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| Shepherd's Heart, Powerful Message! |
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![Shepherd's Heart, Powerful Message!]() |
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Shepherd's Heart, Powerful Message! Magnificent! That is the word which came to mind as I listened to brother Yutaka deliver his sermon at Emmanuel Baptist today! This was perhaps Yutaka's most text-driven, expository sermon to date. His preparation for it shined through greatly. Yutaka has been working hard at understanding the surrounding context well even before he assembles the outline for the sermon.
The coach and mentor in me just jumps for joy when I see a man begin to make the progress he desires and the improvement he craves. I love seeing men become even more useful for serving and exalting Christ than they were yesterday! It's truly a magnificent thing; a most-inspirational phenomenon!
Yutaka told me later he’s looking to improve his preaching from OT passages, but tried hard to
connect this 1 Samuel 15:22-23 passage and story to Christ’s command in John 15:14, "14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." His message was entitled, "Obedience: Our Gift to God." Others think, and I agree, that his pastoral heart, plus his gentle demeanor and sound explanations end up bringing a powerful message from the pulpit.
Pastor John Dreisbach and his wife visited the EBC service and were treated to Yutaka preaching from the Old Testament. John and Yutaka are good friends. John has been used of God to have a considerable impact on Yutaka and the men of this congregation in the past, which has greatly helped the EBC pastors in their work.
Please continue to pray as Yutaka will make some adjustments and add more Tagalog in order to preach this sermon at the Muntindilaw church plant next Sunday.
Pray too for him
because he has now been appointed to the governing board of the Association of Baptists in Manila as general secretary. This is in addition to all he is doing with family, work as an engineer and chairman of the EBC deacons. This governing board will have meetings in Batangas at the end of March to determine plans for upcoming events and future efforts. Thanks for praying!
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Seminarians Developing Biblical Discernment My students in Baptist History Class are taking up the challenge of practical theology, discerning truth and biblical discipleship. They are working together in group project at solving common church issues related to their particular Baptist distinctive.
In this way I hope to influence their ability to discern truth and explain it well to those who are confused or want to learn. Each group has been provided with a descriptive case scenario for one of the following distinctives:
~ Bible as Sole Authority;
~ Autonomy of the Local Church
~ Priesthood of the Believer
~ Two Ordinances: Baptism & The Lord's Supper
~ Individual Soul Liberty
~ Saved, Regenerate Church Membership
~ Two Church Officers: Pastor & Deacon
~ Separation of Church & State
As a group they will take the case scenario I've provided them, which presents someone who has approached them or needs to be approached, and solve it with explanations and truth from God's Word. Through two rough drafts they will submit a final Leadership Guideline Document (LGD).
My seminarians need to work on their critical thinking and discernment skills. The goal of this project goes way beyond the classroom. It is designed to expose them to a method of solutions, which in turn helps in maintaining leadership unity in their church setting.
On the final day of class they will give a short presentation about their LGD to the class. Please pray the project will generate in them a confidence in serving and discipleship. Thanks for praying.
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Faithful Preachers Refining Their Skills! Our EBC Preachers’ Coalition spent good time with one another last Monday night as we discussed the tendencies we all have. A consensus was affirmed that we all have certain patterns of getting the sermon done as quickly as possible rather than expanding or increasing our study and exegesis time.
We used an excerpt/testimony and diagram from “Expositional Preaching: How We Speak God’s Word Today” by David Helm. Pastor Helm works with 9Marks and is the Executive Director of the Charles Simeon Trust, which is committed to the "conviction that the health of the Church depends on the proclamation of God’s Word."
In this excerpt/testimony Pastor Helm spells out how the Lord led him to consider certain specific changes in timing and emphases for
his own sermon prep, exegetical methods and preaching habits.
As EBC preachers we communicate regularly through a FB group page, which I created in hopes to give inspiration and foster a team spirit. So, I had them considering this excerpt and testimony from Pastor Helm, and the diagram as well, before we came together. It sure stimulated our discussions! We also discussed the rescheduling and plans for the EBC Ministry Enrichment Seminar which is now to be held in May.
Please continue to pray for these faithful men and their efforts to improve their exegetical skills and assembling of their sermons from God’s Word. Thanks for praying!
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Training Resources Needed! Our EBC Ministry Enrichment Seminar is now scheduled for the end of April. Which means we still have time to raise the rest of these resources. The following is what we have thus far. Any additional resources will definitely be used and distributed to those who need them in Emmanuel Baptist and EBC church plants or outreaches. So far our tally looks like this:
~ 10 DONATED! = NKJV Holman Study Bibles (Large Print/Imitation Leather)
~ 9 DONATED! = Spiritual Depression by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
~ 20 DONATED! = Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, by Dr. Mark Dever
If you can help us by sponsoring a book or books for the training of those who serve in this church and its church plants & outreaches, then please click the button below. If you want to just purchase them from Amazon without using the Amazon list, then you can have the book or books shipped to: Jonathan Stout, 38065 Murrieta Creek Dr., Murrieta CA 92562.
(PS - this works best from a laptop/desktop browser or iPad...it's having troubles from an iPhone). Thank you for your help in training God's people in the Philippines!
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Partnering for a Generational Legacy!
The seminarians Robert equips at BBSI are training for their calling to serve with excellence. The missionary kids Kim works with at Faith Academy need an education and to be challenged with the truth of the gospel, even while their parents serve in ministries all over the Philippines.
Out of 2 Timothy 2:2 we find a premier passage related to passing the baton of ministry to the next generation... "The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."
When you join us in prayer ministry and regular financial partnership, you are investing in a movement of equipping a new generation for Christ and thereby partnering in a legacy for future ministry in the Philippines and beyond.
We are presently down in support by about 5% of our
pledged monthly needs, which is common after arriving to the mission field again even after a long and fruitful furlough. To invest in this work, simply click the button to go to ABWE's secure online donation page. There you can arrange automatic monthly support. All support donations are tax-deductible.
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 | Visit our Website to Learn More! Click on the Equip logo and you will be directed to our website to know more about the vital ministries we are involved with in Manila and beyond. It's been said that the Philippine Islands are the "gateway to Asia". Well, in regards to the gospel being taken to Asia that could very well be true as many young Filipino men and women are preparing for ministry even as missionaries in other Asian countries. They need our prayers! We need to help prepare them. Click on the button to see my new ministry blog..."THRIVE!".
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