Students’ Testimonies – 2012

I took BK in Form 4 and 5 because I was advised by my family and church leaders. As a Science student I already had 11 subjects and taking BK meant putting more hours into my studies. It was not as easy as I thought it would be because having been brought up in a Christian family I assumed studying for BK would be like my weekly Sunday school lessons.

As I studied Luke and Acts in depth, I realized that there were a lot of things I didn’t know from these two books. All the tiny details that I assumed were not significant actually played a role in awakening my thoughts and building my relationship with God. Studying BK is not just memorizing the details in the books of Acts and Luke. It helped me to understand God’s purpose and plan in my life. One thing that fascinated me the most was how the early Christians had a passion for sharing the Gospel despite the persecution they had to endure. It is from there that I got the inspiration to be involved in kids’ ministry in church and reach out to those in campus.

Studying BK is definitely not a waste time. I have been equipped with God’s Word. It’s been six years now and I of still remember the details I studied from Luke and Acts. To all BK students, remember taking BK is an investment for your future: God’s Word will never pass away.

Taking BK as one of my SPM subjects was one of the toughest yet most fulfilling milestones in my walk with Christ. When I first heard that the subject was offered, I was hesitant on taking it up as I already had 10 subjects to deal with for SPM. However, after much thought and prayer, I decided to do so as I felt it was part of my responsibility as a Christian to take BK.

As I took up BK classes every Sunday for the two years leading up to SPM, I wondered what I had got myself into, especially when I was briefed of the syllabus of the subject and the structure of the examination. All 52 chapters from both the book of Luke and Acts made me wondered if I can even pass this paper with the seemingly unmanageable workload I was already carrying. However, I decided that I would work hard on the subject like any other and trust the Lord to see me through. Although two years worth of Sunday leisure time had to be put aside for BK classes, I believe that it was worth it. Taking BK classes had given me a detailed and greater understanding towards the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as well as the acts of the Apostles as they obey Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Through the understanding of the culture Jesus and the apostles were in, we were able to understand the context of the teachings and parables of Jesus, the meaning behind the actions of Jesus and the apostles.

Most importantly, taking time to read the book of Luke and Acts allowed me to see for myself the hand of the Lord working through Jesus and the apostles, as well as His plan for the salvation of mankind through Jesus Christ. Taking BK was more than just taking a subject to pass. Through BK, I’ve realized the importance of not only reading the word of the Lord but to love it and to love reading it in our walk with Jesus. Even after my BK and secondary school days, I’ve never regretted taking BK as an SPM subject as I can now not only use the book of Luke and Acts to share the Good News with my friends, but also use them as guides in my walk with Jesus.

For those who have trouble deciding on whether to take BK as an SPM subject or not, I encourage you all to do so because I truly believe that good Christian living starts from reading the very words of our Lord. It doesn’t matter what results one gets for BK in SPM. What is truly precious is the knowledge of the word of the Lord and the love for it. In the end, all glory should go to our Lord and Saviour. Take up BK! Not to add another “A” onto your report card, not to challenge your academic abilities, not because your parents force you to, but take it up to see and share the glory of our Lord through His written word, that His name be lifted up.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

“You’re taking BK?”

That wide-eyed expression of awe and surprise in the questioner’s face, mingled with a tinge of pity, is not an unfamiliar one to me, and I am fairly sure I am not alone in this respect.

The negative stigma surrounding Bible Knowledge SPM has long been around and is not unjustified considering the high and possibly unjust grading standards and difficulty level of the subject itself. I won’t mince words – it’s a challenge. Because BK is a text-based subject that is largely dependent on memory work, it does require a lot of consistency and many hours of revision. It’s not a subject that can be taken for granted, or absorbed within a couple of months.

There were certain points during those long hours of revision where I did question the purpose of it all. Why do I have to memorize this text word for word? Isn’t it enough that I understand the message underlying the text? Why must so much emphasis be placed on the exact wording that I use? I guess I only came to the resolution of those questions well after I finished my exams. There is importance in being able to know the text very well, because sometimes a simple substitution for a word can change the entire meaning.

