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The Power of National Prayer

National Day of Prayer
- Thursday, May 6 -

No ocean can hold it back.
No river can overtake it.
No whirlwind can go faster.
No army can defeat it.
No law can stop it.
No distance can slow it.
No disease can cripple it.
No force on earth is more powerful or effective than the power of prayer.
- Linn Carlson, DaySpring writer

The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.
James 5:16 NRSV

Let us stand firm in prayer for a peaceful and righteous election day. On May 10, let us vote for the one God has chosen for us. Let not our hearts and minds be swayed by sweet tongues, deceiving surveys nor impulsive thoughts. Listen intently and be open to the Holy Spirit's leading. God bless the Philippines!

FECPI Retreat 2010

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"We are called to live a divine adventure..."

"Does your life fit into God's plan?

"Do you want to just exist or do you want real life?"

"What can God do through you?"

"Be shepherds of God's love because you are willing and ready to serve!"

These were but some of the thoughts for reflection shared by our wonderful speaker, John Mark Brabon during the FECPI Pastor's Retreat held on April 14-16, 2010.

Yes, it's time to think outside the human box, and aim to think with the mind of Christ, where there is divine love, confidence, empowerment and wisdom, not forgetting that we were called to serve, not to be served.

Let us not be dismayed by the trials we face, but rather stand firm and finish the race assigned to us. Put on full armor and be filled with the Holy Spirit, and bear the confidence that Christ our Savior leaves us, being the chosen, the redeemed and the beloved children of God! Mighty things can happen... only God knows!

Coaching, Training, Mentoring & Partnership

Coaching with Pastor Folmer

On February 24-26, all the church planters and trainers of Faith Evangelical Church of the Philippines went to Binalonan, Pangasinan to spend the days with Pastor Mar, the National Church Planting Coordinator and Pastor Folmer, OMS International trainer for church multiplication.  During the meeting you could observe what it actually means to train and to coach.  Pastor Folmer coached Pastor Mar and then Pastor Mar coached the rest of the church planting team.

The first hours together were spent in worship and fellowship.  It was followed by reports of each church planter and trainer about the victories, challenges and opportunities they face in the ministry in general as well as in training leaders implementing Train and Multiply as a follow-up during the training in October of 2009.  The reporting was followed by group discussions helping each other turn the challenges into opportunities.  Through group efforts and discussions, each church planter and trainer was able to see clearly the direction toward achieving their goals and vision, pointed out their mistakes and be able to make new plans to improve the ministry.

Pastor Mar facilitated all the discussion and reports of individuals and groups.  Pastor Folmer ended the time together with words of encouragements and challenge to continue training leaders and planting churches.  All the church planters left the place physically tired but spiritually renewed and their vision and passion fueled by hope and new insights they learned from the coaches and from each other as well.

 

Train and Multiply Training

 

On February 27, there are ten FECPI churches who sent their pastors and lay leaders to attend the training in church multiplication using Train & Multiply in Faith Fellowship in Pozorrubio, Pangasinan. The churches include Bulacan, Tarlac, Sta. Ignacia, La Union, San Carlos, Dagupan, Malued, Alaminos, Pozorrubio and Rizal.  One pastor of different denomination also joined the training to see how they can adopt the same process of leadership training.  There were around 50 delegates in all attended by young professionals, fathers, mothers and even some senior citizens who were all involved in leadership in their respective churches.

Pastor Mar, as the National Church Planting Coordinator, facilitated the overall training.  He was being coached by Pastor Folmer, an OMS Missionary Trainer for Church Planting Ministry.  The training was highlighted by group discussions and activities until finally at the end they were able to plan with their pastors and lay leaders on how they will implement the said training.

Almost all the churches started with identifying their key leaders to be trained for pastoral leadership like cell group leaders, church planters and lay pastors.  They planned also to implement the training as soon as they get back to their churches by praying and talking to the identified leaders.  The lay leaders were also encouraged to start new groups and train new leaders.  All the churches were convinced that training leaders is the key to church growth and multiplication.

 

 

All the churches reported also in detail all the advantage and benefits of implementing Train and Multiply in training leaders.  They all look forward to growth, not just of leaders, but of members as new groups will be started and opened.  They are positive also that it will bring growth in their tithes and offering collection every Sunday as the people will be taught and discipled in a deeper way by the new leaders equipped and trained under Train and Multiply.

