Christ´s Commission Fellowship

Missions

Planting D-12 churches among influencers in Asia’s cities

CCF International Church Planting trains, mobilizes and sends missionary partners who have CCF’s DNA to plant self-sustaining, reproductive D-12 churches in key urban centers in developing Asian countries. To do this we partner with international missionary partners, often seminary students here in the Philippines to prepare for ministry in their home countries.

While here, we involve them in D-Groups and outreach ministries and help them learn the CCF culture, so they can reproduce what they have experienced here back in their home countries. We also mobilize prayer, send short-term teams, and provide training to help support our church planting efforts.

Meet Our Missionaries

Raju Sundas. Ptr. Raju leads a growing D-12 church in Kathmandu. He is passionate about reaching non-Christians in a predominately Hindu and Buddhist country. Recently, Ptr. Jim Whelchel and Ptr. Peter Tanchi joined him in Nepal to conduct training for over 200 church leaders. Ptr. Raju also set up an evangelistic meeting with over 30 members of Parliament during their visit. A number of leaders from business, government and entertainment have come to Christ through their ministry, and God is using Ptr. Raju to make Christ relevant to those who, in the past, saw Christianity as a religion only for the lower class.

Joy de la Cruz. Joy is now in her second term as a missionary with SEND in Japan. Japan is a tough place to do ministry. Aside from the time needed to learn the language and culture, missionaries face the reality that, after over 100 years of missionary work, the number of Christians remains less than 1%. Through her perseverance and love, Joy has seen a number of ladies come to Christ. She is presently part of a team that is trusting God to plant reproductive house churches in the greater Tokyo area.

Bishnu Regmi. Bishnu pastors a church in Tansen, an educational center in Western Nepal. He has introduced the D-12 strategy in his church, and has helped plant several new outreach churches. Last year, Bishnu and his wife Kamala established a preschool that has become a model for other preschools in the city, and has been instrumental in reaching out to non-Christian parents who have children enrolled. Earlier this year the Lord led Bishnu to begin an English worship service to attract seekers from among educated professionals in the area, including the former mayor of Tansen. The service already has as many as 100 attending, many of whom are seekers from Hindu and Buddhist backgrounds.

Song Tan.* Song helps conduct training for house churches in China. She is also reaching out to and discipling professionals in Beijing. Recently, the group she helped lead has formed into a new house church. It has grown from a handful of believers to more than 20 regularly meeting for worship and discipleship. We pray that the house church will soon multiply into new house churches, reaching young professionals in Beijing and surrounding areas.

* not her real name

^ Back to top

Events

Monthly prayer meeting every last Friday of the month
Mission Month, February, 2009
Short term training/mission trip China (dates to be announced)
Short term training/mission trip Vietnam/Cambodia/Laos (dates to be announced)
Short term training/mission trip to Nepal/India (October 2009)

^ Back to top

What's New

Know Your Pastor: Ptr. Jim Whelchel

Posted October 30, 2008

By Mae Young

Pastor Jim and Louie

Q: How did you and your wife get started with doing God’s work? Where are you involved now apart from CCF?

A: We met as staff members of Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC). Louie was involved in the professional ministry of CCC while she was a mathematics faculty member at UP and FEATI. God led her to join CCC full-time at the same time I joined CCC in the US. I had been involved in CCC as a college student and while working as an engineer. My first assignment after joining CCC full-time was here in Manila, where Louie and I went through a nine-month new staff training together.

God has given both of us a burden to equip leaders. Nearly 20 years ago, the Lord led us to work with ISOT-Asia, part of CCC, which is committed to building Asian leaders to help fulfill the Great Commission of Christ. When the school was moving to Manila from Baguio in 1990, I spent time with Pastor Peter and saw what God was doing at CCF. So, when we moved, we committed to be involved in CCF.

Since then, we have led a pastoral area, headed up the training department — Louie was at one time the head of CCF’s Sunday School — and now we are part of the elders and in charge of CCF Missions. But our full-time work is still with the school. I am the executive director of the Global Leadership Group-International Graduate School of Leadership (GLG-IGSL) and Louie is a full-time faculty member there.

