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Christ died on our behalf! He died on the cross, bearing the wrath of God against our sins. Christ had no sin of His own to suffer and die. He perfectly obeyed His Father and fulfilled all His laws. He was sinless. But God imputed our sins to Christ, that by His death, He might satisfy the demands of God’s justice. By bearing our punishment, He delivered us from enduring the eternal punishment in hell!

Because Christ willingly took our place to save us from God’s just wrath against our sins, His death is known as “substitutionary death”. Christ’s death on the cross is also known as “vicarious death”, for the word “vicarious” has the idea of “experienced through a substitute”.

It is the clear teaching of God’s Word that Jesus Christ came to earth to pay for the sins of all who would believe on Him. Please meditate on the Bible verses below, which declare the truth of Christ’s substitutionary death for the salvation of sinners from divine wrath:

• “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
• “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).
• “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:10).
• “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11).
• “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).
• “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3).
• “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead” (2 Corinthians 5:14).
• “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:15).
• “For he hath made him (Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
• “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians3:13).
• “For he that is dead is freed from sin” (Romans 6:7).
• “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him” (Romans 6:8).
• “For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God” (Romans 6:10).
• “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
• “Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him” (1 Thessalonians 5:10).
• “… Christ also suffered for us …” (1 Peter 2:21).
• “Who (Christ) his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
• “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).
• “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

Prayer has been the life-line of Gethsemane B-P Church. In addition to the congregational gathering on Tuesday nights to pray together after the Bible learning, many “prayer-bands” in our church meet to pray at other times of every week. One of such is held on Fridays at 7.30am in the Church Resource Centre. Though it is made up of a small group of prayer warriors, they have been interceding for the church for the past eight years. We share with you a testimony by one of its regular participants, Sis Diana Chan. May God raise up such prayer groups of our worshippers and members all around this island!

Sis Diana Chan’s Testimony

We praise God for moving the heart of Pastor Koshy to hold a prayer gathering every Friday morning for Gethsemane Bible- Presbyterian Church brethren. Thank God for Pr Kelvin Lim for taking leadership of the Friday morning prayer meeting ministry since its inception on Friday, 7 November 2008.

This prayer meeting is held

• on Friday morning,
• between 7.30am and 8.15am,
• in our Church Resource Centre.

The objectives of the Friday morning prayer meeting ministry are twofold:

• To encourage church brethren to seek the Lord early in the morning before we go to work, to school or start our daily activities, following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, who “in the morning, rising up a great while before day…departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35).
• To learn to pray according to Scripture.

When the Friday morning prayer meeting was introduced, it used to start at 6.30am and end at 7.15am. It was truly challenging holding the prayer meeting at such an early hour, as not many members would attend. Usually, besides Pr Kelvin Lim who led the meeting, there were one or two other members present for the sessions. There were occasions when due to work demands, the other members were not able to attend, so Pr Kelvin would spend time alone with the Lord.

Till today, it is still a small group attending the Friday morning prayer meeting. However, we praise and thank God for His grace and mercy in sustaining this ministry for almost eight years already. Currently, we are studying the Book of Acts. On those Fridays when Pr Kelvin has other speaking engagements outside of Singapore, Pastor Koshy would lead us in the meeting.

We usually start the Friday morning prayer meeting with responsive reading from the Word of God. Pr Kelvin would lead us in an opening prayer of praise and thanksgiving, followed by an exhortation taken from the text in the responsive reading. We thank God for the edification from God’s Word early in the morning.

Before we pray, we would go round the group for brethren to share their praise and prayer items. As the group is small, the items we share are usually quite in-depth, which include personal, family and church matters, as well as our individual ministries and service for the Lord.

We thank God for the praise and thanksgiving items. It is very encouraging to listen to brethren who, in rising up early and coming together in morning, give thanks and praise to God for His grace and faithfulness. “Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks” (Psalm 75:1). We also thank God for the prayer items. Truly, it is of the Lord’s mercy and grace that we are enabled to “let (our) requests be made known unto God” with joy, thereby allowing “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” to guard our “hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

I am thankful for the Friday prayer meeting as “it is good for me to draw near to God” (Psalm 73:28) in the morning and, through the Word of God, be made more aware of His presence, as well as be guided in my thoughts, actions and behaviour as I go through the day.

May God bless all the brethren in Gethsemane Bible- Presbyterian Church and draw us close unto Him “that hearest prayer …” (Psalm 65:2), so that our mouths may “be filled with thy (God’s) praise and with thy (God’s) honour all the day” (Psalm 71:8).

Indeed, “Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee” (Psalm 70:4).

He is Faithful to Keep Us Close to Him

Prabhudas Koshy

“God is faithful, by whom ye were
called unto the fellowship of his Son
Jesus Christ our Lord”
(1 Corinthians 1:9).

As Christians, one of our greatest consolations is that we have an unchanging, ever dependable, true and faithful God. Our circumstances may change, people whom we relied on for a long time may change, but He who has called us “unto the fellowship of His Son” will unchangeably remain as our endless help and strength.

