Remembering the firsts

When we had our first child, we took note of various firsts – first haircut, first tooth, first step. Starting a daughter church is not so different – the first events are memorable as well. First water baptism. Nineteen people were water baptized last November. More than half of them were people we met in Greenfields1 when we started in June this year. I was really wishing that the baptism be a real celebration, since there is also much rejoicing in heaven over sinners who repent.

Well, God allowed us to exclusively use a barangay swimming pool for minimal fees. In the afternoon, God refreshed us some more when rain poured down on us for about one hour. What a heavenly party!

First covenant members. 20 people pledged for membership. Like Rick Warren, I also hope to see them transformed from an audience into an army, from consumers into contributors, from spectators into participators. After the membership ceremony, I taught them some basic spiritual habits (CLASS 201) that soldiers in full-battle gear need like Bible time and prayer.

Father in heaven, help us to grow into a strong spiritual family, reaching out to each other, and reaching out for others as well.

How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time... Solving the poverty problem is solved in the same manner - one step at a time. I serve in a poor community, and I have prayed to God that He help me to help the poor. He connected me to Dado dela Cruz, head of Kabalikat Inc. and a ministry partner of ACDA. He has helped establish about 20 cooperatives across the country.

I invited Dado to visit our community. He went and talked about starting a savings program, the first of several steps in alleviating the whopping poverty of our people. He cited the huweteng example wherein millions of pesos can be gathered everyday, not from the rich, but actually from the poor. This means, if the poor can save their money, and combine them, it can be a force to reckon with.

Our people, since then, has started saving for 6 weeks now. I was amazed at the inspiration it gave our people, especially the ice cream vendors. Now, they dream to have their own ice cream factory some day. I was actually expecting a businessman to start livelihood projects for the people. Instead, God sent a social worker to empower the people to start their own. God is wise! God is good!

Journey Mates

This year, God has given me a very satisfying ministry for a first-time pastor. Yes, there were problems, but all of them were manageable. God knew better – He was pacing a novice.

My gem in this ministry is a very able partner and wife – Ruth. God knows how many times have I been thankful for all her valuable insights and encouragement. I’m thankful also for well-behaved teens who are devoted to Jesus. They are not perfect, but they don’t give me sleepless nights. One time I was wondering how come I didn't enter pastoral work 10 or 15 years before. Perhaps this is one of the answers - God wants to establish a solid family first.

The best times of my life are when we are all together sharing laughter and tears. I will be spending the holidays with a family I truly enjoy. This is my gift from God. I wish you the same joy during this season. Happy holidays!

Listening to the Spirit

This month, guest ministers from International Foursquare denomination led by Pastor Joe Danganan of PCF-Los Angeles conducted a 3-day conference for ministry revival and equipping of leaders in PCF-Tondo. Working with the guests behind curtains, I was particularly amazed on how they intently listen to the Spirit's guidance. That made me decide, I don't want to die knowing that I have read enough, or I have surfed the net enough, or I have studied enough, but that I have listened enough to the Spirit's leading.

PCF-Nova was blessed with the presence of Dr. Linda Oakland, one of the guest ministers and senior pastor of The Well, a Foursquare church in Northridge, California. She graced one worship service in PCF-Nova where attenders were touched by her powerful preaching and prayers.

PCF-Nova's worship center is actually beside a 550-sqm unused warehouse. Dr. Linda received a leading from the Spirit to use this warehouse for the Lord as future conference site. She would like to see this place air-conditioned by 2008. It may be too expensive to be used for 3-day conferences, but I tried to listen this time to what the Spirit was saying. For this to be a practical project, it could be that God is planning for PCF-Nova to be big enough to make use of that warehouse in worship services as well! For a 5-month old church, I was a bit overwhelmed. But I've always told our church, DREAM BIG! For "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." (1Cor 2.9)

Recruiting soldiers

First thing in our agenda this month, I conducted Membership Class (CLASS 101 of Rick Warren) to 35 prospective members. It took us 4 hours to complete the course! I didn't realize it was this long. Good thing I have icebreakers in between lessons. (Maybe I need to adjust some of the topics next time.) We'll sign membership covenants after their baptism.

I am excited to see how God will make use of them as His soldiers to conquer the enemy's territory, to prove once more that the Gates of Hades will not prevail against the church of Jesus.

Worms away!

