Small groups (CCF calls them D-Groups) play a big role in the spiritual development of both the person and the church. This Sunday and next, we’ll be talking about these core units and how you can be a part of all this growth.

You can also find out more about D-Groups here and here.

Sign up for a D-Group now!

by Ricardo Jara Jr., M.D.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

He has plans for each of us — good plans for our growth in His Grace — so that we can have a future with hope. I greatly praise God for the special bonus he gave me, to know Him the way I do now. Truly, He has designs for one’s life and orchestrates events to accomplish His purposes.

I received the Methuselah Award for being the oldest of 557 graduates in the Global Leadership Center Level 2’s pioneer batch. I hope to be an inspiration to all, to say that God is never late! He is always on time!

Every moment of GLC Level 2 for me was one of joy, thrills, excitement, and gratification from learning. I am known to get sleepy during lectures and conferences on medical and civic affairs, but GLC classes never caught me sleepy, not for a moment! It was something I looked forward to every Wednesday afternoon. We came as early as 6:00pm to be sure we were on time. I was never absent, never had to take make-ups on Saturdays, and I was up-to-date with submitting homework and projects.

Dr. Jara in class

Being 79 made me forgetful. Early in the course, I found that easy-looking quizzes were tricky and catchy. Just one word made the answer false. But as we went along, my momentum grew, and seatmates Ptr. Joey Batungbacal and the del Rosarios generously provided reviewers that helped me a lot. I had excellent quiz results after.

The pioneer batch was full of intellectuals dedicated and passionately in love with the Lord — very willing to serve and be used for His glory.

We were truly taught, nourished, and equipped. Surely, I was molded to be more like Christ and become a real servant-leader, strong in faith and walking with God. We absorbed our mission, vision, and core values well to become effective workers, obeying the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

GLC Level 2 has achieved its purpose in me. Personally, it gave me well-rounded knowledge, skills, and character to make me an effective disciple-maker, living out the values learned in the course. It is very relevant, as it applies to my life as a person and as a family man. Most importantly, it improved my vertical relationship to God and my horizontal relationships to others.

As a D-Group leader of 42 members, I find satisfaction in how we are going in the right direction and following the steps that were taught in the course. We are supposed to be servant leaders who will develop leaders. We see the talents and spiritual gifts of each one, and one should be all that God intended them to be.

The course has made me a more effective worker and more competent servant-leader. I have realized my full potential to fulfill my responsibilities as a D-Group leader. We are now praying for God’s direction for our D-12, which will ensure a succession of D-Group leaders. We encourage the 20 potential leaders of our group — and of all other groups — to take the course. Of our group, seven are applying for admission.

There are many other things I appreciate about this program:

1. Classes started and ended on time, rain or shine.
2. All speakers were knowledgeable, convincing, and verified correct. They are personable, interesting, witty, very respectable, and authoritative.
3. Subjects were well-studied and chosen.
4. Classes were well-organized. There was also a good sound system and some colorful and beautiful PowerPoint presentations.
5. Chairs and tables were comfortable, and the environment was conducive to study.
6. One could not afford to sleep in class and not listen, because we had to be ready for exams after the course (perhaps that’s the main reason I was fully awake all throughout).
7. The staff was efficient. Correctors really read every paragraph of homework and projects, with remarks and comments in red!
8. Tuition was cheap, considering the high quality of the following: workbooks, exams, biscuits and coffee, high-tech ID and attendance record, toga, Suarez graduation pin, pictures, and banquet at Crowne Plaza.

Truly, by God’s grace, the GLC training is essential, relevant, biblical, practical, holistic, purposeful, and designed to produce leaders and disciples to help fulfill the Great Commission of Christ!

To God be the glory!

–
Last day of application for GLC Level 2 is 7 June!
Visit the GLC office or apply online under the Education section of this website. For more details, please contact GLC at 6353410 locs. 233 and 226.

• Orientation on 17 and 20 June.
• Wednesday classes start 24 June, 7:00-10:00pm.
• Saturday classes start 27 June, 9:00am-12:00nn.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

God’s word is powerful. It can pierce deep down into our hearts, bring about conviction, and then bring salvation. It leads us to Jesus Christ.

Did you know that at one time C.S. Lewis, the author of “The Chronicles of Narnia,” was a self-proclaimed atheist? As a matter of fact, he hated Christianity and had been tutored by staunch atheist William Kirkpatrick. Lewis was very antagonistic against Christianity and used his mighty intellect to try to disprove the Bible.

But he started having a lot of conversations with another scholar named J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of “The Lord of the Rings.” And pretty soon, Tolkien challenged C.S. Lewis to really dive in and dig into the Bible and its history.

