Dear family, brethren, and friends,

By God’s good grace my 64th preaching trip to the Philippines is well underway, beginning with travel to Manila on November 29-30.  Monday night I was fortunate enough to get a couple of hours sleep (often I get none the last night before leaving), which gave me more energy than usual in flying from Louisville to Atlanta to Tokyo to Manila. The flights were safe and smooth.  In fact, I worked on two new sermons en route, one on “Preserving Unity in Christ” (Jn. 17:17-21) and the other entitled “Christ’s Authority Over All Men” (Matt. 28:18-20), which will become my report on this trip after I return from the Philippines, New Zealand, and Australia.

We arrived in Manila about 9:30 Wednesday night, so after getting to the hotel I went to the exercise room before going to bed.  Exercising helps me recover from the stiffness and sore muscles resulting from 24 hours of air travel. Thursday was spent sorting packages of Bibles, books, and study materials to be distributed, giving attention to transitional needs such as a visit to the moneychanger, and reviewing and preparing lessons.

Dec. 2-3 at Kapitbahayan, Navotas

December 2-3 (Friday-Saturday) found me preaching at the church in Kapitbahayan, Navotas here in Metro Manila. Ben Cruz planted this church back in the 1970’s.  Since his death, his son Elias continues the work as an evangelist and the church has two elders.  Since this is a well-established church and several preachers always join us, I planned lessons with both milk and meat for these two days.  About 40 souls attended Monday as we studied “Preserving Unity in Christ” (Jn. 17:17-21) and two lessons on “Maintaining Balance in Times of Controversy” (Phil. 4:5).

A visitor named Donn Tedios was a radio broadcaster who heard Ben Cruz preach on a station where he worked and they were friends.  Many truths he learned stayed in his heart and he told us at the end of the service that he wanted to be baptized.  He suffers paralysis over much of his body as a stroke victim.  When it came time to take him to a pool to be baptized, he felt sick.  We hope he can soon be baptized. (Sammy Paet is ready at any moment to baptize him and I was hoping he would submit to Christ before I left Manila.  As I now prepare to leave, iIt seems the urgency of salvation has not yet penetrated his heart, but we are praying for him.)

Tuesday’s lessons to about 50 people were “Mistaken Views VS False Doctrine” (2 Pet. 1:5-7; 2:1), “God’s Weather Forecast” (Gen. 8:22), and “God Made Us Male & Female” (Gen. 1:27).  Since the latter sermon dealt with gender identity and roles, during the open forum someone asked who is responsible if a child shows “tendencies of becoming homosexual?”  The answer is that the child may be influenced by our changing culture as manifest by the media, celebrities, and some schools.  Parents should be alert and address the issue by teaching the child God’s Word, by countering cultural influences, and by seeking the counsel of Christians and professionals as needed.  In some cases abusive parents cause a child to have homosexual temptations.  Everyone and anyone who influences children to become homosexual will face the fierce wrath of God (Matt. 18:6).  None of this excuses a young person who chooses to become homosexual.  Both those who influence the young person and the young person himself are responsible to God for their own choices and actions.

Dec. 4 at Pasig & Paranaque City

Elijah Sikat has preached for the church in Pasig for many years but was away preaching on Mindoro Sunday when I visited this congregation.  A young preacher named Ruben de Pedro helps with the work and was with us.  The small room where they meet in a house was filled and some members were sitting on a side porch where they could see into the room – about 35 in all.  We were glad Donn Tedios was able to join us for the day.  The lessons were “How Sinners Receive Salvation” (Rom. 10:1-17) and “God Made Us Male & Female.”

In the afternoon we visited the church that meets in the home of Jimmy Battung in Paranaque City.  His garage serves as the meeting place.  Jimmy is now 75 years young and he is converting his family little by little – his son Joseph obeyed the gospel two weeks ago.  About 25 souls heard the lessons on “How Sinners Receive Salvation” and “God Made Us Male & Female.”

It is winter in the Philippines since it is located barely north of the equator – which means we have to endure frigid temperatures in the low 80’s to 90 Fahrenheit.  And humidity is also in the low 80’s (we have not seen snow or ice yet!).  Preaching four times a day in this weather left my clothes wet and my body exhausted.  The temperature will reach 90 for the next couple of days – now that is what you call severe winter weather!  But I do not wish to complain – it is a joy to work with these saints regardless of the weather.

Dec. 5-7 with Deaf Mute Saints in Paranaque City

December 5-7, Monday through Wednesday, was spent with the deaf mute saints meeting in Metro Manila for many years.  A longtime faithful evangelist who is a deaf mute is Tony Hernado.  Their normal meeting place is a rented room below street level in the Sampaloc community but we met under a porch and garage area at his parents’ house in Paranaque City. The area is not closed in but sheets of plastic and cloth shielded us from the sun though not from the heat. His parents, who can speak and hear, are Roman Catholic and Tony longs for them to be converted.  They were most welcoming and hospitable but did not attend the lessons because they were occupied preparing food for everyone for three days.  I urged them to allow Sammy Paet to return for home Bible studies and they said they would welcome him.

Our theme for the three days was “The Authority of Christ”.  About 15 joined us as we began each morning and others would arrive until our number reached about 25 each day.  Monday morning we studied “The Authority of Christ Expressed in Scripture” and in the afternoon “The Authority of Christ as Savior and Head of the Church.”  A sheet was hung so that we could study with PowerPoint charts and I constantly wrote additional comments on a whiteboard at the side.  Meanwhile, deaf mute brethren signed all of this information to the audience.  These lessons typically can be presented in 45 minutes to an hour but required 2 ½ to 3 hours to allow all the additional explanations and the signing.

