April 22, 2012 Update
Dear family, brethren, & friends,
God continues to bless the work here and I continue to pray for His blessings on all of you back at home who help to make this work possible!
I regret that I cannot send daily reports, which would be shorter, but there is no time. I have to wait until I can squeeze out a few minutes to prepare a report. Thank you for your patience. Some of you may not have time to read the reports, and I understand because you are pressed for time also in your own work.
On Sunday the 15th Elias Cruz picked me up at the hotel in Manila at 6:30 AM to preach at the 7:30 service at the church at Kapitbahayan, Navotas, Metro Manila. Ben Cruz had preached for these saints since the 1970’s helping to build up the church. Since he died last year the brethren have pressed ahead. Jereme Toreja and Wilfredo Gonzales are very active elders. We had a full house of over 125 for the two lessons: “True Repentance” (2 Cor. 7:10) and “The Resurrection of Christ” (Mk. 16). I came back to the hotel in time to eat a fruit plate, take a short rest, and leave at 3:45 PM with Jimmy Bobis to preach at the Macauayan church an hour and a half away. After the same two lessons, several visitors expressed an interest in being baptized and studies are planned with them. It was past 10 PM when I got back to my room. After ordering a bowl of soup, I fell into the bed exhausted but thankful and happy for such a wonderful Lord’s Day!
Monday marked the start of the five‑day preacher training classes at Kapitbahayan with 25 young men registered and almost as many sit‑in students. Classes began each day at 8:00 AM and finished close to 7:00 PM. The brethren let us use the church building, which recently had a standup air conditioner installed. This greatly relieved both teachers and students from the intense summer heat and humidity, allowing us to focus better on our work.
The first day we covered the theme of the Bible and undenominational Christianity. In the last session I introduced the class to some Bible research tools including the concordance and the Bible dictionary. These young men caught on quicker than some of the other groups who have learned to use these tools in past years. The teachers for this week are Jonathan Carino (from Cebu City, Cebu), Lordy Salunga (from Tarlac, Tarlac), and myself.
The teachers consulted Tuesday and agreed these young men were paying attention well and catching on quickly. By combining a couple of lessons, we covered 11 lessons on New Testament worship, how to study the Bible, and applying Bible authority. Again, the session on the use of Bible study tools went very well.
I learned from Rody Gumpad that Tessie came home from the hospital in Tuguegarao somewhat improved, but both of them are having trouble controlling their blood pressure. Please pray for them.
Wednesday was devoted largely to studies on the mission and work of the church. These lessons were well received. Good questions surfaced as a result of the fact that this generation did not pass through the storms and trials of the institutional division.
Here is an interesting side note. Tuesday a few students asked if it might be possible to have lunch sooner because of the early start and long day. I suggested if we eliminated the 15 minute break and snack at 10:00 AM each day, we could, not thinking they would really want to do that. To my surprise, they agreed to this change. When I finished teaching Wednesday just before lunch at an earlier hour, I told them we could go ahead to lunch if there were no questions. Rather than go to lunch, they asked several good questions, making the lunch late again! Finally, I dismissed them, but several immediately gathered around to ask more questions about the resurrection. So these students were even later going to lunch. All of which shows the good desire to learn which characterizes these young men!
Thursday it was a joy to see several of the young men becoming even more focused on their studies regarding the Holy Spirit, baptism, and Calvinism. When dismissed for lunch, several young men immediately approached me to ask to transfer my PowerPoint charts onto their memory sticks for further study. The last session on study tools examined the Bible word “impute” which refers to God recording our sins and our obedient faith. This refuted Calvinism’s claim it means to transfer (i.e, transfer Adam’s sin to all men, transfer our sins to Christ on the cross, and transfer all righteous deeds on Christ on earth to believers so they cannot fall from grace). We finished early to make way for the church’s midweek service.