A neighbor in the Filipino culture will give a bowl of cooked viand to another neighbor to establish friendship. At times, this bowl will be returned with cooked viand from the other neighbor. People seem to be saying "come and have a taste of my presence." As a new neighbor in Greenfields1, PCF-Nova did not give viand, but a potent deworming medicine. We have distributed 250 pieces of this medicine to our neighbors in the community. We invited the staff of Bgy. San Agustin, including their resident doctor who gave a lecture as well about worms and dengue. We had lunch with the staff afterwards.

In our world where Jesus is peddled in so many ways, we feel that our neighbors need to know first that we care, before they care for what we know. Today, we trample on worms. Tomorrow, we trample on snakes and scorpions and overcome all the powers of the enemy (Luke 10:19).

If you can't beat 'em, bless 'em

"Jesus took the children in His arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." (Mark 10:16) And so we started a ministry to continue what Jesus wants to do. We raised funds from various friends to build a Bible School for them (look at previous month to see the difference). It's now running every Sunday rain or shine. Jesus met the children as children. And so we're trying our best to allow them to meet Jesus as children.

They have their own place.

They have their own wacky songs.

The good news of Jesus was presented at
their own level (using the Wordless Book).

The older kids want to have a group of their own too
(though one younger kid wouldn't let them).

Out of the box experience

Kuya Cris owns a sari-sari store beside our worship center. I have been praying for him and his family for more than 20 days when his wife, Ate Nitz, attended one worship service. In the middle of our worship service, I asked the congregation to pray for one another. Suddenly, Ate Nitz cried, or howled, like she have never cried before, making all of us frozen for a bit. My presider didn't know what to do, and he was looking at me and I didn't know either. This was new to me. I asked another lady core member to sit beside her to provide comfort. We gave a few more minutes and proceeded with our program. (Now I'm thinking, at times like that, maybe it is better to sing a song first.)

Afterwards I asked my core member what happened. Why was she crying so hard? She didn't know also. All she knew was that, according to Ate Nitz, there was a big load in her heart that was suddenly removed. And there was a different kind of comfort, a deeper sense of peace inside her. She came back the next Sunday. We had a potbless then, and she contributed a case of family size softdrinks and a container of drinking water. Afterwards she joined an afternoon fellowship we called Fun Sunday and dragged her two teenage children along. Ate Nitz has been a regular attender since, and a passionate "dragger" of the neighborhood youth.

I don't know a lot of things in doing ministry, but you know, it doesn't matter. God knows all, and He tags me along in His ways.

Heroes and ice creams

One Tuesday, four teens broke into our worship center, and took electric wires attached to the walls. The next day, the two went back to get some more, but this time, they were caught.

Who were PCF's heroes? Some ice cream vendors and neighbors living beside the worship center. "What you sow, you reap." We planted kindness and respect to these neighbors, and they returned the favor to us.

One Sunday, we invited them to our worship service, and we honored them. I declared, "Our security are not the locks, but God himself, and that you are the proof that indeed God answers prayers!" Afterwards, we had a potbless celebration with our neighbors. We bought one cartload of ice cream from one of the vendors and distributed to everybody for free! We returned the favor and the flavor as well.

I tell you, this is one bridge event that is God-initiated.

God is also fun!

This month, we proclaimed that truth in our community. I felt we need to strengthen the relationships between oldtimers and newcomers, that we had a potbless on the first Sunday and a game-loaded afternoon for everybody, young and old. The potbless came on a good day because somebody from the community wanted his two children dedicated to God. The family really appreciated it because they didn’t need to shell out money for a party afterwards.

Third Sunday, we had our Youth Ablaze – a movement run by the youth for the youth. More than 50 attended! We offered a free tshirt for everybody who was there (how we afforded it, look at the story below). Although it was not entirely free (they paid P25 for the printing of the Youth Ablaze logo), the imported tshirt really got them! There were upbeat gospel songs, games, and dances. Afterwards I challenged them to be used by God for His purposes and to allow Jesus to make a difference in their lives.

With God, there are no accidents

I went to ISOT for a church planters' fellowship. As I was leaving, I met several acquaintances at the gate that I had forgotten my bag at the guard booth. Upon arriving at my house, I called the guard right away and yes, they got a bag. But there were some miscues that happened among the guards on duty that I didn’t get my bag for several days. It felt that I was on a practical joke with God that I asked, "Lord, why are you hiding my bag?"

