Preaching Activities from July 5 - July 26, 2015

July 5 wherein we are experiencing a typhoon signal number two in the whole Cagayan Valley. When we came in the chapel, about 1/8 of the room was only filled. Our regular schedule on Sundays is that we start at 8:30 but we waited until 9:45. Still, nobody is arriving because of the heavy rain. We just started and we all joined in singing. While we are singing, the rain is slowly getting weaker, and with that, some of the members are arriving. We continued with brother Rody preaching in the sermon, and he preached about “Works of the Holy Spirit”.

 

We started with this attendance only

In the afternoon, there is no more rain and so I went to Palca for our Lord’s Day service. I preached to them about the “Burial and Resurrection of Christ”.

 

This was the weather after the typhoon. This was taken after our worship at Palca on our way home.

July 8, in our midweek bible study here at Tuguegarao, brother Jay discussed to us “John 21”. Since brother July can no longer join us in our midweek service because he move to Mallig, Isabela, brother Jay and I will rotate in preaching every Wednesday, but when brother Rody arrives here with us from Manila, he will take over.

July 10, we went to Alibago, Enrile where brother Jerome is preaching. I am with brother Jerome and Jun. We had our bible study under a tree beside the house of sister Tasing. I am the one who preached and I shared to them about “Faith and Contentment”.

July 12, in our service here at Tuguegarao, brother Jun taught in our bible study about “calling on the name of the Lord to be saved”. In the sermon, brother Jerome preached “How much do we put in?”

In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them about “Looking on the things above”.

July 15, in our midweek bible study here at Tuguegarao, I discussed to them about “Introduction of the book of acts and the 1^st chapter”. The lesson is divided into the “Infallible proofs of Jesus Resurrection”, “Promise of Holy Spirit Baptism”, “Ascension of Jesus” and “The selection of Matthias”.

July 17, we went to Palca to have the home bible study but particularly in the village of Angang. We studied in the house of sister Angelina Santiago as they have requested because her daughter who was working in Singapore already arrived and will be staying for good here in the Philippines. I’ve been in contact with her daughter (Sister Dina) when she was still abroad and she told me that she really wanted to be with the brethren here. Her contract will be until next year, 2016, and I were surprised when one Sunday, she is sitting at the back. She really is sincere when she told me that she wanted already to be with the brethren in service to the Lord.

Brother Jerome taught in our bible study with the topic “Reward for the faithful”. We had three non-Christian in attendance, one is the son of sister Angelina and the two are their neighbors.

July 19, in our Sunday worship here at Metro Tuguegarao, brother Jun taught in our bible study about “Foundation: Rock and Sand”. In the sermon, brother Jerome preached also the lesson “Reward for the faithful”.

In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them about “Prescription for Spiritual Health” wherein all of us have a disease called “Sin” and we needed the medicine to cure it. We needed God and His words in our lives as a prescription for us to have a better life today and when He will return.

July 22, in our midweek service here a Tuguegarao, brother Jay discussed to us “Acts 2”. About the start of the Church of Christ and the first converts. I should be preaching Acts 3 this Wednesday (July 29), but I talked to brother Jay that he will teach it first then I will do Acts 4.

July 24, we went to Minagbag, Quezon where brother Jay is preaching for a bible study. Brother July, Jun, James and Jay all led the singing while I was asked to lead the prayer. Brother Jerome was the one who preached and he encouraged us with the words of Apostle Paul in “1 Thessalonians 4”.

July 26, in our Lord’s day worship here at Tuguegarao, brother Jun taught in our bible study about the song “Be with me Lord” and in the sermon, brother Jerome started his lesson on the series of “7 Churches in Asia”.

In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them about “Does it really matter whether God exist or not?” I decided to share this lesson because many people right now walk like no one is under the authority, who is God that is looking over them. In the news here in the Philippines, kidnapping, killing, stealing, robbery and many more sins are rampant. Many are afraid to walk on streets alone, not only at night but even daytime right now because godless man when they see an opportunity, they are like Satan that is there to devour you.

