January 6, 2011^th Year of Our Lord

HALBROOK REPORT: 40^th PHILIPPINE TRIP Nov. 29-Dec. 20, 2010

Dear brethren,

As Jonah grieved for his shade vine, God grieved for the wayward Ninevites.  As God sent Jonah to save them from destruction, He sent us to save a lost world destined for eternal torment in hell.  God opened a door for me to preach in the Philippines when Jim McDonald first took me there in 1995, and now I have safely returned from my 40^th trip (Nov. 29-Dec. 20).  Steve Wallace (St. Leon, IN Church of Christ) and Travis Pyle (Ashley Heights Church of Christ, Charleston, SC) were able companions as we joined hands with many Filipino saints.  I presented 52 lessons.  Travis’ labors with Rody Gumpad on Luzon yielded 44 baptisms, and 40 were baptized and 6 restored as Steve and I labored on Mindanao.

On November 29 Steve, Travis, and I met in the Detroit airport to board an international flight to Manila. Our total travel time was about 26 hours.  On Wednesday we met Elijah Sikat, Atoy Franco, Jamie Battung, Elias Cruz, and others to preach at Bilibid Prison, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila. Willie Pastor is serving time for killing in self-defense many years ago, but he is highly respected by the administration for his godly life as was Joseph. The little chapel overflowed with about 50 inside and 20 outside. Steve Wallace preached on lessons Paul learned in prison, and I spoke on “Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost” (Lk. 19:10). Willie had baptized 25 souls. Twelve more obeyed the gospel.  His brother Kenneth is helping Willie every Sunday. It was good to see Willie looking well, and good to see his wife, Kathy.  Willie is assigned to the Receiving and Diagnostic Center where the health of new prisoners is  assessed. Conditions here are much better than in the area where most inmates live.  As baptized prisoners are moved into other parts of the prison, the gospel is spreading!

December 2-5 found us at Puerto Princesa City, Palawan Island where Dario Belviz was our host.  For two days Bible lessons were presented in a hotel function room to 80 saints and denominational pastors. Jonathan Carino had been here a couple of weeks ahead helping make arrangements.  I had six sermons on “The Authority of Christ” and Steve spoke on the inspiration of Scripture, the two covenants, the plan of salvation, evidence of pardon, the thief on the cross, and the imperative of godly living. This is our first time to conduct such a lectureship primarily for denominational preachers on Palawan and we were well received.  Everyone was thrilled and thankful to receive printed materials for further study.  After the regular service Sunday, about 50 brethren met in a restaurant function room. Steve spoke on the one-cup faction. I followed up with additional material on three similar factions which bind their opinions as divine law: the one-cup faction, the no-Bible-classes faction, and the mutual-edification (no-located-preacher) faction. The Palawan saints have suffered much from this factional problem.

The next day our flight to General Santos City on Mindanao passed through Manila, where we handed Travis off to Rody Gumpad to go to Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. Steve, Jonathan Carino, Jack Jaco, and I continued on to General Santos City.  Tuesday, December 7, was devoted to an all-day Bible lectureship for denominational pastors hosted by Jolly Julom and other brethren at a General Santos City hotel function room. Of the 104 who attended, about 40 were “pastors.” Steve’s first lesson focused on salvation by grace through faith, and I presented two lessons on “The First Gospel Sermon (Acts 2).” After lunch Steve presented a verse by verse study of Matthew 24 and I spoke on “True Repentance (2 Cor. 7:10),” then Steve closed with a sermon on baptism. Questions during the open forum were wide ranging but concentrated on baptism. Someone asked a very perceptive question, “What is the difference in regret and repentance?” Regret may be limited to worldly sorrow, whereas repentance is based on godly sorrow.

Wednesday Carlito Abella helped gather denominational pastors at Surrallah, South Cotabato Province at a large outdoor area under a high nippa roof (made from dried palm branches). The attendance of 160 far exceeded our expectations!  Our first-principle lessons were summarized in the Ilongo dialect by Jack Jaco since many tribal people were present.  Eight were baptized into Christ.