Going really in-depth into the Books of Acts and Luke really touched a core with me I don’t think I would have reached had I not read them through so often. I got to fully appreciate the true compassion of Jesus in his simple utterance of the words ‘Don’t cry’ to the weeping widow, and his righteous outrage at his Father’s house being turned into a ‘hideout for thieves’. I witnessed Paul’s courage in saying ‘But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do,’ and yet also know of times when he would become so discouraged and would need the Lord’s help in the words ‘Do not be afraid, but keep on speaking and do not give up, for I am with you.’ I got to see these characters in the Bible as more than just humans who existed many years ago, but as real people with very real humanistic tendencies, making them all the more relatable.

Overall, I will still readily tell any person who queries that BK is a subject that is worth it. Out of the eleven subjects I took for SPM, it still remains my favourite subject albeit being the subject I put in the most effort for. Because at the end of the day, achieving that A+ grade is more than just a simple achievement printed on a piece of paper, on par with the other subjects. It’s a testimony in so many ways. It’s a testimony of God’s faithfulness, a testimony to my juniors that it IS possible and we shouldn’t let our fears of an unjust system deter us from continuing to take the subject. For every student that makes a stand and takes Bible Knowledge as a subject for SPM, we become that much closer to ensuring BK stays on as an SPM subject.

It’s more than just a subject, it’s the Word of God – a subject for life.

Luke 21:33 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never disappear.”

Taking BK for SPM was not to get an extra A. If that was it, I wouldn’t have done it. Having 9 subjects to worry about was enough for me already! Personally, the main reason I took BK was so that I’m forced to study the bible in detail all the time because my bible was always left to collect dust whenever I’m preparing for exams. To have God’s subject included in the exams, I’ll automatically squeeze out time for it.

At first my parents didn’t agree on my decision to take BK for SPM. Their concern was that it’s very hard to score and it wouldn’t look good on my result slip if I scored all A’s and a B or C for BK. It’s a big difference between straight A’s for 9 subjects and 9 A’s and a B for 10 subjects. I myself didn’t really want to do it at first because I thought BK was like another history subject, having to memorise word for word was one of the hardest things for me to do. So I didn’t make the extra effort to convince my parents then.

At the start of my form 5 when we’re supposed to register the subjects we want for SPM, God suddenly reminded me of why I should take BK. So, after asking my friends to pray for me, I worked up the courage to ask my parents again for their permission to take BK. By God’s grace and to my surprise, they actually allowed it!

I started attending BK class on Saturdays and the journey wasn’t easy because I was one year behind everyone. There were so many times I wanted to quit because my results in tests and exams were always in the range of 60- 70% only. Frustrating as it was, God was with me every step of the way. Through quiet time, CF and people around me, He comforted me and gave me strength to go on.

In that one year I studied Luke and Acts, I still learned the same thing I did in Sunday school but what’s different was I learned to apply it in life, for example to remain faithful like in the parable of the widow and the judge. It not only benefitted me but God also used me to help those around me through His words. I experienced God in ways throughout the year that I know I wouldn’t have if I had not taken up this challenge.

BK was one of the 2 B’s in my SPM results. If you’re wondering whether I regret my decision, my answer : No.

Bible Knowledge. We know it as “that Christian subject” or “the subject that is impossible for students to score in”. Let me share a bit on my experience of taking Bible Knowledge.

When I first joined a Bible Knowledge class, I was excited to accept the challenge of taking bible Knowledge for SPM, as were my fellow classmates. As with many things in life, we all started with much enthusiasm, promising ourselves to dedicate as much time to God’s subject as we would to other school subjects. Yet, the months went by, and so did the people. Disheartened, many students dropped Bible Knowledge, giving up along the way.

Did I ever doubt myself? I’ll be frank with you, I got really, really scared a month before SPM. Why? Because Sejarah and Bible Knowledge were on the same day. I know what you’re thinking. It’s somewhere along the lines of a nightmare. But it was a good thing too. It made me work even harder. Though, there were times when I got frustrated and panicked, that was when God became my solid rock on whom I trusted. I prayed and literally told God, “Lord Jesus, I’m doing this for you! I’m giving it my all, so please help me. Also, you owe me an A+.” Repeatedly.

“Aiyah, BK cannot score A one lah! Why do you want to take it? It’s not going to look good on your certificate!”

Sounds familiar to you? I heard it quite a few times. Fellow Christian students, and yes, Christian parents, often believe this to be true. But the actual fact is, no subject is simple, and good results for Bible Knowledge is NOT impossible. I think the reason why so many students do not do well in Bible Knowledge for SPM has to do with the fact that they limit themselves, thinking that it is difficult, or impossible to score well. Bible Knowledge is a subject just like any other; it requires a student to be willing to sit down and dedicate as much time and effort to it, as much as any other subject. I honestly believe that if students taking Bible Knowledge give it their all and have in mind that they indeed want to honour God, then God will bless them back in return, and grant them the grades they worked for.