Preaching activities from June 23 - July 1, 2015

June 23, we had a time again to continue on studying the books of the bible with the help of brother Rody. We thank God that he have again an opportunity to be with us despite having lots work. In this preachers’ bible study, we studied the book of “Second (2) Kings”. He gave us an outline of the whole book with the information we can get from it.

June 24, in our midweek bible study here in Tuguegarao, we studied “John 19” the crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus Christ with brother Rody as our teacher.

June 25, we had our last preparations for our Gospel Meeting here in Tuguegarao. I posted in different social media sites our invitation for this activity.

 

This is the invitation I posted online so that everyone in Tuguegarao can see it and also the whole province of Cagayan and Isabela.

June 26, is the start of our Gospel Meeting. One of our speakers should be brother Lordy Salunga from Angeles City but on their way coming here in Tuguegarao with brother Jun Bautista, he received a call from his wife telling him to come back home because their children suffers bleeding from her stools and almost 50% of the blood in her body is coming out so he went back home and asked brother Jun to take his place as our speaker. And so, brother Jun travelled to Santiago and by there, he went to brother Sammy and his son Eman Graneta to join him going here in Tuguegarao.

We changed the schedule of the activity from one of our speaker (Lordy Salunga) to be changed by brother Jun Bautista and brother Sammy Graneta.

Here are the lessons they preached during our first day of Gospel Meeting:

In the morning:

1.   Brother Sammy Graneta – Nature of the Church (Household and Kingdom of God)

2.   Brother Jun Bautista – 1 Timothy 2:1-15

Our first day attendance

brother Jun Bautista preaching 1 Timothy 2:1-15

brother Sammy Graneta preaching Nature of the Church

In the afternoon:

1.   Brother Rody Gumpad – Responsibility to God and the government (This should be the lesson that brother Lordy will be preaching)

2.   Brother Jun Bautista – The just shall live by faith

 

brother Rody Gumpad preaching Responsibility

brother Jun Bautista preaching The Just shall live by faith

After the gospel meeting, there are some fellow preachers who stayed behind and slept here in brother Rody’s house and one of them is a Pastor from the Living Faith Church, Pastor Samuel, (A Pentecosal Group from Cabugao, Apayao who heard about the Church of Christ in the radio).

We gathered in the porch of the house of brother Rody and tried to teach him the truth. One of his question is about the baptism he took when he joined the Pentecostal church if it is ok not to be baptized again. But we know that when he was baptized in that group, he didn’t follow the 5 steps of salvation because at first, he listened and believe to their doctrine and not the one in the bible and he was baptized to be a member of that group and not for the remission of his sins. He also told us that he is not preaching the doctrine of that group and only teach what he knows is the truth. Many of their teachings that he believe are all false and that’s why he call himself “Truth Seeker” and that’s a good sign that he already is in the right path.

June 27, in our second day of Gospel Meeting. The last two invited speakers arrived early in the morning. Brother Bryan Termulo who is a famous singer and actor here in the Philippines (you can search about him in the web) and his manager and also a faithful Christian brother Raul Leynes.

Here are lessons they preached:

In the morning:

1.   Brother Jun Bautista – Beware of what is false

2.   Brother Bryan Termulo – Milk and Mear

3.   Brother Raul Leyned – Vices

4.   Brother Rody Gumpad – Responsibility to the church and family

 

brother Bryan Termulo preaching about Milk and Meat

Second day of Gospel Meeting attendance

brother Raul Leynes preaching about Vices

brother Rody Gumpad preaching about Responsibility

After our studies, we all had our lunch and that time we all had again a conversation with Pastor Samuel and finally he said that he wanted to be baptized. We baptized him in our baptistery and we are all very happy about. He already have asked us preachers to visit him in their place and also teach to those whom he is preaching about Pentecostal doctrines so that their eyes will be opened and see the truth.

