Philippine & New Zealand preaching trip Dec. 1-19, 2014
October 31, 2014th Year of Our Lord
Dear brethren,
God opened a door for me to preach in the Philippines first with Jim McDonald in 1995, and now my 56th trip is planned for December 1-19 by His marvelous grace. Paul urged Christians at Corinth to meet challenges both from within and without the church: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58). My trip will echo this stirring call in the Philippines and New Zealand.
Ben Cruz was converted in the early 1970’s and began preaching in Metro Manila, a vast field of some 12 million people. He established the Kapitbahayan church of Christ in Navotas, an area noted for deep poverty. After his daughter Teresa became a medical doctor, rather than establish a practice in some upscale part of Manila, she established a small clinic in Navotas to serve the needs of brethren and other poor people. In the twenty years I have visited here, the Kapitbahayan church of Christ has grown numerically and spiritually. In recent years they constructed a meeting house which includes classrooms.
Ben passed to his reward October 27, 2011, but the church has continued to press forward. From one of the rooms in their building they conduct a regular radio program. Preachers are sent out wherever they can find open doors. Jerry Toreja, a son-in-law of Ben, and Wilfredo Gonzales serve as elders. With all the good the church is doing, they are not resting and are not satisfied. They requested lessons giving thorough treatment to the theme of leadership in the church for their own members and others who will attend.
It is providential that they requested this theme now. The Guardian of Truth Foundation is publishing my new workbook entitled Leadership in the Church in time for me to take 100 copies. Classes will be taught all day December 4-6, with two sermons on elders presented on Sunday the 7th. The 13 class lessons will show that leadership starts with personal spiritual growth, which will be reflected in our families. This process produces leaders including brethren who lead in public worship, preachers, teachers, elders, and deacons. One lesson focuses on the vital role of women in the church. Another deals with difficult challenges faced by leaders.
It is a joy to report Willie Pastor who was put in jail February 9, 2010 was released from the Bilibid Prison on October 15! Over 500 people were baptized during these years and three congregations are meeting in different sectors of the national prison. He is now making the transition back to civilian life at his home in the Quirino Province. His old vehicle is dilapidated and this is one of the first financial mountains he must climb. I regret there is no time for me to visit the prison on this trip, but I hope to do so later.
December 7-8 I fly to Auckland, New Zealand to work with the Meadowood church of Christ. Ken McDaniel and I helped the Ronnie Salunga family begin a new congregation in their basement in 2010. Later the Randy Cabrillas family joined the new work, increasing their number to 8. These saints including four young people diligently invite friends to the Bible studies. Our work ends on the 17th when I fly to Manila.
We have a unique opportunity to ship boxes of songbooks and other items and to give attention to such needs as providing hundreds of Bibles in Filipino dialects. A church volunteered to pay basic expenses for this trip, and so any additional donations will create this additional great blessing. The past year’s typhoons left widespread devastation, sweeping away Bibles, songbooks, houses, and clothes. I set aside a day on my return to Manila to go to the Philippine Bible Society and ship Bibles far and wide!
Without the prayers and donations of the saints, I could not make these trips. Individuals giving for church buildings and similar needs may write checks to Help A Neighbor for a tax deduction. Write all other checks to Ron Halbrook. Mail all checks to 3505 Horse Run Ct., Shepherdsville, KY 40165-6954. 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.
To see good Bible study material, go to:
http://www.HebronChurchOfChrist.com