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JECPP was conceived and birthed as a missionary organization. Its Founding Chairman, Rev Dr Robert Lim of Evangel Family Church, Singapore, was clearly commanded to plant churches and promote missions in the Philippines. The original vision of planting 100 churches was fulfilled with God’s mighty power over a span of six years between 1993 and 1999. One key factor or driving force behind the success of this faith venture was unyielding commitment to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. This was the organizational goal and the corporate task of JECPP – to obey the Master’s mandate and finish His work on earth. It was the priority in prayer and planning, the reason for recruitment and releasing of workers, the focus in fund-raising and finance, and the commitment to co-operation and consecration. JECPP was called into being to do missions purely out of devotion to God and passion for souls. The original vision of planting
100 churches in the Philippines by 2000 may have been realized but
the mission of JECPP is far from finished. There
remain yet millions of unsaved Filipinos to be won and thousands of cities,
towns and villages in the Philippine archipelago to be evangelized. JECPP envisions to play an active, dynamic role in the raising and releasing of cross-cultural workers, in the equipping and empowering of overseas church-planters, and in the sending and support of foreign missionaries from the Philippines. Indeed, Dr Robert Lim had often shared such inspiring aspiration for the direction of JECPP’s future ministry while overseeing the vision of planting the 100 churches. He constantly challenged the leaders to broaden their vision beyond the Philippine borders, and motivated the church planters to move out of familiar grounds into foreign lands. Venturing into international missions is not a strategic shift in ministry or following another fad in Christendom. Rather, it is a passionate pursuit of God’s calling in soul-winning and a daring desire to obey Christ’s Great Commission. It is about responding to the cry of the wilderness and completing the Master’s task of discipling all nations.
Three major tasks await JECPP in relation to foreign missions:
Following the fulfillment of the original vision the next two years were focused on conserving the evangelistic gains and consolidating the newly planted churches. Under the new chairmanship of Rev Lim Toh Nee, JECPP leadership sought to strengthen the church planters and stabilize the young churches. Church planting work was also stepped up and spread to new territories and needy areas. But the vision to venture into foreign fields was in no way diminished. It was brought up repeatedly in the planning meeting and prayer sessions among JECPP’s leaders. And Dr Robert Lim would frequently raise the topic and inject inspiring ideas to keep the vision burning. It was indeed a time of waiting upon the Lord for direction. At the same time the Lord of the harvest was also preparing His worker for our first foreign missions work. Pastor Manny Esguerra had planted and pastored
two churches over a period of 18 year since 1982; 5 years among the
Ilocanos in Isabela, Luzon and
13 years among the Davaoneons in Davao City, Mindanao. The Lord led the disillusioned Pastor Manny to worship at Evangel Family Church, Davao under the leadership of Revs Peter and Christine Wee on the last Sunday of February 2001. He opened his heart and shared his burden for missions in Asian countries. Pastor Wee and the church warmly welcomed Pastor Manny’s family into the fellowship and ministered to their needs. Following several months of faithful attendance Pastor Manny was asked to involve in cell group ministry and subsequently, to handle a Filipino Service on Sunday. The Lord blessed and prospered his ministry bringing many souls to salvation and growth to the church. Convinced of Pastor Manny’s call to foreign missions, Pastor Wee recommended him to JECPP’s leaders for prayer and consideration. At the annual Church Planters’ Retreat in October 2001, Pastor Manny and his wife were interviewed thoroughly by the leadership and accepted into JECPP as our first foreign missionaries. The search for God’s appointed workers in our first foreign work had ended but our involvement in foreign missions had just begun. Where were they to be sent to? What church or organization could we work with? How were they to be supported? How to comply with the immigration requirements of the host country? These were among the major issues to ponder and to pray over as we entered into a new chapter in JECPP’s history – sending and supporting Filipinos in foreign missions. Our first concern was to discern the Lord’s direction in choosing our foreign field. We had wanted to send our first missionaries to East Malaysia but the application for visa was denied twice. This caused the leadership to reconsider and seek the Lord’s clear leading. In March 2002, Pastor Wee suggested the possibility of Manado City in Indonesia as a possible site for foreign missions. His friend, Pastor Paul Kim, a Korean missionary had uprooted from Davao to go to Manado the previous year and he strongly recommended the city. A decision was arrived for Pastor Manny to travel together with Pastor Chuck Chua and Pastor Wee to survey the city the next month. This was followed by a second trip in June 2002 in which Dr Robert Lim and JECPP Leaders met in the city and confirmed the choice of Manado as the launch pad for our missions in Indonesia. We sensed the Lord’s hand in the project and proceeded to hammer out the details on financial support, immigration clearance, church affiliation, housing and ministry facilities. With great excitement and faith, Dr Lim committed to raise the necessary funds for the startup cost. In one accord, the four regions under JECPP pledged to provide monthly contributions towards the support of our first foreign missionary family and the ministry cost. Pastor Manny was left behind in Manado at the end of this trip. The next
crucial step was to gain affiliation with a credible Christian organization
for the purpose of processing the working visa for Pastor
Manny and his family joining him later on. On the final night of the 2002 Church Planters’ Retreat, Pastor Manny and his wife together with their two young daughters were officially introduced to all JECPP delegates and commissioned to be our first foreign missionaries to Indonesia. This was stepping out in faith as we had yet to establish affiliation with a Christian organization in compliance with Indonesian immigration requirement.
The time had finally arrived for us to send our first missionary
family from the Philippines to the missions field. June 1, 2003 was a very special Sunday for JECPP as our first Filipino missionary conducted the first worship service at the Minahasan Law Center at 4:00 p.m. Evangel Family Church, Manado Chapter was thus officially inaugurated in North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Over the last 8 months God’s blessings were indeed upon our first foreign missions venture. Pastor Manny and wife have adjusted quickly to another culture and begun learning the language. Their little daughters have also settled down happily in a new environment and schooling system. An average of 35 people are worshipping in the Sunday service and prayer meeting and cell meeting are held on weekdays. Discipleship program is being conducted on Saturday to train workers and raise leaders. Efforts in penetrating the schools and colleges through religious teaching are already bearing fruits, and plan is now underway to commence a youth ministry. To enhance the ministry funds were released last November to purchase a brand new sound system and an electronic keyboard. The young congregation also raised money to acquire a used electric guitar and amplifier as well as to buy a new drum set. Our missionaries and their members are looking forward to celebrate God’s goodness in their 1st church anniversary in 4 months’ time. Truly, God has been faithful to JECPP as He enlarges our vision and extends our mission into foreign lands! |
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:: email: info@jecpp.org |