Philippines and Australia Report January 30 – February 20, 2018
February 20, 2018th Year of Our Lord
HALBROOK REPORT: 69th PHILIPPINE TRIP JAN. 30-FEB. 20, 2018
Dear brethren,
A merciful God blessed my 69th preaching trip to the Philippines and my 7th trip to Australia January 30-February 20. He blessed me in 1995 by bringing me to the Philippines with Jim McDonald. Every trip could be the last, but God’s providence continues to open doors to proclaim the crucified and risen Savior: “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11, NIV). I presented 38 lessons and 15 precious souls submitted to the gospel, bowing to Christ as King.
The flights from Louisville to Manila were safely completed on January 30-31. The next day Sammy Paet, Jhun Gumpad, and Ely Ebuenga helped me sort the packages of Bibles and study materials to be distributed in the Philippines and Australia. Friday morning Jhun Bautista and Lordy Salunga picked me up and we traveled five hours to reached Cabanatuan City in the province of Nueva Ecija.
That night I conducted a home Bible study with about 12 members of the Danny Banting family on Peter’s confession of Christ, showing Christ did not ordain him to be a pope but established his church through the Apostles. This is the home of Raymond Banting, faithful member of the church in Whakatane, New Zealand. His parents had been baptized and Jhun was conducting weekly classes with them, but they were slow to really break with Catholicism and attend worship with the Lord’s people. Ray later notified me the Catholic images have now been removed and Jhun said the Bantings are attending the worship.
I taught a series on “The Authority of Chirst” Saturday and Sunday for the church at Cabanatuan City, and Lordy also preached on Saturday. This series surveys the establishment of the church, the development of Catholicism, the Protestant Reformation, and the efforts to restore New Testament Christianity. Sunday morning I spoke for the 7:00 AM service at the Agbannawag church in Rizal, the 9:00 AM service at Cabanatuan City, and the 2:00 PM service at San Jose City. Four were baptized during this Lord’s Day.
Monday, the 5th, Lordy and I preached at Santa Ana in the Pampanga Province and then that night I spoke at the Richville church in the City of San Fermando. The latter topic was “Restoring New Testament Christianity.” The open forum included several questions about whether a person must be baptized by a faithful gospel preacher in order for it to be valid. Immersion is essential and the heart of the convert must be right, but who immerses the convert is incidental.
February 7-11 took me to Australia to preach for the church at Rockhampton in the state of Queensland. Six sermons covered the theme of The Inspiration and Canon of Scripture. Carol Zussino from Gladstone brought a friend named Michelle who was baptized Saturday. The Rockhampton church is blessed to have several young people and we hope they will bow in submission to Christ soon also.
On the 12th I flew back to Manila. Wednesday 120 souls gathered at Binan, Laguna where I spoke on “Restoring New Testament Christianity” followed by “Bible Authority: Essentials and Incidentals.” Ferdy Ong translated in the local dialect because many visitors were not fluent in English. Rody Gumpad aslo preached. Thursday I presented two sermons for the church in the City of Trece Martires, Cavite Province, where Junie Samontina preaches, and three souls submitted to Christ. Friday and Saturday I completed a series of studies on How to Study the Bible and The Inspiration and Canon of Scripture at Sampaloc where Tony Hornedo labors. This church is composed of deaf mutes. Two were baptized into Christ.
On the Lord’s Day Sammy Paet took me to meet Ely Ebuenga for the service in Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. Our attendance was 35 and five bowed the knee to Christ. That afternoon we proceeded to Paranaque City to meet with the saints in the garage of Jimmy Battung’s house. Monday I was able to buy 435 Bibles in Filipino dialects to be shipped to various locations throughout the Philippines.
Once again the prayers and sacrifices of many saints who support this work have abounded to the spread of the gospel, the edification of saints, the salvation of lost souls, and the glory of God.
In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook