The Word on Worship Order of Worship Volume 26, Issue 31 29 SEP 2013 John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Scripture Memorisation Darkness vs Light John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. Call to Worship Dn Lok Kwok Wah Hymn 36: High in the Heavens, Eternal God* Invocation & Gloria Patri* Responsive Scripture Reading* 2 Corinthians 9 Hymn 354: God Leads Us Along Collection of Offerings Doxology & Prayer* Hymn 305: Wonderful Words of Life Children s Sermon & Scripture Memorisation Pastoral Prayer Sermon Rev Dr Prabhudas Koshy His Grace Be With You (1 Thessalonians 5:28) Hymn 294: Grace! Tis a Charming Sound* Benediction & Threefold Amen* * Congregation Standing
duty roster Today, 29 September Today, 6 October 9.00 10.00 am CHURCH CHOIR & CHILDREN S CHOIR CHURCH CHOIR & CHILDREN S CHOIR 10.30 am 1.30 pm 3.30 pm CHINESE SERVICE ENGLISH SERVICE FILIPINO SERVICE GCM LIONS HOME MALAYALAM FELLOWSHIP Worship Leader: Preacher: Musician: Flowers: Refreshments: Ushers: Pr Kelvin Lim Pr Kelvin Lim Carmen Wong Poon Soo Thian Katherine Peh Cayson Chok, Chan Tuck Whye Worship Leader: Dn Lok Kwok Wah Preacher: Rev Dr Prabhudas Koshy Musicians: Chu Seong Yeng, Jasmine Low Ushers: Jeremiah Sim, Max Selvakumar, Andy Lee, David Tan, Randy Laurencio, Jerah Tan Greeter: Mah Lean Choo AV Ministry: Crew No. 2 Flowers: Lee Kim Lei Refreshments: Aileen Tan, Fidelia Mah, Stella Tan Junior Worship: Choy Luan Kheng (Jasmine Tan), Stefanie Wong (Violet Quek), Jenny Lok Cancelled in view of ACM MALAYALAM FELLOWSHIP Worship Leader: Preacher: Musician: Flowers: Ushers: Eld Alan Choy Pr Daniel Lim Sarah Yap Roscelle Lim John Peh, Jerry Chan Worship Leader: Eld Mah Chin kwang Preacher: Rev Dr Prabhudas Koshy Musicians: Sarah Lee, Eunice Choy Ushers: Low Chip Hung, Linus Kok, Ho Kee How, Wang Peigang, David Tan, Benny Skariah Greeter: Low Siew Lian AV Ministry: Crew No. 3 Flowers: Mah Lean Choo Refreshments: Yeo Geok Hien, Sally Lum, Jasmine Tan Junior Worship: Pr Jeremiah Sim (Sally Lum), Ruth Low (Cecilia Siah), Jenn Lee Worship Leader: Preacher: Musician: Usher: Refreshments: Song Leader: Nursery-P2: P3-P6: Pr Dennis Kabingue Pr Dennis Kabingue Carmen Wong Julius Del Rosario Joy Del Rosario Donald M. dela Cruz Choy Luan Kheng Stephanie Lee Venue: 487 Bedok South Ave 2 English Speaker: Dn Francis Lee Dialect Speaker: Bro Stephen Yap 2
ll A the leadership training available today cannot produce church leaders. All the years of experience in leadership of social, commercial, political, government or any other institution cannot make church leaders. The church is a spiritual institution which cannot be run like a secular organisation. The church exists to glorify God in all matters and to fulfil all His will concerning it. Its aim is not material gain or earthly powers and glory, but salvation, sanctity and spiritual maturity of people whom the Lord adds to the church that they may be ready for His coming. In order to guide the church to achieve its spiritual goals, we need men of spiritual understanding, conduct and abilities. The members of the church must also discern the spiritual demeanour and goals of their leaders. Church members must be like the early church believers who, when directed by the apostles, chose Stephen, a man full of 29 September 2013 Church Leaders Prabhudas Koshy faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch (Acts 6:5). They were guided by the apostles solemn admonition, Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business (Acts 6:3). In the administration of church matters, whether they be elders or deacons, we need men who have exhibited abiding faith in God and His Word; submission to the Holy Spirit; godly and practical wisdom in their individual, family and church affairs. Spiritual attributes that are required by the Scriptures are essential in all church leaders (cf. 1 Timothy 3:1-14; Titus 1:5-9). Absence of any of those spiritual virtues would mean that wrong men have entered the leadership of the church. So it is essential that those who have been nominated to the