This church separated in the 1950s from the Presbyterian Church of Singapore and Malaysia (cf. Malaysia no. 1). The inspiration for the new movement came from Pastor Timothy Tow Siang Hui, a follower and supporter of Carl McIntire, the leader of the International Council of Christian Churches (ICCC). He defended fundamentalist convictions and opposed all forms of modernism, especially the ecumenical movement led by the WCC. After a few years of struggle within the Presbyterian Church, in 1955 Pastor Tow founded the Life Bible Presbyterian Church. The movement grew. In 1956 three pastors were ordained, and in 1960 the Singapore Presbytery of the Bible Presbyterian Church in Singapore and Malaysia was inaugurated. In 1962 the Far Eastern Bible College was opened. By 1971 eight congregations had been founded and the church began to extend its witness abroad, e.g.,in Australia, Indonesia, Saipan, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Africa, and Canada. Dissensions arose within the church. The militant anti-modernist and anti-ecumenical stance of its leaders was not accepted by a sizeable minority. In the 1980s, in addition, a controversy occurred over the place of speaking in tongues in the life of the church. In November 1988 the tensions had become so strong that the decision was taken to dissolve the synod. Individual Bible Presbyterian Churches, separately registered with the government, continue to exist under their respective names.
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