We don’t always understand what God is doing in our lives and in the world around us, but we have His promise that we can safely put our trust and confidence in Him. There are many this summer who may be tempted to doubt the goodness of God as they look around at the circumstances facing this nation.
As we have traveled throughout America, we have seen challenges everywhere, from drought and raging forest fires in the West to floods and tornados in the East and Midwest. In Virginia and the Carolina’s, it rained almost daily. While we were in Nebraska, Omaha was hit with wind gusts of 90 mph that downed trees and even toppled a television transmission tower. The small town of Aurora was hit with hailstones reaching 17" in circumference (the largest on record). In South Dakota, another small town was totally destroyed by a tornado.
What is going on? Has nature gone mad? Is this world out of control? Not at all! God in His mercy is trying to get our attention. In the midst of these challenges, God is moving in His Church.
Everywhere we went, we also found hungry hearts seeking Him. As God’s people are humbling themselves and seeking His face, God is showing up. Those who are tired of going through the motions of "playing church" are experiencing the reality of God’s presence in the midst of the praises of His people. All He asks is that we get our eyes off our circumstances and get our eyes back where they belong – focused on Him.
The situation is no different in the Philippines. Those who have their eyes on the circumstances could easily give up and quit. The violence continues on Mindanao. There was even an attempted coup in Manila, the capital. In the natural, there are plenty of reasons to doubt God. But we don’t have time to waste on looking at the circumstances. There are too many souls waiting to hear the Good News of salvation in Christ Jesus.
In June, we received word of twelve new churches that have been started among the T’bole tribe. In one evangelistic outreach, all the tribal people in the town were born again along with 60% of the Catholics, including the Catholic priest who has since enrolled in one of our Bible schools.
God is moving in a powerful way at the Bible schools. The students are seeing miracles in answer to their prayers. Just this past week we received reports of another ten churches that have been started. The students will begin pastoring these churches as soon as they complete their training.
The enemy is doing everything possible to slow this ministry down or stop it if he can. This spring he tried to kill Pastor Allan Asang our Filipino Director or at least frighten him into running away. That didn’t work as God protected him and strengthened him in his faith. So now the ministry is being attacked on a different front.
Since we first visited the Philippines in February, 2001, the ministry there has been renting the house next door to Pastor Asang for $50 a month. We have been able to use the property as a ministry office, church, and Bible school including classroom, kitchen, and dormitory. The property is owned by the bank which has been trying to sell it. They have now notified us that they have a buyer. We must buy the building by the end of the month or shut down the Bible school and move out.
We can buy the property for $20,000 out right or $7,000 down and $750 a month for two years for a total price of $25,000. We believe that God has given us this property as a tool to train workers for the harvest. We don’t have the money to buy the building because we have been focusing on the cost of training the students and building churches in the villages. But we know that God is more than able to supply this need. .Nothing is too hard for Him.
So we are determined to commit this need to Him and trust Him to bring the victory to pass. Please, will you stand together with us and with the students and teachers at the Bible school in Tagum City? Join together with us in prayer to commit this need to the Lord. As you pray, ask Him how much of this $20,000 He wants to supply through you. As each one is faithful to do what God directs, together we can buy this building in Tagum City to the glory of God and to train up laborers to bring thousands to Christ among the mountain tribes of Mindanao.
Why did God allow this crisis to come upon us? It is not to destroy the work but that the ministry on Mindanao can be established on a firmer foundation than ever. As this need is met, God will be glorified in Tagum City and God’s people will have their faith stretched and strengthened as they learn to trust in the Lord in every circumstance.