Church Session will yield themselves to these inviolable spiritual requirements of church leaders. No man is perfect, so every leader must have growing commitment to God s truth, holiness and effective service. The best spiritual leaders are those who are constantly growing in knowledge, faith, holiness, prayer and service. Church Session of Gethsemane BPC We praise God for His provision of men of faith, holiness and zeal to serve in our Church Session in the past 25 years. Though we cannot claim to have a 100% perfect Church Session, we thank God for helping the Session to strive wholeheartedly to be a faithful, loving, united and an efficient leadership of the church. It has always been our greatest desire to please the Lord in all matters of our church ministries and administration. The Lord has been pleased to bless all the undertakings of the Church Session till this day. pastoral exhortation 3
pastoral exhortation That which was said of the leadership of Moses and Aaron that God has provided for Israel can also be said of the divine leadership that He has provided through our Church Session Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron (Psalm 77:20). Praise ye the LORD! Nonetheless, the Scriptures and our own history warn every man in our present Church Session that he should not take his appointment to be an elder or deacon for granted. Self-examination and vigilance are much needed to avoid pride, laziness, tardiness, irresponsibility and all kinds of sins that would soon render a leader an unprofitable and dangerous individual in the leadership of the church. I am particularly worried about anyone who pretends to be an overseer of the Lord s flock, and often slumber during his watch, and wait for things to somehow work out just fine. Such an attitude is very dangerous. The leaders of God s flock must be vigilant, diligent and wholehearted in his oversight and duties. If they are neither vigilant nor thorough or careful, the church and its ministries will soon be overcome with great tragedies. May it never be said of our Church Session members that His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber (Isaiah 56:10). O, let us pray, dear fellow elders and deacons, that we will be men of due diligence and faithfulness in preaching His Word, caring for souls and managing the affairs of the church. Selfless service to the Lord is what makes a good leader of the church. To be a faithful and fruitful leader, having a servant s heart is paramount. Everyone who stands this day before the congregation as a nominated candidate to the Church Session must humbly yield himself to the Lord s service. Let us not fail to keep the trust that will be laid in our hands. Let every elder and deacon know his work. Let him bend over it, throwing his heart and soul into it, whether it be great or small. Let him pray earnestly for the wisdom, skill and power that he needs to fulfil his work with excellence. Let him not grow weary when the work is very difficult and demanding. Let him also take care to avoid a casual or sloppy attitude towards his work because it is small or a familiar one. Everything that the Lord has given us to do, whether big or small, needs our utmost dedication. Half-hearted work will bring no real advancement. We shall reap real rewards if we throw ourselves unreservedly to the work that He has entrusted us with. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). May the leaders and members of Gethsemane labour with one heart and one mind for the glory of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ! Let us be labourers for Christ! To the work! To the work! We are servants of God; Let us follow the path that our Master has trod; With the balm of His counsel our strength to renew, Let us do with our might what our hands find to do. 4
