BPCIS Update
STRONG HELPING WEAK
“Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. Each one of us must please his neighbour for his good, to build him up.”
Romans 15:1-2 HCSB
Over the past few months, BPCIS pastors have been deliberating on how stronger churches among us can help weaker churches. Two papers were presented, and discussions are on-going on these works in progress. One church with two pastors is hosting another church without a pastor or meeting place. A church with stagnant attendance and declining ministries is receiving “reinforcements” from a sister church.
Our only Chinese-speaking church with less than 100 members, encouraged and helped by fellow BPCIS churches, acquired an industrial property in Woodlands, and recently received permits from authorities for religious use. Churches that are well-resourced are reaching out to those in need. Praise God.
REVITALISING & MINGLE MINISTRIES
In the longer term, we will need to help these churches with HR (Human Resource) or staffing needs. As a Presbytery, after an extended study with an HR consultant, we have benchmarked the salary structures for pastors, ministry and admin staff. Smaller churches, unable to recruit and remunerate full-time pastor and admin staff, will receive “top-up” (estimated at 40%) from BPCIS.
However, to do so, we will need an endowment fund from which to draw interest for the “top-up”—a substantial sum if we were to support a pastor and an admin staff for at least three years for up to three churches. If you would like to find out more, please contact me or your pastor. Pray for such “revitalising ministry” (initiatives to revitalise weaker churches) which is also the theme of our Leaders Retreat in July.
Meanwhile, we have our combined Good Friday Service & Easter Sunrise Service (18 & 20 April) at ACS Independent, Dover Road, and MacRitchie Reservoir respectively. (The Chinese Good Friday Service will be held at Zion Bishan BPC.) Let us honour our Lord Jesus by remembering Him during these two climactic events of the Holy Week.
Finally, the “Mingle” ministry of BPCIS brought together 30 young women and 30 young men together last Saturday (22 March) during which friendships develop “organically” with the exchange of contacts. May such initiatives go on to strengthen our churches.
Pastor David Wong
General Secretary, Bible-Presbyterian Church in Singapore
GenSecBPCIS@gmail.com