God will also remain faithful to all His promises. He will not fail to perform what He has promised. We can trust Him to keep every word He has promised. He will not deceive us. He will not commence anything which He will not perfect and finish. Our confidence about the blessed hope that Christianity gives to us is wholly built upon the faithfulness of God.

The apostle Paul’s purpose in presenting the truth about God’s faithfulness here is to provide the proof for his earlier statement that the believers will be kept blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, their ultimate bliss in heaven is guaranteed by the fidelity of God. As Paul says in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”.

Paul also reminds the believers that they have been called by God. He said to them, “ye were called”. It is God who has called them. The word “called” here does not refer merely to an invitation, but what the theologians refer to as “the effectual calling”. When the Gospel call is given to repent and to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, some hearers would reject it. But some others would experience a deep-felt inward call to repent and believe on Christ. Those who are effectually called are not those who just receive the external call of the Gospel, but also the inner call of the Gospel by the working of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. Westminster Shorter Catechism explains effectual calling as “the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel” (Q & A: 31).

When God calls us, He leads us into a close fellowship or communion with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. From then onwards, we shall enjoy a warm and abiding relationship with Christ. Let us always seek to walk with Christ.

Bible Witness Media Ministry has produced two volumes of “Scripture in Song” DVD, especially for the spiritual nurture of children. In both DVDs, we have children from our church singing all the songs. Today, I would like to share with all of you the story behind it and our purpose for its production.

Its Story

The idea of “Scripture in Song” first began as a family affair about two decades ago. My wife and I were making efforts to help our three young children memorise God’s Word. During that time, I noticed that my children could memorise lyrics of the songs that they learned to sing. I suddenly realised that music can be an efficient aid in helping them to memorise the Word of God. Indeed, singing God’s Word can edify everyone at home as Psalm 119:54 states, “Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.” I was then very stirred in my heart to put tunes for some of the verses. Though I loved music, I had no formal training. Nonetheless, I could make a melody on a piano, which I had in my home. I sought the Lord for His help in prayer. Then I would meditate on a particular verse that I wanted to teach my children and think how I could best sing it without altering the words. When I seemed to have some sort of melody, I would sit at the piano with my Bible and try to play that melody. My children, who heard me trying to sing them, quickly learned them. Admittedly, there were times when I forgot the melody, having no device to record the tunes and also not knowing how to write the music notations. Then when I lamented that I had forgotten the tune, my children (who had heard me singing and playing the tune) would effortlessly recall and sang those words of Scripture to me, to my great surprise!

Since the portions of Scripture that we have been singing in our home have proven to be helpful in teaching my children spiritual truths, I introduced them to Gethsemane B-P Church as “Scripture in Song”. The children and adults alike learned them and started to sing in children’s meetings, fellowship meetings and other gatherings. Later, Bible Witness Media Ministry produced two DVDs, entitled “Scripture in Song” I & II, for children. We praise God for the joyful participation and contribution of children and several brethren of Gethsemane BPC that helped us to produce those DVDs for the benefit of Christians everywhere.

Its Goal

Our prayer is that our feeble efforts in producing the “Scripture in Song” DVDs will contribute towards propagating God’s truth and promoting a love for His Word. Songs are one of the ways which Scripture says that we can declare God’s truth to the coming generations – “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 89:1).

We pray that Christian parents, Sunday School teachers and those who minister to children would find the “Scripture in Song” profitable in aiding children to memorise God’s Word. In fact, I sing them during my pastoral visitations to homes of our church members, hospital visitations, fellowship group meetings, etc. Once we learn to sing them, they become very useful for our own spiritual strengthening and also for exhorting others.

Its Reason

We all know that the Book of Psalms is a collection of Hebrew songs which declare the truths of God. They are inspired songs. The ancient people of God, the Jews, sang them in their homes, in their journeys, and in times of worship. However, we do not know the ancient Hebrew tunes of the Psalms. Though we have the Psalms faithfully translated into our English KJV Bible, we don’t have tunes to sing the exact words in the KJV. We know of the existence of the Psalter, from which we do sing. However, they are paraphrased to fit the music, and not exact words of the KJV Bible that we use. “Scripture in Song” that we have produced, on the other hand, are the exact words from the KJV Bible.

Singing of the Scripture portions is greatly profitable to our souls. This is evident from the very fact that some portions of Scripture are songs, which were sung to instruct God’s people in spiritual truths. Moreover, there are clear exhortations in Scripture to sing the truths of God. There are also many testimonies of the benefits of singing the truths of God. Here are some of those exhortations:

• “Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works” (1 Chronicles 16:9; cf. Psalm 105:2).
• “For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody” (Isaiah 51:3).
• “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).
• “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).
• “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms” (James 5:13).

Music is God’s gift to man as an appropriate and fitting means to (i) worship His glorious Name (Exodus 15:1; Psalms 66:4; 96:2); (ii) meditate and rejoice in the truths and works of God (Psalms 63:4-6; 71:23; 104:33-34); (iii) effectively declare His truth to others (Psalm 89:1); and (iv) edify and nurture others (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Because God has meant music to be a channel for such noble spiritual purposes, music that is godly and scriptural can benefit our children in their spiritual growth.

