O Worship the LORD in the Beauty of Holiness

BUILDING UP THE CHURCH OF CHRIST

          This is our church theme for the new year. It applies to our members both individually and corporately, as summarised in Ephesians 2:22 – “…In [Christ] ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Why have we chosen this theme for 2023?

          Firstly, 2023 is a time to regain our momentum. We have lost considerable momentum over the past three years. This is due to the time and opportunities that were lost during the pandemic when a lot of plans had to be put on hold or scaled down because of all the safety restrictions. But since the situation has improved significantly and the world is moving toward a post-pandemic stage, it is time for us to regain our momentum by implementing plans and initiatives to build up our church and its outreach. In this regard, we look forward to sending a young couple as missionaries to Cambodia after they are commissioned next Sunday.

          Secondly, 2023 is a time to rebuild our spiritual life and church life. This results from having opportunities for meaningful interaction that fosters discipleship and mutual sharpening among members. And this requires us to make a commitment not only to attend our worship service regularly but also to join one of our Fellowship Groups or Neighbourhood Bible Communities (NBC). Attending our Church Camp on 13-16 June will also be a very useful way to rebuild our spiritual life and church life.

          Thirdly, 2023 is a time to renew our leadership. As the present leaders of our church ministries age, the time will come for them to pass on the torch to others. Hence, we need to work seriously on leadership renewal by putting in time and effort to identify, train and appoint new leaders. This applies also to the Session of our church, as its present three-year term is ending in four months’ time, and some session members will be stepping down. The criteria we need to use for electing those who will lead our church are found in the article below.

          Let us pray earnestly that our hearts will be stirred to build up the church of Christ in order to regain our momentum, rebuild our spiritual life and church life, and renew our leadership! – Pastor

THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHURCH

          The election of the leadership of the church is quite different from the election of leaders in the world’s governments. We do not use criteria such as a person’s popularity, social status, profession, wealth, educational degrees or how well-connected he is in society.

          What the church needs most in its leadership is men who are faithful and dedicated in serving. As our church election will take place on Sunday, 23 April 2023, let us pray that all who are nominated and elected to form the Session of Life church for the next three years will meet this most basic criterion. Besides this, there are three other criteria that we must use when choosing our church leaders. They are found in Acts 6:3 – “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.”

Honest Report

          To have an honest report means that one must have a good reputation in public and be well-spoken of by everyone. This first qualification is a moral one. A leader must be above reproach in all matters, whether it be in family life, social life, working life or financial matters. That is the first criterion for considering anyone for a place of leadership. Is there anything in his background that may be used against him? If we have been living lives which seek to glorify our Lord and have been consciously striving to do His will, then we can meet this moral qualification. In fact, all Christians, and not leaders alone, should seek to be people of honest report.

Full of the Holy Spirit

          This directs our attention to the spiritual qualification. According to Acts 6:3, only those who are “full of the Holy Ghost” should be chosen. A leader should be a mature Christian. When he has learned how to submit daily to the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit, his will and desires will be aligned with God’s will and desires. This is acquired through studying God’s Word seriously and through a healthy prayer life. One needs to develop sensitivity to the Spirit and discernment of God’s will not just for oneself, but for God’s people as well. If we are walking with the Lord in prayer and in His Word daily, we will be able to meet this qualification. As with the earlier qualification, it is God’s will that all Christians should be Spirit-filled.

Wisdom

          This criterion is a little more difficult to have, as it is a practical one. The word ‘wisdom’ in Acts 6:3 refers to skill in administrative or leadership matters. It would include the ability to organize and plan, make sound decisions, coordinate activities, exercise faithful and efficient stewardship and good management of resources. Although not everyone may have this qualification, it may be cultivated with diligence and experience.

Meeting All Criteria

          Now that we have seen the criteria that we must use to choose leaders, it must be noted that all three of them must be met. Having one or two of the qualifications is not good enough. The apostles did not say, “Look out for seven men who are of honest report, or full of the Holy Spirit, or full of wisdom.” The conjunction used here is and. So if someone has a good reputation and is Spirit-filled, but has terrible leadership skills, he should not be considered for the leadership post. On the other hand, if someone is excellent in leadership but is spiritually or morally weak, he should not be considered.

          The question that now comes is: Can we ever find sufficient members in the church, who meet all these criteria, and who are willing to take leadership roles? Humanly speaking, it is extremely difficult. But we believe that God loves His church and will always ensure that there will be members with such qualities to provide the leadership it needs. They are His gifts to the church, and they will emerge from among the ranks of believers whenever the need arises.

