Dear family, brethren, and friends,

At long last I am finally able to send an updated report.  I have been caught in a whirlwind of activity which barely allowed me to preach and teach the scheduled lessons without a moment to write anything.  When the last report ended I was still on Cebu Island and will pick up the story there.

The Lord’s Day, August 20, we drove about an hour to Sitio Katanoy Liloan in Cebu City to worship with Roy Matta and the saints there.  Our attendance was 125 and the church building was filled with young people in their teens and older along with more mature brethren.  My subjects were “Young People, Read the Bible” and “Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost.”  When a congregation survives another year, Filipinos often include songs and prayers of thanksgiving in the service, and I was asked to lead such a prayer.

Because my ear continued troubling me, I consulted via phone with Dr. Teresa Toreja and decided to take a late afternoon flight to Manila to let her examine the ear.  Jerry and Teresa graciously met me at the Manila airport at 8:00 P.M.  She said there was still a lot of infection and she prescribed three medications.  I got back to Cebu City about 1:00 A.M.

Monday we began the five days of classes for preachers on the book of Revelation and on events related to the end of time.  We expected 25-30 but 50 showed up including a few denominational preachers who heard about it.  I taught three lessons introducing Revelation and covering chapter one, followed by Jack Jaco’s presentation on chapters 2-3, concluded by my study of chapters 4-7.  The early church was severely tested by the Roman Empire enforcing emperor worship.  Revelation was written to fortify the faith of Christians as they entered that fiery trial which included martyrdom for many of the faithful.

To our surprise, the denominational preachers were favorably impressed, even though the lessons contradict the premillennial theories rampant in the denominational world for generations.  We hope they come back and continue to study with us.

As the classes continued on Tuesday, even more preachers from denominational and independent groups who heard about the lessons were present again.  Today Jack covered Revelation 8-11 in the first morning session, and then I taught four lessons covering chapters 12-20 over a period of six hours.  Though I was physically exhausted, I knew we had covered so much material that an open forum was very much needed and I opened the floor to questions.

One interesting request came from a visitor who remembered Jim McDonald’s preaching in 1994 and my teaching reminded him of Jim because of how we teach the Bible contextually.  He even said he remembered Jim presenting the restoration ideal of going back to the New Testament church, and he wanted to hear it again – not only for his sake but also because he wanted everyone to hear it.  I gave a spontaneous summary of the plea to go back to Bible authority in all matters of faith and practice.  Others wanted to know about the so-called “end time” signs, but I answered this very briefly because we have lessons on Matthew 24-25 later in the week. Finally, Jonathan called us to a halt at 7:00 P.M. for the supper break, for which my body was very thankful.  But this was indeed a good day.

This good day got even better!  A 7th Day Adventist preacher was so impressed with our manner of teaching directly from the text of Scripture that he engaged in study with our brethren during the night, and concluded that he wanted to obey the original gospel of Christ.  The brethren used an inflatable swimming pool on the rooftop to immerse this man into Christ.

A couple of our denominational visitors disappeared on Wednesday, but the ones who stayed were like sponges in the way they listened intently and took copious notes.  One lady (female preachers are common over here) sat at the very front seat so that she could take pictures of virtually every chart we used, while also taking page after page of notes.  This is not my first time to see people take an occasional picture of our charts, but it is certainly the first time to see someone try to get a picture of every single chart!  Somebody is hungry to learn, and restudy, and learn more.

This morning Jack taught Revelation 21 and Jonathan chapter 22, then we started our series in Then Comes the End by Mike Willis.  I taught four lessons covering death, the soul, hades, and fallacies of reincarnation.  Jonathan exposed the doctrine of purgatory.  Jack affirmed the second coming of Christ.  Finally I taught on the resurrection and on the destruction of the universe.

I am literally working day and night, even studying while eating meals, because we had to quickly adjust to the loss of Lordy Salunga as a teacher.  We have continued praying for him and he reports his condition is improving.  I have been running down to the basement exercise room about 10:00-10:15 P.M. to squeeze in a short exercise period in an effort to increase my stamina, while also fighting the constant battle with this stupid ear infection which gets better and worse like a seesaw.  This week feels like running a marathon, but when you get a tiger by the tail you just cannot let lose!  We keep getting such positive feedback from the audience that these trials quickly fade into the background, and we joyfully press on.

On Thursday Jack and Jonathan had the first classes, then I taught on heaven and on realized eschatology (the claim that the world ended and the final judgment day occurred at the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70).  In the afternoon Jonathan covered Matthew 24-25 and some millennial theories along with first principles to help our visitors.  My afternoon studies dealt with the rapture doctrine and so-called future battle of Armageddon.

