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 Goes On

During the past few months, despite going through a paralyzing time, the Refuge is still running. The Bible and Missions training there graduated their first class of students and Edge Radio is still holding public events there. We are also having evangelistic film viewings.

One of the biggest challenges we have at the Refuge is a lack of equipment. Every time we hold an event, we have to borrow two or three guitar amplifiers, instruments, a LCD projector, drum cymbals, etc. We also have no furniture for our huge downstairs fellowship area. We are hoping to convert the downstairs into a coffee house where youth can come at all hours to study, have fellowship, and receive counseling. We are also hoping to remodel the upstairs with some acoustic foam to help with the deafening reverb during the concerts.

James 4:2 says, “You have not because you ask not.” Well, I’m asking now for help. We immediately need a LCD projector, amplifiers, guitars, and a new drum kit. We also need to furnish our downstairs so we can have a place for the youth to hang out. I envision having a coffee bar with lots of furniture, games, and for it to be a fun place.
With your help, we can transform this place into a greater soul-winning machine with ongoing discipleship and change happening in the hearts of the youth of this city.

Our Website Was Hacked, but it’s OK Now.

Five days after our youth center was burglarized, our website was temporarily down during a cyber attack.

Our website hosting company was hacked and taken down for a few hours on Saturday night and Sunday morning by a cyber terrorist hacker known as Tiger M@te.

If you visited our site during that time, I want to apologize for any inconvenience you experienced.

Our site remained intact and it was only the server company that was damaged. The website was restored within a few hours.

Please rest assured that it is still safe to donate here.

If you still have concerns, you can always donate through the mail to:

Extreme Mercy International
P.O. Box 72266
Phoenix, Arizona 85050
USA

Thank you for your prayers and support. It was a rough week.

The Refuge Was Burglarized!

Police Station

Police Station in the Philippines

The phone rang and woke me up at 3am Tuesday morning.

I asked “What is going on?”

The owner called and said the Refuge is open right now!

I quickly dressed myself and rushed out the door. I optimistically thought, “it must be one of our faithful volunteers setting up early for the morning Bible school.” I stepped on the gas in my little car and sped down the wet, rain-soaked road.  Racing across the city, I hit a particularly slippery intersection and drifted the car around the corner.  I made good time as there was no traffic on this quiet and rainy night.

As I sped into the parking lot, my optimism changed to tension as I looked at the smashed in roll-up steel door. The owner of the building and caretaker stood cautiously looking at the dark hole in the roll-up door. I recklessly grabbed my flashlight and pepper spray and darted into the hole, hoping to find the intruders. As I swept the building, my bravery faded to disappointment as I saw the loss and damage. The thieves not only bashed in the gate, they destroyed the door and lock on the sound booth, and took several valuable things. In my disappointment, I realized they had stolen a nice laptop, my Mp3 player, the drum symbols, and most of my tools. They also urinated and defecated on the floor as to send me some sort of message.

Police Car

Police Cruiser in the Philippines.

Two nights before, we had held our first ever Hip Hop and Rap concert at The Refuge, where 100 young people prayed the prayer of repentance and salvation with me. We were going after the gangs and hip hoppers that night. Probably one of the people who came that event spied out the place that night and brought back his gang to ransack us later. We are still hoping to apprehend the ones who did this, but the police procedures are very different here.

No matter what influenced those people to attack the place God has given us, we will not stop going after the lost souls of this nation. We will only increase our boldness and do more to stop this darkness by shedding more light. Please pray for us to continue to preach boldly and for us to recover from this loss.

Edge Radio Update June 2011

I am having a great time with my show on Edge Radio.  I host “The Cutting Edge Show” Saturdays 8pm to 10pm. The past few weeks on my show have been amazing.

We had our famous “End of the World Show” on May 21st where I boldly predicted in advance that the rapture of the church would not happen that day. However, I prayed for everyone to be saved and ready in case it happens tomorrow because Jesus will come like a thief in the night with no warning.

