Dear BPCWA worshipper, We conducted a Family Seminar about a month ago. This year, the topic was “Take Stock of Your Marriage”. This builds upon what was covered last year, “Building A Happy Marriage”. The audio and video messages have been uploaded to both our website and YouTube page, and I strongly encourage worshippers of all ages to avail themselves of them and learn. As it is often useful even for those who have attended to revisit what they’ve learned, I will summarise the lessons over this and next week. Stories often leave off after the couple gets married and rides off into the romantic sunset. However, after the vows, the challenging journey has only just begun. God instituted marriages
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, We thank God for Reformation Sunday last week, commemorating Martin Luther’s posting of his 95 Theses on the church walls on 31 October. During this period, we may have also noticed the ghoulish décor around some houses in our neighbourhoods and the sale of Halloween themed candy in supermarkets in preparation for Halloween on 31 October. Is the common date of the Reformation and Halloween a mere coincidence? Also, what do you know about the popularly commemorated All Saints’ Day on 1st November each year? It is important that the Christian is not ignorant of these “celebrations”. All Saints’ Day. During Luther’s time, 31 October was observed as the night before All Saints’ Day. The church where
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, Regular worshippers in BPCWA are probably familiar with the term, “ecumenism”. Today, on Reformation Sunday, it is important for us to revisit this subject and have a better understanding of what it means in Christianity today, and the proper response to it. Living in a war-torn world, many yearn for peace, and the call for unity rings loudly as it is seen as the means to end the strife. In Christendom, many today call for unity and commonness to “heal” the unnecessary “rift” which they believe the Reformation caused. The Ecumenical Movement’s goal. The World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches work to bring about “a community of churches on the way to visible
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, Back in June 2022, I wrote a pastoral about the Christian Funeral, which can be accessed from BPCWA’s online pastorals. While many may have attended funerals before, not many would have planned one. Funerals are a difficult time for all. Even though the church has conducted several funerals, it is still a stressful time for all involved. Funerals are occasions that leave little room for error, and we try as far as possible to avoid any mistakes or slip-ups that may inadvertently add distress to a solemn occasion. As this may still be a black box to most worshippers who have not encountered it before, I thought I’d use this pastoral to share some of the challenges
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, We continue from last week’s pastoral, where we saw how, centuries ago, entertainment began to creep into churches. Even during his time, Spurgeon warned, exposed, and taught against the trend that he saw around him. Today, Charismatic churches have drama ministries that produce musicals and plays, complete with props and scene settings. These trends do not start from a vacuum. Watching one such play available on YouTube without turning the volume up, it resembles a television serial drama. Does one subconsciously prefer such methods because of the entertainment or the teaching? Does the “Christian play” provide more edification than the biblical method of teaching and preaching? Musicals for gospel outreach under the banner of “preaching through music”
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, We have been considering various aspects of Spurgeon’s ministry over the past 2 weeks. While reading up on Spurgeon, some of the warnings he sounded in his day are still very relevant (or even more so) today, centuries later. Besides the Downgrade Controversy, Spurgeon also sounded an alarm on the growing prevalence of entertainment in churches. As we studied in a Teens session some months ago, some churches actively propound and practise what is called the cultural mandate, under the belief that the church must actively promote “God’s culture” to the world around us. We live in an age where the line between concert halls, church halls, and worship is increasingly blurred. Some churches proudly boast of
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, Reading about Spurgeon’s College while researching for last week’s pastoral, I was reminded of a book I read during my theological training: “Letters to My Students”, a compilation of Spurgeon’s Friday lessons to the students at the Pastors’ College. It was a book I remember with much fondness. However, it is not because it bears Spurgeon’s name. I certainly do not agree with all of Spurgeon’s doctrine (he was known as a “Reformed Baptist”, a misnomer at best) and exposition (which were at times allegorical). This book was useful because it has good insights from his pastoral experience. We pray weekly for God to call someone to serve in the full-time teaching ministry in BPCWA. As a
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, C.H. Spurgeon is a familiar name to many Christians. Perhaps less well known is the fact that he started a theological college in the UK. In August, there was a sudden announcement by Spurgeon’s College that it would be closing its doors. This was certainly a “profound shock to many”, as it had been “a leading institution in Christian education in the UK for the last 169 years”. Spurgeon was also well known for his stand on the Downgrade Controversy, wherein he warned and fought against theological liberalism and increasing worldliness in the church and among believers. So in a sense, the news of the closure of the college took me by surprise, but then again, not
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, In the ACM reports distributed last week, we announced proposed changes to our Constitution to be passed at the meeting next week. One of these changes is to include in Article 4.2.1 the preservation of the Scriptures in the original languages. The doctrine of Verbal Plenary Inspiration was established during the Reformation era and more firmly established in the 19th and 20th centuries when fundamental Christians defended God’s Word to counter the influences of biblical criticism, liberalism, and so-called “scientific” theories such as evolution. Subsequently, new attacks on God’s Word moved on to the perfect preservation of Scriptures. While the doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) has been taught and preached for many years in BPCWA, I
Read moreDear BPCWA worshipper, Last week, we saw how an earthquake in a corner of the world could also trigger far wider destruction through a tsunami in other continents. God’s power infinitely exceeds man’s control and ability to withstand. Another instance of God’s demonstration is the one seen in the city of Pompeii. Many archaeologists, researchers, documentaries, and websites have documented the fate of this city, revealing to us much of what happened there. God, in His wise purpose, allowed this city to be encased for centuries to tell its woeful tale for centuries to follow. Pompeii, a city of luxury for the pride and enjoyment of man. Pompeii was an ancient city in southern Italy. The city was allied with
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