Despite the community quarantine measures and the new normal of social distancing, the movement of disciplemaking continues. The work does come with a unique set of challenges, for sure—holding seminars in virtual rooms, dealing with the constant lag in our interactions—but we are getting used to it. The thing is, the frustration over these tiny glitches gets easily dispelled when we hear the inspiring testimonies of our coachees who remain committed to the cause of disciplemaking despite the lockdowns.
Told to stay home, people would nonetheless “go” to different communities, bringing the message of Christ’s love and equipping themselves further for the work ahead. The Makati Disciplemaking Center (DMC), for one, has attended nine online training sessions from Jean (three per team: the youth and young adults ministries of Emmanuel Christian Ministries International, as well as the group of Taguig Baptist Church). She is eyeing to meet with five ladies for deeper-level coaching. Pastor Randolph, meanwhile, will handle the training for the men.
Over to the North, Tabuk DMC has committed to winning Northern Luzon for the Lord. As Pastor Marvin facilitated the session, the team drafted their legacy statement, reflecting coaching lessons and the desire to build their own DMC in the future. Pastor Froilan, along with the missionary Nico and laymen ladies Blessie, Mitch, and May, have devoted to seeing these plans through. The women have been consistently attending weekly mentoring sessions with Odz.
Meanwhile, outreach small groups among families grew organically in the ministry of Lord of Life Christian Fellowship Batasan since the pandemic struck. According to Lem, the group has been poring over Discovery Bible Study and Knowing Him for the past weeks. Shamira, on the other hand, has seen disciples reproducing in Cynthia Street Doña Carmen ministry. They have been studying Knowing Him as well, meeting once a month.
For Jot, although the coaching with the Conservative Baptist Association of the Philippines Women’s Commission (CWC) is on hold and Makati Gospel Church has not given a green light yet, the groups continue to make time for encouragement of each other amid the crisis.
The times may have been tough in many aspects, but the will of our fellow Christ-followers to press on shines light in the darkest days. Reflecting on it, we really have no reason to cower in apprehension, knowing that we carry a message of hope and salvation, a movement that can turn the world upside down. No crisis could ever thwart the cause of disciplemaking.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH
Small group and segment leaders in Oman are learning from Pastor Randolph and Jot about the importance of the different types of disciplemaking small groups to intentionally shepherd believers to maturity.
Pastors and leaders from Tabuk are continually being coached by Pastor Marvin on how to concretely reach Northern Luzon through multiplying disciplemaking movements.
Youth and young adult leaders from Emmanuel Christian Ministries International and Taguig Baptist Church in the south of Metro Manila are being guided by Jean as they disciple the next generation.
Church leaders from Lord of Life Christian Fellowship in North Metro Manila representing outreach ministries in Fairview, Quezon City are carrying on in their study of the life of Christ and application of the disciplemaking principles through Shamira.
Church planters and outreach workers in Batasan are pushing through with lessons from the life of Christ and learning how to use Discovery Bible Study as a small group meeting format and curriculum through the direction of Lem.