From Start of Trip to Lord's Day in Cebu City

 

This trip to the Philippines began, unlike some before, with a great ease of travel. Leaving Minneapolis on the fourteen and a half hour flight to Inchon (Seoul, South Korea), it was my jot to see that the flight was only ten to fifteen percent full! I have not seen that since the early 2000’s. I had no one else sitting on my row of three seats, so I was able to lay down with a three-seat bed to sleep and read. It made for one of the easiest long flights I have ever had.

 

Upon getting to Inchon, my luck changed significantly. The security people at the transit check took aside several obvious older Americans to place under more intense screening. I had a young Korean man and a middle-aged Korean woman (she turned out to be the chief supervisory) who subjected me to a very uncomfortable pat-down and then rather hostile questioning about a multitude of things that had nothing to do with the point of that screening that typically occurs as one transits through Korea on a connecting flight.

 

At the beginning of the process, the young man asked if I had “laptop.” I said, “Yes, I am carrying two laptop, one i-Pad, a C-PAP machine for breathing and a new power bank in the box. Do you want me to get all of them out?” He said, “No, laptop.” So, I got out both laptops. A bit angry, he said, “You two laptop.” I said kindly, “Yes, I have two.” “Why you have two?” he asked. “For my work,” I replied. When I was asked what work I did, things got interesting and several came to engage in the increasingly hostile questioning. Several more security personnel had gathered by this time and were making obvious remarks about me preaching and going to the Philippines. The sneers were quite obvious.

 

By this time, they had put my bags through the machine and very excitedly pulled out my i-Pad, C-PAP and power bank. At that point the lady said, “Why you no pull these your bag?” I noted I told the young man, and even showed him the items in my bag, but he said, “No, laptop.” I am sure that I speak and understand no Korean and that they spoke little English and understood even less, but I am fluent in smiling and kindly answering – it has gotten me through numerous troubles in foreign travel. These folks had no proficiency in either.

 

To make an even longer story a bit shorter, they were going to seize all left in the bag, but I drew the line at that and called for the head of security. They would not go get that person for a long while and I was about to miss my flight for Manila because of this long process. When the head security supervisory came, I knew we were in trouble. She walked up with her thumbs under her belt and said to me, “You cause trouble! You go!” I told her I would be glad to do so, but needed my things back that they had taken. They gave me the C-PAP and pointed to the door – “You go!” I said, “I need my other thing for my presentations and notes” and put my hand only the i-Pad pulling it slowly to me. Since I did not get shot doing that, I decided to reach a little further for my power bank, but lady warden would have none of it. She said, “This illegal – you no have – I take.”

 

At that point, I confess that I lost my better judgment and my fluency in smiles had significantly waned. So, I asked her, “If it is illegal, why did you put it in your pocket rather than throwing it away? If it is illegal for me, is it not illegal for you?” At that point she started to turn and leave, so I asked for her name and the names of the others. She laughed and said, “I no tell you name – YOU GO NOW! (Yes, shouting!) Whereupon, I regained some of my previously lost judgment and left the power bank to go to my flight. As soon as I boarded, they shut the door, and I got in the last seat left on the plane. During the flight, several of the older Americans subjected to more intense questioning came back to my seat and we talked about our experiences. We all decided to write the officials at the Inchon Airport and the American Embassy to express our displeasure at the treatment.

Upon landing in Manila about an hour behind schedule, I cleared immigration, picked up by luggage, cleared customs with no delay and got to the hotel well after midnight. By the time I checked in, called Leslie and got a long shower to clean up from the 26+ hours of travel, I was exhausted and crashed in bed. However, I had nightmares all night. I awoke on Thursday morning to the point of the nightmares. Every May 1st, the memories of Ryan being diagnosed on that date in 2023, come back in overwhelming sadness and vivid grief. I tried to get rest, but I knew it would be a difficult day to spend alone and scheduled it as a rest day. Friday, I finally was able to rest all day – thinking some about the late brother Tom O’Neal on his birthday.

On Saturday, May 3rd, I traveled to Cebu City, with memories of my sweet Mom who would have turned 100 had she still been alive. I miss all of these ones who were so special to me, but I can think of no way to better honor them than to do my best in preaching the gospel of our Lord and Savior. Jonathan, Nanette and Kristine Carino went out with me in a driving rain storm on Saturday night to eat grilled chicken at my favorite place over here – Mang Inasal.

