David cried out in prayer for help, “Help, LORD”! But what was the cause of David’s plea for help? Why was he feeling helpless and deeply distressed? We don’t have to search long to find the answer, for he immediately stated the reason for his plea – “for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.”
The calamitous problem that David was facing was the lack of godly and faithful men. Even the one who was thought to be godly, had ceased to be godly and faithful. David lamented their failures in the rest of that psalm. They became untruthful, dubious, unreliable, malicious, prideful, boastful, and ended up treating good as bad and exalting men who are sinful.
It is calamitous, indeed, that those who are expected to be godly and faithful fail. We experience awful problems even today, when people in responsible roles of the church fail to maintain a godly and faithful spirit. Their perverse ways often afflict the hearts of those who trusted them to carry out their responsibilities in a God-honouring way. Ungodliness and unfaithfulness in His work is tantamount to betrayal!
In the LORD’s work, it is non-negotiable that preachers and workers be people of virtue and sincerity. In the church ministry, people of all sorts of habits and problems would come to seek help and counsel. It is a place of great spiritual and moral battles. Only those who are truly faithful to the LORD’s call can be effective and fruitful in the ministry of the church. It is not a place for carnal men or women who, with a lying spirit, pretend to be godly servants of God.
The words of Proverbs 20:6 best describe the predicament that Christianity faces today - “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” Though many are keen to put themselves forward as men ready for the Lord’s work, they are unprepared to abide with the LORD with clean hands and pure hearts (cf. Psalm 24:3-4).
Dearly beloved, let us cry out to the Head of the Church to deliver our church from unholy and unrepentant people filling the church’s ministerial and leadership positions. Let us humbly pray that God will also preserve a godly and faithful spirit within everyone who serves in any ministerial and leadership role of our church. As I conclude, I would also like to exhort all who serve as preachers, Session members, staff workers, and committee members of various fellowships and ministries, that we examine ourselves and see that we are serving the LORD with sincerity and faithfulness.
Rev Ephrem Chiracho
Praise and thanks be to God Almighty for making a way for our Ethiopian team to be part of the 4th Missionary Conference of Gethsemane B-P Church. It was a truly enriching and renewing spiritual event. The theme, “Primacy of God’s Word in the Ministry of the Church,” was most timely and needful.
All the theme messages delivered by various men of God have greatly enlightened, revived, strengthened and challenged my life. May their impact on my life and service for Christ be abiding. I was strengthened to press on to fight the good fight of faith, to run the race and fulfil my highest calling faithfully. Indeed, it all boils down to this: “Take the world and give me Jesus.”!
The morning sessions, where the church leaders, full-time ministers and missionaries congregated to pray and meditate on God’s Word (led by Pastor Koshy), were thought-provoking and heart-searching. They were meant not only to inculcate a spiritual mindset and biblical view of our ministries, but also to strengthen and revitalize our spiritual unity and bond of brotherly love – all for the knowledge of Jesus Christ and for the maturing of the saints. Words fail me to fully express the blessings I have received through these sessions. All glory to God!
I am especially thankful to God for the kindred minds and brotherly fellowship that I experienced during the conference. I was also greatly encouraged by the ministration of God’s people in my ill health. The whole body of Christ has joyfully ministered to my needs for which I am grateful to God. May the Lord bless you all for the good works and labour of love that you have done for the sake of Christ’s name (cf. Hebrews 6:10).
“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Romans 11:36). Please, uphold me, my family and the whole Church in prayers that we may stand firm and work the hardest for our soon coming Lord and King!
Rev Paul Cheng
Greetings in the name of our Lord! Once again, thank you so much for the organising of the Missionary Conference and extending the invitation to me. I truly had a blessed time of fellowship with the missionaries at the Conference, the Gethsemaneans and the Care brethren. May the Lord continue to strengthen your hands as you labour in His ministry. Till we meet again, take care and God bless.
Rev Biak Lawm Thang and Pr Lal Lian Uk
I just want to drop you a short note of thanks. I, with my friend Pr Lian Uk, would like to thank you and Gethsemane BPC for kindly allowing us to attend your 4th Missionary Conference. It was a very blessed time of learning from God’s Word. We have learned much from the faithful preaching and the mission reports of missionaries, and we did enjoy the sweet fellowship with like-minded brethren. We pray that the Lord will be pleased to continue to strengthen and bless Gethsemane BPC for His glory.
Pr Donald dela Cruz
I thank the Lord for a great time of fellowship during the Missionary Conference. I am very glad that the Lord enabled me to be part of this blessed occasion and be part of the global missionary work which the Lord has laid on Gethsemane B-P Church, Singapore.
I thank the Lord also for His journey-mercies; my wife and I returned to the mission church past midnight on June 29th. Thank God for keeping the mission station while we were away.
After having a “glimpse” of the great work which needed to be done, we all the more consecrated our lives to labour for the Lord and His work here in Pangasinan. God willing, we are planning for a children’s outreach in August. We are also currently browsing through books which we have bought from Singapore, in order to make them available for worshippers to borrow. We pray that God’s people will read spiritually edifying books in their free time at home.
Rev Joseph Kendagor
Thank you so much for the opportunity extended to me to come to the 4th Missionary Conference of Gethsemane B-P Church. Truly, my wife and I don’t know how we can express our appreciation to you, your family and your entire church. Please pray for us that we may serve God faithfully in the days to come.
As I’ve shared during the Missionary Conference’s morning meetings, we hope to start a Gethsemane Fellowship. I trust that before the end of the year, you or someone from Singapore could come and visit us, and see our work here.
Eld Richard Tiu
Greetings in Christ’s most blessed name! We rejoice and give thanks to the Lord for enabling us to attend the 4th Missionary Conference. Indeed, “ The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad” (Psa 126:3).
We praise and thank God for the blessed time of studying God’s Word and the very warm fellowship we’ve had throughout that week. We greatly appreciate your hospitality towards us. All of us here were much encouraged and further strengthened to continue to serve the Lord. What showers of blessings we’ve received indeed! We will continue to pray for your family and your ministry.