Future Pastor

A blog for the encouragement of people who serve God, especially those who look forward to the often mysterious, sometimes bizarre, seldom desired, perhaps unpopular, truly noble, and eternally rewarding work of pastoring

[thefuturepastor]

Hi opPastor Jade! 😊 Happy Pastor's Month po kahit late na. Continue to inspired us Pas! Excited na po ako sa Youth Summit next year if ever na tuloy yun. See you next year Pas! Godbless po!

A late greeting deserves a late response. Salamat! Haha! God bless. I’m excited for it, too. Let’s begin praying for it. See you!

[thefuturepastor]

Hi Pastor Jade! Truly, you're an inspiration sa KKB and sana po magkaroon ka po ng published book someday.

Working on it :-) Thanks for the encouragement!

[thefuturepastor]

Maybe Your Worship Team Needs a Vocal Coach

Anonymous said: Hi Pastor Jade! I am a KKB Leader in our church. I am in charge of the CAN pero nabuburden po kasi ako sa Music ministry. Madalas po kasi sa Sunday Service hindi na maganda pakinggan, like I mean yung singers (esp the worship leader) is sinisigaw na lang yun kanta. ilang beses na po namin inevaluate pero bumabalik pa rin sa ganung sitwasyon.

Hmm, “sinisigaw na lang yung kanta.” Marami kaming gumagawa nyan ‘wag kang nang-aano. Haha!

Nauunawaan ko ang concern mo dahil sa paglilingkod natin kay Lord ay dapat lang namang may excellence. King David set a high bar we can all aim for and learn from:

“And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” Psalm 78:72

“Excellent” doesn’t mean “flawless”, of course. But because the church is a living organism, its ministries should be marked by growth and improvement. You know you have an excellent church if it outdoes itself in every manner of good work season after season. And churches don’t become excellent overnight. It takes every member, leader, and ministry functioning in unity toward giving God the excellent service he deserves.

If you think that your music ministry is somewhat lacking in taking part in this journey of excellence despite constant evaluations and meetings with them, it might be time for them to take formal voice lessons.

Get a vocal coach

Kung sinasabi mo kasi na marami nang evaluations ang naganap pero wala pa ring epekto, baka hindi evaluation ang kailangan nila kundi incantation. Haha jk. I mean, maybe what they need are serious voice lessons by a serious vocal coach who will seriously make them better singers. Siguradong maraming tips and techniques na matututunan sa coach na makukuha nila.

Puwede n’yo rin namang lutuin sa walang humpay na prayer and fasting ang worship team n’yo at manampalataya kayong gaganda ang boses nila. Pero hindi rin naman masamang umaksyon habang nananampalataya tayo.

Si David ay hindi naman nasabihang “skillful” dahil lang magaling siyang mag-pray o mag-worship. Hinasa siya ni Lord sa pakikipaglaban--sa mga leon, sa mga oso, kay Goliath, at sa marami pang iba. Hindi huhusay si David kung hindi siya hinasa.

Ganoon din naman sa lahat nang talents na mayroon tayo. Dapat nating hasain. Sa paghahasa tayo humuhusay.

Kung ‘yung mga singers sa entertainment industry ay nagpapakadalubhasa sa vocal techniques para mapasaya ang mga audience nila sa mga concert, sa mga bar, sa mga casino, sa mga mall shows, at kung saan saan pa, hindi ba dapat mas driven na humusay sa pagkanta ang mga mang-aawit para sa Panginoon dahil umaawit sila para sa simbahang minahal ni Hesus sa punto ng kamatayan?

Some would say, BUT WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT NAMAN EH! Well, if you have the Holy Spirit, you won’t drive away innocent worshipers whose eardrums are pulverized by your notes all sang in fortissimo. :P

So maybe a little voice lesson would help?

Pero... pera

Wala bang budget? Well, ‘wag natin i-asa lahat sa budget ng church. Dahil para rin naman ito sa ikalalago ng talento ng mga indibidwal na involved, puwedeng mag-ipon sila o mag-ambagan para ma-afford nila ang vocal coach or voice lessons. Consider it an investment. ‘Wag muna mag-Starbucks. Bawasan ang extra rice. Tiisin munang ‘wag mag-subscribe sa data plan. Puwede namang magtipid dahil sobrang worth it mag-invest sa ikalalago ng talento kesa sa damit o sapatos o lipstick o pabango o pang-DOTA.