Earlier I had admonished the students to be serious and diligent in using their new Bibles and study books because many U.S. brethren sacrificed to provide them. I illustrated by telling about a widow with serious health problems who always donates some amount. One student brought a letter addressed to that unnamed widow expressing his gratitude. It said in part,
“I am one of these students taught by brother Ron here in the Philippines. We learned that the books given to us came from the money you sacrificed to buy these books for us to use in our preacher training. I am thankful and grateful to God using brethren like you to support this program. And besides brother Ron told us about your present situation, and that really makes me inspired for that determination and kindness of you helping us in our studying the Bible even though you are in affliction….
“As my appreciation of your kindness, I will do my best to be a good preacher (help me, God) and use these books as my aid in preaching God’s word. I will constantly mention all of you brethren in my prayers….”
[Signed:] Thankful, Rony
Friday was devoted to a study of premillennial errors and cults like the Jehovah’s Witnesses who deny the deity of Christ. At the day’s end I taught a session on how to use the reference Bible with center column cross references and a section of helps at the back including maps. After a quick supper break, we reconvened to present certificates to the men who completed the week of preacher training. Then each young man stood before the audience to express personal gratitude and to comment on good things they learned. The brethren are now insisting we should plan a two‑week session next year–they are hungry to learn!
On Saturday Lordy Salunga returned to his home in Tarlac while Jonathan Carino and I flew from Manila to General Santos City in Mindanao to work with Cyrus Gesulga and Jolly Julom in conducting another five‑day preacher training class. Study materials will be given to 24 men and another 25‑30 will sit in and take notes. The first opportunity is given to brethren coming from premillennial churches of Christ, contacts known primarily to Cyrus who was convinced of the truth last year.
April 22, Sunday, Jolly Julom met us at the hotel at 8:30 AM to take us to the congregation at Apopong, Lanton. A few years ago the brethren lost their property and church building in spite of having legal possession of the property, because a lady went to court and claimed to have a prior deed. The Lanton saints sacrificed and U.S. brethren also donated funds to purchase new property and build a new meeting place little by little. It is nearly completed now. We had a full house of close to 100. I taught a two‑part sermon on “The First Gospel Sermon,” a verse by verse study of Acts 2. Jacklyn Julom, a granddaughter of Jolly, approached me after the service to say she had been baptized at 10 but realized from some things in the lesson that she did not really understand what she was doing at that time. She was baptized this afternoon.
After lunch I preached at another church in the same vicinity of Apopong, Lanton where Jerry Julom preaches. This church is now in danger of losing their property. They bought an option to buy in 1996 and built a nice but simple building on it. The owner now plans to sell the property for $12,000. If Jerry cannot make some arrangement with the owner, the building will be demolished and the property sold to someone else. After my lesson entitled “Lord, Increase Our Faith” (Lk. 17:5), Jerry admonished the brethren to pray more fervently by faith that God will help them solve their property problem. Individuals who might wish to donate funds and get a legitimate tax deduction may send a check to my home address written out to Help A Neighbor, and I will see that Jerry gets the amount you send. If you prefer to communicate with Jerry directly, I will gladly put you in touch with him.
It was so hot today the sweat soaked my clothes. Twice. I had to change into a third set of underwear, not to mention my outer clothes were also wet‑‑a small inconvenience for such a great privilege to preach to these precious souls. My friend Frani Smith would be oh so comfortable over here because there is no dreary winter weather, but my wife, Donna, can hardly bear this heat and humidity!
It is getting late on Sunday night and I must study for the first classes in tomorrow’s initial sessions of the five‑day preacher training program.
I continue to communicate with Donna in Australia almost every day via phone. Jamie, Deborah, Timothy, Seth, and Donna are all doing well.
There have been two deaths in the church at Hebron Lane since I left, and I have been praying for God’s care and comfort to be with all the saints there.
I have not been able to see the moon the last few nights, but I know it is up there some where. And it reminds me that I miss everyone back at home in the U.S.
May God bless and keep each one of you.
In Christian love, Ron