Dear family, brethren, and friends,

By God’s good grace, my 95^th preaching trip July 24-August 28 is underway after Jim McDonald graciously introduced me to this work in 1995.  My wife Donna has been my greatest helper all through these years.  I thank God every day.

When I checked in at the Louisville, Kentucky airport early on Friday, an African named Isaac was the Delta Airlines agent.  I explained the six boxes contained Bibles and Bible study materials for Filipinos.  He said he was a preacher and had preached in Pagadian City on Mindanao.  When I told him I have been there many times and will preach there again on this trip, he wanted me to visit the churches where he goes.  I gave him the foldout tract on “The One True Church” by James R. Cope with my email address and invited him to study with me when I return home.  He seemed very open and interested.

All three flights went well with the longest one from Atlanta to South Korea 15-16 hours. Late Saturday night, John Weaver arrived from Florida on another airline about 30 minutes ahead of me.  Once in a while as I exit the airport, immigration officials will spot check a couple of my boxes.  I explained to the agent that we are distributing free Bibles and study materials.  He was interested, so I gave him a couple of tracts with my email address.

God keeps opening doors in ways we do not expect – that is why I keep tracts on hand inscribed with my email address. 

On the Lord’s Day, James Paet brought us to the Edsa-Pasay church in Metro Manila where 81 souls were gathered including 15 deaf-mute saints.  I presented a lesson with an outline to distribute designed for home Bible studies on “God’s Great Plan for Our Salvation” and John preached on “Misunderstandings about Jesus.”  We met an American brother who has recently become a permanent resident here (not a citizen but a status allowing him to stay as long as he wishes).  

The church rents a large room on the 4^th floor of an old business building but struggles to meet their financial obligations because expenses are so high in Manila.  This church is a blessing to many brethren who come from the provinces to Manila to find jobs because it meets in a good central location.  It keeps growing through the efforts of James and all the saints, but there is a lot of turn over with brethren moving in and out of the city.

Monday was set aside for errands such as visiting the moneychanger and buying John a couple of barongs (dress shirts in Filipino style).  Rody Gumpad was in town to see his son Teddy and family off to their home in England and we had a good visit with Rody. 

All day preaching was planned for the Kapitbahayan, Navotas church on Tuesday.  About 100 souls heard John preach on the Lord’s Day and on the millennium in Revelation 20 which pictures the victory of the saints in figurative language.  I preached two lessons on why we sing in worship without using instrumental music.  These two lessons emphasized the need to worship according to what God revealed rather than attempting to worship in ways conceived by man but not revealed in God’s Word.  I explained that the larger question is whether we will serve God according to what is revealed or according to what is not revealed in all things.  

The open forum continued for about an hour.  Since I had touched on the need to fulfill the mission of the church as well as to worship according to what is revealed, several questions related to the proper use of the church treasury and the meeting house owned by the church. When money is in our own personal possession, we may use it for any righteous purpose (Acts 5:4).  For instance, when a church meets in a home owned by one of the members, the house is used both for family activities and for the worship conducted by the church, but the two sets of activities are separate.  When the church treasury is used to purchase a meeting place, the use of the property must coincide with the mission of the church: evangelism, worship, and benevolence to needy saints.  The church building is not used for family activities such as conducting birthday parties, wedding receptions, or recreation because they are not included in the mission Christ assigned to his church.  It was a fruitful discussion.   

Rainstorms moved through the area in the afternoon and early evening hours, and we have not seen the moon yet.  I am watching for it — are you?  

Our prayers are with the family of Tom Brown at the Hebron Lane church of Christ in Shepherdsville, Kentucky where he served as an elder for many years because he passed away Sunday night.  Likewise, the family of Sewell Hall, well-known preacher for many years, suffered his loss.  We extend our love and sympathy to both of these families.

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook