Dear family, brethren, and friends around the world.

Jack met us at the hotel in Bacolod City Monday morning to take us to the rented venue in Victorias City, about 45 minutes travel.  As is typical in the Philippines, the attendees arrived little by little until there were 62 of us gathered.  The first day Steven and Jim start with basics of music and song leading, and begin to get an idea about the needs of the audience.

“I Will Sing unto the Lord” based on Exodus 15:1 was my morning sermon – God is worthy of our adoration and praise for many reasons.  After lunch it was not long until Jim and Steven had the men beating time.  My first afternoon lesson was entitled “Holy in Life, Holy in Worship (1 Tim. 2:8),” showing that God commands us to live holy lives every day as well as keeping His commandments in the worship service.

At the end of the final segment on song leading, I closed our day with the admonition, “Ask for the Old Paths (Jer. 6:16).”  God’s revelation is the certified right pathway and all other doctrines and traditions originate with man.  Only God’s way brings salvation and peace to our souls.  The session was finished four minutes early, a major accomplishment for the first day.

Latecomers who were hindered along the way arrived about ten minutes before we dismissed, but the men will sleep at the venue – and more will arrive tomorrow.  Our audience consists of faithful brethren committed to the New Testament pattern for the church, denominational pastors and members, and preachers from churches of Christ using instrumental music and churches embracing institutional liberalism (i.e., churches practicing the social gospel and donating funds to centralized programs).  These visitors are welcomed as honored guests and we try our best to preach the truth in love in ways which will help them to clarify such issues.

By God’s good grace, Jonathan and Nanette Carino arrived at the hotel about 5:00 P.M. and will join us tomorrow.  He often helps us make advance travel plans such as arranging flights, boats, vans, buses, and related details.  He is always supportive of the truth anywhere any time.  It is always a joy to have him present – and an added bonus to have Nanette.

All is right with the world tonight.  Driving back from the Victorias City venue to the Bacolod City hotel, we could see a slender sliver of the moon shining down in its white splendor, and sending forth messages of love from home.  Thank you, Lord, for all gifts large and small.

Jonathan is staying with us here in Bacolod City and can take us each morning to Victorias City, thus saving Jack two round trips every day.  Tuesday when we arrived at the venue, the participants were ready and Steven and Jim resumed teaching music and song leading fundamentals.  The men have been progressing so well that they began coming to the front to attempt getting the pitch and beating time for a selected song.

This morning I taught a lesson entitled “Back to the Bible (Jn. 17:17-21),” calling for a return to God’s plan for our salvation and for the New Testament church as opposed to human substitutes.  Alternating with singing classes this afternoon, I presented a two part study to answer the question, “Is Instrumental Music Authorized in Worship Today?”  After reviewing the principles by which we establish and apply Bible authority, I covered the passages which authorize singing in worship in the Gospel Age and refuted typical arguments in defense of mechanical instruments in worship.

Rather than dismiss at 6:00 P.M., I extended the time to allow an open forum in view of the fact that many of our audience worship with churches using instruments in worship.  There were a few scattered questions on other topics.  Several young men have been sitting right at the front and listening intently to all the lessons.  One of them asked if this issue affected our salvation.

I pointed out that if a person was taught and baptized according to the original gospel of Christ, his sins are washed away and he begins a new life.  If he becomes entangled in sin again, such as worshiping with instruments, he can be forgiven if he confesses his sin, repents of it, and prays for pardon like Simon in Acts 8:22.  But if a Christian continues in sin and refuses to repent, he will not receive the final salvation which is eternal life with God in heaven (1 Pet. 1:3-5, 9).  He seemed to be satisfied with this answer.

This has been a profitable day indeed!  Due to the extended time, we were late arriving back at the hotel.  To save time I ate in my room, then visited with Jonathan about his project translating songs into Cebuano, walked for an hour, and fell into the bed a little past 1:00 A.M.

It is hard to realize that Wednesday is our third day of teaching in Victorias City.  Jim and Steven had a few technical difficulties at the start of today’s classes, but they soon recovered and had the men on their feet again leading songs, putting into practice what they are learning.  Steven and Jim are very pleased with how quickly and how well these men are developing their skills.

Knowing denominational pastors are in our audience, I presented my first study of the day on the subject “Many Experts Reject Baptism (Mk. 16:15-16).”  After reviewing denominational objections to the necessity of baptism as a condition of pardon, I closed with a chart showing a $100 bill with the statement, “Go into all the world and preach the $100 gospel to everyone.  He who believes and is baptized will get $100; but he who believes not shall get nothing.”  Who would have trouble understanding that message with its conditions?  The denominational pastors would run to the front of the line to be immersed!

I announced there would be time for questions in an open forum at the end of the day, and we dismissed for lunch.  One man came immediately to the front and wanted to ask follow-up questions without delay.  So, for 10-15 minutes we discussed Holy Spirit baptism, water baptism, and baptism in such passages as 1 Corinthians 10:2, Romans 6:3-4, and Galatians 3:26-27.

After lunch Steven and Jim continued putting the men before the audience to lead songs, guiding them as they tried to get the pitch and beat the time.  They continue to observe that these men are making remarkable progress.

Between singing classes this afternoon, I presented a lesson in two parts entitled “Judgment by Christ: Jerusalem, and All Men (Matt. 23:34-25:46).”  Most of the time is spent in verse by verse exposition, but with added observations refuting the so-called “end time signs,” premillennial theories, and the claim that the end of time and the final judgment occurred in A.D. 70 with the fall of Jerusalem.  After the first part, a man came up not wanting to delay in asking for clarification on the so-called “tribulation” and the imaginary 1,000 year reign of Christ in an earthly kingdom.

During the open forum there were questions about John’s baptism, the thief on the cross, and the essentiality of water baptism for the remission of sins.

One man asked if it is necessary to baptized again if he had been baptized in a denomination. The answer is that denominational baptism is not valid because denominational doctrine changes the purpose of baptism. Jesus said people must be baptized in order to be “saved” or forgiven of their sins (Mk. 16:16).  Denominational doctrine says people are saved by “faith only” before and without water baptism, but baptism then later declares a person is already saved and wishes to join a certain denomination.  When a person learns the true purpose of Bible baptism, he must then be baptized precisely for that purpose.  Romans 6:3-4 teaches we are baptized into Jesus Christ and his death, then verse 17 says we must obey that form of teaching “from the heart,” i.e., with a willing and understanding mind.  The man who asked this question asked for a web site where he could study more and promised to return tomorrow.

It is obvious these people are hungry to learn.  What a privilege and a joy it is to teach them, and to equip them to teach others.  I thank God for every prayer offered and every penny donated to make this trip possible.

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