Reaching New Campuses and Communities in New Cities Together

Reaching New Campuses and Communities in New Cities Together

One foot on the campus, one foot on the community— this has always been our heart as we plant more churches in more cities together.

What started as a call to serve a campus or community has turned into church locations all because of the power of the gospel at work in people’s lives. To date, we now have 101 churches with 128 congregations present in 46 provinces across the Philippines.

Ultimately, only Jesus has the power to change lives and transform our nation.

Invite your family and friends to join us in our weekend services in these new locations!



Victory Pulilan
Merryland Pavillion, Pulilan, Bulacan
Sundays 10 a.m.


Victory Coron
Sunlight Hotel, Coron-Busuanga Road, Brgy. Tagumpay, Coron
Sundays 10 a.m.



Victory Rosario Batangas
Barangay A, Poblacion, Rosario, Batangas
Sundays 9 & 11 a.m.


Victory Sta. Mesa
Cinema 4, SM City Sta. Mesa, Manila
Sundays 9 & 11 a.m.


Let’s declare open doors, more workers, and God’s Spirit to empower us to bring the gospel to more cities.

Future Leaders Ignited to Change the World

 

We’re gearing up for the new school year! Over the break, we invited our students to come together, through our leaders’ and youth camps across the country. These gatherings become a key milestone in their faith journey and build strong relationships within the church community. 

 

FAITH

Student camps highlight God’s love for young people. During the sessions, they understood the depth of God’s love for them and others, prompting them to live in a way that honors Him.

 

 

FUN

These fun and unforgettable moments help foster a strong sense of community among the young people, encouraging them that they are not alone in their walk with God.

 

 

CHURCH FAMILY

They had a meaningful time building stronger and more purposeful relationships with one another. May these relationships deepen through continuous shared lives, accountability, and encouragement.

 

 

As they go back to the campus, may their burning passion for Jesus compel them to tell others about His great love! May God use them to be catalysts for change in our nation.

 

 

We thank all our volunteers and the rest of our church community for making all these possible. Together, let’s continue to change the campus, and change the world!

Prophets, Priests, and Politics: A Theological Reflection on God’s Redemptive Power and the Church’s Calling

Prophets, Priests, and Politics: A Theological Reflection on God’s Redemptive Power and the Church’s Calling

By Pastor Gilbert Foliente

As pastors and shepherds of God’s flock, we believe we are accountable to God for what we spiritually feed the church. We understand that as James 3:1 says, Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. As such, we carry the role of spiritual fathers in the fear of the Lord (1 Corinthians 4:15), and we take this responsibility to equip every member and leader in our church seriously.

In the last few weeks, we have received many reactions and responses to the online prayer meetings and social media posts of Victory Ortigas. On September 4, we released a message and apologized to our Victory family about the lack of sensitivity and discretion of these posts. One of the responses, in particular, was an opinion piece published on Rappler offering a stinging critique on this issue. It was entitled “Praying with Harry Roque,” written by Jayeel Cornelio and Rico Villanueva. The authors argued that by praying with Roque, President Duterte’s spokesperson, Victory, “whether they admit it or not, took sides . . . [T]he wrong side.” Though our church was not mentioned by name, we know this is an allusion to us.

After reading this well-crafted and impassioned critique, we felt compelled to respond for two reasons. First, Cornelio and Villanueva are prominent scholars and public intellectuals who have made a strong claim that is worth engaging in the public sphere. Second, while we humbly receive portions of their critique, we were troubled by several problematic theological assumptions that undergirded their argument. Since it put our theology in question, as shepherds of God’s flock, our Bishops Council finds it necessary for us to respond.

Nonpartisan?

Before I engage Cornelio and Villanueva’s arguments, I would like to offer a bit of historical context to this discussion. First, as mentioned in Victory’s official comments, the online prayer meeting with Secretary Roque was the second installment of a two-week series of prayer meetings that included prayer with and for members of both the administration and the opposition. Cornelio and Villanueva failed to mention this important detail either because they didn’t know or because this bit of context dampened the force of their argument about taking sides.

Second, Victory has a longstanding practice of not endorsing (or condemning) political candidates during election cycles. This decades-long practice has earned us much criticism over the years for refusing to take sides in partisan politics. In many ways, Cornelio and Villanueva’s critique of Victory’s disciplined silence from the pulpit on political matters has been leveled many times against us over the years. Put simply, they say that by not “speaking truth to power” (at least on Twitter) and by associating with the “oppressor” (whether in a prayer meeting or public event), we have taken a side—the wrong one.

Finally, though Victory does not issue official statements on national, political, and social issues, we have in the last few decades been an active member of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, the largest representation of the body of Christ, which does issue statements on these matters. Not only are we in consonance with PCEC’s theological perspectives with regard to national issues, our bishops have at times been consulted in the development of these statements.

God is for the Weak (and the Strong?)

Now I will address the foundational premise of Cornelio and Villanueva’s argument: that God “takes the side of the weak and the vulnerable.”

I couldn’t agree more.

As they state, the Bible is filled with evidence that the God of Israel is a God of the poor and the oppressed, the alien and the widow. Where I depart from Cornelio and Villanueva is their seemingly logical yet problematic assertion that “God never takes the side of those who oppress the poor.”

As support for their bold assertion, Cornelio and Villanueva offer an example from the prophet Jeremiah where God tells him not to pray for those who abuse the poor because He will not listen (Jeremiah 7:16). This is indeed compelling evidence to support this claim, but this evidence alone does not prove that God never takes the side of the powerful.

Take, for example, the Assyrians—a textbook case of an oppressive empire. Though the people of Israel were oppressed by the Assyrians, God sent the prophet Jonah to preach to the Assyrians. Jonah assumed that his job as a prophet was to “speak truth to power” and to cry out for judgment, but much to his disappointment, the Assyrians repented and God showed them mercy. And Jonah was put in the awkward position of shifting from prophet to priest—from praying against the Assyrians to praying for them and perhaps even with them.

Consider Cornelius, a Roman centurion and a symbol of the oppressive Roman military occupation of Jewish Palestine. Though we might assume that God was on the side of the oppressed Jewish people, in Acts 10, God disrupts Peter’s tribalism and his understandable cultural enmity towards the Romans and sends him to preach the gospel to his oppressor. Peter reluctantly obeyed and was surprised by the Holy Spirit when Cornelius and his entire family received the gospel and baptism without becoming Jewish (or switching sides). What is particularly striking about this story is that we hear nothing about Peter correcting Cornelius’ problematic political affiliations and positions before welcoming him into the community of disciples in Caesarea. Interestingly, the real controversy came when Peter returned to his own tribe who faulted him for transgressing sacred ethnocultural and political barriers. In other words, the Jews in Jerusalem got mad at Peter because he was caught eating and praying with “the wrong side.”