Tsaka mayaman ang Diyos natin ‘di ba? ‘Di ba Niya kayang mag-provide? Tamang financial management lang, kakayanin ng worship team makakuha ng voice coach.

Hindi ba ito pagsampalataya sa sariling kakayanan?

Kumuha lang ng coach sariling kakayanan na??????? Hehe!

Lahat nang tao at lahat nang skills at lahat nang gifts of the Holy Spirit ay kailangang ma-mentor para lumago. Preachers need a preaching coach. Counselors need a counseling coach. Intercessors need someone who will guide them to be deeper in the prayer ministry.

Getting a vocal coach doesn’t mean trusting in human talents to glorify God. It’s quite the opposite: The worship team will get a vocal coach because they humbly know they’re in dire need of help, and the Lord can use the lessons they will learn for them to facilitate a more ear-friendly and anointed worship atmosphere during services.

More love for your worship team

Praise God dahil malaki ang concern mo sa worship team ninyo kahit iba ang ministry mo. Continue to pray for them and never forget to ALWAYS conduct your evaluations in the spirit of genuine love and concern for God’s church. 

I know it can be frustrating kapag paulit-ulit na ang mga pagkakamali, pero pasasaan ba’t mapapakinis din ang mga magagaspang at bako-bakong aspeto ng ministry n’yo sa ngayon. Push lang nang push. Have faith and act on your faith.

In the mean time, be more patient. Kapag ‘di pa rin umubra ang vocal coach, halina’t mag-binding and loosing.

[thefuturepastor]

What Christians Can Do About the Drug Problem

The alleged extrajudicial killing (EJK) of 17-year-old Kian Loyd Delos Santos has become the moon that pulled a strong tide toward disapproval on the Duterte drug war as of late. Many of my Facebook friends who used to be mum on the issue have suddenly shattered the ice cube of silence that had long held them in suspended animation, Captain America style, as they found enough motivation to speak out against EJK. Duterte drug war believers, of course, have been more than ready (as always) to respond to them with equally scathing passion.

Because I am a pastor, I am keen to observe these things from a pastor’s point of view. And one thing I both notice and commend is the number of Christians on my social network fearlessly coming out with their opinions because of Kian’s controversial death. I commend this newfound courage for many Christians who are new to social media discussions that affect society because them tackling justice, even if it were just through a hashtag, is a quantum leap from their usual fare of 9GAG memes and Super Tekla videos. Okay na ‘yan kesa wala ‘di ba hehe, so stop accusing them na bandwagoning lang or nakikisawsaw. Slow clap para sa mga kapatid kong Kristiyanong may paki-alam na ngayon sa current events :)

I highly recommend that every Christian be aware of what’s happening in their world, develop a biblical opinion about it, and air that opinion with prudence. Admittedly, though, I find something lacking in this procedure. 

What we often lack

It is easy to be misled into thinking that we’re doing enough just because we became aware, had an opinion, posted it on social media, and garnered likes and reactions. Because of the kind of technology at our disposal, we may acquire the delusion of accomplishment just because we got to voice out on social media. 

But a social media post that cries out for justice is not enough. Our opinions are not enough. We need to actually do something to dismantle the evil of illegal drugs in the country and prevent anymore loss of human lives.

Whether you are “pro-” or “anti-Duterte”, I know we agree on one thing. We want the drug problem (and its multifarious and nefarious consequences) over and we want no more Filipinos dying.

This is a societal sickness government and its police force cannot solve on their own. Now more than ever, the church as Christ’s living body in the Philippines must awaken to the truth that we can actually do something to help solve the problem.

BUT HOW, right? Should I volunteer to a crime watch organization? Should I be active in neighborhood junkie crackdowns? Would organizing a vigilante group cut it?

Chill, Norman Osborn.

Here’s how

Actually, I’m talking about evangelism and discipleship. Yes, good old evangelism and discipleship. That simple.

If you’re a Christian who wants to do something about the drug problem, you should really try getting involved in the work of evangelism and discipleship. 

And if your problem is you don’t know how to go about the work of evangelism and discipleship, your first step could be connecting with a church ministry or leader that can train you how to do it.

If every Christian would just get seriously involved in their local church’s evangelism and discipleship efforts, more would be won to the kingdom of Christ. And every soul brought into the kingdom is one less potential drug user in the world. If there are two of them, then make it two less potential drug users in the world. 

If the logic sounds mind-boggling or far-fetched to you, then you must have not yet met people who got saved from heavy drug misuse after finding salvation in Jesus and much needed support from church friends and leaders. OR you must have not yet encountered Christians who fell away from the faith and ended up using drugs.

Whatever battles we face on earth, we must always come from this perspective: Our battle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12); the weapons of our warfare are not of this world (2 Corinthians 10:4); Jesus is the savior and hope of humanity (John 3:16 and basically the whole Bible).

I believe that every Filipino Christian’s diligence in the great work of evangelism and discipleship is also an effort to mitigate the Philippine’s drug problem (and whatever else ails the world). This is work the church should be proud of (in a good way).

Of course, it’s something the world won’t understand and media won’t necessarily report in a breaking news. But this is truth.

Evangelism and discipleship impacts individuals, families, and societies. They accomplish more than posting your opinions on Facebook. I’m not saying we should stop posting them, but we should definitely not stop at just posting them.

We can act now by keeping people away from drugs (and other works of darkness) by showing them eternal life in the kingdom of Christ’s light. That’s your role; that’s my role.

Log out and reach out. Don’t be an armchair justice crusader. We can actually do something by committing our lives to the greatest rescue mission of all: evangelism and discipleship.

[thefuturepastor]

Get in the Zone of Your Calling

Anonymous #1 said: I used to be a Pastor before. But 3 years ago, may nagawa akong malaking pagkakamali sa Lord, sa leadership at sa church so ang ending na DA ako.Buong puso ko nmn tinggap dahil alam ko ngkamali ako at hinarap ko ng buong puso at tapang sa habag ng Lord ang mga lumipas na taon sa kabila ng salimuot at eskandalo.Fast forward today, how will I know if I was really called to be a Pastor, kung sa ngayon I can no longer see myself to be one?minsan kc pakiramdam ko naitulak lang din tlga ko dati. TIA!

Anonymous #2 said: Hi po Pastor Jade. I have question po. I was prophesied to be a pastor just this recent Youth Camp here in Canada. I'm really afraid po kase I don't have deeper knowledge and Hindi ako matalino. I don't speak well in English and I don't have any credentials po. I'm a worship leader in our church and sa youth din po. Madami po ako tanong, takot and doubt sa sarili ko kse sino banaman ako para tawagin ni Lord for pastoring. The Lord confirmed it to me through His word po in Isaiah 43. Yun lng po

Anonymous #3 said: Kuya Jade, I'm also part of the Church Teaching Staff of a Chapter in Area 10. And tumatayo na po ako every month as my initial training. Pero kuya, how will i know if being a pastor is really the Lord's will for me? Lagi po un ang tawag sa akin sa chuch. Pero gusto ko po kasi manggaling mismo sa Lord na ang calling ko ay pastor tlaga ayoko po ung inimpose lang sa akin kasi may nakikita silang talent or nakikita nila even my heart of service to God. How will i know kuya? Thank you po!

For this blog post, I’ll be responding to three different people who basically have one similar question: How do I know and make sure I am really called to be a pastor?

The helpful passage I can immediately think of is Ephesians 4. Here the Apostle Paul talks about unity in the diversity of our gifts and calling in Christ. In verse seven, he sheds light on the nature of God's call for every believer:

“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

My favorite part here is "as Christ apportioned." In the Greek, "apportioned" is "metron". It literally means "measured".

Sa Filipino, puwede nating sabihing, ang mga spiritual gifts na ibibigay sa atin ni Lord ay sukat na sukat ayon sa pagkakagamit na gusto ni Kristo para sa mga buhay natin.

It is Christ who custom-fits our gifts to perfectly suit us to the level of calling He wants for us.

