Reflecting on our Family Bible Camp, there are truly many things for which we can give thanks to God.

For one, we thank God for the spiritual feasting during the camp! “Towards a Consecrated Life” (based on Romans 12:1-2) was the theme of this year’s camp. In order for us to know how exactly we ought to devote our lives entirely for God’s holy use, the main camp messages were based on the Sermon on the Mount which covers many different areas of a believer’s life. The areas covered included: the meaning of consecration, a consecrated life in relation to our anger, our emotions and desires, our speech and the Christian mile, our tithing and giving, our prayer, fasting, our heart, our biblical judgment, our fruits and our life’s foundation.

To help us better understand and apply the lessons learnt from the messages, there were discussion times and the groups presented their answers which were then “tried and tested” by Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew, our main camp speaker who is also our new Advisory Pastor. In addition, there was a Q-and-A session with Rev Quek at the end of his series of camp messages. Thank God for the searching and conviction of our hearts and souls. May the Lord help us to always remember the lessons learnt.

Devotions on four mornings by Pastor Dennis were based on the theme “Growing in Christian Fellowship.”

On Wednesday afternoon, we had a seminar on “Contemporary Christian issues” which dealt with issues like the use of the Internet, boy-girl relationships, and life in a multi-religious society. After Rev Kiantoro delivered the message, he and Rev Quek fielded questions from the campers. Thank God for the guidance we received through this session.

Besides spiritual food, the six days of camp also enabled sweet fellowship among the 125 campers. Included in this year’s camp were our foreign brethren: a small team from Calvary Batam BPC, Lorna and Charles (Kenyan FEBC students), Chan and Hieu (Vietnamese FEBC students), and Preacher Rotha and family (from Cambodia). How blessed it is indeed for brethren to dwell together in unity! Imagine spending six full days with no one else but fellow like-minded brethren – all listening to God’s Word, singing hymns, praying, sharing, having meals and fun together.

And as if our fellowship was not enough, there were also organized fellowship meetings on most evenings. The Adults’ Fellowship organized one evening each of “Getting to know Pastor Dennis” and “Getting to know Rev Quek and Rev Kiantoro.” On the third evening, there was an informal chit-chat session with Rev Quek. These sessions were very informative and enjoyable, as we were able to learn from the pastors’ life experiences.

On the final evening of the camp, we had a Testimony-cum-Consecration Night.  Thank God for the eleven campers who testified of lessons learnt and camp blessings received. Towards the end of the Night, Pastor Dennis gave the call to consecration. May the camp messages heard continue to remain in our hearts, convicting us to daily live a consecrated life. 

On a more informal scale, we enjoyed activities like swimming, captain’s ball and go-karting during our free time! Some even played paint-ball! Thank God for the warm fellowship throughout the camp.

Thank God also for the physical food, three times a day! Breakfast was always a meal to look forward to, partly because of the wider spread of food and also the special “egg corner” where we can have the eggs cooked according to our preference! Lunch never failed to satisfy our hunger and prepare us for the afternoon ahead. Those who wanted to play would have the energy to do so and those who wanted to sleep would have stomachs full enough to do so as well! Dinner marked the start to another evening of spiritual feasting and fellowship. Thank God we also had the opportunity to have two seafood meals at a nearby restaurant. Matthew 6:26: “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” Indeed we are!

Lastly, thank God for all His provision in every other aspect of the church camp. Thank God for the venue and its staff. Thank God for safety and for health. Thank God for attentiveness during message time. Thank God also for His people: Pstr Dennis, Rev Quek, Rev Kiantoro, and also Tammy, Ruth and Melissa (who ran the children’s programme), the Camp Committee, the many chairpersons and song leaders, the musicians, and each and every camper both young and old whose presence only made the fellowship so much sweeter!

All in all, thank God for His grace and mercy toward us throughout this 5th Family Bible Camp. As God has given us so much, including His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for our sins, giving our lives to Him as living sacrifices is the very least that we can do as His children. May we always trust in God to take care of our physical needs as we seek to know His Word and to do His will. May God help us to consecrate our lives to Him.

Romans 12:1-2: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove that is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”