Q: What keeps you and your wife persevering in ministry?

A: God’s grace and seeing the lives that are being impacted through those we train.

Q: How many years have you served in ministry, and which ministries have you been involved with?

A: 28 years with CCC, 18 with CCF, 10 years as an elder, and one year as missions pastor.

Q: Did you and your wife always have a heart for missions? How did God confirm this assignment for you both?

A: When we first met, we were attracted to each other because we both had a burden for China. We continue to train and equip students from a variety of strategic Asian countries. Both of us share a desire to see the Great Commission fulfilled by raising up leaders who can reach their own people with the gospel. It is really in our blood — God’s call is not something we want to escape.

A leap of faith. Pastor Jim takes a bungee jump.

Q: What would be the most trying time you and your wife had to face while in ministry and how were you able to overcome it?

A: Being in ministry is no guarantee that you will not have problems. We have had losses of family members, illness, and stress from ministry overload. Maybe the hardest time was a stretch of two months: our youngest, Sharon, was a newborn and had to go back to the hospital due to complications, then Louie’s mother passed away, and Louie was found to have cancer. We just had to learn to trust God in very trying circumstances, and God honored our faith. Sharon is strong and healthy, Louie has been cancer free for many years, and we continue the ministry He has called us to.

Q: How has your missions work enhanced the growth of your own family’s love for God?

A: No family or kids are perfect, but both of our kids have been on mission trips, and continue to be interested in missions. Sharon recently went on a mission trip to Mexico last summer where coaching other missionary kids was part of the project. Both our kids love the Lord and have seen His faithfulness in our family. We have no regrets that He has called us as a family to be missionaries.

Q: What is that one dream that you and your wife have that has yet to be fulfilled by God? What would you like CCFers to pray for you and for Mrs. Whelchel?

A: Of course, as parents, our greatest prayer is for the future of our children. Please pray for Michael and Sharon as they discover God’s plan for their future, for their future spouses, and for God’s protection and covering. Often in the spiritual battle of ministry, Satan targets our children. Please pray for their protection and victory in their own walks with God.

Pastors, volunteers visit CCF missionaries in India and Nepal

Posted

By Karen Galarpe

CCF pastors and volunteers recently went to India and Nepal to visit the missionaries allied with CCF, to enhance church partnership, and to conduct a medical mission.

God’s Word was planted at an evangelistic dinner in Kathmandu as CCF missions pastor Jim Whelchel shared principles of leadership and integrity. CCF senior pastor Peter Tan-Chi then shared the gospel.

CCF missionary partner Ptr. Raju Sundas organized the dinner, which 32 Members of Parliament and some other leaders, including the brother of Nepal’s Prime Minister, attended.

“It was especially meaningful for us since, less than 20 years ago, people were being jailed simply for believing in Christ,” said Ptr. Jim.

God is continuing to work in Nepal as another CCF missionary is now part of a task force to craft a new constitution guaranteeing religious freedom in Nepal.

The Bronze Staff ministry conducted a medical mission in Barahbise, Nepal near the Tibetan border. Doctors, dentists, and nurses from CCF treated those who were sick. “They made a great impression on the local people who saw the love of Christ manifested through their service to the community,” said Ptr. Jim.

In Barahbise, CCF conducted training from Global Leadership Center’s “CCF DNA” for around 250 people, mainly from Ptr. Raju Sundas’ church. Ptr. Peter and Ptr. Jim taught the men, while their wives, Deonna Tan-Chi and Louie Whelchel, trained the women.

In India, the team went to Siliguri in the northeast and to Haryana and Delhi in the north. The team taught CCF DNA to church leaders in Siliguri, and visited church plants among low caste and tribal people groups.

Ptr. Peter also spoke at the graduation ceremony of a training program for church planters in Haryana State. This project, supported by CCF International Church Planting in coordination with Campus Crusade for Christ in North India, has helped plant over 800 village churches in Haryana State. Overall, the trip highlighted the growing scope of CCF’s church planting throughout Asia.

See all Missions news.