These are just two of many biblical examples of God unexpectedly wandering over to “the wrong side” in order to redeem the powerful, the oppressive, and the undeserving of mercy. By offering these examples, I am not arguing against the basic premise that God takes the side of the oppressed, nor am I arguing that God approves of oppression and injustice. Rather I am arguing against the idea that God never takes the side of—or associates with—the oppressor. While God’s general preference for the oppressed shows His justice, God’s unexpected, redemptive pursuit of the oppressor shows His grace. God is merciful and gracious to everyone, both the oppressed and the oppressor, and we as a church are called to preach the gospel to those on all sides of any argument or affiliation.

Prayer is Political (and Spiritual)

In addition to their basic premise that God is on the side of the oppressed, Cornelio and Villanueva argue that “prayer is not just spiritual, [it’s] political.”

Once again, I agree completely. I’ll go one step further. The act of surrendering to Jesus as Lord is an inherently political act, one that relativizes all other allegiances—whether they be familial, ethnocultural, or political. Every time we pray, we are acknowledging that there is One whose power and authority is greater than Caesar’s. We are acknowledging that He rules and reigns and will judge every earthly kingdom and ruler for all the injustices perpetrated by their corrupt regimes.

In light of this reality, why would we not pray with and for (and at times even against) political leaders? Why are we afraid of the proximity? Could it not be that prayer with unjust rulers is a powerful means of speaking words of truth and even rebuke? Why can’t the priestly work of prayer and the prophetic work of rebuke go hand in hand?

In their attempt to decouple these essential activities, Cornelio and Villanueva oddly invoke John the Baptist as a model, saying, “John the Baptist rebuked King Herod for his evil act. He would never pray with anyone who supported Herod.” Actually, John the Baptist did pray with people who supported and worked for Herod. In Luke 3, John probably prayed with both soldiers and tax collectors as he baptized them—the most prominent (and hated) representations of military and economic oppression in first-century Palestine. John saw no conflict between his priestly and prophetic roles, for not only did he baptize soldiers and tax collectors, but he also rebuked them for their abuses of power and charged them to act justly in their work (Luke 3:12–14).

One of my greatest concerns with Cornelio and Villanueva’s argument is their understanding of the church’s mission, which they summarize as follows: “The calling of the church is to be prophetic—to speak truth to power.” The church is called to be prophetic, but that’s not her only, or even primary, calling. We are called to be a “kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9) who are entrusted with the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). And it is the ministry of reconciliation that calls us to side with God in seeking the redemption of both the oppressed and the oppressor.

An Invitation

Cornelio and Villanueva end their article with “an invitation to people of faith who find the gospel preached in their churches inadequate.”

This is an old critique of evangelicalism for lacking prophetic edge and political engagement. It is a critique of those who, by not taking sides, supposedly end up on “the wrong side.” Cornelio and Villanueva call it elsewhere “myopic evangelicalism.”

I can’t help but wonder: what is actually myopic (or short-sighted) evangelicalism? To choose to pray with and rebuke leaders in authority or to have no time for prayer because we are concerned about the optics of political affiliation and are too busy Tweeting truth to power?

And which is the inadequate gospel—to believe that God’s mission is to liberate the oppressed and redeem the oppressor or to believe that God’s salvific work is only available to the poor and oppressed?

While I cannot say how every church and every Christian should engage politics and culture, I can say with complete confidence that the Church is called to be both prophetic and priestly because the gospel is big enough for both victims and victimizers.

This is only possible because of the cross where God in Jesus suffered as a victim and bore the punishment meant for the victimizer. As Jürgen Moltmann puts it, Christ “first died for the victims then also for the executioners, and in so doing revealed a new righteousness which breaks through vicious circles of hate and vengeance and which from the lost victims and executioners creates a new mankind with a new humanity.”

As a church, we know that our theology informs our practice. This means that what we believe reflects in what we do. Our calling as a church is to honor God and make disciples. And we know that the grace He lavished upon us is not meant to be kept to ourselves, but to be shared to the world that desperately needs it—now more than ever. Even during this pandemic, our mission continues to declare and demonstrate the gospel. This year we have done it through #GoodNews2020, with initiatives from our churches across the Philippines to serve frontline workers, Overseas Filipino Workers and locally stranded individuals, stranded students, and affected communities in over forty provinces.

We take the responsibility of looking after your spiritual well-being seriously and will continue to help you grow in your faith, in spite of the lockdown. This year, the Bishops Council has had a strong directive for our church to develop a deeper understanding of key doctrines and a greater love for God’s word, and that’s why we embarked on a twenty-two-week series on the book of Romans.

With you, we are committed to continue extending God’s kingdom on earth by discipling the nation and preaching God’s word to everyone. I hope this message helps us as a church understand how God works, how much He loves the world, and what we are called to do. May God fill you with wisdom and boldness from the Holy Spirit as you bear witness to the kingdom of God as prophets and priests in these turbulent times. God bless you, and may you continue to honor God and make disciples.

Pastor Gilbert Foliente is the president of Every Nation in the Philippines, overseeing the Bishops Council and the following ministries: Victory, Every Nation Campus, the Missions office of Every Nation Philippines, and the Real LIFE Foundation. He is also the chairman of the upcoming Every Nation Seminary.

Discipleship 2020: Empower

Discipleship 2020: Empower

Today, a total of 23,410 Victory group leaders and interns in over 50 locations across the Philippines gathered simultaneously for Discipleship 2020! This conference was the first time our provincial churches—from up north in Ilocos Norte to down south in General Santos—participated in the event at the same time as Victory in Metro Manila. 

Since 2017, our discipleship conferences have been about each part of the discipleship journey: Engage, Establish, Equip—and now, Empower. We believe that our discipleship journey can’t end with equipping believers to minister­­­­­. As followers of Christ, we are empowered to make disciples.

To further reinforce the message of this year’s discipleship conference, Pastor Steve Murrell talked about how Saul (eventually Paul) was immediately empowered to make disciples and preach the gospel. He taught us that we don’t have to wait long before we start leading others to Christ. 

When Pastor Steve and Dr. Rice Broocks came here in the Philippines in 1984, they did the same thing to over 150 Filipino youth in the heart of the University Belt. They preached the gospel to them, established biblical foundations in their lives, equipped them to do the work of the ministry, and empowered them to lead. They didn’t wait for years before empowering them to preach the gospel and make disciples. They didn’t look at what they lacked or didn’t know at that time. Instead, they allowed them to grow in strength by empowering them. We plan to continue doing this as a church.

Our recently concluded conference is a great reminder that discipleship is about doing just that: having progress in the right direction, not perfection. Once we learn to empower others in making disciples, we will be amazed at what God can do in and through us and in the lives of the people we empower to lead.

Let us continue to do what we are called to do as a church, and through empowered leaders, see our nation transformed by the gospel!

Women on a Mission

Laguna native Rosemarie Alferez is a woman on a mission, and she and the members of her Victory group will not take no for an answer. Last November 2016, she embarked on a series of outreaches with her Victory groupmates that resulted in the sharing of the gospel to more than 150 people.

“God touched my heart,” she says, “and gave me the burden to reach out to my community. After reading His Word in Matthew 25:35 to 40, I decided to share the gospel in different places by doing outreaches.”

After branding their project “Mission Possible,” Rosemarie and her Victory group started their plan to engage people in key locations throughout Laguna, identifying detainees in a correctional facility, indigent children, and the elderly. After careful planning and connecting to key persons in these places, Mission Possible set off on a four-day series of Engage activities.

First, on November 18, Rosemarie and the Victory group visited the Biñan correctional facility and ministered to the detainees there. After their preaching the gospel, about 50 detainees received Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. The very next day, the women visited Barangay De La Paz Biñan to engage, preach the gospel, and lead a hundred less-fortunate children to Jesus.

On November 21, which, coincidentally, was Rosemarie’s birthday, she and the Victory group engaged and preached the gospel to the abandoned elderly and children with disabilities at the Tahanan ni Maria care facility in Calamba.

“As i continue the mission to share the Gospel this 2017,” Rosemarie says, “Mission Possible will engage more people in Biñan, and we are finalizing agreements with some key partnerships to conduct more outreach programs. Please pray with me,” she adds, “that more lives will be reached and the gospel will be preached in the city of Biñan.”

Like Rosemarie, how can you be salt and light to your community? Share your ideas with us!

Engaging the Next Generation in Marikina

Over the summer, Victory Metro East strategically engaged the next generation through events like Youth Sessions and Kids Summer Tutorials, designed to engage and be a blessing to Marikina youth and their families.

Two Youth Sessions events held last April 28 and May 27 drew almost 130 high school students under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of Marikina’s local government. Spearheaded by Faye Tundagui, a Victory group leader and social worker with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the two sessions helped these students understand their identity and purpose and Christ.

Several students began a relationship with Jesus at the Youth Sessions, and were soon connected to Victory groups, whose leaders began helping them grow deeper in their relationship with Christ.

Also, after the sessions, the students were arranged according to their campuses. After discovering that several students attended Concepcion Integrated School, one of Victory Metro East’s campus missionaries set up an appointment with them. From that initial group came additional discipleship opportunities, and a weekly Victory group for young men now meets regularly and joins us at our Friday youth services.

Last May 15 to 26, five Victory group leaders and interns, led by volunteer Mercy Santos, connected with students and parents in Barangays Tumana and Doña Petra by offering summer tutorials. Not content to engage merely with this activity, they even walked the streets of the town, preaching the gospel using Rice Broocks’ The God Test, and successfully leading four people to start a relationship with Jesus.

Today, more Victory group leaders and interns are now engaging several residents of the barangay, conducting ONE 2 ONE and discipling 43 students in Victory groups every Thursday after the town’s morning Zumba.  Let us cover our leaders in prayer as they engage their communities and disciple the next generation of leaders in Marikina for God’s glory.

May each of us be inspired to be salt and light in our communities!

Serving God in Your Youth

Serving God in Your Youth

Clarisse Tagayun Clarisse Tagayun is a thirteen-year old high school student who volunteers at KIDS Church in Victory Pioneer. Her parents, Cris and Lhite, actively serve in church, and their passion rubbed off on Clarisse and her siblings.

“I became active in church last year,” she shares, “I started teaching in KIDS church.”

She soon got connected to a Victory group, where she met her Victory group leader, Rachel Ching. Fueled by her passion to talk about God’s word, Clarisse would volunteer to lead their Victory group when Rachel was not available. Seeing this desire in Clarisse, Rachel empowered her to lead by letting her facilitate their group. “I was nervous because I didn’t know what to do,” she reveals, “But I would just study the Victory group material and my parents would help me. I prayed to God that he will teach me to facilitate.”

The desire to preach the gospel continued to grow in Clarisse’s heart. Discipling pre-teens felt natural for her. It was easy for her to relate with people in her age group and talk about things they have in common. Last May, she she met Florence Panizales, an elementary student who wanted to know more about Jesus. Wasting no time, Clarisse immediately led her through ONE 2 ONE.

Florence and ClarisseEncouraged by her parents and inspired by Florence’s openness to know God more, Clarisse also started engaging Florence’s parents, Willie and Reggie. She was able to connect them to a Victory group for couples, led by her parents. Asked if she felt scared engaging people older than her, Clarisse said she was nervous but she knew she was also fulfilling God’s calling for her. “Age is just a number,” she says, “Being young, you could show lots of people that even if you’re young, God can still use you.”

Her efforts certainly bore fruit. Today, Florence has undergone ONE 2 ONE, and she is excited to be part of the next Victory Weekend for pre-teens. At ten years old, she has started preaching the gospel to her friends and classmates, and she is now leading a small group in her school. Her parents, Willie and Reggie, are growing in their faith, meeting regularly with a Victory group for couples. They have also undergone Victory Weekend recently.

14536990_1393375380691313_316904288_oAsked how she would encourage other people to make disciples, Clarisse strongly recommends getting discipled and joining a Victory group, “Discipleship is important and your Victory group would be there to help and listen to you.” As young as she is, Clarisse has fully embraced her calling to make disciples. She doesn’t see the person’s age, instead she focuses on their need for a Savior. “God wants us to have a relationship with Him,” she states simply, “He wants it for other people, too.”

Clarisse agrees that the youth is the hope of the future. As early as now, she is expectant of the great and mighty things God will do in her generation. “It doesn’t matter how young you are or how old you are,” she says, “God called us to make disciples.”

Victory Pangasinan Hub Takes Discipleship to the Next Level

13903147_1753297864948968_1978712538474928577_nLast August 13, Saturday, over 800 Victory group leaders and interns from Victory Pangasinan locations gathered for Discipleship 2016. 

The event kicked off at 9am at Cinemas 3 and 4 of SM Rosales, and drew leaders and interns from Victory Alaminos, Victory Bayambang, Victory Lingayen, Victory Mangalden, Victory San Carlos, Victory Dagupan and Victory Urdaneta, plus two church plants, Manaoag and Tayug.

With the theme, CHARGE!, Discipleship 2016 is aimed at empowering our leaders to rely on the Holy Spirit as they go and make disciples. Delegates listened to inspiring messages from Bishop Ferdie Cabiling and Pastor Jon Naron, heard unforgettable stories of discipleship, and received new tools to grow themselves and others in their walk with God.

Together, let us intercede for our leaders and interns  in Pangasinan as they gear up for their task ahead and accomplish what the Discipleship Conference has helped instill in their hearts.Let us also pray for the cities reached by our Victory centers in Pangasinan, that God will open doors and introduce key people to our ministry, so that we will be able to go and make disciples in that harvest field.  13934757_1753297908282297_697338916606205595_n

To get more updates regarding  Discipleship 2016, check out the official hashtags #ChargePangasinan and #Discipleship2016.

