Crusade goes on despite faulty connection fire

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By: Jeanelle Lorilla and Raphy Villanueva Abang

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Surrender. New Cebu residents accepted Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of their lives.

Burning electrical wires have threatened the healing and concert crusade of EFC-Kidapawan at Brgy. New Cebu, President Roxas, North Cotabato this month. While the crusade team, was on stage preparing to launch, faulty wiring inside a barangay office caused sparks, much to the fright of onlookers especially that local officials supposed to be monitoring the event were not present.

The fire incident was the height of a rather disappointing reception EFC-Kidapawan team got from barangay officials on the night of the crusade. Before the concert, the barangay assured the provision of facilities such as lights and chairs for the concert, as requested by the church. However, on the night of the crusade, the team was surprised to arrive to a dark basketball court, the crusade’s venue, with no chairs at all.

As they started to set-up their instruments, electrical wires suddenly sparked and burned in a barangay office. Since the office was empty and closed, some of team members ran to look and inform the officials. The officials responded later than expected.

However, EFC-Kidapawan saw how God intervened that night. After the fire incident, the local officials suddenly gave them special attention by providing ample lighting and security for the crusade. The earlier fire commotion probably attracted more people to the venue. An estimated hundred people in the site received Jesus Christ. There were also those who watched and listened in their homes near the basketball court. From the stage, these people can be seen joining the worship right at their balconies.

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Heavenly Sound. EFC Kidapawan Music Team rendered songs of redemption to the people of New Cebu.

The bad weather also could not ruin that night’s program.  As the crusade started, so did the rain. However, EFC Kidapawan did not falter in its purpose that night. All leaders and members simply united in prayer, and God stopped the rain. The Fire Band (EFC Kidapawan Music Team) heated up the night when they began playing. The night became hotter and hotter with the presence of Holy Spirit each time the music team sang to the Lord. The HOF Dance Crew and tambourine dancers energized the worship.

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“We are not bringing religion, but we bring Jesus.”-Pastor Tony J. Angelias sharing the message of salvation.

Rev. Tony J. Angelias talked about salvation. He emphasized that he is not bringing religion but he is bringing Jesus to New Cebu. “Money, work and government officials cannot save us, not even religion. It’s only Jesus who can save us. We need to believe in Jesus and accept Him as our Lord and personal savior,” Pastor Tony said.

FotorCreatedHe even shared his life before He met Jesus to encourage the people that they still have hope and chance to change. Pastor Tony then called the residents of New Cebu to accept Jesus. He said that they are not coming to him, but they are coming to Jesus. Pastor Tony declared healing as he prayed over the persons who are emotionally hurt or stressed, having heart failures, difficulty in breathing, and suffering from physical pain or spiritually thirst. “Open your heart; let God enter and move in your life,” he added. The leaders assisted Pastor Tony as he laid his hands and prayed for the people who responded. The crusade continued and ended with testimonies of people who miraculously experienced physical healing.

 

 

Meeting the need: A back to school project

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By:  Francis Jhun T. Macalam

 

Children expressed their thanks by writing a letter

Children expressed their thanks by writing a letter

The act of true giving is rather pleasing to the heart of every believer. In truth, God’s generosity has been bestowed to us through our salvation and to those who received Him.  Our heart should be willing to give to the Lord and His Church and to the communities who are in need.

Last June 6, 2015, EFC-Ganghaan, one of the outstation churches in Northern Mindanao conducted a back-to-school program in its community. It was spearheaded by Mia Cynthia Adlaon, a volunteer church planter in EFC Cagayan de Oro. Together with the upbeat Xavier Heights outstation workers, they successfully conducted their Back-to-School community outreach through giving of school supplies which aims to uplift the lives of underprivileged children through education empowerment.

“We choose to meet this need because we observe that the families of our kids are having financial difficulties, and since it’s the beginning of class, this will be a great opportunity to bless them and to encourage the kids to passionately pursue their education,” shared  Mia.

One of the goals of this project is to encourage the young teens in the outstation to get involved in organizing the said event. The leaders were tasked to list down all the names of the faithful members and their siblings. The lists should be specific as to the age, grade, gender and appropriate notebooks. The program built their collaboration skills as they kept up with each other to ensure the details are correct. School supplies and cash donations were given by the kind- hearted members of EFC Cagayan de Oro. The day before the event, some young people and kids helped in packing the school supplies.

NM2There were twenty-two (22) children in all.  Thirteen (13) girls and fourteen (14) boys benefited in the said project.  The highlight of the program was the sharing of God’s Word on Giving. Mia, as the team leader, reminded them that the way to be blessed is to give.

