Dear family, brethren, and friends around the world,

On Monday, April 9, we traveled from Cagayan de Oro City to Iligan City, Lanao del Norte where Patricio Peregrino labors in the gospel.  The lesson presented is entitled “God’s Weather Report” (Gen. 8:22), showing that God not man rules the weather and will destroy the universe at His will – not global warming, not a new ice age, and not climate change.  Edgar Samodal who recently had surgery was there and is doing fine.  He said his father Fred can still teach but must stay close to home because of problems related to the aging process.  I missed seeing him.

Our journey continued and brought us to the Sigapod church in Maigo where Alejandro Gallo preaches.  There was no time to preach, but Cipriano Carpentero consulted with five people who had decided to be baptized, took their confessions, and baptized them in the ocean nearby as we watched from the shore.  There was great rejoicing in both heaven and earth!

We drove on to the Rebe church in Lala to preach where Jefone Mancia and Leo Entroso serve as evangelists.  Our study of Psalm 57 was entitled “Trust God Till the Danger Passes.”  The building was full with 50-60 people and the audience as very attentive.

After another couple of hours, our journey ended in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur at 7:00 P.M. by God’s grace and the good driving skills of DonDon Mabasa.  We passed within a few miles of Marari, a city of 200,00 people which was devastated last year by Mulsim rebels – at least 700 citizens died and bodies are still being found in the rubble.  Although the government enacted martial law to clean up remnants of the rebels, we passed no military check points because the countryside has been peaceful in recent months.  I even took my normal walks every night in Pagadian City without any problem.  Peace and order have returned to the region, although militant Islamists are a longtime problem on Mindanao and they are virtually impossible to pacify.  Our brethren live in the shadow of this danger and need our constant prayers.

Two days of lectures were scheduled at the Bogo church of Christ in Pagadian City on “The Inspiration and Canon of Scripture” beginning on Tuesday.  Ramon Carino has been an evangelist working with this church through the years and he is now 93 years old.  Though he is in a wheelchair, his mind is still quite sharp and active.  He still sits right at the front and pays close attention as always.  Tuesday’s first lesson was a study of Psalm 19 focusing on “The Glory of God” in the creation and in Scripture.

Next, we studied “The Inspiration and Authority of Scripture.”  After lunch Jack Jaco preached a sermon emphasizing that we must submit to the authority and instructions of God’s Word.  I followed with “The Writing and Canon of Scripture” showing how the 66 books of the Bible were produced and distinguished from false claims of revelations.  My last lesson was off the theme but designed to encourage our brethren to “Trust God Till the Danger Passes.”

During the Q & A we covered questions about whether baptism is valid if performed by an unbeliever or a woman.  If the convert has the right understanding of God’s plan for our salvation, his salvation is predicated on the power of the gospel not on the qualifications of the baptizer (Rom. 1:16).  A woman may baptize a woman if no men are available because they are included in “all nations” of people who can be saved and begin a new life in obedience to all things Christ commanded (Matt. 28:19-20; 1 Tim. 2:11-12).  This includes the command to teach and to baptize.  The one limitation is that women not teach or usurp authority over men – God ordained that men lead.

Our attendance was 70 today including friends of many years such as Ernie Collado, Leo and James Armada, and many more.  This area was hit hard in past years by the false doctrine of “one moral covenant” propagated by Jim Puterbaugh and Wallace Little (and Filipinos Bot Hayuhay and Roger Wanasan), causing widespread controversy and division, but the truth has now prevailed and this particular error is dying out.  Almost all the men who were deceived have opened their eyes and it is good to see them again when we have Bible lectureships.

Once again I noticed the song book I was using was discarded and donated by the Walton’s Chapel church of Christ in Lafayette, TN.  (I have exhausted my supply of used song books which are periodically shipped to the Philippines, but the need and requests continue to grow!  Another 22 boxes were shipped with song books, Bibles, etc. two days before I left on this trip.  A number of saints donated funds to ship boxes several months ago and that fund is now depleted.)

As soon as the session ended about 5:30 P.M., we rushed to the hotel so I could change out of my wet clothes (the temperatures have hovered around 90 degrees Fahrenheit).  We proceeded immediately about ten kilometers to Dumalinao where Cherlito Lauglaug has established a congregation composed mostly of about 25 relatives who meet in a home.  They are professionals such as teachers and nurses including a good number of young people, some of whom attend college and others who have graduated.  This family provided a delicious meal of Filipino food.  My lesson was based on Isaiah 52:13-53:12 entitled “Salvation: Amazing, Astonishing!”  This audience could not have been more attentive and appreciative.

We returned to the hotel about 9:30 P.M.  After taking a walk and preparing for tomorrow’s session, I got to bed at 2:00 A.M. (actually, I nodded off in my chair while studying before 2:00 but came out of the fog and moved to the bed at 2:00).

Some email correspondents will wonder why they have not been getting replies.  The internet connection in this area was so weak it was not possible to read and respond to email (I spent an hour trying to get one short message to Mark Mayberry in advance of his arrival in the Philippines).  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

The series on The Inspiration and Canon of Scripture continued Wednesday with a full house again.  I started with a discussion of “The Apocrypha and Other False Scriptures.”  There are 14 books traditionally considered “apocrypha” or “of doubtful origin and authenticity,” 9 of which are included in the Roman Catholic Bible – but only since the Council of Trent in 1546.

We also considered the pseudepigrapha, a vast collection of books originating 200 B.C.-A.D. 200 which are clearly forgeries, plagiarized materials, and fake scriptures.  Lastly, I explained that there is an assortment of books periodically announced to be “lost books of the Bible” which are of more recent origin – they are neither “lost” nor “books of the Bible” – they are fictional, sensational, and products of flimflam artists.

I then presented two fairly detailed lessons entitled “The Bible: God’s Only True Word,” a study of evidences.  DonDon Mabasa preached a sermon on God’s grace and man’s obedience, and I closed out the day with a sermon of admonition: “Young People, Read the Bible!”  During the open forum a few questions about apocryphal books were addressed.

This series of studies is designed to drive home one simple and central truth:  Our Bible of 66 books is the original Word of God beyond all question or doubt!  Nothing has been added and nothing has been lost.  The integrity of Bible is undergirded by the God who gave it to us.

Several brethren asked for Bibles in their dialects to distribute to brethren who do not have Bibles.  On the last day before returning home, I will visit the Philippine Bible Society and submit orders in an effort to meet these requests as funds permit.

Thursday morning I flew from Pagadian City to Manila.  Mark Mayberry had arrived from the U.S. ahead of me about 1:30 A.M.  His flight into Tokyo encountered severe and extremely dangerous wind shears when attempting to land there and was diverted to another airport to refuel.  Therefore, he was four hours late getting to Manila, and we thank God for his safe travel!  We shared a late breakfast about 11:00 A.M., then visited the money changer.  We returned to our rooms to study and prepare for our trip in a van for several hours to Cabanatuan City tomorrow morning, God willing.  There will be preaching appointments along the way.

We covet your prayers as we press forward.  And, yes, we are looking for the moon, but it is in its waning crescent phase – though we know your thoughts and love do not wane, nor do ours for you!

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