Imagine the light of the sun and the moon united as one, and seven days of light concentrated into one brilliant day! Isaiah said of the Messianic or Gospel Age:

“Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound” (Isa. 30:26).

The glorious light of the gospel of Christ is shining brightly in the Philippines. After Jim McDonald first took me there in 1995, I have learned that one of the best ways we can help Filipinos in this great harvest season is by conducting preacher training classes equipping them with the weapons of gospel warfare. That will be the focus of my 46th preaching trip to the Philippines April 5-May 15.

In four preacher training programs (PTP), 24 men will receive a reference Bible, Strong’s Concordance, a Bible dictionary, and four workbooks on Basic Bible Doctrine by Robert Harkrider. We will cover

• Understanding the Theme of the Bible
• New Testament Worship
• Practicing Undenominational Christianity
• How to Study the Bible
• How to Establish Bible Authority
• The Church’s Mission & Work
• The Holy Spirit
• One Baptism
• Calvinism, Premillennialism, Catholicism, Cults
• Bible Study Tools

God willing, after arriving in Manila late in the night on April 6, I will fly the next day to Tuguegarao, Cagayan Province to work with Rody Gumpad in the first PTP. About 150 churches meet within a couple hours driving time from Tuguegarao. Men of various ages are rising up learning to teach and preach. Beginning in 2003 Rody has conducted two to four weeks of PTP in April of each year. His whole family and many area saints join hands for this good work. Many sacrifices are made and much time, energy, and money are required to conduct these classes. U.S. saints have helped to provide Bibles, teaching materials, and funds. The results of these training classes are evident in the good men who have gone out proclaiming the gospel and establishing churches. At Rody’s request, I have agreed to join him to cover the Harkrider series April 9-13.

Jerry Toreja, Elias Cruz, and other good brethren at the Kapitbahayan church of Christ, Navotas, Metro Manila, have been pleading for the PTP to be conducted there. They are improving the church building and installing AC to make the suffocating April heat more tolerable. I plan to go to Manila on the 14th and conduct the classes April 16-20. This is a church of 120 souls with an active plan of evangelism working in unity with area preachers. Many will attend our class.

The PTP is an effective avenue to advance the breakthrough made last year with premillennial brethren. Cyrus Gesulga, a leading man among them, gave up the millennial theory and has introduced us to many of his brethren. I offered them the PTP last year at two places in northern Mindanao, and they were delighted. The PTP will be taught in southern Mindanao in the General Santos City area April 23-27 with Jolly Julom’s help, then in the Davao City area April 30-May 4 with Juanito Balbin’s help.

After holding some gospel meetings in southern Mindanao, on the 10th I plan to return to Manila to meet Jim McDonald so that we can preach together May 11-12 at Kapitbahayan. I will spend the last two days working in the Manila area, then return home on May 15, God willing.

I confess to being a little nervous because the length of the trip and the four PTP classes will be expensive (venues in Mindanao plus 100 Bibles, 100 concordances, 100 dictionaries, and 400 workbooks!). My thoughts turn to Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord who provides all our needs to do His work (Gen. 22:14). God will make a way through the love of brethren who offer prayers and funds for these trips! Individuals giving $500 or more for church buildings and similar needs can write checks to Help A Neighbor for a tax deduction. Write all other checks to Ron Halbrook. Send all donations to 3505 Horse Run Ct., Shepherdsville, KY 40165-6954. Donors receive financial reports (2 Cor. 8:21).

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook

Phone 502-955-1748 or 957-6726;
e-mail halbrook@insightbb.com
[geo_mashup_map]