Memorise and Sing Them!

I would like to encourage all worshippers in Gethsemane BPC to commit to memory as many “Scripture in Song” as possible. Let us make sure that children and parents alike learn to sing His Word. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom”!

The term “fellowship” has become a commonplace word not only in the church but also in the secular world, so much so that even casual meetings over some drinks have come to be known as “fellowship”. The modern world’s idea of “fellowship” has become so watered-down that it no longer carries the intended meaning as defined by Scripture.

The Greek word koinōnia is where we get our English word “fellowship”, as translated in our King James Bible in twelve instances. In other occurrences, it is rendered as “communion” (4 times), “communication” (once), “distribution” (once), “contribution” (once) and “to communicate” (once). It comes from a root word that means “partnership”, and suggests a close relationship as expressed in God’s covenantal bond with His people. Christian fellowship among believers is an extension of that covenantal relationship of love that exists between God and His people. The apostle John’s words in 1 John 1:3 affirm this understanding of Christian fellowship - “that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

It all began with God. Even though man was alienated from God by his sin and rebellion, God initiated the move to reconcile man to Himself and seek a closer relationship with him. In Genesis 3:8-9, right after Adam had sinned, God never left him despite his alienation, but condescended and came down to find him. As fallen Adam hid from God’s presence, God graciously called out to him, “Where art thou?” (Genesis 3:9). These words continue to echo in the gospel call of Jesus Christ, “Where art thou, O sinner?”

Surely it does not mean that God, being omniscient, did not know where Adam was and needed to ask such a question. It was God’s initiative to give Adam the opportunity to confess and repent of his sin. Thus, Christian fellowship is an act of God’s grace in seeking out sinful man so that He may establish a sweet relationship with him.

By nature, fallen men and women are bent on running away from God. This truth is obvious in the way we react to God’s Word in the light of the carnal things that we think, say or do. Because of sin, we are at enmity with God. But God has always been stretching out His hand in reconciling sinful man to Himself. Biblical history is replete with God’s call to man to come into a sweet relationship with Him, as shown in the following passages:

• Genesis 17:7 – “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.”
• Exodus 29:45 – “And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.”
• Leviticus 26:12 – “And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.”
• 1 Kings 6:13 – “And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.”
• Jeremiah 7:23 – “But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”
• 2 Corinthians 6:16 – “… for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
• Ephesians 3:17 – “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.”
• 1 John 4:15 – “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.”
• Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

(Cf. Jeremiah 11:4; 30:22; 31:33; 32:38; Ezekiel 11:20; 2 Corinthians 6:17-18).

These are just some of the many verses in the Bible in which we see God’s wonderful calling, desire and effort to reconcile and keep His people close to Him. It is a relationship by which God holds His elect dear unto Himself.

This vertical relationship with God is expressed in the horizontal, mutual relationships among His people. This is what we call Christian fellowship. “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12b). “He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16b).

One of the most definitive passages in Scripture that set forth the importance of, the mandate for and the command for all believers to be encouragers is found in Paul’s second epistle to the Corinthians – “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Just to provoke us to internalise these thoughts, allow me to ask a pointed question: “If our God (“the God of all comfort”) had indeed comforted us in our past trials, how can we not want to joyfully comfort others who need to be comforted?”

These two verses, as with many portions of Scripture, remind us that all of us at some point in time will have trials, difficulties, pains and sorrows in life. That is the time when comfort and encouragement are most needed. However, such times of need are not perpetual; they will certainly pass, by God’s sustaining grace. In fact, suffering believers as such are being prepared by the Lord, that they may emerge from their difficulties that much stronger in Him and be ready to render encouragement to others. It is this conviction that led leaders of our church to establish the Gethsemane Encouragers’ Ministry (GEM), one of the earliest ministries of the church which began some twenty years ago.

Praise God for brethren in our midst who have joyfully come forward to serve in the committee which plans and coordinates initiatives to encourage one another in the church. The 7-member GEM Committee presently comprises Eld Mah, Dn Kelvin Lim, Sisters Gina Sim, Jenn Lee, Kamala, Kim Lei, and Melissa Mah. Do pray that the Lord will grant them His grace to enable each to serve joyfully, amidst their many other commitments in the church and family. However, the ministry of encouraging others is not left to them alone. We praise God that over time, many have been involved. As the Lord leads, may more brethren joyfully share in this blessed service.

How can we encourage others? A sincere visit to the aged, the lonely, the troubled, the sick at home or in the hospital certainly will bring no small comfort and will be largely appreciated. However, these are not the only avenues of encouragement. If we see encouragement as coming alongside the needy brethren to offer our time in fellowship or in praying and praising God together, or to give a timely word of godly counsel, or to make an appropriate gift, or to disseminate their praise and prayer items through the church hotline, then there certainly is no lack of opportunities to encourage others in our church. Even a cheerful and sincere greeting is in itself a most welcomed expression of encouragement for one another!

On top of this, we could certainly participate in the church’s various ministries, events and initiatives, some of which are already in place and some others to be held from time to time. The GEM Committee will continue to plan and coordinate ad-hoc events (as they did in the past), like hosting informal gatherings with newcomers, mission trips, missionary conferences and Christmas carolling programmes, which serve as further avenues for brethren to be engaged in the mutually edifying ministry of encouraging one another in the Lord.