Sakto--walang labis at walang kulang--ang spiritual abilities na ibibigay ni Lord para ma-equip tayong gawin ang pinapagawa Niya.

Based on this verse, we could say that the determination of our calling heavily depends on what Christ has apportioned for us. If a person wants to know if he/she is for the work of pastoring, it must be confirmed to him/her by what Christ has apportioned for him/her.

Kaya napakahalaga ng divine confirmation. It is God who appoints. It is Christ who calls.

Para kay Anonymous #1, praise God dahil napagtagumpayan mo ang pinagdaanan mo. If you want to know if God is calling you back to the pastorate, it must, first and foremost, be a clear and strong conviction in your heart that Christ is calling you back--hindi dahil pinilit ka lang o dahil na-pressure ka lang ng sirkumstansiya.

Remember Ephesians 4:7. Is Christ apportioning the gift of pastoring to you? Do you know this to be true beyond any shadow of doubt--despite your feelings?

These questions can only be answered in the zone of deep communion with Jesus. So get in the zone.

That's step one. From there, God will lead you to situations and people whom He can use to further confirm His call. But the starting point must be your deep communion with Jesus, who Himself apportions the spiritual gift He desires we use for His glory.

Para naman kay Anonymous #2, praise God at nakatanggap ka ng prophetic Word, at nangusap din sa'yo ang Word ni Lord. So ano choosy pa? Gow na! Hahahah jk.

Yes, I understand that you have misgivings about your abilities and level of readiness. Pero ganiyan naman talaga. Lahat nang calling ay mas malaki pa kaysa sa atin; mas malaki kaysa sa kaya mong gawin; mas malaki kaysa sa kaya mong isipin. Dahil ang Diyos natin ay malaki, malaki rin ang kaya Niyang gawin sa pamamagitan ng buhay natin. At talagang hindi natin kaya kung dedepende lang tayo sa sarili natin.

Look at Moses (Exodus 3:11; 4:1; 4:10). Look at Jeremiah (1:6). Ugh, and there’s Gideon--self-confessed mayor of the nine realms of inferiority complex (Judges 6:15). None of these men started out as the mighty men of God they get to be introduced as in Sunday schools. And yet we know them now as mighty men of God.

Stop magnifying your disqualifications. It’s good that you have a healthy awareness of your weaknesses, but never define your future on the basis of your imperfections. Lahat nang bagay, puwedeng mapag-aralan, i-improve, at ipanalangin sa Lord. Ask for God’s grace to shape your heart and enable you to learn what you need to learn to become the pastor he wants you to be (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Of course, improvement also entails working doubly hard to upgrade your skills because God deserves our excellent service.

And finally for Anonymous #3, tama kang dapat kay Lord mismo manggaling ang pagkakatawag mo sa ministry, like I’ve said. Paano mo malalaman? keep on praying for it and preparing for it, and God will lead you it. There’s no fixed formula or systematized method of revelation para malaman mo ito. All you have to discover it is your Bible and your relationship with Christ, who sends His Holy Spirit to guide us.

God bless the three of you as you walk in obedience to God’s call :)

[thefuturepastor]

Is half of a log holy? Is a gold-plated piece of wood that has to be nailed down to keep it from toppling over holy? Is a god that has to be carried by its worshipers holy? Of course not! How can something that is thoroughly continuous with the earth be other than the earth?

John N. Oswalt

[thefuturepastor]

Hello Pas, I just missed hearing from you. It's been a long time since you've posted on your blog, or uploaded a preaching on JIL U-Belt. I just need some encouragement. I hope you remember me. - Nuriel

Hi Nuriel, of course I remember you! Your message prompted me to update my blog again. Sometimes we need some push to get done what needs to get done. You were that push today. Thanks :)

[thefuturepastor]

‘Pag Conflict ang Ministry at Iba pang Part ng Life

Anonymous said: hello pastor jade! i don't find my leader encouraging when it comes to career paths. i am a working student and a minister. i've been struggling to balance my life. i still attend every sunday but there were times that i had to leave the church early to study. is this really wrong? thanks and God bless

As a pastor myself, I always do my best to resist the temptation of presumptuously treating our church leaders and volunteers as having the same level of commitment that I have to the ministry.

