Dear BPCWA worshipper, By God’s arrangement, last week’s pastoral closed with the verse from Luke 6:48-49 about 2 houses, one with a foundation on a rock and another on the earth. On the same day, God gave us an object lesson through the weather, with a severe weather warning for damaging winds in WA. I’m sure no one could miss the howling wind outside your houses last Sunday evening, and the broken tree branches strewn on the floor. This brings to mind a similar analogy which Christ taught in Matthew 7:24-27, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, It was with excitement that some noticed last Sunday that the foundation for the new sanctuary of the church extension had been laid. This was originally scheduled for 15 May but was delayed due to rain. We have seen our adjacent plot transform from what we affectionately called “the Canning Highway carpark” to the new foundation. For those who have been keeping track of the works, you may have noticed that excavation and compacting works have been done. Conduits (for plumbing, electrical, and AV) were also installed. Finally, on 21 May, concrete was poured, laying the slab on which the new sanctuary will be erected, God willing. The purpose of a foundation. In Australia, “slab down” marks
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, We thank God that after some months of inconvenience of having to park in the surrounding areas, the new carpark was completed. While we’ve somewhat settled into the new norm during this period (while anticipating the next wave of changes), there are also several things we need to be aware of, get used to, and will continue to need to adjust to, until the renovation is completed. This pastoral seeks to give you some important points to note, so do read on. When there is an emergency evacuation . . . With the completion of the church carpark and the closure of our main entrance, we held our first emergency evacuation drill to familiarise everyone with the
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, We live in a world filled with much pain, suffering, and sorrow. Theologically, we know that this is because of the spiritual disease called sin that has cast its net far into every human heart. Many of us dread and fear physical sicknesses because they are something we can see. However, even believers often have a low view of the spiritual sickness that continues to plague our lives. Our fear of physical maladies far outstrips that of the spiritual problems. Sin is serious. Because of man’s fall in the Garden of Eden, every baby born today of a man and woman is “shapen in iniquity” (Psa 51:5). Sin is not 2nd nature to us; sinfulness is our
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, Last week, we saw how we can have mental assent of God and His incommunicable attributes, but our responses and our reverence toward Him can often fall far short. God, the Creator, is obeyed unquestioningly by His creation, “for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him” (Luk 8:25). The amazing planetary systems in the heavens that man is enthralled with were created at His command, “He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass” (Psa 148:6) and creation obeys His very bidding instantly and constantly. Man was created with the ability to know and understand God, the greatest privilege in His creation, “for in
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, What went through your mind as you glanced at the title? I hope it was an utter shock that such a question might be posed. Perhaps you would think that if it were something expressed by someone who was questioning God’s authority, it would be sacrilegious and blasphemous. Certainly, these are valid thoughts that should pass through our minds if we have a high view of God. But a high view of God is not merely a verbal assent that we have a high view of Him. Our responses reveal our reverence towards Him. A high view of God will determine how we respond to Him and His dealings with us personally. We must first look at
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, When I was young, there was a fairy tale whereby a queen would ask of a magic mirror if she was the “fairest of them all”. The mirror dutifully replied often with what she expected to hear, that it was she. One day, however, the mirror replied that the queen was not the fairest. That truth threw her into a rage, and the sinful actions that followed. I am not advocating fairy tales, much less watching movies. However, the writer behind the tale astutely pointed out something about the underlying sinful human nature – we want to hear what we want to hear and get into a fit when we hear otherwise, even if it is the
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, After we had to cancel our anniversary dinner due to COVID restrictions, I thank God for each time we could continue to celebrate our anniversary with an in-person dinner to thank and praise God. This was particularly important as we commemorate our church’s 40th anniversary this year. It was a blessed time together, which ended with several generations commemorating the milestone by taking photographs in front of the projected 40th anniversary logo. It is important that we recall and chronicle God’s reminder to us in 1 Corinthians 3:10-13 and what we must resolve to do as His church in every generation. God’s Word must be a clarion call for this and future generations in BPCWA. Be a
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, We thank God for a blessed weekend in commemorating the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ at our Good Friday, Easter Sunrise, and Easter Lord’s Day Worship Services. God’s Word to us at our Easter Sunrise Service was from Luke 24:4-12. Fellowship with Christ. The word of Christ’s resurrection was sent through His messengers, but it was received very differently by the 2 groups. The women, hearing the news of His resurrection “remembered his words” (Luk 24:8). But when the same message was relayed to the disciples, it was received as “their words” and hence were like “idle tales” (Luk 24:11). Both groups received the same message but had different responses because they heard
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, There is much focus on Christ’s suffering when He was crucified for us, and rightly so. However, we must never forget that Good Friday comes hand in hand with Easter. Christ’s resurrection is His victory after being shamed, His glory being made known clearly. It is what completes the work of Christ, for “if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins” (1Co 15:17). Sin brought the penalty of death. As we recounted in our last pastoral, all mankind fell into sin because Adam and Eve thought they knew better than God who warned, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it:
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