Men’s Ministry
by Willie Samson
Now that COVID-19 is mostly behind us, we are entering a period of major adjustments. As discovered in a nationwide survey, 93% of Filipino families have experienced losses in their regular income because of job loss and reduced economic activity.
Almost everyone, especially the men as breadwinners of the family, are busy making adjustments within the new normal: work from home with occasional face-to-face office time, cutting down on consumption, finding ways to augment family income, balancing their time with wife and children.
This includes understanding and doing church life at home. To this end, the men conducted a Talk Show via Zoom entitled,
CHEERS! Papano Mapasaya ang Ating Pamilya.
Invited to host the discussion was Ptr. Jebo Banzuelo, pastor of Christian Gospel Center in Valenzuela and is the Facebook online host of “Asa Ka Pa.” Also in the panel were: Nelson Petines, Paeng Alvaran, Ptr. Rey Avante, and yours truly. It was attended by about 80 men.
During the lockdowns, men also participated in CCBC’s Kaagapay Ministry which is an outreach program in partnership with the Quezon City Parole and Probation Office No. 2. This ministry reaches more than 100 PPA “clients” twice a month online.
Aside from having ongoing small groups, men were also involved in online ministry events like CCBC’s Life Essentials, “Day and Night” Devotions, and online Worship Services.
“..the right time for a fresh restart in ministry involvement…”
With the lifting of lockdowns in Manila, 2022 may be the right time for a fresh start in ministry involvement. But it cannot be just going online, listening and talking; men like to go out and do things, bring back experiences from community work or mission adventures.
They like to be physically engaged in reaching out to people, helping build lives. 2022 will be the time to challenge and open CCBC men to take on concrete activities related to community transformation.
Specifically, the thrust this 2022 will be to support missions and church planting activities, where, in obedience, men can learn at least two things: the faithfulness of God, and our need to depend upon Him. It’s time for CCBC men to rise up and start putting in our share of the work in the Lord’s vineyard.
We remember the words of St. Paul to the Ephesians:
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance as our way of life.”
-Ephesians 2:10
These good works include going out and telling people about God’s love and the power of the gospel for salvation.
Prayer Items
(1) more involvement in LG’s and prayer activities from the men of CCBC;
(2) increased spiritual hunger and deepening in the Word of CCBC Men;
(3) more involvement in the teaching ministry of CCBC.
Life Group
To Be a Berean
by Jimi Tan
“But let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me…”
Jeremiah 9:24
The Third Day: ito ang ipinangalan namin sa nasimulang couples’ Life Group, bilang pagdakila sa pagkabuhay na muli ng Panginoong Hesus mula sa kamatayan.
Batid namin na ang paglago sa lahat ng aspeto ng buhay, kabilang ang buhay pag-aasawa at pamilya, ay paglago sa pagkaunawa sa mga ipinapahayag ng Salita ng Diyos.
“…naging malinaw na layunin ng aming lingguhang pag-aaral ng Biblia ang maunawaan at makilala ang Diyos.”
Sa aming pag-aaral, napagtanto namin na ang sentro ng Bibliya ay ang Diyos. Kami rin ay naliwanagan sa pagnanais ng Panginoon na Siya ay maunawaan at makilala ng bawat isang mananampalataya.
Mula noon, naging malinaw na layunin ng aming lingguhang pag-aaral ng Bibliya ang lubos na maunawaan at makilala ang Diyos. Ang layuning ito rin ang nagdala sa amin sa napakaraming kapahayagan na mas nagpaigting sa kabatiran na ang kabuuan ng Bibliya ay may isinusulong na iisang salaysay–isang salaysay na ang sentro ay ang Panginoong Hesus.
Kami ay namulat sa katotohanang ito nang magsimula ang aming pag-aaral sa aklat ng Galacia. Sa biyaya ng Panginoon, binigyang-liwanag sa amin na upang maunawaan ang mga liham na ito, nararapat na maunawaan din ang mga aklat sa Lumang Tipan na palagiang binabalikan ni Pablo sa tuwing siya ay may ipinahahahayag na katotohanan.
Ang paraan ng pag-aaral na ito ay alinsunod sa halimbawa ng mga taga-Berea na binabanggit sa Acts 17, kung saan pagkatapos nilang marinig ang pagpapahayag ni Pablo ay kanilang sinuri ang mga Kasulatan upang tukuyin kung umaayon nga rito ang kanilang mga narinig mula sa Apostol.
“Naging kagila-gilalas ang mga naihayag na katotohanan sa amin!
Tunay na kamangha-mangha ang Diyos na ating sinasamba.”
Bagaman ang aming pagsusuri ng Lumang Tipan ay hindi upang maghanap lamang ng tama o mali sa mga pahayag ni Pablo, bagkus para maunawaan nang mas mainam at may kalaliman ang kanyang liham. Naging kagila-gilalas ang mga naihayag na katotohanan sa amin! Tunay na kamangha-mangha ang Diyos na ating sinasamba.
Napakahalaga ng mga katotohanan na aming natutunan na siya namang naging kasangkapan upang higit pa naming maunawaan ang marami pang mga pagpapahayag sa Bibliya. Dahil dito ay nagpasya kaming bumuo ng bukod na Bible Study Group na bukas sa sinumang nagnanais na makibahagi sa aming pag-aaral.
Minsan sa aming group chat, naibahagi ni Reynan Gungon ang panalanging, “…to be a Berean, Lord, we pray.” Hango sa bahagi ng panalanging ito ang pangalan ng aming bagong Bible Study Group, To Be A Berean.