MARANATHA MESSENGER. Evangel BP Church 5 th Anniversary 2011

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1 MARANATHA MESSENGER Weekly Newsletter of Private Circulation Only MARANATHA BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1 May 2011 Present every man perfect in Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:28) Address: 63 Cranwell Road, Singapore Tel: (65) Fax: (65) maranatha.bpc@pacific.net.sg Website: Sunday School: 9.45 am Sunday English Worship Service: am Sunday Chinese Worship Service: 6.30 pm Wednesday Prayer Meeting: 8.00 pm Pastor: Rev. Dr. Jack Sin (HP: ) Evangel BP Church 5 th Anniversary 2011 Greetings to the leaders and brethren at Evangel BP Church in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Session and members of Maranatha BP Church rejoices with you on this blessed commemoration of your 5 th Thanksgiving Anniversary. Praise God for this BPC outreach that was providentially started by the Lord. We remembered with thanksgiving to the Lord on 23 April 2006 where the inaugural service and a seminar were held in Tropicana Club that was attended by about 50 people. By the grace of God, we preached from Acts 2:42-47 on the Elements of Building a Vibrant and Growing Church Today, stressing on Christ the Head of the church and our grave responsibilities to Him. The word Evangel was chosen for the church after a lunch fellowship with Elder Dr. Lim Yew Cheng as it depicted our full commitment to the preaching and propagation of the pure gospel of the good news of Jesus Christ in these last perilous days. Evangel BP Church was finally incepted of the Lord as a result and is committed to the declaration of the pure and unadulterated gospel and the vigilant defence of the Reformed Faith being founded on the historic Westminster Confession of Faith ( ). We thank God for about 40 people who will come for Sabbath worship, fellowship and the Sunday School on Sundays and pray that more will come for the mid-week Prayer Meeting and Bible Study as well. God is so good to us all these years. These 5 fruitful years has been a living testimony for the Lord has blessed and prospered and preserved this work despite many testings along the way. We have witnessed the baptism of many and the salvation of those whom God has called and destined unto everlasting life. Two of them are Robert and Jan Yeo (parents of the late, Kelvin) and not forgetting also the family of the late brother Chee Meng, Mrs. Choi and Mr. Chin went home to be with the Lord but were comforted by the consolation and solace of the Lord and His covenant people. Many have come and gone and found solace and comfort in this church over the last 5 years. We thank God for the Pro-tem Committee comprising Elder Dr. Lim Yew Cheng, Ng Boon Shyh, Roland Yap, Teng Yu Yuet, Sooky, Koh Pek Eng and Liew Ming Mei (and others like Hean and Elda) who have been serving in this important ministry. We will reach out to more and share the gospel to save souls for Christ and build up and edify the flock with the Word, reverential worship and responsible stewardship in these last perilous days in Malaysia. There is a charge to continue to co-labour fervently for Christ while the Lord tarries. Seek the Lord in daily devotions, corporate prayers, Sabbath worship and fellowship and the Word and work of the Lord as entrusted to us as faithful stewards of the manifold grace of God. We humbly recognised the guiding hand of our good Lord who has richly blessed the ministry in Evangel BP Church over the past one year. We want to thank God for the pastors and preachers from the various BPCs who have been bringing the word all these years and for those who have been serving faithfully with us and others who has prayed, visited, called and cared for Evangel BP Church. There is a growing commitment and a continued responsible stewardship of church-based missions, praying, giving and providing edifying services to the building up of the saints in the church to the saving of souls both near and far. We encourage all who are working in or near Kuala Lumpur or staying there for leisure to worship with Evangel BP Church, a Reformed and Fundamental Church. Over the years of outreach there is presently a growing and vibrant congregation of about 40 people with children and there is much to be done for the Lord in the days ahead. 1

