Nicholas Yeo Kok Peng was born in Batu Pahat, Johor on February 17, 1942. According to the family’s oral history, his was a miracle birth. It was the height of the Japanese occupation and his mother, pregnant with him, had fled into the jungle for the duration. If he had been born any earlier, she would have had to sacrifice him, knowing that a newborn baby’s cries would give away their hidden location. Later, whenever the circumstances of Nicholas’s birth were retold, his mother said she knew that her miracle baby had been born for a purpose and that he would be a ‘tua liap lang’ (Hokkien patois for ‘important person’) one day in the future.

The fifth in a family of eight, Nicholas spent his formative years in Batu Pahat. He completed his secondary education at the then Government High School, Batu Pahat. He picked up tennis during his schooling years and was a keen player, even playing competitively. Coming into his upper secondary years, Nicholas became very interested in astronomy, and the subject on the origin of things convinced him on the existence of a Creator. A Christian classmate had been passing him tracts to read, but it would take another year and a half before Nicholas was led to accept the Lord by this same friend, in simplicity of faith, in a humble unused house that they had cycled to.

In 1959, Nicholas entered the Malayan Teachers College in Penang. He was involved in the Teachers’ Christian Fellowship (TCF), and it was at a TCF conference in 1969 where he met Lee Swee Keng, a fellow teacher who eventually became his wife. Nicholas and Swee Keng married on July 29, 1971 in Batu Pahat. They had three children, namely Eunice, Paul and Veronika.

Upon completion of his teacher training course, Nicholas embarked on a short stint as a secondary school teacher at a handful of schools in Johor before heeding the call of full-time service. He entered the Singapore Bible College in 1970.

At the age of thirty-one, Nicholas completed his theological studies and was inducted as a preacher of the Holy Light Presbyterian Church (English) (HLCE) in Johor Bahru in December 1973. In order to assist and support her husband’s heavy responsibility as a pastor, Swee Keng resigned from her teaching career in 1977.

He was the first Asian pastor to lead the church – an answer to numerous prayers and an end to the long wait for a local to take over the ministry. Reverend George Hood, the moderator who had been overseeing the congregation during that time, later wrote that “when the hopes of getting an Asian pastor were realised, it was like rain falling on dry ground, bringing new life and growth of the seeds that the foreign missionaries had planted.” ^[1]

On August 31, 1979, Nicholas was ordained as the first Asian minister of HLCE. Since the Presbyterian Synod in Malaysia was predominantly Chinese-speaking, he was responsible for setting up the English-speaking Presbytery (ESP). He subsequently became the ESP’s first moderator.

Nicholas lived as an exemplary Christian and served as an excellent role model for the members of his congregation. During the years when the church underwent a severe crisis in the 1990s, his servanthood leadership shone all the more brightly for others to emulate. The challenges he faced did not deter him from performing his duties to the full. His faith in the Lord was unshakeable and he never retaliated against accusations made, believing that God would allow vindication in time.

He served as Chaplain of the First Johor Bahru Company of the Boys’ Brigade for many years. He discipled and brought many young school boys to Christ, helping to make them ‘Sure and Steadfast’ in their future lives. His foresight in succession planning enabled many young potential leaders of the church to be mentored to become the next generation of church leaders and pastors.

Under his leadership, and assisted by a dedicated committee, HLCE actively pursued the acquisition of a piece of land to build its own premises. HisLand was a journey of faith spanning over twenty years, and in August 2009, HLCE held its inaugural service in a building on its very own land. The vision for HisLand included the building of an aged care home, given the name Hillville, as proposed by Nicholas.

Nicholas’s impeccable English was legendary, and his clear and precise diction made the delivery of sermons easy to follow and understand. Coupled with his calm demeanour and immaculate manner, it was no wonder that he was frequently identified as a teacher wherever he went. His interest in science, astronomy in particular, remained strong all his life.

Always the caring and maternal figure of HLCE, Swee Keng was never far from Nicholas’s side. Together, they served the congregation, devoting their time to the welfare of the flock at HLCE, and readily opening the doors of their home to many. Swee Keng was instrumental in reviving the HLCE’s ladies fellowship and later, setting up the Hokkien service ministry at Hillville.

In September 2009, at the age of sixty-seven, Nicholas retired as Johor’s longest serving pastor after more than thirty-five years of service. While he relinquished the leadership role with his retirement, he remained active in church life, continuing to teach and share the Word of God. He also became a member of the church choir, lending his rich baritone in full enjoyment and delight.

Reverend Nicholas Yeo passed on to glory on July 30, 2021. He was seventy-nine. His church placed an obituary in The Star newspaper on August 1, 2021 which read: “Always patient, kind and never envious nor rude, Pastor Nicholas was also not self-seeking or easily angered. Neither did he delight in evil. He always rejoiced with the truth and kept no record of wrongs. He would always protect, always trust, always hope and always persevere. As a shepherd looking after the flock in Holy Light Church (English), we had the best pastor with us.”

Nicholas was preceded in death by Swee Keng, who returned to the Lord on October 10, 2018. They are survived by three children and seven grandchildren.