To make the long story short, I was able to pick up my bag one Monday afternoon. As I was leaving ISOT, I saw my Indonesian professor leaving the parking lot and we greeted each other. He asked me if I wanted to pick-up t-shirts at some place for my congregation.

I got home a little excited. I got a big box of more than 200 brand-new assorted tshirts, good brands, and made in Indonesia! What a time to get this gift because our church was planning for a first youth gathering in August, and a free tshirt can be a very good bait for people to come! We got the shirts printed with the name of our church. Now we also have uniforms for the worship team, for the couples, and for the elders. And there were extras for the rest of the congregation and a youth group of a sister church.

That was a fun adventure. God was hiding my bag because He wanted me to find a treasure!

Hey kids, here's something for you!

"Jesus loves the little children..." so the song goes. And we're taking that cue to minister to them.

These are some of the children in Greenfields1 taken one Saturday early this month. They were standing on the Sunday Bible School area that we're trying to build for them bit by bit with the help of some dear friends. They have provided about 75% of the P80k estimated cost to build it. This is the area at the back of the worship center that the children will use to learn about God and the Bible. It used to be just sharp debris from walls removed from the worship center. Now it is cemented and a bit usable. Hopefully next month it will be completed and better suited to build more lives.

40 Days of Prayer

“Whenever God determines to do a great work, he first sets His people to pray.” – C. H. Spurgeon

The journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step. In as much as I’m not sure what is the best way to proceed in that long journey, God has led me to do intense prayer for 40 days as our first step. I believe we can’t go wrong with this act of faith, and I’m just deeply desperate for His presence, power and guidance.

I gave them a prayer devotional and a prayer calendar, and asked the church to commit for 60 minutes a day for 40 days to go through the materials. Correspondingly, I will give a series of 6 sermons regarding how prayer can change our lives. After 40 days, I really expect that God will assure us of His abiding Presence by doing great and mighty deeds in our midst. I told the church that if the Spirit will not accompany us, then all that happen will be mere tickles and not miracles. We are heeding God's call to make a difference on our knees.

“When we work, we work; but when we pray, God works!”

Bumper message from God

Sometimes a lot of if-onlys can be frustrating.

I was driving my car one night on my way home from our ministry in Nova. I kept on thinking about the mess that a family was in because of a father not doing his job to provide for the family (their electricity was cut because of unpaid bills). I was feeling so helpless, I want to do something for the family and for others in similar plight, but I don't have the resources nor the right contacts. I don't have the power to change their minds from their vices. How I wish I have it my hands to do something significant for them right away. So much to do, so little capacity.

As I was driving, there was this truck in front of me, and on its back there was this banner that seemed to be shouting at me - "TAKE IT EASY!"

It was God. He was telling me not to take problems that should be His. He was telling me to relax because He knows what He is doing and He is in full control. If I don't have what it takes to alleviate the plight of the poor at this point in time, that is part of His ballgame. And I should trust Him and take it easy.

Suddenly, peace and faith flooded my soul, and I felt very light. It was the comforting presence of the Spirit. My limitations have found a resting place. "I have spoken these things to you so that you might have peace in Me. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." (John 16:33, MKJV)

Give Me 5! (for July 2006)

I hope it’s not a bother, but could you kindly spare at least 5 minutes right now in earnest prayer about the following:

1. Please pray that the prayer warriors of PCF Nova will persevere during this 40 Days of Prayer.

2. Praise God – our comfort room has a door instead of the usual curtain! Now it’s truly a comfortable room.

3. Our next big project is a place for the junior church and a parsonage where my family and I can stay from Friday through Sunday. We’re preparing a low-cost 50-sqm structure and we’re building it bit by bit as the money comes. Praise God somebody gave a significant amount that is enough to start the cement flooring. Praise God also for a volunteer (one of my core leaders) who oversees the construction. Please pray for additional resources to finish the structure.

4. Please pray for me and my family during the 20-km trip between our house in Manila and the ministry place in Novaliches. We travel three times a week.

Starting right is the easy part

We invited people from the community and sympathizers from our mother church. We had a guitar, a set of drums, two youth to play them, and a passionate songleader. We had a hand-me-down semi-working sound mixer and attached it to one big speaker. We surrounded the place with 8 electric fans. I prepared a sermon on New Beginnings, on obeying, and being blessed in order to be a blessing. As such, I believe we started well… that is from my perspective.