          All Lifers are urged to pray earnestly for God’s guidance and blessing, so that only the ones of His choosing will be nominated and elected to office to oversee the flock of God. Let everything be done decently and in order and to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 14:40; 10:31)

The Process of Election

          This is clearly defined in the following paragraphs from articles 13-16 of the Church Constitution:

13.1    Candidates shall satisfy the requirements listed in 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1 and 1 Peter 5. Additionally, and to ensure better objectivity in selection, they shall fulfill the following conditions:

13.1.1 Demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt, and over a sufficient length of time, that they are faith­ful and mature members of the Body of Christ and faithfully devote themselves to personal prayer and study of the Word.

13.1.2 Attend public worship and prayer meetings of the Church regularly unless prevented from doing so for valid reasons.

13.1.3 Make a careful study of the Constitution, in particular the Principle and Practice of Biblical Separation and fully accept it.

13.1.4 Be willing to participate wholeheartedly in the ministry of the Church, with the Pastor, and to devote time, talents and resources in such ministry which shall include serving in the various departments of the Church.

13.2    The Board of Elders shall nominate candidates for election to the Church Session. Nominations may also be submitted by any member of the congregation to the Board of Elders.

13.3    Proposals for election to the Church Session shall be carefully screened by the Board of Elders to ensure that only those with the essential qualifications and who are in full agreement with the doctrinal stand of the Bible‑Presbyterian Church, in particular with its Principle and Practice of Biblical Separation, are con­sidered for nomination and election to the Church Session.

13.4    Elected Elders/Deacons/Deaconesses shall be formally installed into office at a Service of Consecration to be held on an appropriate Lord’s Day soon after election.

14.1    The Pastor and/or Associate Pastor/Assistant Pastor shall be elected by the members of the Church at the Annual Congregational Meeting by a majority of the votes cast and shall hold office for a term of three years but shall be eligible for re-election. The Pastor shall be the Chairman of the Session.

15.1    The number of Elders in the Church shall not be more than one to every 50 communicant members. Where there are less than 50 communicant members, the Church shall have one Elder.

15.2    A candidate for election to the office of an Elder shall be a Deacon of not less than six years’ standing, duly nominated by the Board of Elders and elected by a majority vote of the members of the Church at the Annual Congregational Meeting, save that the Board of Elders may in its absolute discretion, shorten the qualifying period.

15.3    Upon election, an Elder shall hold office for a term of three years and may be eligible for re-election.

16.1    The number of Deacons shall not be more than six or one to every 40 communicant members, whichever is the greater number.

16.2    The number of Deaconesses shall not be more than four or one to every 100 communicant mem­bers whichever is the greater number.

16.3    A Deacon or Deaconess shall be elected by a majority vote of the members of the Church at the Annual Congregational Meeting, provided the candidate shall have attained 21 years of age at the time of nomination.

16.4    Upon election, a Deacon or Deaconess shall hold office for a term of three years and may be eligible for re-­election.

19.4    The quorum of the Congregational Meetings in the election of the Pastor, Associate Pastor, Assistant Pastor, Elders, Deacons and Deaconesses and in the amendments of the Constitution shall be a simple majority of all resident voting communicant members in good standing.

19.7    The election of the Pastor, Associate Pastor, Assistant Pastor, Elders, Deacons and Deaconesses shall be by secret ballot.

19.8    The election of Session members, and decisions on all other businesses of the Church shall only be adopted by a majority vote of those present except the amendments to the Constitution which shall not be adopted without a two-thirds majority vote of those present.

Please note the following dates:

Nominations Open:* 1st January

Nominations Close: 29th January

Approved Nominees Announced: 2nd April

Election: 23rd April, during our Annual Congregational Meeting

Election Results Announced: 30th April

(*Nomination forms are available from the Reception Counter on Sundays, and from the Church Office on weekdays.)

Let us all be in much prayer that God will bless our church with good leadership.

– Pastor

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL COVENANT

I declare/reaffirm before God Almighty that I believe in the Doctrinal Statement as embodied in Article 4 of the Life B-P Church Constitution. And as a member of the Sunday School Staff, I will:

(1) Endeavour so to live that my life be a helpful influence for Christ;

(2) Give prayer, time and initiative to preparation of each lesson;

(3) Be regular in attendance, allowing nothing to keep me from my class/post for any reason which I could not conscientiously give my Lord;

(4) Give due notice to the General/Department Superintendent of enforced absence;

(5) Be in my place on time, if not before time, for the Sunday School session, setting an example for worship;

(6) Visit my pupils when I can;

(7) Get in touch with absent pupils as and when necessary or expedient;

(8) Pray for my pupils;

(9) Conscientiously attempt to improve my teaching and service in the Sunday School in every possible way;

(10)    Observe the rules of the Sunday School and attend all staff meetings regularly;

(11)    Strive for the harmony and unity of my Sunday School and shall attempt to further its work by every possible means;

(12)    Encourage other teachers and staff members in my humble service for the Lord;

(13)    Refrain from advancing in the Sunday School any denominational practices which are not in agreement with those of the Life Bible-Presbyterian Church. 

