Dear family, brethren, and friends,

Having reached Bacolod City, Negros Occidental on the evening of December 9 (Saturday), this became our base of operations for the next several days.  Jack drove an hour and a half on the Lord’s Day to reach the church of Christ at San Miguel, La Carlota City where Roy Matta labors in the gospel.  I visited here about 10 years ago when this church was just beginning and meeting in a home.  Today was quite different as 58 people met in a nice church building (built in part with the help of U.S. saints).

Our first sermon analyzed the “Christmas Observance: From Heaven, or, Of Men?”  Our next study focused on Peter’s question, “Lord, To Whom Shall We Go?”  The afternoon was used to exhort all the saints here to “Finish the Race.”

Roy lives in the Cebu City area on the island of Cebu, and preaches in a congregation there but makes regular visits here to edify the saints.  He also has trained a young man named Jerry to carry on the work when he cannot be here.

Our Monday appointment was a three-hour drive from Bacolod City at Magballo, Kabankalan City, where Ronnie Carbadilla preaches and 80 people attended.  Because of the long distance traveled and the time consumed in the round trip, I preached only two sermons: “Christmas Observance: From Heaven, or Of Men?” and “Finish the Race.”  We thank God for the power of the gospel because three young ladies decided to submit their souls to Christ for their salvation.  May God bless them to have many years in service to Him and they will finish their races!

Jack drove an hour and a half to bring us to a seaside facility at Cadiz City on Tuesday where we gathered in a rented room to preach with Lyndon Navaro who made the arrangements.  Twenty people including denominational “pastors” gathered as I taught on “Lord, To Whom Shall We Go?,” “How Sinners Receive Salvation,” “Instrumental Music,” and “Christmas Observance: From Heaven, or Of Men?”  The open forum went quite well with good questions on such subjects as Christmas (clarifying Jesus was not born in December because the shepherds did not take their sheep into the fields at night during winter) and baptism (clarifying that children do not need baptism because they are innocent and safe, not sinners).  All the questions involved seeking more clarification and did not involve resistance to the truth taught.

We got back to Bacolod City early enough for me to eat supper by 6:30, the earliest in a long time.  This gave me time to get some work done, walk for an hour, and get to bed at a decent hour for a change!  Yahoo!

Shem Tapagan rented a function room and invited brethren and visitors to join us for an all-day Bible study on Wednesday at Sum-ag, less than an hour’s drive from the hotel.  I preached the same four sermons today which were used yesterday as 32 very attentive souls participated in this meeting.  Very few questions were raised in the open forum, but one especially good point raised was the instruction in Romans 14 not to disturb each other over some personal day or food restriction embraced by an individual saint but not imposed on the church.  I also explained the difference between an unscriptural holy day celebrated by the church and a legitimate holiday enacted by the government, schools, and business organizations.

This was not only a very encouraging and uplifting day of study but also a very memorable day marked by something I will never forget!  Baltazar Niangar was present, greeted me warmly, hugged me, and said he had missed me.  This is nothing short of astonishing because he was a virtual Saul of Tarsus in his zealous determination to stop us from preaching the gospel 10-15 years ago.  He was a hard-nosed Fundamental Baptist (a fanatical hyper-Calvinist) who would not tolerate any different viewpoint.  He used every means at his disposal to interrupt our teaching and to harass people trying to listen. He would gather people at the back chattering and laughing.  He even set up chess and checkers game boards and attracted people to play while we preached.

On one occasion, word came to me that seven denominational preachers wanted to be baptized but that Baltazar was the ringleader of a group who threatened to beat them up if they obeyed the gospel.  When I heard that, I marched straight to the back where he was standing and announced to him with a big smile that we were going to baptize seven preachers for the remission of their sins and I wanted to personally invite him to come with us and witness this wonderful event. In short, I called his bluff to his face in the kindest way possible.  The seven men were baptized, and no one got beat up.

He continued such nonsense for several years, but I cannot remember the last time he joined our studies.  What provoked the radical but good change we witnessed today?  I have no idea, but he sat very near the front, paid close attention to the lessons (which contradicted key denominational and Calvinistic concepts), and thanked me after we dismissed.  He even promised to join the two-day Bible lectureship starting tomorrow in Victorias City.  Will he finally yield to Christ and be baptized for the remission of his sins?  I have no idea, but I am praying for him.  Please pray for Baltazar.  He is 70 years old.

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook

To see good Bible study material, go to:
https://www.hebronlanechurchofchrist.com
https://biblework.congregateclients.com
https://truthbooks.com
https://www.truthmagazine.com