2 These are darkening days before the Lord returns that we live in as we witness disaster after disaster over the past few years. The last being the Japanese triple crisis with a nuclear fallout in their reactors after the tsunami and the devastating earthquake and more than 400 aftershocks. We are living in perilous days while there is still persecution (as we witnessed in Sarawak and China recently) and we must also work while there is light and continue steadfastly in the saving of souls; and diligent study of and application of the sufficient and inerrant Word that in mutual encouragement through the edifying fellowship of the saints; and the defence of the faith. Be encouraged in evangelistic and missionary efforts to reach out to lost souls in the vast harvest fields and let us all pray fervently and be fully engaged in the work of the gospel as we await the Lord s return soon. It is our prayer that Evangelians will continue to put our affections on things above and to co labour fervently together and persevere on with the gospel work. With the Lord s enablement, the church will grow in the fear and knowledge of God. Let likeminded BP friends and brethren support and pray for this vibrant and growing church and to honour and serve Him faithfully. Our diligent labour will certainly bear fruit in the fullness of time in the Lord (1 Cor 15:58). May the Lord greatly strengthen and challenge all of you on this blessed occasion by His word from the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12, As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. Jack Sin Introduction A Biblical Appraisal of the Mega Churches in Singapore By definition, a mega church constitutes a worship attendance of more than two thousand members. Mega churches are protestant churches, and in the case of Singapore, mainly independent churches with their own independent church council. Dr. Roland Chia of Trinity Theological College further defines mega churches according to their contemporary worship style, church organisation, presence of a charismatic leader, a large staff, and many different social and outreach ministries. The organisation style of the main megachurches in Singapore, such as City Harvest Church, New Creation Church, and Lighthouse Evangelism, consists of one main leader (Senior Pastor), followed by many pastors and various ministry leaders. Their membership is reported to number up to , , and With these many members, the church splits into multiple fellowship and cell groups, attending different worship timings. Even though these churches are seldom listed under a denomination, they are largely considered to be charismatic churches, with contemporary rock concert like worship style and doctrines such as the prosperity gospel and health gospel. With such structure and practices, that there is a lack of adherence to the instructions given in the pastoral epistles in the governance of these mega churches. Three main issues of contention being the failure to keep sound doctrine, the conduct of church leaders, and the shepherding duties of leaders in mega churches. Whether it be the deliberate attempt to not adhere to biblical teachings, or compromise in biblical standard by nature of their organisation structure, mega churches have shown a standard that does not go in line with the teachings given by Paul in the pastoral epistles. Guarding the Doctrines One of the prevailing themes throughout the 1 Timothy is Paul s command and exhortation for Timothy to keep sound doctrine. However, the doctrines propounded by leading mega churches in Singapore centre around the prosperity gospel and health and wealth gospel, which compromises the foundation of Christ s salvation gospel, as Timothy was exhorted much to keep. The health and prosperity gospel, in particular, is being emphasised so much so it seem to have replaced the real gospel of Jesus Christ of which focus is on Christ s redeeming work on wretched sinners who cannot save themselves. 2

3 The health gospel uses Isaiah 53:5 to justify that all of God s people will be healed from ill health because and with his stripes we are healed. Kenneth Hagin, an influential American Pentecostal preacher, believes that it is the plan of our Father God in His great love and His great mercy that no believer should ever be sick, that every believer should live his life full span down here on earth and that every believer should finally just fall asleep in Jesus (Hagin, 2001, p. 21). Not only is Isaiah 53:5 taken out of context (what is figurative is being interpreted literally), evidences from the Bible also speaks of godly people not being healthy or healed. Trophimus was sick and Paul had to leave him in Miletus (2 Tim 4:20). 2 Corinthians 11:23-29 also speaks of the sufferings, including Paul s lashes and weaknesses, which Paul was proud to endure for Christ. Timothy himself was sick in the stomach, and Paul did not perform healing on him, but advised him to take physical remedy by taking a little wine (1 Tim 5:23). Author Randy Alcorn of Eternal Perspective Ministry summed such contradictions nicely by saying that Paul was surrounded by sick people. Those who claim anyone with enough faith can be healed either have more faith than the apostle Paul, or less understanding of God and His ways. The prosperity gospel teaches that it is God s will for His people to be prosperous; because God is reach, so will His children be rich. Because of this, the megachurches pursues wealth and a projection of wealth in terms of their church designs, pastors clothings and assets they own. (See section on Personal Testimonies of Church Leaders) However, Paul says in 1 Tim 6:4 that these are the people who suppo[ses] that gain is godliness, and exhorts Timothy to flee from these things (1 Tim 6:11). These doctrines, as propounded by most megachurches, are clearly unbiblical and Timothy was exhorted and commanded to exclude any of these false doctrines. Timothy was called to be nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, to give attendence and take heed to sound doctrine (1 Tim 4:13, 16), to charge others that they do not teach other form of doctrine, and to reprove, rebuke, exhort (2 Tim 4:2) unsound doctrines. Likewise, Titus was told to speak things which become sound doctrine (Tit 2:1) and to [hold] fast the faithful word (Tit 1:9). Therefore, it can be seen that God s emphasis on the church is that of sound doctrine, as unsound doctrines will undermine the foundation of a church. The megachurches, which incline and propagate popular yet unsound doctrine therefore have erred and failed in this fundamental duty of a church. The leadership in these churches, therefore, need to re-examine what the word of God says rather than aim to please men and earn profit for the number and their offerings. Appointment of Church Officers In 1 Timothy 3, Paul laid out certain criteria with regard to what a leader must be. Besides the moral and ethical integrity stated from verse 2 to 5, Paul also mentioned that a bishop, or leader, should not be a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. The size of a mega church however, brings out a need for more leaders to take up positions in the church or in cell groups quicky. As such, the danger is therefore the appointment of what Paul refers to as novice, or young convert. However, megachurches, by nature of its massive size, need multiple ministers who are able to take on other services. The advice given to Timothy, as also should be heeded, is to lay hands suddenly on no man 1 Timothy 5:22. Another issue raised by Paul with regard to the appointment of ministers in church is that of female s position in church. It is explicitly told that females should be under the authority in church. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence (1 Tim 2:12). Though not exclusively practices in megachurches in Singapore, they do participate in this error. Both New Creation Church and Lighthouse Evangelical practice the ordaining of female pastors. Personal Testimony of Church Leaders If a characteristic of mega churches is its centring around their church leaders, then the lives of church leaders ought to be lived out carefully, as according to the word of God. However, church leaders in mega churches are recently under negative spotlight for certain issues, of which the main issue being the materialism of these leaders. It is reported that New Creation Founder Joseph Prince received an annual income between $500,001 and $550,000 before he stopped doing so in order to forestall murmurs. Also, Pastor Lawrence Khong of City Harvest Church explicitly affirms that he uses new approaches and methodologies in management, marketing and messaging to manage the church, and another pastor in another large mainline church is quoted saying that he relies more on his business 3