Samuel's confession of faith

Samuel baptism

In the afternoon:

1.   Brother Raul Leynes – Spiritual Idol

2.   Brother Bryan Termulo – Christian Olympics: Running the race

 

brother Raul preaching about Spiritual Idol

brother Bryan preaching about Christian Olympics

June 28, in our worship service here at Tuguegarao, we still have brother Raul and Bryan with us so the brethren decided that they will serve for us. Here are the lessons they preached:

Bible Study – brother Raul – Why we should commit to church

Sermon – brother Bryan – Who will inherit the kingdom?

After the service, we took pictures together and about one (1) in they already went to the airport to fly back to Manila because of many activities as they are working in showbiz industry.

 

My family with brother Raul and brother Bryan

In the afternoon at Palca, I preached to them about the “Two Greatest Words” as I personally choose. It is the word “But God” meaning, we should all be destined to go to hell because we are all sinners, we are dead spiritually, we were disobedient and we are doomed BUT GOD sent His son for us and died on the cross for us to be saved from our sins. We should be the one to suffer the consequences of our sins BUT GOD took our place, that’s why we should give Him the proper gratitude and obey Him in all things.

June 30, we were invited to the Gospel Meeting at Quirino Province particularly in Saguday (Local Preacher: brother Sammy Gamit) and Cabarroguis (Local Preacher: brother Willy “Otey” Pastor)

We travelled from Tuguegarao to Saguday in the morning for about three (3) hours and just arrived in time for the first speaker. Here are the speakers and what they preached:

1.   Brother Jerome Forelo – Noah’s Ark – what I learned about it

2.   Brother Rody Gumpad – Responsibility

 

Attendance of the Gospel Meeting

brother Rody preaching Responsibility
(Sorry I do not have a picture of brother Jerome when he is preaching)

After the lessons preached, we extended the invitation and we are very happy again that a mother went in front to confess her faith.

 

Confession of faith

In the afternoon, we travelled going to Gundaway, Cabarroguis, about just 45 minutes from the first destination.

Upon arrival, I noticed many signs of churches. In front of their worship place is a denominational church and on the side is again another denomination church. Here in the Philippines, when two stores are on the same place, we call it competition, and so with what I saw, it seems that there is a great competition of churches in this area. I hope and pray that the truth will win in this battle.

In the Gospel Meeting, this are the speakers and lessons preached:

1.   Brother Edgar Licodini – What is the purpose of studying God’s word?

2.   Brother Rody Gumpad – Jesus said: “Learn of Me”

 

the worship place at Gundaway, Cabarroguis

I was asked to lead a song

Gospel Meeting attendance, there are a lot more on the right side of the screen that is not taken in this picture

brother Otey Pastor their local preacher

brother Edgar preaching What is the purpose of studying God's word

brother Rody preaching Jesus said: Learn of me

Brother Otey also asked me to lead a song before we start the activity. It is such a great joy to see the brethren from this place. I think that last time I was here was about three to four years ago before brother Otey was put in jail. He was put in jail because of self-defense when someone went in their house and wanted to take their belongings but brother Otey and his sibling fought and killed the robber. But in jail, I heard many good things that he have done. He started to preach God’s word there and many prisoners were baptized into Christ and one of them is an ex-Mayor of one of the towns here in Cagayan.

After the Gospel Meeting, he is inviting us to come with them in another activity, to preach in a school but because it is already late in the afternoon, we cannot do so. Brother Jun Gumpad, Robert Pader and I went back home while brother Rody Gumpad, Jerome Forelo and Edgar Licodini stayed because this preaching trip is from Tuesday to Friday. The reason I am not joining them in other days of work because I am scheduled to preach here in Tuguegarao on Wednesday and home visitation at Palca on Friday. And another reason is, I do not have the funds to travel with them.

July 1, in our midweek bible study, I discussed to them “John 20” about the empty tomb when Jesus resurrected from the dead, Mary Magdalene who saw Jesus first after the resurrection, when Jesus appears to His disciples, when Thomas believe that Jesus really is alive and why the author wrote the book.

I am teaching John 20

other midweek attendance, about 35 (not the same attendance we have every Sunday that almost reach 130)