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Victory Pioneer Hosts Leadership Development Activities

Victory Pioneer Hosts Leadership Development Activities

Victory Pioneer held its leaders’ convergence last June 30 to July 2, 2016, and held an Engage event for senior high school students a week earlier, capping off leadership events that reached far beyond the walls of its center at the Robinsons Forum in Mandaluyong City.

Leaders and Interns Convergence

Last June 30 to July 2, 2016, Victory Pioneer held their Leaders and Interns Convergence at Forum Robinsons in Mandaluyong.

The three-day conference aimed to reinforce the culture of evangelism to interns and Victory group leaders by encouraging them to engage the lost.

Victory Pioneer leadersTo kick off the event, Every Nation World Missions Director, Pastor Jun Escosar, talked about the heart of why we evangelize. He stressed that evangelism is part of the discipleship process, wherein three relationships are included: relationship with God, relationship with fellow believers, and relationship with the lost. With love as the foundation and relationship as the conduit, “discipleship is never complete until the one you disciple reaches out to the lost,” he said.

On the second day, Pastor Jeff Eliscupidez talked about the Great Commission as a global mission. He encouraged the leaders to be part of the global mission by having both a passport and a Bible. As we reach out to other people, we are reminded that we don’t cause the change in other people, but it is God who does so.

To cap the conference, Bishop Juray Mora talked about the Father’s heart on the third day. He discussed Luke 15:20, which contains the story of the prodigal son. Just as in the parable, Pastor Juray highlighted the forgiving and merciful nature of the Father with the way He deals with His children. He also warned against attaching our value to the world, saying that our identity should only be found in Christ.

The convergence was also an opportune time for leaders and interns from different worship service schedules to fellowship with one another. To listen to the audio messages of the speakers, you may visit this link.

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Soar High Senior High

Last July 21, 2016, Every Nation Campus Pioneer held their first event for senior high school students entitled, “Soar High Senior High!”

From 5:30pm to 7:30pm, the Main Hall of Victory Pioneer was filled with 223 seniors representing different campuses in Mandaluyong. The aim of the event is to connect these students to mentors who will go through One 2 One with them, and to connect them to Victory groups.

Joysoar high senior highce Ching, a young actress from GMA 7, John Wilson, a basketball player from the Phoenix Fuel Masters of PBA Masters, and Krystle Yague, the voice behind McDonald’s “Tuloy Pa Rin” jingle, graced the event to talk to the students and perform special numbers. Joyce shared her experience of being persecuted when she was just starting as an artist, and her realization that there was a reason and purpose why God called her to be part of the entertainment industry, while John shared his testimony coming from a broken family and a sinful past, to a life of fulfillment and purpose in Jesus Christ.

Around eighty-three students responded to the altar call after Pastor James Macariola preached about purpose. These students are now being followed up by Victory Pioneer’s leaders, so that they can be connected to Victory groups and be discipled.

As a result of the event, most of the attendees invited their friends and classmates to the youth service the following day.

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No More Comfort Zones

Angel Gomez family “I looked down on myself,” confesses sixteen-year old Angel Gomez when asked if she had always thought of herself as a leader, “I kept overthinking and I didn’t want to get out of my comfort zone.”

Growing up in a Christian family, Angel heard the gospel at an early age. By 2007, her family started attending Victory, which eventually introduced her to KIDS Church. By the time she was ten years old, she got discipled and met her first mentor, who also became her Victory group leader. “I grew up a Christian,” she shares, “But it was at Kids Church where I finally understood the gospel.”

Fueled by her newfound passion towards Jesus, Angel would attend prayer meetings and discipleship conferences, apart from the usual worship service. It was during those times that she developed a yearning to share the gospel to other people and mentor them, too. “I would stand up every time the pastor would pray for those who want to be Victory group leaders,” she reveals.

Angel Gomez VGShe eventually transitioned to another mentor when she moved on from KIDS Church. Now a teenager, the thought of leading other people her age became more daunting, but Angel couldn’t ignore God’s call. Empowered by her Victory group leader and encouraged by her parents, she finally started doing One 2 One with her friends.

“I kept thinking, ‘I can’t do it yet’ or ‘I’m not good enough,’” she shares. “I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to lead well. But when I finally stepped out of my comfort zone and took a step towards what God wants me to do, He made me see His greatness!”

This year, Angel stepped out in faith and started leading her own Victory group, composed of girls in their preteen and teenage years. Whenever she needed coaching, she would consult her parents, and asks them to comment on how she shares the Word. Angel didn’t take her new role lightly. For her, it’s a privilege to be called to lead.

With her Victory group, she learned the importance of journeying with other female Christians, and being accountable to them. For Angel, being able to share her life, and being part of other people’s lives, too, is a blessing. “I like encouraging other people and walking with them in their Christian life,” she shares, “It’s also really fun!”

A volunteer worship leader at Victory Greenhills’ Kids Church who was part of the worship team at the Every Nation Campus 2016 Conference, Angel believes that she needs to step out of her comfort zone more by making disciples inside her campus. She credits her Victory group leader for making her realize that she can lead, not because she’s qualified, but because God qualifies those He calls. “I may not be there yet, I may not be the best, but I am reminded that despite who I am, God is still using me,” Angel declares, “He chose me, and He’s willing to use me!”

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Shepherding the Black Sheep

Shepherding the Black Sheep

“I debated many things with her,” Kath reveals, “but I couldn’t question her changed life.”

Twenty-two-year-old Kathlene Parungao shares how her close friend and discipler, Kara de Leos, steered her from her self-serving lifestyle to a life that honors God. The two girls met in college in a less than typical way. “I didn’t like her at first because she was dressed in a way that irked me. It’s probably a girl thing,” Kath laughs, “I knew she was a party girl like me.”

Coming from a Christian family, Kath knew about the gospel and salvation but, as with all the other members of her family, her knowledge didn’t translate to a changed life. “I thought Christianity was just about following a set of rules, looking good in the eyes of people, and going to church every Sunday,” she shares, “I never understood that it was about a relationship with God.”

Growing up, Kath would attend church out of fear that she won’t be saved if she missed a Sunday. Her so-called Christian life evolved around a “good works mentality.” For her, God was Someone too far to reach. Christianity was in her mind, but it never touched her heart. She never established the necessary foundations in her Christian journey.

During her teenage years, she harbored anger towards her parents and felt that no one really loved her. She started to fill her need for acceptance through her peers. “I did things that I never thought I’d do just so people could accept me or be friends with me,” she reveals. Soon, she entered into a wrong relationship, learned how to drink and smoke, and embraced the night life. Kath was branded the black sheep of the family.

Victory Group When she entered college, Kath became her worst nightmare. “Because of my rebelliousness, I brought a lot of pain to my family,” she confesses, “I’ve made my mom cry, my siblings, my lola, and probably even my dad! That’s how hardened I was.” She also started influencing other people with her wayward lifestyle.