I think dapat itong matutunan ng lahat nang church leaders: Do not over-demand from your volunteers because they are volunteers. We shouldn’t assume that the amount of sacrifice they can dedicate to ministry work is same as ours. Yes, there are times when we should challenge them to step up their commitment, but it must be done with great care.

Kay ate/kuya na nagtanong, I’m sorry kung ganiyan ang pinapagdaanan mo sa church ngayon. Subukan mong kausapin ang leader mo at ipaliwanag mo sa kaniya na ang pag-aaral mo ay ministry mo rin. Ipinagkatiwala sa’yo ni Lord (through your parents/guardians) ang academic pursuit mo. It is your divine responsibility to nurture whatever God has placed in your hands and not be negligent about it. Hindi matutuwa si Lord kung super sipag mo nga sa ministry pero super zero ka naman sa quizzes mo, ‘di ba? At may work ka pa pala; kailangan mo nga talagang balansehin ang oras mo.

People have different study habits and study pace. You may try to explain to your leader na ikaw ‘yung tipo ng tao na minsan ay kailangang umuwi agad para mas makapag-aral tuwing Linggo. And maybe you’re not the kind of person whos’ well-suited for multitasking. 

Sa kabilang banda, puwede mo ring tingnan ang posibilidad na baka kaya ka china-challenge ng leader mo na dagdagan pa ang effort/oras/sakripisyo para sa ministry ay baka dahil nakikita niyang may ibubuga ka pa at kaya mo naman. That calls for lots of self-assessment.

Sa mga kapuwa ko leader, maging thankful tayo sa kung anumang kayang ibigay at i-contribute ng volunteers natin. Let us be discerning kung kailan ang tamang panahon para i-challenge sila na mag-stretch at ibigay ang higit sa nasa comfort level nila. If you know in your spirit that a leader under you is ready for greater responsibility, be sure to lay it down gradually and with plenty of support, encouragement, and supervision from you. Makakatulong na alam niyang nandiyan ang presensiya mo para suportahan at gabayan siya.

Pero kung talagang kailangan nilang umuwi kaagad tuwing Linggo para mas makapag-aral, hayaan natin sila at ipag-pray nating maging successful ang pag-aaral nila.

‘Wag nating isiping sa church ministry setting lang sila puwedeng mag-grow at makapaglingkod kay Lord. Let us view our flocks’ place of work and study as their harvest field. If we would successfully share with them this perspective, we would help them see that all of life is ministry. And because they know from us that all of life is ministry, we would be secure and assured that whether they’re in the church building or not, their always on ministry mode--to their friends, family, and the rest of the world.

Sa nagtanong, I hope magkaroon kayo ng pagkakaunawaan ng leader mo. ‘Pag hindi effective ang maayos na usapan, kantahin mo sa kaniya ang “Hindi Ako si Darna” by Jenine Desiderio :P Ito, aralin mo :)

Sa baba naman ang videoke version lol :D

God bless :D

[thefuturepastor]

#OUFB: Our Ulam For Biyernes Santo

Anonymous said: Pas, di rin po kayo kumakain ng meat kapag holy week? Di po kasi pinapakain ni mama.

Kumakain. Hehe. But for today we’re having shrimp, oysters, and fish for our meals here at home.

Okay lang naman if you don't eat meat (pork and/or beef) during Lent, but know why you don't eat and make sure you'll do it for the right reason. As far as the Bible is concerned, though, there are no regulations for what should or should not be eaten during Lent. The only biblical ordinance for commemorating Christ’s death is the Lord’s Supper.

Most people who identify with the Roman Catholic faith abstain from meat particularly during Good Friday as a form of remembering His Passion. Meat is delicious and is a staple for celebrations, so, I suppose, avoiding any appearance of merriment or pleasure-seeking is the Roman Catholic rationale for meat abstinence during this season.

Because the foundation of this practice is mainly human-instituted tradition, any person on the face of the Earth has no obligation before God to abstain from meat during Holy Week (which as of this moment is at an unholy temperature high--ang inet!!).

Wala namang masama kung susundin mo ang parents mo for the sake of honoring them as your parents. Basta hindi dapat labag sa kalooban mo ang ginagawa mo. Just know in your heart that it is not what enters (or does not enter) the mouth that pleases/displeases God, but instead what comes out of it.

