Children’s Bible Camp 6-8 June 2022 Report

Thank God for allowing us to have a physical children’s camp with sister Tammy and sister
Rachel as the Children’s Bible camp speakers. Sister Tammy taught the Pre-Primary class and
sister Rachel taught the Primary class. The theme of the Children’s Bible Camp this year was
“God’s Handiwork” taken from Ephesians 2:10a as we desired and pray that through this Bible
camp, the children will know our Lord as the Almighty God, the Creator who created the entire
world, as well as to know the Lord as their personal Lord and Saviour from a very young age.
The camp was held in Goldhill Plaza and we thank God for the provision of this place. We also
thank God that as the Covid restrictions began to ease, we could conduct this Bible camp as
how we used to in the past. We were thankful that we were able to conduct Bible games
during the children’s camp as well as to have refreshments prepared by our sisters. We thank
the Lord for their labour of love.

During the camp, we had 3 thematic messages by sisters Rachel and Tammy. Other activities
included singspiration, art and craft and quiz. We thank God that through each and every activ-
ity that was carefully thought out, the children could learn many spiritual lessons from the ac-
tivities conducted and were reminded of God’s handiwork. Thank the Lord for His leading and
provision where we had 26 full time campers and 18 helpers. We want to thank God espe-
cially for the young helpers serving in the children’s Bible camp for the first time this year.

Thank God for the grace and strength He has granted to each one of them and also for the re-
minder that the Lord truly can use both the old and young to do His work. We thank the Lord
for their desire to serve Him and for their labour of love.

We also thank God that we had children from other churches and from unbelieving homes who
could join us in this Children’s Bible Camp. We were encouraged to see likeminded brethren
joining us for this children’s camp in the learning of many lessons from the Bible. It also
brings us much joy to see both the children and the helpers showing Christ’s love to the
children from unbelieving families by reaching out to them as well.

The Lord has indeed been very good to us in allowing us to have a blessed time of camp where
all may gather physically to sing praises to God from both our hearts and our mouths, as well
as to learn much from His Word. It is our prayer that all the children who attended the camp
will know our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour, and also by
seeing His Handiwork, to remember that He is our Creator who is sovereign and in control of
all things.

Gideon Yeow

Q&A

Question
How should I understand the doctrine of stumbling as taught in Romans 14-15? Is the
strong able to stumble the weak? Does Romans 14-15 also teach us that we must continue
to be patient with our brethren? What if they continue to remain the same way they are,
without any growth? Is it a problem? Should we continue to remain patient?

Answer
Firstly, we have to understand that we stumble others when we engage in that which is sinful and
wicked in the eyes of the Lord. We cannot stumble others by following and practicing the truth.
They may be offended when we follow and practise the truth, but that is for the good of the
person and is meant to point him to Christ. It is the unbelievers of the world who consider Christ
and His Word to be stumbling blocks (1 Pet. 2:8; John 6:66). Thus, we should never accuse those
who point us to the truth as “stumbling us”.

On the other hand, truth is never divorced from love (1 Corinthians 13:6). It is truth that teaches
us what is love, and a right understanding in the truth will always lead us to love God and men.
One cannot love the truth and yet hate the brethren of Christ.

The definition of the “strong” is given in Romans 15:1. The “strong” are those who are
spiritually mature. They are not only able to discern and follow that which is right in issues, but
to also understand the responsibility they have in helping the spiritually weaker brethren to
follow in the way of truth.

Calvin answers well in his commentary, “Lest they who had made more advances than others in
the knowledge of God should think it unreasonable, that more burden was to be laid on them
than on others, he shows for what purpose this strength, by which they excelled others, was
bestowed on them, even that they might so sustain the weak as to prevent them to fall. For as
God has destined those to whom he has granted superior knowledge to convey instruction to the
ignorant, so to those whom he makes strong he commits the duty of supporting the weak by their
strength; thus ought all gifts to be communicated among all the members of Christ. The stronger
any one is in Christ, the more bound he is to bear with the weak.”

The one who is truly strong is the one who loves the truth, and loves his fellow brethren by
leading them to the truth. He does not bask in self-righteousness, but consider it his debt and
duty to his fellow brethren to help them in their walk of faith. The love of Christ constrains him
that he must be patient with his brethren. Just as Christ was patient with us, so must we be
patient with those who are weak, even to those who are seemingly “slow” or “stagnant” in their
spiritual growth. We continue to pray that the Holy Spirit may minister the truth to their hearts,
and help them to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18).
This is the reason why the pastor is also called to “exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2
Tim. 4:2)

On the other hand, it is the duty of every man not to take the patience of the brethren for granted
and to continue to wallow in sin. If a person has no concern for holiness, perhaps he may not be
born again in the first place. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may
abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:1-2).
Patience also does not equate with inaction. If we love one another, we must be our brother’s
keeper (Gal. 6:2). “Open rebuke is better than secret love.” (Prov. 27:5) “Faithful are the
wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” (Prov. 27:6)