Students’ Testimonies – 2013

My name is Ashley and I’m from Sekolah Menengah Sri Sempurna (SMSS), now known as Sri Sempurna International School. Last year, I took Bible Knowledge as an extra subject in SPM. Although I knew I did fairly well in this subject based on previous exams, there was always doubt that it might affect my performance in my main subjects as I would have less time to concentrate on them. However, I trusted that God would bring me through it according to His plan. And so, you could say that taking Bible Knowledge as an extra subject for me was a leap of faith! Sure, I had my doubts at certain points in the year, wondering how I was going to study for my other subjects, attend family functions, keep up with school activities and have the time to read the book of Acts and Luke all in one week. I honestly thought I would reach my breaking point and truthfully, I did but I realized through this whole process that God would not put me through a situation I couldn’t handle. If He thought that I could do it, why couldn’t I? Therefore, by taking BK, I not only learned so much about God but the extent of His power as well. Yes, by studying the word of God, we can grow spiritually and mentally and have the scripture in our hearts but what I have taken back from BK lessons has truly helped me pushed through a hard year. Whenever I felt as if I wanted to give up and I was too tired to go on, I would think back to how God has shown the greatness of his power in healing the sick and delivering evil spirits. I would remind myself of God’s promise as I thought back to the piece of scripture we had studied that week. My advice for those considering taking BK in the future for SPM is not to look at BK as a subject but to think of it as lessons learned that can help you in difficult times. BK helps you to stay close to God, to keep His promises close to your heart and know that you can do all things through Him who strengthens you. “Give Your Burdens to the Lord, and He will care for you.

He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” When you are overwhelmed by fear and anxiety, turn to God. God will honour your faithfulness. Worrying only discredits the faith that God will protect you.

How do you put an unforgettable, life changing experience into words that does it justice? Here is my try:

Not many had answered the principal’s call to the Christian students to register for Bible Knowledge, familiar to the stories of how all the odds were stacked against previous candidates. Tough grading, heavy study load, and previously being on the same day as SPM Sejarah-you name it, BK provides every nightmare known to today’s SPM candidate. But we tend to forget the one reason that turns the tide in our favour: our Almighty God is with us in our SPM BK journey, seeing us through it. Jesus is asking us, His disciples, as we sail through the storm of SPM that is seemingly drowning us, when we are giving up on all hope of coping with BK, “Where is your faith?”

Indeed, it has been a tough but very blessed journey. God provided the best teachers to guide me through my study, who have made(maybe forced!) me to study(or memorize!)my texts regularly every week, knowing very well that last minute studying never works for Bible Knowledge. They have given me the most complete materials, extra notes, past year analyses, tests and quizzes that I could ever ask for. Our BK teacher, Mrs Lim, also prayed with us before we entered the examination hall, and it calmed us down a lot. God also placed the best classmates (both my normal class and BK class) around me to help me when I needed them. I remember before we left for Ms Moey’s class every Friday, our non-Christian classmates would volunteer to test us on what we have memorized for the week! It has certainly helped me to remember all the minute details that our answer schemes demand.

And best of all, studying BK has helped me in my other subjects! We always lament how BK takes up so much of the time that we can use to revise other subjects, but I have been able to quote the teachings of Jesus in my essays, particularly in my SPM Literature in English paper. Studying the book of Acts has allowed me to be familiar with the names of places throughout the Roman Empire, and they were not so foreign to me when we were learning it in Sejarah! Also, memorizing regularly has also tuned my mind well to help me memorize facts for other subjects too. Sometimes it seems as if BK had put us in a handicap for our other subjects, but all along God was preparing me to study them better and more productively. In fact, if I didn’t take up BK for SPM, I wouldn’t have qualified for the MOE Pre-U Bursary. Who says BK was a handicap to achieving excellent overall results? All glory goes to God.

