Dear BPCWAians, At the start of the year, we announced the church theme for this year – 1Tim 1:19, “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck”.

Having church themes. As has been our practice, our theme is the focus for the year. It also sets the theme for the church camps that year as well. It is something that is important for the church as a whole to focus on. Hence, the year’s theme is prayerfully selected to reflect the needs for the congregation as a whole. In some years, this can be a bit more focussed on the individual’s personal walk. In other years, it is something for the church as a whole, to turn our eyes collectively on what we should be fulfilling for Him in BPCWA. These two broad categorisations will continue to be the church’s theme moving forward as well. We should look at our own personal walks, and we must also never forget that God put us together here as a church to be His people and His local witness.

Looking back. When I first started ministering in BPCWA, my focus was to ground the church doctrinally on God’s truths. I found this to be especially important as many of us come from diverse backgrounds. Until we come to the unity of the faith, we cannot stand fast together with one mind for God’s work. We needed to know what church should be like, how should it be run, and a clear understanding of our church’s confessions. Hence, about 5 years ago, I began to teach several series at various Fellowships and Bible studies on topics like Acts, Basic Bible Knowledge, and Westminster Confession of Faith, together with several Combined Fellowship topics on our church’s faith, on topics like Denominations and even Total Abstinence. We thank God that over the years, He has brought us to a better clarity, consistency and individual understanding of our church’s doctrinal position and teachings. Today, having understood God’s Word better, most worshippers would be ready to affirm the creedal confessions of our church’s position.

Looking forward. As we have studied in Ephesians, we are in a Christian warfare. Now, in times of peace, we must brace ourselves and check our convictions in case times of spiritual war comes. This is where the theme verse comes in. We have focussed on being grounded with teachings over the past years. And these teachings involve both doctrinal truths, as well as truths concerning Christian living. Most who regularly go for Bible studies can even explain quite well our doctrines and why we should or should not do something. Many can also give the right answers about how one should live. But our next step must be to ensure that we are not just holding on outwardly to these beliefs, that they are not mere mental assents. These teachings must be real in their lives, a conviction that is internal, which they are willing to live by, stand for, fight for and sacrifice for – voluntarily.

The need for this church theme. The danger is that some can pretend to subscribe to our beliefs for years, seemingly agree to the soundness of these beliefs, but actually inwardly resist it. They can even adopt a false front and appear to believe in these truths even for several years, to keep up with appearances or to be accepted by others in the church. Some may even give outward assent to the church’s standards just to be able to take on ministries or service in the church. On the surface, they can say and do the “right” things. But God warns against the dangers of not having a genuine and sincere conscience. Without a good conscience, we can only keep up with appearances for so long. Eventually, such ones often end up being shipwrecked. And in doing so, they may pull others along with them too. It is painful to see such, and it is painful when the church is disrupted because of these too.

At the same time, I hope that this verse will challenge the faithful majority as well. That they will be spurred on to really use this to build deep, genuine, personal, and unshakeable convictions through the Word as they persevere in the study of God’s Word. I also hope that this reminder will help to build deep seated convictions in the young people who will continue to be in BPCWA in the next generation.

God willing, it is my prayer and desire that this theme will be used to help people come face to face with God’s commands, and submit to His will and not borrow excuses to do their own will, or to do things simply to be well thought of by those around them. Ultimately, our prayer must be that everyone will have deep personal convictions of God’s truth, and with a good conscience, have unswerving loyalty to His work. Only when this is so will we be able to sustain a life of faithfulness to God. Only when this is so will BPCWA sustain and be steadfast and unmoveable in God’s work.

Mt 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Yours in our Lord’s service,

Pastor