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Preparatory Hymn The Lord Is in His Holy Temple 1 Call to Worship. *Invocation/The Lord s Prayer & Gloria Patri 2. *Doxology 3/Offertory Prayer

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1The Lord Is in His Holy Temple The Lord is in His holy temple, The Lord is in His holy temple: Let all the earth keep silence, Let all the earth keep silence before Him Keep silence, keep silence before Him. Amen. 2Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen. 3Doxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye

heav’nly host; Praise

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. 4The Lord Bless You

and Keep You The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace, and give you peace; The Lord make His face to shine upon you, And be gracious unto you, be gracious, The Lord be gracious, gracious unto

BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF W.A.

For the Testimony and Glory of Jesus Christ

29 November 2020

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE

Preparatory Hymn RHC 11 May Jesus Christ Be Praised The Lord Is in His Holy Temple 1

Call to Worship Deacon Adrian Cheng

*Hymn RHC 3 Love Divine *Invocation/The Lord’s Prayer & Gloria Patri 2

Responsive Reading Psalm 9:1-8 Hymn RHC 321 He Hideth My Soul *Doxology 3/Offertory Prayer

Scripture Reading Joshua 13:15-33

Hymn RHC 416 Wherever He Leads I’ll Go

Pastoral Prayer/Message Pastor Joseph Poon

Our Strongest Enemy

*Hymn RHC 406 Who Is on the Lord's Side? *Benediction/Threefold Amen

Announcements

*The Lord Bless You and Keep You 4

*Congregation Standing THEME FOR 2020: HOLDING FAITH, AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning

faith have made shipwreck:” (1 Timothy 1:19)

Pastor: Rev Joseph Poon M: 0406 241 032 E: [email protected] Associate Pastor: Rev Paul Cheng M: 0447 174 206 E: [email protected] Deacon: Adrian Cheng M: 0402 036 430 E: [email protected] Deacon: Eugene Leong M: 0401 155 386 E: [email protected] Deacon: Joel Wong M: 0423 862 392 E: [email protected]

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PASTORAL LETTER

Church Communication and Update

Dear BPWAians, Last week, we conducted a church communication immediately following both our English and Chinese Worship Services to update worshippers on some items relating to queries raised during our recent Annual Congregational Meeting. As we have learned how important our bulletin records are for what happens in the church, I felt that it is important to pen this summary. This week, I will cover the update regarding Yew Jinn as a full-time worker. Next week, I will cover the other part of the communication regarding the mission fund.

Yew Jinn’s role.In the Board of Elders’ meeting with Yew Jinn to review his 2½ years of full -time service in BPCWA as a pastoral trainee, Yew Jinn shared that he felt for some -time that he was not called to the ministry, and not simply that he was not called to the pastoral ministry. As we did not expect this, we advised him to take more time to prayerfully consider it and not rush into a hasty decision since it was a serious decision. At the next follow-up meeting, Yew Jinn once again told the BOE that he had prayed and considered, and was not called to the preaching ministry. We counselled him that one could indeed be called full-time, but yet not called to preach or the pastoral ministry. We suggested different scenarios of full-time work in BPCWA and told him that we would still have a need for such a full-time worker. But it had to be only if he was indeed called by God into full-time service. Though Yew Jinn was sure that he was clear that his answer would still be the same regardless of whether it was for a full-time position in BPCWA or another church, we asked him to still take some more time to reconsider his decision yet again. In the 3rd meeting, Yew Jinn

remained sure that even given more time, his conclusion would still be that he was not called to the full-time ministry. With this, we realised that we have to submit to God’s sovereignty on this matter and also do what was right for the church. A copy of Yew Jinn’s statement at

the communication session has been appended to this pastoral for the purpose of those who were not present. Please do take some time to read through it as well.

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Moving Forward. As communicated, BPCWA should only engage as a full-time worker those who meet His qualifications and whom God calls specifically into His full-time ministry in

BPCWA. To do God’s will and in consideration for the well-being of the church, Yew Jinn has courageously done the right and honourable thing based on God’s preceptive, directive, and

cooperative will (1 Tim 3:1, 1 Tim 5:22, 1 Cor 7:20). While he desired a good thing to serve our Lord in the full-time ministry, he submits to God’s will that it was not for him, and he

should abide in God’s will for his life. We have always taught this in church, and the church should learn from this as we see Yew Jinn’s choice. There will be a time of transition where

he remains in employment at BPCWA, and while he prepares to move out of Jeremiah, and while we work out the areas of service moving forward. Let us respect the difficult but God honouring decision that Yew Jinn has made, and help him and his family to move forward and serve as lay members in BPCWA.

Your role. We have been transparent in what occurred, and plead that no one will lend themselves to be used by the devil to create unrest and issues by speculating and imagining things that did not happen. Please speak to me or Yew Jinn if you have any questions about this, and be catalysts of peace and unity. While this is all rather sudden to us, we will take some time to work through the details. There will be no change to the English and Chinese congregations and worship services, though I will now preach at the Chinese worship services. As a lay person who has been theologically trained, Yew Jinn may continue to be requested to teach at Bible studies or meetings using pre-set materials and what I have covered before in the English congregation.