This morning (Sunday, May 4), Jonathan and Nanette picked me up at the hotel and we made the short drive to the meeting place for the Lord’s Day worship. On my previous trip last November, several brethren asked me to preach on “Modest Dress” as the topic was briefly addressed in response to a question asked in the classes. So, I preached for about an hour on the subject and many came to express their thanks for the lesson because they had not known some of the passages and principles presented. Instead of being offended that their habits in dress had not been as the Bible directed, that were glad to learn the truth and correct their life accordingly. It was a joy to see such honest acceptance of correction and willingness to truly repent, rather than make excuses and ploys to escape that truth. Would that all brethren were that honest and sincere in facing the subject! In the class time that followed, we examined a lesson from John 12:20-30 entitled “The Pattern Seen in Jesus.” You can see the charts on both lessons by following the above link to my blog. Oh, by the way, it was with great joy that I found the elevator to their 14th floor meeting place is still in working order! Not having to climb the last two floors, where the old elevator stopped, on uneven stairs is a real blessing to me!

 

A little after 5pm, the Carino family again gave me a ride to the evening worship service scheduled for 6pm. Kristine drove us in her car this evening. I think there were more in attendance this evening than were present this morning. The sermon was delivered by brother Cherlito Lauglaug who did an excellent job in teaching our responsibility of service as Christians. He is one of the seven or eight men (besides Jonathan) who do regular preaching at congregations in the Cebu area started by the congregation meeting in the central city in the LUYM Building. Cherlito preaches at Carcar where they had an all-day gospel meeting yesterday and 14 were added to the number there. Those were people who had already been baptized elsewhere, moved to that area and did not know about a church in that area, and so fell away. The local men that preach all chipped in to take part in that gospel effort and much good was done. The evangelistic zeal of “going everywhere preaching the word” is exemplary in all the brethren here. Much of the rapid expansion of the Lord’s work in the Visayas is a result of Jonathan Carino and the members of this congregation! I love every moment I get to share with them in the service of our Lord!

Our classes on Ecclesiastes start tomorrow, the Lord willing. It is almost time to get ready for the evening service. After that service, I have a full evening of study and preparation, so I will close and get at it! God bless!

 

Brotherly, Harry

Sermon Charts: "Bible, Shame & Modesty"

Sermon Charts: "Pattern Seen in Jesus"

Last Report for This Trip

 

Our final day of work in Bacolod City was on Tuesday morning. Though the venue was full the previous day, we had about 10 in attendance at time the time to begin. Later, a few more came, but I do not think the number got to more than 15-20 at most. It seems someone tried to sabotage the lectures by getting many of the visitors not to return. This has happened to me before in Bacolod, usually by one or more of the Baptist groups. Almost all of those in attendance were faithful preachers in the area.

 

Since the attendees were mostly brethren, we took the opportunity to give lessons of exhortation that we thought might benefit them. The first lesson was “If Anyone Desires to Come after Me” from Luke 9:23-26. Jack gave a very short lesson on why the thief on the cross could not have been baptized in the name of Christ because he was dead before that baptism was ever taught. That was a question the previous day and he wanted to make sure the points made then were reinforced in their dialect. The last lesson was “Today, If You Will Hear His Voice” taken from Hebrews 3:7-15 and Psalm 95:6-11, the passage quoted by the Hebrew writer. I took the lesson in a different direction than when I preached it in the morning service of the congregation in Victorias City given the difference in the audience.

 

A question and answer session followed where the main focus was on whether or not there is a “baptismal formula” of words to be said when baptizing. Many of the preachers had come out of denominations that taught the one baptizing must say, “In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” for the baptism to be valid, while other denominational groups insist the baptism is not valid unless the one baptizing says, “in the name of Jesus” only. We answered by showing from Acts 4:5-12 that the phrase “in the name of” refers to the “authority,” “power” or “means,” not a formula to be stated. 

 

After the lectures ended on Tuesday, Jack and Adel Jaco took me to the airport where I caught a flight to Manila and got to the hotel a little after 8pm. My flight back home was rescheduled to Friday because of change made by the airlines, so I will be staying here an extra day. Though I would like to be home earlier, I am absolutely exhausted and my voice is almost gone. I am hopeful the extra day of rest will help me recover a bit. 

Thank you again for your interest in this work. Without the financial help and physical assistance of many I could not possibly be involved in this work that I love so much! Thank you again to all of you who have help make these efforts possible over the past 22 years. Words simply cannot express the gratitude I feel in my heart for your participation. God bless!

Work Begins in Negros Occidental

 

After eating lunch on Saturday with Jonathan and Nanette Carino as well as Rody and Tessie Gumpad, they took me to the airport. There I caught an 8pm flight on a small propeller driven aircraft to Bacolod City. Jack Jaco and his son, Jireh, met me upon arrival and took me to the hotel. By the time we all got into our rooms, it was well after 10pm.Though I was very tired, I had a hard time getting to sleep because there was a karaoke bar across the street from my window in the hotel. The later it became in the night and into the wee hours of the morning, the louder and more atrocious the “singing” became.

