Coffee Break with Kuya A & Ate Anj

This photo was taken Saturday after our student rally held in ICS. The one day event called Student:Missionary We Engage was attended by 139 youths from Southern Tagalog region. It was a great time of visioneering for this year's campus outreach. So much after a tiring day of ministry, Kuya A(lvin) & Ate Angie treated us at SB to kill some time. You can call this couple a power couple of campus ministry, they've started doing campus ministry back in the 80s in UP Diliman, and then focused on local church ministry. But they are back again in Diliman to do campus ministry since last year. It was a great time of fellowship and encouragement.

Praying Bold Prayers

Awesome word this morning by Ptr Sur del Rosario our National Youth Director about Praying Bold Prayers .. let's relate it to reaching our campus ..

Topic: Praying Bold Prayers
Story of Elijah vs. Prophets of Baal - 1 Kings 18:17-40

What Bold Prayer does ...
1. BOLD PRAYER MAKES GOD KNOWN - Elijah's prayer was so bold that for him it was all or nothing. He put all his bet on God, and God did not disappoint. It was God's altar that He set on fire, not Baal's. Pray bold prayers for your campus, prayers fit for a mighty answering God.

2. BOLD PRAYER MARKS GOD'S SERVANTS - God's servants are marked by their intimacy to listen, hear and pray God's will. Elijah's prayer was not like the prophets of Baal, it was short and simple, but earnest. As God's servants in the campus we should be marked by a passion to intercede in behalf of our classmates and campus.

XA Luzon Team @Megamall

[gallery columns="2"]

So yesterday, our Chi Alpha Luzon Team had a get together at SM Megamall to meet and celebrate. Meet to plan for the Saturday district event called "Student: Missionary--We Engage". And celebrate to just hang out and celebrate what God has done throughout this summer during our Chi Alpha trainings. One of the best teams I've had the privilege of serving and leading. We decided to have milk tea at Gong-Cha and someone bought pizza for the team. And we just reminisce and laugh about some memorable experiences during our trainings. I enjoy a good laugh. Thanking God for the things He has doing through Chi Alpha ministry.

Guess Who Showed Up

So I was recently tagged by my cousin of this old pic that was supposed to be my father's would-be-parents wedding. And check-out who decided to make a cameo: Fernando Poe Jr. and Helen Gamboa. Yes they were sort of friends in the past.

When Tempted Not to Tithe

Early in our marriage, we have decided that we will make tithing a non-negotiable spiritual discipline in our life. It's good to establish what you believe, and what the Bible says about tithing. So that when a situation comes that challenges us to disobey God's command, we can go back to what we believe and that settles it for us:

• We settled between ourselves that tithing is a clear command in the Bible and it is non-negotiable (Mal 3:10). And we are even challenged to give above it with joy (2 Co 9)


• We believe that God is the owner of all our possessions and what he is actually asking is small compared to what we are receiving.

Chi Alpha Newsletter: 2012 Summer Trainings Completed

Dear Friends and Partners of Chi Alpha,

Thank you for your continuous prayer and support for Chi Alpha Student Ministries. We have recently concluded our summer trainings for 2012. It was a great time visiting different places and training the youth, seeing their hunger for God and to learn from our trainings. The following were the places we have conducted Chi Alpha trainings:

- Oriental Mindoro - 170+ delegates
- El Nido Palawan
- Legaspi City - 20+ delegates
- Lagawe, Ifugao - 100+ delegates
- San Fernando, Pampanga - 25 delegates
- Calbayog, Samar - 40+ delegates

On our last Luzon training held in San Fernando, Pampanga last May 30-June 1, we are rejoicing because even though we have a small number, the group's passion to reach the campus was just as stronger. First night started with a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 3 groups were represented in the training: San Fernando, Pampanga, Sta. Maria, Bulacan, and Mariveles and Balanga, Bataan. Each targeting a nearby university, college or high school. On the 3rd day, we visited Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University in Bacolor, Pampanga to do prayerwalking and evangelism exposure. Pray with us that Chi Alpha will be fully established in this prime and only state university in the province.

