Pr Joshua Yong

Hebrews 13:7 – “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.”

With the confusion in Christianity today, it is important to always remember what we believe in and why we believe what we believe. It is by God’s providence that the Bible-Presbyterian movement was brought to Singapore. Rev Timothy Tow traced the heritage of the Bible-Presbyterian movement in Singapore to seven different roots. We have looked at the first four roots the last time. We will here continue with the final three roots.

The Fifth Root: The Chinese Root

 The B-P movement in Singapore traces one of its roots back to the ministry of Dr John Sung, a Chinese revivalist, raised by God to bring about a revival in China and Southeast Asia in the 1930s. It was through his ministry that the founding fathers of the B-P movement were saved and subsequently called to the full-time ministry.

Rev Timothy Tow recounted his experience during one of these revival meetings: “‘Ye must be born again! Ye must be born again! I verily, verily say unto you, Ye must be born again!’ This was so new to us! Like Nicodemus, this was the first time I ever heard about being ‘born again’. Expounding the story of Nicodemus’ encounter with Jesus in John 3 verse by verse, Dr Sung pointed his finger at me, ‘Are you born again? If not, you can never go to heaven! Do you have the new life of Jesus in you? If not, you are bound for hell!’

Every word the preacher said this time pierced my trembling heart…Though crestfallen from my high self-esteem and pride of a strict religious upbringing, realising for the first time I could not save myself by my good deeds which I had tried to do always…my sin-burden rolled down! I saw myself kneeling with Pilgrim at the foot of the cross, released forever from the sin burden.” (Timothy Tow, The Singapore Pentecost, 14-15)

It was also through the ministry of Dr John Sung that Rev Tow reinforced his understanding of the doctrine of the premillennial return of Christ. Rev Tow recounted: “A thorough student of the Bible, John Sung knew the Old Testament as well as the New. His sermon texts ranged through every book of the Bible. A Premillennialist, believing in the soon coming of Christ, he would expound Daniel or Revelation in his follow-up ‘spiritual nurture’ meeting after every revival campaign. These Bible-study sessions, like the revival meetings, would last two hours each session, three times a day.” (Timothy Tow, Asian Awakening, 38)

The Sixth Root: The American Root

When Rev Timothy Tow answered the Lord’s call to the full time ministry, he first went to China to learn under Dr Chia Yu Ming in Nanking, China. Later he was introduced to Faith Theological Seminary in America. This Seminary was established by various leaders of the Bible-Presbyterian Church in America who broke away from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church because of its a-millennial stand. The Orthodox Presbyterian Church had also advocated Christian liberty in matters of drinking.

It was through the ministry of Dr Carl McIntire in Faith Theological Seminary that Rev Timothy Tow caught the flame for the 20^th Century Reformation. “When the challenge to join the 20th Century Reformation was given by Dr McIntire to Faith Seminary students, the founding pastor of the B-P Church, Singapore, Timothy Tow, then a junior, felt God’s call to join the movement....Thus, in our Stand for the Faith, we can trace to Dr Carl McIntire, leader of the Bible-Presbyterians and president of the ICCC, who must be acknowledged as our American Root.” (Timothy Tow, The Singapore B-P Church Story, 16-17).

The 20^th  Century Reformation movement is a movement based on the doctrine of Biblical Separation. We recognise the need and importance of separating ourselves from the false movements of our time – i.e. Modernism, Neo-Evangelicalism, Charismatism and Ecumenism.  The Bible-Presbyterian movement in Singapore has thus always held on to this important doctrine of Biblical Separation. The doctrine of Biblical Separation first and foremost is a separation against sin and unbelief. It is a doctrine based on the holiness of God.

It was also in Faith Theological Seminary where Rev Tow crystalised his understanding of the doctrine of premillennialism. There he learned the doctrine of premillennialism from Dr J Oliver Buswell, Dr Allan MacRae, and Dr R Laird Harris. The B-P Church in America had also decided to insert into the Westminster Confession of Faith a statement on premillennialism to reflect their pro-Israel premillennial position.

The Seventh Root: The Singaporean Root

Upon his graduation from Faith Theological Seminary, Rev Tow started an English service at Life Church at Say Mia Tng, a Chinese Presbyterian Church in Prinsep Street in 1950. In 1955, he left the Chinese Presbyterian Church synod to form the B-P Church. That was when Life B-P Church was first established.

Recognising that there was a need to train pastors and teachers who can serve in the B-P Church, the Far Eastern Bible College was established on 17 September 1962. The college began with 3 students and 2 lecturers. Despite the struggles and the trials which the college went through, the Lord has preserved this ministry over the last sixty years.

The B-P Church in Singapore is reformed in its theology and subscribes to the Westminster Confession of Faith. The B-P Church also upholds the verbal plenary inspiration and preservation of the Holy Scriptures, the doctrine of the Premillennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the cessation of tongues-speaking and of other prophetic and sign gifts. The B-P Church also adopts a conservative form of worship and rejects the Charismatic style of contemporary worship.

Conclusion

As Bible-Presbyterians, it is important to know our roots. Knowing the history of a movement will help us to evaluate whether a movement is biblical and of God. If it is biblical, then we must defend it in light of the authority of the Word of God. The Bible-Presbyterian movement is a biblical movement, but there are those within this movement who have departed from the original biblical position. Therefore, what we need today is a 21^st Century Reformation. We must defend the historic faith which the B-P Church has always stood for. Amen.