The best way to cherish Christ is obedience to His Word.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments... If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.” John 14:15, 23, 24

This is not to say that fasting and abstinence are useless. They are greatly useful in nurturing spirituality. But we would be wise to take caution not letting ourselves get too caught up in tradition and ultimately lose the more essential fire of living out our love and affection for Christ beyond the demands of religious traditions. Fasting and abstinence must accomplish within us a deeper work: intimacy and conformity with God (Isaiah 58).

Gusto lang din kitang i-commend sa pagtatanong mo. Tama ‘yan, dapat nagtatanong tayo kung bakit natin ginagawa ang mga ginagawa natin--hindi ‘yung sunod lang tayo nang sunod sa mga established authority. ‘Di ko naman sinasabing magrebelde tayo. Mas ma-e-enlighten lang talaga tayo sa pananampalataya natin kapag alam natin kung bakit natin pinapaniwalaan ang mga pinapaniwalaan natin at ginagawa ang mga ginagawa natin. In short, ginalingan mo. 

Osha kakaen pa ‘ko ng lechon. Sa Biyernesanto?!?!?

Haha, I mean kakaen pa ko ng pangat na chabeta. Sherep!

**********

Comments? Questions? Suggestions? You may send them here. I can’t guarantee replies, though, as my life can be a wild mix of numerous responsibilities. Thanks for reading :)

[thefuturepastor]

May I know po your teaching about Godhead? Father, Son and Holy Ghost? Are they literally one or Trinity? Thanks and Godbless!

Trinity all the way, baby.

[thefuturepastor]

MU ko o calling ko?

Hello po Pastor Jade, Matagal na po ako tinatawag ng Lord sa calling niya but mas inuna ko po ang school works, leadership sa organization and to try na magkaroon ng MU. Tapos na po ako sa studies & now working. God wants me to surrender everything to Him pati na rin po yung taong ka MU ko at sundin po ang nais niyang ipagawa sa akin. I tell it to her na baka hindi pa right time and my calling and ayaw po niya. Ano po ang dapat kong gawin at iexplain sakanya? Thank you po and God Bless you :)

School works + org + MU? Ginalingan po niya. May nanalo na :D

If you mean matagal ka nang tinatawag ni Lord (since student days mo pa) pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi ka sumusunod sa kaniya, naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku naku.

You are missing a lot of blessings that come with a life that's defined by obedience to God. Sumunod ka kay Lord. At dahil nagtatanong ka sa akin ng mga ganiyang bagay, I think isang indication 'yan na sa kaibuturan ng puso mo ay naghuhumiyaw ang kagustuhang sumunod kay Lord.

But it's not enough that our hearts cry out for obedience to God. We must ACTUALLY obey God.

To actually obey God is to actually cut off ties with things that actually prevent us from actually walking in the way of Jesus. Actually, 'yan ang meaning ng repentance. Remember the rich, young ruler? He knew the commandments but failed to ACTUALLY obey.

Sana 'wag mangyari sa'yo ang nangyari sa kaniya. Alam niya kung ano ang dapat gawin pero hindi niya actually ginawa.

Kung talagang malinaw sa’yo na pinapa-give up na ni Lord si MU, ask the Lord to give you the strength to endure the pain of giving that person up. The detachment will be painful, pero mapapagtagumpayan mo ‘yan sa tulong ng Holy Spirit.

Ano ang sasabihin mo sa kaniya? The truth, no matter how painful, will set both of you free. Ipag-pray mo mabuti kay Lord kung anong mga salita ang gagamitin mo at paano mo sasabihin sa kaniya. Tsaka ang tagal n’yo nang MU ah, anyare? ‘Di kasi healthy ang MU na relationship. Dapat malinaw ang terms ng relationship ninyo.

Last February, I preached a message on surrendering to God things we find difficult to surrender. I would like to share this message with you, and I hope it would somehow help your heart obey the Lord’s voice.

