REPORT ABOUT THE 4TH PHILIPPINE BIBLE CONFERENCE

Hello! brothers and sisters in Korea and all over the world.
I`d like to report about our 4th Philippine Bible Conference.
Before I say about our Bible conference, here are some tips
about our country. Well, as you know, Philippine is well known as a
religious Christian Country. Godly atmosphere is everywhere.
TV programs are almost all about God. When you hear about these,
you might think that Philippine is spiritual country because it seems
that Filipinos are God loving people, so, you may conclude that this
country is peaceful and good to stay with. On the contrary to what you
expect, crime rate here in the Philippines are so high that you cannot
go out late at night without feeling nervous, for you might experience
holdup or robbery or even abduction, for there are so many drug addicts
roaming around our country. But, hallelujah! God is true to His promises
that His children are being protected and taken care of in this
situation. Like our pastors and their families (they are always
foreigners in the eyes of Filipinos) who are always going out on the
streets late at night travelling here and there after Bible studies from different
places are still alive while most foreigners have phobia visiting
the Philippines for they are afraid of the news that foreigners are
being kidnapped for ransom.
Philippine, a Christian Country? God loving people? Then why does
this things happen always? Is God a liar to His promise that He
will give us rest and true peace for those who stay in Him?
Why then are these things happening? It means that there`s
something wrong with Filipinos` Faith in believing God. Let`s see,
There are lot of big banner here and there in th streets inviting
people to attend their evangelical meeting. Their usual topic is
"HEALING EXPLOSION`` "GOSPEL SONG CONCERT" and the other one
"SIGNS OF JESUS`s 2ND COMING".etc. Such religious activities are
everywhere but are there real salvation of Soul? No! because the
topic itself tells us what they are doing. Most Filipinos are
religious but lost spiritually, this is how Satan is working in
our country.
That`s why everytime we have our evangelical meeting or Bible
conference, our main topic is always about THE SECRET OF
FORGIVENESS AND BEING BORN AGAIN. sometimes we are receiving a
lot of mockery and persecutions due to this topic and they say
that we are the group who always insisting sinners going to hell
and the group that doesn`t ask forgiveness anymore. We are being
treated as one of occult or heretic and that`s what they call us.
Most of them are devoted in their own sect that`s why it`s hard
for us to convince them to be saved. So, when a people attend
Bible conference and got saved, you can say that it`s really
God`s work. I can`t still forget about the 1st Bible conference
with Pastor Ock Soo Park in November, 1996. Almost 70 attended in
that 1st Bible conference. God`s word delivered by Pastor Park was
really amazing that it still works in our heart bearing fruits as
time goes by. Now, our 4th Bible Conference had just finished
giving us a total number of 167 attenders which were doubled
since we started the 1st Bible Conference 3 years ago. Many saved
were added to church. It`s really great work of God, isn`t it?
At first, we are expecting 200 attenders from personal invitation
of brothers and sisters all over the place. Although we didn`t
use the big fliers or advertisement, invitation letters were sent
to far places and attended many souls from provinces like Alcala,
Cavite, Iloco Sur and Nueva Ecijah. All brothers and sisters were
preparing for this Bible conference through prayer meeting in
church every night and we`ve waited for God`s work like saving
of new souls, establishing of new step of faith on our spiritual
life and re-union with brothers and sisters from different provinces.
At last, our hope came true. Pastor Sun Young Kim and his company
arrived, 167 has attended and spiritual feast has begun on 27th
May. The powerful word of God was preached through the mouth of
servant of God and many souls experienced the wonderful changes
in their heart, more than 50 souls were saved and baptized at
last day, brothers and sisters who have not attended for a long
time came back to church, almost all have good testimonies in
their heart after the conference. One of them was Bro. Glenn
Borja, he was among the first batch of saved Filipinos way back
1993. I have read his testimony HE PICKED ME UP AMONG THE SANDS`
in 1994 Good News Magazine and was blessed by it. I was
not yet saved by that time so I haven`t seen him in church or in
any bible studies, that`s why I was surprised to see him in the
Bible camp. I thought that this brother is just like one of the
nine out of ten blind man healed by Jesus but didn`t come back.
