New blog

Check out a new blog from the Asian Institute of Church Planting. (Patricio Bonifacio)

Baguio City Forum Focuses on Islam

“Understanding Islam and Muslims” is the theme of a forum for Philippine Bible College Alumni and Church leaders. This will be held at the library of the Bible College.

Brother Tony Balagot of Makilala, Cotabato will tackle topics like “Understanding the Upsurge of Islamic Fundamentalism,”  “Muslims’ Impression of American and European Modern Civilization,”  and “How to Reach Out to Muslims Friends and Muslim Communities.”

Brother Santiago Sameon II will take up the biography of Muhammad, the founder of Islam. Brother Eusebio Tanicala  submits a comparison and contrast of Christianity and Islam.

Food fee is Php40/meal but the PBCAA officers will shoulder half of this amount. PBC Alumni and church leaders are encouraged to attend this fourm.

New sites

Brother Maquiling has created several blogs where he puts in his reflections in life, sermon outlines and other instructional materials:

http://mountainviewcoc.wordpress.com
http://sermonsforliving.blogspot.com
http://mountainviewcoc.blogspot.com

Transition

Feliciano Caracas left his family behind in the morning of Sept. 2 and was interred Sept 8. He was hospitalized for several weeks in Dagupan City before his demise.

Philippine Theological College Opens Door

A new preacher training school opened its doors this  June semester in Dagupan City, Pangasinan. There are seven full-time students and one part-time. Teachers are Samuel Alegria, Ruben Mendoza, Rogelio Bernardo, and Emilio Panday.

Baptisms in Leyte Campaign

After conducting meetins in Negros Oriental, brother Santiago Sameon II moved to Southern Leyte. In the first week of September, no less than six souls were baptised into the body of Christ.

Ilocos Sur Holds Gospel Campaign

Through the coordination of brother Roger Nonog,  a church planting campaign was conducted from Sept. 5-8 in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur. On Sept. 9, the first worlship service in  the poblacion area of Santa Maria town was held in the house of sister Ester Peralta-Corpus.

Brethren in the nieghboring town of Burgos went over to help who wee joined by Joel Laplana, Dick Baguioen, and Eusebio Tanicala from Baguio City.

The brethren in Narvacan town will do the follow up of prospects and nurture the young church in Santa Maria.

Tuao Church Celebrates 2nd Anniversary

Brethren in Tuao, Cagayan province will celebrate the congregation’s second anniversary on October 14th, according to a text message of brother John Ma

Ang Dating Daan Changes Position on Lord’s Supper Interpretation

It looks like “Ang Dating Daan” (ADD) and its speaker Eleazar Soriano have softened their stand about the Lord’s Supper or Banal na Hapunan. Their original position was to put up John 6:63 and cancel all other verses relative to the Lord’s Supper like Mat. 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 214-23 and 1 Cor. 11:23-29. Their original position was that the preaching/teaching of Christ’s doctrines is the Lord’s Supper, the breaking of bread. But Acts 20:7 which was done several years after the death of Christ was breaking of a material bread; and 1 Cor. 11:23-29 which was written 23 years after the death of Christ was a literal breaking of bread and drinking of the cup. Not preaching or teaching doctrines.

And if the original stand of the ADD were correct, the Lord’s Supper or teaching or preaching of the words of Christ should be done at supper time only. Soriano claims that the mention of “supper” necessitates that the action should always be at evening time. But he says that the “Lord’s Supper” is the act of teaching of Christ’s doctrines. To follow his line of argument, he and the ADD should preach/ teach at evening times only. But his radio and TV programs are not always in the evening. So he sneers at himself. He destroys his own position.

On the fourth Sunday of August this year, if my memory fails me not, I surfed up and down the channel selector of my TV set. I tried all channels fed via the Mountainview Communications in Baguio and I spent several minutes on the broadcast of Soriano. One lady asked the question: “Ano ba ang masasabi nyo ukol sa Lord’s Supper o Banal na Hapunan na nababasa sa Biblia?”

Soriano responded by saying something like this: “Ginawa yaon na may koneksion sa Passover Supper. Ang Passover Supper ay sa 14 ng buwan ng Abib. Oo nandiyan yon. Pero ginagawa ito minsan lamang sa isang taon.”

The way I understood those words that came out of Soriano’s lips was that he now believes in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper with the material elements of bread and wine. Whereas, in earlier times, he sneered at the use of material elements of bread and wine which he termed as napapanis at walang kabuluhan.What was important was Christ’s words.

I’d like to ask brethren who come in contact with “Ang Dating Daan” people to check up if they now celebrate the Lord’s Supper once a year. Check up when they started to use material bread and wine. Ask them why Soriano and his fellow teachers of the ADD changed their position. (Eusebio A. Tanicala)

TRANSITION

Feliciano Caracas of Pangasinan departed this life at about seven o’clock in the morning of Sunday, Sept. 2 according to a text message sent in by brother Arnold Zambrano. Our condolence goes out to the bereaved family.