Updated : 03/03/2005

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Bro Khoo Oon Theam, FGBMFI Asian Council
Within this week, God called two of our great heroes of the faith home as they had fought a good fight, finished their course, and have kept their faith.

Stephen Shakarian, Director of Global Council returned to the Lord on Sunday, 5 December, 2004 while Dr. Abrahm Peter Tong, National President of FGBMFI Malaysia, went home on Friday, 10 December, 2004.

In spite of their illness, both attended the 22nd Asian Convention from August 12 - 14 to declare the message of hope and deliver the vision of the Fellowship, as revealed to our late founder president, Demos Shakarian.

The Bible clearly states in Revelation14:12-13: "Here is the patience of the saints, here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me. Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them".

Surely, our beloved brothers Steve and Abraham have left behind great legacies in the lives of those they have touched and mentored. They are specially ordained marketplace leader-servants who have purposed in their hearts to make a difference in this world and to mentor those who want to make a difference.

May the Holy Spirit, the Great Comforter, comfort their loved ones during this period of grief. At the same time, we also rejoice with the angels as they celebrate their coronation - receiving their crowns of righteousness.

May we, by their lives and example, be compelled and motivated to press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Rev. Wong Kim Kong, NECF Secretary-General
The first part of Dr. Tong’s life was quite ordinary. A difficult childhood, a good education, a typical born-again experience, a promising entry to a medical career, marriage, a Spirit encounter much like everyone else’s. But from that point onward, his life took off on a quite an un-ordinary trajectory. He did great and mighty exploits in the Name of the Lord. And he finished well, very well.

If I were to express the “secrets” of his success, I would undoubtedly reiterate these two simple factors.

Dr. Tong was a man of the Word. In a day and age when the Word of God is being doubted and diluted by so many people including Christians, Dr. Tong held fast to the “faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints”. He believed the Word of God remained a double-edged sword that would first hurt and then heal. In an ever-changing world, Dr. Tong clunged on to the Truth unchanged, unchanging. This Truth informed his entire life, his every decision and his every sermon. The Chinese proverb was fulfilled in Dr. Tong’s life: “Unchanging, facing all changes”.

Dr. Tong was a man of the Spirit. Ever since his personal renewal after the miraculous healing of his wife Sarah, Dr. Tong was fully convinced of the power of the Holy Spirit to bring renewal and revival in the hearts of men and women. He depended entirely on the showers of the Spirit to soften the hard ground each time he ministered. Dr. Tong’s influence extended through all echelons of society. Even influential corporate people came to see their desperate needs and turned to Jesus to find true fulfillment that money nor fame or position could not buy. As a result, a large stream of resources was released for the Kingdom of God.

Dr. Tong’s faith sustained him in the hours of illness and affliction. He knew the promises of the Word. He knew the assurance of the Spirit. His unwavering faith made the river of death seemed shallow and he crossed over into the celestial city on the other side. He lived by faith, now he lives by sight. He has reached the throne of God to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Here’s a little poem I would like to dedicate to the late Dr. Tong:

Your name was Abraham,
You walked with God when you did not know the destination;
Your name was Peter,
You walked with men and led them to the confession.

It was my privilege to walk with you 18 years or so,
Your life inspired mine;
We’ll walk again upon streets of gold,
And behold each other with faces that shine.

Thank you, Dr. Tong, for giving to the Lord.

Bro Lee Gee Koon, FGBMF Malaysia National President
Dr. Abraham Peter Tong Keng Tatt has fought the good fight and finished his race. He has been called home and will claim his crown. He was true and faithful to his calling to serve in the FGBMF Malaysia. His testimony is the lives of the people he touched through the ministry.

His unorthodox fashion in clothing was unique – a long-sleeved batik shirt with a short-sleeved bush jacket on the outside. Yet for the Lord in banquet, seminars and conventions he would request members to wear a suit with the FGBMF badge. To him anything for the Lord was never too much.

Patience was not his strong gift. Yet when dealing with people he was good and kind, always encouraging and seeing the good in everyone. Seldom had I heard him say anything negative of anyone. A true leader, who always enjoying the respect of his peers and the men under him.

He has left behind a legacy of good organization and transformed men to continue with the work. If each man will look to him as the example in commitment, selfless devotion and sacrifice, the FGBMF Malaysia will be on solid foundation.

Bro Wong Hong Meng, FGBMF Malaysia National Secretary
If there were only two words to describe the late Dr Tong, it would be “extreme passion”. He was passionate for Jesus, passionate for the FGBMF ministry and passionate for souls. The combination of these passions consumed him. He would not allow anything to stop him or even slow him down. He knew what the Lord wanted him to do and he did it to the fullest possible extent. He really celebrated his passions. The homecoming service in FGA was a celebration of his life. We shouted Hallelujah, Praise the Lord and Amen over and over again because that would be what Dr Tong would have done. We ushered him into the presence of the Lord where he would have heard the Lord saying to him, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.” I am sure he is singing the Happy Men song and doing the Happy Man dance in the presence of the Lord.

Dr Stephen Goh, immediate past FGBMF Malaysia National Secretary
Dr Abraham (Peter) Tong had personally brought more people to Jesus Christ than any other institution I know personally. His personal ministry and his work in FGBMF Malaysia had impacted many lives as many ofthem would testify. To know him was a blessing because his love for those who were lost was such that he would not rest until the gospel was preached and salvation won.

I was born again in 1985 through his persistence in telling me to accept Jesus Christ. Since then I have had the privilege to be nurtured by him in my Christian walk and to work along side with him on his evangelistic endeavours first as a member of his "A team" when he visited churches and then FGB and Gospel to the Poor. It is mainly through his life work in the FGB ministry that he was better known as he had impacted not only lives who are now serving in churches but as a catalyst in the charismatic revival in Malaysia that began in the late 1970's.

The Abundant Life Centre meetings in his office which saw many miracles was the forerunner of the FGBMF Malaysia in 1979 when the ministry was given its charter by the founder, Demos Shakarian, through the encouragement of Bro Khoo Oon Theam. That fateful association has been active till today in the service of the extension of the Kingdom. Along the way he gave encouragement to the leading churches and also many smaller ones that have since grown to become mega churches under the Pentecostal umbrella. This his legacy he left.

FGBMF Malaysia which he founded with nine others grew to what it is now because he was in the forefront of the work as the National President since 1979. The FGBMF has worked closely with churches to expand the Kingdom of God and has now more than 100 chapters throughout Malaysia.

Although he was a partner in his medical group practice, his partners released him to concentrate on his missionary work. He became better known as a doctor for souls which he had won for Jesus by dispensing not only medicine but the prospects of eternal life free from all sicknesses through Jesus Christ His fund-raising prowess for the Kingdom among the wealthy which he had ushered into the Kingdom was legendary and his compassion for lost souls in providing physical and material help for those who were struggling to spread the gospel was very much evident in his life. Nothing was too much trouble for him in the cause for spreading the gospel message.

He was also the spiritual father of the "Gospel To The Poor," a ministry which was birthed in 1987. The ministry caters to the poor in Chinese new-villages and the ‘orang asli’ community.

His impact on many lives, especially the professionals in the marketplace, and in the Christian community have been much talked about and should be recorded for posterity. Those who have worked with him will know him to be totally committed to the FGB ministry and Gospel To The Poor ministry as well as to the overall growth of the Kingdom.

Michael Cheng, FGB Field Representative
I first met Dr. Tong in 1977. He struck me as a very friendly and caring person, full of zeal for the Lord. We shared a common burden to reach the lost and to propagate the message of the power of the spirit-filled life.

At that time, Calvary Church was running a charismatic service at a leading hotel and we assisted in the running of those meetings where many were introduced to the saving knowledge of Christ as well as living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Through these meetings many received the revelation that miracles not only happened during the Bible days but could happen today as well.

Shortly after that, the Abundant Life Centre was formed in Kuala Lumpur and I was privileged to serve under Dr. Tong who was the prime mover in the activities there. The highlight was the weekly miracle meetings where many received miracles of healing, deliverance and salvation from God. It was like a mini revival in downtown Kuala Lumpur and many traveled long distances to be at the meetings. Many who were renewed by the Holy Spirit returned to their respective churches with sparks of revival in their souls. I believe the birth of Full Gospel Assembly, Kuala Lumpur was partly spawned by the revivals fires of the Abundant Life Centre.

Being located in downtown KL the Abundant Life Centre was limited in its outreach and because of this the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship was formed in 1979 with the vision to establish many branches. Once again Dr Tong was the prime mover of this organization with nine others, including myself, as founding members.

Dr Tong had made a tremendous impact on my life. When we first met I was just starting life in the working world and was still a bachelor. I still remember that like a big brother, he was concerned that I was still single and made several attempts to introduce me to "prospective help-mates". It was in one of those outstation revival meetings that I met my future life partner. Thanks to Bro Tong for his role as an indirect match-maker for me!

Dr. Tong taught me the power of prayer. Often, he would pray with me and for me when I faced problems, sometimes over the phone. He was also generous in his giving and had a soft spot for those who were deprived as could be seen in his involvement in the Gospel to the Poor ministry.

I also remember the time when the faith confession movement was in full swing, how we were encouraged to walk the tightrope of faith to the extreme where some of us who were short-sighted, removed our glasses in line with our confession of perfect vision. Imagine Bro Tong driving to Genting Highlands without his glasses while the rest of us sat in the car praying for God's mercy! Later this movement was subject to much controversy in the body of Christ and we were cautioned to carefully distinguish between genuine faith and "presumptuous faith". Dr Tong was humble enough to submit to correction and admitted that he had erred in acting on presumption and extreme faith. Through this incident, we saw he possessed a humble and a teachable spirit.

Lastly, Bro Tong was an inspiration to me with his gift of faith and encouragement. I will always remember him as a spiritual giant, a father of the spiritual renewal in Malaysia and of course, a father to the FGBMF fraternity. His zeal and enthusiasm for the Lord's work motivated me and countless others to give our best to the Lord.

Bro Loh Poh Seng, member of Governing Council
I had known Dr. Abraham Peter Tong since 1988 when I was the President of the Ipoh FGBMF chapter. Over the last few years we had become very close friends. I have indeed lost a very good and wonderful friend.

Dr. Tong’s name is synonymous with the ministry of FGBMF in Malaysia. In fact, I would call him the Demos Shakarian of Malaysia. As the founder and National President since 1979, his contribution to the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ had indeed been tremendous. He had personally impacted numerous friends, relatives and patients with the gospel of Jesus. The fact that there are currently more than 100 chapters in Malaysia today speaks volumes of his compassion for lost souls and his passion for winning them for the Lord. He was truly a special vessel chosen by God for this end-time ministry. I am sure the Lord would say this to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant.enter into the joy of the Lord." (Matt. 25:21)

I believe that his 25 years service for the Lord with FGBMF chapters in all the major cities and towns in Malaysia is a legacy he had left behind. It is hard to imagine that he is no longer with us.

The memorial service held at the FGA sanctuary, the largest church in Malaysia, was very well attended by the "who's who" in the Christian community in Malaysia. The funeral service was held the next morning at Calvary Church, KL, the second biggest church in Malaysia. This was indeed a unique distinction and honour paid to Dr. Abraham Peter Tong. The eulogies by close friends and family were evident of the measure of the stature of the man - a giant servant of God.

Rev. Colin & Julia Hurt, former missionaries to Malaysia
Julia and I will never forget the impact this man of God (Dr Abraham Peter Tong) had on our lives. We will always remember his passionate love for the Lord Jesus and for the souls of men. We are also thankful to God for Abraham's love, kindness and generosity to ourselves over many years. It was a privilege to know him. His passing has left a space in our lives.

Dennis Yeo, Member of Sydney Chinatown Chapter & State Director for NSW & ACT FGBMFI Australia
Dr Abraham Tong dedicated his life to the works of the fellowship and I am greatly inspired by his pure love, passion, perseverance, persistence and patience, to build the fellowship in Malaysia into such a great Christian outreach organization. It was through the fellowship in Malaysia that I received the greatest miracle – salvation.

I would like to convey my heartfelt thanks to God, Dr Tong and the fellowship that made a difference to my life and destiny.

Hugo Chan, National Director, FGBMFI HK
Robert Tsoi, National President, FGBMFI (HK)
It was with sadness as well as joy when the news of Papa Abraham Tong's promotion was received last Friday. Indeed a few days earlier there were conflicting news of the state of his health but we kept praying and hoping that our Lord will miraculously heal him for the third time to fight along side us a few more years but, alas, the Lord decided to take him to eternal joy and peace.

We called him Papa as he was such a fine example for us in the Fellowship with his devotion to the Vision and Mission which our founder received 52 years ago and which Papa Tong embraced whole-heartedly for well over 20 years ago in Malaysia. His was a fitting example against terminal illnesses too, with an ever growing faith as he held on to the Word and fought battles against death.

Our joy is in the fact that he was joined our dear founder Demos and his son Steve up in heaven with an ever-expanding "Happy Men's Club" and he can indeed claim what the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Tim 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

On behalf of all our members in Hong Kong and all those whose lives have been touched by Papa Tong, we wish to say from the bottom of our hearts a big THANK YOU, and may the love of our Lord Jesus Christ save and protect all of you till we are gathered once more in His arms.

Amy Beh
I learnt many valuable lessons over the past 15 years while working under the leadership of our late National President, Dr Abraham Peter Tong. He taught me to be a giving person, about kindness towards others, to be enthusiastic for God's work, to be always early for meetings and that things should be done well.

One of the things that I missed after his departure was his prayer. Every time after he had signed some documents I brought him, he would ask about the prayer requests in the office. Then he would pray for the FGB activities and also pray for the staff. He was a person who enjoyed food fellowship too.

We should learn valuable lessons from his life and press on towards the call that God has for each one of us as in Phil 3:14 "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Pastor Henry Ramaya, Senior Pastor Grace Assembly
Dr Abraham Peter Tong was God’s gift to the nation. He was an apostle/physician in the marketplace and a divine instrument in the birthing and establishing of the charismatic movement in Malaysia and Singapore.

As an apostle, he pioneered and spearheaded the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship and left a legacy that would continue to penetrate, permeate and precipitate more fellowships in every area of Malaysian life. The thousands that have been touched and transformed are a testimony of this favoured anointing of God.

As a Christian physician he blossomed where the Lord planted him, recognizing medicine as his pulpit and his patients as his parishioners. His practice became a gate of salvation, a house of prayer and a healing centre for many.

I have known Dr. Tong to be a minister of the gospel for 30 years and as a great friend of pastors. His love for pastors and churches was demonstrated by his willingness to preach in big and small churches. His prayer, medical help and financial support for many pastors will not be forgotten but ascend like fragrance to the Father in heaven as a life "poured forth".

I join the many who will feel the absence of his contagious life and smile.