Church Planting in the Philippines

First Assembly Metro Evangel

F.A.M.E. is the name of the new church. First Assembly Metro Evangel - FAME! Preparations are almost complete for the Grand opening Service at 4pm on Sunday. The new converts will become the new congregation of FAME Church.

Many have been praying for the new church location in the city. We have had confirmation now from trusted advisers, and the building mentioned earlier in the blog will become FAME HQ. Here is the roof top suitable for childrens' activities, with a small flat for Pastor Jean. There are two floors below for congregating the church, and running seminars, etc. It is ideally located close to schools and colleges. Praise God.

More fun and more baptisms

Thursday was Fiesta day in the city. All the contacts would be celebrating and watching the grand parade. So the SOS Volunteers took the day for R&R. We went swimming. Tim met one of the locals (a python).

Later some of our contacts arrived at the swimming pool, to be baptised. They testified of their new faith in Jesus, and were baptised while everyone was still in the pool. Praise God the church in Santiago City is growing!

Friendly Filipinos

Its been a privilege to present Bible Studies & observing the positive exciting response to the message. As if it's new information for them. They become enthusiastic about the gospel and want to know more. This often leads to water baptism.
I am captivated by the intense interest that these beautirful Filipino people show in the Bible Studies. This is what God intends to impact their lives. We witness 1st hand the power of the word of God and the power this has on a life that responds to God for the first time.
They love our testimonies, and those of team members. They love seeing photos of our family and hearing our story. The children are either beautiful or cute (!) and very friendly and love to follow us around. They love having their photo taken, and its so easy for us to oblige.
Riding on the motorised tricycle is an experience! But we survive!
-Leo

Praying for a church building

The church being planted in Santiago City is a pilot project in urban evangelism. We are praying for a central location right in the middle of the city. Already the principals of the schools in the district are asking for input from the Pioneer pastors. Pastor Joses has connected with them, and also with personnel in the mayor's office. They want to use his creative arts skills. Jean dela Cruz will help with youth counselling for common social problems (drugs, teenage pregnancy, etc).

As of now, 42 have been water baptised. The work in the city is growing!!

Help by praying that the Lord will provide the monthly rental needed.

A new church

A new church is almost born. Bible Studies last night were held in the street with numbers of people attending. Hunting for Bible verses by torchlight was challenging, along with interpreataionby our team members who speak a different dialect. But we got there!

The Pioneer Pastors are now being introduced to the Bible Study groups.They will have the full responsibility for them starting next week when we leave.

Baptisms in the river

Wonderful today (Tuesday) to have more brothers & sisters in Christ. More than 30 baptisms took place in the river today in open and natural setting. It reminds me of John the Baptist. The river was shared with animals, washing, kids playing - all part of Filipino life. This is the START of something, something that will continue long after we have gone.
- Ian

Tim & Ian gather the children

Sunday afternoon we were invited to visit one of the contacts. We shared our stories and encouraged one of them who will be baptized soon. Another house was visited, and they all came out to meet us including a dozen or more kids. We had fun with them and they sang us a song.

Saturday Seminar

"Life in the Spirit"Seminar was held at the school where we are staying. There were 80+ adults in attendance and just as many children.

More than half indicated that they would be water baptised. Stay tuned for a report on water baptisms.

Arrived in Santiago City

We have arrived in the target town. The SOS Volunteers have been preparing the ground, opening up Bible Studies. The Filipino team is very welcoming, and Leo has already been learning Tagalog words, and teaching English to fellow volunteers.

A new day starts with team exercises and team deovtional. And now we are preparing for the Seminar on Saturday afternoon where the contacts will congregate.

Team training in Manila

We have spent the last 2 days getting to understand the culture that we are amongst on this mission trip. Pastor Rey Calusay gave us his time to understand the power of Jesus' name to overcome the enemy. We heard the powerful word of the Lord that morning, and we were each touched. Now we have great anticipation to get to Santiago City, meet the Filipino team, and be a part of what God is doing in that city.

Aussie Team flies out on Easter Tuesday

On Tuesday we fly out of Brisbane, and arrive in Manila for 2 days of team training. We will meet up with Pastor Rey Calusay, we will learn more of the Filipino culture, we will plan and and we will pray together.

The 2011 Aussie SOS team needs YOUR prayer support - please pray for us regularly. In the army, I once acted as a forward observer for an artillery shoot. I called in the grid reference of the enemy position on the opposite hill ... and waited. There was an eerie silence followed by the 'whistling' sound of overhead shells flying towards their mark, and then ... the opposite hill was ablaze with explosions, smoke and shrapnel. It would have been suicide to advance on the hill without that fire-power, but with artillery support victory was assured.

Right now we are advancing into enemy territory. These are not just words, this is fact - the enemy is against the planting of churches. We NEED your prayer support, and we will have the victory.

On Friday we fly to North Luzon, a 1 hour plane trip from Manila, and join the Filipino church planting team at Santiago City, Isabela.

VOLUNTEERS IN SANTIAGO CITY TESTIFY OF MIRACLES

Santiago City Team testify of several instances when contacts follow after them in the streets to thank them for miracles. The volunteers have been applying what they have learned during the training: Proclamation with Demonstration, Praying in Faith for Miracles. Evidently, the volunteers do not hesitate to pray for miracles in different situations of the contacts.
One lady thanked the volunteers for the miracle regarding her pregnant sister. The situation before prayer was that the woman’s life was at risk and had to undergo immediate caesarean operation because the baby was not anymore moving in her womb. But after prayer, the baby moved again and was eventually delivered normally. The doctors admitted it was a big surprise to them.
Joses Calusay and his squad testify of God giving them Word of Knowledge regarding specific needs of contacts. They say it was like in the book of Acts.