Every day after school, Kath and her friends would go straight to Greenbelt to hang out and drink. It became their routine, until one day, Kath was overwhelmed with feelings of guilt. “I heard a voice ask me if I was really happy destroying my life and lying to my parents, she reveals, “It asked me if I was happy trying to live up to the world’s standards.” Faced with reality, Kath had to be honest with herself and accept that she wasn’t really happy. She knew that if she kept up with her lifestyle, it would only be a matter of time before she crashed and burned.

“I knew I needed help, so I started praying,” she says, “I prayed every single night: God save me.”

Kath eventually transferred to De La Salle University, seeing this as an opportune time to start on a clean slate. Unfortunately, without a strong foundation and by relying completely on her own will, Kath was swallowed by temptations and ended up reverting back to her life as a party girl. In her new university, she felt that it was still her old life.

Until one day, she noticed something different in Kara, the girl in her class who annoyed her. She felt the feeling was mutual. She knew Kara partied hard like her. “But when I saw her again, she was different! She was dressed modestly and her face was radiant,” she exclaims, “I felt that she had a lighter spirit, and that really got me curious. So, I stalked her online!”

Kath found Kara’s blog, wherein she wrote how God saved her life. Being a party girl herself, Kath related so much to what she read. She sent a message to Kara on Facebook and asked her more about her transformation. It was a call for help, and Kara answered right away. She invited Kath to the La Salle cluster of Every Nation Campus Philippines, where students gathered for Victory group meetings.

“I was so shocked because people there were so kind even after knowing my story,” Kath shares, “I didn’t feel judged. I didn’t feel that I had to do anything to be accepted.” It was a far cry from her experience of pleasing people for approval. From her life-changing encounter that day, Kath was connected to a Victory group.

Kara started leading her to ONE 2 ONE, and patiently walked with her in her new Christian journey. “I saw her relationship with God and how she was so deeply in love with Jesus. So, I prayed to God, ‘Lord, I want that kind of faith, too.’”

Kath started reading the Bible, in faith that God would speak to her, too just like how He spoke with Kara. She would read His word everyday, always praying for Him to speak to her. Until one day, she got her answer. “I couldn’t forget the day God finally spoke to me! All my questions were answered. It all made sense, she reveals, “That encounter is the encounter I always go back to whenever I feel the urge to give up. God spoke to someone as small as me. He had me at my worst and still chose to love me. What a personal God!”

This encounter stoked a fire in Kath’s heart. She felt an overflow of love that she had to share with other people. She went back to her previous church to inspire her friends there that it is possible to have a relationship with Jesus. She also started leading others to One 2 One, until she was able to create Victory groups in high school and in La Salle.

Kath VGHer family, who initially persecuted her, also started attending church after seeing the dramatic change in Kath. After years of praying for them, Kath is ecstatic to see them being discipled. Her sister has just undergone Victory Weekend, while her brother just finished ONE 2 ONE. Their mother now attends a Victory group and Kath is excited for her to start ONE 2 ONE, too. “I thought reconciliation was impossible,” she confesses, “But it’s happening now by God’s grace.”

Recently, Kath was given an opportunity to go on her first mission trip to India. She couldn’t help but be amazed at how God uses her for His mighty purpose. Three years after she met Kara, Kath still helps in the campus even after having graduated for a year already. “Imagine, with my previous lifestyle, I was so close to doing drugs, until God sent her to me. She took a chance at me before the world could! If she delayed her obedience, I would probably still be the old me.” With this, Kath realized that every second counts.

Throughout her journey, she learned that the youth can make or break the future of this nation. She admits that it’s not an easy journey to lead other people, but for her, there’s nothing that compares to winning the souls of young people for Jesus Christ. She is in faith that one day, the young people she’s discipling will choose to honor God and stand for what’s right wherever they’re planted. <

“I realized being a Christian is more than having a religion, but it’s a relationship with Jesus. It’s as real as any relationship we have now.” From being a black sheep, she is now sheep of His pasture, a disciple of Jesus who was lost and has now been found.

Living Out Servant Leadership

Living Out Servant Leadership

Adel Intervalo “YOLO. That was my mindset, then. I wanted to try everything.” This was the philosophy that 21-year old Adel Intervalo adhered to when she was still a student at the University of the Philippines – Diliman. A self-confessed party girl, she found herself wanting to audition for the UP Streetdance Club. To her delight, she passed. She joined the team, and started to officially train with them. That’s where she met Mark, a student from Victory Malate who would always preach the gospel before they start training. “I was an atheist that time,” Adel reveals, “I was really curious why this person was so deeply in love with Jesus.”

Adel dealt with issues of rejection and abandonment in her high school years, and brought these baggage with her until college. She described herself as violent, and she was constantly angry at her mother and sisters. She tried all the vices she encountered, and partied hard.

Eventually, God paved the way for Adel to meet more Christians in the university. Her curiosity turned to wonder. “They made me curious about having a relationship with Jesus,” she confesses, “I was beginning to ask myself why they’re so happy, and I’m not.” Her hunger to know more about Jesus gave her the motivation to attend a youth service at Victory Metro East, after being invited by a friend from high school.

That day, during the youth service, Adel surrendered her life to Christ. However, it would take her some time to grasp God’s lordship in her life. Several months passed before she agreed to go through ONE 2 ONE, and eventually, Victory Weekend with her mentor, Janine Bitoren. Adel’s relationship with her family improved, and she started preaching the gospel to her mother and sisters.

Ate JanineRecognizing Adel’s potential, Janine raised and empowered her to be a leader. Soon, Adel was leading fellow students at the UP-Diliman and at Metro East. She is also a volunteer at Victory Antipolo, which was birthed through a campus outreach. She met more students at Victory Antipolo and started leading them in a Victory group, too. “The students who would reason out that Victory Metro East is far from where they live, now have no excuse but to attend,” she laughs.

For Adel, it was instrumental that her mentor empowered her because it gave her the courage and the motivation to step up and lead. She brought this same encouraging environment in her own Victory group, too. “Ate Janine stepped down, so that we can rise up, so I do the same to the young people I’m leading,” she shares. “Most importantly, I became secure that leading is not really about me, but about Jesus. I’m not better than the people that I am leading, I’m simply the one that God used to lead them.”

Leading other people to Christ brings joy to her heart. However, it is not without challenges. Because she is taking on a leadership role at such a young age, Adel has encountered feelings of insecurity and unworthiness. Nevertheless, she always receives an assurance from God that it is He who will supply her with wisdom and the right words to say. “God would remind me that He is the one who will change people, not me,” she shares.

Victory groupBeing a student, there were also times that Adel had to sacrifice her resources to bless others. She would go to Antipolo to minister to people, which would require her own time and money. There were instances that she was tempted to stop leading, especially when she would entertain the lies that her efforts are of no use. “Every time I would be ready to tell my Victory group that I will be introducing them to another leader, every time that moment comes up, I end up ministering to them instead,” she shares. “That always reminds me that God entrusted people to me for a purpose.”

Seeing God move in these people’s lives gives her joy, so much that her hard work pales in comparison. After encountering the love of Christ, Adel finds it selfish not to share it with others. She continues reaching out to others because she believes that if God could bring hope in her life, then He could do it in anyone’s life. “All sacrifices are not in vain and are nothing compared to what Jesus did for us,” she says.

When Adel surrendered her life to Christ, she experienced what she calls the greatest miracle in her life. God changed her life, and used that to reach her family. Now, her mother and her sisters have a relationship with Jesus, and they continue to grow in their faith. Adel is in awe whenever she would see them leading people to God, or serving in church, and in their campus.

For Adel, Christ satisfied the emptiness she had in her heart for so long. It changed her self-centered mindset to a Christ-centered one, and aligned her desires to His purposes. “From just the desire to change the kind of life I have,” she explains, “He gave me the desire to help others change the path they take. I have the desire to disciple students who are broken, because I know that God’s love can change them into the kind of person that He could use mightily.”

Finding Peace In God

Finding Peace In God

Adette Purto“I prayed to God to take away everything from me,” Adette confesses, “I just wanted Him to give me peace.”

Adette Purto is a 44-year old mother of three who financially supports her parents, apart from taking care of the needs of her own family. Blessed with the kind of work that affords her to live comfortably, she enjoyed many things that money could buy. However, she soon realized that the material things didn’t really fill the void in her heart.

“I was working myself to death,” she shares, “But I felt unloved and unappreciated. I longed to be loved.”

After she got married, Adette faced a different battle but it still stemmed from the same issue she had faced for years: rejection. In February 2007, she found herself telling God to take away everything, and to just give her peace and happiness. She may not have understood the depth of her prayer, but Adette felt so mired in misery, it was her only recourse. In the months that followed, Adette felt God taking things from her. Interestingly, it was also the time she started to look for ways that would get her out of misery. She started engaging in new age philosophies and witchcraft.

“My business went down, my son almost died of dengue, and I had a terrible car accident,” Adette enumerates. “A train collided with my car, and I was dragged for 500 meters.” Despite her stubbornness and disobedience, God spared her and she wasn’t harmed in the accident, despite the car being a total wreck. With nary a bruise on her, Adette knew God was reaching out to her. She did not know it then, but that moment became her turning point in life.

Her best friend ministered to her after her accident, and told her that God wanted her undivided attention. She attended the first worship service of Victory Pioneer on the first Sunday of 2008. “The moment I entered the hall, I knew I was home and it was the place I have been looking for,” she says, “The Holy Spirit welcomed me.”

Despite being financially broke, emotionally hurt and physically tired, she felt welcome and at peace; that night, Adette responded to the altar call and surrendered her life to Christ. After a month, she was connected to a Victory Group and underwent ONE 2 ONE. Before long, she declared her faith and was water baptized at Victory Weekend.

With God now at the center of her life, her relationships with her family changed. “The gospel made me receive the peace and happiness I have been longing for,” she reveals, “The emotional pains were healed by the unconditional love of God. I was able to forgive because I was forgiven, too.”

Today, Adette is one of the Discipleship coaches of Victory Pioneer. She has been serving in that capacity since 2009, and was also the Discipleship coordinator for the 5pm worship service. This means that she is coaching Victory Group leaders how to lead their respective Victory Groups. Juggling the demands of being a working mom and a discipleship coach, Adette still finds time to lead her own Victory Group.

Adette Purto group“I am making disciples because someone else took the time to disciple me and help me live the life God intended for me,” she says, “I experienced the transforming power of God in my life and sharing it to other people is the least I can do.” For Adette, the time and energy she spends coaching other leaders and mentoring other women is a small sacrifice compared to the sacrifice that Jesus did for her on the cross.

She is grateful for the people who have stood by her throughout her journey. “My spiritual family served as lamp posts,” she shares, “As they pray with me, cry with me, and believe with me, I receive enough light to continue walking.” For her, the Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. Having experienced the true value of belonging to a spiritual family, Adette has put it in her heart to continue reaching out, mentoring and raising other leaders. From someone who used to thirst for love and peace of mind, Adette is now a testament of God’s overflowing love and it is exactly this love that allows her to give herself to others.

Transforming Hearts and Keeping Promises

Transforming Hearts and Keeping Promises

vcf_jam3When she was in college, Jam dela Cruz was invited by her best friend, Jhai, to a big event in Cuneta Astrodome. Clueless, she agreed to go, thinking it would be fun because Jhai would be there. The big event turned out to be Ignite 2011, and became one of the most unforgettable events of her life

“I kept seeing ‘It only takes one spark to start a fire’,” she recalls. “I remember thinking, ‘What’s the meaning of that?’ and ‘Why am I here?’ My life had no direction.”

At Ignite 2011, she saw how joy seemed to radiate from the people around her, as if they knew something she did not. It was then that she realized that, though she knew there was a God, she’d never acknowledged His presence in her life before, certainly not four years earlier, when something unexpected happened to her.

“I was a senior in high school,” she admits, “when I found out I was pregnant.”

Jam considers those days among the darkest of her life. Deeply ashamed of what happened, she lost respect for herself, thinking she had thrown her future away. Instead of turning to God for affirmation and healing, she turned to peers to fill the emptiness in her heart. One of them, a college friend named Jhai, seemed to care very deeply for her; it turns out that Jhai had been praying for her to know Christ for quite some time.

“Seeing people so passionate for God at Ignite 2011 also sparked a fire in my heart,” Jam says. “That was the moment I surrendered my life to Him.” Jam realized her worth because Christ died for her, no matter what happened in her past. God gave her the strength to forgive herself and start anew. Eventually, she was connected to a Victory group, where she was discipled and empowered to reach out to others who needed Jesus, too.

Transforming Hearts & Keeping PromisesTwo years after Ignite 2011, Jam became active in the youth ministry. Being the first Christian in their family, her heart was burdened to preach the gospel to her brothers and sisters: 20-year old Jelly, 18-year old Jill, and 15-year old Jack. She invited them to join her at church; because they had seen the positive changes in their big sister’s life, it wasn’t difficult to convince the siblings to come. Not long after they began joining her, Jam entertained the idea of inviting them to a youth camp.

“They weren’t really buying into the idea of attending a youth camp,” she recalls. “I think it may have also been because of the cost.” Having experienced refreshing and encouragement at a 2014 youth camp, Jam wanted her siblings to experience that same joy, and prayed for them, asking God to provide for even just one of them to attend.

Two years since she prayed that prayer, Jam entered a new season, getting engaged to a campus missionary; her wedding is this month. One night, she watched as Jelly, Jill and Jack walked through the doors of their family home, exhausted but excited, and full of stories from the youth camp they had just attended. Jam was dumbfounded.

vcf_jam2“It dawned on me that God has answered my prayer from two years ago,” she exclaims, “to my amazement, not just one, but all of them!” Unlike two years ago, Jam’s siblings didn’t consider the camp expense a hindrance. Together, they raised funds for all of their camp fees. God honored their faith and blessed them with what they wanted, and more. They were able to raise more than enough funds, so they gave the extra amount to other students who needed help, too.

