NLC Testimony

I actually accepted Christ back in Secondary 1, and attended a regular Bible study sesssion for 1 year. It was the first time I got to know about Jesus Christ and His crucification. However, my faith in Him was emotional and soon after a year, I left Him convinced He had done nothing beneficial to my life.

My family doesn't share the same religion with each other. My father is a Buddhist while my mother used to attend Church quite awhile ago. They are very loving parents and care for my siblings and me. I was told life was there to be a good person and make a living for oneself.

Hence, I based my life on achievements and wisdom. I saw religion as a front used by others to appear righteous, and every religion roughly taught the same thing: to be a good person. Also, I held the belief that Christians were hypocrites and were no different from any other person.

I toiled to form my own philosophy of life. I drifted from Atheism to Agnosticism, drawing upon my experiences and teachings that I come across. I believed that I had the ability to find the right approach to life myself, and recognizing God and doing good works was enough.

However, I lived under constant contradictions and shifts in values. My answers to life could not find a firm foundation. For example, I struggled with the sin in my life that stained my attempts to be good, and the envy that riddled my drive to succeed.

My first visit to Newton Life Church was in my first year in JC. Grace was a classmate of mine and invited a group of us to the monthly English service. Sometimes she was leading worship and also invited us along. NLC was near my house and it was convenient for me to drop by a few times.

Then, in my preliminary exams before the A'levels, I achieved results that were much better than expected. Naturally, I should be very happy about it, yet I could not deny the tiredness I felt inside.

Although working for results is part of being a student, measuring a large part of my self-worth with results was like chasing the wind. I found no meaning in running after results or in achievement, as they don't define who I am and will be forgotten one day. Also, what if someone else benefits from my toils without effort?

After dismissal from school, I talked to Grace about my sense of meaningless. After listening to me, she told me to consider Christ. I gave her recommendation some thought, and decided to start attending NLC and seek Christ yet again.

In NLC, I had the opportunity to learn about Christ from others. Vincent drew me a simple diagram to explain the real significance behind Christ. He did not just die for our sins. Jesus went on the cross to bridge the gap made by Man's sin. the penalty of sin was paid by a life that was without sin. Man's efforts, such as good works and education were simply not enough. Christ had an absolute claim to Salvation.

Thus, I was faced with a situation. How could I continue denying a Saviour who has shown His great love, and at the same time acknowledge my need to be saved? I knew I had to make a swift decision with regard to choosing Jesus as my personal Saviour.

It was during a chapel service in my school, that I chose to raise my hand to accept Jesus as my Saviour. I remembered how I left Him earlier, and I had to be sure in my decision. I did not have to please anyone, and this time, I had to answer 'yes' to Jesus with conviction.

Having a relationship with Jesus is the best gift anyone can receive. It brought about peace in me, knowing that my life here has a real purpose, to serve a living and forgiving God. I began to see how much God has blessed me in my life and the lives around me, and how good the Good News is.

I have to admit that at first I didn't want to be too involved in NLC. However, I was gifted with a lot of opportunities to serve and soon I found myself participating in a wide range of activities. They ranged from Fund Raising to the 40 Day PDL. They allowed me to experience the joy of serving the Lord through others and contributed to my growth in Christ. Within a year, I chose to be baptized on NLC's 50th Anniversary.

Through my stay in this Church, I have come to know fellow Christians who are very passionate about God and that dispelled the misconceptions I had about them. Many have helped in my spiritual growth and I am thankful to God for giving me such a privilege.

I have come to experience walking with God, to know more about Him, to appreciate the Fruits of the Spirit, and to have a faith with action. I thank Him for all the good and bad that is in my life, for He has plans for each one of us. There are still others out there seeking and need Jesus as their buddy.