Dear Rev Das, Yesterday, you spoke on The Holy Writ Part II. I was glad to hear how our attitude should be one of reverence, eagerness, conscientiousness, etc.... I would also like to make reference to another message you preached on 7 July 2013 Adhere unto Good and Abstain from Evil from 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22. It was a reminder to examine myself, my lifestyle and my friends; and I am thankful for the reminder to be separated from people who are worldly and wicked. I am encouraging my family members to come and worship the Lord with me at Gethsemane, where for almost 6 months, I felt I have learnt so much from your 1 hour or so of Sunday preaching, much more than my last 27 years in my previous church... It is my prayer that my family members will join me at Gethsemane soon. Many thanks. Dear Pastor Koshy, Extracts of Emails from Newcomers We praise and thank God for leading us to Gethsemane B-P Church. Our hearts are overflowing with joy. Our cup runneth over. My family drinks in the pure Word of God like living waters promised by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We were awakened from our spiritual slumber by the honest rebuke and holy exhortation revealed through the Word of our Lord God week after week. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name s sake (Psalm 23:3). We realised that we have head knowledge but lack practical application in appropriate ways to conduct our daily lives. Both of us come from a non-christian background. Though we have believed in our Lord Jesus and have trusted him for our salvation, our way of life is unconsciously governed by contemporary worldly ways... As a family, we have embraced the holy writ more seriously through your faithful preaching and exhortation... We are touched by your sincerity and the extra mile you have taken to welcome us and to extend to us sweet fellowship in the Lord. God has a purpose and we rejoice in the Lord. We know you have prayed for us as we feel the power of God in our lives. How blessed this period of time has been to my family. We covet your prayers that we may wholly follow the Lord. Thank you in the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever (Psalm 23:6). Pastor s Note: May the Spirit of God continue to bless Gethsemane s ministry for the salvation of souls as well as the renewal and revival of His people that our Lord Jesus name may always be exalted everywhere. pastoral exhortation 5
Caring for Our Loved Ones Kelvin Lim junior worshipper s page A nd Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father s household, with bread, according to their families. Genesis 47:11 12 There is an important lesson in the life of Joseph that every child must learn, and that is his care of his father Jacob and his brethren. The Bible describes to us how Joseph cared for his father and his brethren! Verse 12 says, Joseph nourished his father. The word nourish simply means to sustain or support. In other words, Joseph supported his father Jacob and his brethren in regard to their lodging and livelihood, even when there was a great famine in the land of Canaan. Let us learn how to care for our parents and siblings from Joseph! Soon after the arrival of his father and brothers, Joseph went to Pharaoh to ask for permission to let his father Jacob and his brothers stay in the land of Egypt. When Pharaoh granted his request, he housed his father and his brethren in the best land of Egypt which he gave to them as a possession. Thus, he provided a place for them to live, and food for them to eat. What Joseph did for his father and his brethren was very commendable! Joseph did not bear any grudges against his father Jacob despite the fact that he lost his freedom and became a slave while he was on an errand for his father! He also forgave his brothers for having hurt him both physically and emotionally when they sold him away. He suffered for many years and had been in prison because of them. Despite all these unhappy memories, he still chose to care for them, and his father Jacob! My young reader, many people today do not care for their aged parents, not to mention their siblings. This is a very sad situation! But we should be like Joseph in the Bible. Our parents might not be the mightiest and richest in the world. They might have even made decisions that cause us some unhappiness in life. Nonetheless, they are still our parents! We are to provide them with lodging and food. We must also care for our siblings in the same manner if the LORD gives us the financial ability. May God help us to be like Joseph who cared for his loved ones!` 6