Taking up Bible Knowledge was the biggest highlight of my SPM journey. It is not just about an examination, but a subject for life. God’s Word is personified in our lives when we know it in-depth. Our knowledge of the sciences or the arts will fade away the moment we study it no more, but the Word of God that has been hidden in our hearts will accompany us forever.

My school offers BK for SPM. Excitedly, I signed up right away! With enthusiasm, I took to the subject with vigour. I actually ignored the fact that this subject is notorious for being the most difficult to score A+, but I can’t deny that I’ve never been afraid or worried that I might lose out on a scholarship if I persevere in taking the supposedly impossible subject.

But looking back, taking BK may be the best decision I have ever made in my life. By taking the subject, I have learned to trust in God. Many people told me that taking BK would be akin to suicide since I would be putting my straight A+ result on the line as well as requiring extra attention that could have been put into improving my Bahasa Malaysia or other subjects. Secondly, taking BK actually saved my skin! In SPM after the Moral Studies fiasco and disappointment in Bahasa Malaysia, I was left with 8A+. So in a sense, BK contributed to my A+ tally which I thought would be unlikely as compared to Moral or BM! God indeed works in mysterious ways! Lastly, God gave me a scholarship. Through The Lord’s blessing, I managed to secure three scholarships in total from Yayasan Tenaga Nasional (YTN), Maybank and Taylor’s University! But in the end, I chose YTN to pursue Electrical Power Engineering even though I’ve always wanted to be a doctor (Maybank offered me medicine). Why? Because I felt like this is God’s calling. I felt like this path is where he is leading me to go.

In conclusion, I don’t regret taking BK at all! A+ or a good result in BK is not impossible, as long as you work hard and pray hard. As Abraham once said, “The Lord will provide.”

Taking Bible Knowledge was really a tough task for me during my secondary school life. I was a full-time science stream student, and it was really difficult to handle eleven subjects in school, not to mention that I had tuition classes most of the days after school. Christian students who are in the same dilemma, I understand your fear, I really do. But thanks to the support and encouragement from my family members and church members, I took up this challenge, and I realized that I have learnt a lot and benefitted a lot from it. For those of you who do not know, BK covers two books in the bible, namely “Luke” and “Acts of the Apostles”. “Luke” is really an interesting book and I was able to learn in-depth about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, whereas “Acts” taught me about the life and ministry of Paul and his perseverance in preaching the Gospel. It was Paul’s perseverance and attitude that has driven me to do better in my studies, especially in BK. Since everything that involves school grades are taken so seriously, taking BK as a subject in school can serve as a motivation for us to study the Bible more seriously. I also want to give credit to my BK teacher, Ms. May Kuek, who had taught me diligently and patiently for two years. Without her dedicated teaching, I would not be able to do well in BK or even have the courage to take BK as my elective subject. Words cannot describe the dedication and effort that she had put into educating her students. Thank you, Aunty May.

Lastly, for those upcoming SPM candidates, Form 4 and Form 5-ers, if you are still hesitating whether or not to take Bible Knowledge in SPM, I can tell you, just go ahead and take it, it is really a great opportunity to learn about God’s word. I tell you, you will definitely benefit a lot from it and will never regret taking it by the end of the day. Besides, we are His sons and daughters, and as students, we cannot do much to serve Him, so the littlest thing that we can do is to learn about His word. I will stop here and let you think about it. Thank you for your precious time to read my testimony. All the best!

It was pretty hard for me at first when I took Bible Knowledge in 2012. The early morning Sunday classes was not really my cup of tea. The first few months I literally had to drag myself to class. I guess my heart was not in the right place. At that time, the only 2 reasons I took BK was because everyone encouraged me to do so and I guess I wanted to prove to others that I was smart enough to excel in that subject. But as I studied God’s word, He changed my heart and touched me in so many ways. The more I learned, the more I fell in love with Him. I then saw how wrong my previous reasons were. Studying BK was challenging as the subject required lots of memorizing and certain questions critical thinking. But thanks to the help of my BK teachers and a teacher at school, it was easier for me to understand the subject without really memorizing but more of recalling the teachers’ explanation. BK was my favourite subject in SPM even though it was a bit discouraging to sit for the paper all by myself. But oh well, it was funny to have all 3 invigilators to myself. As quoted from a movie, the Bible is not just B.asic I.nstructions B.efore L.eaving E.arth. It is way more than that, it is God’s love letter for you and me.. :)

Taking Bible Knowledge as an examination subject certainly wasn’t a bed of roses, at least that’s how I see it from my point of view. There are things, however, that God had revealed to me through this experience.

I had been studying Bible Knowledge since Form 3. Probably the most significant reason why I decided to start on this subject a year earlier wss to get a bit of experience on how tough it is actually rumoured to be, and then only start making the final decision at Form 5 to either drop or take this subject. Both my brothers actually took this subject for SPM and gained ok grades (so I thought why not try it out too :P). Frankly speaking, even to the point of Form 5, when I had to decide the subjects that I am signing up for SPM, I couldn’t decide on whether I should had drop or take Bible Knowledge. I was feeling very stressed out from having to juggle between 11 subjects and all the other co-curricular activities. Anyway, I decided to sign up for it, trusting that God will certainly help me through it.

One of my favourite parables from the book of Luke is the parable of the friend at midnight. It taught me on how persistent prayers actually pay off. Luke 11:9-10 says “And so I say to you: Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For those who ask will receive, and those who seek will find, and the door will be opened to anyone who knocks.” Well, God certainly heard my prayers and frustrations. When I had transportation problems, my teachers, Miss Doreen and Mr Teoh willingly provided me with transport. Their classes were also easy to understand and the recaps we did in class almost every week helps a lot.

My results itself is a little unbelievable to me. I am not over exaggerating if I were to say that because of this subject, I was able to obtain the KPM bursary, which I had really hoped and prayed hard to obtain. This bursary is only given to students scoring 9A+ and above in SPM. If I had decided to drop this subject back then, I would have failed to meet the requirements for the bursary.

Through 3 years of studying this subject, I started to be more curious about the events in the Bible, the background of the stories illustrated in the Bible and also about Jesus himself, what did His actions imply and how He feels on having been born with a purpose of being a sacrificial lamb for His people.

I learned that being a Christian does not mean that life itself will be smooth sailing. Just like how Jesus and the apostles persisted through hardships relying on God, I learned to persist through hard times, relying on God and doing my best at the same time.

So, to my fellow juniors, I pray that you will do well and learn loads of stuff from this subject. All the best.

I first started attending Bible Knowledge classes when I was in form 3. My initial motive to take up BK was because I had two older sisters who took BK as one of their subjects. Hence, my parents expected the same of me, to follow in their footsteps. At first, it was all about getting good grades. But the more I studied the Book of Luke and Acts, the more I realized they were not jut stories, but lessons. Lessons that could be applied in everyday living. I remember one time, when I was so afraid to stand up for my belief. Then, I learnt that all through the bible times, everybody was afraid even Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. But in the end, they knew God was with them and there was nothing to be afraid of because God is in control. Ever since then, I don’t feel afraid to tell others about Jesus. I’ve enjoyed studying BK; it was never a burden or an extra load because I could see God’s truth and promises pour out in my life. Even when I’m angry or upset with someone, God’s word would just remind me to forgive and love them just as He has loved me. I remembered the quote of my principal “Bible Knowledge is not like any other subjects that needs to be memorized and just throw up on your exam papers. It is the Word of God that gives life to the mind, body, soul and spirit.” I didn’t understand that until I’ve experienced it myself. In a nutshell, I believe that whosoever studies the word of God will be transformed and renewed.

Hi, not ready to face BK exams? Neither was I. I achieved an A for Bible Knowledge in SPM, and I was really shocked. Praise to the Lord for He guides me along the right path. I never regret my decision for taking BK in SPM.

