EMMANUEL EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH Wangsa Maju, KL, Malaysia

 

May 8th 2010 was a joyous occasion as brothers Kieran, Jay Yan, Ravern, Jona Jason, Winson, Yi Heng and Joshua, and sisters Esther, Fern and Michelle took a public declaration of their faith in our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ through baptism. Below are photos, videos and testimonies from this event. View, read and be encouraged!

 

 

More videos and testimonies below...

 

 

I am the second generation Christian in my family. My family suffered because I lost my father when I was young (2 years old). But then, mom always said we have a greater Father in Heaven who helps everyday with our daily needs.

I thought I was already a Christian because every Sunday I went to church. But then, one day I read the sinner’s prayer when my mother and my brother were sharing the gospel to me during their Xee training. But I didn’t take it “seriously” because it was just my mother and brother who shared.

Then last year, I went to YA! Camp (2009) and Yoshua Chua was the speaker. On the second day of the camp, Yoshua gave a talk for us to prepare for an altar call. That night, I thought that I wouldn’t go in front. On the third day of the camp, when Yoshua called to those who wanted to go in front to step forward, I felt nervous and hesitant about it. Then I heard a voice asking me to go and I went and offered my life to God. At the same time I cried because I felt God beside me. Now, I have a closer relationship with God. And I want to thank the church, my family and God for supporting me all the way.

 

 

So everything starts from the beginning. So shall I. I was born into a non-Christian family. Well, technically. My mom had accepted Christ when I was conceived and was dedicated to Him at birth. I was always reminded by my mom that I was a blessed child. I didn’t really know Christ personally until I was 10, in mid-2005. I still remember the day Uncle James and a few others came along to my house, for what reason I have now forgotten. They came and shared with us and I tagged along with my mom and came to church for the first time ever in my life that very Sunday itself. I felt for the first time the very presence of something I knew was beyond this Earth, the sense of joy just filled and it’s really hard to explain this feeling I experienced. But now I know what I felt was the presence of God.

 

The following week, I was followed up and attended Sunday School in which I really grew in Him a lot. But yet, I still did not know what it means to be a true Christian and the Sinner’s prayer and all. I started attending the YA! when I was 13, which was 2 years ago. I didn’t start off regularly and after a while, I found out that I was like desperately finding the time to attend YA!. Then I got involved within my schools Chapel Committee and Christian Fellowship and was a regular attendee and eventually became part of the committee.

 

Last year, in 2009, I was trained in the XEE training that was held in my school during the June holidays. It not only helped me to share the gospel to others, but I also felt the sense that I was actually preaching to myself and reassure myself. In the YA! camp last year, I finally came to know Christ much better. Our speaker, Yoshua Chua had an altar call and the day before; I prayed and asked God to show me what was the right thing to do. When the time came, my mind was racing and my consciousness was having an argument of its own. I couldn’t make up my mind and before I knew what was happening, my legs just gave in and walked and knelt right there. Knowing God had taken control over me that time, I prayed and dedicated my whole life right there and then, to God.

 

 

 

I was brought up in a Christian family. I went to church and attended Sunday School every Sunday. I thought that by doing this I would become a Christian, but I never knew what being a Christian really meant. I remember on the 23rd of August in 2005, when my father was sharing the gospel with my brother, Joel, about how we must confess our sin to receive eternal life from God in Heaven. When my father led my brother through the sinner’s prayer, I also prayed to accept Jesus into my life. After that, I always thought I knew what being a Christian is, but recently I realized that I was wrong. And that being a Christian is different from being a weekend Christian, and that I was a weekend Christian.

 

Last year, during the Youth Camp organized by the church, Yoshua invited the youth campers to go forward for an alter call. I slowly went forward, and knelt there. I closed my eyes and started praying that God would take all my life and use it for His glory, and the elders there prayed for me as I knelt there. After the camp, I found reading the Bible was easier and did my devotion daily, I was amazed when I read about how God had helped the Israelites and how He had used them according to His will and forgave them repeatedly even when they continued sinning. After reading a few books of the Bible, I knew for sure that God held my life in His hand and would forgive me even if I sinned.

