Transfer of Membership
TESTIMONIES

I was born into a Christian home, attended Christian schools and grew up in a Bible-Presbyterian Church. My life was surrounded by many nice Christian friends, mentors and teachers. They were good, helpful people with a kind heart. They guided me well and I have learnt much from them on how to be a good child.
Though I am blessed with many good teachings and Christian guidance, I was not very clear on the difference on what it means to be a Christian and a good child. Sometimes, I used to think that as long as I stayed away from the ungodly activities, kept clear of sins, be good, be kind, be helpful and hardworking; God would be pleased with me. There was also this element of fear that if I was not behaving well, God would no longer love me and would take away all the blessings in my life.
It was not until I attended an evangelistic Bible Study lesson where I learnt that being righteous and doing good works were only part of Christian living after a person is saved. As I was learning and practicing the witnessing tool with my group members, I realized that good works and righteousness would not guarantee anyone's salvation even though they are expected of a Christian. Titus 3:5 teaches me that I am saved by his mercy and not by my own work of righteousness. Eph 2:8-9 tells me that salvation is God's grace and not of my works. It was an important discovery to me as I fully understood that God saved me because of His love for me. No matter how much effort I put in, I am imperfect and fall short of His glory and cannot save myself. I understand that it is God's divine grace and mercy that He forgives me of all my sins.
It was from this learning experience that I grew in the knowledge of God. My faith strengthens as I know that God is great and sovereign. He is in control of my life. As a Christian, I need to trust Him in every aspect of my life. I am aware of God's loving grace for me and I will want to be faithful and obedient to Him. I will be diligent in seeking God through reading His Word. Lastly, I am committed to do my best to continue to be of good character and be an effective instrument for God's work to glorify His kingdom.

Melissa-Raye Teo Li-Wen

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It has been a while since I have taken stock of my life! Though I felt an incredible sense of relief after that hectic month-long A-level examinations in November, there was also this wave of nostalgia that hit me whenever I thought of the good old schooldays at NJC.
I remembered vividly that it was in 2004 when Grace, a Christian and close friend since primary schooldays, and I made a bold decision to apply for the NJC Integrated Programme (IP) together. Knowing that the IP was something new and still in its preliminary stages, we both prayed daily and consulted the Lord of His plans for our lives. We went through the selection tests together, happy that both of us managed to pass through each selection round. However when it came to the final interview session, I cleared while Grace failed to do so. Disappointed and surprised, I immediately asked my buddy to consider appealing; after all, she was a stronger student than me, with better academic grades and impressive CCA track record. However, she told me something that I would never forget; that she would not appeal as we had already prayed and committed the application result to God. The rejection letter was perhaps God's will for her not to enter IP and to stay in her secondary school. Grace's response was a demonstration of her trust in the Lord. As I pondered over Grace's obedience to God, I was convinced that my admission to the NJC IP was through God's grace and not by my own merits. There was this reassuring confidence that God would bless and protect me as I entrusted my entire school life at NJC unto Him. Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths", was especially meaningful to me as I considered the vastness of that word all and heeded on the warning "… lean not unto thine own understanding …" I learnt that an obedient life would help us to avoid many irksome and painful consequences.
In 2005, my first year at NJC, I met a zealous first generation Christian classmate, whose perseverance to seek and trust the Lord was astounding. Her parents strictly opposed her Christian religion and faith, tore her Bible and devotional books, and discouraged her to go to church. However, she still held on to her faith, asking us to pray for her and her parents. Her love for God, her Christian faith and her relentlessness determination to seek God challenged me to change, to shake off that tendency to go lukewarm in my walk with God, to stretch and to find out even more about God.
At the end of 2005, after much prayer and deliberation, I attended catechism class after I realized the significance of Baptism and Holy Communion through one of the Sunday School lessons in Life BP Church led by Preacher Mark Chen.
I was baptized on 2006 in Life BP Church. I thanked God for providing me with many spiritually active Christian friends to draw me closer to Him. I prayed that God will also equip me to be used effectively by Him as a counselor, friend and interested listener in the lives of others.
As I reflected on my spiritual journey, I realized that there were times that I had disappointed God, times when I did not have trust and faith in God. As a growing Christian, there are sagging character qualities that warrant God's attention. I want to commit them to God because ignorance will lead to disobedience whereas addressing them is to learn and grow from God's personal reproofs.
Lastly, I want to thank God for being the Shepherd in my life (Psalm 23). Even though I may go off course, by His amazing grace and mercy, he will gently prod me back into the right path.

Teo Qi-Wen, Elizabeth-Raye