Sunday, April 10, 2016

Dear family, brethren, and friends,

I have lacked time and the consistent internet access necessary to send this report until now.  Sunday, April 3, I worked all night preparing to leave the house Monday at 4:00 AM and travel a circuitous route from Louisville to Atlanta to Detroit to Tokyo, Japan to Manila in the Philippines.  Not only were all the flights safe but also we arrived in Manila on Tuesday at 8:00 P.M., the earliest ever!  Though tired, I exercised for an hour in the hotel before sleeping, knowing it would help overcome the fatigue of the long trip.

Wednesday morning I took care of some business such as going to the money changer and was joined about 10:00 A.M. by Elias Cruz, Sammy Paet, and Ely Ebuenga.  We worked on sorting Bible study  materials packed in 8 boxes I brought on the plane so that they could be repacked and sent via air cargo to the places on my itinerary where I would distribute them.  After completing some study and other preparations for the itinerary, I got to bed at 11:15 P.M.

I got up Thursday at 5:00 A.M. to catch a 7:00 A.M. flight from Manila to Pagadian City, Zamboanga de Sur on Mindanao.  Jonathan Carino and Jack Jaco were waiting for me when the flight arrived about 9:30 A.M.  We went to the hotel and I began making arrangements for the 9 days of work planned for this area.

At 2:00 P.M. we traveled to the Palacan church werhe Ernie Collado preaches.  They have a nice concrete meeting house and it was filled with brethren, visiting preachers, and visitors from the community.  About 50-60 souls heard lessons entitled “Young People, Read the Bible” (Ps. 119:18-20) and “True Repentance” (2 Cor. 7:9-11).  Fortunately, a preacher attended who recently “repented” of immorality but has been busy attacking the brethren who confronted him in an effort to save his soul.  I hope and pray he took the sermon to heart – it remains to be seen whether he will bring forth the fruit of repentance.

In the evening I took a walk for exercise, ate supper, and reviewed lessons for tomorrow which will be a full day.

Friday we traveled an hour to reach Magosutubig where over 150 people from several congregations gathered in a community center.  The morning was spent in a study of two lessons “Examining the One Moral Covenant Doctrine” (Heb. 8:6-7) which was introduced to the Philippines by Jim Puterbaugh and Wallace Little in the 1990’s.  According to this theory, God has always had one moral covenant with the world.  The Law of Moses was a continuation of that one covenant with the addition of “ceremonial laws.”  The new covenant was not actually new but was a renewal or continuation of the one covenant.  New Testament passages referring to the Law of Moses being removed only referred to the “ceremonial law” but not the one covenant.  The 7th Day Adventists have longed used this approach to defend the theory that the Sabbath law was instituted in the beginning and never changed.

Puterbaugh presented this doctrine to support his false teaching that God has always accepted all marriages after all divorces.  This one covenant idea had disastrous consequences in the Philippines, deceiving some long time preachers as well as younger men resulting in divisions especially here in Zamboanga del Sur.  During the past year several preachers associated with this faction have been rescued from its clutches and other doors are currently opening.

After the lunch break Jonathan Carino preached a sermon on examining false doctrines and false teachers.  I followed with a two part study of “The First Gospel Sermon” (Acts 2).  During the open forum there was a question whether clapping to show approval is Scriptural and appropriate. Clapping to show approval for a sermon, a baptism, the Lord’s Supper, or other spiritual activities is not authorized in Scripture.  If we want to show appreciation for spiritual activities and blessings, singing and praying are authorized means of thanking God.  When Cornelius fell at Peter’s feet in appreciation for his coming to teach him, Peter told him to stand up and show honor to God only.  Do not exalt the messenger but God who gave the message. If we feel a need to personally thank the messenger, we can do so privately without making a public spectacle which focuses the spotlight on him or her.

Saturday, April 9, the small church building at Guipos was our gathering place where Leo Armada preaches.  Forty souls heard lessons on “The Final Prophet: Jesus Christ or Mohamed?” (Deut. 18:18-19) and on “The Resurrection of Christ” (Mk. 16).  Three precious souls came forward to confess Christ and to submit to him in baptism for remission of sins.  We traveled to a swimming pool where baptisms are permitted for a small fee.

By the way, American saints might wonder if a public swimming pool is an appropriate place to take people for baptism because they would be surrounded by people who are virtually naked.  Not so in the Philippines.  In small towns and rural areas most people in the pools wear shirts and short pants often to the knees.

In the afternoon we traveled to Dumalinao.  For some years an extended family circle with a few friends met for regular Bible study – various conflicting doctrines were taught.  Cherlito Lauglaug is a Christian and a relative who lives in Cebu City on Cebu Island and when he visited he was permitted to teach.  He is not a full time preacher but does some teaching from time to time such as when he would visit Dumalinao.  The people soon realized his teaching was always true to the Bible.

Little by little people in this family ircle have been submitting to Christ in baptism, so that a small congregation was formed.  Most of them are college graduates and professionals – one is an elementary school principal.  They meet in a large room in a nice house with a wide screen T.V. where songs and PowerPoint charts can be projected.

I preached to about 40 people on “Young People, Read the Bible” (Ps. 119:18-20) and on “New Beginnings in Christ” (Ps. 118:20-22).  When I extended the invitation, three came forward, and as we continued to sing, another three.  After Charlito took their confessions and was discussing the plan to baptize them immediately, two more came forward.  We traveled five kilometers to a swimming pool.  I was asked to do the baptizing.  By the time we got ready to enter the water, ten people of all ages went down into the water.  I took their confessions and baptized each one of them.

Charlito was astonished at this great harvest which included one of his brothers, but he has been sowing the seed and today the Lord gave the increase!  Others who have been attending are near the kingdom including one former denominational pastor whose wife and daugther I baptized today.  I noticed him listening during the first sermon but observed by the time I started the second one he had his pen and notepad in hand and was busily taking notes.

We are having brown-outs causing the loss of electricity off and on which is typical especially on Mindanao, but this family had their own backup generator and therefore the chart presentation was not interrupted and the fans kept battling the stifling heat.

On the Lord’s Day we worshiped at the Bogo church of Christ where Ramon Carino preaches.  He is 91 and uses a walker or a wheelchair but his mind is still plenty sharp.  He has been joining us at all of these preaching appointments, always sitting right at the front giving his complete attention to the lessons and nodding his head in approval of the truth taught.  The Bogo church owns a nice concrete church building which was nearly full with 50-60 in attendance.  I presented a two part lesson entitled “Selecting a Mate: The Lord Builds the House” (Ps. 127:1) for the sake of many young people in the service.

After the Carino’s provided a delicious lunch, we traveled 20 minutes to the Manga church where Leo and James Armada preach.  About 40 souls heard the same two studies.  The building is concrete with a tin roof which can withstand most typhoons but the audience could hardly hear me for 10 minutes when a downpour beat on the roof.  The 30 minute rain was not nearly enough because a year long drought is destroying crops and causing great hardships for our brethren.

There is a street near the hotel running from the wharf up to a high point overlooking the bay.  I have been walking this route at night for exercise, a distance of about 3 miles roundtrip but have not yet seen the moon.  Meanwhile, I continue praying for all of our loved ones and brethren back in the U.S. and thanking God for your help in making this trip possible. The fruit abounds to your account!

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