Dear BPCWA worshipper, We received a brochure mailed from a Bible College in Perth a few months ago. It was a leaflet promoting their Certificate Studies, “designed to be easily accessible to people from all walks of life with a desire to dig deeper into God’s Word.” This leaflet made me sit up and think a bit more about it. This trend, which certainly isn’t new to us, has become very popular and is intended to attract the casual Christian “from all walks of life”. How should we view it? The church’s role in teaching. As we saw in last week’s pastoral, BPCWA is a local church, which is a gathering of saints. The church is not man’s invention, but
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, We have thus far understood the importance of ensuring there is a common basis of faith when one joins as a member of the church. I will cover in this pastoral about the mutual duties of the church and her members. Today, some Christians are beginning to feel that attending a church is not essential since online means are available. If so, they would deem it unimportant to have a sense of responsibility and duty to a particular church. The thinking may be that with so many online resources, why “tie yourself down” to a single church in membership and have duties and responsibilities to a church? Hence, Christians must understand what God expects of both the
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, Last week, I explained why interviews are required before acceptance into membership. We welcome all to worship with us. Every church has worshippers who are members and non-members at any instance of time. Some are students who are just passing through, for example. Worshippers typically stay in a church because they have found the teaching sound and wish to remain and grow there. There may be some aspects that they are coming to terms with and are still learning about, but they are generally not disagreeable with the church’s doctrines and practices. Since they don’t go against the church’s efforts and directions nor spread dissent, we have extended our welcome to many such ones to worship and
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, On Easter Sunday, we had a membership intake where some took their membership vows. Those wishing to take up membership had to finish attending our Basic Bible Knowledge Class before submitting their applications and thereafter be interviewed by the Board of Elders. I thought it would be a good opportunity to use this pastoral to explain the rationale for this practice. Some churches do not require attendance of any classes before taking up membership. Is attending BBK and interviewing those taking up membership important? Why does BPCWA do so and stringently insist that it be so? Our Basic Bible Knowledge class. In our church history, minimal classes covering how to be saved were required before acceptance into
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, There have been several events happening in the global arena over the past months. In the news, we have read several commentaries on liberals, progressives, and conservatives. The church should not be involved in politics, and BPCWA certainly doesn’t intend to be giving political advice. Every party and every country are different. This pastoral will not cover fiscal, economic, or immigration policies, nor endorse any political ideology or party. We will, instead, be focussing on how such ideologies impact the lives of Christians. Opposing ideologies. No one definition covers all the bases on the differences between these ideologies. However, one would generally associate Liberals and Progressives with a greater emphasis on social justice, individual rights, and equality.
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, News of the death of the Roman Catholic Pope has been in the news over the past weeks. As is typical of the deaths of international personalities, news outlets scanned every nook and cranny to find snippets and testimonies to acknowledge their work posthumously. Many articles applaud him for being a loving and compassionate man. In reading many articles from different news stations, he was missed and well-liked by many, within and outside of Roman Catholic world. What can we learn from how popularity as a person can be gained? Liked by the masses. Some of the reasons for this were because he was actively involved in what the world prizes highly: 1) Supporting the poor and
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, It has been 21 days since we commemorated Easter Sunday. Good Friday and Easter are periods of Christian celebration. However, the Word God gives us is not just “for that moment” as part of the “seasonal mood”. God’s Word is always to change our hearts and hence our lives. Therefore, while I have not done so previously, I thought it would be a good reminder to recap the messages this year, especially when they are about our Lord’s sufferings for us and His glorious Resurrection. I do pray that singles and families would recount the key lessons. Good Friday: “I Know Not the Man!”. We were reminded of Peter’s betrayal of his Master, whom he had vehemently
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, God has brought death to the forefront of our minds in recent weeks. Just 2 weeks ago, we commemorated Good Friday and Easter. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ triumphed over the sting of death, the judgement for man’s sin, through His humiliating vicarious death on the cross and victorious resurrection. On the world stage, we have also witnessed the death and funeral of a major religious figure who was publicly mourned and whose funeral was broadcast live by multiple news stations across the world. Knowing about the Good Friday and Easter story and performing religious acts doesn’t guarantee entry into heaven. Religious acts are not what will buy you an entrance ticket to heaven. Also, closer
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, We praise and thank God for last weekend’s remembrances of Christ’s suffering and victorious resurrection. The death and resurrection of Christ is the great redemption plan of God that we bring to all nations. This is the very highlight of human history, that our Lord Jesus, the Almighty God Incarnate, died to redeem man. It is a true account, not just a stirring story concocted by man. So, your response will affect you for all eternity. But how your eternity is affected depends not merely on whether you know the Gospel. We know how to tell others that coming to church, knowing the Gospel, wearing a cross, going through Christian activities, and saying that you are saved
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, We considered last week how Christ had to endure physical suffering vicariously on our behalf. Though far exceeding what we have or will ever feel physically, His spiritual sufferings were even more intense and beyond what we can personally know. Christ came in the flesh, but He was sinlessly perfect. All that He suffered was for our sins alone. When we want to yield to our lusts and pride, His sufferings must remind us to hate these sins which caused these unspeakable sufferings on our beloved Saviour. How can we even consider flirting with sin anymore? Just 2 days ago, we commemorated Good Friday. It is a time around the world when faithful Christians gather in churches
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