February 6, 2015

Dear family, friends,& brethren,

On Friday, January 30, Sean and I flew from Manila to Bacolod City, Negros Occicental where we met Jacck Jaco and several other brethren. After getting to the hotel, I had a bowl of soup for lunch at 4:00 PM, rested, then worked on email until 8:30 PM when we ate supper. Next, Sean and I walked for an hour to get some exercise and increase our stamina. Back at the hotel I reviewed lesson material for the next day. Before sleeping at 1:00 AM, I called David and Starla to congratulate them on the safe arrival of their new baby girl, Esther Fair Halbrook, who was born the day before.

Saturday I got up at 6:40 AM to eat breakfast and prepare for a full day. We drove 2 ½ hours to reach the Japitan church of Christ in a rural area included in Escalante City (which encompasses 120 square miles). Arnel Tayactac preaches here. The small church building was filled with 60 souls including many visitors.

I started with a sermon on “The Prison of Sin” (1 Pet. 3:18-4:11). There was no need to translate the lessons into the local dialect because our audience understood English well. Sean’s lesson dealt with why people do not obey the gospel and I followed up with “The Resurrection of Christ,” a verse by verse examination of Mark 16. When the Lord’s invitation was extended 11 souls decided to obey the gospel. We traveled about a mile to the ocean for the baptisms. Several young people were among the number converted and it is always a joy to see the young start early in life serving God!

There are many sugarcane plantations on Negros where our brethren work as day laborers. In spite of their poverty, these saints show a deep interest in spiritual things and manifest a happy outlook on life. The roads are in terrible shape because of the constant pounding thy take from huge trucks overloaded with cane going to the mill. We were jolted and jostled but count it a joy to join hearts and hands with the saints here inn proclaiming the gospel!

Speaking of being jolted, I had a new experience while preaching today. After illustrating something on the blackboard, I turned around and took a couple of steps to the small pulpit where my Bible was laying open. I was dumbfounded to see a Philippine Gecko sprawled across the open Bible belly up – deceased, dead, departed! Geckos commonly lie in wait on ceilings and walls to eat unsuspecting insects, but apparently something I said gave this one a heart attack, and he fell dead on the open Bible. I had to do something with the cadaver, so I picked him up by the foot, announced that one of our visitors died unbaptized, and unceremoniously pitched him out the window. After we all settled down, I continued the sermon.

After dismissal, a sister approached me to bear her burden of longing for funds to add a small room to the church building for children’s classes. The brethren in many places long for facilities and teaching materials for the children.

Our Sunday started early again as we proceeded to La Carlota, San Miguel to visit a new congregation started by Roy Matta. He lives and preaches in Cebu City on Cebu Island, but he converted his mother and 44 other people at La Carlota. There were 55 present at today’s all-day service. I taught two lessons on “Serving Christ in the Local Church.” After lunch Sean preached on things our children need and on the importance of making a steadfast commitment to serve Christ. I closed out the lessons with one entitled “When Peter Confessed Christ,” a verse by verse study of Matthew 16:13-19. Roy extended the Lord’s invitation in the local dialect and four souls stepped forward to confess their faith in Christ.

A two day series began Monday in a large function room at a hotel in downtown Bacolod City. Denominational preachers and contacts were invited and 67 attended. The theme is “The Authority of Christ.” I began with “The Final Prophet: Jesus Christ or Mohamed?” Sean presented a study of Christ as our high priest. My next sermon centered on “The Authority of Christ Expressed in Scripture.” Sean’s next lesson answered the question, “What must I do to be saved?” My final study focused on “The Authority of Christ as Savior and Head of the Church.”

The open forum drew a wide mix of questions and continued for more than an hour. For instance, if a man left his wife and lived in adultery with another woman, how could they both be saved. The answer is they must repent and do the works of repentance, i.e. get out of their adulterous relationship (Acts 26:20). Another person asked if the death of Christ is sufficient for salvation, how can baptism be essential for salvation? The answer is that the death of Christ is the basis of our salvation and baptism is an act of obedient faith to receive salvation from our past sins.

Someone asked how is it possible for a perfect God to make an imperfect covenant such as the Law of Moses? The issue is the nature of the sacrifice offered for sin. God gave the Law of Moses with animal sacrifices to teach Jews they sin and animal sacrifices were not adequate to forgive sin. They were offered as a temporary tool to teach that this inadequate sacrifice pointed to Jesus who would be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. So, the Law of Moses was very good to accomplish its own purpose, but it was not designed to provide a perfect sacrifice for sin.

