The Book of Romans

It has been months that I have started to prepare my message for this Sunday in St. Stephen's Parish.  They asked me to preach in the book of Romans.  This is the book that I often shy away when it comes to discussion and preaching.  This is the most difficult book to comprehend since it involves too many heavy theological concepts.  It took me so many hours, I think even triple time compared to my previous preparation and still in awe of its message whether the congregation will understand with what I am about to preach this Sunday.  Worse, I have to preach this in English and in Chinese.


Anyway, I think God wants to broaden and deepen my theology as a pastor that is why He has placed me in this position where I would be preaching in St. Stephen's once a month until November.  I remembered Rev. William Dy who has been calling my attention some years back and early this year that I need to sharpen my theological aspect as a pastor since the rest of the attributes, I am already excelling.


I still praise God because I learned a lot after preparing this sermon from the book of Romans and I really believed, it has broaden my theology though still so much to learn.  Since I have been lazy to study systematic theology because it needs deep thinking and involves too much time, God has used another way to force me to learn theology.
 
Praise the Lord!

Batch 4 Reunion

It has been months since our batch was complete for a meal together.  After our Educational Tour in Australia last November, the four of us have not actually been together.  There were occasional instances that two or three of us would meet and have lunch but not as complete as today.

We agreed to set aside this day to have lunch and celebrate Sister Joy and I for graduating more than a week ago.  Rene and John is targeting to graduate next term.  If that happens, Batch 4 will be the first in De La Salle University to have 100% who have graduated in the Executive Program of the College of Education.  And we have graduated on time.

The moment was light and we were updating each other about what we have been doing after graduation.  We discussed our future plans that hope to contribute to our society.  There were so many funny moment, and discussion on how Batch 5 is doing, and of course a little update on the latest Batch 6 that started this May.

We have heard so many scary new about us.  We heard batch 5 telling batch 6, hindi daw kami tao... hahaha.  Batch 4 are all oc oc and competitive; all of us have strong personality.  Our batch is really united and open, especially helpful to the younger Batch.  I think we have given a strong challenge for Batch 5 to follow our footsteps to finish on time.

Sister Joy and I finished our PhD in exactly two years, while John and Rene is finishing next term which is still ok because they have extended only a term.  It was fun being together and renewed our commitment to be friends for life.

Spiritual Intelligence

This is really interesting, when Wolman, introduces spiritual intelligence as an important component of understanding ourselves.  Will write a review of this book later, but it seems fun to know and have your spiritual intelligence evaluated.  Try it out! Know how spiritual you are or not and how to understand others response to situation because of the effect of their spiritual intelligence.


The book is actually, Thinking with your Soul by Richard Wolman.


http://www.psychomatrix.com/info.php

Celebrations in Church

After my thanksgiving dinner last Saturday.  One important thing I was able to observed was the light moment we have among the church leaders.  It was so casual no meetings, no discussions, no deliberations.  We just had simple fellowship with one another.  Each was able to greet one another though there were cliques but still the atmosphere was light and God glorifying.


I think this is what we lack now in church - celebrations.  We are took bombarded with meetings, discussion, arguments and at times conflict.  Some much negative thoughts has filled our mind that we are already too sensitive at time with simple gestures of people.  We no longer appreciate one another and worse we often cannot trust one another because of this constant habit of suspecting on one another.


The worst part of this, was bringing thoughts negative thoughts and discussion in our home especially on our family table.  Instead of bringing blessing to our own family, we bring home sorrow, complains, anger and frustration.  As if church was hell and not heaven.  I does not even edify people in our family especially our non-Christian members in the family.  This would also not encourage our love ones to come to church if the church is chaotic.


Celebration I think is important because it provides positive thoughts about church.  It also helps us see the real acts of God in our church.  It will also help us know the will of God in every decision we are to make.


The Bible has continue to admonish believers to put on the helmet of salvation or renew our minds to put of the old self and put on the new self.  Transformation is what God demanded from each one of us.  We are to fill our mind with the Word of God day and night so that we can truly be a spiritual person.


Therefore, celebrations must not be neglected because it is part of church life and most important of all, it is God glorifying because it unites us to be one and give God back all the glory.

Frank

I have not witnessed such a strong typhoon before.  My mom woke me 4 am yesterday morning just to tell me that she wanted to call my brother and stop him from going to San Pablo to preach because of such strong gusty winds.  Unfortunately, my brother has already left.

I wasn't able to go back to sleep, this is one of my bad habit, so difficult to get back to sleep when awakened.  Sobrang kainis, my mom should have called my brother directly without waking me up!  Well, ganun talaga mga moms, no choice hehehe.  The strong wheezing sound shaking our windows, I thought they are gonna break.  We have one unit years back, their glass door was shattered into pieces because of another strong typhoon.  I can also feel our building shaking or I was just hallucinating hehehe...

I left also to preach in Diamond Jubilee, it was my first time to preach there, the electricity was on and off, I praise God for my training in Scouting.  I was able to preach clear and loud enough without the sound system.  So few, people attended.  I believe the same for all churches.

On my way back, I saw Pasig River overflowed and for the first time Escolta St., was really flooded.  I stayed home the whole day, still groggy because I lack sleep.  Spent the rest of the day, trying to sleep with no success until around 4 pm.

Sad news about the Sulpicio Lines tragedy... and majority of Iloilo in waters.  Many lost their lives and love ones.  The country needs to come together to pray.  I remembered my last message on Noah's Ark.  Though many places were under water, but God has promised never to destroy earth again with the flood.

Salvation has come to us through the salvation act of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving Dinner

I had a thanksgiving dinner after graduation in our lower chapel.  There are tons of people that I need to invite, but allocated them only for my wedding .  I specifically invited only several groups of people who I believe has deep relationship with regards to my 11 years of studying.


Those whom I invited were the all church leaders, pastoral team, church staff and co-workers, BSOP faculty, DLSU faculty and classmates, supporters, my four generation of disciples marvelous friends, Andrew's group, BOB, and the last joint camp staff and of course, my family and some selected relatives who I have close contacts for the past few months.


The thanksgiving dinner was so simple but very much meaningful.  It started with opening remarks by Dr. Bee Ching Ongkiankoc, followed by song of adoration, my testimony of God's goodness in molding me, response song of "My Tribute," message of thanksgiving by Dr.Joseph Shao, response song by the Senior Chior on the "Prayer of St. Francis," prayer of thanks and supplication by Dr. David Cheung, words of thanks by me and prayer for dinner by Rev. Philip Co.  This is followed by dinner.


The whole program was exactly one hour and another hour of dinner and fellowship.  The whole program was very focused on God and we celebrated together as one big family.  I witness the intimate fellowship of the whole church during that time, I was so happy about it.


In my personal reflection afterward, I really thought that celebrations are important in a person's life as well as in church life.  I think it was the only time where all the church leaders are gathered with a light atmosphere and meaningful fellowship with one another - no church issues, no discussion, no meetings, no arguments - only celebration of God.  We need to create more of this and celebrate God's blessing in our church so that we can better work together unitedly for the improvement of the church.


Special thanks to my brother who prepared the program, Ralphie for the backdrop design, Kandie and John Paul for organizing the event, and BOB and camps staff for serving as ushers and food keepers.


I specially thanked those who came to the celebration, it was also a moment to say thank you for their prayers and support through these years of learning.


 It was a memorable and joyous occasion not only for me and my family but for the whole church not because of my accomplishment but God!

Thanksgiving Dinner Testimony

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”


This passage in Philippians 3 has spoken to me that started my journey to enter graduate school.  This passage confirmed my desire to serve our Lord in the fulltime ministry.  It has been eleven long years of studying and I praise God for sustaining me every single moment in this hard labor.  I am not joking, it was really hard labor.  In our family, I am the laziest person when it comes to studying.  My sister and my brother are both top of their class, only me, a very unique person who often receive birthday candles in my report card.  Though receiving birthday candles from first to third grading, I would make sure that I will pass all subjects by the end of the school year.  I praise God, I have never experience going to summer class or repeating a year level.  God works miraculously and many times funny; I am the first one among our siblings to enter graduate school and now, I have finished my PhD degree.


I took my Master of Divinity in Biblical Studies in Biblical Seminary of the Philippines in 1997 and finished it in 2000.  Afterwards, I went to UECP to work as a youth pastor at the same time enrolled in De La Salle University – Manila taking up Master of Arts in Education major in Educational Management from 2000 – 2006 and my PhD in Education major in Educational Leadership and Management also in De La Salle University – Manila from 2006 to 2008. Officially, I graduated this morning.


I believe God has caused me to enter to these different programs in order to better prepare me for the ministry ahead that will eventually glorify Him.  I praise God for His patience in molding me to become the person who I am today.  It is not really easy chipping off those sharp horns and claws and here I am trimmed by God and as good as new.  There are too many things I wanted to thank God for in these eleven years of learning experience.  And I would like to highlight three things that God has caused me to learn and I believe has contribute greatly to my ministry.


First, was the importance of being a lifelong learner.  We were created to learn.  After eleven years of studying, my only conclusion was that there are still too many things to learn in this world.  The degree is not something to feel superior but the formation in becoming a humble learner.  Every single moment of our life should be a learning experience.  Reading books are yulk!  Even after graduating seminary, I was not able to develop my habit of reading books. And God was patient with me, allowing me to realize its importance and helped me developed to become a reader.  I praise God that I am now averaging three books a month beside the different articles I read to update myself.  Reading is really a blessing of learning because it humbles us to know that we do not know; we thought we know but in reality we know nothing.  


Second, was the expansion of my worldview.  God has allowed me to be sensitive with the different people around me, which further develop my observation skills.  Part of learning is being observant with things and people around you, which I believe is good for the ministry.  It has also prepared me to accept different cultures, lifestyles and preferences which allowed me to easily look for common ground and effectively share the gospel both to fellow Christians and new friends.  This is really getting outside the box; picturing things at a more macro level that ever before.  It is really seeing the ministry outside the four wall of maybe YWC, or even UECP. The ministry is not limited to our church but so many people out of the fours wall of the church are in need of Jesus.


And lastly, was the strengthening my mission in equipping God’s people for every good work. Rev. Caleb Tong some years back said, “Sheep produces sheep; and shepherd produces shepherds.”  This quote has been impressed in me for the last few years.  The main role of the pastor is to equip the saints.  My job is really to equip every believer for every good work in order for them to effectively evangelize to people.  My learning experience in this past eleven years has better prepared me in leading and managing - myself and my ministry in equipping God’s people for every good work.


 God is great and I wanted to honor Him today for His continues mold me to be the person He always wanted me to be.  To God be all the glory.