February 2023 Preaching in Philippines, New Zealand, and Australia
January 13, 2023rd Year of Our Lord
Dear brethren,
A gracious God opened the first door for me to preach in the Philippines in 1995 with Jim McDonald and now the 81st door is opening February 1-March 2. This trip will include New Zealand and Australia as well, working with brethren I have not seen since August of 2019.
Our labors in the gospel are extremely urgent because the Final Judgment Day is fast approaching. We live in the Gospel Age, the last dispensation of God and every moment brings us closer to the end of time. Paul urged sinners and saints to prepare for the fearful reality of appearing before our Lord to hear his final pronouncement of our eternal destiny. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Cor. 5:10-11). This trip is planned in the hope of urgently persuading both sinners and saints to prepare for that last great day!
February 1-2 will find me on three flights from Louisville to Manila via Detroit and Seoul, South Korea. The next day Filipino brethren will help me repack boxes of study materials to ship to our brethren in several places. Saturday will be devoted to travel to Angeles City, Pampanga to work with Lordy Salunga at the Southside church. After preaching there on Sunday, I plan to preach a series on “The Bible Is the Word of God,” plus “Preserving Unity in Christ,” on Monday & Tuesday. We hope to have preachers from many places join us for this Bible lectureship designed to better equip them as evangelists.
February 8-10 will be devoted to visiting churches in the Province of Pampanga at Alcala (a new congregation), at Sta. Ursula & at the Candating church in Arayat, Pampanga with Jojo(where Jojo Tacbad labors), and at the Unity St. church in San Fernando (where Archie Alarcon serves as an evangelist).
Late Friday night I need to catch a plane which travels to Brisbane, Australia to make a connection to a flight to Auckland, New Zealand where I will meet Ronnie Salunga late Saturday afternoon. The plan is to preach for the Meadowood church February 12-16 (Sunday-Thursday) with a series on the theme of “Family Life: A Biblical Perspective.” This thriving church began in 2009 and this will be my 10th opportunity to work with them.
Friday-Sunday is reserved to work several hours away with Abner Salanguit and all the saints at Whakatane. A small group of Christians living 2 ½ hours from Whakatane at Hamilton would like to start a new congregation and we hope to include a visit there.
On February 21 I will return to Auckland and fly the next day to Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia via Brisbane. I will meet Daryl Johnson and labor with the church there by presenting six sermons in a Bible campaign or gospel meeting scheduled for Friday-Sunday. The theme will be “Family Life: A Biblical Perspective.” This will be the 6th time to work with these brethren.
Plans call for travel from early morning to late afternoon on February 28 to reach Manila in the Philippines via Brisbane. Wednesday is reserved to purchase Bibles in Filipino dialects to ship many places throughout the Philippines. Then, I fly home Thursday, March 2nd, God willing.
Thank you for prayers and donations which make these trips possible! Individuals needing a legal tax deduction may write checks to Help A Neighbor. Write all other checks to Ron Halbrook. Mail all checks to 3505 Horse Run Ct., Shepherdsville, KY 40165-6954. For PayPal, the account is Richard Halbrook – indicate “send to a friend” not “pay for item or service.” Donors receive financial reports (2 Cor. 8:21).
In Christian love, Ron Halbrook
Phone 502-955-1748 or 957-6726; e-mail halbrook@twc.com
P.S. There is a dire need for songbooks! I can ship new or used copies very cheaply.