Dear brethren,

Saving souls begins with equipping brethren to teach and to defend the first “principles of the doctrine of Christ” (Heb. 6:1).  My 47^th preaching trip July 24-August 25 to the Philippines (and Australia) focused on evidences and basic principles of Bible study.  Jim McDonald graciously opened this field of labor to me in 1995 and the harvest is ripe.   No American was able to join me this time but effective Filipino brethren shared the teaching duties.  Not counting their lessons, I taught 63 times.

After arriving in Manila July 25, I flew the next day to Melbourne, Australia and on to Gladstone, Queensland to work with the Central Gladstone church.  In one week we covered 13 lessons in Evidences for God and His Creation. The members are Jamie and Deborah Williams (with Timothy and Seth), Carol and Gabby Zussino, and Emmanuel Boatswain from Trinidad.   The church is now meeting in a rented facility which gives them more public visibility.  Both Sundays we visited the P.M. service of the Rockhampton church of Christ where years ago Robert Turner, Harold Comer, and Jim Sasser spoke, and also David Halbrook earlier this year.  August 5^th I preached for them on establishing Bible authority. The men at both churches share the preaching and teaching duties.

August 6-7 was lost traveling to Manila.  Monsoon rain flooding precluded my visit to preach at the Bilibid Prison where Willie Pastor is incarcerated.  Typhoons and monsoon rains have flooded homes and destroyed crops in several provinces.  Suffering Luzon saints plead for help.

Friday the rains relented and I was able to fly to Dipolog City, provincial capital of Zamboanga del Norte on the island of Mindanao.  Jonathan Carino met me there and Edguardo Parangan guided us to preaching appointments in rural areas on Saturday.  About 25 souls gathered at San Pedro, Polanco where Alex Moravilla preaches.  Their small church building is made of bamboo slats with a roof of G.I. sheets and a dirt floor.  Jonathan translated the lesson on “The Eyes of the Lord Are Over the Righteous” (1 Pet. 3:12), so the service lasted for two hours.  We then visited the church at Upper Gumay, Pinan where Celso Arconila and Juanito Salazar labor.  During the open forum a Jehovah’s Witness said he could see his baptism was not valid.  He is ripe for follow-up studies.

Sunday I preached at the Dipolog City church where Edgardo Parangan preaches.   The service lasted from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.  Jonathan again translated for me, and Cyrus Gesulga also preached.

Monday-Friday about 35 men gathered for the one-week preacher training program taught by Jonathan Carino, Jack Jaco, Cyrus Gesulga, and myself.  Preachers from premillennial churches of Christ were invited and were very receptive.  The theme was “How to Study the Bible” using Cecil Willis’ workbook by that title as a guide for the first three days.  Much of the material we teach undermines the foundations of premillennialism by clarifying God’s use of the Jews to bring the Savior into the world, the spiritual nature of the kingdom of God, and the events surrounding the second coming of Christ.  I also taught a six-part series on “The Authority of Christ.”

The 18^th was spent traveling via Manila to Davao City in southern Mindanao.  Sunday I spoke at the Boulevard church where Johnny Espinosa labors.  That evening I preached at the New Matina church where Juanito Balbin has labored for years.  He is suffering from failing health and lacks funds to buy the medicines he needs.  I was able to help only a small amount, but he is pleading for someone to help him maintain his medicines monthly.  August 20-24 Cyrus Gesulga, Jonathan Carino, Jack Jaco, and myself repeated in Davao City the same classes we taught at Dipolog City, again for brethren from the premillennial background.  We were very well received.

Rudy Tampon reported that as a result of similar classes we taught at General Santos City in May, Pentecostal pastors who attended now say they are convinced we taught the truth.  They urge me to return for follow-up studies and they hope to bring their ten Pentecostal churches to the truth!  When can I go?!

I thank God for making this work possible through the loving help of Donna and the prayers and financial support of so many wonderful saints!

In Christian love,

Ron Halbrook