Philippine-Japan Report April 6 – May 8, 2026
May 8, 2026th Year of Our Lord
HALBROOK REPORT: 94th PHILIPPINE TRIP APRIL 6-MAY 8, 2026
Dear brethren,
By God’s loving providence, the 94th Philippine preaching trip with one week in Japan April 6-May 8 was completed. I thank Jim McDonald for bringing me on the first trip in 1995 and all the saints who sacrifice and pray to make these trips possible. Mark Mayberry (Alvin, TX) and Harry Osborne (Tuttle, OK) also had schedules during this time. I worked with each of them several days in different areas. I ended the trip preaching in Japan for the 2nd time.
Classes were conducted for preachers on the theme “Back to Basics.” We must progress beyond fundamentals, but they must be reaffirmed often. “…ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God” (Heb. 5:12). Young preachers attended alongside more mature men.
I traveled from Louisville, KY to Manila April 6-7. On the 8th, several Filipino saints helped Mark and me repack boxes of Bibles and study materials to forward to our venues. The next day Mark went to Tuguegarao, Cagayan to work with Rody Gumpad and others. Harry and I conducted a two-day lectureship at the Kaptibahayan church of Christ in Navotas, Metro Manila on “Issues that Have Divided Brethren.” Emphasizing the need for biblical unity, we examined instrumental music, missionary societies, premillennialism, the one-container doctrine for the Lord’s Supper (i.e., some enforce it as binding), institutionalism, the social gospel, divorce and remarriage, and other topics. 170 souls including about 20 deaf-mute saints filled the church building.
On the 11th Harry and I flew to Cebu City, Cebu where he preached on Sunday while I preached at the Seaside church in Toledo City with Shamar Cajigas (297 attend) and at Balamban with Cornelio Roda, Jr. Monday-Saturday we conducted all day lectures on “Back to Basics” hosted by Jonathan Carino and the saints at Cebu City. Robert Harkrider’s 4 volume workbook series on Basic Bible Doctrine was used as a guide, but our textbook was the Bible itself as we examined passage after passage. We studied the Bible’s theme, how to study it, how to establish and apply its authority, the church’s mission, the Holy Spirit, baptism, the false doctrines of inherited sin and salvation by faith only, predestination versus the errors of Calvinism, premillennialism, Catholicism, cults, Sabbatarianism, and the deity of Christ versus Jehovah’s Witnesses doctrine. 93 attended including 7 denominational preachers, one of whom was baptized.
Harry flew to Tuguegarao, Cagayan for the rest of his time, while I stayed to preach Sunday for two distant congregations: Bogo City where Rupert Ramirez labors (63 souls gathered), then at Libertad with Gil Suico. 30 worshiped at Libertad and 5 submitted to Christ in baptism.
Monday Mark flew from Manila and I flew from Cebu City to Bacolod City, Negros Occidental to work on Negros Island with Jack Jaco. Tuesday we rested and studied, then Wednesday Jack brought us to Escalante City where James Berden had gathered 180 souls in a rented function room, including 7 denominational preachers seated right in front. I preached “The Messiah’s Message & Miracles in Mark,” followed by Mark’s lesson on “The Kingdom of God.” Next, Mark addressed “Truth VS Error” with many good applications, followed by my sermon on “The Resurrection of Christ.” Two were baptized.
Over 90 souls gathered Thursday in Sagay City where Jerry de Erio preaches and over 100 came to Pue the next day where Jordan Cabras labors surrounded by sugarcane fields. 62 mostly from denominations joined us for all day preaching at a rented facility in Bacolod City on Saturday. On the 26th Mark went with Jack to Victorias City while I went with Shem Tapagan to the Capisan congregation, and then we traveled by boat to Iloilo City on Panay Island. Jack and I have invested a lot of effort on Panay in recent years. Hernane Equipado, formerly a Baptist preacher, helped gather 63 mostly denominational preachers to study Monday-Wednesday the Book of Revelation and errors of premillennialism in a function room at a hotel.
Mark and I flew to Manila Thursday and bought 586 Bibles in Filipino dialects. He went home, but I went to Japan May 2-7 to work with Kim Caa, teaching Filipinos working there. We had good attendance and interest Sunday at Numazu, Shizuoka Ken where Jomer Bato is the local evangelist and at Nagasawa on Monday-Tuesday. I returned to Tokyo and flew home on the 8th, my heart filled with thanksgiving!
In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook