Lord’s Day, Vol. 13 No. 1

Mdm. Foo Shook Mun Joined the Church

Praise God for leading Mdm. Foo Shook Mun to worship in our Mandarin Outreach Service at 10 m on the Lord’s Day. She has decided to join the church in membership transfer on 29 December 2024 during our English Service at 3pm witnessed by her two sons. Mdm. Foo is a retired nurse. She has been worshipping with us regularly for the past 2 years. 

Testimony of Mdm. Foo Shook Mun

When I was in primary school, I studied at Nan Hua Primary School. I stayed at a long one-storey house where there are many rooms. I stayed in one of the rooms with my family.

I have a neighbour who works as a housemaid with long pig-tailed hair in a white blouse and black pants (妈姐) from Guangzhou who was a Christian. Quite amazing! She asked me to accompany her to Gan En Tang (感恩堂) Kum Yan Methodist Church in Queen Street for the Cantonese Service. I was then in Secondary School. Every Lord’s Day, on her off day, she would ask me to accompany her to church.

After my graduation, I became a nurse. I moved to an HDB flat. I was busy with work, I just joined the nursing profession, and there were many examinations to take. As my new home was far from the church and there was no one to accompany me, I did not go to church during that time.

Soon, my grandmother (奶奶), son and aunt (姑姑) came to Christ and were going to church. I occasionally would accompany them to Galilee Bible-Presbyterian Church. 

I started attending Huai En Tang (怀恩堂), Grace S.C.C. Church on Queen Street and was baptized there in 2010.

My husband was not well and I had to take care of him since 2021. I stopped going to church. 

Occasionally, I would attend Galilee Bible-Presbyterian Church with my aunt (姑姑)， son and my husband.

After my husband had gone home to be with the Lord, Mr Tan (Dr Tan Bien Keem) started to bring me to 福望堂 (Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church Mandarin Outreach) in the past 2 years. I have decided to join the church.

[Translated from oral testimony in Mandarin recorded on 20 October 2024 at 福望堂 (Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church Mandarin Outreach)]

Reading Through the Bible

Thank God for enabling the church to read through the Old Testament Scriptures twice last year. It was a most challenging and yet fulfilling spiritual endeavour. It requires much prayer, perseverance, persistence and prayer. Thank God for the testimonies of many summaries made on the books of the Old Testament by members and friends. Thank God for the sermon series “Opening the Old Testament” which covers the 39 books of the Old Testament during our Lord’s Day Service recorded in Sermon Audio and YouTube. 

We also have the additional aid of the Westminster Annotations Volume 1 (Genesis – Esther) with explanations and cross-references to facilitate our understanding of the Old Testament text.

Reading the New Testament

This year, we begin the reading of the New Testament Scriptures twice from January – April 2025. With the background of having read Old Testament Scriptures twice last year, we pray the Lord will open the New Testament Scriptures anew by the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

Pray the Lord to enable members and friends to take time to read and meditate on the New Testament Scriptures and to make summaries.

Family Devotion 2025

We shall begin in this new year of grace 2025 to study the Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechism in our individual families and as collectively as a church, the congregation of families. I urge families to organize yourselves together to meet and study the Confessions together. 

“The Bible is the Word of God to man; the Creed is man’s answer to God. The Bible reveals the truth of the popular form of life and fact; the Creed states the truth in logical form of doctrine. The Bible is to be believed and obeyed; the Creed is to be professed and taught.” [The Creeds of Christendom by Philip Schaff]

The best creed or confession in the English language is the Westminster Confession. The Bible-Presbyterian Church adopts “The Westminster Confession” in the church’s constitution.

The record of the Assembly’s work is published in this volume – The Westminster Confession by the Banner of Truth Trust.

The documents largely include “The Westminster Confession”, The Larger Catechism, The Shorter Catechism, The Directory of the Public Worship of God, The Form of Presbyterial Church Government, and The Directory for Family Worship.

This record of the Confession is to the Christian Reader especially the heads of family. The heads of families rightly as taught in the Scriptures is the main catechisers to their respective families.

Their role to lead the family in the faith affirms the words of Moses to Israel before they entered the Promised Land in Deuteronomy 6:6-7 for the well-being of the families, the congregation of families that form the church or the various tribes, and the congregation of churches or tribes that form the nation.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (KJV) And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

It has first to be a religion of the heart and then it is possible to impart from heart to heart!

As we study the Confessions, we realize the problem in the churches today is that the role of the parents has been diminished as the chief influencers for their children’s spiritual education. This, I believe, has to be restored so that we shall not anymore experience the tragedies of the present generation of families, but there will be a renewal to strengthen the witness of the church in these last days for His glory.

As mentioned, we shall begin in this new year of grace 2025 to study the Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechism in our individual families and as collectively as a church, the congregation of families.

A schedule has been drawn out to enable the church to complete the study of the Shorter and Larger Catechism this year.

The record of the Assembly’s work is published in this volume – The Westminster Confession by the Banner of Truth Trust. 

It has the Bible references to each of the answers to the questions in the 107 answers of the Shorter Catechism and 196 answers of the Larger Catechism listed, facilitating our ease of use.

We shall begin in this first session with the answers to first three questions of the Shorter Catechism.

You are encouraged to memorize the answers as collectively as a family and individually during the times of the week.

If writing down helps you to better remember, please do so, as we spare no effort to know the blessed will of God.

For example, the Shorter Catechism question 1. 

What is the chief end of man?

Answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.

There are two parts to this answer. The first “Man’s chief end is to glorify God”, and the second “and to enjoy Him forever.”

Two verses are given as proof texts in framing the thought “Man’s chief end is to glorify God” – 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Romans 11:36.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (KJV) Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Romans 11:36 (KJV) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Both verses from the Apostle Paul show us the sacred purpose of our existence on earth, directing us to glorify God in all that we think and do.

In other words, “our chiefest care and affection should mainly run upon the glory of God, and that God might be advanced and lifted up on high.” [Thomas Manton]

An introductory video entitled “Family Devotions 2025” has been recorded and made available on Sermon Audio – https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/142575651147

We are living in momentous times leading to Christ’s impending return when we can work no more. May the Lord equip His church to proclaim His Name so that souls may be won to His kingdom according to the goodwill of God for His glory. Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee