Dear Friends and Ministry Partners,
We are delighted to share with you the Lord’s work through ECPM:
“Team’s Vision and Goals Refined”
Last 23-25 March the 2nd training modules was hosted by Guiuan Christian Fellowship in Eastern Samar. The team presented their vision and goal for the work in Catbalogan City. We helped the team refined their vision and goal to become more vivid and understandable of what they wanted to happen on their target mission site in two-year period. The team’s vision: “A local assembly in Guinsorongan that influences the community by the transforming power of the Gospel.” Their goal for 2 years: “To have at least 24 baptized and maturing believers who are serving and worshipping God as a local assembly at the end of December 2009. The team expressed their excitement and asking for our prayers for God leads them to achieve such vision for the glory of his name.
FILM SHOWING: Still an Effective Way to Proclaim the GospelThe Linao team in Palawan intensified their evangelism activities in their target community amongst the indigenous tribal group. Aside from having more than 60 individuals who already signified their interest to the “christian faith,” they held another evangelistic effort through film showing which draw huge numbers of attendance far above their expectations. After the film showing, a mother with a two-year old daughter got my attention and approached her. She shared that her daughter was hospitalized 4 times within one-month period because of the reocurrence of a disease caused by poor source of potable water in their village. Pray that this basic need of these unprivileged folks will be provided soon. Pray for the efficient follow up for these contacts. Also the team is considering to conduct water baptism in the next couple of months for the early converts. Pray also for the partnering church that is actively helping the team in leading Home Bible studies.
“Cell group as starting point”
The Himamaylan team is planning to start a cell group for evangelism purposes soon. This is how they see to reach out the target community folks. The team is also considerering the possibility of organizing young people to attract this age group for the Gospel. Pray that this plan will yeild spiritual fruit.
We are delighted to share with you the Lord’s work through ECPM:
“Team’s Vision and Goals Refined”
Last 23-25 March the 2nd training modules was hosted by Guiuan Christian Fellowship in Eastern Samar. The team presented their vision and goal for the work in Catbalogan City. We helped the team refined their vision and goal to become more vivid and understandable of what they wanted to happen on their target mission site in two-year period. The team’s vision: “A local assembly in Guinsorongan that influences the community by the transforming power of the Gospel.” Their goal for 2 years: “To have at least 24 baptized and maturing believers who are serving and worshipping God as a local assembly at the end of December 2009. The team expressed their excitement and asking for our prayers for God leads them to achieve such vision for the glory of his name.
FILM SHOWING: Still an Effective Way to Proclaim the GospelThe Linao team in Palawan intensified their evangelism activities in their target community amongst the indigenous tribal group. Aside from having more than 60 individuals who already signified their interest to the “christian faith,” they held another evangelistic effort through film showing which draw huge numbers of attendance far above their expectations. After the film showing, a mother with a two-year old daughter got my attention and approached her. She shared that her daughter was hospitalized 4 times within one-month period because of the reocurrence of a disease caused by poor source of potable water in their village. Pray that this basic need of these unprivileged folks will be provided soon. Pray for the efficient follow up for these contacts. Also the team is considering to conduct water baptism in the next couple of months for the early converts. Pray also for the partnering church that is actively helping the team in leading Home Bible studies.“Cell group as starting point”
The Himamaylan team is planning to start a cell group for evangelism purposes soon. This is how they see to reach out the target community folks. The team is also considerering the possibility of organizing young people to attract this age group for the Gospel. Pray that this plan will yeild spiritual fruit.
Personal Matters. Thank you for your prayers.
My health is quite stable at this point.
My two months medication for my 2 kidney stones has satisfactory positive implications.
Continue to pray for my responsibilities at ECPM which oftentimes stressed me out. Our very lean staff caused me to travel frequently and to directly deal problems of 5 church planting sites.
Pray for the health of my family. My wife and I are enjoying the times with our growing children though sometimes we are running out of patience especially with our teenage daughter. Because (we suppose) she is on the transition period of her adolescence stage. And she couldn’t get along with her two brothers who are very much younger than her.
Other Area of Concerns for Prayers:
1. I invited someone from one of the assemblies here for a part time work at ECPM to augment
our need for pastoral care person and for regular facilitator in our training modules. Pray for
his sponsorship to fund for his salary on part time commitment.
2. We are praying to start by next month two colleges or universities to establish campus
ministry and to train campus ministry teams. We already received invitations from two
assemblies. Pray for the possible sponsorship of these two campus outreaches.
3. We are praying for the growth of our sponsorship source for the support of our administrative
operations including financial support for ECPM staff. We are also considering to buy a copying
machine which is necessary for the reproduction of our training materials. We are conducting
training modules almost on a monthly basis.
Your prayers and active partnership in the ministry of reaping the harvest encourage us much!
By His amazing grace,
Elvin T. Buenviaje
Exec. Director, Empowered Christian in Partnership & Ministries (ECPM)
Formerly Emmaus Church Planting Ministries, Philippines
http://www.ecpmph.blogspot.com/
PS. For more updated photos of the activities and ministries mentioned above, you can visit my personal blog site: http://www.elvinbuen.multiply.com/. I encourage you to make comments and/or write responses as you visit
