Please Help Us Win Souls in Trento

Next week, we are doing what potentially will be the largest soul-winning event in the history of our ministry. We have four bands lined up for a city-wide free concert in Trento, Agusan del Sur, Philippines.

Jesus said in Mark 4:19, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” We are using the bait of music to draw people into this indoor gymnasium to preach the Gospel to them. We are expecting a huge crowd as we have promoted this concert in every high school and college campus in the town and have been announcing it on the radio.

Hanging a poster right in front of the biggest store in Trento.

Hanging a poster right in front of the biggest store in Trento.

We have over twenty pastors from multiple denominations praying for us and helping us with this event. They said they have been praying for something like this and no one has held an evangelistic concert like this in Trento since the 1990’s.

Inside the Trnto Gymnasium with Mayor John Mark Billanes.

Inside the Trento Gymnasium with Mayor Billanes.

We have experienced tremendous favor over this event including meeting the mayor through a divine appointment.  We went to gymnasium check out the concert venue and the mayor “just happened” to be there. He personally asked us to announce the event on all the radio stations in the town.

Promoting the Christian concert on "Secular Radio" 91.7FM

Promoting the Christian concert on “secular” radio 91.7 Life FM in Trento.

The one thing we are missing is full financial support. This is going to be a very expensive endeavor for us. We need help covering this event including renting the gym, prizes for the games, transportation, food and lodging for our ministry team. We estimate that this event will cost us about $950 including purchasing our own stage lights (about $450).

Would you please consider financially supporting us as we reach lost souls in Trento through this concert?

We just got to hang posters right outside the gym.

Live on the Radio Again

In January, I returned to my radio show on 104.3 FM The Edge Radio Davao. Being on the radio here has the potential of reaching two million listeners on the only Christian FM radio station in Davao City.

Live on the Radio at 104.3FM The Edge Radio Davao

My two hour show, “The Cutting Edge Show,” has a weekly prime time slot on Thursdays at 7 PM. The show consists of Bible teaching surrounded by Contemporary Christian music.  I usually spend about five minutes teaching per segment and play two or three songs before returning to my topic.

No matter what the topic, I always make a point to bring a salvation message to win souls every show. Last week, I received a text message from one of my listeners that the song I played touched him and “brought tears to his eyes.” I thank God that we can touch many lives like this through the radio.

Live on the Radio

Over One Year of Radio Ministry

We have now been doing radio ministry for almost 1 1/2 years and it’s been a great experience.

I had one listener recently text me after I prayed the prayer of salvation over the airways.

This is what he said,

“Thank you so much for the prayer. It’s been a long time since I felt better, communicating with God again. I don’t know why, but I cried saying that prayer with you. Thank you so much!”

That’s what radio ministry is all about. Praise God!

I Went to Jail in the Philippines

This month, God opened an awesome door of ministry to me. My friend, Pastor Andy, invited me to speak to the leaders of a church in the local Davao City Jail. I was honored to be able to enter the facility and walk through the jail full of men in orange T-shirts.

I spoke to the leaders on faith. The pastor of the church has been in the jail for four years awaiting his robbery trial. Two of his main leaders are serving six years for drug abuse and are still awaiting their trial. The youngest inmate there, Mark, told me he regularly borrows a radio to listen to Edge Radio.

There are three religious places of worship there: a Catholic Church, a mosque, and the born-again Christian church. Until recently, the Christian church had no roof. Thankfully, they just finished the roof the week before I arrived. They were so happy to have a foreigner visit them and were respectful and attentive as I spoke through an interpreter. They invited me to come back as soon as I can.

The Refuge Youth Center’s First Event

The Refuge Youth Center Philippines from the Highway

This is the view of The Refuge Youth Center from the MacArthur Highway.

 

The Refuge Youth Center opened for its first event on July 28, 2011. We hosted the Edge Connect which is a meeting for Edge radio listeners to meet the radio deejays and staff of the radio station. Many unsaved young people attended this event.

We had the Christian band Whitefield play a mini-concert for this event. They requested that I give a salvation altar call during their last song which I gladly obliged. I gave a short salvation message to which everyone responded by praying the prayer of salvation and repentance with me.

Youth responding to the First altar call at the Refuge Youth Center

The strong response to the first altar call at the Refuge.

 

I’m so thankful to have such a powerful God who provided us a place to preach the Gospel to young people here in Davao City. This is only the start of what God is about to do in The Refuge.