We learned how well the truth was being received because another denominational preacher said he was convinced, but since it was all so new to him, he wanted to go home and review what he had learned.  This is actually good because it will give him time to search the Scriptures for himself and to meditate and count the cost of obeying the gospel.
                              
A talented young preacher named Dondon Masaba took the first slot on Friday to present the establishment of the church of Christ in Acts 2 on Pentecost.  I then demonstrated form the Bible that Christ is reigning today on David’s throne at God’s right hand in heaven – his kingdom is a spiritual reign for our salvation and he will never rule from an earthly throne in Jerusalem.  My last study was an overview showing how “Premillennialism Undermines the One Hope” (Eph. 4:4-6).

After lunch Jonathan conducted an extended open forum while I rested in my hotel room.  I returned in the late afternoon to participate in our closing activities which included expressions of love and appreciation for all the saints who worked so hard to host our week of study, and the distribution of books and pamphlets for follow up studies in the days ahead.

While this was an exhausting week because of the unusual circumstances, it was truly a wonderful week which will continue to produce fruit for time and eternity.  Some denominational and independent “pastors” are asking when will we conduct another series and even inviting us to teach their fellow workers in their various groups.  We pray for God’s wisdom and providence to take full advantage of these open doors for the harvest of precious souls for eternity!

It was difficult to part ways with Jack and Jonathan after working so closely with them again, but Saturday I departed Cebu City for Manila.  In the late afternoon Jerry Toreja brought his wife Teresa (the doctor) to the hotel, which maintains a small clinic.  She performed a procedure in the clinic to flush my ear and she found a sore growing somewhat like a pimple which was beginning to block the passageway – I had noticed it was getting harder to hear from that ear.  She tried to open and drain the sore but it was not ripe, so I will see her again on Monday.

We then had the delightful opportunity to join Andy Alexander, Keith Greer, Rody and Tessie Gumpad, Jun Gumpad, and Sammy and Marie Paet for supper and an extended visit.  While I had been teaching on Negros and on Cebu, Andy and Keith were laboring on Luzon, and were now in Manila preparing to go home on Monday.  It was good to hear about the success of their work.

On the Lord’s Day, Sammy Paet drove me to Muntinlupa City to meet Ely Ebuenga for worship services at the New Bilibid Prison (“new” as of 1940).  Its capacity is about 10,000 but its population is about 24,000.  Some 50 brethren and visitors gathered and I preached a new lesson entitled “Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!” (2 Cor. 5:10).  Ely translated and our audience was very attentive.  Four precious souls stepped forward to confess Christ and to submit to him immediately in baptism.  A barrel of water served as our baptistry.

An inmate named Sonny Ibanez is a steady worker in the Medium Security sectors where we go.  The inmates are organized into small communities with men selected as mayors to lead them.  Sonny got a mayor to agree for us to preach in his community after our regular service.  I preached to about 20 men on the original gospel.  I explained the church of Christ is not a new denomination but we simply advocate returning to the original Savior, the original gospel, the original baptism, and the original church revealed in Scripture.  The lesson was well received.

For the first time I was invited by the mayor to tour one of the large buildings where the inmates are housed.  It is like a dormitory with bunk beds stacked four deep on each side of an open walkway down the middle (i.e., 16 people per row).  The mayor invited us to teach inside the building next time.  Doors keep opening even in prison!

In the afternoon Sammy drove me to Paranaque City to the home of Jimmy Battung where we joined the worship with 15 people meeting there.  My first lesson addressed the question, “Where Are the Dead?” and the second sermon was entitled “When Peter Confessed Christ” (Matt. 16:13-19).  It is a joy to see these saints pressing forward.

On Monday, August 28, Rody Gumpad brought me to the Philippine Bible Society where I purchased 324 Bibles in various dialects to be shipped to brethren scattered around the Philippines.  This order took me well over my Bible budget and I was not able to order all the Bibles requested this time, but hopefully in the future it will be possible to provide more copies.

Next we went to Teresa’s clinic where she was able to drain the sore in my ear.  It should heal now – I am ready to fly home to see Donna and all of my loved ones who have been keeping watch on the moon for me.  By the time some of you read this, I will be somewhere five miles high in the sky on a plane headed for home, sweet home.

Thank you for taking time to read this report and for your love, support, and prayers which make these trips possible.  To God alone be the glory in all these endeavors – it is His work not ours, and we do it by His divine providence not by our meager power.

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook

To see good Bible study material, go to:
http://www.HebronChurchOfChrist.com
http://www.biblework.com
http://www.truthmagazine.com
http://www.CEIbooks.com