As the young people stepped up in their faith by meeting the needs of the community, they experienced deeper commitment to the ministry.

“They need not worry if they cannot give big amount financially. Spending their time, lending their ears and participating in the lesson is also considered generosity, and that means a lot to God. We cast a vision onto them that one day they will be the people who will be empowered to give. “Mia said. Giving is about sowing and reaping. Indeed, these children are privileged to have been chosen as recipients, but they also touched the hearts of the young outstation workers. Before the program came to an end, they all personally made thank you cards to show their utmost gratitude to their benefactors. As the workers saw the smile of every child, a realization hit them, “It is all worth it. Truly, it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

 

 

 

 

 

Sowing in good ground

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By Maricel Ibanez

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Pas. Gregorio Simpas

A rich harvest requires two important elements: a wise farmer and a fertile soil. To ensure that harvest laborers understand these keys in sowing and reaping, a Church Planting Movement (CPM) seminar was conducted at EFC- Mati City on June 25 and 26.

A total of 31 participants from the host church, EFC-Mati, and its outstation churches were taught by Reverends Gregorio and Rosario Simpas, the seminar speakers.

According to Pastor Gregorio, CPM started because of a man who built 200 churches in three months, and in one year, more than 53 thousand people were baptized in those churches. What was his strategy for such exponential church growth?

The man’s church planting strategy was not a secret grand new idea. It all started back to Jesus and his 12 apostles. These 12 were so keen in following their Master’s footsteps that thousands could be saved in just one sermon, as exemplified by Apostle Peter.

Pastor Gregorio carefully expounded each ingredient for such abundant harvest: TRAINING, PASSION, CO-LABORERS, ACCOUNTABILITY, and SKILLS. Without these, the opposite- CONFUSION, ANXIETY, FRUSTRATION, MIXED RESULTS and SLOW PROGRESS result.

Pastor Rosario, for her part, talked about “Discipleship Revolution”. This topic centers on the Art of Evangelism which focuses on the enjoyment of relating with new believers. Pastor Rosario encouraged the pastors and workers to have the fire of preaching and sharing the love of God. If the servants of God now have fire in their hearts in what they do, then the next generation follows, Pastor Rosario said.

When we invest, we can surely claim results. Pastor Rosario emphasized that “the harvest is plentiful” now, so there is no reason for God’s people to sit back and said, “Not yet Lord! I’m not ready” to win souls. We are living before the rapture, a time full of love and grace, therefore many hearts convicted by the Spirit of love and grace would respond to our message, said Pastor Rosario.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus Christ talks about a “good ground” which receives the seeds and brings forth great harvest. This kind of ground symbolizes the “Person of Peace”. The second day of the seminar was devoted to the topic of finding and meeting this person.  Pastor Gregorio said that, “finding a person of peace can help us plant new churches”. This person is the one prepared by the Holy Spirit with a heart so hungry for God’s words. He is the person who will open his life and even his home and direct his family, relatives, and neighbors or friends to the saving knowledge of God’s Word.

It is important for every church planter to pray for the Holy Spirit to lead him or her to this key person. The Christian must be courageous, confident and prepared to share the convicting message of the Gospel to everyone. Anyone we talk to could be this Person of Peace just waiting for us, said Pastor Rosario.

On the other hand, if this person doesn’t immediately show up, the Christian has other powerful means of evangelism. The first is the Presence which means God’s light illuminating in our own lives. This is God’s anointing in us which draws people to God’s love. The second is Power which is the gift of the Holy Spirit such as healing to those physically or emotionally sick. The third is Proclamation or the continuous preaching of the Gospel so that faith will come to those who keep hearing it. Proclamation is also simply talking about His words to anyone at any time.

According to Proverbs 10:4,“lazy hands make a man poor but diligent hands bring wealth”. This verse reminds every Christian that laziness makes our life miserable, but a man who is busy investing his time in God’s will and work deserves wealth that comes from heaven.

Isaiah 6:8-9 say, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” and Isaiah said “Here am I. Send me!”

As Pastor Rosario said, may we be the Isaiah of our generation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evangel QC marks a new chapter @ 3!

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Smile! Aside from the goodness and grace of the Lord, these people also make what Evangel Family Church Quezon City is today.

Smile! Aside from the goodness and grace of the Lord, these people also make what Evangel Family Church Quezon City is today.

By Joven Sierra-Llabore

The end of May ceremoniously marked another beginning chapter for the Evangel Family Church (EFC) Quezon City as its leaders and members held their 3rd founding anniversary at the 6th floor of Marian Medical Arts Building.

May 31st might seem an ordinary day to others but not to Rev. Jessie Yu, Regional Director of EFC Luzon Region.

He considered this day as one of the breakthroughs made by Jireh-Evangel Church Planting Philippines (JECPP) as he blazed a trail of putting up the first Evangel Church in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Armed with the vision of stretching the wings of JECPP in reaching out those who are in dire need of the Word of God and hope through Jesus Christ, he, together with his family and ECME students, swooped to Luzon and found his nest at 27 Buick St. Fairview Quezon City where he conducted the first service last May 27, 2012 with 16 people ready to listen.

Three years has already passed, and the church has built its roots.

Homes have been visited.

Several approaches to evangelism have been tested.

Lives were transformed.

Many were reached out and water baptized.

Community services have been rendered.

And as the saying goes, “The rest is history.”

The church has proven its growth in numbers and has shown development through the lives of each member who voluntarily serves to disciple others.

“For three years, we have visited and did evangelism with a lot of homes and families and even coordinated with the Barangay Captains and Councilors for community projects,” said Pastor Jessie.

Praise and Worship Him! The church members start the anniversary by lifting their voices up and bowing their heads low.

Praise and Worship Him! The church members start the anniversary by lifting their voices up and bowing their heads low.

“As a result, a number of people and families regularly attend the church from the surrounding community, not counting those from other cities within Metro Manila,” he added.

Celebrating its 3rd founding anniversary, the church was jam-packed with around 148 people to share in the momentous event.

Asked on the theme of the Sunday message which zeroed in on “Give Praise to the Lord”, Pastor Jessie explained why we need to, “Simply because we have seen how God has showed His grace and goodness to the church. He has given us more than a hundred people including children that attend every week plus the new place He has opened for us at a reasonable rate.”

“There are three significant events that happened in EFC-QC for the last three years: the numerous ‘Blessing the Community’ we have done to various barangays especially if there’s flood in the Metro, the visit of Rev. Dr. Robert Lim and Rev. Dr. Marion Lim during our Missions Sunday last September 28, 2014, and our moving to the new location now at the Marian Medical Arts Building on February 2015,” he narrated.

Give Praise to the Lord! Don in red, these young people render a special number that extols the goodness of God.

Give Praise to the Lord! Don in red, these young people render a special number that extols the goodness of God.

During the service, seven members were given the privilege to speak on “Evangel Quezon City and Me”.

“The main point of those testimonies was how the church made an impact on those selected people,” Pastor Jessie said.

“I found a niche here. I considered the church as my second home,” Bro. Alvin Jungco testified.

The fifteen-year-old Mark Quiambao confessed that he “used to wonder why the house across their home was throwing a party every Sunday because he found it noisy”. Nevertheless, when he was reached out and started to believe, he considered the church as agent of change in his life – from a timid and silent type of teen to an outgoing and talkative lad.

Grateful. Bro. Nelson shares how Evangel Family Church Quezon City made a 360-degree turn in his life.

Grateful. Bro. Nelson shares how Evangel Family Church Quezon City made a 360-degree turn in his life.

Bro. Nelson Acedera thanked his daughter for inviting him to church. He considered the church as source of moral support, encouragement and transformation for his family.

Attack! Bro. Jobert can't wait to munch the crispy skin of lechon.

Attack! Bro. Jobert can’t wait to munch the crispy skin of lechon.

Through the concerted effort of the members and leaders, several dishes were shared after the service.

Meet and greet took place as members from different community discipleship groups  and cell churches in Veterans, Caloocan, and Taytay, Rizal were able to attend the celebration.

“The Grace and Goodness of God alone make Evangel Family Church-Quezon City what it is today”.

Take My body. Ptr. Jessie Yu, together with Ptr. Rachel Yu and the leadership team, leads the communion.

Take My body. Ptr. Jessie Yu, together with Ptr. Rachel Yu and the leadership team, leads the communion.

And for the years to come, Pastor Jessie said that EFC-QC will continue to “reach more souls and families; raise and disciple more leaders; plant more cell churches; send more missionaries in other parts of Luzon provinces; and plan for a much bigger place of worship as the Lord leads and provides.”

At the end of the day, he thanked God for sending good people to the church and for His provisions. He was also delighted seeing the people get to know God and grow in their love, faith, knowledge and service to God.

“I feel very fulfilled inside but I know there are more wonderful things and events to come and lives to be touched by God,” he added.

Surely, Evangel Quezon City is yet to tell more stories as the church has opened another chapter for new endeavors.

All praises and glory be to God alone!