Then two weeks ago, I had guest Michael Gahan of Global Impact share his amazing testimony of his past life as a drug dealer and drug user who overdosed on drugs 10 times and coded two times on the operating table during an emergency surgery after a car accident. He shared how he was transformed by becoming born again and is now living a radical life for Jesus.

We had record feedback from our shows those weeks and are thankful for the lives that are being touched weekly through Edge Radio.

So Here I am, a Radical Pentecostal Minister, teaming up with a lesbian.

April 23rd, 2008 by Matthew Triggs

(I wrote this three years ago on my old blog, but It’s such a great story, I thought I would re-post it here)

The other night I was having a hard time sleeping so I went out for a random late night drive on my borrowed motorcycle. I find driving at night relaxing as the traffic is light and it’s a nice way to just be alone and away from the chaos.  I can conceal my white skin and blond hair with my jacket and helmet.  Nobody stares at me and nobody yells “Hey Joe, where are you going?” The only stares I get are the people admiring the borrowed 1980 Yamaha Maxim 400 that I am driving.

After driving for a while, I found myself driving on R. Castillo Street which I seldom drive on.  The church I attend is on that street.  Other than that, I had no reason to be there at that time.

Suddenly, there was a woman staggering around in the middle of the road! She was violently crying, and covering her face.  I had to swerve around her to avoid colliding with her! I quickly turned the bike around to coax her off the road. I also did this to turn my headlight in the face of any oncoming traffic so she wouldn’t be hit in the darkness.

I slowly herded her to the left off the road while driving on the wrong side of the road.

After she was on the sidewalk, I quickly accelerated and parked my bike on a sidewalk ramp with the kickstand uphill which later proved to be a bad idea.  I quickly put my helmet on my right mirror and ran back to her and grabbed her.

By this time, she was still crying and fighting me to go back into the street!  I sat her down on the sidewalk and firmly held onto her. As she struggled with me, I tried to calm her down and ask her what was happening. The stench of alcohol reeked from her breath as she spoke some hysterical, unintelligible words in Cebuano.

She just kept crying and crying as a crowd of pedestrians began to gather.  It must have been quite a sight to see a foreigner hugging and holding a crying, drunk Filipina woman against her will by the roadside.

I shouted to all the bystanders, “I’m going to pray now, so you can pray with me or leave!”  A few of them left as I started shouting out my prayer, “I REBUKE THE SPIRIT OF SUICIDE IN THE NAME OF JESUS! I REBUKE THE SPIRIT OF ALCOHOLISM, AND I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HEAL THIS WOMAN JESUS OF WHATEVER IS WRONG WITH HER, NOW!”  She went from fighting me to embracing me, still violently crying.

She seemed to be calming down a bit, when one of the teenage bystanders leaned on the motorcycle sending it pummeling over on its side, smashing the mirror and nearly snapping the rear turn signal off.  Also, my beautiful black helmet received a nice big scratch on it as it skidded down the street.

I let go of the woman to check on my bike because the woman appeared to be calm and regaining her sanity.

While I checked on the bike, she ran back into the street in front of a big container truck!

Thankfully, a nearby lesbian woman and I ran out into the street and saved her life for the second time.

So here I am, a radical Pentecostal minister, teaming up with a lesbian to save a crazy drunken woman in the middle of a dark street in the middle of the night!  I’m thinking about all the so-called “Christian” Catholic Filipino people who drove by her leaving her to die without helping her, and here are a lesbian and a foreigner being the good Samaritans.

Finally, to my relief, a police vehicle started coming down the street with its lights blazing.  I ran out into the street to flag it down as it blew by me without stopping. Thankfully, a few minutes later another one came to the scene, and they helped restrain her and take her home.  The same police officers came back a few minutes later to thank me and tell me they successfully took her home, as I was picking up the bike and the mirror off the ride of the road.