**********

Comments? Questions? Suggestions? You may send them here. I can’t guarantee replies, though, as my life can be a wild mix of numerous responsibilities. Thanks for reading :)

[thefuturepastor]

Maraming bagay ang pwedeng magpalungkot sa'yo pero may nag-iisang bagay na totoo at pwede mong paghugutan ng lakas at pag-asa. Christ will ultimately avenge the victimized and heal the hurting. Napapahanap ka na rin ba minsan kay Hustisya? Daming naghahanap niyan. Kung wala talaga, tandaan mo na ang lahat nang mga nanakit ay haharap sa paghuhukom ng Diyos. I had actually almost forgotten that this is one of my favorite Hillsong songs and also one of my favorite songs about the "Apocalypse" (not the X-Men villain, k? I mean what we commonly refer to as the end of the world or the return of Christ). I particularly like the verse saying, "In this life I will stand / Through my joy and my pain / Knowing there's a greater day / There's a hope that never fails." Every joyful and painful experience that's of this world is temporary. There's a higher reality you can believe in and live in. 'Yun ay ang realidad na mahal ka ng Diyos, gusto Niyang ayusin ang buhay mo, at Siya lang ang nag-iisang tunay na pag-asa mo.

[thefuturepastor]

#Canada is an experience I'll forever look back to and feel grateful for because of the people who made my mission there possible and unforgettable. This photo reminds me of Psalm 18:33, "He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights." Actually, I couldn't stand on that mountain height because of lula haha. But you get the point, hehe. Merong mga steps sa buhay na nakakalula, nakakatisod, nakaka-sprain, nakakapagod, pero 'pag kasama mo si Lord sigurado kang tama ang nilalakaran mo. And if you make missteps along the way, His grace will help you get back on track. If God is with you in step 1, you can withstand all the other steps that will ensue--no matter how unexpected. Lakad lang nang lakad, takbo lang nang takbo, panik lang nang panik kasama si Lord! Kaya mo yern. 😁 (at Mount Whistler, BC, Canada)

[thefuturepastor]

Behind us are PLM students who just had an encounter with Jesus. They will never be the same again! Congrats to KKB PLM and everyone who helped. Blessed to fight for the Kingdom alongside the passionate, fearless people you all are! #KKB #paskosapamantasan #KKBPLM (at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila)

[thefuturepastor]

Super Sunday at the JIL U-Belt Encounter! Thirty-six new baptisms, 36 new confessions that Jesus is Lord! 😊 #worthyofmynovember27

[thefuturepastor]

Ang bigat na ba ng mundo mo? It only takes one encounter with Jesus for everything to change. Let Him cut off every chain that connects you to a dark and messed up life. He can forgive your sins and release you to a life free from the heaviness of the past. "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36).

[thefuturepastor]

Ang ‘malungkot’ na Noli De Castro-Kylie Verzosa interview

We can liken Noli De Castro's now-infamous interview with Ms International 2016 Kylie Verzosa to a Marvel movie wherein we have stopped talking about the movie itself because the epilogue--which came out of nowhere and without warning and at the very very end of the movie--shocked dead our concept of a happy ending. Ito ‘yun mga bes:

Indeed, people have stopped talking about the interview, they have begun raging mad about it (or at least about the "epilogue"). Paano naman kasi, sinabihan ni Kabayan Noli si Kylie na, "Ang lungkot niyan," dahil wala siyang love life. Eh ang daming naka-relate kay Kylie na zero love life din pero hindi sila malungkot, ayun na-online kuyog tuloy ang former vice president natin.

Thanks to Kabayan Noli, Kylie has a newfound advocacy: Ang itaguyod ang niyuyurakang reputasyon ng mga single.

I guess what's most cringe-worthy about the incident is the more Kabayan Noli tries to correct his error and placate the not-visibly-irritated interviewee, the more he sinks in the quicksand of embarrassment he dug for himself. By the time the interview ended, the nation is given a grand total of three lessons we ought to remember about being single, courtesy of the 24-year-old beauty queen.

1. Hindi malungkot maging single

Sabihin mo ‘yan sa sarili mo 10x a day para magkatotoo. Hahahahah :D

Ganito kasi ‘yun. May ibang category ng kasiyahan sa pagiging single at may ibang category din ng kasiyahan sa pagiging committed or married na. May mga bagay na na-e-enjoy ng mga single na ‘di na na-e-enjoy ng mga taong in a relationship. Ganoon din naman ang mga taong committed na, may na-e-enjoy sila na mahiwagang misteryo na lang muna para sa’ting mga single.