4 administration degree than theology to run his church. The imitation of business modals in order to run the church implies its emphasis on generating profit rather than preaching of the word. Whereas Paul says that a bishop ought to be not greedy of filthy lucre (1 Tim 3:3), and warns that the love of money is the root of all evil, leaders of mega churches seem to have no qualms about living a flashy and extravagant lifestyle, and organising their church according to business acumen of the world. Sociologist Mathew Mathews explains that this goes hand-in-hand with the prosperity gospel preached by these mega churches, as their extravagant lifestyle is a living proof that their prosperity gospel works and is proven. Hence, not only are the leaders lifestyle in contradiction with the principles put forth in the pastoral epistles, such practice further supports an ungodly and unbiblical doctrine preached in their church. Also, as both ministers and deacons are called to be blameless (1 Tim 3:3) and ministers, especially, are supposed to have a good report among unbelievers (1 Tim 3:7), the strong criticism of the world against their extravagance should already drive them to review their financial habits, at the very least for testimony s sake. Therefore, megachurches need to take heed of Paul s exhortation to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6, that : But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses (1Tim 6:6-12). Paul exhorts Timothy (the church leader and so by implication the lifestyle and testimony of the church) to be contented, avoid being tempted by avoid loving money and coverting after money, as most megachurches do. The prosperity gospel likewise, pursues money, and hence should not be taught. Instead, church leaders ought to flee from such temptations and follow after that which is godly and good, as listed in verse 11 and 12. Lack of Sobriety Besides extravagance, it is exhorted for Timothy to be sober (1 Tim 3:2). He is also told to Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee (1 Tim 4:16). The liberal practices of leaders in most megachurches, such as their entertainment like worship and performance of magic, hence contradict this principle that Paul has given. Leaders, then, ought to portray a more sober image of themselves, taking heed that they are called to be preachers, (just as Paul emphasized in 2 Timothy 1:11) and not magicians nor entertainers. Shepherding Furthermore, Paul laid out his advice on human relationship in the church in 1 Timothy 5. This chapter teaches a leader how to he should relate to the men and women in his church, as well as the widows and fellow elders. From Paul s principles, as well as the other known duty of a shepherd (pastor), it implicit that pastors should be able to build relationship with his members, as shepherds take care of their flocks. The size of megachurches, however, is not conducive a number for such relationship to be formed. Whiles its advantage is in having the manpower to serve, it is not a comfortable church size for members to still be able to reach out and fellowship with one another. 'It's about church shopping. That's a departure from what church was meant to be - family, organic, and if things don't work out, try to work it out.' (Dr Mark Chan of Trinity Theological College) 'It's just growth in a different way for megachurches. The traditional way was to plant another church. For the megachurches, it's to get big where you are. So it's more of a 'come' approach, rather than a 'go' approach.' (Dr. Fong Choon Sam, dean of academic studies at the Baptist Theological Seminary) The above quotes illustrate the peril of the size of megachurches. While it is be heartening to know that there is such massive number of believers in Singapore, the organisation of megachurches (the come attitude as oppose to go spread the gospel attitude ) inadvertently develop the unhealthy church shopping and church hopping mentality among Christians of these megachurches circle. Discipleship 4

