Tuesday, July 26, 2011

JKKCC Second Half of the Year Activities

As we are now at the second half of the year, kindly pray for the following activities of the Jesus King of Kings Community Church (JKKCC):

1. August 26 - Day Care Ministry Family Day - A time for families of the kids who attend the Day Care to gather for a time of fun, encouragement, learning and fellowship.

2. August 27 - Market Day (Batang Krayola) - Our goal is to teach street children the value of participating in any activities they are involved in so that they will actively do so in real life situations whether it is done in their family, school, church or community.

3. September 23-24 - Bible Seminar - Our main objectives are: 1. Encourage members to a deeper study of the Bible; 2. Rejuvenate the spirit of each church member; 3.  Push members to “apply what they have been studying”; 4. To expose members to other environment/speaker/church/ministry.

4. October 15 - Hygiene Day - To promote good health and proper hygiene among the street children and their families.

5. October 22 - Jericho March - To pray for a community so that we can effectively reach them with the Gospel of Christ and at the same time be sensitive to the Lord on how we can minister to the people.

6. October 31 - November 9 - UK Mission Trip - 8 Filipino young people will go to Luton, England in partnership with Stospley Baptist Church for a mission exposure trip.

7. November 4 & 5 - Prayer and Fasting

8. December 9 - Day Care Christmas Party 

9. December 18 - Church Christmas Party

10. Every Last Sunday of the month - Missions Sunday

Monday, July 25, 2011

Word for this Sunday - Forty

Forty
by Joshua Benavidez

Exactly 40 years ago, God brought me in to this world.  So I decided to look for the significance of the number forty in the Bible.  Here’s what I found:


1. The Flood during Noah’s time

(Genesis 7:4)  Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made."

(Genesis 7:12)  And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.

2. Isaac’s age when he married Rebekah

(Gen 25:20)  and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.

3. The number of days for Jacob’s embalming

(Genesis 50:3)  taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

4. God fed the Israelites manna for forty years

(Exodus 16:35)  The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.

5. For this number of days and nights, Moses stayed on the mountain the first time he received the 10 commandments

(Exodus 24:18)  Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

(Exodus 34:28) Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant--the Ten Commandments.

6. Moses sent 12 spies and they spent 40 days to explore the whole land

(Numbers 13:25)  At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.

7. Because of the people’s disobedience, God proclaimed that for forty years, they will wander in the desert

(Numbers 14:34)  For forty years--one year for each of the forty days you explored the land--you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.'

8. The writing of the Ten Commandments the second time around

(Deutronomy 10:10) Now I had stayed on the mountain forty days and nights, as I did the first time, and the LORD listened to me at this time also. It was not his will to destroy you.

9. The number of soldiers who crossed over for the conquest of Jericho

(Joshua 4:13) About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for war.

10. The age of Caleb when the Lord has chosen him to be one of the twelve spies

(Joshua 14:7) I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,

11. The number of years Eli served as the High Priest of Israel

(1 Samuel 4:18) When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had led Israel forty years.

12. The number of days Goliath mocked the armies of Israel

(1 Samuel 17:16) For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.

13. The Kings who served for forty years

   a. David – (2 Samuel 5:4) David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.

   b. Solomon – (1 Kings 11:42) Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.

   c. Joash – (2 Kings 12:1) In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother's name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.

14. Elijah traveled forty days and forty nights to reach Horeb after fleeing from Jezebel

(1 Kings 19:8) So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.


15. The number of days that Jesus fasted

(Matthew 4:2) After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

(Mark 1:13) and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

(Luke 4:2) where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

16. After resurrecting from the dead, Jesus spent 40 days on earth before finally ascending to heaven

(Acts 1:3) After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Touch Trips Thursday - Reliving the EPIC Days

EPIC (Mission Exchange Program)
Partnership Between YM and Stopsley Baptist Church

Batch 3 - 2006
Participants: Andrew Suarez and Mackie Custodio






Batch 1 - 2004
Participants: Rodel Anisor, Jason Agana and Che-Che Torredes






Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Meet the YM Team - Tin Tin Ramos (JKKCC Secretary and Day Care Center Teacher)

The Testimony of Ma. Christina Ramos (Tin Tin)


Hi! I'm Tin Tin and I'm 19 years old. I live in Makati, Philippines and I am a full-time worker of Jesus King of Kings Community Church. I've been serving God for two years now.

