Dear BPCWA worshipper, We live in an agricultural country with varying seasons. Over the past few months, the time was ripe for strawberry picking. Though we may not be familiar with the life of the farmer, many of us are at least familiar with a bit of gardening. Even children may know the little herb, flower, or vegetable seed sachets that are sold from stores which give instructions on the best season to sow the respective plants. Try as you may in the care of the plants, some herbs will not produce their usual bushy leaves at certain times as they prepare to bear seed. Experienced gardeners know when to expect the plants in their gardens to seed and will sprinkle the ground in preparation for new plants to grow. God uses His creation to teach us about many things that He expects of us too, as Christians, about sowing and reaping.

Sowing is expected. In the parable of the 4 soils, Christ tells us about the unnamed sower who “went forth to sow” (Mt 13:3). It is a matter of fact that sowing must occur. No farmer will sit back and expect a good harvest by expecting “nature” to do the sowing for him without him investing effort to plough the ground and sow in the right season. Behind the scenes before a harvest reaping are industrious farmers first doing the sowing and planting, and then tending the plants. Such labours are expected before the beautiful fruits and vegetables can be reaped and sent onto the shelves of the supermarkets in the stores. Similarly, if God tells us to go forth as His witnesses, He does not expect us to just sit back and be contented with whoever “happens” to come to church. God does in His providence and sovereignty draw some who are seeking the truth to come into the church. We must acknowledge God’s Sovereign Hand in many such cases. He has seen fit to draw in visitors to BPCWA and it isn’t by chance but by His active behind-the-scenes work in answer to prayers. But at the same time, we know of our responsibilities to witness. It is every Christian’s calling. If it is part of discipleship, then it’s not something that we should think “is not for us”.

Sowing is for every Christian. We cannot claim to be Christlike if we are passive in sowing the Gospel seed. Christ was active and untiring in bringing the gospel. Even after a tiring journey from Judaea to Samaria, He sought to evangelize to the Samarian woman at Jacob’s well. Are we even like this Samaritan woman? Once she knew and believed that He was “indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world” (Joh 4:42), she immediately “left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (Joh 4:28-29). She immediately went out to sow the Gospel message! As a result of her witnessing, “many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did” (Joh 4:39). She was certainly not self-conscious nor ashamed that she had found the Saviour. We must not excuse ourselves that “we don’t know how to evangelise or witness”. This Samaritan woman had no briefing on how to witness. How much more is expected when we have been guided repeatedly about outreach? If it is an expected aspect of discipleship, then if we know how to be saved and who is the Saviour, our work for our Lord starts immediately upon salvation. If our children are now starting to actively invite their friends to our activities, then we who are older should do as much, if not more. It has been taught repeatedly in our Bible studies that we cannot merely be silent witnesses only by our lives. Lifestyle evangelism is not enough. We must speak of our Saviour and sow the truths of the Gospel into sin-hardened hearts. And we must do so not just to our family members, but to those around us, wherever God places us in daily engagements. God has put us here as part of the local witness in Perth and we must fulfill the purpose for which He has preserved us and preserved BPCWA here. Evangelism is an essential part of the Great Commission and being a witness for Christ. It is every Christian’s duty, from the young to the teens to the young adults to the adults, families, and elderlies. i.e., it is not “someone else’s” duty. It is your duty to sow the Gospel seed.

No sowing, no harvest. This is natural with the physical harvest. If in our minds, we continually think that the time is not right, we shall never fulfill this duty of evangelism. We may even be happy to talk to visitors or to pray for others endeavouring to witness. God warns that “He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap” (Ec 11:4). If we keep thinking “there is a better time later” or “the conditions are not favourable to share the Gospel”, we will keep putting it off. There will always be a reason to procrastinate. When will you start speaking to that classmate, that colleague, that neighbour, or that relative of yours? When are you going to start giving out a tract to someone who you interact with at the shops? There is the elect in Perth out there. The grounds of their hearts are for you to sow the Gospel seed that you know.

I do have a deep concern that since after COVID, BPCWA worshippers have become cold towards evangelising souls, or at best have become passive. Have you given out a gospel tract recently? Have you even spoken to anyone about their salvation or invited anyone to church this year? We will be called to accountability when we meet the Lord.  This Christmas season is a prime season to sow the Gospel seed. The church has printed flyers for you. The meeting and logistics have been organised. You just need to speak to someone and invite them, that is all. Let us renew our concern for the lost souls around us. Let us be concerned about the elect being invited to unsound churches if we do not sow. Let us be stirred by our Lord’s example and be Christlike in this respect in this Christmas season. Let us remember,

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
(Rom 1:16)

Yours in our Lord’s service,
Pastor