http://sg.christianpost.com/dbase/ministries/1232/section/1.htm
Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2009 Posted: 12:46:03AM HKT
Though the denomination he founded was dissolved in the late 80s, he is remembered for his firm stand against the theological liberalism of his time.
The Rev Dr Timothy Tow Siang Hui, who passed away peacefully on Monday morning in his home at the age of 88, started the Bible-Presbyterian movement in Singapore when as a young pastor of the English congregation at Life Presbyterian Church he broke with the then-liberal modernist Presbyterian Church and formed the Life Bible-Presbyterian Church, the first B-P church in the republic, in 1955.
Through the Rev Tow’s own missionary fervour and biblical discipleship the B-P movement became one of Singapore’s fastest growing denominations. Even though the B-P synod was finally dissolved in 1988 due to differences in doctrinal position, the pastor is remembered for the spiritual legacy and posterity he has left behind.
The Rev Tow inculcated in his members the importance of doctrinal integrity in such a way that it did not hinder their spiritual growth but in fact formed a firm basis for their further theological growth.
Recalled the Rev Peter Eng, pastor of the former Antioch Bible-Presbyterian Church, “During an age of theological compromise, he sounded a clarion call to hold on to absolutes, to doctrinal integrity, and eternal values. I gladly responded to that call. At the same time, he planted in me the declaration of the Westminster Confession that my conscience cannot be bound by any person – not even his teachings. The passage of time and input from various sources have led me to develop my theology. But his core teachings remain true. The reality of absolutes stand against the flood of postmodern relativism. Doctrinal integrity is essential to true faith. Some values are eternal, and temporal gains can never justify the abrogation of an eternal good.”
The Rev Eng, now leading a web-based Bible resource ministry that aims to bridge the Bible and its times with the present day, remembers the Rev Tow as the founder of a spiritual if no longer physical denomination, one where God is the Lord of the conscience and where this freedom of the conscience allowed for its churches to disengage and “unfettered us for more dynamic service” resulting in “true spiritual gain”.
In terms of his spiritual influence, the Rev Tow has directly impacted tens of thousands in Bible-Presbyterian churches scattered throughout Singapore, Malaysia and beyond, and indirectly affected hundreds of thousands, according to the Rev Eng.
The Rev Dr Timothy Tow Siang Hui is survived by his second wife Ivy Tan, three sons and three daughters, three grandsons, five granddaughters and four great-grandsons. His first wife Nancy Loh passed away in 1965. Two children, one son and one daughter, have passed away.
Edmond Chua
edmond@christianpost.com
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