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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).

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A Pastoral Letter of Comfort and Encouragement

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)

Vaping is the act of inhaling vapour produced by an electronic device, commonly known as an e-cigarette. These devices heat a liquid that typically contains nicotine, flavourings, and a cocktail of chemicals, many of which are harmful to the lungs and overall health.

Inside most vaping cartridges are liquids laced with nicotine and sweet flavourings that appeal to young users, ranging from candy and fruit to even peanut butter. However, beyond the enticing tastes lie hazardous substances, including carbonyls, formaldehyde, benzene, and heavy metals, such as tin, lead, and nickel. These are toxic compounds, especially when inhaled.

Medical professionals have raised serious concerns. Vaping, they warn, can damage the lungs, heart, and immune system, and may even lead to cancer. One doctor recently shared, “Some end up in the intensive care unit, requiring all sorts of invasive measures just to stay alive.”

Here in Singapore, reports of an alarming rise in youth vaping—including children in primary schools—have deeply troubled many. Despite vaping being illegal in Singapore, the problem is growing, prompting authorities to consider stronger enforcement measures.

Local newspapers have not minced words, calling it “the vape scourge in Singapore”, “inhaling the breath of death”, and “the invisible crisis”. This is not a concern confined to our nation alone. Neighbouring countries are witnessing the same destructive trend. Youths on overseas trips, especially without parental guidance and supervision, are particularly vulnerable to exposure.

According to a report in The Straits Times, “Vaping is a global crisis that is getting more youth hooked on drugs, as crime syndicates pack potent and addictive substances into small devices that look like pens or lighters.” (Read more here: www.straitstimes.com/singapore/why-the-vape-scourge-in-singapore-concerns-everyone).

Our Christian Response

As pastors, parents, and concerned believers, we must not stay silent. Scripture calls us to be stewards of our bodies (1 Cor. 6:19-20), and to protect the young and vulnerable from harm. Let us pray, speak, and act with both truth and love, educating our youths, supporting wise policies, and reminding all that true freedom is found not in indulging the flesh, but in walking by the Spirit.

Your Body Is God’s Temple—Not Yours to Damage

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you… and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body…” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

Vaping, like other addictive behaviours, threatens the health of the body and clouds the mind. Scripture teaches that your body is not your property, but God’s, redeemed at the cost of Christ’s blood. How you treat your body reflects your reverence for God’s ownership, and your honour for His indwelling presence.

Vaping may seem trendy, but it is a fleeting, destructive trend. Worse still, it turns you away from honouring God with your body.

So, whatever you do with your body, ask yourself: Is what I’m doing showing reverence for the body God gave me?

Don’t Be Conformed—Be Transformed

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).

The world says, “Do what everyone else is doing.” But the Word says, “Be different, be holy.” All believers should reject the ungodly, unsafe, and unwholesome patterns of this world. Instead, they must embrace a transformed life through the renewal of the mind in obedience to God’s Word. True worship involves presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, set apart for God. Transformation begins inwardly, shaping our thoughts in submission to God’s will, as revealed in His Word. Then our actions will reflect God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will—and not of the world’s destructive fashions.

Vaping has become a cultural phenomenon, especially among young people. But the call of Christ is to stand apart, even when it’s unpopular.

Christian children and youths, you should not be defined by trends, but by the wisdom of God’s Word. Be bold enough to say, “I belong to Christ—I don’t need a device to find peace or pleasure.”

Avoid Traps That Lead to Bondage

“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12).

Paul warns us not to let any habit or pleasure gain control of our lives. While many things may be permissible or desirable, not all are beneficial in our spiritual growth and in honouring Christ. Paul warns against being mastered by any habit that hinders spiritual freedom and growth.

Vaping is often marketed as harmless, but science and the experience of many are proving otherwise. It usually leads to nicotine addiction, deeper substance use, and mental health struggles. Many teens use vaping as a coping tool, but rather than helping them, it often deepens their emotional struggles. Reports in Singapore point to the fact that, instead of alleviating anxiety or stress, vaping worsens them through nicotine-induced neurochemical changes. 

Freedom in Christ does not mean freedom to self-destruct. True freedom is the power not to be mastered by anything but the Spirit of God, who helps us to have spiritual comfort, peace, and a fruitful life.

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Mission Report from Pangasinan

Donald dela Cruz

I praise the Lord for sustaining the people who come from nearby Inlambo. Four newcomers returned to worship with us last Lord’s Day. I am bringing the minivan to their area to fetch them to and fro. May the Lord help them to learn and settle in the church.

