Now documented: The JBGC Story

 

In March 2024, I received a telephone call from founder and International Director of Ministries for Asia Pacific (MAP) Partners Berhad, Dr Ooi Chin Aik, who asked how he could get a copy of, Realising a Vision through Faith, The Autobiography of Colleen M Redit.

 

Children escorted by adults on an outing
to Hutan Bandar, Johor Bahru

I had the privilege to document the life and ministry of Colleen Redit in India, a project that started in 2006 with the book published in 2013, distributed among the churches and now available online through amazon.com

 

When Dr Ooi asked for information about the history of the assembly in Johor Bahru, I replied with regret that while we had some info along with a collection of photographs, we did not have a proper document on Johor Bahru Gospel Chapel (JBGC) … yet.

 

He explained that he was collecting books that document the ministries that started in the Asia Pacific region, for a Resource Centre in Puchong and planned to launch the center in an event later that year.

 

The book on the Autobiography
of Colleen M Redit

Our phone chat sent me on a flashback to the book project that took me to Chennai, India, where I spent time with the team at Christian Missions Charitable Trust (CMCT) and shadowed Colleen Redit, a lady missionary from New Zealand, to experience the various arms of their ministry and interviewed a large number of people to document their personal experiences with the ministry.

 

As I pondered over how this book was pieced together, I decided to put into action the plan to compile the bits and pieces of information about our assembly to document how this witness was planted in Johor Bahru, more than 50 years ago.

 

Having completed several books on non-fiction stories about real people and their heritage, I am familiar with the process and started by considering the contents and the steps to flesh out the story of the assembly from the early years, how the ministry developed and the people involved in each decade.

 

The church is not just a building but the people in the church family. And there was no better way to understand the impact of the assembly on lives than to invite people to share their own experiences in the church family, from those who have left Johor Bahru and those in our sister church, to the few who are still here since its inception and those who have recently joined the assembly.

 

Old record books for Announcements

Their words and personal experiences are a testimony to the work of the assembly and their relationship with the church family. So one-by-one, they submitted their own experiences along with a photograph (if available) that showed their family with young children, who grew up in the assembly.

 

Working in a small team of three, we went about various tasks like searching for photos, tracking down people, coordinating and reviewing contributions, preparing the manuscript, designing the book cover and editing the text.

 

Old record books for Visitors and Offering

By now, most of the pioneers who were with the assembly in the early years have already “gone to heaven” or moved away from Johor, so it was essential to verify the facts about the early years with the people closest to them. With the use of modern technology and social media, it was quite easy to connect with each other to obtain the required information and photographs.

 

A picture is certainly worth a thousand words, so we tried to retrieve as many good photographs to support the text that described the various ministries and milestones in the assembly.

 

Because many were group activities and group shots at outdoor activities like picnics, Christmas and Easter outreach and children’s ministry events or family camps, the photographs should be printed in reasonably good sizes so that the faces may be clearly seen.

 

A precious shot of children hanging from
the set of monkey bars in the front compound

One of my favourite photos documented in the book must be the one with the children, hanging from the monkey bars. This set of monkey bars which still stands in the front compound, have seen generations of children playing on them, who by now will be adults and possibly, even parents with children of their own.

 

To get a sense of the prevailing atmosphere some 50 years ago, I read through old record books for Announcements and the Visitors Books that were kept since the early years when the assembly started meeting together. 

 

As I turned the yellowed pages and read the familiar cursive handwriting of Ms Phyllis Rose Wilson, the missionary who was the driving force behind the planting of the assembly in Johor Bahru, I was transported back to a time when I discovered that my dad grew up under the care of her missionary parents, Mr & Mrs George Wilson, in the Home for Children at Elim Gospel Hall, Ipoh.

 

Ms Phyllis Rose Wilson

I remember being rather fascinated when I first heard Ms Wilson speak in fluent Cantonese. I was then just a school-going child and thought it was unusual for a foreigner to be able to speak in Chinese. Then I later learnt that while her parents were from New Zealand, she was born in Malaysia and brought up in a Cantonese and Hakka speaking environment in Ipoh.

 

Dad told us Ms Wilson guided the boys and girls in the Home in the English language and from emulating the Wilsons, he developed a passion for reading (non-fiction!)

 

Dad also often played, Scrabble, a word boardgame, with Ms Wilson – so he had an early start – and when he played this game with my sisters and I, he would beat us with the highest scores for words.

 

Jonathan Linggam showing
proof that the book was 
safely received

From reading the old record books in chronological order, I was able to get a sense of the work of the assembly since the early years and I took time to list out the names of the guest speakers invited to share in the weekly pulpit ministry.

