Objectives
The objectives for which the Church is established are :-
The salvation of souls; The edification of Christians through the teaching of God's Word; The promotion of godly worship; The defense of "the faith which was once delivered unto the saints”; The establishment and extension of Christian missions and institutions for the furtherance of God's Kingdom on earth; The promotion of Christian relief for the poor and needy; The strengthening of mutual fellowship, encouragement and unity among individual Bible-Presbyterian Churches affiliated to the Bible-Presbyterian Church of Singapore and among other Bible-believing churches of similar stand "for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Rev 1 : 9)
Doctrinal Stands & Beliefs
The doctrine of the Church shall be in accordance with that system commonly called "the Reformed Faith" as expressed in the Confession of Faith as set forth by the historic Westminster Assembly together with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms.
In abbreviated form the chief tenets of the doctrine of the church, apart from the Apostles' Creed, shall be as follows:-
1. We believe in the divine, verbal and plenary inspiration of the Scriptures in the original lan guages, their consequent inerrancy and infallibility, and, as the Word of God, the Supreme and final authority in faith and life;
2. We believe in one God existing in three co-equal and co-eternal Persons, Father, Son and Holy spirit;
3. We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and is true God and true man;
4. We believe that man was created in the image of God, but sinned through the fall of Adam, thereby incurring not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and become sinners in thought, word and deed;
5. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died a propitiatory and expiatory death as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who repent of their sins and believe in Him are justified before God on the grounds of His shed blood;
6. We believe in the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His ascension into Heaven, and in His exaltation at the right hand of God, where He intercedes for us as our High Priest and Advocate;
7. We believe in the personal, visible and premillennial return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to judge this world and bring peace to the nations;
8. We believe that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works, and that all who repent and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour are born again by the Holy Spirit and thereby become the children of God;
9. We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and to convict and regenerate the sinner, indwell, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living and service;
10. We believe that Christ instituted the Sacrament of Baptism for believers and their children and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which sacraments shall be observed by His Church till He comes;
11. We believe in the eternal security, bodily resurrection, and eternal blessedness of the saved id in the bodily resurrection and eternal conscious punishment of the lost;
12. We believe in the real, spiritual unity in Christ of all redeemed by His precious blood and the necessity of faithfully maintaining the purity of the Church in doctrine and life according to the Word of God and the principle and practice of biblical separation from the apostasy of the day being spearheaded by the Ecumenical Movement (2 Cor 6:14-18; Rev 18:4).
Main Practises of the Church
BAPTISM: The observance of the Baptism of believers is by sprinkling on personal confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Infants of one or both the believing parents are to be baptised (Matt 28:19-20; Acts 2:38-42, 8:35-38, 10:44-48; 1 Cor 7:14).
REAFFIRMATION OF FAITH: Baptised infants upon coming of age in that they can satisfy the Board of Elders as to their faith shall be received into communicant membership by reaffirmation of faith.
THE LORD'S SUPPER: The remembrance of the Lord's death through the Lord's Supper shall be observed regularly, and normally all baptised believers (except baptised children of constituent members who have not reaffirmed their faith) whose conduct is consistent with their confession of their faith shall be received at the Lord's Table (Lk 22:14-29; Acts 2:42, 46, 20:7; Rom 14:19, 15:7; 1 Cor 5:6-8,11, 23-26).
FELLOWSHIP AND DISCIPLESHIP: Every member shall participate in fellowship, prayer and instruction with other believers and the exercise of spiritual gifts for the edification of the Church (Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12; Eph 4:1-16; Heb 10:23-25; 1 Pet 4:7-11).
EVANGELISM & MISSIONS: The local Church in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, both as individual and collective witnesses, shall proclaim the Gospel to their families, neighbours, colleagues, friends, the nation as well as the regions beyond (Matt 28:18.20; Mk 16:15; Lk 24:44-48; Acts 1:8; 1 Pet 2:9, 3:15).
STEWARDSHIP: Every member shall have the responsibility and privilege to contribute his gifts, talents, time and resources to the work of God and the extension of His kingdom. It shall also be the responsibility and privilege of each member to tithe and contribute willingly, regularly and generously according to his ability as God enables (Rom 12:1-13; 1 Cor 6:19-20, 16:1-2; 2 Cor 8,9).
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: The Church shall conduct Christian Education programme to build up the members on the most holy faith (Jude 20) through Sunday School, Bible study classes, Bible study groups, catechism classes; Christian publications, Gospel tracts and such other. similar measures as the Church Session and/or Board of Elders may decide.
WORSHIP: All members shall meet regularly for the public worship of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and shall maintain family and personal devotions (Ps 27:4; Heb 10:24, 25; Song of Solomon 1:6; Ps 122:1; Ps 1:1-3). Believing parents shall endeavour to bring up their children in the fear of the Lord and to lead them into a saving knowledge of the Lord by regular instruction of the Word of God (Prov 22:6; Deut 6:4-9; Eph 6:4).
WEDDINGS: The solemnisation of marriages between born-again believers. The groom must be a baptised believer and the bride either a baptised believer or a catechumen (2 Cor 6:14; Eph 5:21-33).
FUNERALS: The normal practice of the B-P Church is to bury the dead. Christian funeral is to be con ducted only for born-again believers.
[adapted from the Nazareth Bible-Presbyterian Church Constitution]
