Our Preacher’s Testimony
Before Salvation
I was born into an ancestral-worshipping home. My dad was a businessman and worked very hard for the family. He was also involved in Taoist-type medium ceremonies. My only memories of such occurrences were from photographs of what he has done. My mother was a full-time housewife.
My dad passed away when I was five. My mother had to work to support the family, leaving my brother and myself to care for ourselves. I got involved in groups around my housing estate. We would play marbles and occasionally I would gamble with my friends. I got involved in smoking and remembered drinking alcohol on one occasion.
My first exposure to Christianity was through a Seven-Day Adventist group that was having Sabbath-School at one of the flats in my block. I got interested and attended it often although I never knew a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Salvation Experience
When I was primary six, I was visited by one of the tracting groups from Emmanuel Baptist Church on a Sunday afternoon. I remembered listening to the message of salvation but could not remember if I made a decision at that time to accept Christ as my Saviour. However, that was the beginning of God’s awakening me out of my spiritual death.
I realised that I was a sinner and I was afraid of going to hell. I begin to pray nightly for GOD to save me. GOD heard my prayer.
When I was in Secondary One, I was invited by a friend who lived in the same block to Emmanuel Baptist Church coincidentally (now in hindsight Providentially). It was during this visit to Emmanuel Baptist Church, as Pastor Goh Seng Fong was preaching and gave the invitation, I raised up my hand for a decision to accept Christ. Deacon Gan Kah Ann dealt me with and he assured me of my salvation through the word of GOD. I did not remember the verses then but the verses of assurance come from John 1:12, 1 John 1:9, 5:11-12.
After Salvation
After receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour, I purposed to read the Bible regularly and shortly after I had the desire to be baptised. It was in the month of June 1981 that I obeyed the Lord in believer’s baptism. I was immersed by Pastor Gan Kah Hock into Emmanuel Baptist Fellowship where I stayed. I was involved in tracting groups and was faithful in attending their services every Sunday.
There was a challenge to my faith in Christ after I became a Christian and after my baptism. Through this situation and others, I was further assured of my salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. The instance was when it was time to hold joss sticks to commemorate my father’s death. I determined not to hold joss sticks and prayed to the Lord Jesus to help me: I was in Secondary two then. I was soundly reprimanded by my mother and my brother joined in the thrashing. But the Lord provided the grace to overcome this situation and gave the eventual victory when my brother and my mother came to profess Christ as Saviour.