Before I came to know the Lord, I was a member of a street gang in Makati. Due to the many irregular activities I did as part of being a member of the street gang, at the age of 14, I already had a daughter. I got pregnant because of having a boyfriend who was twice my age.  I was only 12 then and he was already 24.  He took advantage of my innocence and when our daughter turned 3 months old, he left us for no reason at all.  Up to now I still don’t know why he left.

But even before that, a very bad incident happen to me.  When I was just 11 years old, I was kidnapped.  Those five men who kidnapped me forced me to use drugs.  When I refused, they stabbed me twice on my back. For almost 1 month I didn't eat nor drink any water.  Until now, I couldn’t understand how I survived that ordeal. 

It was only through the goodness of a person that I was able to eat.  A jeepney driver saw me walking aimlessly one day.  It was after I was able to escape my kidnappers.  He offered me a ride and then he gave something to eat and drink.

Then a store owner recognized me and informed my aunt where they can find me.  So my aunt and parents went to the place they were told. As soon as they found me, they saw that I was bleeding, so they brought me to a hospital.

I never realized then that those were miracles.  That even though my heart was far from God, He was already at work in my life.  Only when I surrendered my life to Jesus that it became clear to me how He had saved me during my darkest hours.

But even after recovering from that bad experience, I didn’t change my ways.  In fact, I became worse than before.  I started drinking and smoking.  My life was literally spent with the street gang.

Then one day, a missionary from Canada invited me to a Bible Study at their house.  I attended regularly not only the Bible study but also church worship service. I even volunteered in their kids’ ministry.  When our family transferred to a new house, I stopped attending the Bible study and church worship service.  Because of not having any fellowship, I went back to drinking and smoking.

Then, the same missionary came one day when we were practicing for a school presentation.  He invited me again.  I attended although I felt so guilty inside because of the bad things I did.  I attended regularly again but that time, I started asking who Jesus really is in my life.  I finally invited Him in to my heart and surrendered everything to Him.

I also started praying for His purpose for my life.  It became clear to me that He wants me to serve Him through the kids’ ministry of our church.  After many months of being a volunteer, I decided to become a full-time staff of our church.  I became the church secretary and at the same time, one of the teachers of our Day Care Ministry.

I really love to teach children because I want them to become strong men and women of God someday. I love to serve the Lord through the children, and I want to show them the blessings that God has given me. I know for sure that these children will be great leaders in the future!

Aside from being the church secretary, I am also part of the worship team.  I play the guitar and keyboards. Also, currently, I enrolled in a Bible School to further enhance and develop my understanding of the Bible, the church and its ministries. It really helps me a lot especially in doing my ministry and I learn a lot about God.  I want to know him more and I want to share it to others. 


Tin Tin serves as the secretary of Jesus King of Kings Community Church and at the same time as one of the teachers of the Day Care Center ministry.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

JKKCC Update - From a Discipleship Program to a Bible School

Jesus King of Kings Community Church Update
The Bible School Launching

Jesus King of Kings Community Church (JKKCC) recently launched its newest project - a Bible School.  About 15 students came to attend the overnight Bible Camp last May 16-17 which served as the opening activity for the Bible School.  The said activity was used to stir interest and encourage participants to go deeper in their study of the Bible.

BIBLE CAMP PICS:



The Bible School is another project of JKKCC's CE Director, Mackie Custodio.  It is a dream culminating from a discipleship program he started many years ago called Be-E which is short for "Be Enlightened; Be Empowered; Be Equipped".  Now the church is realizing that dream.  Last July 12, the classes officially started with 8 students attending 5 different subjects namely: Lead Like Jesus, Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, Principles of Teaching & Bible & Its Interpretation.  

