Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew

 

FEBC

The Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) is a para-church organization that is like the hands and feet to the body. This was the basis for the founding of this very important organ of the Singapore B-P movement. Pastors come and pastors go because of the way of all mankind. New pastors have to be trained to continue to good fight of faith so that our sons and daughters may have a church with a godly pastor to care for their spiritual well being. FEBC is such a Bible College by the grace and mercies of God. Without her, the B-P church will die. FEBC has gone through an arduous battle for the perfect Bible these past ten years. Finally, some respite has been given to God's College. There continues to be a home for the training of God's servants and the defence of God's perfect Bible. Though the spiritual battle has not stopped for one second, the physical upkeep of the College had stopped for the past fifty years. The time is right for a clean-up and rebuilding has begun.

 

This is God's work, just as the building of the Tabernacle and the Temple was God's work. The generations before and after the completion of the Tabernacle and Temple could not give toward the building because God said it was not time to build. But now it is your and my time to participate in God's building project. Take advantage of this privilege and give cheerfully as unto the LORD. Below is an update of the renovation project headed by Dr Jeffrey Khoo, the principal of the FEBC for your understanding. God bless.

 

FEBC RENOVATION UPDATE

Since December last year, FEBC started repairing its 50-year old buildings, and renovating its rooms. The renovations and repairs of FEBC are progressing steadily. The Central Library was the first to be done up and ready for use just before Chinese New Year. All our books are now located at the 2nd storey of the L Extension Block. Students have started to use the new library furnished with study carrels and tables. The 40 double-sided bay shelves in the Central Library are already full. We need more space for more books still in storage. For this, we will convert the old office into a Reference Library. The Reference Library will house more books, theological journals, periodicals and special collections (eg Mackenzie files, BP History). Thus far, we have spent about $51,000 for the library.

 

The FEBC offices and FEBC Bookroom are moved to Beulah House. The systems furniture and filing cabinets/drawers cost us $13,500. Our staff and faculty will appreciate the new environment and furniture. For our Bookroom, we have reused some of our bookroom and library shelves that are still in good condition to save on expenses. We are thrifty and try to economise as much as we can. We are changing our fluorescent lights to LED ones to save on electricity. Our library is now lighted with LED tubes. We will do the dorms next. A couple of antique wooden chairs with rattan seats were repaired and placed in the lounge area fronting our offices and bookroom. An old coffee table has been polished and lacquered by one of our students who does carpentry. It goes well with our rattan chairs.

 

Starhub is our preferred internet service provider. They have been most helpful in getting us connected quickly. Our renovation contractor had warned that it might take six months to get our internet up and ready because of the backlog at Netlink. But we thank the Lord for helping us expedite the process. This was also the case with our telephone lines if we were to keep the same numbers. Owing to an old arrangement, we thought we had to change all our phone numbers, but we thank the Lord that He has made it possible for us to keep our old numbers. The college office number remains as 62569256. This saves us from quite a bit of inconvenience. The Lord has providentially brought the right people to us and arranged the circumstances in such a way as to ensure that our renovations could proceed smoothly. This also facilitates the transition and expedites the implementation of the Scheme.

 

During the Chinese New Year period, the repair and waterproofing of the 50 year-old roof of the L & Extension Block started. This major work on 1280sqm of pitched and RC roofs cost $21,760. This work was badly needed. The whole roof had to be washed and cleaned before actual waterproofing work was done. When the workers jet washed the roof, it showed many points of leakage. Broken tiles were replaced and cracked tiles repaired. It took 24 Bangladeshi workers four days just to do this. It took another week for the roof coating and waterproofing to be completed. The roof now looks like new.

 

The ladies’ dorms have been vacated for renovation works. The girls are now comfortably settled in two large bedrooms with adjoining toilets at the 5th storey of the new Beulah Centre. All who reside there have to be fingerprinted in order to have access (like the airport immigration checkpoint). This high tech security feature was put in place by LBPC. We can be sure our girls are safe over there.

 

As ordered by the Court, Jones Lang Lasalle have been employed to prepare areport on percentage of allotted use for common and shared areas based on Annex B & C (as per the Scheme issued by the High Court). For this work, they charge a lump sum of $10,000 which is to be borne equally by FEBC and LBPC. In their report, they will (1) broadly review and compare the usage for shared areas using information as provided by FEBC and LBPC (if any), (2) recommend areas (Exclusive Use) to install separate utility metres (electricity and water), (3) propose charge model for utilities (Exclusive Use) before installation of utility metres, and (4) propose charge model for utilities under Common and Shared Use areas.

