History makers

Encounter God Retreat is our first big step for Jesus-seekers. In 2008, we had 2 EGRs; in 2009, we had 3; in 2010, we had 4. Then this year, amazingly, we had 7! In all EGRs, we average 15 delegates, and never reached 20. Then in our latest EGR, we had 31! Delegates, counselors old and new, and Care Group leaders who have invited in the 16th EGR, they are my history makers!

The 5th year of PCF Nova will be remembered as the year of the youth, the year of record breakers, the year of level up for many, and the year we believed for even greater & even more. Thank you, warriors! You're so dear to me.

Lord, "You see everything that people do. You give a reward to those who do good things." (Jeremiah 32.19 TEV) Please, don't forget my warriors.

One more round

I heard of a boxing practice wherein the fighter was too tired and worn out to go on, but the coach often shouted at him, "Just one more round! Just one more round!" In the real fight, the voice reverberated on his mind even when he was beaten and battered, "Just one more round!" This helped him to stay in the fight and finish the game.

Last year, after  4 years of existence, PCF Nova has provided two worship services to accommodate the growing Sunday attendance. It was accompanied by much fear and praying and being desperate for God to make sure this was what He wanted. This year, we added a third service, not knowing if it can be sustained.

To date, 250 people grace our worship center every Sunday. It turned out the third service is at the right time. But with that many people, it has become more complicated yet fulfilling, tiring yet satisfying, privileged yet overwhelmed. As the responsibility grows bigger, I feel more limited and more desperate for God. I'm so blessed with a core team of leaders who are willing to rise up to the challenge of caring and raising more leaders.

The Word of the Lord is clear to us. "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back." (Isaiah 54:2) We often look at ourselves as warriors, and we find opportunities to shout this, "Laban kung laban!" We're not holding back for Jesus. Just one more round.

Excellent student, passionate discipler

Chara Mae San Diego

The group that she led won 1st place in Biological Sciences Category, in the 2011 Science Fair, both in the Division of City Schools and Regional level. She will go to Thailand next year to defend their research project. She is entered as a candidate of the Division's Academic Excellence and gearing up for the Noli de Castro Scholarship Foundation. Last school year, she was at the top 5 of the school's Science section.

All the while she is a worship leader and a leader of 11 girls in her Care Group and 33 in her Network. She sleeps almost every night on the table beside her notes and books. She won't go to her bed, otherwise she won't be able to wake up in the early morning to continue studying. In her limited time, she meets her Care Group on Thursday nights. She spends every Saturday afternoon until evening in the church for the prayer meeting, core leaders meeting, and worship team practice. Entire Sunday is unquestionably the Lord's day.

She is a diligent student and a passionate worker of the Lord. It's her life and calling. No complaining. No arguing. She is my princess, God's precious, and undoubtedly, a warrior of Jesus!

God visited us...

Pastor Nelson, senior pastor of Bible Believer Church & Ministry of Balagtas, invited PCF Nova to conduct a 2-day Encounter God Retreat in their church. It was our first time to do so. Towards the end of the event, during the testimony time, he declared "God has visited us!" Wow! It's truly an honor to usher the presence of our loving God and be used in His kingdom! It was life-changing to our host, and life-changing to us as well. Let me share what I've written them after the EGR...

Dear BBCM, it's an honor to our church PCF Nova to be of service to you. You don't know how much the event has blessed and challenged us to a different level. We don't belong to the same denomination, yet the bond that the Spirit has formed has made us far more than what a denomination can give. We're truly a family.

Ptr. Nelson, your passion is contagious, your prayers are heavenly, your ambition is God-centered. I declare multitudes of disciplers of Jesus, and a church so exciting and warm that other people will be so attracted. Our journey may be rough and tough, rest assured, Jesus is building His church.

To the leaders of BBCM, never back down, support and honor your pastor, seek and save the lost, let no one be left alone, and you will appreciate the church of Jesus even more. Sow goodness, reap greatness.

I wasn't there in that ministry, and I was happy

Sometimes absence is bliss.

PCF received a significant amount of money for the children, and we told our young youth leaders to provide a summer program for the community children. And they did. With flying colors. About 55 children, ages 5-11, joined. The youth leaders organized everything - from the preparations of the gifts, props, venue and food, to the games and singing and teaching the Word. The leaders even dragged their high school cell group members to provide crowd control and distribution assistance. For one-year old leaders, entrusting an event like this meant a lot to them. And them taking it and doing it, meant a lot to me. The children were happy, the youth leaders were fulfilled, I was proud of them, and our Heavenly Father smiled. Who can ask for more?

Can't get enough of it

I almost pulled out at the last minute. But my heart's desire is to get every opportunity to invest in the hearts of these youth seekers, and perhaps some of them will embrace Jesus. So in spite of coordination mishaps, we proceeded with two buses carrying about 100 seekers, and went to the Zambales Youth Camp (sponsored by MegaCity Ministries).

After that camp, we baptized 10 youth. I see other delegates coming back to our worship services. Some of our new youth members have leveled up. One bus carried 50 delegates from one nearby college, and is now a new target for harvest. So happy we persevered.

Till next year...