 

 

 

My name is Jason. I am 15 years old. I was born in a Christian family.  I followed my parents to church and attended Sunday School since I was Standard 1. At that young age I was not familiar about Jesus and the Bible. I just read and memorised the memory verses. I didn't even know how to read some verses in the Bible, and the other children laugh at me! HAHA!!! I attended Sunday School from 7 years old to 12 years old. When I was in standard 5, I accepted Jesus after sister Esther Chin shared with me about Jesus. I also attended Kids EE at Presbyterian Glorious Grace Church, Kuantan and learned more about Jesus there.

 

Last year 2009, I joined the YA! camp. That time Yoshua said "If you would like to accept God as your Saviour, please come forward!" I went forward and prayed to accept Jesus as my Saviour and Lord. The camp really helped me to know a lot more about God. I pray that I will continue to lift the name of Jesus on high and let other people know that He is the true God. I have decided to be baptised to show my faith in Christ. This is my decision, and I pray that God will continue to bless me and my parents. Thank you!

 

 

 

I grew up in a non-Christian family.  My mom came to know Christ and she brought me to Sunday school several times but I didn’t like it because I didn’t really have friends there. So I stop going to Sunday School after I told my mom. When I was in standard 5, my mom brought me to the church camp with Auntie Cheok Yin.  Because I was still in the Sunday school age, I attended the kids’ camp and I was just having fun there without knowing who Christ is. After the camp, I followed my sister to YA! because Mrs. Chew was giving my sister bible study classes and I just followed it. After a while, I had grown to like YA! and I started attending it myself.

 

Then, Mrs. Chew approached me and asked me whether I wanted to believe in Christ. I accepted it although I didn’t know who Christ really was and I said the sinner’s prayer. Then, I continued attending YA! and started making friends there. Through that, I also knew more about Christ and what He had done for me. At the 2009 YA! camp, Yoshua challenged us to the altar call to be a living sacrifice for God. The message touched me and I decided that I would live my life for God.  After that, I tried my best to live my life for God. I was struggling inside as to whether I was forgiven by God or not. During the XEE training in Jan 10, Mrs. Chew asked me to be a prospect and I accepted. I prayed the sinner’s prayer for the second time but I still couldn’t release myself from my own inner struggle. After a while, I read the XEE booklet given to me and I prayed the sinner’s prayer for the third time in my life and I got the assurance that God will forgive my sins if I believe and obey His commandments as stated in Romans 10:13. Now, I believed that I am saved and have the gift of eternal life.

 

 

 

God has blessed me abundantly throughout my life. I was born in a Christian family and had loving parents who always taught me to spend time with God. I went to church and attended Sunday School because my parents told me to and all my friends were there. The memory verses and songs I sang didn’t really mean anything to me.

I had always thought that because my parents were Christians, I would “automatically” become one also. But later on I found out that it was necessary to accept Christ personally. When I was 9 years old, I accepted Christ because I thought it was “the right thing to do”. Then as I grew, I started having questions about God and sometimes doubt would creep into my mind. I would ask questions like, “Is there really a God?” or  “Is the Bible really telling the truth?”

Then I learnt more about God through camps, bible studies, sermons and YA! sessions. So when I was 12, and I really understood what it meant to be a Christian, I accepted Christ once again.
After I accepted Christ into my life, there wasn’t any major change. I started doing my quiet time on my own accord, not because my parents asked me to. I try to do it regularly, but sometimes I still make excuses and say, “I’ll just do it tomorrow”. I’ve also started to see God work in my life. I pray more regularly nowadays, and I see Him answering my prayers. Although I still stumble in my walk with God, I know that He will always pick me up.