Movie of Aussie team in Calapan 2010

Publish Post

Reflections from Aussie team members

Maree: "seeing God at work"

For me it was an awesome time of being challenged and meeting challenges, being blessed, and a time of seeing God working in amazing circumstances and places. The high point for me was leading a Bible study on water baptism and having a family of 6 deciding to be baptized.

Tim: "the icing on the cake"

Wow! The last 12 days have certainly been a time of challenges, and have not been without problems. I have found myself at times (plenty, actually), being asked to lead devotions, pray for everything from healing to strength, which is something that I'm not used to having to do, at least not as often as I did.

Seeing changes that have taken place in the lives of the contacts, the faces now smiling and expressing joy, or the crippled who had left their home for the first time in probably a long time, all makes it worthwhile.

The relationships formed not just amongst the teams, but amongst the contacts of the new church, and the contacts who now have a relationship with God, really is the icing on the cake.

John: "challenged"

I went to the Philippines uncertain as to why God had called me to go. Spending over a week with other Christians intent on doing Gods work has provided the perfect environment to recharge my Spiritual batteries - to spend time with my Lord in a way that required me to look to Him to see me through what He had called me to do. To see Him work in the lives of team and the people we visited was fantastic. I have been challenged by the real examples of how the Filipino team members lived out their faith. One team member used 1Th 5:16,17 as a devotion one morning. (Be joyful always, pray continuously) The challenge of this passage was reinforced through the example set by this person over the week in demonstrating it in his life.

"I'm a product of SOS ... and I will plant a church"

John Robles is one of the SOS Volunteers in the team at Calapan, Mindoro in 2010. He is in his final year at Bethel Bible College in Manila.

John received Jesus into his life in 2004, when SOS volunteers held Bible studies in his house, in Jordan, Guimaras. He was baptized and he becaome a Core Group member of the church.

John has dedicated his life to following Jesus. After completing Bible College, he will pastor a church-planting church.

To follow John's story from 2004, click on Read more

Pastor Glen Aberia - Pastor of the new Church
together with Pastor Carlo Estampa - Assistant Pastor.

(Ps Carlo will plant his own Church in 6 to 12 months)

The Field Director hands over the records
of all the church members

(collated by the SOS volunteers over the past 3 weeks)

to the Pioneer Pastors.

The New Church's Worship Team

at the Grand Opening Service.

A New Church is born.

Today in Calapan, Mindoro, The Philippines a new church was born. At the Grand Opening Service there were 50 adults and 30 children present. Other than the preaching the service was run completely by the new Christians. Praise the Lord.

More details will be provided in coming days as the team, both Filipino and Aussie return to their homes and loved ones. There has been a tremendous out-flowing of God's Holy Spirit through the willingness of all of the SOS team to speak and act in obedience to the Great Commission from Jesus to go into all the world to share the Gospel.

Matthew 28: 18-19 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (TNIV)

Right now the Aussies are on a boat as they make the return trip to Manila. As they return home over the next couple of days please pray for their safety as they travel, and also pray that the miracles seen and lessons that they have learnt during the SOS 2010 will remain fresh in their memories as they continue to share the good news of God's Love to those at home as well.

Please pray for protection over the new Church, its Pioneer Pastor and the young congregation. They will face all sorts of difficulties and challenges (including persecution) in the days ahead, but with God's help they can and will overcome.

Old and Young receive Jesus

Guess which one is the Aussie

Squad 5

Tim with some of the Filipino Team Members

Praise the Lord - More Good News

The Core Group is being trained. 3 young people are being trained in worship leading.[picture below]

On Friday we visited the beautiful north end of Mindoro island and saw same beautiful scenery . We visited a Mangyan tribal community and shared with them in their mountain-top church. The health of the Mangyan people is poor and they are subsistence farmers.

This morning a further 7 young people were baptised - it is truly wonderful to see the joy as these new Christians publicly acknowledge that Jesus is their Lord and Saviour.

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In all the rush of trying to keep the blog up to date I overlooked sharing some beautiful words that Tim wrote several days ago - they are such a beautiful summary of the special joy that comes from being obedient in sharing God's Word that I just have to share them with all of you who are reading this blog.

"Today, we started the day with the usual devotion, and it as my turn to lead. I chose to work through Matthew 13, a chapter we have all read recently on the Gateway Bible Reading Plan. God put it on my heart to look at Jesus' examples of mission. After all, what are we doing here?

The day started (with me) feeling completely refreshed after a better night's sleep (despite the continual stereo snoring), and I felt a level of excitement I had not felt before. Overnight rain had meant the morning was cool and fresh, but the day quickly became very humid and stick, temps probably mid 30s.

After bible studies in the morning, back for lunch then siesta time, then this afternoon back out for more bible study with contacts.

Tonight is still warm, but there is the possibility of thunder tonight, and I'm actually looking forward to sharing with the whole team tonight about what we've been doing for the day.

Wow, has it been a good day, and I've heard that we have 4 more people who are preparing or water baptism."

Thanks Tim for sharing your experience with us ... and now for some more photos:

Worship Leaders in Training

Mangyan Tribal Village

Beautiful Puerto Gallera Scenery

This picture of Melody and her mum was taken when we went to her house to see her. Melody was crippled by Polio at age approx 8 months, and without the money to pay for the treatment, they could not afford to help her. She is almost blind,, and has a badly disfigured left foot, and rarely says anything.

We prayed for her, that she would receive healing from God, and when we visited her the next day, she said that she was feeling better, so prayer is being answered.

We take small items of food for her every day and she waits for us to call.

The picture of Kristina (left) and Geraldine having drinks was on the way back from an afternoon bible study, I shouted drinks and a snack and we have had a few minutes to sit back and relax on a hot afternoon. Kristina and Geraldine are members of our squad.