Tuesday and Wednesday was the Ministry Training Institute in Tagbilaran on Bohol. This was the final MTI in the Timothy Training Program. There was a good turn out and many participants had attended previous MTI classes. The group was engaged in the material and excited to be there. At the end of the class, the teachers did a Question & Answer panel and opened it up for questions and discussion on the topic of training up future leaders.
Tuesday evening, we did a youth group study at a church in Baclayon, Bohol. The topic was what it means to be committed to Jesus and your church community. Young people from a couple of churches in the area joined us for the study and brief discussion. They were encouraged to look at the practical things in their life that they can improve their commitment to Jesus in. Then, we had some time to get to know each other better with snacks and games.
In Tagbilaran, we did a pop-up Bible study at Passiflora Cafe. Two newcomers came and hung out with us. We read some scripture related to God’s will, seeking first his kingdom, and not worrying about tomorrow. We had good discussions and fellowship together.
This past week, the missions team made the trip from Cebu City to the city of Santa Fe on Bantayan. God blessed us with good weather and safe travels. While there, the team split to focus on two main ministry gatherings.
The first of these was the Ministry Training Institute. This institute is designed to provide practical teaching and materials to local pastors and church leaders. This round of courses was titled, “Timothy Training Program, Choosing and Preparing Spiritual Leaders”, and focused on how to identify and train up the next generation of leaders in the local church. The class was very well attended. We had a great time of learning and fellowship as we dug into the scriptures and studied this topic that is vital for the future of the church.
The other gathering was designed for youth who are taking their faith seriously and stepping up into leadership roles in their youth ministry groups. The theme for this gathering was “Unashamed”, and encouraged these young people to have boldness in their walk with Christ. Worship, teaching by guest speakers, video presentations, and small group discussions all combined for a challenging day filled with fun, learning, and a call to fearlessly put God first.
The beginning of the week was filled with Street Level outreaches and postering around the universities in Cebu.
On Monday, we set up the Street Level booth near Southwestern University, where we met students and shared information about Street Level and Believers Church Cebu.
Tuesday and Wednesday involved us going through the city to put up posters and meet with people around all of the major universities in Cebu. We also set up the booth outside the University of San Carlos and did a Street Level outreach, telling people about the Wednesday meetings and Sunday service.