Our schedule for today was in Manapla, a town just north of
Victorias City at the northwest end of Negros Island. It was about an hour and
a half of a drive from our hotel in Bacolod along the same rough roads traveled
yesterday. However, the roads were nothing compared to the dirt and rock path
we drove after leaving the road in order to get to the building of the Guicay
congregation where Jordan Cabras preaches. The road met the bottom of our
vehicle several times as we traversed a path through the sugar cane fields to
the thatch and bamboo building. As is the case with most buildings over here
made of that material, it was much cooler than the concrete block and metal
roof structures.
The first lesson was on “The Church in the New Testament.”
It discussed the nature and characteristics of the church we read about in the
New Testament. We overviewed its doctrine, mission, worship, organization and
name. After I finished, Jack summarized the lesson in the Ilongo dialect. After
that summary, I preached another lesson on “Choosing the Right Master” which
Jack also summarized. During the lessons, one man was always ready to read the
passages that I requested to be read from the Ilongo Bible. At the lunch break,
I found out that the man was a Baptist preacher with whom Jordan Cabras had
been studying.
After the lunch break, we went to another venue in Manapla
at a room on the second floor of the barangay hall for the Purisima community.
The Baptist preacher came to hear the afternoon lessons as well. The first
lesson was “Who Is a Christian?” – a lesson analyzing the three texts in the NT
that use the term “Christian” to examine what is said about them. As we went
through the things said by the texts about these people, it is very easy to let
the gospel itself define who is a Christian. After that lesson, Jack again
summarized in the dialect. My last lesson was on “Problems with Seeing What
Comes First.” At the conclusion of that short sermon, Jack gave a very brief
summary and then offered the invitation. The Baptist preacher responded and
confessed his faith in Christ.
Before driving back to Bacolod, we stopped at the pool of a
local resort and immersed Arnold, the former Baptist preacher. Please remember
him in your prayers as he faces the hardships which will surely come his way
due to his obedience of the gospel and renunciation of Baptist doctrine. We
again drove back to the hotel very tired, but also very happy for the results
of the day’s work!
Thank you, again, for your help in providing the support
needed to make this effort possible as well as for your prayer concerning the
work. The power of the gospel is still present and it is exciting to see that
power in the lives of people changed by it.