The concept of planting new churches instead of bringing new believers to an existing church somewhere is not something new to the churches in partnership with church planting ministry.  But for those who belong to the traditional churches, they still need time to transition and they resolved to apply it in cell group and training cell leaders which is a good start already.

We, in the church planting ministry is looking forward to partnership with local organized churches and see them grow and multiply as they train leaders using Train and Multiply.

faith fellowship lucena celebrates its 3rd anniversary

In May 2006 the team of church planters settled in Lucena City to plant a church. They gathered their first contacts to start a worship celebration on September 21 of the same year. This month they celebrated their 3rd anniversary and SC Minda, the team leader praised God for His faithfulness and goodness to the people who obeyed and followed Him.

SC Minda had three teammates since then. Abby Galzote was her first teammate who also did not fail to visit the church since she left to study. The second was Alejo Cuyno who only stayed there for several months and finally Chat Relucio who is still there serving with SC Minda in Lucena City.


The anniversary celebration was highlighted by the different presentations of each house church in different barangays. Pastor Mar gave an inspirational and challenging message to the people and many came forward during the altar call.



Today, they are ministering to five different barangays with the help of two lay leaders who assist the church planters with the house churches. Through the years the workers of Lucena give glory to the Lord for the changed lives they have witnessed and the families who came to the Lord.

For more pictures of the anniversary celebration please see the slide show.

FBC students field visitation

On September 4, 2009, ten students of Church Planting Principles in Faith Bible College went to two church planting locations in Region 4 to experience what it is like to be in a church planting field. Two other FBC staffs joined them—Debbie and Loren. The students were divided into two teams. The first team joined the Tagaytay team with Pastor Teddy and Enric Lepardo while the other half joined the Cavite team with Pastors Bong and Gerry Bulilan.

Both teams gathered to spend time in prayer and devotion and for the church planters to give brief orientation of what they do in the field, their vision and mission and some of their experiences. They also showed the students and taught them some of the things they do in small groups and also in evangelism. Then they were ready to go.

The students, equipped with their skills and knowledge in evangelism and theirs heart full passion and excitement an d courage, went out to evangelize together with the church planters. The church planters demonstrated first what they do then let the students did the same. The students reported in class all their first time in evangelism, especially, going from house to house because some of them did that for the first time. But there were also those who were already doing that in their respective ministry assignments.

That was indeed a day full of adventures, learning and fun. The students were not only blessed but were also a blessing to the people they shared the gospel, the people they visited and to the church planters who accommodated them.

Tuy House Church joined Tagaytay Faith Fellowship

It was a day of worship, fellowship, learning and celebration for the churches in Tuy, Batangas and Tagaytay City. The rain did not stop them to gather in Colossian Gardens in Tagaytay City. From morning until evening, they were together to celebrate God's faithfulness in their life.

Pastor Mar shared with them the core values and mission and vision statements of FECPI.
Pastor Teddy with Bro. Pol distributed the baptismal certificate in the afternoon.
Pastor Vadeth, Pastor Teddy and the leaders of Tagaytay facilitated the worship in the morning while the praise and worship team of Tuy led the worship.

These are the young people of Tagaytay and Tuy, Batangas... the future leaders of the church.



The Rodriguez family leads the house church in Tuy, Batangas.

FBC 20th Anniversary Celebration

FECPI Church Planting Teams joined Faith Bible College to celebrate 20 years of God's faithfulness. 18 of our 20 church planters are proud graduates of the Bible College.

It was a week of celebration. On Tuesday, the 25th of August, was the kick off where pastor Brent gave the message during the chapel service. Wednesday was a day of prayer, before each class began, the students and the faculty members spent time to pray. In the evening was a night of prayer and worship opened for everyone. By the way, the classes during the whole week were opened for those who would like to sit in the class.

The peak of the celebration was on Friday night, the 28th of August, where Miss Ermalee Hidalgo was installed as the first woman and Filipino president of the Bible College. It was indeed a night of celebration attended by pastors from the Wesleyan church where Miss Ermalee came from and was molded to be the woman she is right now. FECPI pastors and friends also came, especially those who have been part of the Bible college. PRASIA rendered beautiful music that night but, of course, the highlight would be Miss Ermalee's speech.

It was not just a celebration but a fellowship, a reunion to be exact, of old friends who met in Faith Bible College...