“God changed their heart,” Jam beams, “and I’m so proud of them.”

Today, all her siblings lead their own Victory groups consisting of high school and college students–a far cry from their old life of complacency. She is reminded of Acts 16:31, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Indeed, God’s promises will come to pass, and He has already begun with Jelly, Jill, and Jack. Holding on to that same promise, Jam and her siblings believe that their parents will, one day, come to know God’s saving grace, too.

Discipleship 2016 held in La Union & the Cordilleras

Discipleship 2016 held in La Union & the Cordilleras

DC2016 CARLU Hub3Our churches from the Cordillera Administrative Region & La Union (CARLU) held Discipleship 2016 last May 14, at the SM City Baguio Cinema 3.

Discipleship 2015 attracted 300 participants from all over the CARLU region; this year, over 440 leaders and interns were equipped, encouraged, and empowered to go and make disciples.

The year’s theme is CHARGE!, and is aimed at empowering our leaders to rely on the Holy Spirit as they  go and make disciples.

DC2016 CARLU

It is the first time that our discipleship conference in CARLU was held outside a Victory center, allowing for an increase in attendance this year. There were leaders and interns who represented our churches from Baguio, San Fernando, La Union, Agoo, La Trinidad, and our Bangued and Tabuk church plants.

The participants heard from Pastor Jojo Henson, who gave a powerful message about the person and power of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Jojo also ministered to the leaders and shared prophetic prayers for the churches, campuses, marketplace and the whole nation.

DC2016 CARLU Before our leaders left SM City Baguio, they received a 21-day devotional entitled Witness: The Holy Spirit in Action. The devotional features stories of 21 men and women in the Bible who were filled with the Spirit and empowered to be a witness for God.

When God Qualifies The Called

When God Qualifies The Called

Victory group leaders Hendry and Vicky Larcia When Hendry and Vicky Larcia came to know Christ in 1994, the husband and wife team initially contented themselves with attending church. This changed in 2007, when they were challenged by people they met at Victory Pioneer, who encouraged them to be more than just benchwarmers.

“We were hesitant to take part in any church ministry,” the couple says, “but God opened our hearts and minds.”

Deciding to be taught and discipled, Hendry and Vicky went through ONE 2 ONE and Victory Weekend, which further fanned the fire already burning inside them. After undergoing further leadership development classes, they realized that they couldn’t help but reach out to other people.

HendryVicky3“We realized it is necessary for every believer to reach out to the lost,” the couple says, “we are not meant to keep the good news of salvation to ourselves.”

From being two apathetic churchgoers who couldn’t even be bothered to participate in church activities, Hendry and Vicky became ardent fishers of men. As they studied God’s Word together, they established meaningful relationships and were able to minister to other people along the way. Their marriage, as a result, became stronger; their lives, as seen by their children, exemplified obedience and humility.

Their church community soon became their spiritual family. When their youngest son, Paul, was hospitalized due to dengue fever, there was an overflow of prayers, encouragement and support from the people they were discipling. Hendry and Vicky realized, they may be leading these people, but in return they get ministered  by them, too. The people they were helping also provided comfort during their difficult moments.

Hendry_VickyFor Hendry and Vicky, leadership is a two-way street. As they continue to lead and bless others, they are in turned filled with awe and wonder for God’s love as they witness marriages restored, sick people healed, lives transformed, and people receiving breakthroughs.

Together with their Victory group, they have conducted outreach programs to impact different groups of people who need help. For Christmas, they sang carols and gave gifts to kids in San Miguel; then threw a party for 50 street children at McDonald’s in Barangka, Mandaluyong. When Habagat struck, their group donated relief goods to the typhoon victims. Their generosity extended to Quezon City when they conducted a feeding program and gift giving for 65 abandoned children there. They also reached out to children at the pediatric ward of Philippine General Hospital. All of these acts of kindness merely serve as vessels to their one true message, which is God’s gift of salvation.

HendryVickyFor Hendry and Vicky, these are the best moments of their lives: the times that they preach God’s Word while helping other people. From a couple of benchwarmers, Hendry and Vicky now excel as discipleship coaches with a fervent desire to go out of their comfort zone and reach out to other people. Humbled to be used by God, they are purposeful in excelling for His glory and believe that it is by the Holy Spirit that they are able to teach, and love, and give.

Our Provincial Churches Are Ready To Charge!

Central LuzonLast month, thousands of Victory Group leaders and interns converged in our churches in Central Luzon, One Cebu Hub, and Batangas Hub for our annual Discipleship Conference. Following the theme, “Charge!” the conference aimed to empower our leaders to rely on the Holy Spirit as they go and make disciples. Nearly 3,000 current and upcoming Victory group leaders were equipped and empowered to make disciples and build foundations.

For Central Luzon, our churches in Angeles, Aurora, Balanga, Baliwag, Cabanatuan, City of San Fernando, Clark, Dinalupihan, Gapan, Malolos, Meycauayan, Olongapo, Plaridel, Subic, and Tarlac held their Discipleship Conference last April 23 at the Fontana Convention Center in Clark, Pampanga. All leaders present, including 130 volunteers from different centers who served during the event, were charged to impact their cities when they return home.  From last year’s 1,300 attendees, there was a total of 2,000 participants at this year’s conference, making that a 53% increase for 2016.

Central LuzonFor our Batangas Hub, a total of 614 participants from our churches in Batangas, Lipa, Tanauan, and Sto. Tomas converged in Victory Lipa, Batangas, last April 9. The conference served to change the mindset of our Victory group leaders and interns, giving them confidence to engage and empower disciples, knowing the Holy Spirit would give them power to do it because When they got back to their respective areas, these leaders started raising other leaders, and some of our interns started leading their own Victory groups.

For our One Cebu Hub, our churches in Cebu and Talisay conducted their Discipleship Conference last April 30, at the J Centre Mall in Mandaue City, Cebu. A total of 345 leaders and interns were refreshed as they reviewed the previous discipleship conferences, which had the themes, GO!, NEXT, and Now! — and then connected them to this year’s, “Charge!” They were empowered by the message of Pastor Zab, who talked about being “Charged by the Holy Spirit” and Pastor Raymund, who taught them “How to Share the Gospel.”

Central LuzonThe conference was also an opportune time for our leaders in our two congregations to fellowship and enjoy each other’s company after the event by taking photos at the photo booth, sharing snacks and exchanging stories over drinks. At the end of the event, our leaders and interns were able to take home their complimentary 21-day devotionals, as they go back to their respective communities motivated and emboldened to share the gospel.

Never Too Young To Serve God

Never Too Young To Serve God

victory-christian-fellowship-samantha-garcia-soloFor as long as she can remember, nine-year-old Samantha Garcia has attended KIDS Church every Sunday. She started when she was two years old, and that was how she learned about God’s saving love.