These few verses in Psalm have touched me many times. Psalm 139:13-16          
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

These verses touched me during a recent camp. What it says to me is that God specially created every single one of us, and all of us are unique. He has planned out our life for us already, and whenever I feel down or think that I can’t do something, this verse really helps me.
He has always given me strength and peace, even when I have problems. God answers my prayers, again and again.

 

 

 

Like many others, I was born and brought up in a Christian family. I started going to Emmanuel EFC as a baby. I attended Sunday School, Youth Alive fellowship and Sunday services. I gradually grew to know the Lord through my family, church, Sunday School and also through Christian song, Christian educational videos, tapes, bibles, books and puzzles which my mum always bought for me. I have also attended programs like Children’s Institute from The Institute in Basic Life Principles when I was 11 years old.

I have said the sinner’s prayer a few times. The first time was at Pulau Lang Tengah when I was 9 years old with my mother’s sister, Auntie Joyce Hue, who was a missionary in Turkey. It was on August 2003 when walking on the beach that my aunt shared about this amazing faith. My aunt then led me in saying the Sinner’s Prayer.

The second time was with my sister Jessica when she was back for a holiday from Australia. This happened on a Saturday morning at around 1.00 a.m. on the 10th of December, 2004. I was sleeping in the same room with her at that time. We found it hard to sleep, so we started talking about Christianity and she led me to say the sinner’s prayer for the second time. I was 10 years old then.

The third time was at Peace Haven, Genting Highlands with the SungaiWay-Subang Methodist Church (SSMC) Youth Camp in year 2006. I had a good time of fellowship with the other members of the church there. That camp was one of the best camps I’ve ever been to. The speaker was Joshua Liong with the topic “Sound Generation”. On the last day of the camp, after the last sermon, we said the sinner’s prayer together. When the time came for the altar call, I, together with a few more youths knelt down in front. There and then, I felt tears flooding my eyes, as though the Holy Spirit touched me. There I reaffirmed my faith.

As a teenager at the age of 13, I started to think a lot about my faith in Jesus Christ and ask questions. And so I started asking my parents and sometimes my pastors just to get the right answers to these questions. Thankfully, through Bible Study classes with Auntie Mei Er, I found out many things I needed to know. During my PMR examinations last year, I have already started serving in the school’s Christian Fellowship. The church YA! Camp at the end of the year made me realize the importance of having a good personal relationship with God. There at the altar call led by Yoshua Chua, I prayed a prayer that made me surrender everything to God. Year 2009 (form 3) was really another step of faith for me.

This year, I thank the Lord that my parents encouraged me to join Bible Study Fellowship International (BSF) at the 1st Baptist Church on every Monday. As a form 4 student this year, I also took up Bible Knowledge classes in Methodist College taught by Miss Moey. It is so blessed that I am able to learn more about the Bible in a systematic way as well as doing my Bible reading daily. I know that this knowledge will stay with me throughout my life, encourage and comfort me when I am down, and help me in witnessing to others. I realize how great the love of God is for me I know that in life, I may go through many trials and sufferings. But the dear Lord Jesus went through a much greater suffering than us, which is dying on the cross for ALL our sins. Jesus was my substitute, and taking on Himself all the sins and the separation from God, He died on the cross for me.

Now I took the step to profess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour because I know that He is the true God, He is the mediator between God and men. It’s like what Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through Me.’ ( John 14:6 )
 

 

 

I was born in a non-Christian family. In 1998, my dad’s aunty shared the gospel to him and after that he started to bring us to church. At that time I was still very young, so I just played around and didn’t really know what Christianity was.

When I was 9, we started to attend EEFC. I was in the Sunday School class and learned a lot of Bible Stories. Later when I entered the YA!, it taught me how to apply the Bible Stories and God’s teachings into my life, especially within my family and in my school.

What struck me most was during the YA! Camp last year. Brother Yoshua Chua, the camp speaker talked about how we can be light and salt for God. It was like a call from God to surrender my sins and life to Him, like, I needed to offer my life to God and serve Him fully. Hence, I wished that through my baptism, I will truly be a servant of God and all brothers and sisters in Christ that attend my baptism service would support me as I serve the Lord.

