Our Continuing Gospel Effort

First of all, on behalf of Kulai B-P Fellowship, we would like to congratulate the leaders and members of Kuching B-P Church for your 16th Anniversary celebration. We truly rejoice with you for this special and auspicious occasion. We pray that our faithful God will continue to lead and guide you in your tireless effort in reaching out to the lost even in this part of Borneo Island.

I felt privileged to be invited to write an article for your Anniversary Magazine. Thank you very much for granting me this opportunity for mutual exhortation in the ministry of the Lord. It is good to be reminded once again the solemn charge and duty of our high calling.

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (II Tim 4:1-8).

The Solemn Charge (vv. 1-2)

The preaching of Gospel is a high calling from God. The Apostle Paul made it a serious charge even before the Living God. We must preach… "in season and out of season" i.e. whether the gospel is being accepted or rejected, whether we see result or no result. Our calling is to preach that the lost world might hear the gospel message made plain and clear to them. With long-suffering, we are to reprove, rebuke and exhort without compromising in doctrine and truth.

The Unfinished Task (vv.3-4)

We are reminded that the task ahead of us is tough and difficult. We have to expect setback, discouragement and even failure. However, we must accomplish whatever the Lord has called to do. The Bible foretold that in the end time… the itching ears will not endure sound teachings, neither would people gladly receive the gospel. The people will believe in fables rather then the truth. Yet, we are to realize that this ministry of gospel is unfinished.

The Continuing Effort (v.5)

Though the path seems though and hard, we must go labour on. No matter what, we must continue to evangelize and prove our calling. The gospel ministry demands our continuous effort. Before the world is being evangelized, Christ will not return. So let us obey the Lord and take upon us the solemn charge to labour for the Lord till He comes.

The Glorious End (vv.6-8)

Though we have been charged to preach the Word and to tirelessly labour for the Lord, we expect to see a glorious end. The Apostle Paul testifies that after fighting a good fight and finishing his course, he expects rewards from God. To the faithful and diligent workman, a crown of righteousness is expected. This will happen when our Lord Jesus shall appear again on earth. So let us be faithful and diligent in well doing that all of us might be rewarded accordingly.

Affectionately,
Pastor David Wong

Artical written for Kuching BPC 16th Anniversary.

Batam Mission Trip

Pastor Rev. David Wong and myself departed from Kulai via Singapore to Batam on the 7th October 2006 . Our journey by boat to Batam from Singapore took about an hour. Praise God that the sea was not rough and the haze was not that bad.

Rev. Kiantoro Lie and his brother of Gereja GAPPI Batam fetched us to a hotel named Vista which was on a hilltop. The excitement was dinner when we visited Gereja GAPPI and its adjacent Bible Institute .Our Pastor gave a two-hour session on " The Roots and Growth of BP Churches in Malaysia" to the Bible Institute students. I was given the opportunity to share some of my mission experience in Sabah. Our Pastor reminded them of the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ and to us,too. I thank God for His grace and faithfulness in keeping the ministries under Rev. Kiantoro Lie going on with much zeal and strength in the Lord. On the next morning, on the Lord's Day, our pastor gave the sermon on Acts 13: 1 – 12 "Spiritual Warfare". I was glad to be able to rejoice with our Indonesian brethren with hymns praising God in their language. The congregation sang very well with understanding and in spirit. After the worship, I saw that the bible students were packed into a van to minister to the rural churches. Later, we moved to the port on the east of the island and towards our next embarkation, that is, Tg Pinang . This time, the ferry we took was smaller and hotter but the sea was calm.

After an hour and half, we arrived at Tg. Pinang port at about 3.15 pm. We were happy that Rev. Joseph Liew's son received us at the jetty. Then he took us to a hotel which is next door to the church. The church building, parsonage, a canteen and a primary school building are all in the same compound. This church has a long history of 40 years where Rev. Joseph Liew's father had pioneered the work there. And his son also helps in the ministry. Besides this, there are two more outreach chapels. Our Pastor spoke to the congregation on James 1: 19 –25 " But be ye doers of the Word" at their 2nd, 4 pm Worship Service. I am impressed that that congregation is still faithful in their services. Their Adult choir sang very well, too. After dinner, I was tired and went to bed early. The next morning, we continued to visit Mrs. Rev. Joseph, as she is down with lung cancer. Let us continue to pray for her. About noon, we took a ferry back via Batam to Singapore and safely returned to Kulai in Bro. Michael's car.

Although it was a short mission trip, I found it refreshing to see the wonders of God working in these foreign islands. By God's grace, I am happy that our church has participated in the several missions planned for this year. Thank God for sending us a pastor who is zealous in preaching and teaching faithfully the Word Of God to people near and far. Our pastor had also been a good partner in comforting and bringing encouragement to the ministers and their families. Let us continue in prayer and strive on in the Lord's business with 1 Cor 15: 57-58 " But thanks be to God, which give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord".

May we continue to ask God to enable us to partake in the many more mission fields in the coming last days. The next mission trip is China. Anyone interested in joining Pastor?

All glory to God. Amen.

Dn. Jeffrey Foo