’s plan and I was called to be a part of your Chinese mission.
With the above I shall confidently say, “ Surely the Sovereign Lord will do nothing until He reveals His will to His servants.”
Conclusion
As I look back on my life, especially from the day God saved me from eternal damnation and transferred me to the Kingdom of His dear Son, I can see His awesome power and marvelous ways in my life.When I think of how God has moulded me and made me according to His will and His wishes, I firmly believe that He wants me to use these gifts, talents, training, interests, abilities and life experiences to serve and glorify Him.
God has called me, led me and guided me in a way that my ministry is unique to suit His purpose.My brothers and sisters in PP, I believe if God can show His grace and mercy for such a man like me, if God can mould me, shape me after His will and His purpose, He can do likewise in your lives.
So the question to ask now is:“What should you do with the manifold blessings that God has given you?”
“Should you spend it on matters that are temporal, or to ignore His call and maintaining status quo or will you use it for His purpose in your lives?”
My goal and aspiration in life is:
“Even I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. And you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.” (Philippians 2:17,18)
So that some day we will confidently say:“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have love His appearing”. (2 Timothy 4: 6-8)
And I encourage you to share the same with me.
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