Dear BPCWA worshipper, We thank God for a blessed weekend of remembering Good Friday and celebrating Easter last week. Though our church began in February, we customarily time our church anniversary celebration together with the Easter weekend so that we can close off the blessed weekend with our covenantal church family. Before the dinner, I exhorted our worshippers from Psalms 78:5-7 “For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: 6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: 7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:”.

A testimony established for every generation to pass on.  Although only 4 generations are mentioned in these verses, God intends for every generation to pass His testimony on. “Fathers” would refer to the leaders of Israel. Israel was set up to be God’s testimony, but they failed to be a testimony and are temporarily set aside today as the light of the world. The church today continues that role of being God’s light in this world. Today, we celebrate BPCWA’s 37^th anniversary. We gather to give thanks to God for providing and protecting our church through these many decades. But what will our church be like when BPCWA celebrates her 45^th or 60^th anniversary? Ps 78:5 begins by saying that God “established a testimony in Jacob.” In our program sheet, we have under our banner that we are “for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:9). The testimony was given to Israel, but it didn’t continue through the generations. The focus of this passage is about passing it on from generation to generation. 

Don’t be the generation that breaks the testimony. We look at the pre-teens, teens, and university students at their respective tables. We also have the existing generation of church leaders here at the dinner. Whether BPCWA will be faithful depends on whether the next generation will listen to the Biblical counsel of the leaders and the parents. Their children in turn (who are not yet born) will also be faithful depending on what they teach them and what the leaders at that time will teach them, continuing the cycle. The church must not fail. If we, today’s leaders, adults, and parents, fail in teaching, we will become like Israel. There will be a break in the generations. Satan won’t stop continuing to attack the church. Surveys often indicate that sound churches rarely last 3 generations. It only takes 1 generation to fail, regardless of the faithfulness of past generations – that is where it breaks. Why does that generation fail?  Because of the mentality that “I know, I love, and I study God’s Word” but fail to teach it to our children as I assume they will love and know the Word too. But God says that it is to be passed on to the next generation. Moreover, parents and singles may know and love the Word of God, but if we don’t live a life of testimony, consistently study, and indeed teach the Word faithfully to our children and the next generation, we won’t pass it on to the next them.  God knows that just because one generation has convictions, it does not mean the next generation will naturally follow suit. So, that is why He commands them in vv5-7 to pass it on. If our children don’t love the word of God, listen to the parents and the church’s teachings, the church will break at that point. When singles live worldly lives, they will pass on such lifestyles to the next generation too. Will we still be giving thanks like this, year after year, for having a sound church? It depends on each generation obeying God’s commands!

Give thanks by passing on a faithful testimony. The best way to thank God is for every generation to be faithful today – and to continue to be faithful until Christ returns for His Church. This faithfulness depends on a few things. There must be a deep conviction and passion for everyone in this room – especially in our children, youths, and young adults – that is where it could break. The best way to give thanks to God after all He has done for us is to propagate the truth faithfully and unapologetically to the next generation. And the existing generation is to receive and embrace it with passion, delight, and conviction; and be faithful to bear the testimony of God. The preteens and teens must not be disinterested in the Word and the testimony of Christ. Only then can we survive another generation. This is very serious, because it takes only one generation to fail and BPCWA is gone, fallen by the wayside. Seniors must also be a testimony. Parents too, be a testimony. Singles are not exempted. Young adults, make sure that you live godly lives and be that example to the next generation. Children, if you think that you can love the world while the adults take care of these things and that Bible studies and the serious spiritual things are not for you, then you have a mentality that will cause the church to break in your generation. Don’t take things lightly. If you say you love Christ, then you will love the Church for which He gave Himself and died. Satan will break the church by just making one generation think that it is not so serious. Don’t be that generation that breaks the trend of faithfulness to Christ.

As we sing “O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come”, we must remember “that they might set their hope in God” (Ps 78:7). Every generation must set their hope in God. This hope is not just about a hope of eternal life, but a hope that God will protect and perpetuate BPCWA for Himself. This is how His true glory is made known to the world. Young ones must not forget the works of God in the generation before, i.e., what He has been doing for BPCWA. We must all do that, “keep his commandments” (Ps 78:7), and not love the world. May this stir all of us to give thanks to God the best way possible – by living a testimony, upholding His Truth, and keeping His commandments in every generation.  

Yours in our Lord’s service,
Pastor