Happy Father’s Day!
Here was the video shown during the last Father’s Day celebration at ICS.
Video By: Nio Manzano
Jerry’s Grill: Environmental Stewardship
We hear a lot about Global warming, about McDonald’s going green, recycling their Happy Meal boxes. Their take-home bags are made out of recycled materials, and they guarantee that the Big Mac is made from beef that wasn’t raised in a tropical rainforest. But a lot of us have acceded to the thinking that going green is just picking up on some kind of a fad.
I fear sometimes that, as followers of Christ, we’ve given up on our responsibility of environmental stewardship, when we as the church ought to be taking the lead. Let me tell you what I believe: as men and women committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ and to Scripture, we ought to be leading the campaign on taking care of this earth and respecting the environment as part of our mission. This should be our advocacy as much as we desire to lead people to the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is very unfortunate that the maintenance crew and janitors of the venue for a convention of pastors and leaders commented that this was the messiest group they ever hosted. Why? I think the answer lies in the fact that most Christians respond to this issue this way: “I don’t see the connection. Our mission is to build a loving community of Christ followers, to reach a culture in need of His presence. God put us here to save people, not to save the earth.”
Old Testament scholar Christopher Wright, who authored a fine book entitled The Mission of God, wrote: “The church in its mission must bear witness to the great biblical claim that the earth is the Lord’s and must care for the earth as an act of love and obedience to its Creator and Redeemer.” He goes on to say, “If the greatest commandment is that we should love God, that surely implies that we should treat what belongs to God with honor, care, and respect.” Wright also notes that what benefits creation is also good for human beings. So that means that care for creation is not only an act of loving God, but it’s an act of loving our neighbor. Isn’t the heartbeat of our mission the command to love God and neighbor?
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Preaching Podcast: Whatever Happened to Zebedee?
Speaker: Ptr. Jerry Balbuena | Download PPT HERE
Unexpected Package
by Jan Chester Lema
ICS’ JC Lema shares his thoughts on his latest life-challenge on his Journey with God – relocating to Davao.
Indeed when God answers prayers, He gives it in big packages.
It has been quite a while since I had a job. Having a job means having my own income. Having my own income means having my own money to spend and to save for the future. Yes, it has been a while. And so, during the last few months, I’ve been constantly praying about this aspect of my life. Specifically, my career in nursing. For months I’ve been waiting on how God would answer my prayers.
And then came the first week of May 2009.
On the Tuesday of that week I received a text message from a hospital in Davao requesting me to report to their institution on the Friday of that same week. Of course, who would not be surprised about that? I had submitted that application a long time ago, and I didn’t expect to hear anything from them anymore. But I realized that maybe this could be the beginning of God’s opportunity for me to work. And so, I told my mom about it and, eventually, she agreed. She told me that I could stay with my relatives if ever I would pursue my training there. I asked the people from the hospital if they would agree to move my appointment for the Monday of the following week since I would be coming from Manila. And, praise God, their HR agreed.
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I am learning: Choosing to love my country
by Jennifer Legaspi
In the last few weeks that I have been going to work, colorful banners have been catching my attention. They are all over EDSA, the main thoroughfare of Metro Manila. What really captured my eyes were the words “Pilipinas kong mahal” (The Philippines I love). These are words that should make each Filipino think. As citizens of this country, can we truthfully say that we love the Philippines?
Sometimes I find it hard to do so.
When I hear about numerous politicians who focus on their personal ambitions instead of serving their constituency. Or policemen and traffic enforcers who, instead of protecting the people, use their uniforms to solicit money, goods and services. Or when I see the lack of action of our government to solve crime, poverty, and violence among the most marginalized in our country.
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I was blown away! - On “Love Is…2”: Take One
by Temi Padla
At least once during his public life, Jesus passed through Nazareth, the place where he grew up. In one of those times, some of the locals commented, “Isn’t that kid the son of Joseph, the carpenter?” Implied in the remark is the unspoken belief that “No way! He can’t be that great! He is just a local carpenter’s kid. He grew up here. I think my kids even played with him at the street corner.” History tells us how woefully wrong these guys were.
This self-destructive mindset has a way of victimizing us all. Notice, how the grass in your neighbor’s yard always seems greener? Sometimes, it victimizes a large part of the population. Remember when Mexican telenovelas seemed better than anything our networks could produce? We may not be over that malady yet. Now our couch potatoes seem to have fallen in love with Korean telenovelas, perhaps to the detriment of our local stuff.
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Preaching Podcast: June 7, 2009
Speaker: Ptr. Jerry Balbuena
TRS’ Summer Funshop
by Daniel Ivan Tan
The Redeemed Stage’s Funshop - from the keyword “fun” - is a combination of a dancing and an acting workshop. This is how I would describe what a Funshop is to anyone who asks me. And in fact, it is all those things, but apparently, I was missing one important detail.
The whole activity lasted for three days, which meant three long days of strenuous warm-ups, tiring exercises and grueling practices (highly exaggerated of course). We had three hours of sessions per day to perform the tasks which were given us by our two lead trainors: Ate Rache Ragaza and Kuya Bernard “Nio” Manzano, along with their co-trainors, the Metro kids.
During the workshop, we tackled what discipline is, to yourself and as a group, teamwork, trust and building one’s character. They taught us that we should always be ready for anything that might happen on stage, and just roll with what’s going on in that scene, even if some mistakes are made, which are inevitable.
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One People, One Church, One God, One Job
by Joer Rei “Chum” Balbuena
The lyrics of the theme song to the PGCAG Triennial Convention/Youth Convergence entitled “One Job” are still playing in my head. Those 4 days (May 12-15, 2009) at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) in Mandaue City, Cebu really focused on one thing and one thing only: ‘Missions’.
The convergence focused on inspiring the youth and missionaries-to-be to go not to where there are already many workers, but to those places still unreached by the Gospel. Several PGCAG missionaries, including ICS’ very own Ptr. Michael Chad Visca, spoke on the importance of doing ‘Missions’ and how simple it can be. From a simple conversation in an airplane to importing bibles in a Communist country, doing ‘Missions’ is not an easy task.
Women’s Fellowship Retreat
by Emi Padla
On May 1, 2009, 35 of our church ladies gathered at ICS’ Fellowship Hall, from 6:00 p.m till early the next morning for our Retreat. The Women’s Fellowship (WF), headed by Nila Gomez, Choleen Lema, Mae Ann Balbuena, and Emily Mercado, planned this event as early as five months prior. It was meant to be an all-night introspection and renewal of one’s commitment to the Lord. The women were asked to retreat, to go back, trace their paths, and evaluate their walk with God.
A buffet table filled with food - fruits, nuts and veggies, freshly cooked diningding and steamed rice – beckoned us to enjoy God’s bounty. When we had had our fill, we cleared the tables and gathered around in a small circle for an intimate time of praise and worship to the Lord, led by Sis. Linda Tolentino. There is always something about this lady leading in worship. Almost instantly, we could feel His Presence become a palpable reality in our midst. Surely the Lord was pleased to see His daughters gathered for worship.
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