Delegates from XALT Pampanga & Calbayog

Prayerwalking in Bicol University, Legaspi City

Getting People to Care

Last night, my wife and I watched Snow White and the Huntsman. Despite the hype that it's better than the other Snow White movie, tt fell short for me (Being a self-proclaimed amateur movie critic that I am). Make no mistake this one's way better than the other by eons (I haven't seen it but upon seeing the trailer I already crossed it out. My wife saw it and didn't like it also). So here's why it fell short. The movie couldn't make me care enough. Despite the awesome CG effects, the dark twists and the hype, the story telling was unevenly paced and wanting even for a good two movie hours. The acting was forgivable, but I always look for the story. Is there something worthwhile to tell? And how well you tell it.

Then I begin to think about how it relates to doing campus ministry. Particularly, how you encourage leaders and pastors to "care" for the campus. A fellow campus worker by the name of Joe Bonifacio observed that it's not that our leaders do not care for campus ministry. Put yourself in a minister's shoes. Imagine, the people and things that are begging for his attention daily. Visitation in the morning, a baby dedication at lunch, a counseling session in the afternoon, a prayer meeting in the evening. As much as he wants to get involved in campus ministry, sometimes he's just too busy, or don't know where to begin.

So the challenge for us who rally our local churches to do campus ministry is to get them to see and catch the vision, and more importantly, get involved. Here are some ways to get people to "care" (in no particular order):

1. Simplify and streamline - Simple is always better. Simple does not mean cheap. Your audience will ignore your presentation, much less get involved if it's too complicated and unclear. Simplify and clarify your message, focus on the "most important thing". Streamline and standardize the way you do things so it can be easily followed.


2. Market the product with excellence - Ministry and volunteerism is not an excuse for a lousy, ill-presented message. In fact, if we think that the gospel is the world's ultimate need, we need to present it with utmost relevance, creativity and excellence. I think it's time to move out from a mindset of immediately pulling the plug on any idea that is new, creative, means are outside of our personal preference, things we don't immediately comprehend, or ways unlike what we've done in the past. Only the Message is unchangeable and timeless, not our methods.


3. Rally behind a powerful message - Bank on the timelessness of our Message. What I appreciate about the ministry of Chi Alpha is that it runs, operates, lives and breathes on the power of vision. It always amazes me how our teams serve as volunteers, campus workers, who raise their own funds to travel or board a plane to go to a place where the message is needed. It isn't even primarily because of our relationships in the teams that got us together. We were drawn by a cause that is worth our life and resources.


4. Sample by Stories - One way to incarnate an abstract message is by telling stories. First, know the core values of your organization. And when you find true stories from the field that clearly illustrates one of these core values, make a mental note of it, or better yet, write it down. Share it. Tell how the ministry is touching real lives. I'm currently reading Revolutions in World Missions and the stories are so real that it compels me to care. Rather than just having them listen to the things that should be done, throw in there how the ministry is touching lives.


5. Build relationships - This I think is the most potent means to get our message across. Build and nurture your relationship with your audience. John Maxwell said it, "People don't care how much you know, until people know how much you care." Chi Alpha US director Scott Martin emphasizes that the kingdom of God is built on relationships. Our message caters to real people, they are not ministry projects. There's a way of softening hearts when you level with them, listen, and find a common ground. Seek and build relationship while you're at it. It will take you farther than any kind of ministry strategy can.

Sunday morning

It’s Sunday morning, and we are going to miss church today. Nette is sick because of the travel. It was a long journey home yesterday from Nasugbu where Grace’s (Nette’s cousin) wedding was held. Nevertheless, our time in Nasugbu was a time of rest and refreshing. We got to swim, and sleep and just recover from all the travels that we had from ministry (I have yet to blog about our Bicol and Baguio trips.)

It was also a time of reflection and processing what happened the last few months to our lives. I got to just stop, sit and recollect all the things that had happened, and just became overwhelmed with joy for what God has done to our life. So I posted in Facebook:

This is one of the memorable summers of my life @Jesus @netty @friends @xa @aiys @adventures @blessings @bloopers … Thank you Jesus! I feel like 20 again.

It was indeed one of the best summers I had lately. Previous summers just went by. This one’s memorable. For a while I’ve been sort of clueless entering my 30th year on earth, felt I’ve become too old. But this summer I’ve experienced a personal awakening that set me up for the years to come. It was a balance of ministry and my personal journey with the Lord. Walking this earth with my wife and being surrounded by caring family and friends. The theme song of this awakening is “I know who I am, I am yours, and you are mine.” I have rediscovered my identity in Christ and in His kingdom.

