Beloved in Christ,
On August 9th at 3 pm, when we gather for a special season of singing hymns together, let us be reminded that it is a time of sacred singing by believers united in heart and voice, to glorify the Lord and to edify one another. Such sacred congregational singing is God-ordained.
Scripture commands it:
Colossians 3:16—“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.”
Ephesians 5:19—“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”.
Psalm 95:1—“O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Scripture also models it:
Jesus and His disciples sang hymns together. According to Matthew 26:30, “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives” (cf. Mark 14:26).
In small groups and large groups, believers sang (Romans 15:9; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Hebrews 2:12; James 5:13). Sometimes, even in the midst of their afflictions (Acts 16:25), they sang as a spiritual expression of truth, joy, and unity in Christ.
Singing spiritual songs, hymns and psalms is not a mere tradition or emotional exercise—it is a biblical expression of unified worship, and a spiritual discipline appointed by God for the good of His people.
As the apostle Paul exhorted in Colossians 3:16, Christian singing is to be Word-filled, grace-driven, and Christ-centred. It is not for entertainment or performance, but for glorifying our Redeemer and for building up the body of Christ. Through sacred song, truth is proclaimed, hearts are stirred, and unity is deepened.
As we sing hymns together, we proclaim the Gospel, we rehearse sound doctrine, and we stir one another to faith and hope. Singing together reminds us that we are one body—many voices, yet one heart in Christ.
The need for such singing is especially great in our time. We live in a noisy and distracted world, where the melodies of grace are often ignored and neglected. Rejoicing and singing together is drowned out by the clamour of our culture and care. This effort at sacred singing as a congregation will help reorientate our hearts to what is true, eternal, and God-glorifying.
The purpose of our singing is, first and foremost, unto the Lord. We sing to glorify Him who has redeemed us. But we also sing to one another, teaching and encouraging one another as we lift our voices. Good hymns nourish the soul and help us remember what our hearts too easily forget.
Let our manner of singing reflect reverence and joy. Let it be thoughtful, not careless; heartfelt, not hurried. Sing with understanding, with gratitude, and with expectation that the Lord will inhabit the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).
May this special time of hymn-singing draw us nearer to Christ and to one another. May our voices rise as one, testifying to the grace that has saved us and the hope that sustains us. “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95:1).
Written to the Cebu Congregation as they celebrate their 21st Anniversary
To the beloved saints at Gethsemane B-P Church, Cebu,
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
As you mark the sacred milestone of your 21st Thanksgiving Anniversary, I write to you with both sorrow and rejoicing in my heart. The news of your dear pastor’s lymphoma has grieved me deeply, and yet I am also stirred with thankfulness for your enduring testimony as a church planted and upheld by God’s mighty hand — through the labours of your pastor these past two decades.
Your under-shepherd, who has faithfully laboured among you in word and doctrine, now walks through a valley where faith is being tested. Yet I thank God for graciously enabling His servant, his family, and the church to find strength and courage amid affliction, resting in the everlasting arms of His providence and love. “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed” (2 Corinthians 4:7-8). This illness has not taken God by surprise. He who appointed Pastor Reggor over you to care for you as God’s flock, has also appointed this affliction for His glory.
Let your love for your pastor be fervent. As Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands in the battle, so hold up your pastor now — with prayer, with compassion, with practical help. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Above all, let your dedication, faithfulness, and zeal for the Lord and His Gospel work flourish; this will surely encourage your pastor. In doing so, you will demonstrate to the watching world your Christ-centredness.
Let us serve with thanksgiving. Twenty-one years of God’s faithfulness is no small thing. Think of the souls converted, the saints edified, the children catechised, the Gospel proclaimed, and the churches planted. You are witnesses to what Paul once declared: “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). What God has begun in your midst, He will complete. Give Him the glory.
Let this anniversary be both a memorial and a vow — a memorial of past mercies and a vow of continued faithfulness. Renew your commitment to sound doctrine, to joyful worship, and to bold witness. In days of uncertainty, be sure of this: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).
I urge you to pray not only for your pastor’s healing, but also for the strengthening of his soul. Pray also for one another. Suffering has a way of purifying a church. May this season be a holy fire that burns away all worldliness and impurities, bringing you forth as gold refined.
The mission team from GBPC Singapore, led by our dear Elder Mah Chin Kwang, will soon be among you. We give thanks to the Lord for this opportunity, and pray that their presence among you will be a source of rich encouragement and spiritual refreshment. May their fellowship cheer your hearts, strengthen your hands in the work of the Lord, and deepen the bond of unity we share in Christ across the nations.
Johnny Rey, who has been trained in GBI Cebu since 2018, arrived here early this week from your midst. He is residing in my home. Each day, he accompanies me to the Gethsemane Media Centre (GMC) and other areas of ministry, that he may learn through close observation and active participation in day-to-day ministry work. He has expressed much joy in the fellowship shared with preachers, staff at GMC, church leaders, and fellow brethren. Let us continue to uphold young Johnny Rey in our prayers, that he may be thoroughly equipped in the Word and in the work of the ministry, growing to become a faithful and fruitful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ. May God raise more young men and young women to serve the Lord full-time!
Finally, I urge you to rally together to press on in faith and holiness for the future. Be strong. Love one another. Uphold your pastor. Preach Christ. And know that “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28).
Beloved, the Lord is with you.
With love in the truth,
Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
(On behalf of the Elders, Preachers, Deacons, and Congregation of GBPC, Singapore)