Pero isa ang sigurado: Kung alam mo ang kahalagahan mo kay Kristo, ‘di magiging malungkot ang buhay mo dahil lang wala kang ka-text ng Kumain ka na? Nag-breakfast ka na? Uwian mo na? Natanong ko na ba mga routinary questions ng relationship natin para 'di ka ma-insecure? (Haha sorry na.)

Worth and happiness are not solely determined by one’s relationship status. Instead, fulfilling God’s call for your life is the ultimate barometer of whether or not you are actually going to live a joyful and satisfied life.

Hindi malungkot maging single kung sa panahong single ka ay ginagawa mo ang calling ni Lord sa buhay mo para sa partikular na panahong ‘yan.

Magiging malungkot lang ang pagiging single kung puwede ka namang mag-asawa na at pinagtutulakan ka na ni Lord mag-asawa pero ‘di mo pa rin inaaksyunan.

Unfortunately, it is a widespread belief that being single, regardless of a person’s personal circumstances, is misery. Unfortunately, Kabayan Noli becomes in the interview a purveyor of that unfortunate perspective.

Like I’ve said before, and I quote myself (haha): “Because someone is unmarried does not mean that he/she is pathetic. So maybe we should stop poking them with questions like ‘Kelan ka mag-aasawa?’ Wala ngang bf/gf tapos tatanungin kung kelan ikakasal?”

Of course, the Bible describes marriage as a bringer of unique bliss. But this doesn’t mean that single people are doomed to walk down the moribund valley of sadness. There are many ways to discover life’s joys God uniquely designed for every individual. One of them could be winning a beauty pageant. 

2. Hindi kailangang may manligaw sa’yo just to validate your worth

Heto na nga, sinermonan na ni Kylie si Kabayan Noli. In fairness to our ex-VP, he tried to make amends for his sin by trying to show millions of Filipinos on live TV that Kylie may not have a boyfriend but she may be a happy person after all because she has suitors “of course!”

Eh kaso wala! So ayun nag-fail ang attempt na makabawi :(((((

Women, don’t be affected by the common opinion of society that having suitors is the meaning of life. Or that those who have suitors are of a higher grade of femininity compared to you. Womanhood is in itself a gift from God (so is manhood) that can be used for His glory even without its worth having to be validated by the number of suitors your womanhood has attracted over the years.

Oo, may kakaibang kilig at enerhiyang dala ang pagkakaroon ng mga manliligaw. Pero ‘di natin diyan dapat sukatin ang kagandahan mo bilang tao at babaeng nilkha ng Diyos para sa kapurihan niya.

Kung wala ka pang manliligaw ngayon, darating din ‘yan. Awa ng Diyos. (”Awa” talaga ang term.) In the mean time, nurture the relationships you have right now, :)

3. Hindi kailangang maging achiever para ma-validate ang worth ng isang babae

Aside from the customary congratulations, the last words of this interview are the painful “Ngayon dadami na.”

At this point we are given the impression that there didn’t use to have any reason for courting Kylie. But now that she has been crowned Miss International, men finally have at least one reason to want to be her boyfriend.

It’s amazing how in less than a minute, we were bombarded by perspectives on singleness and womanhood that are plainly wrong. It is possible that Kabayan Noli merely stated the reality that the world typically assigns more value on women who are achievers than women who live less hyped-up lives. As a broadcaster, though, I think he should have been more responsible in not highlighting that deplorably reigning mindset.

Walang masama sa excellence. Pero ‘wag sana natin sukatin ang kahalagahan ng isa laban sa isa pa dahil sa magkaiba nilang levels ng achievement sa buhay.

Ladies, please know that the Bible exalts women of character over women of excellent achievements. And if gentlemen are to look for a girlfriend/wife, I would recommend that character be the number one criteria. To assign more value on women because they have more prominent achievements is cruel. Women are already precious as they are.

In conclusion...

I hope Noli de Castro redeems himself someday somehow. ‘Yan lang naman maco-conclude ko.

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