As our church grows in numbers, there is an increasing need for brethren to be comforted and encouraged. May every believer see it as his or her joy to “bear … one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2), for the glory of the Lord Jesus’ Name.

Mutually Edifying Speech

Prabhudas Koshy

God’s people are exhorted to use their God-given ability of speech to encourage and edify one another, not to corrupt and hurt others. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29). The Greek word for “corrupt” denotes that which is putrid, rotten and hence corrupting, defiling and injurious. Corrupt communication is manifested in vulgar / profane exclamations, foolish talking, filthy conversation, profane oaths, lies, angry utterances, ridicule, hurtful words, curses, threatenings, gossips, slanders, false accusations, boastings, flattery, misleading advice, false teachings, unwholesome / filthy songs, etc.

Corrupt communication can easily occur even in churches. Not only new Christians, but also matured believers, have been overtaken by this sin. Since bad speech is an expression of defiled thoughts and feelings (cf. Matthew 15:18), we must be watchful against falling into this unsavoury conduct by cleansing our hearts and minds constantly, and keeping them from being defiled. We must also avoid the company of people who engage in evil communication. “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Godly men will be cautious of what they say. May our prayer be: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

Merely refraining from corrupt speech is not good enough; good speech is encouraged. Paul advises Christians to see that their words are well-chosen so that they edify others. The Greek word for “edifying” (oikodómēsis) denotes the act of building a house. Paul uses it to indicate spiritual nurture or advancement. We seek, through our speech, to build one another up. By relating our testimony of salvation and sharing the Gospel of Christ with the unsaved, we can point some souls to the Saviour. Through friendly discussions, we can impart God’s truths to the young in faith so that they may grow in the knowledge of God’s Word. We can comfort the weary and sad with God’s promises. We can also prevent some from going astray by providing timely and wise advice. Besides, we can correct and restore those who have erred in their ways by admonishing them in love.

Great spiritual disaster will come upon our church, friends and family members, if we choose not to speak when there is a need to do so. Where there is a lack of godly conversation, the unhindered growth of spiritual maladies will take root and fester. So, let us strive to “minister grace unto the hearers”, by speaking with wisdom and grace to impart spiritual blessings and protection to others.

Before Jesus’ ascension to heaven, He gave His disciples the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18- 20 – “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

The Great Commission is given to the church to reach out to the unbelieving world. It is the duty of the believers to be witnesses for Christ by sharing the Gospel with people, welcoming them to the church and also teaching them to obey the commandments of God given in the Bible. In Acts 1:8b, Jesus mentioned what appears to be the sequence that the church should follow in their witnessing - “ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The disciples were to reach out to the unbelieving world, starting from where they were situated, namely from Jerusalem. Evangelistic efforts must begin from home and then to the rest of the world. While it is important to be a mission-minded church, we must also give high priority to local evangelism.

The Gethsemane Evangelism Outreach (GEO) is a ministry set up with the primary aim of sharing the good tidings of the Gospel to unbelieving people in the neighbourhood. Its function is to spearhead the evangelistic efforts of the church whereby church members will reach out to non-Christians by sharing the Gospel with them and also inviting them to church to learn biblical truths from God’s Word. The present committee members of GEO are Bro Andrew Koh, Dn Low Boon Siang, Bro Edwin Quek and Bro John Peh.

Every fourth Sunday of the month, Gethsemaneans go for evangelism at designated places. Praise God that the people who regularly participate in this monthly evangelistic outreach have frequently numbered around 50-60 people. In recent months, we are glad that many more have participated – even beyond 70! The people who go for evangelism are divided into small groups. They go door-todoor to give out tracts and share the Gospel with the residents. Usually, about 3 HDB blocks would be covered for each evangelism session.

Currently, GEO is facing the challenge of transporting all the people who wish to go for evangelism from the church to the designated place of evangelism. Two church vans and TGCM’s lorry have been made available regularly. However, they are not sufficient to fetch the increasing number of people going for evangelism. Pastor has therefore suggested that we should hire a bus; with the increased participation from members and worshippers, the GEO committee is in the process of planning to better organise our future monthly evangelism sessions.

Furthermore, GEO plans to work closely with other fellowship groups and ministries by providing encouragement and assistance in their own evangelistic outreaches. The GEO committee members are ready to attend the various evangelistic meetings so as to reach out to the newcomers in these meetings. Other than that, working in conjunction with the Gethsemane Encouragers’ Ministry (GEM), a set of guidelines is given to the various fellowship groups in welcoming newcomers to the church, to the extent that representative members of every fellowship group will be on hand to reach out to newcomers. The ultimate aim is for newcomers to be assimilated into the church and also for their spiritual edification or needs to be addressed by the church leaders (Pastor, elders, deacons and preachers).