COLLECTIONs LORD S DAY on 22 SEP 2013 Tithes 3,168.25 Offerings 4,898.05 Building Fund (local) 5,000.00; 500.00; 500.00; 100.00; 100.00; 100.00; 10.00 Bible Witness 200.00 TGCM (local) 150.00 Pastor Koshy 150.00 NON-SUNDAY GIFTS Building Fund (local) 120.00 Special FundS ETHIOPIA VAN FUND Total as of 22 Sep 2013 41,292.90 BUILDING FUND (LOCAL) Since July 2013 Total as of 22 Sep 2013 50,497.00 gethsemane Filipino service Bible Seminar Topic: Examining the Filipino Culture in the Light of the Holy Scriptures Speaker: Pr Dennis Kabingue Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 Time: 10.00 am 5.00 pm Venue: City Beach Resort (8 Port Rd) Gospel Rally Speaker: Pastor Koshy Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 Time: 7.00 pm 9.00 pm Venue: City Beach Resort (8 Port Rd) 12 th Anniversary Service Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 Time: 10.30 am Venue: SingPost L5 auditorium Combined with English service. A thanksgiving buffet lunch will be catered @ $10/adult; free of charge for children below 12 years old. Please sign up at the reception desk. 7 annual congregational meeting (ACM) & Election TODAY @ 1.30 pm, SingPost L5 Auditorium The Electoral Register will be opened @ 1.15 pm. All communicant members are advised to be seated in the auditorium as soon as they have registered. gethsemane youth Fellowship Topic: Book Study of 1 John Speaker: Pastor Koshy Chairperson: Benjamin Quek Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2013, 4.00 6.00 pm Venue: Home of Mr & Mrs Eric Delina Blk 495D, Tampines St 43, #04-378 Singapore 520495 Devotional GUIDES The excellent Amazing Grace Family Devotional Series (vol. 1 & 2) on the Gospel of Matthew are available at the reception desk. These are extracts from JC Ryle s Expository Thoughts on Matthew. Please avail yourselves to them while stocks last! announcements
announcements Gethsemane B-P Church Camp Dates: Mon Fri, 2 6 December 2013 Venue: Nilai Springs Resort, Malaysia Camp Fees Adults: Single Room: S$565.00/adult Twin Sharing: S$405.00/adult Triple Sharing: S$365.00/adult Camp Fees Children 4 12 yrs old: With extra bed: S$245.00/child Sharing bed with parents: S$155.00/child Transport: S$70.00/person Registration closing date: 27 October gethsemane young adults Fellowship Combined meeting with Truth BPC Young Adults Fellowship Topic: Is Biblical Wisdom Relevant Today? Speaker: Pastor Koshy Date & Time: Sat, 5 Oct 2013 @ 7.00 pm Venue: Calvary Pandan B-P Church #02-04 201 Pandan Gardens, Singapore 609337 All young adults are encouraged to join! For more information, please contact Bro Beng Wee. Post-Worship Activities Please stay back after worship to join us for: Tuesday Prayer Gathering 8.00 pm @ L5 Auditorium, SingPost Centre Wednesday Lunch Hour Bible Study 1.15 pm @ Bible Witness Bookroom Thursday Seniors Ministry 11.00 am (Please contact Pr Jeremiah Sim) Friday Morning Prayer 6.45 am 7.30 am @ Church Resource Centre 8 Refreshment & Fellowship 12.30 pm 1.30 pm Adults & Youths Bible Study Cancelled Bible Witness Magazine Children s Bible Study Cancelled Weekday Activities For more information, please call the church office at 6741 1910. Bible Witness Web Radio Church Weekly Time & Place of Worship 10.30 am Level 5 Auditorium Singapore Post Centre 10 Eunos Road 8 Singapore 408600 (next to Paya Lebar MRT station) Prayer Hotline 8138 8139 SMS or Whatsapp your prayer item Our Office 510 Geylang Road, #02-06 Singapore 389466 Tel: 6741 1910 Fax: 6741 1016 Our Websites gethsemanebpc.com biblewitness.com Our Pastor Rev Dr Prabhudas Koshy Mobile: 9001 1119 Email: pastor.gbpc@gmail.com Our Session Rev Dr Prabhudas Koshy Elder Mah Chin Kwang Elder Alan Choy Deacon Arvind Pawa Deacon Daniel Lim Deacon Lok Kwok Wah Deacon Kelvin Lim Deacon Francis Lee