December 9-11 Steve worked with Jolly Julom in Maasim, Sarangani Province and other appointments in the General Santos region while I held a lectureship for our brethren preachers in Davao City.  As Julie and Joseph Notarte drove me to Davao City, we visited Ben Canada’s relatives in Padada, Davao del Sur Province.  Our home Bible study focused on the purpose of our existence: to be friends to God.  Edilberto Canada wanted to be baptized but feared medical complications from a tracheotomy.  A cell phone consultation with Dr. Teresa Toreja (a Christian in Manila) reassured him he could be safely baptized.  Even before baptism his son, Mechelle, showed us land behind the house offered for a church building!  They were baptized a few days later, and shortly Edilberto passed away.

Our next stop was at a small one-room house where a crippled gospel preacher lay in state, named Crispin Buisen. His wife and three relatives were alone with the very small casket with nothing to eat. After presenting a lesson on the beauties of heaven, I left some funds for them to buy food. The Filipino custom is for the relatives of the deceased to provide food to visitors rather than visitors providing food for the bereaved!  Our third stop was at the Ust church of Christ in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, where Andy Alexander raised funds for a church building some years ago.

The three-day lectureship at the New Matina church in Davao City hosted by Juanito Balbin included lessons on the Bible’s history, why we preach, God’s kingdom, instrumental music in worship, the one-cup faction, and elders.  I spoke on “True Repentance” the first day.  I was asked to preach it again the next day for preachers who needed badly to repent!  Six repented.  Hope Idtang publicly apologized to his relatives who were present for committing adultery.  Gerry Caa confessed adultery, gambling, drinking, robbing brethren of support and benevolence, lying, hypocrisy, fake confessions of sin, and “any sins committed, knowingly or unknowingly” (written statement).  I was asked again to preach the same lesson the last day.  Hafley Caa confessed adultery, drinking, gambling, robbing brethren, lying, hypocrisy, threatening brethren, stubbornness, fake confession, and “all sins that I’ve committed.”

Gerry and Hafley had been denying these sins for years when asked by many Filipino and U.S. saints.  When Harry Osborne and I were there in August we confronted Hafley about a scheme which surfaced.  Subsequent evidence confirmed both men had been practicing all these sins.  I corresponded with them to no avail, but asked them to come to Davao City.  Julie Notarte, Juanito Balbin, and other saints appealed to them, and they came.  I pointed out that heaven rejoices when we repent but cautioned that such sins long practiced forge chains and a long battle lay ahead.  They must produce the fruit of repentance (Matt. 3:8; Acts 26:20; 2 Cor. 7:9-11).  They asked me to relay the news to U.S. brethren.

On Sunday the 12^th Steve and I preached at the Mobile church of Christ, Huraya, Davao City, hosted by Lemuel Ortega and Robert Agsao.   Formerly pastors for the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church, they are gradually converting the people they led in the denomination.  Three more were baptized.

On Monday, December 13, we flew to Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental to work with Cipriano Carpentero, Jr. on the 14th-15th.  Denominational pastors were invited to a function room at the side of a large mall and 120 attended including brethren. Steve started with a lesson on the inspiration and authority of the Bible, then I began the series on “The Authority of Christ.”  Boniface III, the first Pope in A.D. 606, was mentioned.  Someone in the open forum said, “I’m a Roman Catholic and this is the first time to encounter this name in my entire life as a Catholic. Kindly elaborate.”  Some questions require a deep breath before answering: “If musical instruments used in praise and worship for God are not biblical, why do demons flee when we use musical instruments in singing and casting out demons?”

Cyrus Gesulga, longtime leader among premillennial churches of Christ in the Philippines, attended.  At the end of the second day he asked for a private study. After a two-and-a-half-hour study, he granted that his questions had been answered and he asked for more time to reconsider his position.

On the 16^th Steve returned to Manila to meet Travis and go home.  I traveled to Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur Province in order to preach the next day at the Molave church of Christ, hosted by Samuel Malugao.  The house was full and six were baptized.  The next day I flew to Manila and on Sunday preached again at the Bilibid Prison, where six more were converted.  After the service Atoy Franco took me to visit Ben Cruz at Kapitbahayan, Navotas.  He has been critically ill and suffers from kidney failure.  I read and briefly discussed Revelation 21:1-6 and 22:1-5 concerning our hope of heaven.

I praise and thank God for every prayer and penny offered by saints to make these trips possible!

In Christian love,

Ron Halbrook