It is the GEO’s sincere prayer that you do your part and join us in the evangelistic efforts of the church to reach out to the lost, who are on their way to eternal peril. Stanza one of the hymn, “Throw Out the Lifeline”, drives home this truth most succinctly:

Door-to-Door Evangelism

Prabhudas Koshy

Many have questioned whether “door-to-door evangelism” is relevant or efficient today. In fact, many churches have stopped this form of evangelism. Some say it is not effective; few people turn to Christ this way as many are not at home, and even those at home are not willing to engage in conversation about the Gospel. Christians also fear possible angry outbursts of some homeowners and being branded as “recruiters” from some kind of cult. Moreover, many Christians do not like to engage in conversation with “strangers”. However, in Gethsemane BPC, we continue this method of evangelism. We do not think it a futile effort. We engage in it for the following reasons:

• House-to-house preaching was an apostolic method of spreading the Gospel (Acts 5:42; 20:20)
• Notwithstanding the response, we have an opportunity to magnify the Lord before the unbelieving. We are commanded to “Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people” (Psalm 96:3; cf. 1 Chronicles 16:24; Psalms 18:49; 67:2; 96:10; 98:2), for He is worthy to be praised among all people.

So let us always be ready to visit homes of both friends and strangers to declare our Great and Only Saviour. We must count it an honour to be a witness of His glorious Name. Here are some pointers for you to “ready” yourself for door-to-door evangelism:

• Gently knock at the door (press the bell).
• When the door is open, with thanksgiving in your heart for the opportunity, greet the resident with a smile, and introduce yourself by your first name and as a Christian from Gethsemane B-P Church.
• With prayer, you inform the resident that you would like to introduce to them the Gospel and the church. If they are willing, present the Gospel succinctly and clearly with joy of heart. Invite them also to our church.
• If they refuse to listen to your Gospel presentation, politely give the Gospel tract and the church invitation pamphlet if they would accept. If not, thank them for the time.
• You may also courteously try to get their name / contact info, if they are keen to know more about the church activities or if they would like you to pay another visit to provide more teaching or counselling.
• If no one at home, you may neatly place the Gospel tract at the gate or door.
• Always remember that our part in the evangelism is to preach the Gospel and that the salvation of souls belongs to the Lord. When you speak of the Lord, you effectively serve Him.

Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).

Gethsemane Children’s Ministry (GCM) was established with the dual purpose of meeting the spiritual needs of children within our church, and of reaching out to children outside the church. It seeks to educate believing children in the Word of God (Proverbs 22:6), and to evangelise unbelieving children with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19-20). We thank God for a committee that has been formed to oversee the planning and execution of the GCM activities. The present GCM committee comprises Pr Kelvin Lim, Bro Kenneth Wong, Bro Neo Kian Seng, Sis Choy Luan Kheng, Sis Winnie Yap, Sis Melissa Mah and Sis Kamalamangai, with Pastor as the Advisor.

The Lord’s Day GCM Activities

(i) The Children’s Choir meets for practice every Lord’s Day from 9.00 to 10.00am (see separate write-up by Melissa Mah).

(ii) The Junior Worship (JW) classes cater to children from 4 to 10 years of age. A special Bible learning programme is prepared for them which takes place during the main worship service (immediately after pastoral prayer). There are 3 JW classes, namely Nursery class, Kindergarten class and Lower Primary class.

(iii) The Children’s Bible Study (CBS) classes are held concurrently with the Adults’ Bible Study on Sunday afternoon. 3 CBS classes are catered to teach the Nursery / Kindergarten, Lower Primary and the Upper Primary classes respectively.

(iv) The Children’s Library serves to provide our children with a precious avenue to read and be edified by good Christian books. These can be borrowed from the book table set up by a team of church librarians led by Bro John Peh.

Saturday GCM Activities

(i) GCM also organises activities for children on Saturdays, during the respective meetings of the Men’s Fellowship, Ladies’ Fellowship and Adults’ Fellowship gatherings. The children are taught Scripture in songs, choruses, spiritual songs and hymns, as well as the Word of God. There is also time for interaction and “bonding” through games.

(ii) Occasionally, GCM organises outings for children in conjunction with the Gethsemane Adults’ Fellowship Combined Outings

Special GCM Programmes

(i) Daily Vacation Bible School (DVBS) is held during the December school holidays, where we encourage our children to invite their school friends, relatives and neighbours to participate in this annual event to spread the Gospel to them.

(ii) Parents’ Seminars are conducted to instruct parents in our church in the biblical upbringing of their children. Pertinent themes, such as “Nurturing Our Children Biblically” (in 2014), and “Modern Challenges to Biblical Parenting” (in 2015), are highlighted to instil in parents the importance and impact of their indispensable God-given responsibilities.

(iii) Teacher Training Seminars are also held from time to time for the equipping of the GCM teachers.

(iv) On occasion, a Gospel Rally is organised for spreading the Gospel to friends and relatives of our children and their parents who have not yet received the Lord Jesus as their Saviour.

The Lord has blessed GCM with many children throughout the past 28 years of Gethsemane’s existence. Some of the youths and young adults in the church today have grown up through GCM. It is a joy to see them growing up in the church, and actively serving the Lord in various ministries today. Praise be unto the Lord!

Gethsemane Children’s Choir

Melissa Mah
Scripture records an occasion in Jesus’ earthly ministry where he was received by the exuberant praises of children in the temple of God, proclaiming, “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matthew 21:15)! The Lord Jesus was very pleased with the children’s earnest and sincere expressions of praise. This can be seen from His immediate rebuttal of the scribes and Pharisees’ complaint about the children’s joyful rendering of glory unto Christ: “Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise” (Matthew 21:16)? Our Lord welcomed the children’s praises, and did not brush them aside.

Likewise, the worshipful singing of the children in our church greatly honours the Lord. Gethsemane Children’s Choir is established to encourage the young ones in our church to glorify and praise the Name of Christ from an early age. The Gethsemane Children’s Choir is a part of the Gethsemane Children’s Ministry. One of the main objectives of the Children’s Choir ministry is to teach the children to worship God through the singing of Christian hymns. When the children join the congregation to sing, they learn to “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name” (Psalm 29:2; cf. Psalm 22:22). We prayerfully instruct them to direct their hearts and minds unto the Almighty God in worship. This is an important aspect of the children’s singing during their choir presentations. They should know that they are not singing as in a performance to show off their abilities, but rather, singing in worship of God and to exalt God’s holy Name. We pray that the children in the choir will be spontaneous in their praises unto God. May they always be ready to sing with gladness of heart and declare the goodness of God (cf. Psalm 95:1)!

Singing and memorising the hymns in particular would help them to recall the edifying words of the hymns even when they have grown up. We should not underestimate how readily little children can learn spiritual truths as they sing the hymn lyrics. Certainly, all these avenues for children to be grounded in the faith (cf. Colossians 2:7) are precious and not to be wasted.

An added benefit of participating in regular children’s choir practices is that the children may in the process be instilled (from an early age) with some of the disciplines of Christian service, including consecration of heart through prayer, humility in thanksgiving, courageous faith to witness for Christ, joyful perseverance, discipline and self-denial.

We thank God for a team of sisters who labour to train the Children’s Choir. They are Sis Stefanie Wong (who is presently away in Melbourne), Sis Melissa Mah, Sis Ellyzabeth and Sis Angeline Wong. Please pray for them that their efforts will effectively nurture our children in the knowledge of God’s truth, godly disciplines of worship and service of our Lord. Furthermore, as the choir comprises children of varied ages, temperaments and abilities, pray also for God’s wisdom and patience to be upon the teachers, and that the children will be teachable, obedient, diligent and enthusiastic about honouring God with their singing.

We encourage all parents to bring your children (5 to 12 years of age) to join the Children’s Choir practices every Sunday, 9.00-10.00am. Younger children are also welcome to join the choir, provided they are able to follow instructions.

Just as those children in God’s temple honoured Christ as they came into His presence with songs of exultation, may our children also rejoice to honour God with their songs of praise in God’s church!

On every occasion of joy, whether it be a new year or anniversary or birthday, we must humble ourselves and give glory and honour to the LORD. God’s people must remember the Lord’s goodness and consider how to render their gratitude to Him. We have a good pattern in the humble reflection of the psalmist in Psalm 116 - “What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people” (vv.12-14).

We must readily and enthusiastically ascribe glory to our God, saying, “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness” (Psalm 65:11). It is the LORD who preserves us and keeps us alive (Psalm 41:2). It is because of His compassion that we are delivered from all our troubles (Psalm 34:6). In His mercy, He healed our sicknesses (Psalm 30:2-3). With the outpouring of His grace, He has strengthened our weak frame and made us triumphant (2 Corinthians 2:14; 12:9). So let us praise Him in our hearts, and also let us declare His truth to all around us.

During this Lunar New Year,

• ecall the goodness of the LORD in your mind, and worship Him.
• In your home, rejoice with your family and worship Him together.
• Be hospitable and kind to all. Be humble and gracious to spread the love of Christ.
• Be sure not to exult in your wealth nor in your achievements. Be not like those who glory in earthly possessions.
• Be kind-hearted and generous towards the less fortunate around you.
• When you meet with your relatives and friends, do not forget to be a witness for our wonderful Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gethsemane Ladies’ Fellowship

Prabhudas Koshy & Carolyn Koshy

The beginning of the Gethsemane Ladies’ Fellowship (GLF) can be traced to a small group of about five ladies who had gathered together to pray, knowing that without prayer, the struggles and challenges of Christian life is impossible to be overcome. They met in their respective homes to pray for themselves, their families and ministries of the church and came to be known as Ladies’ Prayer Group (LPG). LPG started to reach out to other ladies in the church and held prayer meetings in their homes. Soon the number of participants started to increase, and the preachers and elders of our church were invited to provide exhortations from the Word of God. To help ladies who needed counsel and clarification of doubts, a “Question and Answer” (Q & A) session was also included after every message. This was followed by prayer in small groups and some refreshments.