 

On Sunday morning, we traveled north of Bacolod City for about 45 minutes to Victorias City where Jack and Adel Jaco live and work. The congregation meets in a large room of their house. Though I do not know of any count that was taken, I would guess that there were probably about 60-70 pressed into that room. Though there was an air conditioner, it did little to reduce the tropical heat. Not only was I sweating profusely, but even the native Filipinos were also sweating and fanning themselves! Nevertheless, they were very attentive to the lessons preached throughout the day.

 

The assembly of the congregation occurred first and I was asked to preach in that period. The lesson was on “The Proper Use of the Old Testament” from Romans 15:4. After that period of worship was completed, we took a very short break and came together again for the Bible class period. In that time, we studied from Hebrews 3:7-15 and Psalm 95:6-11 on the principle taught in both passages, “Today, It You Will Hear His Voice.” We emphasized the fact that we must not put off or procrastinate obedience of God’s will, but obey it “Today” as tomorrow is not assured. After Jack followed the lesson with words of admonition and offered the invitation, one man (the husband of a woman who is a member of the congregation) responded seeking to be baptized into Christ. He was then taken to a place where they could baptize him. The man baptized is the one in a white shirt at the far right of the picture.

 

After a break for lunch, we met for another opportunity of further study. “Living a Godly Life in an Ungodly World” was the topic for the study taken from 1 Peter 2:11-12. There was good attention by all as we looked in some depth at the various evidence of the ungodly actions of the world that surrounds us and our need to be different and give examples of holiness to a world living in much immorality. Towards the end of that lesson, my voice started to give out, so we ended the afternoon session at that point.

 

After getting back to my room at the hotel, I found out that one man was also baptized into Christ as he responded to the gospel teaching in Cebu where we were working last Sunday through Friday. We rejoiced with the angels in heaven at the obedience of these two new brothers in Christ!

 

This morning (Monday), we began the lectures in Bacolod City at a venue within a short walk of our hotel which made travel very easy. I started the time of study by giving a lesson on ”Learning to Respect God’s Word” from Isaiah 55:6-13. Jack followed with a lesson distinguishing between different periods of Bible history and especially emphasizing the difference between the two covenant – the Law of Moses and the Gospel of Christ. I then brought a lesson on “The Work of the Devil Today” from 2 Corinthians 11:2-4 showing the contrast between the nature of God’s work and Satan’s work and how the people who submit to the work of each differ. After that lesson we broke for lunch.

 

The afternoon session began with a lesson on “Salvation and Saul” which showed from the Scripture that Saul (later the Apostle Paul) was not saved by faith only along the road to Damascus as many denominational preachers claim, but that he was still in his sins three days after believing in Christ on that Damascus road (Acts 22:16). I went on to establish that water baptism in the name of Christ is essential for our salvation (as the chart on the blog shows). Jack followed with a lesson on “Baptisms in the Scripture.” He noted that there are a number of different baptisms spoken about in the Bible and he distinguished the “one baptism” of Ephesians 4:5 as water baptism in the name of Christ for the remission of sins. I followed with a final lesson for the day, “Dead Being Alone” from James 2:14-26. We noted from those verses that faith without works “is dead being alone” (James 2:17). We then noted the same of “repentance” without works is dead being alone (Acts 26:19-20; Luke 19:5-9; 2 Corinthians 7:10-11). We also saw that “love” of God without works is dead being alone (Ezekiel 33:31; Matthew 7:21; Titus 1:16) and so is “love” of others without works also dead being alone (1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:18; Matthew 25:41-46). Though most denominational would agree that repentance and love must have works to accompany them, they deny the same principle regarding faith. After a short “question and answer” session, today’s study concluded a little after 4pm. The Lord willing, we will finish these lectures with a half-day session tomorrow morning before I fly back to Manila in the afternoon.

 

Thank you again for your interest in this work. Please pray that all things done might be to the glory of God as His truth is proclaimed. God bless!

 

Classes End in Cebu

 

On Friday morning, we ended our classes on “Church History” by covering the English Reformation Movement and efforts in history to go back to the original gospel.

 

Our Thursday classes had ended with an overview of the background to the English Reformation Movement, so we started Friday by going into some detail of the work done by John Wycliffe in his early efforts to translate the NT into English and how he was limited by the a lack of access to much manuscript evidence so as to depend on the Latin Vulgate. We then covered the work by William Tyndale, Miles Coverdale and others who also produced English translation and then noted the work of those translating the King James version and the publication of that work. These were aided by a greater access to manuscripts of the NT in the original Greek. Our point was to show how the major power behind the English Reformation was distinct from the efforts at Reformation from the European mainland. The major force behind the English Reformation was the fact that the English Bible was available for the multitudes to read.