A Catholic man who has heard Jack Jaco preach the gospel in recent weeks said he recognizes we are teaching the truth. He appears to be near the kingdom. A Catholic lady made similar comments to Sean.

Our attendance increased to 85 Tuesday and the audience was very attentive. My series on “The Authority of Christ” continued with studies of how Catholicism developed, then how denominationalism evolved, followed by the restoration of New Testament Christianity. I pointed out that just as many people frustrated with denominationalism left it to obey the original gospel in past times, now many Filipinos are doing the same thing. Sean presented two very important lessons on baptism as essential to salvation and on instrumental music in worship.

The open forum lasted an hour with several typical questions on baptism, instrumental music, and the church of Christ. No one responded to the gospel invitation, but many who heard the true gospel for the first time admitted they learned new things. When we dismissed, books and tracts for further study were distributed – they were eagerly grabbed up.

Wednesday, February 4, was another full day because we had to leave early to travel 2 ½ hours to a rural church at Old Poblacion, Escalante City surrounded by sugarcane fields. Roger Eson is the local preacher. The expected attendance was 60-80 but 120 showed up. My first lesson was “Simon Samaritan Sorcerer Saved!” Three young Baptist preachers sat on the front row and everyone paid close attention in spite of being packed in the building like sardines in a can – actually, some were standing outside.

Sean followed with “What Must I Do to be Saved?” My final topic was “New Beginnings in Christ” (a new covenant, a new kingdom, and a new birth). At the invitation, 17 people of mixed ages came forward indicating their desire to be baptized into Christ. A brief interview revealed that one young man was not mature enough to understand sin and salvation, so the number became 16. These 16 souls are the fruit of the diligent labors of Filipino brethren who have been preparing the soil.

Jack Jaco drove a rented van for a total of five hours to take us back and forth, and Jonathan Carino accompanied us to help and encourage our efforts. We all were exhausted by the day’s end, but our hearts are filled with thanksgiving to God for the power of the gospel.

Our travel time Thursday was almost three hours because we went into the edge of the mountains to reach the church at Purok Dalia, Sagay City where Jordan Cabras preaches. Leaving all semblance of paved roads, we traversed roads undergird with large stones (almost boulders) covered alternately with dirt and mud from recent rains. A large military style truck was rented with its driver. Moving at one or two miles per hour, the truck bumped and jolted along so hard the passengers were literally bounced, jostled, and almost thrown overboard. All of us held onto ropes which were tied down to keep us in the truck bed. This precarious ride was unlike anything I have ever seen. By God’s grace we finally arrived and began immediately teaching 100-120 people who overflowed the church building into the surrounding yard.

My lesson on “The Resurrection of Christ” covered Mark 16, followed by Sean’s on “Attitude Adjustment.” Body language and verbal reactions proved the audience understood our sermons in English. When Jordan extended the Lord’s invitation, eight penitent believers came forward to submit to Christ in water baptism. We walked to a large creek where carabao (water buffalo) were lounging and Jordan baptized all of them – the people, not the carabao. Because the water was shallow, he had to immerse several of more than once to get them completely submerged – one man five times – but he got it done.

This is one of the best times of the year to come to the Philippines to avoid the worst of the heat and humidity. Temperatures have been ranging from 75 to 85 degrees with a good breeze. This is winter slightly north of the equator. It is evident many of the Negros preachers have been very diligent since the devastation of typhoon Yolanda in November 2013. It has been a privilege to work with them again in harvesting many souls they have been teaching over a period of time.

Sean Rizor from the Fremont, OH church of Christ has been my co-laborer on this trip. He came to preach the gospel and to meet some of the men supported by the Fremont church. He has enjoyed meeting the brethren, preaching the gospel, and getting a firsthand view of the Philippine work. It has been a joy getting acquainted with him and working with him. He has many good and interesting things to report to the saints at Fremont. Other churches supporting men on foreign fields would be wise to send a representative to learn more about the men and the work they are supporting.

Sean and I will fly to Manila later today, February 6, so that he can prepare to return home on the 7^th and so that I can prepare to fly to Australia to preach on the 8^th, God willing.

In Christian love, Ron Halbrook