It was not all well though – the drums were too loud, the guitar was too soft, the sound system was clanky, the place was uncomfortably hot. But I said to the Spirit, “Lord, this is the best we can come up so far. Over and above these, just assure me You would be there and that would be enough to say we started well.”

We had about 80 people, including kids but not counting the sympathizers. That was a good size to listen to the gospel of Jesus. We had some food afterwards, and exchanged stories. After that inauguration, a more difficult question raised the ante of it all – can we finish well? Can we sustain the ministry and reach out to more lost people? There were a thousand and one “what’s next” questions that came rushing to me. Hundreds of priorities are making a tug-o-war in my mind. I’m on an entirely new ballgame. Simply overwhelming.

I can’t help but cry out to God. Lord, don’t leave me. I can’t do it alone. Ahead of me are a million mistakes to commit. I don’t want my self-reliance to destroy this church, neither do I want this church to destroy my soul. God gave me this assurance, “Just walk closely with Me, and I will show you the way.” Just like that inauguration, and in the rest of my journey, God would always make me realize, “I am forever enough. My grace is sufficient for you.”

Hopeless to hopeful

With Christ, all get better!

Noel (not his real name) is part of a care group composed of youth who would be easy to dismiss as directionless. Success with them is a long shot. When we met Noel, he has stopped going to school and he contented himself to bum around.

This schoolyear, 16-year-old Noel is returning to high school. We have sponsored him in a summer youth camp and he has attended an Encountering with God retreat. He is almost always present in his care group. He has significantly lessened his smoking habit. His mom has testified that he is now doing a lot of help in the house chores. Last Sunday, his parents were present in our worship service to celebrate Father’s Day. One time he told me, “Changes are coming though bit by bit. Please be patient with me.” To me, those changes are already significant.

C. S. Lewis said that the greatest miracle is a changed life, just like Noel. Hope in Christ has energized him. I long to see the Spirit transform him to a point that he becomes useful for kingdom building.

Give Me 5! (for June 2006)

I hope it’s not a bother, but could you kindly spare at least 5 minutes right now in earnest prayer about the following:

1. My burden right now is the youth. My core leaders right now, including me, are too old for them, making it difficult to connect. Please pray that God will provide a youth leader or group of leaders to start a movement for them.

2. Kids 10-year-old and below are growing in numbers. Catching their attention is quite a challenge during the worship service. Pray that we can provide blackboards, small tables and chairs for their own junior church.

3. A group of ISOT students visited our worship center one time to share the gospel in our community. One of the female foreign students wanted to ease herself in our comfort room only to find out it didn’t have a door yet! The curtain was not enough and one member added a carton at the doorway, and that made her day. Our worship center is currently like that. There are still a lot of things needed and we want to provide them as quickly as we can so that seekers will find the place not a turn-off but a “user-friendly” place.

4. Last Sunday, we celebrated with a brand new Casio organ! I found it on sale and is available on 12 monthly installments interest-free. Somebody gave P5k making the organ cost us P1k every month, which can be handled by church funds. The deal is made from heaven and it made our music heavenly as well.

On to new heights!

On June 4, 2006, Praise Christian Fellowship-Tondo hopefully will give birth to her third daughter in Novaliches. We’re all excited as we make preparations towards that date. The 100-sqm structure loaned to us is already usable, though not yet complete. The roof is totally replaced, the wall dividers inside are all removed, and we have electric service already. We have a makeshift comfort room (just in case), no water service yet (but we will provide drums and ask water from a neighbor), the floor is not yet completely even (we’ll hide them with chairs), and the walls are not yet painted (curtains will surely improve the ambiance). This is my assurance – PCF-Tondo has a history of starting a church with a worse condition than this. Now they are going strong with more than 350 attendance in worship services. God is surely bigger than mere structure!

More important than the structure is how God uses His people. There was one Thursday that I was not able to make it in our outreach program. I was the expositor in a week-long youth camp in Cavite by Inter-School Christian Fellowship. (By the way, the picture is my son, Jon, rappeling down a water tank. He was a camper in that youth camp.) Without me, and inspite of the rains that night, the outreach continued. My core leaders facilitated the big meeting and the care groups. First time they did that, and they did it right! They made me proud to be their pastor, and more courageous also in starting the new church.

Investing in the Youth

This summer, we focused on the youth. They were available, energetic, and it was easy to attract them with good programs. And once they were there, we ministered to them well.