Many times we encountered souls like him after evangelical
meetings and bible conferences, but I thought God is still
looking after them just like what happened to Bro. Glenn although
he didn`t find the importance of the church in his life, God is
still waiting for him and now he returned. We asked him, What
makes you come back? Then he said, "I felt jealous seeing the
life of my friends who are in church living spiritually,
peacefully and being used by God. Although, I finished my studies,
have good job, chased by girls, have almost everything but still
life seems miserable to me. I want to come back to church but my
high pride prevents me from doing it. I suffered so much in my
life that I even attempted to kill all my family members, my
live-in girlfriend who left me and even want to kill myself"
Why did God allowed this into his life? Then it came into my
mind, Ah! This is God`s way of calling His children. It says in
Romans 5:10 For, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God
by the death of His Son, that`s why we are saved. How can God`s
children be His enemies? Isn`t it Jesus is already in us? How
then it could be? Then I`ve read Colossian 1:21 And you that were
sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet
he had reconciled. It is when we children of God doesn`t want to
get rid of our fleshly desire, ambition, private lives and others,
and that cause us to become enemies of God. We become fully
blinded by our fleshly desires that we cannot see how God could
richly bless us spiritually. Romans 8:6 says For to be carnally
minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
We`re so happy to see him come back We kid him saying, "Welcome
prodigal son." Finding him before Bible conference was not just a
coincidence. It is God`s plan, for He is not yet finish with us,
He is always there. I was also blessed with the life of two new
saved souls, brother Aris and Arnold, they are brothers, both
drug addicts, headache of their family, irresponsible father of
four children each, both separated with their wife. Only God can
change them and this is the right time. Aris is now being used in
sharing the gospel, Arnold is now settled in his problem with his
wife and children returned. Little by little he is growing in the
fellowship. He told me the word he cannot forget from Pastor S Y,
Kim is "Get rid of your children in your heart and think of God`s
messages" Well, we don`t know God`s plan just what He says in
Acts 1:7. But what we know is that God is already in our heart
and He is going to take over our life. How about brothers and
sisters who always get offended whenever they are being rebuked,
those who always complain, those who doesn`t co-operate? During
the 3rd day of the conference there was a morning message in Luke
15:25-32 the story about the prodigal son and the elder son. With
this message we should examine ourselves whether what side do we
belong. Am I the younger son who found his true self that without
his father he cannot live or the elder son who complain and got
angry with his father telling him about his long service yet was
never given a kid that he might merry with his friend? Are we
staying in church just for a kid? or are we staying in church
because we could not live without the father? If I`m going to
compare this Bible conference from the last one there are some
improvement because most brothers and sisters are now concern
about new souls rather than complaining. Matthew 11:6 says
Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me. During the
bible conference one of the newly saved sister lost her watch,
she said somebody took it for she just left it in her bag while
she is taking shower. She turned her bag upside down but couldn`t
find it, it was a precious watch, her mind was disturbed by it
and no message could come into her heart unless it was found. She
told it to another sister and the news spread all over the camp.
I thought everybody`s attention will be disturbed especially her
roommates, because they could be accuse of stealing the watch.
This distraction should be stop. So I told her I`m sorry for not
warning her about being aware of her valuables, it is our duties
to tell this to everyone in the camp because many of the attenders
are new soul and these things could possibly happen. I told her
"Please don`t mind about your watch, the message in this camp is
more important than your watch. please tell them you already found
it so that others would not be bother about it, God will touch
the heart of the one who took it and will bring it back to you."
So she followed. Night time came, I saw her smiling showing
me her watch, she told me she found it in her bag. God doesn`t
want this conference to be distracted, this is God`s feast and He
doesn`t want it to be ruined. He is faithful to His promise that
many souls will be saved upon hearing the gospel and His power is
in there (1 Timothy 2:4, Romans 1:16). God could easily change
people`s mind just to fulfill His promise. I remember then the
story of Joseph the dreamer in Genesis chapter 37 Joseph`s
brothers want to kill him but God change their plan that`s why
Joseph`s dream came true. Even the handling of 30 naughty
children also was a problem but God really answered our prayer,
so everything run out smoothly. Even in the kitchen where I am
assigned, at first, we thought that the food bought would not be
enough for more than 150 persons because the one who bought the
meat is worried telling us that it is only good for 100 persons.,
but we were surprised when it was already cooked it was more than
enough to satisfy everyone. I then remember the story in Matthew
14: 15-21 when Jesus fed the multitudes. In my mind I could not
help but thank God for He made me grow in life of faith. During
the past bible conferences I used to complain whenever I got tired
in the kitchen but this time God is broadening my heart. Why did
God save me? The reason is for me to be used in spreading the
gospel and kitchen work is also a part of it. My flesh is tired
but if it is for the sake of the gospel then God could fix
everything, for we are not living for the flesh anymore. You know
what? There`s also a funny situation every time we have bible
conference. Last time, we could see some women sleeping and
sitting in men`s section. Actually they are not women they are
gays. This time we could see men sleeping and sitting in women`s
section. Because he is not a man but a he-girl. But they also
were saved. Bible Conference is now over. I know our church in
the Philippines are not very strong, we are bunch of people who
need to be treated more on spiritual aspect and need to be taught
in handling this kind of spiritual events. After the 4th Bible
conference, there was not a little change in minds of brothers
and sisters. It`s amazing to see how God gives changes in our
heart in the church. You know! we are now accustomed to open
rebukes and ready to be discipline in the church. In some way,
Filipinos are rather sensitive people, so the churches we used
to attend before were churches which usually up-lifting their
members mind and gives material blessings, so it`s not easy for
us to be changed at once. But big changes come from God`s church
according to His will and providence. We don`t know how to thank
God who allowed us to stay in a true church which gives every
kind of spiritual blessings. We`re so happy and thank for the
great things God has done in our life, our salvation, our church
and pastor who is taking care of us continuously, and also for
giving us a mother church in Korea helping us in every aspect of
our spiritual life. But our happiness is not yet over, although
many were saved through our past conferences, only few are
staying in the church. We are feeling that it`s harvest time now,
but we only have few workers, but still we thank Him because we
believe God will send us more workers for spreading gospel in
whole archipelago of Philippines. He is always reminding us to
pray continuously and pour our heart before the Lord for the
gospel until He grant us our petitions just like Hannah in 1st
Samuel chapter 1. I believe God is faithful to His promise and
it surely will come to pass.
thank you! peace in Jesus.

June 9, 1999
Sister Rori in Manila