The new year welcomed us with God-ordained opportunities to advance His cause of making committed disciples of Jesus.
Among the opportunities was the privilege to facilitate a second run of the Jesus Strategy Overview Seminar among the leaders, workers and partner churches of Mount Zion Church of the Firstborn in Mandaluyong City. Forty-two participants joined us in this two-day equipping event.
The 2nd batch of JSO participants from Mount Zion Church of the Firstborn in Mandaluyong City
Arra Valle, a youth worker, shared the following highlights:
“I realized that after all these years, [I am just primarily concerned with ministering to other believers in our church]. I didn’t have any intentional initiative to move towards [Christ’s disciplemaking priorities of reaching the lost and making disciples of others]. Thank God for that revelation I now have a definite goal/target to work on.
Everything we do in the ministry will only matter if we do it for the love of God and the love of people.
As a church, we really have to re-evaluate our activities to incorporate initiatives that will win the lost and equip the workers.
It is important to set goals and expectation in discipleship. Otherwise, it will just be an unending cycle without a clear end goal.“
Praise the Lord for revealing himself to His followers!
See More Pictures
Peer-to-Peer Seminar at Tabuk Disciplemaking Center – We praise God for the continuous commitment of leaders and pastors in Kalinga under a Disciplemaking Center. Last January 11 and 12, Pastor Marvin, Shamira, and Blessie Almora (a certified trainer) conducted the Peer-to-Peer Seminar attended by nineteen participants.
The Peer-to-Peer Seminar provides tools for believers to build Christ-like friendships, develop skills to share God’s truth with friends and learn how to invite for a response. They are also shown how to follow up new believers in the faith as well as follow through.
Jesus Strategy Overview at the Episcopal Diocese of Santiago, Isabela – We are also grateful to the Lord for the privilege of equipping Episcopalian leaders in Isabela and neighboring provinces last January 13 to 14. Forty eight rectors and lay leaders attended the Jesus Strategy Overview Seminar which aimed to revitalize churches and ministries by engaging them in the life and strategy of Jesus Christ.
May God begin a wave of disciplemaking movements in this region!
Praises & Prayers
- Sonlife East Asia Forum, March 2-7 – Pray for a meaning and fruitful time of equipping and encouragement among practitioners of Sonlife in this region
- New Disciplemaking Centers – Pray for additional groups to start this year in order to coach more leaders after Jesus’ model
- New office space – Pray for provisions, strength and organization as we transfer to a new place in Quezon City before this month closes
- New staff member – Pray that God would provide someone to manage the administrative tasks of the organization by the end of the 1st quarter