My dear readers,

1. Perth Mission accomplished

When it was known that I was flying to Perth for BPCWA’s 28th Anniversary, three members offered to accompany and help me. Arriving as scheduled after a 5-hour flight, we were warmly welcomed by our hosts Mr & Mrs Luke Lim (with whom I have stayed during my visits for the past twenty-odd years).

2. Good Friday Remembrance Service.

The Service on Good Friday was nearly "full house." Our members turned up to remember the Lord for liberating His people at the Passover.

As recorded in Exodus 12:41: "And it came to pass at the end of the 430 years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt." What a memorable deliverance!

God’s people were delivered from the "bondage of no escape" by the "blood of the Lamb," foreshadowing the coming of Jesus, "Lamb of God" slain to break the bonds of Satan.

The Holy supper was observed at BPCWA and we shall commemorate this as long as the Lord tarries.

3. Looking ahead

Looking ahead for the Christian means: "Do His will, speed His return." In the case of BPCWA, we were born of Calvary Pandan B-P Church in 1986. The issue of "Which Bible?" had not arisen in earnest. As I recall,attempts had been made to introduce the NIV at Synod meetings from 1970. But the Moderator ruled that the B-P Church had used only KJV from its founding, and the NIV or any other corrupted Modern English Version was not permitted in any B-P Church.

Year after year, the "Old Guard" (Rev KC Quek and Rev Timothy Tow) kept out the attempts to introduce "Modern English Versions" (MEVs).

In 1988, due to adverse developments, our B-P Synod was dissolved. From that time on, it was "Each one (Church) for himself." In the use of versions, it was a "free-for-all" situation. Some B-P Churches then adopted corrupt Modern English Versions. This was the beginning of the rot in the B-P Churches. A few of the B-P Churches however remain loyal to the truth and continued to use the KJV, resisting the trend to change to the MEVs.

Calvary Pandan B-P Churchand its offshoots (in particular BPCWA) continued to stand firm against the slide into the MEVs. Meantime the continued agitation by some of the other B-P Churches stirred my spirit to defend the truth of the faith against the end time forces of "revisionism."

Beneath the unrest was the undying desire for a taste of the "liberal and trendy" – the subtle temptation of the adversary.

Not knowing the "VPP" controversy at Life Church and FEBC, I pressed on with "Beyond Versions," which appeared in 1998, before the VPP issue erupted in earnest in FEBC and Life Church (both headed by Rev Timothy Tow).

4. Back to BPCWA

Thank God for preserving BPCWA during its "pastorless" days by sending preachers from Mother Church Calvary Pandan over the years. God also used the diligent and courageous hands of the Session members who took on the burden to care for the flock. Through the Sovereign preserving Hand of God, both young and old, English and Chinese speaking did their part in keeping both congregations united together as one church.

Thank God for hearing our prayers. Now He has, in His good time, sent a preacher, Joseph Poon, to minister in BPCWA. Preacher Poon will be ordained in due time. Then BPCWA will no longer be without pastor!
Together we must reinforce and strengthen BPCWA’s stand on God’s Word and the evil trend against VPP, which must be uprooted from our midst.

Yours sincerely in the Saviour’s love,

Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor