April 3 (Sunday Worship)
On the Lord's day at the Metro Tuguegarao Church, we welcomed brother Ron Halbrook and brother Craig Thomas. It's been 2 years since the last time brother Ron is with us and about 12 years for brother Craig. Brother Craig spoke on God's power to overrule trials for our good and brother Ron taught "Wait on the Lord." We have a good attendance of 147 including all the men who are part of the Preachers Training. After the dismissal, two where baptized into Christ. I immersed them in our baptistery. After a while, brother Jimmy Domingo came and brought two more souls to be baptized.
In the afternoon, I took brother Ron with me and went to Palca and Dagupan. In Palca, he preached about "Precious: The death of God's Saints" and in Dagupan where we met again at the side of brother Enzo's house with the aid of tarp, brother Ron preached "Work while it is day".
April 4 (Start of the preachers training)
Two years ago, a preacher's training class was supposed to be held here in Tuguegarao, but it was that time when covid struck the whole world. It was the 2nd week of March that the Philippines was put on lockdown. Finally, by God's grace, a month long classes/training is underway. Thirty men are enrolled to be part of the training and there are 3 sit-ins who are always with them. But after 4 days, this three men became part of the group. They are also given the same materials as the 30 men. Two of them are from the congregation I am preaching in Dagupan. They are also the men whom I am training to stand in front (Jhian Puselero and Henry Tabangcura).
The classes are in session from 8:00 AM to 6:00PM with lunch break at 12:00-1:00PM. The teachers for the first two weeks are brother Ron Halbrook, brother Craig Thomas and brother Rody Gumpad. But for us (brother Jerome Forelo, brother Jay Gumpad and me), we needed to wake up as early as 6:00AM to check on the men. It is their breakfast and everyone of them needed to recite a verse before sitting in front of the meal. The rule is No verse, No eat, but the truth is, when they are struggling, we are still helping them. It is one way for them to memorize verses and use in their preaching.
At 7:00AM, any of the three of us is sharing an inspirational messages coming from the bible. After which at 7:30AM they will all kneel down and pray personally for 30 minutes. This is done every day, from April 3-29. After the prayer will be the start of the classes.
For the three of us (Jerome, Jay and I), we needed to be awake until 10 pm to check whether the students are already in their bed or not. They call us the CCTV because we are always checking on them.
It is Monday and so I also preached in our local radio program here in Tuguegarao. I am not going the radio station but I am preaching through my phone. Before starting, I am calling their hotline and they just hook me up on the radio.
April 6 (Midweek service)
We still push through with our midweek, service but this time it is different. One of the student will share first then followed by one of their teacher, and this time it was brother Ron Halbrook who share "Slaves no more".
April 9 (other activities)
Every Saturday, after their 30 minutes prayer, they are also given an exam. This is to check whether they understand what they are studying and from there, we will know what to do on how to help them.
After their first exam, we went in the market place here in Tuguegarao and assigned the men in different locations. They are handling our bible tracts. In the evening, they gave their reports regarding the matter and some of them experience it for the first time even though they are already helping in the work in their congregations. They seemed very happy with the experience and by God's wonderful grace, they also made contacts and which we, as the members of the local congregation here in Tuguegarao will follow that up after the training.
April 10 (Sunday Worship)
It is Lord's day and everyone is divided into several groups to join in the preaching. Brother Ron went to Kinama with brother Gerald Ganela and brother Craig went to Minagbag with brother Jay Gumpad. While I stayed here in Tuguegarao as usual and did the live video for facebook and TV program. One of the student teach in our bible study and he shared about "Prepare yourself". He is the son of brother Jun Layusa who is from Bicol. His name is Leanard Layusa. I've been seeing him in gospel meetings and other related activities of the church since he was still 7 years old and now he is already 18 and is really good. He delivered the lesson well and praying that he will continue to do so like his father with the help of our Almighty God.
In the afternoon, the students are divided again into groups and some of them joined me in Palca and Dagupan. The eldest in the training is with me and he preached in Palca. He (brother Sonny Ibanez) was imprisoned before for almost 7 years and it was also in the prison that he was converted into Christ with the help of brother Otey Pastor. When he left the prison, his wife and kids also left him that's why he stayed with brother Otey until this day. But behind that, he is very thankful to God that he was given a second chance to live and to serve Him. With the way he is preaching, you can know his past experiences. He gets emotional some of the time especially when speaking about the goodness of God. I learned from his experience and I thank God for meeting him.
In Dagupan, brother CJ Dolor preached. He is one of the deacon in Gundaway church but it was his first time to preach. He is a little bit shaky just like me when I was starting but delivered the message well. He just needed to learn to speak louder sometimes because his voice is monotone. I am happy to be with the 5 of them and to learn of their backgrounds and stories. Now I know what to do to help them improve more in the work for the Lord.
April 11 (Radio Program)
I preached again in the radio program. My radio is not working and there is no other way to listen to the current program in the station that's why I stayed inside my car to listen to them. At 1:00, I again called them and they hooked me up on the radio. I preached about "What reason have you sent me?" from Acts 10.
April 11-15
For the second week, the students are enduring the whole day studies as good soldiers of Christ. The usual things we do in the first week is still done but for me, my body is already getting tired but just like the students, I must endure everything in order to help them grow in the faith and as a preacher. I am not a perfect preacher but I am trying to share what I know base on my experience and I cannot do anything without God's help.
Wednesday, one of the students shared a lesson again and after that, brother Craig also shared a lesson.
April 16
Brother Ron and brother Craig travelled to Pamplona with brother Robinson Pulveras while brother Harry Osborne and brother Jonathan Carino arrived here to be part of the last two weeks of the classes.
Again, we gave the students exam and the result shows they are very much improving. After the exam, brother Jerome and I taught them how to baptized. We've noticed that even preachers do not know how to baptized from several congregations that we went and so we want them to learn how to do it. They choose their partners and they do the immersion by turn. Most of them are young and as expected, many of them do not know.
April 17 (Sunday worship)
On our Lord's day, students again are divided and went to several congregations but there are also who are left here in Tuguegarao. In our bible study, brother Jonathan Carino spoke about "Direct Command, Apostolic Example and Necessary Inference" while brother Harry Osborne preach about "Claim, Power, Proof".
In the afternoon, from the usual two congregations that I am going, I talked to brother Jay Gumpad because he have no schedule in the afternoon. I asked for his help to bring some of the students in Palca while I bring the others in Dagupan. Instead of the usual schedule of 1:30PM in Palca and 3:00PM in Dagupan, we moved it to the same time of 1:45PM. Jay and the students served in Palca while me and some of the students in Dagupan.
In Dagupan, brother Clint Lilibios preached. He is a member in Caloocan church where brother Andrew Romero is teaching. He delivered the sermon well and after which brother Jay Arellano extended the invitation and three precious souls obeyed the gospel. The students are very happy with their accomplishment on that day. They made a wonderful job in sharing the words of God that made the three souls obey the gospel. We brought them in Palca because that is where the baptistery is. We are joined by the group of brother Jay Gumpad during the baptism.
April 18 (Radio Program)
With my usual way of preaching in the radio, I shared a lesson about "How the King sought us?" giving them an example when David sought Mephiboseth, that's how God sought us to be with Him by giving His only Son to us.
April 18-22
For the last two week of the training, brother Harry Osborne, brother Jonathan Carino and brother Rody Gumpad are handling the classes, while the three of us continue to work on our part.
Wednesday, brother Wilfredo Canaveral from Aurora province spoke in our midweek service followed by brother Harry Osborne.
The classes continue to do well even though brother Harry has some problems with his health, he still managed to finished all the lessons he prepared.
April 23
It is Saturday again and exam is given to the students. After the exam, they practice on how to handle a debate. They also tried to have a debate. One group spoke of Jesus is God and the other group spoke of Jesus as man only (Doctrine of Iglesia ni Cristo 1914).
April 24 (Sunday worship)
The final Lord's day with the students of the training. Again, they are divided to several groups. Brother Jonathan Carino taught in our bible study here in Tuguegarao and he spoke of "Identity of the one true church that Jesus will saved" and brother Harry preached "Is there not a cause?"
In the afternoon, brother Jay Gumpad and I talked again of dividing the group of students. This time, I went to Palca and he went to Dagupan. I am with the students who are from our region and most of the brethren also knows them. Brother Eric Banao was the one who shared the lesson while the other students lead the singing and praying.
April 25 (Radio Program)
I invited two of the students to join me in the program, brother Sammy Velasco and brother Jison Agbuya. They are both from Bicol Region. Brother Sammy shared the lesson while brother Jison is the bible reader. I also interacted with them while the discussion is made to add some points in the study.
April 25-28
The final week of the preachers training. The students seems tired but continue to endure. For the first two weeks, the weather is good because their are some rains and winds, but for the last two weeks, it is very hot. Even though they are inside the church building with aircon, when they go out, they can feel the heat of the sun and sometimes gives us headache.
Wednesday, brother Sammy Velasco taught in our midweek service then followed by brother Harry Osborne.
April 29
The last day of the training and just like in school, the graduation day. Brother Harry and brother Jonathan spoke of inspirational verses in the bible to help the students when they go out to the field and start to work as a preacher. Their families who are from different locations also came. It is hard to say goodbye to them. One month that we are with them and the bond of brotherhood is already there. My prayer is that, wherever they go, I wish of their success in reaching the lost and help to save more lost souls.
Here are some of the pictures from the training.
May 1 (Sunday worship)
It's the Lord's day and we are back to our normal routine before the training. I am again assigned to teach in the teenager's class and we continue to study the book of Luke. My wife is again teaching in the children's class.
In the worship, brother Rody spoke on Proverbs 26:1-5.
In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them about "The Devil left Him" in Matthew 4. I am again working alone in the congregation but this time, I asked brother Junior Quines to lead the song. I am also training him to stand in front because our previous song leader, brother Lino Quines is already gone.
In Dagupan, Jhian and Henry are already with us after the one month training. Jhian spoke on our bible study and shared the lesson "Who is Christ?". He did a good job and after the worship I gave him more advice. I also preached the same lesson to them after the bible study.
May 8 (Sunday Worship)
In our Lord's day here in Tuguegarao, I again taught in the teenagers class with one of them is my daughter. My wife continue to do a good job with the kids.
In the worship brother Rody preached Proverbs 26:6-16.
In Palca, I preached to them about "Zaccheaus". It is summer time here in the Philippines that's why many of our brethren are on vacation. They are messaging me that they are away and also asks where is the congregation near the area so that they can attend worship.
I Dagupan, we have the same situation with the brethren. They are sending me messages in our group chat in facebook and so I direct them to the preachers in those areas. I also preached the same lesson here while brother Henry taught first in our bible study about "Salvation". For the whole month of May, Jhian and Henry will be helping me in teaching our bible study at Dagupan, but next month, I will also bring them to Palca.
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