Terry Bong was named Valedictorian for 2024. Below, is the script of his speech.
“Good afternoon and greetings in Christ to everyone who has made time to be present here today as witnesses of this joyous occasion. My name is Terry Bong and it is a great honour to be able to share a few words on behalf of the graduating class of 2024.
Firstly, we turn our hearts and minds heavenward giving all thanks to God for sustaining, enabling and gracing us all the way right up to this moment. It is entirely by His grace, mercy and faithfulness that sees us through all challenges and opportunities to grow. Thank you to our Council members, Principal, Vice Principal, academic deans, faculty members, the staff, co-workers and fellow seminarians at MBS for believing in us and to equip us with what is required to serve the Kingdom of God. Thank you to our lecturers for imparting us with godly wisdom over the years of studying and learning together. Thank you to all of our family members, friends, spiritual mentors and churches for your love, encouragement and much needed prayers for us to press on. We wouldn’t have been here today without anyone of you.
Today’s graduation service marks a milestone for fellow graduands that goes beyond merely recounting academic achievements. This moment serves as both reflection on what has been accomplished, and anticipation for what lies ahead, being united under a common hope, and that is to proclaim Jesus Christ, as we prepare to part ways into diverse futures.
Diversity, indeed, is one of the greatest blessings the Lord has graced us with here at MBS. It has been a joyful and edifying journey studying theology alongside seminarians from many different countries, cultures and perspectives. This includes our friends from Nepal, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Cambodia, China and Malaysia. Praise and thanks be to God for the provision of MBS and for bringing us all together. Despite coming from different nations and backgrounds, we all share one common fundamental belief and that is having our faith rooted in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, who unites us as one with His commandments. It has been more than just a pursuit of theological studies during our 3 to 4 years of seminary training here at MBS for we are called to embrace one another and to serve each other with humility and with patience, not for the praise of men but to understand what our duties are as Christians, as seminarians, as church interns, as friends and even as roommates – which is to witness Christ and to proclaim Him through the way we treat and interact with one another as partners of the Gospel.
Moving forward, as we graduands heed God’s prompting and are being sent into different mission fields with great diversity, I pray that, in serving God, we will constantly be reminded that it is not about what can the Lord do for us, neither is it about what we can do for the Lord, instead, it is about having the posture before God of how can we be willingly purposed for the plans God has for our lives. Inevitably, we will be faced with trials, challenges, isolation, obstacles, uncertainties and disappointments which may distract or deter our service in ministry, but whenever that happens, let us return to Christ and to the initial calling of God for us that we may find rest in the sufficiency of God’s grace and in the power of the Holy Spirit by rejoicing always, praying unceasingly and to give thanks in all circumstances for we have faith that God who started a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
To our current seminarians at MBS, look to the Lord and his strength, seek His face always. The answer to our problems is not to look inward but to look upwards, to the Lord. Afterall, He has carried you this far, hasn’t He? Don’t you think He could carry you even further? Trust in Him.
Lastly, as we continue to pursue God, I pray that we will all allow God to continually soften our hearts so that it beats for what His heart beats for – People. I’d like to leave with you a quote from Tim Keller, who reminds us by saying, “If you go to Jesus, He may ask of you far more than you originally planned to give, but He can give you infinitely more than you dared ask or think“.
May we continue to press on in guarding the Word of God to preserve the purity of the believing community and to maintain harmony between believers while serving God and His people faithfully for the glory of His Kingdom. To God be all praise, honour and thanks. God bless.”