October 9th, 2011 Vol. 26 No. 41 SUNDAY W ORSHIP COM BINED SERVICE Preparatory Hymn Kenneth Chong Prelude Lydia Pui Call to Worship James Wong/Joel Wong *Hymn HOP 22 Great is Thy Faithfulness 1 *Invocation/Gloria Patri Responsive Reading Hebrews 11:1-10 Holy Communion [James, Robert, Mark, Sonny, Adrian] Hymn HOP 96 Lead Me to Calvary Presentation of Tithes & Offerings 2 *Doxology /Offertory Prayer Scripture Reading 2 Corinthians 13:5-8 Hymn HOP 329 O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee Pastoral Prayer/Message Rev Paul Cheng/Kong Vui Yip Checking your spiritual condition *Hymn HOP 253 I Am Thine, O Lord *Benediction/Threefold Amen Announcements 3 *The Lord Bless You and Keep You *Congregation Standing RHC Front Inner Cover 3 RHC Back Inner Cover 1 & 2
PASTORAL CHAT My dear readers, This week we reproduce an article from True Life B-P Church weekly by Pastor Dr Jeffrey Khoo. Remembering Our Roots Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Heb 13:7, 8) On this special occasion of our 8th anniversary, it is good for us to look back and know why we are True Lifers, and how we became True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church (TLBPC). True Life was born out of controversy. The controversy was a doctrinal and spiritual one. It had to do with the question of whether the Bible we have today is 100% perfect without any mistake or not. This was in response to a number of books published by fundamentalist institutions in the USA saying that the doctrine of the perfect preservation of the Bible to the last word and iota is not taught in the Bible (Matt 5:18 notwithstanding), and that the KJV is not such a superior version of the Bible after all (note that the KJV was held up by the Bible-Presbyterian Church to be the very Word of God since its founding in 1950). Anti-preservationist and anti-kjv books like From the Mind of God to the Mind of Man (1999) by Bob Jones University, and One Bible Only? (2001) by Central Baptist Seminary started to disturb our members here, and it did not help that a certain church elder began promoting one of those books, causing confusion. In the face of such attacks and undermining of our good old Bible, our founding pastor the late Rev Dr Timothy Tow in 2002 took an uncompromising stand for the Word of God and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:9). Holding forth the Word of Life (Phil 2:16) and holding fast the Faithful Word (Tit 1:9), he taught and defended the Verbal Plenary Inspiration (VPI) and the Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) of the Holy Scriptures, that the Bible is totally infallible and inerrant not only in the Autographs, but also the Apographs, namely, the Hebrew and Greek texts underlying the Authorised, King James Bible. He was faithful and true to the Bible of the Bible-Presbyterian Church since its founding which was the KJV, and the doctrinal resolutions on the superiority of the KJV over against the corrupt modern versions, and the inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures in the Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus Receptus as adopted by the International Council of Christian Churches (ICCC) in Amsterdam in 1998 and Jerusalem in 2000 under the leadership of Dr Carl McIntire. The Rev Dr Timothy Tow was the pastor of Life Bible-Presbyterian Church (LBPC) since its founding in 1950. He had two assistant pastors who served with him when he was still pastor of LBPC. Sadly, his two assistant pastors did not hold to his view
of VPP, and in the faculty meeting of 29 October 2002 resigned from FEBC. They said they could no longer take the Dean Burgon Oath. It was their view that the Bible was perfect in the beginning, but the Bible today contains some mistakes these mistakes to them are insignificant and do not affect doctrine. They said the Bible is only 99.9% and not 100%. Those who did not share their convictions but believed in a Bible that is 100% perfect without any mistake were maliciously ridiculed and denounced as foolish, schismatic, divisive, deviant, heretics, extremists, and even terrorists. But we are comforted by the words of our Saviour, Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matt 5:11, 12). For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. (2 Cor 13:8). It is