Dear friends,
It has been a busy day today! After breakfast Don and I walked down the street for water. Before we made our purchase, we went a block further and discovered several streets of an open-air market with fruit stands. The shopkeepers were just opening up for the day.
Good news! Gordon Retzer, president of the Southern Union, e-mailed that their union will sponsor $2,500 toward the $10,000 needed to transport people to the meetings. What a blessing! I can hardly wait to tell the Conference president. I know they will be rejoicing!
This morning we created the “words-to-remember” for the rest of the messages so that all 14 phrases can be placed on a bookmark and given to the folks attending the meetings. The printer came to our room to discuss the project. He will be able to make a nice product for us: we must have the copy to him by 6:30 tomorrow morning. He will return with a proof within three hours after receiving the copy. I just e-mailed the copy to Benny Moore.
What happens when a person dies? That is the question Don addressed tonight. The conclusion from the Bible is that it is like a person is sleeping; and Jesus will awaken him when He returns. The “words-to-remember” are—The living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing. This is a quote from Scripture. God is so good to allow the dead to simply sleep. That way they are not watching us grieve and face the trials of life.
A jeepney strike? We heard they went on strike and wondered if it would cut into our attendance. If it did, there were not many missing.
We received the “real” story that we had already reported to you from the seniors of Fountainview Academy. It is so good, I think I will repeat it as they tell it (we had some facts mixed up) . . . it is truly a miracle story.
Written by Ellen, Brooke, and Katie Lynn:
Monday night . . . Pastor Undan (our translator) told us this incredible story: This woman named Belen had been dropping off pop-bottle lids at a store near our church, and a man walked by. The women at the store invited the man for a drink of wine, and in response he said, “No, but I would like to invite all of you to some religious meetings tonight.”
Belen had never been really religious, but she decided that since she was there, she would come. She walked into the meeting, and what she saw gave her goose bumps! A movie was playing of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist and a dove was coming down. Then she saw us three white girls. Astonished, she told this story: Seven years ago, in 2001, she had a vision. In this vision she saw John the Baptist baptizing Jesus, and a dove coming down. She saw three white girls preaching. The one who gave her that vision said, “When you see this, it will mean that this is the true religion.” “So this is the true church!”
She was so excited, and we are praising the Lord because she is coming to the meetings! |
God is good!
Our love,
Marti (and Don)
From: Marti Schneider
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008
To: The Quiet Hour supporters
Subject: Schneider's Manila Update #10
Dear friends,
After the meeting last night (Wednesday) Benny Moore came to our hotel room for a few minutes as we took a little nourishment and debriefed. He had quite a day! Another group of "evangelists" arrived during the night. They got together for orientation in preparation for going to their own sites. Besides teaching, Benny had to help them install their graphics in their computers and troubleshoot problems. He sighed wearily, "It was a mad house . . . as hectic as the streets outside our window." And that is crazy.
Duane McKey and his group left this morning for their sites. However, Kathy McKey is still here. She is struggling to feel good . . . caught a bug just before she left home and is having to deal with it. Please pray for her return to health and energy. She is scheduled to leave on Sunday to lead in two other areas here in the Philippines.
At the AstroDome last night, Don spoke on the question, Why Are There So Many Denominations? And a good question it is. He explained the history of the church from Jesus' time to the present: Up to A.D. 100, the church of the apostles; A.D. 100 - 300, early church from apostles to Emperor Constantine; A.D. 300 - 600, age of the church fathers from Constantine to the fall of Rome; A.D. 600 - 1600 medieval church or Roman Catholic Church from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Reformation. Through the years the church declined in its understanding of the Bible and instituted man-made traditions in place of God's will. Since then many denominations have sprung up. During the transpiring years various men of God rediscovered Biblical truths and emphasized these in their teachings. Often the reformers and their followers were persecuted for bringing in the "new" doctrines which were actually old truths according to the Bible. But the churches they served did not continue to follow after truth, choosing to remain where their leaders had taken them without continuing to learn. God will lead us into His truth as we continue to follow Him. It is our responsibility and opportunity to follow Him.
  Last night I met young Pastor Ronie Genebago. He is the pastor for two districts, eight churches. The total membership is 3,000 and his largest church has about 700 members. When the ASI teams trained the small group leaders in October, this pastor had many leaders trained—44 in one district. He has 12 active groups attending the meetings at the AstroDome—300 interests. Each night it takes 26 jeepneys to bring his people. Can you imagine it . . . 26 jeepneys! He already has 160 candidates confirmed for baptism on Sabbath.
How do you motivate your members? I asked him. They are internally motivated. As we discover their spiritual gifts, we train and prepare those who are gifted in evangelism. The Spirit of God moves them, was his answer.
He continues to train the members. It's easy to do it! The members are teaching the Bible studies. Three times each week, midweek, vespers, and Sabbath afternoon I let them speak and I give comments afterwards to help them. They bring their friends to listen as they are learning.
Next July Pastor Ronie will have been in his districts two years. He has already conducted one district-wide campaign and one simultaneous campaign with meetings in each church. Each time the Betel Church had nine baptisms—only one person was teaching. However, using the small groups this time the baptisms have increased to 17 as the members have invited their friends and neighbors.
What motivates you, pastor? What drives you to equip your members and evangelize? I questioned.
God called me! he replied earnestly. His father died when he was in the third year of high school. God found him and became his Father. He longed to share the Gospel and begged God to give him someone with whom he could study the Bible. A lady said, Can you help us study the Bible? The study grew from three to five . . . then to an entire classroom. He presented the Voice of Prophecy Bible Lessons in his school—50 students enrolled and 10 were baptized. Together they planted a church.
What do you do to stay spiritually focused for the mission? was my next question. He described daily Bible reading. He asks his members also to read the Bible and invites those who will commit to it to come forward to receive their Bible reading plan.
He is a man of prayer . . . presenting God with specific needs. He says, In Your time, in Your way, Lord. He also has yearly prayer marathons in which the members pray from mid-afternoon to midnight. They had asked God to give them 150 baptisms . . . and God is answering this request to overflowing!
 After the meeting I followed Pastor Ronie around this huge auditorium as he pointed out group after group—a number of groups on the main floor, others gathered in the tiered seating. One young man was leading a large circle of kids. As I watched, the young man had them totally engaged with his active teaching. His face was beaming. (This young man does a wonderful job of preaching from the DVD! He is planning to go to college to study to be a pastor, Pastor Ronie told me, as proud as a father.)
I was so inspired! I could hardly go to sleep, even though I was so sleepy—I just had to share it with you.
What prevents us from equipping ourselves and our members in small group Bible studies and relationship building? Why cannot we invite others to learn the wonderful Biblical facets of truth God has made available to us? Shall we not prepare and present evangelistic campaigns? It's too good not to share it! And it will electrify our own lives!
Can you tell? I'm excited!
Our love,
Marti (and Don)
Manila email reports: February 29 - March 3 | March 4-5 | March 6-7 | March 9-10 | March 11-13 | March 17
Bacolod email reports: March 10-12 | March 16-17 | March 19-23 | March 30 |
