Thanksgiving & Happy New Year!

Have you ever wonder how do churches (as an organisation) come about? Well, it could all start, for instance, with just a few brothers & sisters in Christ who gathered together for meals & fellowship...in homes, in public places...or even "underground".

Let's take a look at how little has changed in the model of a church for the past 2000 years:




In the early days, believers often come together for meals...

Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,
(Acts 2:46)

In fact, we read in the Bible that it was the "concerns" for the fairness of food distribution among early church widows that LED to the office of Deacons!

So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables...
(Acts 6:2)


...therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
(Acts 6:3)

Our own "seven men"? :-)






And when brethren come together, they fellowship, they minister to each other, they pray for each other...no, they don't gossip...

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer,
(Acts 2:42)


Another vital element in the gathering of believers was for the learning & teaching of Doctrines. And God has uniquely appointed special offices for this purpose...

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ...
(Eph 4:11-12)


* illustration above as per Acts 14

Just as apostle Paul & Barnabas were facing hostile pagans & religious fanatics, churches today are also facing a world that is getting more hostile & more intolerant towards a Biblical worldview. In fact, it is sad to note many of the churches today have already been compromised and infiltrated with worldly values & philosophy.

May that NEVER be with EBC! Beloved, we all must strive to be anchored and deeply rooted in sound Biblical doctrines!

...until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming.
(Eph 4:13-14)




Thus, brethren, be diligent in your devotion to the hearing, learning & studying of the Word of God!

In addition to an increasingly Christian-unfriendly world, we are also living in the day & age with many false prophets & false teachers arising! From within & without!

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.
(1Tim 4:1)

"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them."
(Acts 20:28-30)

The cry of apostle Paul for discernment is in every epistles! And that is ever more needed for today.


But just as Jesus said - the gate of Hades will not overcome the Church - no matter how hard the devil tries, God always triumph!

Therefore, brethren, knowing the truth & the calling of God: fear God, live unto holiness & righteousness, be separated from worldly lust & ungodliness, and looking unto the Blessed Hope, and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds (Titus 2:12-14).


Then as the church is faithful through various trials & testing, God will add to His church for His glorious purpose in His time according to His plan...

The church will grow and grow and grow... from a humbling few, to hundreds, to thousands, to tens of thousands... And that's how many churches came to be today!

Hallelujah!


With 2008 coming to a close, we would like to thank all the faithful leaders & ministry workers for their service. We also want to give thanks & praise to our Abba Father who supply abundantly all things according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

And in 2009, by the mercy & grace of God, may EBC continues to evangelise to the lost, be light & salt to the community, and be the fragrance of Christ to God among the people. To God be the glory.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!