I had no intention of taking BK subject at all during Form 4. I attended Sunday school since primary 2, and my mother would not let me quit after I finished Form 5. So, I learnt BK in Sunday school and never attended BK classes in school. My mother wanted me to take BK in SPM, but I refused. I also refused my teacher in Sunday school who encouraged me every Sunday to enrol in BK for SPM. I felt that 10 subjects were enough to make me stressed out and I had no time for BK.

After that, I had my first BK exam in Sunday school. We were allowed to refer to our textbook for the last 30 minutes, but I did not do so because I wanted to test my ability. When the results came out, I scored 83% and that was the highest mark in class. I beat those who referred to the textbook, and when the teacher learnt about it, she persuaded me to take BK exam in SPM. She also explained that my classmates’ school did not allow them to take BK exam at all, so I was lucky that my school offered that opportunity. So that day, I changed my mind.

During Form 5, I started taking BK exams in school. I also joined BK Oral Quiz as well as Faith quiz, and together with my team members, we were able to achieve second place for both. I was able to go to KL and compete in BK Oral Quiz at National Level, and I met a lot of students from other states who worked hard to score well in BK. I was touched and I vowed to do well in SPM. It was really tough learning all 11 subjects (I also took BC) so I prayed and studied hard. God heard my prayer, I did well in BK even though I was tired out by other subjects. It was a miracle that BK exam was on the same day with Mathematics and not Sejarah!

In conclusion, I hope that all Christian students will take BK for SPM. Do not worry about what grades you might get in SPM, for learning the Word of God is much more important than anything else. Trust in God, He will provide everything for you and has already planned your future. So juniors, work and study hard. Flip your Good News Bible now and search for Luke 12:22, read it and ease your worries. God Bless all of you!

I was one out of two students who took SPM BK in my school and I am thankful for God’s faithfulness during that time. Studying Luke and Acts was worth it, and it is something I will never regret. Personally, it helped me to pay attention to little details when reading the Word. Indeed, it wasn’t only an academic subject but also a good opportunity to study the bible and grow spiritually. My BK class was open even to those who were unsure about taking SPM BK but still wanted the opportunity to learn. I think this is the unique part about BK – you will need it sooner or later in life.

Amidst the worries of unfair gradings and tricky exam questions, I received a lot of motivation from my BK teacher, Pastor A. Indranie, who taught her students BK while teaching about life. She kept us in her prayers and we have been blessed by her devotion to our small class. Of course, taking part in the National SPM BK Quiz also helped me a lot. It forced me to study!

There’s no such thing as not being smart enough to take BK, there is always someone around that can help you. I hope you’ll find joy in studying BK, because it is something special! Just give your best and you’ll be surprised what God can do! Most of all, remember nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37).

My name is Julian Sya and I took Bible Knowledge for SPM, and believe it or not, I never regretted taking it. I know most people would be asking, why did I take Bible Knowledge, of all subjects? Well, that is an interesting question, and to be honest, I’ve never really thought about it. I was very interested to learn more about Jesus, and I figured that taking Bible Knowledge would be a good place to begin my journey. In studying the Book of Luke and Acts, I came to know so much more about Jesus, the miracles he performed, the lessons he taught, his sacrifices for us, his never ending love, and the hope that he has given us. For a long time, I thought that hope didn’t exist, that it was only a figment of our imagination, but now I know that hope truly exists, and with this hope that I have discovered, I am able to move on from day to day. Was taking this subject easy? Well, to put it in a short and simple way, no. It would be a lie to say that it is easy, but I can tell you that even though it’s not easy, it’s worth it. I have definitely grown a lot and I’m still continuing to grow. And for those of you who are taking Bible Knowledge, be it this year or any year, I just want to tell you something. When you fall down, get up, but don’t ever give up. Nothing worth it ever comes easy. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, but you won’t reach that light if you give up, if you go back to where you started. The only way to reach the light is to keep going, no matter how tough the journey is. The Lord has gone before you, he will be with you, he will not fail you or abandon you. So don’t be afraid or discouraged. So, there you go. I hope you enjoy studying Bible Knowledge as much as I did.