The brethren often point to each person in the audience to elicit a response that they understand and agree or do not – no one escapes attention.  Among our visitors were two ladies who tried to defend their denominational baptism in the open forum. We patiently showed them denominational baptism is not the same as the baptism commanded by Christ, and the denominations into which they were baptized are not mentioned or authorized in the Bible.

Another visitor was a Muslim who had never heard the gospel.  He said in a note during the open forum, “You’re good teaching about the gospel of Jesus.  I understand okay.  I’m coming here 1st time.”  He added he needed to learn more before he could be baptized.  It was evident as we went along that he more readily understood and accepted many things than the denominational visitors did – he was able to take the Scriptures at face value better than they were.

Tuesday our denominational visitors and our Muslim friend were back again – in fact, he sat right at the front soaking up everything.  They learned at the morning session about “Gradual Departures from the Authority of Christ: How Catholicism Formed.”  Even though Filipinos live in a Catholic culture, they do not know the history of how many incremental changes from the original teaching of Christ over the centuries gradually resulted in the formation of Catholicism with its hierarchy and unique doctrines.  In the afternoon we studied a “Gradual Return to the Authority of Christ: How Denominations Formed.” Filipinos are not familiar with how corrupt Catholicism became, which resulted in the Protestant Reformation.  Many people including priests left the Catholic Church in search for something better, but they erred by forming diverse denominational  hierarchies and doctrines.

In the open forum we again encountered several questions about baptism as well as other topics.  One lady was confident she had been saved because a denominational pastor baptized her and gave her a certificate to confirm it.  I explained that Christ taught we must be baptized in order for him to forgive our sins, but the denominations teach he forgives us the moment we believe in him – before baptism. Another lady said she was convinced, but she hesitated because her family is in a denomination called Jesus Is Lord.  I pointed out Christ said we must love him more than we love our family in Matthew 10:35-38.  One man said he would return tomorrow to be baptized.

The heat saps my energy even though I am not speaking for these three days.  No one complained about the heat.  These precious souls could not be more attentive – taking notes, marking passages, and constantly signing to each other to clarify points or to signify their joy upon understanding a point.

A cloud cover and light shower Wednesday made the heat more bearable.  The morning lesson discussed a “Gradual Return to the Authority of Christ: Restoration of New Testament Christianity.” We studied passages and principles which guided people with searching hearts to escape Catholicism and denominationalism by returning to the original teaching of Christ.  To challenge us to have that same searching heart, I gave examples of people in America and in the Philippines who had done that very thing.

The afternoon lesson admonished everyone to learn the importance of “Avoiding Apostasy Today.”  When we escape sin and error, Satan counterattacks to pull us back into the darkness again.  Satan has been successful throughout history in deceiving God’s people to change the organization, work, and worship of the church from the pattern of truth Christ revealed in the New Testament.  As we focus our faith on Christ and the goal of being with God in heaven, the Lord equips us to avoid and defeat all the devices of Satan.

In the open forum a lady asked if people will be saved in the Catholic religion.  I discussed again Mark 16:16 where Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”  Catholicism changes this and says babies who cannot believe should be baptized, then they are saved from Adam’s sin, and as teenagers they later confess their faith at a “confirmation” ceremony.  Christ did not promise to save people this way.

A man asked about someone who believes in Christ but waits several months to be baptized, but he dies in the meantime.  I again outlined the simple teaching of Christ on the whiteboard and showed that Christ did not say, “He who believes and dies shall be saved.”  When I finished the diagram, our Muslim friend stepped to the board and emphatically signed a review of the diagram, urging people to believe what Jesus taught and not some substitute!  That is the first time in over 50 years of preaching I have had a Muslim step forward to help me teach the truth!  Why was it so easy for him to get the point but difficult for people who profess to follow Christ?  His mind had not been filled with denominational dodges to escape the simple truth taught by Christ.  We hope and pray he will soon be converted – he is a fast learner.  Tony gave him a book I had provided contrasting Christianity and Islam.

The man who had planned to return and be baptized was sick and unable to come.  We pray he will soon recover and submit to Christ.

Working with deaf mute people floods my heart with thanksgiving.  I was at times holding back tears while working with them.  When I see how they do not let their handicaps prevent them from seeking and obeying God’s will, it humbles me: I wonder if I am truly giving all to seek and serve the Lord.  What a privilege to study God’s Word with these precious souls!  These three days are worth all the efforts and expenses of the whole trip.  And by the way, Tony never asks for financial help to shoulder expenses involved in such work, though I always insist I am ready to help. I do not know how he does it.

Thursday, today, I worked on many things in preparation for the trip to New Zealand tonight and the work planned there.  I had hoped to send short reports every couple of days, but I was barely getting to bed about 12:30 A.M. every night and today was the very first time I was able to get an opportunity to prepare the report.  Busy days are a great blessing as we give our strength, talents, and love to serve the Lord.  After sending this report, I will soon be at the airport to fly all night to Auckland – I am anxious to see our brethren there and to join with them again in proclaiming God’s Word.

Today Donna is in the air somewhere as she flies to Gladstone, Queensland, Australia to be with Jamie, Deborah, Timothy, and Seth Williams.  God willing, I will join them later this month.  Please pray for her safety in travel.

Thank you, dear brethren, for making this work possible!  “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”  (Ps. 107:8).

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