Harvest

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.

-Habakkuk 3:17-19

posted from Bloggeroid

Team Go Forth La Union goes forth

JCF commissioned the Go Forth La Union team recently, sending them out with prayers and blessings. At the moment, half the team is already on-location, conducting Vacation Bible School to the children of Community Touch Christian Fellowship (CTCF).

In the next few days, the team will be moving to two new missions locations, namely Amlang and Carunoan, both in the town of Rosario. The team will be helping CTCF in their aim to establish a sustained ministry in these areas.

CTCF started work in these places only recently, and they are intent on doing what they can to make the work grow, subject to the Lord's will. Our role in this effort is to help keep the work going and growing, as well as to train workers who will pick up the reins once the team leaves for home.

Continue to pray with us for strength and safety of our volunteers, for the hearts of the listeners, and for the CTCF family. Pray also for the rest of the GFLU team who will be joining the others in the coming days.

posted from Bloggeroid

The Road to La Union

(From left) Rhea, Amor, and Cat prepare props for the VBS to be held in La Union for the next two weeks. Photo property of Go Forth Missions

Our volunteers are presently caught up in the preparations for the trip to La Union this Sunday, May 10. There's a ton of props to be readied to ensure the kids experience this year's Vacation Bible School theme Celebrate!; of course, the teachers are also readying themselves to make sure the kids understand the lessons presented from the Bible. And then there's a myriad of small and large details that need to be checked and double-checked to make sure the team gets in and out of the missions area safely.

This is the second of JCF's three-year commitment with Community Touch Christian Fellowship (CTCF), our partner church in Agoo, La Union. What makes this year even more exciting is the addition of two more areas where CTCF is breaking new ground for a church plant. These include the barrios of Carunoan and Amlang, with the latter being significant because it is the hometown of Sister Puri Santos, mother of our very own kuya Mon.

On top of VBS is the overnight Youth Camp for CTCF youth, where the church's youth leaders will be learning essential lessons concerning missions, discipleship, and ministry. The camp also involves youth who may be hearing the Gospel for the first time, so do pray for our speakers who will be bringing God's word to the youth of La Union.

Even as our workers are preparing the things they need to bring, do pray for each one of them as they also strive to prepare their hearts and minds. The struggle is real, and it is so easy to get sidetracked or overwhelmed with the task and everything it entails. Also pray for the safety of our volunteers, as the country braces for an approaching typhoon. As the La Union team prepares to be sent out into the deep, we will need you to hold the ropes in prayer, so that God may be honored in all these.

Celebrating God's goodness

Kids having the time of their lives during the recent VBS at JCF. Photo by Mon

The 2015 Vacation Bible School (VBS) season is in full swing, with Joy Christian Fellowship (JCF) concluding its VBS ministry for the Intramuros community last April 25. Currently, JCF is holding VBS for kids coming from the church families through the JoyKids Sunday School department, so that they, too, can experience this special summer event.

More than 100 children from the Intramuros community were exposed to the message of this year's VBS, the aptly-themed Celebrate!, which incorporates elements of Filipino culture with instances of celebration in the Bible. At the center of each lesson is a story of Jesus and a festive event, such as the wedding at Cana or the Feast of Pentecost. The challenge to the teachers and the volunteers was to draw the connection between these instances of feasting to the overall theme of celebrating God's love and goodness.

VBS will soon be "exported" outside JCF's walls as the 2015 Go Forth team is currently in the thick of preparations for missions in La Union. This ministry has been very helpful in creating the preliminary bridges between the local church and the community that are essential for long-term work. With this year's VBS theme, the Go Forth team is excited to bring the festivities to the barrios of La Union so that they, too, may be part of the celebration of God's enduring greatness.

The VBS graduation is always a time to celebrate a student's participation in the year's Vacation Bible School, as well as an opportunity to connect with their quietly-proud parents. Photo by Mon

Why we're doing Missions a bit differently this time around

The shifting of the academic calendar in most colleges and universities has presented us with the unique opportunity of a longer summer--and therefore, more chances to be involved in the mission field. In this view, we would like to invite students and professionals to pray and take the privilege to be deployed in a mission field, near or far.

For this year, Go Forth Missions (GFM) will be concentrating on several key missions activities (Vacation Bible School or VBS, and the children's ministry at Bahay Aruga, a halfway home for pediatric cancer patients), and one local destination (La Union, which, in itself, offers significant challenges). Missions work from last year such as Thailand and Cambodia are temporarily on hold pending an evaluation of their vision and direction; previous missions such as Batangas and Palawan are similarly undergoing a second look.

The evaluation is part of Go Forth's efforts to establish discipleship-based missions instead of the more convenient shotgun approach, where churches usually go to places beyond their usual range, conduct evangelism, pack up, and go. In line with the Church's vision, GFM aims to be involved in missions work both across the street and across the sea with the goal of creating "self-sustaining" disciples dependent on Christ alone while communing with other believers. 

Sounds exciting, right? As we will show later, this approach is also a bit more challenging, as it encourages the Church to get down and dirty instead of conveniently preaching the Gospel from afar. However, this is the way Jesus Himself set us captives free, by leaving the comforts of the Father's presence and humbling Himself to live with us, dying for our sins, and rising up again in victory. Similarly, as we preach the Gospel and make disciples, may people find their freedom in Jesus and be equipped as well to share the Good News and be one with the Church wherever they may be.

The 2015 Missions Season is now here

Amor shares the Gospel and leads youths in prayer during last year's Vacation Bible School (VBS). Photo property of Go Forth Missions

Gear up lads! The 2015 missions season is finally here! We hope you are as excited as we are with the many opportunities for missions this summer. School is finally out for most of our workers, while summertime means more chances for our professionals to take their paid leaves.

Of course, while we believe that every member of the church should be a missionary “in season or out of season,” the term “Missions Season” refers strictly to the lineup of mission-related activities conducted by Go Forth for the year. The season also covers a specific time period where workers are sent out into the field (sometime between February and November of the year). The remaining months are used for training workers, equipping volunteers, and re-grouping, planning, and preparing for the upcoming deployments to various areas and activities, both near and far.

Some missions work started last 2013 and 2014 will be on hold for this year, as these will be evaluated in line with JCF’s vision and desire to make Gospel-centered disciples. Nevertheless, 2015 promises to be a very busy year, with new opportunities as well as fresh challenges for existing works.

Whether you’ll be out in the field or holding the rope, we hope you will take part in our quest to take the Gospel of Jesus across the street or across the seas. Go forth!