Appointments for the Week

Onsite & Online Meetings

Announcements

1. Sanctity in the Sanctuary: All worshippers are kindly reminded to observe silence in the church sanctuary from at least 10 minutes before the service begins, and to spend the time to quietly and personally prepare our hearts to seek the Lord. There will be ample opportunities to fellowship with other worshippers after the service ends.

2. Exercising Social Responsibility: To ensure the safety and comfort of all who use our church premises, the wearing of face masks is encouraged during activities that are held in crowded indoor settings. In addition, those who are unwell or who cough frequently are strongly advised not to attend church activities in-person but to participate in them online if possible.

3. Holy Communion will be served each month at the 11.00 am service on the first Sunday, and at the 8.00 am service on the third Sunday.

To minimise contact during Holy Communion, each worshipper is to hold out his or her palm so that the serving Elder may drop the bread into it with his gloved hand. All worshippers should sanitize their hands just before taking a cup of grape juice from the tray when it is brought to them. It is recommended that each worshipper should bring his or her own personal bottle of sanitizer for this purpose.

4. Gospel Sunday, 29 January 2023, 8.00am and 11.00am. “Behold all things are become new” by Rev Bendick Ong

5.       Church Camp 2023 will be held from June 13-16 (Tue-Fri). at Radisson Golf & Convention Center, Batam, Indonesia.

Speaker: Pastor Tan Soon Yong.

Theme: Anchoring Our Faith in a Postmodern World.

Please reserve the dates!

6. Lifers are invited to serve our Lord as Traffic Wardens on Sunday. Kindly contact Dn Yeo  if you are available.

7. The two ERBL Evening Lectures offered from 9 January-May 2023:

1) OT Historical Books by Rev Charles Seet (Monday @ 7.30 pm)

    This course will enable students to understand the significance of the events described in the books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, and 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther. It also covers the theological values and critical questions concerning the Old Testament Historical books.

2) Global History of the Presbyterian and Bible-Presbyterian Church

     by Rev Lee Hock Chin (Thursday @ 7.30 pm)

    This course traces the mighty redemptive work of the Lord in history, through Presbyterian and Bible-Presbyterian churches across the world. This global history covers the history of churches that subscribed to Presbyterian polity from the New Testament era to the beginning of the twenty-first century.

It will be conducted on-site at No. 10 Gilstead Road. It is compulsory for all Credit Students to attend lectures on-site and Audit Students can either attend lectures via Zoom platform or on-site. Interested parties can register for the courses online at  https://lifebpc.com/erbl/index.php/registration-tt

8. Emmanuel Reformed Bible College is offering the following courses from 9 January-May 2023 at No. 1 Tao Ching Road.

1) Apocalypse & General Epistles by Rev Ho Chee Lai (Monday @ 10 am)

2)           Hermeneutics by Rev Isaac Ong (Tuesday @ 10 am)

3)           Theories of Counselling by Rev Lim Chee Boon (Tuesday @ 1.30 pm

4)           Counselling in the Local Church by Mr Joel Seah (Wednesday @ 10 am)

5)           Bibliology & Theology Proper by Rev Isaac Ong (Thursday @ 10 am)

6)           Introduction to Christian Education by Ms June Tan (Friday @ 10 am)

7)           Theological Research & Writing by Ms June Tan (Friday @ 1.30 pm)

For registration and details of the courses, please refer to our website: www.erbc.sg.

9. Life BPC has the following vacancies:

a)       Assistant Finance Officer (AFO)

Responsibilities:

Assists in the finance operations of the organization, and Human Resource administrative/operational functions of the Church.

Qualifications:

• Diploma in Accounting or higher
• 2 years’ experience in relevant fields
• Should be able to handle full set of accounts
• Knowledge of Quick Book Systems and computer applications is an added advantage

b)       Assistant Media & Technology Officer (AMTO)

Responsibilities:

Assists in supporting the Audio-Visual (AV) functions of the church.

Qualifications:

• Diploma/ITE or higher in Electrical/Electronic/Mechatronics/Computer Engineering or Mass Media & Communications or equivalent.
• Knowledge/skills in handling of Pro-audio/visual equipment is preferred.
• Knowledge of IT and computer software/hardware.
• Hands-on in technical and maintenance works is an advantage.
• A dedicated, responsible, truthful and spiritually mature person with self-motivation, commitment and interest in this work and as a church ministry.
• Able to work independently and as well as in a team.
• Preferably a member of Life B-P Church.
• Possessing a Class 3 driving license is an advantage.
• Candidates with no relevant experience may apply as trainee for the position.

Candidates with relevant qualifications and experience may submit your application and CV to the Church Operations Manager at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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