I was trying to find this particular passage (which is also an old chorus we sang at church) to reflect on God’s goodness in my life. And finally God showed it to me this morning.

Praise the Lord, my soul;
   all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
   and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
   and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
   and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

- Psalm 103:1-5

Open my eyes that I may see

Full story in 2 Kings 6:8-23.

It had been an awesome sight—to see horses and chariots of fire. But from the perspective of Elisha’s servant, the context from where they are made it more awesome. First, there was the crisis, an enemy poised to attach after the Aram king decided to hunt for Elisha when he learned that the prophet was helping his nemesis king of Israel (v. 15). And second, the solution, God’s solution, and salvation, in the form of flaming armies of the living God (v. 17). Like Elisha’s servant, we too are sometimes overwhelmed by fears and threats that is poised on the horizon, ready to eat us up. We don’t recognize what it means to be on God’s side. So we fail to see how God is working in and through our lives.

May we desire the prayer Elisha had desired for his servant, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that I may see.” May we say to God, Lord, open my eyes, my spiritual eyes, give me a God-ordained vision, so that I may see. Here are 5 things God will show us as we ask Him for a fresh vision:

Open my eyes so that I may see God’s protection. Elisha encouraged his servant not to be afraid, because those who are with them, are more that those who are against them. The servant was called by Elisha to believe in faith that God is present and able to deliver. Faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). May God open our spiritual eyes so we may see what others do not see.

Open my eyes so that I may see God’s power. Sometimes we magnify our problems too much that we overlook how big God is. God is always greater that all those that are against us combined.

Open my eyes so that I may see God’s ways. Realize that when God delivers, it’s in His own terms and in His own timing, and not our own. Have the humility to obey and the patience to wait for God’s answer.

Open my eyes so that I may respond in kindness to others. It’s interesting that when God gave over the enemy to Elisha, instead of annihilating the enemy as per the Israelite king’s suggestion, Elisha commanded the king to respond in kindness—to feed the enemy and send them away. May we see beyond those who are hostile and rebellious, not reciprocating in hostility and vengeance, and respond in kindness and compassion. Only a heart whose eyes have been opened to receive God’s grace can overflow His grace towards others.

Open my eyes so that I may receive kindness from others. Sometimes it’s us whose hearts needs to be opened to receive the kindness of people around us. There are people who have a hard time receiving kindness because they feel they don’t deserve it, or they feel they’re above anyone to receive help. It’s only a deceptive disguise of the pride and false humility in us. God uses people to bestow His goodness to His children.

Imagine having a vision of God himself and instead of focusing on the problems, we focus to live the purpose that God has purposed for us to live. May we seek God wholeheartedly, desperately so He can reveal to us and fulfill in us a full life of one who has seen God.

Present with you on the battlefield

2 Samuel 23:12, “But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.”

Shammah is one of David’s mighty men. He was one of the trio of a group simply called the Three. The other two was Josheb and Eleazar. Previous verses mentions both Eleazar and Shammah both standing there ground when the rest of their comrades flee from the enemy (v. 10, 12). They stood their ground, they fought with fierce courage, and the passage was careful to say that it was the Lord that “brought about a great victory.”

And such is true in our Christian lives, if we want to witness God bring a breakthrough in our area of struggle, we must be willing to stand our ground, even when the rest of the world tells you to flee, retreat, give up or give in. For me to witness God bring victory, I must be where the action is—where God is at work and my faith is required. I will miss God’s move when I hide in the crevices of my comfort zones.

I remember again a talk given by Andy Stanley about courage. He says one way to know if you’ve made the right choice (to stay or to go) is if you fast forward your life and in that future look back to this very moment when you are in a forked road, which would be more noble to recount? Is it when you went even when you’re tempted to stay or stayed even when you’re tempted to go? Either way, obeying God despite the challenges would always be a winning remembrance.

Tempted to give up or give in? Too soon. One of God’s names in the Bible is that God is Jehovah-Shammah (The Lord who is there). The Lord, your Commander-in-chief, is always there with you in the battlefield. So don’t let your faith waver, stand your ground and you might just witness God’s bring about your victory.

Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”