On 5 July 1987, about 50 members of Bethesda Church Bukit
Arang were led by the Lord’s vision to start
a new witness in the north-eastern part of Singapore.
Comprising single adults and a few families, the church
was characterised very much by personal evangelism
and fellowship among members and friends.
On
6 January 1991, the group held its first Sunday Worship
Service at Singapore Institute of Management on Upper
Thomson Road. Innovative outreach programmes included
car rallies, tuition classes, basketball games and
parenting seminars.
Following
the group’s move to Yishun on 10 July 1994,
it adopted the name, Bethesda Christian Centre (BCC).
On
7 July 1996, BCC moved further up north to Sembawang
and conducted Sunday Services at Boys’ Brigade
and Girls’ Brigade Campsite.
In May 2002, BCC moved to Sembawang where we reach out to the community through the Sembawang Family Enrichment Network.
Twenty years on, we rejoice that the
Lord has blessed us with a vibrant and caring church
and praise Him for His grace and faithfulness to our
congregation. BCC still remains active within the
community with outreach programmes such as English
tuition, public talks, special events and storytelling
sessions at the library.
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CONCERNING GOD
There is one true God, who eternally exists as three distinct persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who share in the work of creation, maintenance of the universe, sovereign control of history, redemption of believers and judgment of angels and mankind.
(Gen 1:1; Isa 40:15-17, 22-24; Matt 3:16-17; John 1:1-3; 1Cor 12:4-6; Eph 4:4-6; Col 1:15-20)
CONCERNING THE FATHER
God the Father is unique in nature. He is eternal, having no beginning or end. He is the Father of Jesus Christ whom He sent in bodily form. He is our Creator by virtue of our physical creation, and becomes our spiritual Father by election and adoption. He created mankind for the expressed purpose of fellowship with us as His children, to the praise of His Glory.
(Gen 1:1; Psa 102:12, 25; 139:13-14; Acts 17:29; Eph 1:3-6)
CONCERNING THE SON
By miracle of the virgin birth, the Lord Jesus Christ, eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God in order to reveal God and to redeem man. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. He is the means of creation, and the visible expression of the invisible God. No man comes to reconciliation with God the Father except through Jesus Christ.
(Isa 7:14; Matt 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-35; 2:7-12; 4:17-21; 24:25-27; John 1:1-2; 3:16; 14:6-12; Phil 2:5-12; Col 1:15-20; Heb 1:1-2)
CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is God, sent by the resurrected Jesus to reveal and glorify Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit living in the believer is the proof guaranteeing our inheritance in Jesus Christ. He provides spiritual gifts to all believers, and indwells, guides, teaches, empowers and comforts them. He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment.
(John 14:16-17; 16:5-16; Acts 2:1-4, 16-21; Rom 8:26-27; 1Cor 2:12-16; Eph 1:13-14)
CONCERNING REDEMPTION
Jesus Christ, who lived a sinless life on earth, voluntarily gave His life as a sacrifice for all the sins of mankind, was buried and rose bodily from the dead, and ascended to the right hand of the Father as Lord. He uniquely satisfied the just requirement of God for death as the penalty for sin. All who believe in Him are forever reconciled to God solely through Jesus’ death on the cross. Everyone who is called into this relationship by God is granted every spiritual blessing that is in Christ, and will be perfected with Him. Nothing can separate the believer from the love of Christ.
(Luke 23:46; John 19:30; Acts 2:32-36; Rom 3:21-26; 8:29-39; 10:8-11; Eph 1:3-12; Phil 1:6; 1John.2:2)
CONCERNING THE CHURCH
The church is the body of Christ on earth, and consists of all who have been regenerated by God. This body finds expression as local churches, operating under the direction of Jesus Christ as Lord and Head of His body, through elected leaders who “prepare God’s people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up.” All believers are responsible to utilize their spiritual gifts for the common good. All believers are His witnesses in the world and are to further the task of making disciples of all nations. All believers are to remember the sacrifice of the Lord on their behalf by observing the Lord’s Supper until His return.
(Matt 28:18-20; Rom 5:10; 8:16-17; 12:3-8; 1Cor 11:23-34; 1Cor 12; Eph 4:11-12; 1Pet 2:4-5, 9-10; 4:10-11)
CONCERNING THE CHRISTIAN’S RESPONSIBILITY
The Christian life is a transformation, in which Christ Himself lives His life through the believer. All believers are still capable of responding to the urges of the flesh, and when they do so they do not please God. They can choose, rather, to rely continually upon the indwelling Holy Spirit’s power and love, and thus glorify and please the Father. Believers are to be baptized by water symbolizing their full participation in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
(Acts 2:37-39; Rom 6:15-18; 8:1-17; 12:1-2; 2Cor 3:5-6:18; 5:17; Eph 2:10; 5:3-10)
CONCERNING MAN
Man was created in the image of God and is loved by Him, but, through an inherited sinful nature and his own choice, is alienated and separated from God. In this condition, man is enslaved to the world, the flesh and the devil, and is under God's present wrath and ultimate righteous judgment.
(Gen 1:26-27; 3:1-7; Rom 1:18-21; 2:5-6; 3:23; 5:12-21; 6:23; Eph 2:1-3)
CONCERNING MAN'S RESPONSE TO GOD
Every person has the opportunity and the obligation to respond to God. All response to Him is initiated by God as he draws people to Himself. Those who repent of their sinfulness, and trusting in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as full payment for their sin, receive Him as Lord and Savior, are forever reconciled to God the Father, and become a new creation in Jesus Christ.
(John 1:9-13; 3:16; 6:44; Acts 13:48; Rom 1:18-20; 10:8-9; Eph 2:8-9; 2Cor 4:6; 1John 5:11-13)
CONCERNING THE FUTURE
There will be the imminent, bodily and visible return of Jesus Christ to this earth to bring to completion His kingdom, to judge the world in righteousness, to fulfill His prophetic promises to Israel and to the rest of mankind concerning the future, and to create a new heaven and a new earth. All people who have died will be raised from the dead, and those who have been redeemed will participate in eternal life in the presence of God, but those who have rejected Christ will suffer eternal punishment and separation from God.
(Matt 25: 31-34, 41; 1Cor 15:22-26, 40-44, 50-58; 1Thess 5:1-11; 2Thess 2:1-12; Rev 3:5; 20:12; 21:1-22:5)
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