The brethren in San Fernando are also inviting their family members to join the worship service. Two of the regular worshippers invited their siblings last Lord’s Day. Many teenagers from the area likewise attended our service last week. I shared with the brethren our desire to have home visitations in the area from time to time. My family and I plan to stay at one home on one Monday per month, and visit two other homes there. May the Lord guide us to encourage the brethren in San Fernando.

This week, Elsa, who is one of our regular worshippers, underwent an appendicitis operation.  The family falls into the lower income bracket. The family’s source of income is to buy and sell calamansi, and just live day by day with no savings. I urged the brethren to contribute for the expenses of the surgery. Thank God for brethren who responded. I also extended our help of PHP10,000 through the Charity Fund. After the surgery, I invited Elsa to stay in the church to recover and rest. Their house is very small, and she has small children as young as 2 years old. She has stayed here for 6 days and may still continue for another week.

I praise the Lord for preserving my family and me, when we met with an accident on the highway. A motorcycle with a sidecar hit the side of the van as we were turning left. The motorcycle was very fast and not able to apply the brakes on time. The motorcycle flipped after the accident, and the driver and pillion rider fell. The driver was working at a car body-repair shop, and we settled amicably after fixing the car. I brought the car to their shop last Monday, and it will be released on Saturday. Thankfully, only a minor injury was sustained by the motorcycle driver.

Our programme to send our less privileged youths to school has officially started. We are supporting one Grade 7 student; his name is Ren Lloyd. He has been attending the church for many months. Five siblings are living with their grandfather. The father has abandoned them a long time ago, and their mother also deserted them recently. The mother went to Manila ostensibly to look for a job to support the children, but it was an excuse to run away. The grandfather is also sickly and cannot work well. Ren Lloyd is still living with his grandfather, and we are giving him his daily school pocket money. We also provide one sack of rice to the family every month to help them with their daily provisions.

Please pray for us.

“Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled” (Titus 1:15).

Nothing corrupts the conscience more deeply than the unchecked habit of entertaining sinful thoughts. Once such a habit begins, it takes root quickly, embedding itself into one’s mindset. This makes it easier to yield to temptation. The mind needs no occasion to sin. It can conjure up evil in any moment, in any setting, under any condition.

Be Aware of Danger of Sinful Thought-Life

Evil thoughts are the seedbed of all sin. Jesus warned, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:18-19).

As the saying goes, “Sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.” If we allow our minds to indulge in wicked thoughts and sinful fantasies, we stir up passions and desires that could drive us to sin.

Inner corruption is as grievous as outward acts of sin. So, Jesus taught us to examine our hearts and nurture inward purity. A man may not physically kill, but he is guilty of murder when he harbours hatred. Jesus said, “But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment … whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matthew 5:22)! Similarly, one may not commit adultery outwardly, but Jesus said, “That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). 

Instructively, although the Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus’ time considered themselves righteous, Jesus exposed them as thoroughly corrupt because of the evil intentions and thoughts that ruled their hearts. He declared, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27-28). Hence, Scripture declares, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7a).

Beware of Sinful Activities of the Mind

Should we not be vigilant about what we allow into our minds? Scripture warns that “A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations” (Proverbs 6:18a) is detestable to God. We must, therefore, be alert to the following sinful tendencies of the mind:

The Sin of “Remembering”

One way the mind sins is by delighting in memories of past sins. Ezekiel 23:19 describes Israel’s downfall: “Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.” Israel repeatedly recalled past indulgences, eventually returning to them.

Is this not true for many believers today? Satan digs up past filth and seeks to revive it in our minds. Once implanted, such images are difficult to erase. They linger, tempting us afresh. This is why pornography and much of modern entertainment are so spiritually harmful—they store corrupting content in the memory, ready to lure us again.

The Sin of “Scheming”

The second way the mind sins is by plotting future evils. Psalm 36:4 says, “He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.” The wicked man lies in bed, crafting sinful plans, exposing himself to grave moral danger.

When such scheming minds unite, they “encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily” (Psalm 64:5). They “search out iniquities… both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep” (Psalm 64:6). God condemns such plotting hearts, because “Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil” (Proverbs 12:20a). Isaiah 32:6-7 also warns of those who devise wicked schemes to harm others, even the vulnerable. “For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.” God abhors this form of mental sin.

The Sin of “Imagining”

Thirdly, the mind can sin through fantasy. People imagine indulging in lust, exacting revenge, or carrying out evil acts. Whether fantasising about illicit affairs, robbery, or violence, such mental exercises are destructive.

Are these sins real? Absolutely. They defile the soul and often lead to real-life sin. James 1:15 teaches, “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” Let us not forget the reason for the global flood judgment in Noah’s day: “GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5).

(This article has been adapted and revised from a pastoral article originally published in Bible Witness, Vol. 22, Issue 4.)