Bible Knowledge journey in SJPSS

Jun 23, 2023

KUCHING: Bible Knowledge (BK) as an SPM subject? This question has been asked by many students, and the graduates of St Joseph’s Private Secondary School (SJPSS) shared their enlightening testimonies about their BK journey.

In the graduating class of 2022 at SJPSS, 63 candidates took Bible Knowledge as a subject for their SPM examination. Among these students, 52.4 per cent achieved the highest grades (A+ and A-), while 76.2 per cent secured A’s and B’s, showcasing the effectiveness of the school’s BK programme. The commitment of the teachers, coupled with the dedication of the students, has undoubtedly contributed to this outstanding achievement.

So, should you take Bible Knowledge as an SPM subject? The resounding answer from the graduates of SJPSS is a definite yes. Beyond the academic rewards, BK provides a unique opportunity to explore spirituality, deepen faith, and gain valuable life lessons. The testimonies of these graduates exemplify the profound impact studying BK can have on one’s personal and intellectual development.

Testimony from the BK students
“Taking BK in SPM has been life-changing. It not only provided countless opportunities but also transformed my worldview. Studying BK has become a joy, as I deepen my connection with God. I yearn to share my Christian knowledge far and wide. The annual BK Quiz has been a highlight since Form 1. My dream was to reach the finals in Form 5. By God’s grace, it became a reality. My teammate and I emerged victorious in the BK22 Quiz, securing a scholarship from MCKL. This experience taught me about perseverance and obedience, as God rewards unwavering faith.”

BK taught me about hope and redemption, offering solace and strength in the face of adversity and existential questions. Now in college, I see the vastness of the world and the diversity of people. Thankfully, studying BK and embracing Christian values have provided a moral compass during times of confusion.

I am forever grateful to incredible teachers like Mr. Ben, Ms. Nancy and Mr. Jerome. Their guidance kept us on track, imparting invaluable knowledge. I hope more students choose BK, benefiting both their general knowledge and spiritual well-being. Let me end with Luke 1:37 – “For with God, nothing will be impossible.” — Christabelle Johneva Lee Yin Inxuen (A+)

“For me, Bible Knowledge (BK) is a story which makes it a much more enjoyable subject to learn. If you are a person that loves reading, BK is definitely a subject for you. To score well in this subject, you will need to consistently push yourselves to read the book. As you are reading, take note of the people, places and events that took place.

“Last but not least, do a lot of past year questions as the questions are quite repetitive, only structured in a different way. All the best in your SPM examination.” — Leonard Wong Yu Rui (A+)

“It was since I took up BK as a subject in school that I started to learn more about the Bible than I ever did in the past few years. It immediately became my favourite subject and I looked forward to it each week. BK has taught me so much about the Lord and what He has done for us. I used to answer questions about the significance of the Lord in our lives using answers from the textbook but now, I could answer them through my own understanding and experience. Learning this subject has also helped me to hone skills such as information, literary and critical thinking and also analytical reasoning which is definitely beneficial for my future.

“Here, I would like to extend my appreciation to all my BK teachers in SJPSS for their efforts towards helping us master BK. They are the ones who helped us to realise how fun BK can be through different activities while also showing us techniques on how we can understand and remember biblical facts better. If not for them, I would not have gotten this far in my faith journey and achieved what I had achieved today.” — Joey Pui Jia Yi (A)

“Deciding to take BK as one of my SPM subjects was not a surprising decision, as I was rather good at remembering things. Some people claimed that BK was like a second History paper, but don’t get intimidated by it. I felt that BK was a lot easier to remember as it is storybased. Repetition is the key! Also, a big thank you to Mr Ben for making every BK class engaging and interesting. There was not a single time when I felt like falling asleep in his class!

“Personally, it was through remembering the text that I reflected more on the Word of God. It was amazing how I got inspired differently each time I read the book. Taking this paper is like going through a spiritual journey with God, where you get to learn more about Him and be closer to Him. It requires a lot of commitment, and sometimes you might feel like pulling out. I don’t regret my five years of studying BK. It has turned me into a better person, and it’s definitely worth a try. — Jocelyn Wong Kee Lei (A+)

“Although I didn’t get the result I wanted, I am glad that I took BK because it helped me to understand more about the Word of God. I seldom read the Bible, but thanks to BK, I was forced to read it, and it helped me to know more about God. I learnt a lot from this subject and I’m glad that I took it, Actually, the B is all because I didn’t see the last essay question which cost me 20 marks... big reminder to the juniors: Read the questions carefully, don’t look down on the questions.” — Michelle Wong Qing Ying (B)

“Taking BK as a subject is a choice I will never regret as it drew me closer to Jesus. By taking BK, I got to know more about Jesus and his journey to fulfil God’s plan.