5 and spiritual growth, both emphasised in 2 Timothy 2, cannot be facilitated if members lack proper long term fellowship with one another. Conclusion In conclusion, the error of megachurches lie in its failure to keep sound doctrine, the bad testimony in the conduct of church leaders, and its poor organisational structure that impedes shepherding duties as advised by Paul. The worst error of the above is that of the propagation of unsound doctrine, as sound doctrine is the foundation of a church. Paul s strong words to charge Timothy and Titus with keeping the faith shows the importance he places in Timothy and Titus pastoral duties. Also, without the emphasis on health and prosperity, megachurches error in giving bad testimony as well as hoarding the number of members may in turn be mitigated. Therefore, the most fundamental remedy to the errors of megachurches in Singapore is for the leaders to forsake ungodly and unbiblical teachings, rather, to examine the word of God and pursue the true gospel. Carmen Choi (Assignment for the ERBL course on Pastoral Epistles, July November 2010) from Kenya Thank you for your prayers and the prayers of our brethren in MBPC, for us. The Lord has blessed us for the past one week during our VBS as from 4-10 April We had an attendance of 41, with four teachers. The theme was on God Gives Me Salvation with key verse being John 3:16. Ten Bible Lessons as from Monday to Friday were taught with corresponding memory verses for each day (i.e., man disobeys God, Genesis 3:1-15; man cannot save himself, Genesis 4:1-15; God provides a ram, Genesis 22:1-14; God sees blood, Exodus 12:1-14; God and the Serpent of Bronze, Numbers 21:4-9; God s perfect sacrifice, John 3:1-18; a man who does not believe the rich young ruler, Matt. 19:16-26; a lady believes the Samaritan woman, John 4:1-42; Saul believes, Acts 9:1-22; A child can believe, Mark 10:13-16). Rev. Francis and his outreach to VBS children in Kenya. Beside the Bible lessons, the children and teens were also taught relevant object lessons each day; songs from the book of Then Sings My Soul, (i.e., Thank You Lord for Saving My Soul, Stop! Go! Watch!, I Know the Lord Will Make A Way For Me, Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God, The Fruit of the Holy Spirit taken from Galatians 5:22-23); a memory passage of John 3:14-18; the Ten Commandments; The Lord s Prayer; The Apostles Creed; and Children Catechism Questions & Answers from question 1 to 33. These were also coupled by a time of outdoor games / inclusive of Bible games and porridge break times. On Saturday, 25 of them who were able sat both oral and written exams on all that they had learnt, and were issued with certificates of attendance and testing on Sunday. Sunday was the climax whereby some of them presented to the congregation some of the items (Songs; the memory passage; being asked and answering from memory children catechism questions no. 1 to 33; and saying all the ten lessons they learnt on our theme during the worship service, and one representative of our men / ladies and youth departments of our Local Church Teaching the Word of God to young and old by Rev. Francis. he to by is. 5

6 Council presented certificates to those who had sat the exams. Keep praying for us as we go through our one week AGUC Pastors Conference as from 12 to 16 April To God be all the glory. Pass our warm regards and thanksgiving for your concerned prayers for us to the beloved congregation of the Lord in MBPC. Rev. Francis Onyango Nyamiwa (& Violet) Lecturer Faith College of the Bible, Kenya There is a Cross at Calvary (To the tune of Jesus Calls Us ) Josiah Teh There is a Cross on a green hill Far away at Calvary. So that we can all be free! There is a Cross on a green hill Far away at Calvary. That s how I know he loves me! On a hill at Calvary There s a wooden, sturdy Cross. So that we can all be free! On a hill at Calvary There s a wooden, sturdy Cross. Oh, yes, Jesus loves you and me! 6

7 We welcome Chin Pit Yuen and her mother as members of our church [End of MM] Theme for the Quarter : The Majesty and Supremacy of the Son of God Studies in the Book of Hebrews Rev. Philip Heng Mercy in Need, Strength in Weakness (Heb 4) 7