God must call, not us. My personal desire was and still is to have a Chinese full-time worker to help in the needed work in BPCWA. But my personal desire is irrelevant. It is not my

church, but it is God’s church and He does things according to His own timing and choice. I do not choose when or whom I wish to be in His full-time service. He must call and when He calls, He will equip and help them. Full-time ministry is ultimately a calling. God separates someone for that work (Rom 1:1) – not because they are better, but simply because He is the one that chooses. Full-time ministry is not easy. It requires one to bear reproach, to

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labours more abundant, in weariness, and to the care of the church (2 Cor 11:21-28). Only one who is called will receive the grace from God (Rom 1:5) to do His work. When one is fully persuaded that that is what God has chosen for him in his life, then he has the full assurance that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. (Rom 4:21). Conversely, one who is not called will not receive the needed grace from God under the pressures of the ministry, leading to problems in the church and in his personal life. A square peg in a round

hole creates pressures that shouldn’t exist because it wasn’t made to fit there. The timing

of last Sunday’s sermon regarding what is or is not a full-time call was a comfort to me, knowing that God times all things. As I shared, that portion of Joshua that was preached last week was unplanned.

We trust in the living God, and as we have always taught and known, we must submit to Christ, the Head of BPCWA, in what He ordains, as Yew Jinn has also done. All things work together for good (Rom 8:28) and even if we cannot now see nor understand it, yet by faith we must accept this joyfully as God’s good will for BPCWA. Let BPCWA not waver in our

service for our King of kings, for as we can attest from our experience, He has always and will always be watching over His church. Let us be faithful while we await His soon coming.

Phil 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ . . . that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel

Yours in our Lord’s service,

Pastor

Yew Jinn’s Testimony

After much prayer and consideration, I realise that I am not called to full-time ministry, therefore I have made the decision to resign from BPCWA as a full-time staff worker.

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I believed that I was called to full-time ministry before I went to FEBC. After I graduated from FEBC, I prayerfully considered and believed that the Lord led me and my family to return and serve full time in BPCWA. In this period of 2 years, I have tried my very best to prayerfully improve on my preaching skills, which I knew is most crucial. I bought the necessary tools, and worked hard to apply what I had learnt in FEBC. Despite these, I realise that I still am unable to properly interpret and apply passages preached. My own assessment of this lack of gift to preach was further confirmed by the church leaders’ assessment of my preaching in the past 2 years. With these, I am clear in my heart that it is not God’s calling for me to

serve in the full-time ministry, and in submission to His will, it is also best for the flock that I do not continue on.

I would like to thank BPCWA for the opportunity to serve full time in your midst for the past 2 years. I would also like to thank BPCWA Session for kindly providing for our family in terms of accommodation, transport etc. All that has been provided has been more than enough for our needs, and we truly appreciate your generosity towards us.

I will continue to serve with the BPCWA family as a lay member, and will gladly serve in any capacity that Session sees fit. Please continue to pray for our family as we continue to serve our Lord as a lay person in the BPCWA family.

Yew Jinn

ANNOUNCEMENTS, PRAISE & PETITION

1. COVID-19 Mandatory Contact Registers (From Saturday, 5 December): In line with government regulations, BPCWA will be required to maintain a contact register at all our services and meetings. Upon arriving at church, all worshippers aged 16 years and above must either scan in with their handphones at any poster where BPCWA's unique QR code is displayed, or sign in manually on hard copy forms in the foyer. To reduce congestion, worshippers who wish to scan in using the QR code should download the SafeWA app from https://safewa.health.wa.gov.au before coming to church.

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2. Christmas English Gospel Meeting Invitations (Friday, 18 December, 7:30 pm): We strongly encourage all worshippers to use the leaflets at the foyer to invite unbelievers to attend and hear the Gospel at this English Gospel Meeting.

3. Christmas Worship Service (Friday, 25 December, 10 am): Please invite your believing family and friends, who do not attend church regularly or are looking for a church, to come for the Christmas Worship Service. Due to the need for physical distancing, there will be no lunch following the service.

4. Pray for and come to the following programs planned for December:

DATE TIME PROGRAM

12/12 (Saturday) 10:30 am Seniors Fellowship

13/12 (Sunday) 2:00 pm Personal Follow-up and Evangelism

18/12 (Friday) 7:30 pm Christmas English Gospel Meeting

25/12 (Friday) 10:00 am Christmas Worship Service

27/12 (Sunday) 3:30 pm Adelphos and Adelphe Bible Study

31/12 (Thursday) 7:30 pm Watchnight Thanksgiving Worship Service

5. Thanksgiving and Prayer Items:

• Thank God for His continuous guiding, leading, and provision for BPCWA.

• Thank God for His gracious answers to the prayers of His children every prayer meeting for His own glory.

• Pray for wisdom in planning for year-end services with physical distancing limitations and wisdom for scheduling 2021 activities.

• Pray that God will raise labourers and provide resources for His kingdom’s work

according to His will.

• Pray that BPCWA will always strive together with one heart and mind for the sake of the gospel.

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Attendances – Sunday Worship: 151; Prayer Meeting: 83

Tithes and Offerings – Sunday Worship: $12,714.00

Building Fund – Last Week: $2,203.00; To Date: $545,929.06; Gap: $754,070.94

Worshippers can continue to return to the Lord by making bank transfers to the following accounts: a) Tithes and Offerings BSB: 016-268, Account: 4784-38319

b) Building Fund BSB: 016-268, Account: 5313-03414

WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH – CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE

4. It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to honor their persons, to pay them tribute and other dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority for conscience’ sake. Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrate’s just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to him: from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted; much less hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people and least of all to deprive them of their dominions or lives, if he shall judge them to be heretics, or upon any other pretense whatsoever.

APPOINTMENTS FOR TODAY AND THE WEEK Sunday 29/11 12:00 pm Teens Q and A Tuesday 1/12 7:30 pm Prayer Meeting

Friday 4/12 10:00 am Mothers Fellowship: Genesis

7:30 pm Fellowships Meeting: Regen/Youth 180°

Sunday 6/12

8:30 am Pre-Service Prayer Meeting 9:00 am Basic Bible Knowledge Class

Children Sunday School 10:00 am Sunday Worship Service LAST WEEK’S ATTENDANCES & OFFERINGS

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References

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