 

 

I am born in a Christian family. I attended Sunday School at the age of 4 and now, YA. I accepted Jesus Christ through Sunday School’s teacher and my parents. Since I was still young at that time, thus, Christianity didn’t mean very much to me. However I enjoyed going to Sunday School as there was much fun to be had with my friends and sometimes the teacher’s had parties for us.
During that time my understanding of scriptures was rather superficial as I didn’t take the Bible seriously.  I was quite impatient and easily lose temper when irritated by friends. I also sneaked out to play computer games with friends despite the anger of my parents.

At form two I attended a YA Camp. I was still somewhat indifferent to spiritual matter. One day the speaker asked us to write down our talents, after that the YA advisers would pray for us. Their act of caring and concern truly touched me. In one of the message, the speaker told us that due to my sin Jesus demonstrated his love and suffered on my behalf so that I would not have to face the penalty of sin. This message continues to remain in me deeply (John 3:16). Silently I prayed to Jesus to confess my sin and invited Him into my life to be my Savior and Lord. I felt very sorry for my indifferent attitude in spiritual matters. However at the same time the indescribable joy was bubbling within me.

With this new life I am more aware of the Holy Spirit who indwells in me. He helps me to be more able to control my temper whenever being disturbed. I am more sensitive to any act of sin in my life. There was one occasion at school, the one who used to tease me did the same act again. There was a strong urge to strike back. However the Spirit reminded me of the death of Jesus. So I just walked away and prayed for His help and guidance.

I enjoy my Christian life. When I face difficulties in school I will read the Bible to seek God’s guidance. I know the God whom I worship is great. Such thought always bring along peace within me. In YA there is genuine friendship, concern from the leaders and their help to grow spiritually by studying the Word of God. I benefited a lot from various senior members as well. Some helped me to develop musical skills. Others helped me to pick up interest in sport. I thank God that He created an environment where I am less distracted by bad influence but opens up opportunities for me to be involved in a musical group and participate in healthy sports. In humility I thank the Almighty God.

 

 

I would like to share some of my past and present testimony about my personal encounters with the Lord to you all. To start with : -

1) Spiritually, I was from a different religion, has been a staunch one, a believer who is quite similar to a Pharisee (like Nicodemus John 3) who knew the decrees of the sect very well, holding a high position in the spiritual realm, practicing and believing that good works can grant access to God, despite being able to meditate till very long hours (something like 6 hours per sitting), but still I couldn’t succeed. Thankfully, God let me find out the true reason of my failure from the Bible. (ref: John 14;6- Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”) No wonder I failed, because I did not have Christ.

2) Physically and emotionally, I am a sportsman, used to exercise daily but was sabotaged by a cold shoulder due to spondylosis on my c5,c6 and c7. This denied me from my daily exercises. I was also a heavy smoker and heavy eater and that add more problems to my illness. These setbacks from my bad habits caused a lot of sufferings like humiliations, pains, anger, hatred, stress, dissatisfaction and disappointments. Unexpectedly, these led me into insomnia, anxiety, depressions, panic disorder, and dyspepsia.

From the above mentioned sicknesses, I think you can see that I was really in a state of complete darkness and lost all direction and hope. It was a complete chaos! My sect had forsaken me. If not because of God’s words interceding I think I would have already been gone by then, I meant death without knowing ‘why?’ In fact, during this period, I was sent to the hospital a few times.
Thankfully, at this adversity, God led me to Christ, gave me a realization that I have to admit and to confess and to repent from my sins. I have to succumb myself to forgive others first, even my enemies, before seeking my forgiveness from Him. This was enlightened through His words from the Bible. ( 1 John 1;9- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.) If not I will fall short of the glory of God and continue in facing the wrath of God, that is to die.

