Dear BPCWAians, Another year has slipped by, the year is almost done, and this Thursday, we will be holding our Watchnight Service to mark the end of the year as we look forward to 2021. Even for those above 80 years old, this has probably been a year unlike any other that they might’ve lived through or seen because of a global pandemic. I will use this last pastoral of the year to revisit our 2020 church theme, taken from 1Timothy 1:19, “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck”. Faith and a good conscience. As Christians, we know and understand the importance of faith. When we joined as members of the
Read moreDear BPCWAians, God willing, we will be able to celebrate Christmas at church this year on what is known as Christmas Day, on 25 December. Even today, there is often much discussion about why Christians should or should not celebrate Christmas. Many contend that Christ was not born on 25 December. How did 25 December come about and was Christ born on 25 December? If He was not born then, should we still celebrate Christmas on 25 December? How did Christmas come to be celebrated on 25 December? The Bible does not mention any celebrations of Christ’s birth. Nor does there seem to have been a reference to celebrations of His birth amongst early Christian writers in the 2nd century. Here are
Read moreDear BPCWAians, How the year has slipped by! As you read this pastoral, there are only 3 more Sundays to 2020 before the year is over. Certainly, it has been a very different and a very challenging year for many, if not all. But we must be very thankful to God especially for how He has led us and directed the matters in Western Australia. That we can continue to gather every Sunday in worship is a testimony to His faithfulness. However, because things are not the same, I want to take this opportunity to let worshippers know how our present circumstances will affect the typical upcoming activities in the church. Christmas English Gospel Meeting. The banner has been
Read moreDear BPWAians, Today, I will give the final summary of the other matter which we communicated after our worship services on 22 November. This was regarding a query raised about the mission fund that used to be printed on our church bulletins in the past. Church mission fund query. There was a query concerning a reported vow that the church made to permanently set aside 10% of our general funds for the support of missions. This setting aside was printed on our bulletins for a period of time before that was stopped. Joshua 9 was also cited in the query as to whether we have broken our vow which we should be keeping. The findings. To check on the background
Read moreDear BPWAians, Last week, we conducted a church communication immediately following both our English and Chinese Worship Services to update worshippers on some items relating to queries raised during our recent Annual Congregational Meeting. As we have learned how important our bulletin records are for what happens in the church, I felt that it is important to pen this summary. This week, I will cover the update regarding Yew Jinn as a full-time worker. Next week, I will cover the other part of the communication regarding the mission fund. Yew Jinn’s role. In the Board of Elders’ meeting with Yew Jinn to review his 2½ years of full- time service in BPCWA as a pastoral trainee, Yew Jinn shared that
Read moreDear BPWAians, Today we will remind ourselves of what it means to fulfil the first of all the commandments with respect to loving the LORD our God with all our minds and with all our strength. With all thy mind. The mind of the believer is a critical part in the Christian walk, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom 12:2). It transforms you. And it needs to be renewed, ie we need to think differently with our minds. The mind holds knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of God, which is why the Apostle Paul
Read moreDear BPCWAians, After spending many months studying the first of all the commandments on Tuesday nights, I felt that it is important to summarize this series so that we do not lose sight of this commandment. It is a commandment that encapsulates our obedience of the first half of the Ten Commandments, what we should gladly obey till the day we leave this earth, and then perform it perfectly in heaven! “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:
Read moreDear BPCWAians, As announced in the bulletin today, registration for the Holiday Bible Program (HBP) begins next week. This program will be conducted in the mornings from 4-6 January next year. Much effort is ongoing in the planning of this program for your children. The planning for this year’s program comes with many headaches due to COVID-19 restrictions, but I feel that it is important not to forgo having the HBP because it is an important yearly event for BPCWA’s children and teens to help keep them focused and reminded of spiritual things during their holidays. So, I do strongly encourage parents to register their children for this program when registration opens. Naturally, some things will need to be different
Read moreDear BPCWAians, We have just commemorated the 1517 Reformation last Sunday and in this pastoral, I wish to provide some clear evidence that the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) has not changed. Many today assert that we need to forget the past and reunite with “Mother Church” from which they claim that we came out of. They say this because they think that the Roman Catholic church believes in essentially the same doctrines as us and has changed. The reunification efforts are rapid and across denominations. Those who would not jump on the bandwagon are labelled schismatic and hampering the “work of Christ’s kingdom”. So, is it still necessary for BPCWA to be separate from them? Well, it depends on whether
Read moreDear BPCWAians, Over the past 2 Sundays, I wrote about parenting God’s children. This week, I close to with a word for the young ones in our midst. Particularly, it is to the tweens, teens, and young adults who are growing into adulthood. Your privilege. Do you realise that God sets His special attention and care for you? Often, when we conduct infant baptisms, we read from 1Cor 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. We do not teach baptismal regeneration and salvation. But God clearly tells us that the children who grow up with parents who bring
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