One evening in September 1931, Lewis had a long talk on Christianity with Tolkien and fellow academic Hugo Dyson. In his book, “Surprised by Joy,” Lewis wrote, “When we [Tolkien and Warnie, Lewis's brother] set out [to the Whipsnade Zoo] I did not believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and when we reached the zoo I did.” He came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He said, “I had to finally get down on my knees and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.” And we know that C.S. Lewis went on to be a great defender of the faith and writer of many Christian classics.

I know my life was transformed by the power of God’s word. I was a teenager. I was asking God, “God, are you real? Do you even care about me? Do you love me?” I had no idea.

As I asked those questions in my room, I was in my turning the dial on the radio. And all of a sudden, I heard a man say, “God loves you.” I stopped and started to listen. And the man said, “If you were the only person left in the world, Jesus Christ would [still] have died for you. That’s how much He loves you.”

And then, he quoted the Scriptures, and it pierced my heart. It sounded as if Jesus was speaking to me directly. He said, “Come unto me all who are weary and heavy-laden, take my yoke upon me and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. And you’ll find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28).

I felt I was burdened, not knowing where I could go. I got down on my knees and I prayed the sinners’ prayer that morning, and I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

Would you like to make that prayer, too?

And I tell you what, He has never left me. He has never forsaken me. He continues to work in me. And He will do the same in you, if you’ll just acknowledge Him. If you’ll come to Him and receive Him, He will transform your life. (MRS)

Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me;
Died that I might live on high,
Lived that I might never die,
As the branch is to the vine,
I am His and He is mine.
W. McComb

by Ptr. JP Masakayan

Night is day, and day is night. This is the legendary lifestyle of an industry with a profound impact on the country’s urban youth. An insider paints this rather apt description: “Call center agents are like college kids, but with lots of disposable income.” For these young men and women, Happy Hour — breakfast time for everyone else — is indeed a happy time; it signals a respite from the long hours of stress and unending streams of customer queries and complaints. Happy Hour to balance unhappy ones — so their days go.

Then God’s hand laid a burden on a pastor’s heart for souls so young, yet already heavy-laden.

Pastor Ito de Jesus then shared this burden with other CCF pastors, and a meeting with Eastwood, instrumental in the birth of the call center industry, was arranged. As God would have it, no further convincing had to be done; He had also laid the same burden on the heart of Kevin Tan, son of Megaworld’s patriarch. With call centers comprising the majority of Eastwood’s business community, both parties agreed on the need to positively impact a generation that would one day define the values of the next.

The birth of CCF Eastwood had begun.

A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss
(But it certainly gathers more volunteers!)

Soon, Ptr. Jess Lantin was moved to lead this church planting activity, and the movement gathered speed. God continued to add to our numbers as hearts heeded the call for workers in this amazing harvest field. And amazing it is: about 35,000 office workers and 4,000 residents are on Eastwood turf. The harvest is plenty, and the workers — ARE HERE!

A groundswell of talented, gifted, and available professionals affirmed God’s hand on this project. They came from diverse fields, united by a vision of God’s hand healing lives as it had healed theirs. From the perspective of personal experience — of empathy with those who are where they once were — they now embark on a campaign which promises comfort, help, counsel, friendship, and answers to those who may be weary, wary, weighed down or simply in need of rhyme and reason to the daily grind of life.

When God Reigns, He Pours!

From a humble desire for a modest presence in Eastwood, God’s hand swung open the doors of opportunity in unimaginable proportions. First came approval for a sponsored office that would serve as a counseling and Bible study center. Then came the offer to hold Sunday worship services in brand new theaters in the new, high-end Eastwood Mall. (Did I to mention the 5,000 car garage?) If all that was not overwhelming enough, next came the offer to build a 4,000sqm worship center in a building to be completed by 2010!

Indeed, God is awesome and to be praised!

Yet His hand has not ceased to move. He continues to grant our church favor in the hearts of the Megaworld family, to make opportunities to plant churches within the developments they have along the SLEX-C5 corridor. From Sta. Rosa, to McKinley, to Tiendesitas, to Eastwood and beyond, we envision an amazing movement.

God’s Hand on Those Who Welcome God’s People

Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.
Matthew 10:11-13

Our church has been warmly received by Mr. Andrew Tan, his son Kevin, and the Megaworld family. Will you join us by upholding them in your prayers? Ask God to bless them as they continue to be a blessing to His children. And may the same hand that has moved so many hearts for the harvest, move the hearts of those young, heavy-laden youth away from a lifestyle of darkness and into the lifestyle of God’s light.

As a parting reminder, let us not confuse the miracle of Eastwood as the CCF campaign promise that “We Are Here.” The miracle is as simple as it is patent:

GODisHERE!

> Find out more about CCF Eastwood on Multiply and on Twitter.