We sent 30+ youth to join a Zambales camp with 1000 others where they were introduced to the Lordship of Christ. We gathered 10+ in an overnight Encountering-God Retreat (see top picture) where they realized their many sins and what Christ has done for them. During Thursday nights, instead of addressing 20+ persons in one big group, we divided them into 4 care groups each one facilitated by my core leaders and me. Now we know them better, and we can teach them more effectively. They are excited on the upcoming worship center, even volunteering to clean it up. Some are giving up on their smoking vices. Some of them are still a bit wild. Please pray that when we start worship services, Jesus can use their youthfulness in helping to build His church. Next week, I hope to send them again to a leadership camp in Zambales.

Give Me Five! (for May 2006)

I hope it’s not a bother, but could you kindly spare at least 5 minutes right now in earnest prayer about the following:

[Picture shows care group of Vic (rightmost), one of my core leaders. Some of these youth may be a bit wild, but I trust that the Spirit will continue to transform them.]

1. Join me in thanking God for His provisions – a borrowed property, 200 new chairs (from a donor), a sound system, an electric guitar and a drum set (hand-me-downs from PCF-Tondo).
2. Please pray for security also as our place has a history of petty theft (iron grills, copper wires, etc.) because it used to be abandoned. Next week, we will start to move in equipment.
3. Every Saturday starting this month, 6 youth are undergoing training with Ruth. They will be the rookie Bible teachers of kids 12 years old and below. Please pray for them for commitment to the job, wisdom in handling children, and perseverance when they encounter the difficulties. Our target is that they start teaching in June.
4. We need a worship team and this is quite tricky – we need to balance skills and godliness. For a church with young converts, this is difficult. Please pray for wisdom in choosing.
5. We’re used to hand-me-downs and we live simply. We’re committed to raise the funds needed through our tithes and offerings to improve the worship center (dignified comfort room, cover for windows to prevent rain from getting in, wall paint, etc.) and to buy more equipment (electric fans, organ, bass guitar, etc.). But if you could help us to do things quickly so we can do God’s job in reaching out faster in our target area, we won’t refuse your financial support :o).

Good news and bad news for starters

Bad news - the Nova Mall that was originally planned to house the new church plant in Novaliches didn't take off. The management's offer was too expensive for us to begin with. The good news is - it doesn't matter.

A couple of Praise Christian Fellowship-Tondo has allowed us to use their idle property located about 1 km from Nova Mall. It has a structure already, and it suits us for a start. We just finished cleaning up the place, removing one wall division inside and replaced the entire roof. We're waiting for the installation of wirings and Meralco service before we start our first worship service. Nice part of this fixes is that, some core leaders in Novaliches were the ones managing the entire work. I was left to focus on executing my discipleship plan. With people such as them, the church plant is off to a good start.

God deemed it wise to delay the worship center. For the last 4 months, I had the time to build my core of 7 couples, establish growing relationships with them, teaching them how to evangelize and lead care groups, and building the youth group. When we start the worship service, I believe I have a working group that I can count on.

Following Jesus can be comforting

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. As Jesus started with a group of disciples, I'm also starting off with mine. It gives me comfort to know that Jesus started with mere mortals, and where He succeeded, so will I in the power of the Holy Spirit. It has been almost 5 months now when I started a new church planting in Novaliches under Praise Christian Fellowship. But unlike my previous one, I have the privilege to work with mostly new but dedicated Christians as my starting group. I hope to live and die with them. I know it is going to be hard work in dealing with them as they grow spiritually and as I adjust with them, but no complaints. I have just been with them for a few months; Jesus labored with His group for 3 years.

What Ruth is to Naomi, so is my wife to me

Maybe it's not a coincidence - my wife's name is also Ruth. And as Ruth the Moabitess was an inspiration and a blessing to Naomi, so is my wife in my church planting ministry. Right now, she leads the wives of my men leaders, counsels young ladies, co-speaker in love & marriage seminars, my shock absorber and my check and balance. Oh, what will I do without her?

Cynthia Roxas, wife of the President of ISOT-Asia said about Ruth, "You have a rich experience, knowledge and wisdom just waiting to be shared." Now that they are being shared, the women flock to her more than the men flock to me (or maybe men don't show emotions so much). With great amazement I'm slowly realizing that my horizon is wider and my territory larger all because my wife is a great partner in ministry.