BPCIS Update

FIFTEEN YEARS & THE NEXT DECADE

“If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.” Exodus 33.15

BPCIS will be 15 next year! We started in 2011 with four churches. Today we have eleven churches. Recently, two exciting events took place. Our annual Leaders Retreat (7-8 July) saw a record 99 participants gathered at Opero Hotel in JB. Following it, for the first time, was an Envisioning Exercise (8-9 July), eleven of us seeking the Lord’s will for the Next Decade (2026-2035).

LEADERS RETREAT

Furthermore, our Retreat welcomed six delegates from a BP church in Perth, Australia, who had requested fellowship with BPCIS with hope that a similar Presbytery could be forged among BP churches in Australia. We have already informal association with a Presbytery of 17 BP churches in India.

Our Retreat considered the theme “Revitalising Ministry” with concrete examples shared of member churches reaching out to help and revitalise weaker churches within BPCIS. In the Next Decade, we desire to see more of such collaboration. One area is the training of younger pastors and ministry leaders in an apprenticeship programme, and subsequent support of them (financially and in other ways) when they serve in our churches.

ENVISIONING EXERCISE

We can’t and won’t go forward unless the Lord is with us (Ex 33.15), so we claimed His promise: “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Ex 33.14) 

We also enlisted the help of AI which sums up our 2-day Envisioning Exercise as follows:

“In a synthesis of group discussions, five central values emerged to guide the denomination forward:

1. Spiritual Family: Prioritising relational depth over institutional formality.
2. Truth and Grace: Holding fast to doctrine while cultivating humility and gentleness.
3. Mutual Encouragement: Strengthening one another through prayer, pulpit sharing, and mentorship.
4. Missional and Kingdom-Minded: Looking outward to plant, partner, and serve beyond BPCIS.
5. Visible Unity in Diversity: Embracing generational and stylistic differences while preserving core beliefs.

“The proposed vision for the next decade is “From Strength to Strength”—not so much in size or influence, but in faithfulness to God, leadership maturity, and depth of community.

Scripture foundations such as Exodus 33 and Ephesians 4 provided a biblical lens for imagining BPCIS as a network of churches that restore, equip, and grow up into Christlikeness.”

God helping us, we look forward to our 15th Anniversary next year and the launch of our Next Decade. Pray and work with us!

Please visit our website BPCIS.org.sg for reflections and photos on the Retreat, as well as stories from our BPCIS churches.

Pastor David Wong
General Secretary, BPCIS