MBPC
in the 21st Century
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Dear
members and friends, |
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We
praise and thank God a decade of fruitful and productive ministry in
Maranatha BPC. The formative years have not been easy, but the faithfulness
of God sustained and prospered His own church to what it is today. There
had been many challenges and daunting tasks for us from the registration
of the church, the purchase of church van, grounding of our members
on sound doctrines and equipping of the saints, the renovation of church
building, launching out into missions and others. Many have come and
gone and we thank God for them, and the ministry of the Lord go on faithfully
sustained by God’s grace and mercies coupled with the diligent labour
of old and new members and friends who share the same vision. What then
are our priorities and the key areas of concern and ministry in the
next century? Primarily, there are 4 areas as spelt out in our Mission
Statement formulated in 1995 for Maranatha BPC as our perennial goals.
We shall recapitulate them below. |
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Worshipping
Church
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To
exalt and extol Christ in reverential worship, responsible stewardship
and service. One foremost objective of regenerate man is to glorify
God and to enjoy Him forever as said by the Westminster divines in the
Shorter Catechism. Worship will be the principal pre-occupation of redeemed
sinners for eternity and there is no exception on earth. The church
will concentrate on reverential worship, praise and the preaching of
the Word and enable and encourage believers to seek the Lord in a conducive
atmosphere of God honouring worship every Sabbath and to grow spiritually
thereby. |
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John
4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in
spirit and in truth.” 1 Chr 16:29 “Give unto the LORD the glory due
unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD
in the beauty of holiness.” |
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May
our church continue to exalt and magnify the name of the Lord with psalm,
hymns and spiritual songs (Col 3:16; Eph 5:29). Let this be our fervent
zeal spent on honouring on the Lord’s Day each time we meet. |
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We
are to serve God at the same time with our God-given talents, time and
treasure. Are we doing this presently in our lives? |
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Do
we worship the Lord with the right spirit and attitude on the Sabbath
Day and honouring Him throughout the rest of the week? |
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Working
Church |
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To
edify, admonish and exhort the saints through meaningful worship, the
sacraments, fellowship, systematic study of God’s Word and prayer. |
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The
other major thrust each year is the fulfilment of the Great Commission
(Matt 28:19-20) The Church is to teach, equip and build up the saints
in the most holy faith. It would require members to be committed to
service and stewardship and serious bible study. There will be a systematic
series of expository messages from the pulpit, in-depth BS in the CED,
NBC, Fellowships and other edifying activities. It will be the continued
emphasis of the church to ground believers to the doctrines of grace.
The CE Dept have planned to deepen believers in the knowledge of the
Word, the May Bible Seminar, the NBC studies on OT and the various Fellowships
on biblical studies and general Christian living and the BS during Wednesday
night Prayer Meeting. The Catechism class conducted for catechumens is foundational and necessary for all members
to know sound doctrines of the Reformed Faith. Are you growing in the
knowledge of the Lord and serving the Lord in any capacity in the church
today? God willing, we are also seeking and waiting upon the Lord to
have our own church building. We thank God for the use of St Georges
Chapel for 10 years already. We have to be prepared to move at short
notice if it is the Lord’s will. Meanwhile, there is also human responsibility
and God helps those who help themselves. We need to build up our church
building fund. Let us all remember to give cheerfully to the Lord our
tithes and offerings out of grateful hearts and pray and plan to build
God’s house in his own time. |
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Witnessing
Church |
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To
evangelise the world in the propagation of the gospel and the discipleship
of young believers in the fear, grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. The work of the gospel is to include Foreign Mission
and local evangelism will be intensified as the church goes out regularly
in tracting, evangelistic meetings, rallies and mission trips to Malaysia,
Thailand, Australia and other fields. With our missionaries Robert &
Chadarat sent to (Chiang Mai), in the mountains of the Red Lahu Tribe,
we had a responsibility to support, pray and encourage them in the propagation
of the gospel in a heathen land of more than 60 million people. Jesus
said in Mark 5:19 “Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him,
Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath
done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.” We must do what Paul
said in 1 Cor 9:16 “For though I preach the gospel, I have
nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto
me, if I preach not the gospel.” |
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Let
us put away our spiritual lethargy and inertia and re-double our evangelistic
efforts to reach out to our loved ones, colleagues and neighbours and
those in the vicinity. The gospel is to be shared to all men and some
redeemed, God willing. We are also to take the global view of mission
as we launch out to Malaysia to help with Kulai, Tangkak BPC, Esperance,
Kellerberrin and Perth in WA. When was the last time you shared the
gospel or gave a tract to someone? Who will go with the Pastor on the
next mission trip? |
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Watching/Warning
Church |
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To
defend the faith, warn and alert believers of the increasing deception
of the end times. One often neglected function of the church today is
the grave duty of defending the truth and propagating in an increasingly
confusing and compromising ecclesiastical world. We must not be afraid
to preach and teach the truth in love and to warn and admonish others
in the last days of spiritual compromise, cult and occult in these perilous
days. We are to constantly sound out the alarm concerning the latest
spiritual perils that confronts us today. Some have been warned of new
age practices and fantasy games. That was the reason why we publish
the book on Examining & Exposing Cultic & Occultic Movements.
The New Age Movement (i.e. crystals, yoga, meditation, self worship,
spirit guide etc) has mesmerised many and misled them into unbiblical
practices that may be potentially dangerous to the body and soul. The
BP Movement was incepted in 1950s by the founding pastor of Life BP
church, Rev (Dr) Timothy Tow, out of strong conviction to propagate
the precious reformed faith and defend the unadulterated gospel of Christ
and other fundamental, biblical doctrines. We must continue in the same
spirit of our forefathers into the 21st century, lest we
forget our rich, spiritual heritage. We are also to remember the worthy
and needful Reformation Cause of the 16th century Reformation today
and persevere in the vigilant continuance and conservation of true religion
in the true spirit of the Reformers. Our ministry includes watching
and waiting for the return of Christ while fervently proclaiming, defending
and warning others of aberrant teachings and heretical practices of
the day. The Alpha Course, Freemasonry, Secular Psychology, Charismatic
and Ecumenical Movement and New Age, Occultic & Cultic (i.e. Harry
Potter) practices are some examples of such unbiblical teachings, that
we are to be vigilant and watchful against. Paul said in Acts 20:28
“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of
God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
1 Pet 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
Have you ever warn or admonish any of your friends of the spiritual
dangers today? |
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Conclusion |
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We
are truly living in the last of the last days on earth. Our days on
earth are numbered. While the Lord tarries, the church has to press
on with the work of the gospel and the building up of the saints. Eph
5: 16 said “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
MBPC and its members are no exception. We are to endure faithfully
to the very end, as a good soldier, disciplined athlete and patient
farmer doing the work of the Lord fervently and dutifully. At the same
time, know and recognise that our citizenship is in heaven, not on this
ephemeral earth. We are but pilgrims and strangers sojourning in this
land. We are to put our affections above and not on temporal things
(Col 3:1). Christ is coming again very soon. Are you ready? May the
Lord continue to bless and prosper the work of Maranatha till He comes.
Amen. |
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Jack
Sin |
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Pastor
of Maranatha Bible Presbyterian Church |