Due to the increasing number of sisters in the church, a committee was formed in 2010, with our Pastor as the Advisor. Pastor advises the committee to plan and organise special programmes, such as seminars to educate ladies more deeply in God’s Word, as well as to conduct regular visitations of sisters to provide biblical counselling and prayer support. To name a few seminar topics that GLF has organised and which are uploaded in the Bible Witness Web Radio of Gethsemane B-P Church (under the Ladies’ Segment known as “Women of Virtue”): “Quest for Revival”, “Prayer for Revival”, “Sarah - Faith that Overcomes Sense and Reason” and “Esther - Prodigy of Providence”. (Please visit the website of BWWR [https://biblewitness.com/webradio/women-of-virtue] to listen to those seminars, that you may be further edified.)

To better represent the goals and activities of this ministry, LPG has been renamed Gethsemane Ladies’ Fellowship (GLF). The present committee members are Carolyn Koshy (Coordinator), Gina Sim (Secretary), Sarah Yong (Treasurer), Mah Lean Choo and Annie Ho, with Pastor Koshy as the Advisor.

We praise the Lord that last year, GLF could learn precious lessons from a series of character studies on “Women of Faith” in the Bible, such as Eve, Rebekah, Jochebed, Rahab, Ruth, the Syrophenician Woman, etc. Those lessons were taught by Preacher Ho Kee How. God willing, these may be uploaded in the BWWR this year in a “Q & A” format for further spiritual edification of all listeners.

Presently, GLF meetings are conducted on every 3rd Saturday of the month in the homes of sisters (except for March and September, where we have our seminars held in rented auditoriums). After every teaching of God’s Word, there will be a short “Q & A” session for further clarification and understanding of the Scriptures, especially in relation to our lives. This is followed by intercessory prayer among two or three sisters, ending with fellowship over refreshments. The GLF thank God for all full-time staff of the church and also for other voluntary drivers who constantly fetch the ladies from designated MRT stations to the respective meeting venues, not forgetting also the kind hospitality of many ladies who welcome us to their homes.

The GLF committee have committed themselves to meet every second Tuesday of the month to uphold sisters and the church in prayer. Please feel free to approach any one of the GLF committee members if you have any queries. You may send your prayer items through WhatsApp or via SMS. As we also regularly visit ladies for mutual encouragement in the Word and prayer, please do let us know if you would like us to visit you and pray with you.

We give thanks to God that sisters have received much spiritual blessings through all these activities, including sisters from other churches as well (who themselves have testified of the blessings they have received). To God be the glory!

The objective of the Gethsemane Youth Fellowship (GYF) is to reach out to the young people of our church with biblical truths that will help them keep out worldliness in their lives (cf. 1 John 2:15a). Worldliness is like leaven that “leaveneth the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6b). Worldliness pervades every aspect of life and society. Young people are especially vulnerable to its evil influences.

According to the Scriptures, youths can be strengthened to be overcomers of the world and its wicked prince, the devil, through the Word of God. 1 John 2:14b says, “I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” Therefore, we want to encourage youths of our church to join GYF activities to be instructed and equipped with the truths of God’s Word in order to be overcomers of the world. Our prayer is that they would become godly youths, walking and built up in the Lord (cf. Colossians 2:6-7) and being “fervent in spirit; serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11b).

The leadership of the GYF (the GYF Committee) is made up of matured men and women of the church so that the youths may have good supervision and guidance. They provide exemplary leadership for the youths, and also encourage them to serve in several responsible areas of GYF. The present GYF Committee is made up of Pastor, Elder Alan Choy, Brother Andrew Koh and Sister Diana Chan. Moreover, Brother Andrew Koh ministers among the youths as a full-time staff of the church. Anyone who needs his assistance, please call him at +65 9862 3403.

The following programmes are provided by GYF for the youths:

Gethsemane Youth Bible Hour: This is usually held twice a month. It has a systematic approach to teaching God’s Word. Every year, there are two series of messages being taught in the regular meetings. For this year, the youths will be studying “Soteriology and Ecclesiology” every 1st Saturday of the month, taught by Brother Andrew Koh; and the Johannine Epistles (i.e. 1, 2 and 3 John) every 3rd Saturday of the month, taught by Pastor Koshy. Besides regular bi-monthly meetings, the youths also have special events like evangelism, Gospel rallies, retreats and annual youth camps.

Gethsemane Campus Ministries: Presently, there are ministries for students in three local tertiary institutions, namely Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), and Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Brother Andrew Koh leads in the NAFA and SUTD Campus Bible Study, while Elder Alan Choy oversees the NTU group. The twofold purpose of this campus ministry is to preach the Gospel to students studying at these 3 campuses and also to minister God’s Word to their Christian students. Regular Bible studies are conducted on those campuses during their school terms. During these meetings, students also take time to pray for one another.

In addition, some of our youths are also involved in Fundamental Christian Ministry (FCM), which is a ministry for tertiary students by Calvary Pandan B-P Church. Preacher Kelvin Lim regularly teaches in the FCM Bible studies held for students from Singapore Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Gethsemane Youth Choir: For the praise of our God and edification of God’s people, a choir is organised for the youths to regularly practise and present psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Indeed, as Psalm 148:12- 13 say, “Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.”

GYF Evangelism: We praise God for the fervour of our youths to spread the Gospel among their peers, acquaintances and others. Every year, GYF organises special events to preach the Gospel to their non-Christians friends. Moreover, every 5th Saturday, GYF organises a session for door-to- door evangelism, distribution of Gospel tracts, etc.