“Furthermore, there are also important lessons in the Bible for us to learn and practise. For instance, when Jesus was busy healing the sick and casting devils out, He managed to make time to pray to God. In the midst of our problems, we should always turn to our Abba Father and cast all our worries onto Him because He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7) When I was reading the Bible, it gave me a sense of peace and comfort knowing that Jesus is always there for us, He is our refuge and fortress.

“Hence, I encourage all my juniors to take BK! Don’t need to worry whether this journey is going to be hard or not because we can always pray and ask for wisdom from our Almighty God. — Voon Mei Hui (C+)

“A lot of people around me say that BK is similar to History, something you must memorise in order to get marks. Although I agree that there are many details to remember, I can say that I have learned much more than the contents of the two books, Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. Not only did the whole process of learning benefit me in deepening my relationship with Christ, I gained countless life lessons through discovering the meaning behind the Parables of Jesus. My favourite part about BK is that I was able to express my feelings and write to my heart’s content through the reflections.” — Angelia Faye Anak Adrian Orlando (A-)

BK students share their BK journey

“I have no regrets taking Bible Knowledge as a subject for SPM. Honestly it’s one of my most enjoyable subjects and I would like to thank Mr Ben for making it so much easier and fun to study this subject. I started participating in a lot of online BK quizzes since Form 3, so I didn’t need to study so hard when I reached Form 5 as I was already familiar with most of the things I learned. Therefore it’s really beneficial for you all to participate in those quizzes and join competitions so you don’t have to cram everything when you come to Form 5. All the best!” — Olivia Lau Synn (A+)

“Taking Bible Knowledge is one of the decisions I made as a 16-yearold that I will never regret. Be it reading our two thick books full of words or getting reprimanded because we had forgotten our reading for the class, taking BK taught me that painful processes can teach us a lot and are definitely rewarding if we try our best.

“I am so grateful that I took Bible Knowledge. The subject itself is a very rewarding one, but the knowledge in the subject can be very meaningful to us over the next few years of our life, or perhaps even the rest of our lives. We can easily learn from all the lessons in the Bible itself and studying Bible Knowledge is a very rewarding and enjoyable way of helping us improve. I believe more students should take BK as a subject because there is really a lot to gain, and pretty much nothing to lose.” — Jordon Lai Qi Hao (A-)

“Many say that Bible Knowledge (BK) is the English version of History. Yes, but no. Despite having to memorise details of long passages and wise words from our ancestors, BK fills my empty heart with joy and sweetness. There were times when I felt empty and insecure, but it was the verses I learnt in class that cheered me up and calmed me down.

“Additionally, I wasn’t alone during my SPM BK season. I had an amazing BK partner since Form 3 who was willing to guide and care for me throughout my entire BK journey. BK helped me grow closer to my friends, which turned out to be a motivation for me to study the subject.

“Moving on, Bible stories are easier to understand and imagine because most are similar and repetitive. To me, BK class is like Moral or Physical Education classes where we can feel more relaxed and chill. We listened and watched wonderful videos about miracles and parables during the BK lessons. We acted, we sang, we talked and most importantly, we had fun.

“In short, I strongly recommend my juniors to embrace BK as an additional subject for SPM, for it offers not only spiritual growth but also an expedition of self-discovery. The more you enjoy BK classes, the closer the A+ is to you. Don’t doubt but trust the process! After all, you are not alone! You have your friends and teachers by your side. Nothing is easy unless you work hard. — Jolin Chong (A+)

“Taking up BK since Form 4, I found the subject difficult in the beginning as there were many things to remember like miracles and events. However, it became easier after going through the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles a couple of times.

“There really isn’t a short cut to achieve great results in SPM BK as it is something that requires hard work and dedication. One must also enjoy the process to truly understand what the books have in store for us. To future SPM BK students, it is important to refresh your memory on the two books from time to time and not study at the last minute. There are many ways that can help you remember better and teachers are always willing to help. I would definitely encourage students to take up BK as it is an experience that will be with you for a lifetime.” -- Jayden Lim Wen Ming (A+)

“Taking Bible Knowledge as an extra subject in SPM is a privilege. Why? We might not have the same opinion about this matter but I agree with most people that taking an extra subject in an exam is always a burden because you have more to study and, without doubt, there is a lot of effort to be put in, to pass with flying colours. However, as I look back to those days in high school, taking SPM BK remains one of the best decisions I made and which I will never regret. “To me, BK is not just a subject but rather a compilation of many short stories and parables which, in my opinion, are crucial life lessons we have to learn. BK helps enhance our mental and spiritual health. It allows us to gain better insight of how God works and, most importantly, it reminds us of the growth of Christianity from Judea to every corner of the world. BK is unique and it is certainly a blessing for me to be given the chance to explore deeper on the syllabus.” -- Claire Teo En Yi (A+)