 

The Lord has been providing the funds needed for the repairs and renovations. We thank True Lifers, and our FEBC alumni and friends (local and overseas) for supporting their alma mater. One brother gave $80,000 towards the library. FEBC students are doing their part as well. They have taken a collection of $2875.90 towards the renovations. One student was later moved by the Lord to give an additional sum of $231. The money came with this letter of thanksgiving,

Dear Dr Khoo

Blessed New Year! Thank you for your faithful teaching to me. I am so happy to learn every lesson of God’s Word. You know before the Chinese New Year my heart thought: If I got a love gift I would give to the school for renovations.

Thank God I got some love gifts from my church members. And when you shared the lesson about giving, my heart was so glad. God wants me to practise this lesson in my life. So I give this gift to you for school renovations. I got a total of $281. I keep $50 to see the dentist. The rest $231 I want to give to the school.

Dear Dr Khoo, please receive it for the school so that I can learn this lesson in practice. Thank God for teaching me such a lesson through you. May God bless you and your ministry in Christ!

Your student

[No name given]

 

This semester the college chapel hour on Monday focused on the wise sayings of our founding principal—the late Rev Dr Timothy Tow. Rev Tow said, "Do not be afraid to give. As a well gives of its water it is so refilled by lively springs." Another one, "Galilee that gives and gives is ever full. The Dead Sea that gets and gets is dead empty." This is precisely what our Lord and Saviour Himself taught, "freely ye have received, freely give." (Matt 10:8), "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35). "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over" (Luke 6:38). We are encouraged that our students are not just hearers but also doers of the Word. This augurs well for FEBC.

 

During the college vacation, work will start on the L-Annex. The main works will be the toilets and bathrooms—the corroded pipes have to be replaced, the drainage system correctly fitted and the floor waterproofed.

 

We are replacing the half-century old wardrobes in dorms. When these old wardrobes were hacked out, we found skeletons in the closet, literally! You see, there were gaps between the wall and the wardrobes just below the roof. The birds which found a nesting place underneath our roof also found a "resting" place there. The gaps are now sealed up so that the birds will not fall into that "bottomless pit". No more fowl cemetery! The birds should have a safe nesting place in God’s house. They have been there for many generations. "Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah." (Ps 84:3-4). The olive-backed sunbird which built a jug-shaped nest on the bamboo branch just outside the Principal’s study last year has returned. God provides for His creatures but He does much more for us His children. "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." (Luke 12:6-7). Although we live in hostile and inhospitable surroundings, we are comforted by God’s promises in His Word and His providential acts around us that He is watching over us. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear …" (Ps 46:1-2a).

 

Thus far, almost $200,000 has been spent in the renovation of our premises. Here is the breakdown:

(1) Central Library $32,078

(2) Library shelves $19,435

(3) Library/Office furniture $13,618

(4) Ladies’ dorm pantry/toilets/wardrobes $77,992

(5) Roof repairs and waterproofing $21,760

(6) LED Lights, fans, air-conditioners $12,437

(7) Internet equipment $2,535

(8) Outdoor storage cabinets/shelves $1,701

Total: $181,556

 

The renovations are ongoing and should be completed before the College reopens on July 20. Here are the estimated costs for the rest of the work to be done:

(1) FEBC Hall $10,000

(2) Reference library $15,000

(3) Men’s dorm toilets/wardrobes $97,000

(4) Kitchen & storeroom $40,000

(5) Dining area (backyard & side apron) $50,000

(6) Public & guestroom toilets $65,000

(7) 1st parsonage $60,000

(8) 2nd parsonage $60,000

(9) Electrical works $21,000

(10) Air-conditioners $30,000

(11) Roller blinds $11,000

(12) Painting L-Block (interior/exterior) $90,000

Total: $549,000

There are other items that are not included yet like the furniture for the dining area and dorms.

 

True Lifers have been giving generously, and thus far we have collected $146,060 through weekly designated offerings. We have also received $300,000 from a member of Calvary Pandan. $10,000 has come from a devout couple. Another $3000 has just come in from an FEBC alumna in Jakarta.

 

We are grateful to the Lord for His timely provisions through His people who have given so lovingly to His School of Prophets. To such givers the Lord promised a "prophet’s reward", "He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." (Matt 10:41-42). Praise the Lord!