important to know that the Rev Dr Timothy Tow in his capacity as Founder and Principal of FEBC (1962) instituted the Dean Burgon Oath way back in the 70s. All Board and Faculty members were required to take the oath yearly at the annual convocation of FEBC, swearing upon the Bible that it is none other than the voice of Him that sitteth upon the Throne! Every Book of it, every chapter of it, every verse of it, every word of it, every syllable of it, every letter of it, is the direct utterance of the Most High! The Bible is none other than the Word of God: not some part of it more, some part of it less; but all alike, the utterance of Him who sitteth upon the Throne; faultless, unerring, supreme! After the two assistant pastors resigned from FEBC, the Session of LBPC took issue with Rev Tow and FEBC for believing that God has verbally and plenarily preserved His inspired words, that the Bible today is 100% perfect without any mistake. Here s Rev Tow s testimony in the 5 October 2003 Weekly, As you know I have been pressurised to resign from Life Church after 53 years of service. For nearly a year a controversy has raged in Far Eastern Bible College between younger lecturers and those who stand with the Principal on the question whether the Bible has some mistakes or without any and absolutely perfect. As I take the view of a 100% perfect Bible and stand with Dr Jeffrey Khoo, more squabbles developed on August 20 at Life Church Session meeting which drove me to my resignation. Not desiring any further contention and following our Lord s example, I determined to leave Life Church and begin anew with a fresh Service. The Lord wonderfully provided a place not far from Gilstead Road at the RELC, down Orange Grove Road from Shangri-La Hotel with immediate occupation. We take it as a positive sign from God. True Lifers have been worshipping at RELC since 2003 under the pastoral care of our beloved founding pastor who did not forsake God s flock but served faithfully until the Lord took him home in 2009 at the age of 88. Today we commemorate our 8th anniversary in thanksgiving to God. Hitherto hath the LORD helped us (1 Sam 7:12). We have been blessed with freedom of worship, and the Lord has graciously provided for all our needs. TLBPC began as FEBC s Lord s Day Worship Service. Those who care for FEBC His School of Prophets will get a prophet s reward (Matt 10:41).
By God s grace, not a few have come to a saving knowledge of Christ through our Bible-centred ministries. We thank God for the freedom to believe in the good old Bible and serve the Lord peacefully without hindrance. May we continue to hold firmly to the Word of Life the forever infallible and inerrant Scripture, and be faithful to the Living Word our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ until the day He returns. And His return is nearer than we think! (Source: True Life BPC Weekly, 25 September 2011) Faithfully in the Lord, Dr SH Tow ANNOUNCEMENTS, PRAISE & PETITIONS 1. We warmly welcome Rev Paul Cheng from Melbourne Bethel BP Church. He is the Lord's messenger and will be conducting the Lord's Supper this morning. Rev Paul Cheng is staying at Jeremiah's Place until Wednesday afternoon. If anyone wishes to have fellowship with him, he can be contacted on Tel: 93642373 or mobile: 0447174206. 2. Tuesday Prayer Meeting: Following a trial in September, Prayer meeting will starts at 7:30pm from now on. This Tuesday, our speaker is Rev Paul Cheng. Please come and join us to pray for the Church. 3. English Family Care Group: 6pm tonight at sister Irene Yap's home. Address: 11 Edmiston Way, Winthrop 6150. Please bring a dish to share. Speaker: Rev Paul Cheng. 4. Mens and Ladies Fellowship: Next Sunday 16th October 2011. 5. Thanksgiving & Prayer: 1. Thank God for the Ministry of Rev Paul Cheng here at BPCWA. Please pray for him as he mininstered to us over the week. 2. Thank and Praise God for CYPG's 10th Anniversary commemoration service last Friday. 3. Thank and Praise God for the combined English fellowhsips last Friday. 4. Pray for ACM and Session Election on 6th of November, 2011. 5. Pray for spiritual & physical well-being of all members and worshippers. 6. Pray that God will send a pastor to shepherd our church, a man who is after God's heart and will teach God's Word faithfully.