Moreover, the said subjects are offered for free so that members of the church who really want to go deeper in their understanding of the Word of God but is being hindered by financial constraint can attend.  Teachers currently are serving for free but church leaders are praying that a time will come when the church can give love gifts to the teachers.  Teachers include Bible school graduates and students namely: Anne Benavidez, who is currently taking her masters in missions in Asian Theological Seminary (she finished Christian Education in Philippine Baptist Theological School in Baguio); Pastor Junie Antinero (finished a certificate course Southern Baptist School of Theology [SBST]); while Mackie Custodio and Kristofer Purificacion are still studying in SBST.  

All classes are in the afternoon from Tuesday to Friday.  Presently, the third floor of the Christ to the World Christian Church is being used as the class room.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Beautiful Part 2 By Chuck Keortge

Beautiful

Beauty is commonly trivialized in our culture, reduced to decoration, equated to the meaninglessness of words like pretty and nice.  But beauty is not an add-on; it is not an extra; it is not what we look for when we have a break from necessity.  Beauty is fundamental.

It is fundamental to catching our attention:

A classic example is marketing of automobiles.  Almost never is a $40,000 car advertised as practical.  Indeed, almost always it is accompanied by an attractive young woman next to the most luxurious model, photographed in some elegant setting.  The future of an entire industry triple-dipping at the fountain of beauty.

I suppose that is why my wife makes me buy used cars.

But it is fundamental in much more important ways.

Beauty is the evidence of and witness to the inherent wholeness and goodness of things.  It is life in excess of what we can manage or make on our own.  Beauty arrives through a sustained and adorational attentiveness to what is there: a rock, a flower, a face, a rustle in the trees, a storm crashing through the mountains, the sound of a stream, the glow of the moon. The generosity of a stranger.  The faithfulness of a friend.  The love of God.

Without the strong understanding of the holy and the beautiful we often give in to common misunderstanding:

Holy is to bland what beautiful is to trivial.

Holy is to boring what beautiful is to pretentious.

But a true understanding of holy would help us to understand that it is far from bland and boring.  It is not goodness in a straight jacket, truth drained of mystery.  It is not a nick-knack angel on a shelf watching over us as we sleep.  Holiness does not make men and women smaller so they can use God in convenient doses.  Instead is makes them larger so he can give out life through them, extravagantly, spontaneously, powerfully, dangerously.

Just as dark is the absence of light and hunger is caused by the absence of food, could it be that ugly is the absence of beauty?

A scripture uses beauty and holiness together.  Mankind seems to have followed by connecting ugly and evil.

Beautiful
  
The ugly fills us with dread, confusion, despair, and fear and focuses on survival, saving ourselves at any cost.  It seems to be the theme of much fiction.

The beautiful draws us close.  It fills us with awe, with wonder, with comfort and with hope. It motivates us to want to share it with others.  Is it strange that it is the theme of Scripture?

Seldom do we call our best friend and say, “This is so dreadful, painful, and chaotic I wish you could be here with me to enjoy it.”

Much of current culture presses us to pay for the privilege of sharing in horror, violence, chaos, and despair by calling it entertainment, art, or music.  We may join in this by calling the ugly, good and the beautiful, trite.  We may give silent approval by not holding out for something better. We may play a part by not encouraging, applauding, and supporting those whose talent is clouded by self-doubt.

Often it seems no different than paving the poppy fields or using the Grand Canyon as a land fill and calling these acts an award winning reality show.

May we who celebrate the name of Jesus take care that what we say and sing; all that we do for work and play; and what we purposefully and casually create and appreciate, be beautiful.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

BK Saturday - Educational Assistance Program Part 2 (School Supplies Distribution)

Last May 29, 2011, a few days before the opening of the new school year here in Manila, we distributed uniforms, shoes, socks, bags and other school supplies we bought for the beneficiaries of the Batang Krayola (BK) Educational Assistance Program sponsored by Extreme Response Canada.  Here are some photos:
















Training Day Friday - Missions Camp

Windows YP Missions Camp
May 2-4, 2011
New Tribes School of Missions
Dinalupihan, Bataan



PLENARY SESSION:


PRAISE AND WORSHIP


DIVIDED WORKSHOPS



SMALL GROUPS
 


TEAM BUILDING EXERCISES



BONFIRE


GIVING OF CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION


WINDOWS YP 2011 PARTICIPANTS