The recovery from darkness, lost of direction in life, who to believe and to guide me? which religion to follow? It was answered from the scripture again. Thankfully, this time is Proverbs 3;5,6- Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6)in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Thankfully, after this the darkness was diminishing.  I encountered with other verses that gave me “Hope”.(ref: John 1;1,4,5,- 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 4) In Him(that is, Christ) was life, and that life was the light of men. 5) The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. From here, I came to understand that I must have Christ in me, so that in my heart I would have light, so that I can have new life, and this new life is the life to the full, that is for now and forever. But how do I obtain this? I must follow Christ’s will, that’s Christ-like and be obedient like what He has done for His Father, our God. I have to give my life to Him, in order to have my life back, a new life who can carry the cross like Him.(ref:Luke9;23,24-Then He said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.24)For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”)

So, I surrendered my old self to Him, and trusted Him to be my Lord and Saviour.
With this new relationship, I believed in His blood from the crucifixion on the cross has paid off all my sins that is, once and for all. This ultimate sacrifice of Him has took away all my sins and buried with Him. His resurrection on the 3rd day, have given me this life to the full, that’s for now and forever. So, how can I don’t trust him? For He is the one who has died for me and the rest of the world, and has granted me salvation through Grace.

At this moment, I am feeling like a new born Christian, an infant who is still weak, or like a seed has been planted and starting to grow. How well will it grow? This will depend on the well being of the soil, the nutrient of verses supply, the light, the protection from the evil one, and so on. Thankfully, Nehemiah’s message came to me at the right time, especially about his situation when he is rebuilding the walls, he has to arm his people at all times to build back the walls.
Therefore, I got to put on the armour of God, to protect my immediate Christian journey ahead. That is by memorizing God’s Words in my heart, in my mind, in my soul and in my strength. Thanks to a farmer named bro KC Yeow that God has sent him to help me in this understanding by studying a book from Navigators called Growing in Christ. As for today onward, I am glad to stand as a witness of this Faith to glorify God with no fear or favor.  And today, I also want to let you all know that I have grown in my Love, my Joy, my Peace, my Patient, my Kindness, my Goodness, my Faithfulness, my Gentleness and my Self control (Thankfully, it is Galatians 5;22).

Other transformations accomplished because of  God’s Words are quitting my 35 years of smoking habit, abandoned and removed my previous 30 years old worship, reduced my medication to the minimum, most of the major illnesses have diminished, no more insomnia, no more indigestion, no more stomach bloating, no more abnormal burping, restoration of good health, cultivating good food consciousness, fitness discipline, speech consciousness, livelihood consciousness, maintaining the daily bible reading and BSF’s homework, attending church Sunday services with my two daughters, sometimes together with my spouse and cg’s meeting regularly.

Thankfully, the scripture reminds me at this moment again (ref: 1 Corinthians 1;31- Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” So I would like to praise the Lord for all the goodness He has given to me, and before I conclude my testimony, I would also like to extend my many thanks and gratitude to Dr Maniam, Dr Chew, Dr Ting, Bro KC, my CG members, friends, relatives, my spouse and my children for being so supportive and helpful for my success in recovery and discovery until I come out of this roller coaster type of  life.

As of today, I dare say that The Lord has been very generous, kind, merciful, gracious in giving me the strength and ability to complete reading the Bible a few times, completed training in XEE and Kairos, completed Pentateuch on the Life of Moses and now still studying the book of John in BSF. In addition, He has also provided me a small ministry in the church for table tennis with the objectives of sport, healthiness, fellowship, friendship and community integration. At the moment, it is having about twenty over regular players but the numbers are increasing very rapidly, daily.
 And last but not least, and after so much of goodness that I have received and shared, I have no doubt now, in the Lord Jesus Christ precious, holiest, powerful name that it is time for me to commit my body or myself wholeheartedly to be baptized with water.

In summary of the above encouragements and accomplishments was my trust in this scripture, that was Matthew 6;33- but seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Thankfully, as I have and managed to come this very long way, it is all because of the Love from God the Father, the Grace from Christ the Son and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. I thank the Lord very much.