 

As I listed out the names, I saw a pattern where the majority of ministry speakers were invited from across the Causeway, including many from abroad who came to speak in our assembly in Johor Bahru while they were ministering in Singapore.

 

I also observed that many were regular speakers in our weekly meetings as well as guest speakers at special events like Gospel outreach campaigns and family camps.

 

Just as the speakers got to know the assembly in Johor Bahru, we too got to know the speakers and was pleased to invite two of them to write the Foreword in our book.

 

When we read the two pieces of Foreword by S V Ramalingam and Wong Tuck Keong, we could “hear” their familiar voices as if they were speaking from the pulpit, clearly identified by their tone, words and speaking style.

 

Mrs Lydia Ooi safely received
the two books for the
Resource Centre

Their own experiences with the assembly and words of encouragement are an inspiration for the assembly to continue in the witness that had started so long ago.

 

Located on the Southern-tip of Peninsular Malaysia, the assembly in Johor Bahru has a unique feature where people and families came and left, often for career advancement, further education and family reasons.

 

For readers in the North and elsewhere to gain a better understanding of the geographical location of Johor Bahru, its accessibility and relationship to neighbouring Singapore, an introduction dubbed, Johor Bahru and Singapore: A Special Link, was placed at the beginning of the book.

 

Over the next few months, the manuscript was gradually stitched together, the cover design completed and the book given a title, Milestones on our Journey in Faith.

 

Our book was safely received
by Mrs Ong Hai Aun

In September 2024, Dr Ooi and his wife, Lydia, who are based in Kuala Lumpur, travelled to London, UK, for his research and writing projects, and they returned safely on September 26. While the launch of the Resource Centre was delayed due to this travel plan, it gave us more time to progress with our book project on the assembly.

 

Then in December 2024, Dr Ooi shared that he had surgery as part of the treatment for pancreatic cancer. I often received his phone text messages and the last I heard from him was in January 2025. Then we received the sad news that he was called home to the Lord on 27 February 2025.

 

It was the end of June 2025 when our books were finally ready for distribution to the assembly members, contributors, pioneers and most importantly, to the Resource Centre that Dr Ooi had asked for and who initiated this book project.

 

We understand that his wife, Lydia, will continue with the project to set up this Resource Centre so the package that was sent to her comprised two books: a copy of, Realising a Vision through Faith, The Autobiography of Colleen M Redit, as well as, Milestones on our Journey in Faith, the story of Johor Bahru Gospel Chapel.

 

Milestones on our Journey in Faith,
documents the story of JBGC

“I have received the two books and the card. Thank you for your contribution,” wrote Lydia when she acknowledged safe receipt of the package.

 

One-by-one, those who received their books replied to acknowledge safe receipt, with many replies accompanied by brief messages that were deeply encouraging.

 

“It must have been such an effort to pull everything together. Thank you for your labour!” said Jonathan Linggam, who continued, “I will definitely be reading it over the next few weeks.”

 

“Lots of fond memories of JB Gospel Chapel. May the Lord continue to prosper His work through His people,” said Lee Mei Wan.

 

Mrs S K Loo said, “Received the JBGC book. Many thanks for your time in compiling all the details/history. Your labour was not in vain. To God be the glory! Thanks again.”

 

“Just received your JBGC book. Thank you and may the good Lord continue to bless the ministry,” said Tang Soon Hong and his wife, Grace.

 

Precious shot of three fathers, proudly carrying
their first-born sons, from a long time ago

T B Siah in our sister church who had safely received his book asked, “Where did you get this photo?” and posted a photo of a page in the book with the said photograph of three fathers each holding their young sons. He declared, “Precious… Praise the Lord!” [Their sons are now adults, married and with children of their own!]

 

“Thank you very much for the interesting book…read from cover to cover (almost!) Enjoyed the reflections of the once-upon-a-time young people… all the youths are now settled with families. May the testimony of JBGC continue till the Lord comes,” said Mrs S Y Linggam.

 

Mrs S G Cheong said, “Congrats on another project completed. Some JBGC history is recorded for future generations. Just a quick glance and it looks very good.”

 

“Just finished going through all of the photos and finished reading some parts of the book,” said Cheong Wye Choon. “Very good record of the history of JBGC which I was not aware of. I think it is comprehensive enough. It is also more interesting as everyone is telling their bit of history. Congrats on another project well done and completed.”

 

As the messages to acknowledge safe receipt of our book are still being received, we wish to share the kind compliments and congratulatory wishes with the late Dr Ooi, whose request in March 2024 started us on this book project.

 

It has been a worthwhile effort to document the JBGC story to honour the legacy of those who have come before us, and for future generations to learn about God’s blessings on this assembly in Johor Bahru. To God be all glory!