 

We also noted the political factors giving rise to the English Reformation. We noticed the refusal of the pope to give an annulment to King Henry VIII to dissolve the union between him and Catherine of Aragon, the daughter of the King and Queen of Spain who were ardent supporters of the Catholic Church and very close to the pope. So, Henry VIII declared the Catholic Church had no control of matters in England, confiscated its property (about 25% of the total land in England) and proclaimed the creation of the Church of England. We then noted the parts played by following monarchs of the English throne (James, Mary, Elizabeth I and James) had in efforts to defend, destroy and finally confirm the power of the Church of England (also called the Anglican or Episcopal Church).

 

Our final session before the classes ended at noon was spent in examining efforts in history of going back to the original gospel. We noted some in England that preceded the American “Restoration Movement.” Then we looked at the work in American where different men (like James O’Kelly, Abner Jones, Barton W. Stone, Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell, Walter Scott, Jacob Creath Sr, John O’Kane, “Racoon” John Smith, etc.) came to the same principles by simply going back to the Scriptures. We also examined some of their failures when they returned to denominational thinking and practices like the centralization in societies and various human organizations, instrumental music in worship, doctrinal errors, factionalism and other mistakes.

Lastly, we covered efforts in the Philippines by a number of men who left denomination organizations and doctrines to simply go back to the teachings of the gospel.

 

I believe that the classes have done much good as the students actively participated throughout the five days and were very open in expressing their thanks to all in the U.S. who had helped make the classes possible, as I do as well. (The last picture on the blog page shows them all giving a “thumbs up” as a sign of their thanks!) Throughout the classes, we made every effort to tie both the progress towards truth and departures from truth to specific passages in the NT teaching on that principle. This was the first opportunity that many of them have had to engage in such studies and they repeatedly expressed that it will be very helpful in their efforts to spread the gospel here in the Philippines.

 

After the classes, I returned to the hotel and was ready for some much needed sleep. After eating supper, I laid down on the bed a little before 8pm to relax a few moments before writing the report and posting it to my blog. The next thing I knew, I woke up at 4:30am this morning. After getting back to bed and under the covers, I slept until 9:30am. As I get older, the long nights of preparation (sometimes until 1 or 2am) are getting harder to do. Even so, the enthusiasm of the students to learn and seeing their growth invigorates me beyond words! Thanks again to all who made these efforts possible. The costs keep rising, but I believe the benefits are worth it!

 

Tonight, the Lord willing, I fly to Bacolod on the island of Negros for three days of preaching there. Jack Jaco and his wife, Adel, will be working with me during those efforts. Please keep us in your prayers. God bless!

 

Classes in Cebu Continue

 

The students were even more enthusiastic and attentive in our Thursday classes than they were previously. That is not a criticism of the attention in the previous days, but an appreciation for the way in which they seem to be growing in their effort and perception of the subject matter. History is often thought to be dull and boring by some, though it is a great help to those who learn from it and grow as a result. That is especially so with Religious History.

 

Our classes started with a quick review of the atrocities committed by the Catholic Church in the Inquisition as well as the slaughter of many in Europe who opposed the papacy and the Roman Catholic hierarchy, especially in southern France where an estimated two-thirds of the population was wiped out by the forces sent from the pope. We also noted other factors that led towards the Reformation Movement like the teaching of celibacy and its effect of rampant immorality among the priests, simony (the sale of offices and services by the Catholic Church and its official), the sale of indulgences, and hagiolatry (the worship of departed saints).

 

We then examined the preparatory work of John Wycliffe (often called “The Morning Star of the Reformation) in set the stage for the Reformation Movement. We also briefly noted the work of John Huss, Savonarola, Erasmus and others who played a preparatory role as well.

 

We then turned our focus for the bulk of the morning session of the German Reformation and the leading work of Martin Luther. We examined the sale of indulgence by John Tetzel and Pope Leo X’s selling of the archbishopric of Mainz to Prince Albert for about $ 500,000 (in present terms) as events that triggered Martin Luther’s opposition. We noted many of the 95 theses nailed to the door of the Wittenburg cathedral and the battle between Luther and the Catholic powers that opposed his teaching. We examined both the good points of Martin Luther’s work and the bad points where his teaching was not in agreement with Scripture.

 

In the afternoon session, we covered the works of Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin in the Swiss Reformation Movement. We noted that Zwingli’s views were much closer to the truth of the Scriptures, but his influence was muted due to the brevity of his life which was the result of his fighting in carnal warfare to advance the cause of Reform.

 

We took the bulk of the afternoon session on the history, work and teaching of John Calvin. The root of his systematic theology was his mistaken concept of God’s sovereignty which allowed no place for freewill. We noted the conflict between John Calvin and the teaching in rebuttal to his teaching done by Jacob Arminius who defended the Bible teaching of the freewill of the individual. We also covered the major tenets of Calvinism and how they conflict with the Scriptures.

 

We ended with setting up the political and religious conflict that led to the English Reformation Movement which we will cover tomorrow morning, the Lord willing. We will leave that to the next report. God bless!