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Song
Approved in Every Way
(Lyrics: Ng Wah Lok, Voon Yuen Woh, Music: Ng Wah Lok)
I want to be Your servant Lord
To serve You each and every day
I want to give my best to You
Approved in every way.
Chorus
Make my life a living sacrifice
The way you want me to be
To serve You with all my heart
Whatever the cost to me
Take me break me, mould me Lord
As the potter shapes the clay
Pleasing You in all I do
Approved in every way.
I’ll stand before Your righteous throne
To hear "Thou good and faithful one"
"Well done!" from the Master’s lips
Approved in every way.
Copyright: Full Gospel Tabernacle 1982
When the Full Gospel Tabernacle was established in 1981, it had about 30 members
most of whom were young people who were still schooling or in varsity.
Only two of the church members owned cars. The rest went about on motorbikes
or bicycles.
At our first meeting in a shoplot, we could not
even afford to buy chairs. So we
sat on newspapers on the floor. We struggled to raise funds to pay for
the fixtures in the shoplot which we had rented. Every member sacrificed to
raise funds. Most of the adult working members gave all their savings. The
students gave most of their savings. Even with all this sacrifice, the church
barely managed to raise RM6,000. Nevertheless, we took over our first premises in SS2,
Petaling Jaya, with complete faith that God would provide the balance.
The funds did come and we paid for all the fixtures over the next few months.
God provided for us!
It was in this setting that these two songs were written.
"Every Time I Pray" was written for our church camp. The song speaks of how we depended
on God through prayer. The church lacked in finances, recognition and resources but
it never lacked the presence of God. Today, prayer remains the foundation of the church.
Every major decision in prayed over in our prayer meetings months before the elders
take these decisions. FGT was built on prayer.
The song "Approved In Every Way" speaks of the sacrifice
of the people. Although many were lacking financially, they gave almost all that
they had. The members did not mind cleaning the church, fixing things which had broken
down or fetching people to church. There was nothing that we would not do for God.
From this group of 30 young people, God raised many
full-time pastors. Rev Dr Eu Hong Seng is now the senior pastor of FGT in our main
church in Petaling Jaya. He is also vice-chairman of the National Evangelical Christian
Fellowship (NECF). Rev Goh Hock Huat is the pastor of our main church. Rev Voon Yuen Woh
planted a church in Seremban. He now pastors FGT Seremban and Malacca. He is also
chairman of Evangelism Explosion Malaysia. Pastor Clarence Chan pastors FGT Kota
Kinabalu. Pastor Cheng Yoke Poh pastors FGT Kuala Lumpur. Pastor Yapp Gaik Sim pastors
at our main church. Recently, I came out full-time and am presently principal of
Tung Ling Seminary, Malaysia.
These two songs belong to the pioneers of FGT who have lived such sacrificial
and exemplary lives.
Ng Wah Lok
3 January, 2000
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