And In March this year, I held my SPM result slip in my hands, hardly believing my eyes as I saw what was written on the last row. ‘Bible Knowledge A+’. With all that I’ve shared, are you thinking of taking up this subject? It’s a scary decision, but why don’t you pray about it? Are you a top student, afraid of not doing well, and losing the perfect score or the straight A+ you have been aiming for? Well, why don’t you give it a try? All the more so since God has blessed you with the ability to study. Reality is, if we Christians do not rise up in faith to take Bible Knowledge, who would? And indeed, what is the point of making available a subject that nobody takes anyway?

Lastly, I want to share some tips on how to study for this amazing subject that is so full of God’s truth! First, sign up for classes and get a study buddy. Check up on each other to make sure that you both are dedicating enough time for the subject. Second, read the entire textbook once through to get a ‘Bird’s eye view’ and then delve deeper into each chapter, taking note of what happened, who was involved, why it happened, when was it, what happened after that etc. Third, test yourself! Do not memorise blindly. Sometimes, remembering it as a story helps! Fourth, practice makes perfect. You might not remember the whole page all at once, but keep at it! Fifth, memorise key points. You need to write precisely what happened during the exam. Sixth, do past year papers and pay attention to how marks are awarded according to the marking scheme. Then you would know what to look out for when you study. Last but not least, treat it like any other subject. You need time and dedication to study for this one. No amount of last minute studying will do.

Hi! I would like to share with you my experience in BK study. Learning BK for the past 2 years has really been a humbling experience for me. I have only a vague memory of how I first came across BK. It was most likely through mychurchmate or classmate. I am grateful that this person introduced me to this subject. At first, I went into it because it sounded interesting and special since not many students would be likely to sit for this subject for their SPM in my school. I have heard my seniors say that it was tough handling the memorizing and it was hard to get an A let alone an A+ because of the strict and high standard marking. In my mind at that time, I wanted to take up that challenge.

At first, BK to me was just an extra subject to take in SPM. However, as lessons go by, I began to gain many things in my life. I felt thankful to God that He has used this BK studies to change my life. Since learning BK, I have actually read and gone through details of the Bible more than I ever did before. The Bible has been more relevant in my life ever since and although there are times now when I still felt reluctant about picking up my Bible, I will remember the memorable times I had during my BK classes and commit to my daily devotion. Apart from that, I had also made some close friends in my BK class. I had always been shy. Most of the time, it was hard for me to make friends quickly since I was not that out-spoken. So I cherish them a lot even though they may not know it. I am grateful that God has placed great friends in my life to be my guide towards Him and also to teach me and be my company. I was also joyful to be taught by a loving teacher who makes the class interesting and I enjoyed the practice we had in preparing for the BK Quiz. Whenever a problem arises, our teacher could solve it, and she has tutored me and my friends with dedication and compassion. Our teacher had also encouraged and drilled us not only to succeed in this subject, but also helped us know God and grow in Him in spirit and in truth.

The competitions and seminar have also allowed me to expand my knowledge in BK. It was tough at first knowing that there were lots of writing and memorizing to do. However, it actually helped me to know more about God’s Word and His works. Apart from Jesus, the mortal character that inspired me while studying both books of Luke and Acts was Paul. He was once a dreadful rebel of God, when a bright light shone upon him near Damascus and changed his life, and he turned out to be one of the greatest servants of God in the Bible. He is my example, knowing that God still loves him even though he is a sinner, God used him for His great and mighty works to be shown to the world. If I hadn’t studied BK, I wouldn’t have learnt so many details about him. I thank God for the blessings He has given me on my journey of learning BK. I did not get an A in any of my BK monthly tests or trials, but, not to boast, I was constantly improving, from a D to a B, when finally in SPM, I got an A. Though it wasn’t an A+, I’m joyful and grateful that God has helped me along the way. He has humbled me to become a better person. I encourage all of you who are taking BK- God has a plan for each of you and it is not a wrong decision. Do continue reading the Bible more even after SPM because our spiritual life doesn’t stop there, it goes on eternally.