Gethsemane Youth Ministries on Internet and Social Media: GYF maintains a website (http:// gethsemanebpc.com/gybh) for information on GYF programmes and also to provide edifying media content. Several youths labour together with Brother Andrew Koh to maintain this web page. Please visit and benefit from this website. In conjunction with the Bible Witness Web Radio, GYF produces and broadcasts a “Youth Bible Hour” segment every Tuesday (8.00am to 9.00am, 9.30pm to 10.30pm) and Friday (2.00pm to 3.00pm), as well as every Monday for overseas listeners (2.15am to 3.15am). The weekly broadcast can also be downloaded at one’s convenience from the “On Demand” link on BWWR website (http:// biblewitness.com/webradio/ondemand/ youth-bible-hour.html).

There is also a WhatsApp “chat group” to regularly update the youths with details on various activities, prayer items, and other necessary and useful information.

GYF would like to invite all youths (13-23 years old) to join us in our meetings for a blessed time of fellowship and learning of God’s Word. It is also our earnest desire that you pray for the GYF Committee, that we will continue to be faithful in serving the Lord.

GYAFis a ministry specially organised to reach out to the young adults of Gethsemane B-P Church who are in the age range of about 23-35 years. The very first time a young adults’ group was formed in Gethsemane BPC was in 1996. A few years later, when the young adults went on to form the Adults’ Fellowship (GAF), the young adults’ ministry was discontinued. Nevertheless, with more young adults in Gethsemane by the year 2007, we re-established GYAF. Praise God that till this day, it has continued under different committees, and scores of young adults have been spiritually strengthened through its ministries.

Presently, GYAF programmes are coordinated by a committee (Aron Ong, Matthew Mah, Ernest Lim, Ng Kwan Teng, Misty Nguyen, Kamalamangai). Pastor and Dn Low Boon Siang provide supervision and advice to the GYAF Committee.

GYAF serves to edify and equip young adults in the church with a strong biblical foundation for living a fruitful and effective life. We are very mindful that during this stage of their lives, many of them are being led by God’s providence either into family life or to remain in singlehood. Those who are led by the Lord into marriage, receive Biblical counsels through the Bible studies. Single adults in GYAF are also equipped with much spiritual wisdom, joy and strength to overcome their challenges and trials. We thank God that GYAF has been an effective channel in helping many youngsters to grow up to be strong, faithful and effective men and women in the church.

The brethren meet on alternate weeks for a time of Bible Study, prayer, singspiration and fellowship over meals. GYAF also conducts outings, seminars and combined fellowships with YAFers of like-minded B-P churches. Annually, a retreat is organised to spur the young adults on in the way of the Lord through messages and “Q & A” sessions. These “Q & A” sessions allow the brethren to ask questions pertaining to doctrines and contemporary issues.

GYAF thanks and praises God for keeping and blessing this ministry for His glory. “Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you” (1 Samuel 12:24).

GYAF cordially invites all young adults to join the following regular activities:

• Fellowship activities every 1st Saturday (Please check the announcements in the bulletin for information on venue and time);
• Bible Study with Pastor (presently on “Love God & Love Man”, based on Hebrews 10:25) every 3rd Friday (with dinner fellowship @7.30pm, followed by Bible Study @ 8.30pm).

If you would like to join the activities of GYAF, please contact Aron Ong (mobile: 8183 6395), or Misty (mobile: 8535 2285).

Fellowship of God’s People in Evil Times

Christians of our time live amidst unusually sinful circumstances, especially so in this present generation of our Christian youths and young adults. It is most disturbing to think how increasingly difficult it is for our young children to keep to the path of righteousness as they grow up into their youthful days.

Not only do people pursue sin with great passion, Christians are also under tremendous pressure from the world to accept the evils of our time, and adopt their ungodly philosophies, conduct and culture. Unless Christian youths and young adults conscientiously and assiduously make an effort to be different from the world, they too will be driven by the sinful aspirations that surround them today. These are very subtly introduced to them as the social norms of our time. As a result, many Christians are affected by unrestrained materialism, pride, immodesty, fornication, etc. I have known certain church fellowship groups which have been destroyed by great degradation of members’ conduct. They became profane towards God, and treacherous towards one another, with the result that frequent quarrels, divorces, fornication and adultery became common among them – thereby severely destroying the testimony and effectiveness of Christians and churches!

The best remedy is for Christians to avoid the company of their worldly friends, and be involved in close and fervent fellowship with Christians. The role of a closelyknit Christian community in strengthening individual believers to overcome worldliness can never be overemphasised. Close affinity with believers who have a commitment to God’s truths will help us develop a healthy and fruitful spiritual life.

Brethren, let us band together for the promotion of God’s truth and His righteousness. Let our communion with one another be spiritually edifying and Godhonouring. The more wicked the world becomes, the greater our need of Christian fellowship! More hearing of God’s Word and more mutual correction and encouragement would help us to live godly lives. So, let us get together for godly fellowship as often as possible – “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).