I wish I could say that I led her to Jesus or that she was delivered from her demons.  I can’t say that any of those things happened, but I can say that, thankfully, I was on that road at that time or she probably would have died and gone into eternity without Jesus.

If your life is boring, the next time you can’t sleep maybe you should go for a midnight drive.  You never know what might happen.

Hero (Catalyst Graduation Version)

This is the Human Video “Hero” presented by Catalyst during their graduation.

This is a powerful evangelistic drama (human video) depicting a suicidal drug using teen that needs a hero. It also depicts a young, pregnant high school student who also needs a hero. Presented by the Catalyst Youth Leadership Academy. This drama was created by and trained by Matthew Triggs of Extreme Mercy International.

The crowd reaction was electrifying for this drama as the characters entered. Everyone was so excited for the graduation.

“Hero” by Skillet

Lyrics:

I’m just a step away
I’m just a breath away
Losin’ my faith today
JEN: Fallin’ off the edge today

I am just a man
Not superhuman
JEN: I’m not superhuman
someone save me from the hate

It’s just another war
Just another family torn
JEN: Falling from my faith today
Just a step from the edge
Just another day in the world we live

[Chorus:]
I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero
JEN: Save me now
I need a hero to save my life
A hero’ll save me
JEN: Just in time

[Verse 2]
I gotta fight today
To live another day
Speakin’ my mind today
JEN: My voice will be heard today

I’ve gotta make a stand
but I am just a man
JEN: I’m not superhuman
My voice will be heard today

It’s just another war
Just another family torn
JEN: My voice will be heard today
It’s just another kill
The countdown begins to destroy ourselves

[Chorus]

I need a hero to save my life
I need a hero
Just in time

Save me just in time
Save me just in time

[Bridge:]
Who’s gonna fight for what’s right
Who’s gonna help us survive
We’re in the fight of our lives
JEN: And we’re not ready to die

Who’s gonna fight for the weak
Who’s gonna make ‘em believe
I’ve got a hero
JEN: I’ve got a hero

Livin’ in me
I’m gonna fight for whats right
Today I’m speaking my mind
And if it kills me tonight
JEN: I will be ready to die

A hero’s not afraid to give his life
A hero’s gonna save me just in time

[Chorus]
I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero
JEN: Save me now
I need a hero to save my life
A hero’ll save me
JEN: Just in time

I need a hero
Who’s gonna fight for whats right
Who’s gonna help us survive

I need a hero
Who’s gonna fight for the week
Who’s gonna make ‘em believe
I need a hero

I need a hero

A hero’s gonna save me just in time

The Bridge

Here is another great human video that Emily and I used to train the Catalyst Drama Team.

This is a drama (human video) about a teenager trying to reach Jesus while facing all the temptations life has to offer. When she finally reaches her goal, she becomes part of a bridge to reach others. It is presented beautifully by the Catalyst Youth Leadership Academy drama team in the Philippines. This human video was originally created by Master’s Commission USA.

“Place In This World” by Michael W. Smith

Lyrics:

The wind is moving
But I am standing still
A life of pages
Waiting to be filled

A heart that’s hopeful
A head that’s full of dreams
But this becoming
Is harder than it seems

Feels like I’m
Looking for a reason
Roamin’ through the night to find
My place in this world
My place in this world
Not a lot to lean on
I need your light to help me find
My place in this world
My place in this world

If there are millions
Down on their knees
Among the many
Can you still hear me

Hear me asking
Where do I belong?
Is there a vision
That I can call my own?

