But for ministry purposes, my conversations with Pastor Jun Begafria certainly were among the highlights of the trip. Pastor Jun is the founding pastor of Shiloh Bible Baptist Church in Ozamis City, the mother church for all the SBBC churches. He left his native island more than 15 years ago to plant a church on Mindanao. He had to learn a new language (though Tagalog and English are official languages, the islands have different dialects) and a new culture and adapt to a new surrounding. Now, the church has sent out 24 missionaries, and it has a goal to send out many more.
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| Pastor Jun speaks in Tampilisan. |
Very early in his message, God answered a prayer. As I have read and reread the works of K.P. Yohannan, the founder and president of Gospel for Asia whose ministry has greatly shaped my understanding of what Homegrown Harvesters should be, I recall that he urge Westerners to find out the vision of any ministry we want to support. So, a question in my mind for a long time has been, "What is the vision of the SBBC work?"
It didn't take long for Pastor Jun to answer that question. He spoke passionately about the eternal value of reaching souls for Christ. He pointed out that in the Zamboanga Peninsula, there are close to 4 million people and very few churches. Across Mindanao itself, there are 24 million people.
He spoke passionately about the need to continue in the work. He told about a study he and some others had done to assess the need on Mindanao. He reported that in a certain geographic area (the names of the cities meant little to me, and I ask you to forgive me for not knowing exactly the places of which he spoke), there were no Baptist churches at all. In fact, the gospel had done little to penetrate these Muslim areas.
As he spoke, he told of the indifference of some people to whom he had spoken. "That's under the arm of Mindanao." "They're Muslims." "It will be hard."
Then, with tears and shouts, he uttered words I will never forget. "Yes, they may be under the arm of Mindanao. Yes, they may be Muslim. Yes, it will be hard. But do they not have a soul? Will they not go to hell without the gospel? What price is too high to save a soul?"
There it was! Before I could ever ask him, in the first sermon I ever heard him preach, Pastor Jun told me what I had wanted to know. Providence of God again, as has often happened in my journey with this ministry. It would be one thing if Pastor Jun answered a question I asked him; it's another thing entirely for him to answer the only question I wanted to know, and to do so without me asking him.
Beyond the answer to my prayer, though, is the reality of what he said. Please understand, parts of Mindanao are off-limits to Westerners. There is no way for someone, especially a white man, from the United States to plant churches in these places on Mindanao. But God has raised up Godly men from that nation to take His word and His gospel to them.
There were many other evidences of God's work during the time I spent with Pastor Jun. The following day, I was blessed to speak with him at his home before the prayer meeting. He told me of other Americans who wanted to help, and as he described the best way that we could help, he listed several things that were already on my heart.
Case in point, he told of one American who encouraged him to travel to the United States to tell churches of the work God is doing. He had an incredulous look as he recounted telling the man, "Do you realize how much that would cost? It would take all of our church resources. It's better for me to stay here and minister." Of course, a faithful reader of our blog would know that our burden is to be the voice for these missionaries. How we will get to that point remains to be seen, but we trust God will provide what He has burdened our hearts to do.
Another time, a missionary was there who was still trying to raise support. The man had raised about $2,000, and Pastor Jun asked him, "Why don't you take half of that and give it to missionaries who are here. Just $1,000 can support 10-15 missionaries." Understand, this missionary's support was more than double what 10-15 indigenous missionaries would need to do their work. How much more work can 10-15 missionaries do than one missionary?
In addition to his duties on Sundays and Thursdays and his travels to the various anniversary services, Pastor Jun is also actively involved in Bible studies in the city of Ozamis. One of those places where he is able to hold Bible studies is the military base.
He shared with me a story from those Bible studies. The very day we spoke, he had a woman approach him and thank him for the Bible studies. This woman was a stranger to him, but she was so thankful to meet him.
She told him she was the wife of a certain officer, and "for 21 years, every time he went to the base, I had a black eye." But within the last year, the beatings stopped. She became curious. After asking her husband what had happened, he told her, "Come to the Bible study and you will see."
This officer had committed his life to Christ about six months earlier, and the change was so different, his wife noticed. After attending the Bible studies with her husband for a short while and seeing the change, she, too, prayed to receive Christ.
He shared another story similar to that one of a long-time drunk who stopped drinking all of a sudden, alarming his wife, and now both of them are members of Christ's family.
You see, when we ask for support for these churches, we are asking you to join with them in reaching their world. Right now, most of our focus has been on helping buy land or build buildings. But we hope to be able to offer monthly support to these men.
Even in a bigger church, such as the one in Ozamis, there are needs. Fares for taxis or tikads; bus fare; rent on the building; food and clothing for the pastor and his family. These are legitimate needs that come up, and often the pastors lack the resources to meet those needs.
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| Pastor Jun speaks in his church in Ozamis. |
Pastor Jun's passion is evident, even in a short meeting. He spoke about the opportunities before them to reach the Muslims on their island. We must point out that some of the missionaries from the church are former Muslims. Some of the missionaries from their church were at one time Muslims, and they are now missionary pastors to their own people.
As you read this next part, keep in mind that Mindanao is home to at least two Muslim terrorist groups. Al-qaeda has a presence there, and Abu Sayyaf is one of the militant separatist groups on the island. There may be more, but I know of those two.
As Pastor Jun was talking about the vision in front of him, his eyes lit up and he said, "Mindanao Muslims are very respected in the Muslim world because they are so fierce. If we can reach them with the gospel, if Muslims around the world see them come to Christ, we can reach the entire Muslim world."
Read that again. And again. I want you to understand what he said. Right now, God has granted this family of churches the opportunity to do something that would shake and shatter the world of Islam. Do you want to be a part of that?
I must point out the contrast of his mindset and that of many American Christians. Instead of posting articles about the impending doom of our country by sharia law and highlighting the dangers Islam poses to our temporary and short lives, he is rejoicing that he lives near violent, passionate Muslims because he sees the opportunity to reach the whole Muslim world for Christ. Mercy, which heart is more in tune with Christ's?
I have to ask you to consider this. How do you look at Muslims? Do you see dangers to your American comfort, or do you see men and women who are trapped by a false religion and whose only destination is hell unless they hear and believe the gospel? As Pastor Jun asked us, "Do they not have a soul?"
Oh that we would have that heart! Oh that we would see Muslims moving into our country as a mission field, not as a threat to our way of life! Oh that we would consider the mercy of God, that we live in a country with easy access to the gospel, whereas these immigrants did not have it. Perhaps God is moving them to our nation to give us a chance to share the good news with them!
That's a sidebar. Back to our topic now. When you give to help support these pastors, you are a part of the work God is doing there. And whether they are reaching the Muslims, the Catholics, the Jehovah's Witnesses or the animistic tribes of the mountain areas, these pastors are reaching people with the good news of Jesus Christ.
As always, we remind you that if you are interested in helping us, you may give a tax-deductible gift through Love in Action Ministries. They are our partner ministry in Dothan, Ala. Please contact them to donate. Just mark on your donation "Philippines." Every bit of your gift will go toward the work in the Philippines. On a related note, please pray for Love in Action Ministries founder Ken Tuck as he battles some health issues. We pray for a speedy recovery.
To contact Love in Action Ministries, either use the hyperlink provided or see below.
Love In Action International Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 85
Dothan, AL 36302
To contact us by phone, call:
334-494-4995
To close, I will show you a banner hanging in Shiloh Bible Baptist Church in Ozamis. It really says it all about the ministry. Will you join us to help reach the untold millions?
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| Hanging in the church in Ozamis |
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