My dear readers,

1. “Lightning visit to Sydney BP Church”

My last visit to Sydney (Sept 2007) allowed only a Thursday / Friday Stopover. Last Lord’s Day I made amends, on November 11, 2007. This was God’s special provision, allowing me to visit Sydney to officiate at a Medical-Scientific Meeting connected with three hospitals of the New South Wales University (where I had done some work some forty years ago).

For one whole day, I listened to 21 scientific papers presented by doctors, researchers, and medical students, reporting the results of case studies, scientific investigations, research, etc, dealing with disease and health matters. It was a re-living of my former university life which I had left in 1969. The conference gave me the opportunity to meet some old friends and to witness to them about the gospel.

Lord’s Day 11 November at Sydney BP Church, Elder Koh Kim Hiang led in the Service. About 100 persons were present. There was one baptism, two reaffirmations of the faith, and two transfers. I preached on “A Holy Priesthood”- the believer’s blessed privilege to serve the Lord, our coming King. Two aspects of the theme were highlighted:

a) The absolute need to live a holy life

“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet 2:1 , 2 ).

Only by a holy life can our witness be effective for the Lord. Others look at our conduct to make an assessment of the impact of our Christian faith. The role of “Holy Priesthood” is given to each believer. What sort of life is yours? It must be clean and pure, without malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy, evil speaking. These sins must be purged away by the precious blood of the Lamb, and by the constant submission to the work of the Holy Spirit. Only then can we be effective in our “Holy Priesthood.”

b) Secondly, Daily Feeding on God’s Word, like “newborn babes.” In Christ our Lord, we must consistently, daily, feed on God’s holy word which cleanses and nourishes us in our spiritual growth. Remember: God’s Word is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, cutting away and excising every evil thought and sinful intention, even as you read and pray.

How important then it is for every Christian to read meditatively and obediently, the soul cleansing and nourishing Word of God.

Readers, pray for Elder & Mrs Koh and the Session in Sydney BP Church as they labour on for the Lord.

2. The story of Hilltop - III
(Continuing where we left off on11 November 2007)

Labourers Together with God

Through the years God has brought many of His servants into fellowship with the ministry here. Each one has played an important part in the growth of the work. Rev Keith Coleman was with us for a number of years and was greatly used of God in his teaching and preaching ministry. He and his wife, Mellie were a blessing to the ministry with their warm Christian fellowship and spirit of helpfulness. The Lord led them on to other areas of ministry, but they are fondly remembered by all in the fellowship.

Through the years God has met every need and provided in many wonderful ways for our family and the work here in the Philippines. Now we not only have physical children but spiritual sons and daughters as well. And we find that God has not only increased our spiritual family in unbelievable measure, but is providing for them in the same faithful manner that he has for our physical children.

Training at Bible School

The Bible School that has some sixty to seventy students each year has graduated many into the ministry. A large number of these pastors have founded churches that remain in fellowship with the Bible School. The graduate school started out ten years ago with only three students. This school year began with an enrollment of thirty-two, all of which are either fulltime pastors or Christian workers. The rapid growth of the Center for Biblical Studies is especially amazing since entrance requirements are more stringent than most seminaries in the United States.

Today the two schools are jammed together on the second floor in a small rented flat on the side of a busy street. Pollution pours in the open windows. There are no dormitories so that the student body is limited to those who have or can find a place to live in the city. Traffic moves slowly on the poorly paved streets and many students spend as long as four hours each day travelling to and from classes. Many of the teaching pastors make the same trip.

A blessed fellowship

As the fellowship of those churches gathered around the Bible School and the Center has grown, the need for space for conferences and seminars has grown as well. There is no place for joint meetings. Conferences are often held some five or six hours travel outside the city. When there is a need to have a joint fellowship within the city, it is necessary to rent a hall. Despite these conditions the work continues to thrive and the spirit of joy and fellowship is good.

Hilltop for Christ

At the present time the economic situation is desperate in the Philippines. It hardly seemed possible for the tremendous need for proper facilities for the schools and the church fellowship to be met in the near future. But God has continued to care for both our physical and spiritual families. He has in a very miraculous way provided a beautiful five acre piece of land on a hilltop overlooking the City of Manila. The funds have come through the efforts and generosity of God's people, most of whom live in Singapore.

Having acquired a piece of property, all of us who are Bible teachers and unskilled in construction and design, wondered just how God would provide for buildings to be constructed on this beautiful piece of land. But as always God, in His time, met these needs.

First God provided a group of engineers and architects from Singapore to draw up a wonderful set of plans for all of the facilities that would meet the needs of our work.

The challenge before us

As we have viewed God's faithfulness down through the years we stand in awe at His mercy. God has provided in many wonderful ways. Many who have never seen the Philippines have played a vital role in the ministry here. Now we face the challenge of developing Hilltop. As never before, we need those who love the Lord and His church to stand with us in order that the Hilltop property might be developed for the glory of our God. (The End)

Lovingly in the Lord
Dr SH Tow, Senior Pastor