Show me, I’m
Looking for a reason
Roamin’ through the night to find
My place in this world
My place in this world
Not a lot to lean on
I need your light to help me find
My place in this world
My place in this world

Lookin’ for a reason
Roamin’ through the night to find
My place in this world
My place in this world
Not a lot to lean on
I need your light to help me find
My place in this world
My place in this world

Lookin’ for a reason
Roamin’ through the night to find
My place in this world
My place in this world

Tomorrow

Don’t wait until tomorrow to give your life to Jesus. This is another powerful human video presented by the Catalyst Youth Leadership Academy Drama Team. Matthew Triggs of Extreme Mercy International trained this drama team. It was originally created by the Master’s Commission

Proverbs 27:1 (New King James Version)
“Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

“Tomorrow” by The Winans

Lyrics:

Jesus said,
”Here I stand, won’t you please let me in?”
And you said,
”I will tomorrow”

Jesus said,
”I am He who supplies all your needs”
And you said,
”I know, but tomorrow, oooh, tomorrow,
I’ll give my life tomorrow,
I thought about today,
but it’s so much easier to say”

Tomorrow, who promised you tomorrow?
Better choose the Lord today,
For tomorrow very well might be too late.

Jesus said,
”Here I stand, won’t you please take my hand?”
And you said ,
”I will tomorrow”

Jesus said
”I am He who supplies all your needs”
And you said,
”I know, but tomorrow, ooh, tomorrow,
I’ll give my life tomorrow,
I thought about today,
Oooohh but it’s so much easier to say”

Tomorrow, who promised you tomorrow?
Better choose the Lord today,
For tomorrow very well might be too late.

And who said tomorrow would ever come for you?
Still you laugh and play and continue on to say,
”Tomorrow”
Forget about tomorrow
Won’t you give your life today?
Oohh please
Don’t just turn and walk away
Tomorrow, tomorrow is not promised
Don’t let this moment slip away
Your tomorrow could very well begin today.

Hero

While preparing to train the Catalyst Youth Leadership Academy, I was praying for a new human video. During my prayer time in April 2011, God helped me visualize this amazing drama to the song “Hero” by Skillet. It is meant to reach the unsaved and unchurched for Jesus.

This is a powerful evangelistic drama (human video) depicting a suicidal drug-using teen that needs a hero. It also depicts a young pregnant high school student who also needs a hero. Presented by the Catalyst Youth Leadership Academy. This drama was created by and trained by Matthew Triggs of Extreme Mercy International.

“Hero” by Skillet

I’m just a step away
I’m just a breath away
Losin’ my faith today
JEN: Fallin’ off the edge today

I am just a man
Not superhuman
JEN: I’m not superhuman
someone save me from the hate

It’s just another war
Just another family torn
JEN: Falling from my faith today
Just a step from the edge
Just another day in the world we live

[Chorus:]
I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero
JEN: Save me now
I need a hero to save my life
A hero’ll save me
JEN: Just in time

[Verse 2]
I gotta fight today
To live another day
Speakin’ my mind today
JEN: My voice will be heard today

I’ve gotta make a stand
but I am just a man
JEN: I’m not superhuman
My voice will be heard today

It’s just another war
Just another family torn
JEN: My voice will be heard today
It’s just another kill
The countdown begins to destroy ourselves

[Chorus]

I need a hero to save my life
I need a hero
Just in time

Save me just in time
Save me just in time

[Bridge:]
Who’s gonna fight for what’s right
Who’s gonna help us survive
We’re in the fight of our lives
JEN: And we’re not ready to die

Who’s gonna fight for the weak
Who’s gonna make ’em believe
I’ve got a hero
JEN: I’ve got a hero

Livin’ in me
I’m gonna fight for whats right
Today I’m speaking my mind
And if it kills me tonight
JEN: I will be ready to die

A hero’s not afraid to give his life
A hero’s gonna save me just in time

[Chorus]
I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero
JEN: Save me now
I need a hero to save my life
A hero’ll save me
JEN: Just in time

I need a hero
Who’s gonna fight for whats right
Who’s gonna help us survive

I need a hero
Who’s gonna fight for the week
Who’s gonna make ’em believe
I need a hero

I need a hero

A hero’s gonna save me just in time