REV PAUL CHENG'S TESTIMONY I was brought up in a family that embraces Roman Catholicism and ancestral worship. At the tender age of twelve my doting mother passed away. I was very bitter and began to doubt the existence of God and state of disillusionment over life and death. At the age of 18, I was called for compulsory National Military Service in Singapore. Being an atheist, peer pressure and influence in the army led me to the world of music and drug. For many years, I found myself enslaved in the world of drug addiction. However, I thank God that at a time when I was in a stupor of dependence on drug that my senses returned to me, and was introduced to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a half-way house for drug addicts called The Helping Hand, which is run by Christians. Through the faithful preaching of God s Word, I came to know that Christ died for my sins. I clearly remembered the day when I knelt and confessed all my sins before God and believed with all my heart the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour. God transformed me, and His Word took root in my life. After my conversion, I helped my father to manage his chicken rice restaurant business as he was getting on in age. But deep within me, I had no desire to pursue a business career. I was then sandwiched between helping my dear father in running his business and seeking the will of God for my life. I sought the Lord for His heavenly wisdom to make the right decision. It was then that the Lord placed in my heart a call for full-time ministry. In 1999, God opened a door for me to study His Word in the Far Eastern Bible College, Singapore (Ezra 7:10) so as to be equipped to reach out to drug addicts, who were in the same dire straits as I once was. At that time I was worshipping in Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church (GBPC) of which Rev. Dr. Prabhudas Koshy was and still is the pastor. I also served in The Helping Hand from 2002 to 2005. Then in 2005 I was called to spearhead The Gethsemane Care Ministry for drug addicts. The following year, I was elected a Deacon serving in the Session of GBPC. In 200l while studying in FEBC, the Lord graciously brought Hye Young a fellow student, now my wife, into my life. Since then she has been a faithful and God-fearing wife. Thereafter, we were blessed with two lovely boys, Timothy and Silas. It is my desire that as a family we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). In November 2008, I was asked by Rev. Dr. Prabhudas Koshy to minister the Word of God at Bethel BPC, Melbourne for two months in the absence of Pastor Khoo. My heart was filled with fear and trepidation not knowing what would be expected of me and what would lie ahead when we travelled to Melbourne. By the grace of God, my family and I had a blessed time during those two months. The Bethelites lovingly cared for us. Upon returning to Singapore about two months later, I received an invitation to serve full-time with Bethel BPC. The words of the prophet Isaiah came to my mind (6:8): Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here I am; send me. Life is short and it is my earnest desire to serve the Lord while I still have the strength and energy. The road ahead may be tough and challenging, but my family and I have come to Bethel with fresh zeal and enthusiasm to serve the Lord. It is our humble prayer that God will continue to see us through extending His Kingdom to the praise and glory of His Name.
Service Duty (9/10) Combined (Holy Communion) (16/10) Combined Speaker Rev Paul Cheng/Kong Vui Yip Sonny Lim/Yew Jinn Chieng Worship Leader James Wong/Joel Wong Adrian Cheng/Kong Vui Yip Prep Hymns Kenneth Chong Heng Lee Ting Musician Lydia Pui Joyce Yip Welcomers Eddie Foo, Carol Wee Albert Ho Jason & Chen Shi Tey, Lily Liow Offering Stewards Eddie Foo Albert Ho Eugene Leong Eddie Ho To Help Counting Offering Joel Wong, Kenneth Chong Alex Luu, Jason Tey Ushers Joel Wong, Christina Soon Audrey Liow, Truc Pham P.A. System Caleb Cheng Albert Ho Kitchen Duties Yi Min Chieng, Yi San Chieng Lime Chiang, Carey Tan Lee Fung Fong, Andy Ho Barry Palm, Christine Chia Tammy Hsu JSS Singspiration Holy Communion Camilia Sin, Terry Chong Toddler Class Assistant Karen Yap An Ning Van Drivers Camilia (M) Caleb (C) Terry (U) Shie Tian (M) Leonard (C) Eugene (U) Old Folks Home Ministry Subiaco Barry Palm (Christina Soon) Mark Heath (Karen Yap) Hall A: Andy Yu Hall A: Adrian Cheng South Perth Hall B: Heng Lee Ting Hall B: Jason Tey Bayswater Caleb Cheng Yew Jinn Chieng APPOINTMENTS OF THE WEEK 10:00am Mandarin Bible Study (In Recess) Tuesday 11/10 Prayer Meeting 7:30pm Rev Paul Cheng/Yew Jinn Chieng, Adrian Cheng, Yi San Chieng Friday 14/10 7:30pm Fellowship Meetings: Regen/Youth 180 /CYAF/CYPG 8:30am Pre-Service Prayer Meeting 9:00am Sunday School/English Basic Knowledge Class 10:00am Sunday 16/10 12:00pm 12:15pm 2:00pm 3:30pm Combined Sunday Worship Service Mandarin Choir Church Van Depart Concorde (Nursing Home) 25 Anstey Street, South Perth Onslow Gardens (Nursing Home) 39 Hamersley Road, Subiaco Ben Ritcher Lodge (Nursing Home) 480 Guildford Road, Bayswater ATTENDANCE & OFFERINGS (2/10) Attendance: 176 (Combined-139; JSS-37); Prayer Meeting: 35 Offerings in Total: $4,312.40 General Fund: $4,312.40 (#3494-$81.20; #3495-$800) Mission Fund: (10% of General Fund is set aside for missions) VERSE OF THE WEEK Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;