“Ate Michelle shared the gospel to me through my ONE 2 ONE,” she shares, referring to her KIDS Church teacher, Michelle Orosa – Ople. Sam also attended Victory group meetings, wherein she met her first mentor, Ate Weng.

“Without my parents, and Ate Weng and Ate Michelle, I would not be here. They taught me to love God,” Sam says.

She knows that God is changing her. Ever since she put God at the center of her life, she realized that she’s kinder to her sister, and more obedient to her parents now.

victory-christian-fellowship-samantha-garcia-group“Sometimes, I ask God to help me not get mad,” she admits.  

At present, she is a volunteer who is part of a praise and worship team for KIDS Church at Victory Greenhills, with teacher Michelle Ramos as her music ministry leader. When she was younger, Sam had already developed a love for singing, a God-given talent that she is now using to bless other people and honor God, despite her age. Through her singing, she hopes to inspire people and bring them closer to God.

Sam is scheduled to undergo Victory Weekend soon, and she is happy and excited to learn more about God in the process. She looks forward to the day that she will also make disciples, which she believes is important, so that more people will know and love God too.victory-christian-fellowship-samantha-garcia-family

 

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Have a discipleship story you’d like to share with us? Please visit http://victory.org.ph//mystory and share what God is doing in your life!

 

Finding Fulfillment in KIDS Church

Finding Fulfillment in KIDS Church

Teacher Michelle teaching kids at Victory Greenhills“I always end up learning something from them,” Michelle Ramos says, when asked what it’s like to disciple children.

Having been part of Victory Greenhills since 2011, Michelle first served in the music team as a singer, until she was invited to observe KIDS Church. As she watched the children that day, she felt a stirring in her heart, and knew God was telling her to surrender her involvement in the music team, so she could put her time and efforts toward KIDS Church. 

Michelle wrestled with the idea. In her mind, she still wanted to sing. Nevertheless, after praying and fasting, God revealed to her his heart for the children and gave her Mark 10:13-14, “And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”  

Then and there, she knew God was stirring up something in her heart for the next generation. “It motivates me knowing that I am part of what is in the very heart of Jesus–to let the children come to him,” she shares.  

AVictory KIDS volunteers enjoy their time togetherfter a few weeks of teaching kids, God surprised her when He gave her the desires of her heart and paved the way for her to be a part of the KIDS worship team.

Despite it being her calling, Michelle faced challenges as she ministered to children, who are naturally very vocal and honest with their opinion.

“There was a time when a kid said “it’s boring” during praise and worship,” she recalls.

Apart from being their worship leader, she also preaches the gospel to the children. For this, she prepared extensively before class, hoping she would keep their attention during huddle time–only to be met with silence when she asked them if they learned anything. Michelle also tried to start a small group for the kids, which fizzled out due to inconsistencies with the schedule. This series of setbacks led her to doubt her calling.

Thankfully, she has mentors whom she can look up to. “They never failed to cast the vision to us KIDS volunteers.”  God continued to work in her heart, and she found herself being comforted that her work is never in vain, even if she couldn’t see the big picture yet. She recently had the opportunity to disciple a young girl, Nicki, which proved to be a fruitful journey for her.

Teacher Michelle and Nicki enjoy learning from each other.Children are naturally inquisitive, and they speak their mind out. This challenged Michelle to dig deeper into God’s Word, so she can answer Nicki’s questions. She also went out of her way to know more about Nicki’s hobbies and favorite things (Shopkins!), so she can share her joy even in the little things. “But the best thing is when you hear straight from her how she acknowledges lordship and salvation. It makes me excited for the next generation!” Michelle shares.

While her job as a KIDS church teacher is crucial in discipling children, she believes that her role takes a step back from the role of the parents. She explains that children catch what they see more often than what they’re taught. The way parents live out their life will make a huge impact in their kids, whether or not they attend KIDS church. Michelle wants to remind parents that discipleship starts at home. It is where children should first learn how to pray and read the Bible.

Michelle envisions an army of young worship leaders, who will rise up and lead the next generation. She’s also believing for more volunteers to step up and disciple kids, so they will also be disciple makers in the future.  The task of reaching out to the next generation is not easy, but it is a responsibility that Michelle has embraced, a calling that she considers a privilege.

Stop Giving Lip Service to Christianity

Stop Giving Lip Service to Christianity

In his blog post entitled, “You Don’t Believe In What You’re Saying,” Pastor Paolo Punzalan talks about the importance of practicing what we preach. As Christians, we need to live a life of integrity because we are living testimonies of the transforming love of Christ. Pastor Paolo quoted Matthew 23:3, “Pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach,” which is Jesus’ warning about religious leaders who don’t walk the talk. Pastor Paolo cautions us that outward appearances can be deceiving. Nevertheless, the fruit of the Holy Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness—will always be evident in a person whose life is truly aligned with Christ—a Christian life that is not merely giving lip service to Christianity. It doesn’t mean we have to lead perfect lives, but it is important to always strive for Christlikeness. Being a Christian shouldn’t mean being adept at Christianity, or knowing the Bible from cover to cover, or knowing the right words to say. The word “Christian” should mean “changed by the

power of the gospel”—repenting of sin and receiving new life in Christ. It should mean, “walking to follow Jesus.”

Why Trust is So Important in a Discipleship Relationship by Joey Bonifacio

Why Trust is So Important in a Discipleship Relationship by Joey Bonifacio

In this mini message, Pastor Joey Bonifacio talks about the importance of trust in a discipleship relationship. There are universal principles that bring relationships together, and trust–which is another word for faith–is the foundation. Like the building of a relationship, trust doesn’t happen overnight. It has varying degrees, which is why it needs to be grown and nurtured. When we disciple someone, we establish trust and help them grow in their faith in God.

Steve Murrell, “The Power to Preach the Gospel”

Steve Murrell, “The Power to Preach the Gospel”

Last March 5, thousands of current and upcoming Victory group leaders came together at the Mall of Asia Arena for our annual leaders’ convergence, Discipleship 2016. Now on its fourth year, the conference focused on the power given to us by the Holy Spirit to carry out the charge to honor God and make disciples.

In this podcast from Discipleship 2016, Every Nation founder and president, Pastor Steve Murrell, delivers a powerful message from Acts 1:8. He encourages all our Victory group leaders to be missional, not mystical. As the Holy Spirit gives us power, we are empowered to go on our mission to preach the gospel. Not only that, we also receive power to martyr ourselves and lay our lives down for the gospel. To accomplish this, lordship should be paramount in all aspects of our lives.

Secrets my Father Told me

Secrets my Father Told me

“God has secrets too—secrets that He wants to share. Secret riches, hidden treasures in His Word . . . and they are there for His children to discover.”

Marie Bonifacio, guest-blogging on JoeyBonifacio.com, writes about how life-giving words from her father made an impact to her at an early age. In the same vein, our Heavenly Father is more than willing to share His secrets for us in His Word. Discover the secrets God wants to reveal to us in this blog post, “Secrets my Father Told me”.