We often hear and say that the future starts today. But when we look at the present, what do we see?
Do we see a generation building up the next?
Do we see a generation coming, in light of God’s purpose and glory?
Do we see a future as bright as God’s glory, even in the now?
In the next two weeks, these topics will help us understand more deeply the importance of answering God’s call to reach the next generation and how their lives, when lived for Jesus, can impact many more lives, for eternity.
Week 1: Jeremiah and Judah
Week 2: Esther and Persia
See you at our weekend services!
You may check the worship service schedules here or by visiting your Victory location’s Facebook page.
Since the Church’s mission was launched on the Day of Pentecost, God sends us His Holy Spirit and is with us wherever we go as we bring the good news of Jesus and His love to the ends of the earth. At the same time, God faithfully opens doors that indeed, no man can shut (Revelation 3:8), the doors that enable us to reach the nations through the international students.
These international students who temporarily reside here in the Philippines are often a minority, yet they represent their home nations, many of which restrict or even ban the gospel. Imagine the impact of reaching them here, on our campuses, and sending them home carrying the gospel of Jesus Christ.
It takes a lot of courage for these students to leave their homes behind. This season of their lives can be isolating, so going the extra mile and extending compassion, even in the simplest ways, can have a significant impact on them.
This compassion may come in the form of a shared meal, helping them navigate the campus or the city, or simply a listening ear. While we might not fully grasp the weight of these simple acts, we believe that God can multiply the seeds of faith we plant—and that eventually, they will open hearts to the love of God.
One common hurdle we face is the thought, “They’ll just leave anyway.” But God reminds us in Deuteronomy 10:17-19, “He loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.” Moreover, we are to emulate His love for these students.
So, as a spiritual family, what do we have to offer? Just as Moses was asked, “What do you have in your hand?” Let’s look at what we have. One thing is our spiritual family.
If we have a welcoming community, then let’s use it! If we have hearts filled with compassion, let’s extend them. In whatever capacity we find ourselves, may we look at the international students and serve them the way that God does—with great compassion.
“To be honest, I never felt homesick during my stay in the Philippines. ENC International wasn’t just there for monthly hangouts, they became my lifelong friends whom I still talk to this day. Holidays never felt lonely, and having someone who’d listen and pray for you during hardships is priceless.“
— Shekaina Silva, Sri Lanka
“The community made me feel safe and secure in the Philippines; it’s like an extension of family.”
— Ruva Vengesayi, Zimbabwe
“It was such a blessing to find a place and group that I can confidently confide in, whether it be on my worst days and my best.”
— Jason, South Korea
“This community feels like home—a place where I’m known, loved, and growing in faith.”
— Noelani Brown, Samoa
These smiles and testimonies are evidence of how God grows even the mustard-seed kind of faith to preach the gospel and share His love, even from where we are.
Truly, it is only a privilege to take part in Christ’s mission. He is already God Himself, yet it has always been His joy to include us in His mission as His sons and daughters—hearing and flowing with the sound of our Father’s heartbeat—the salvation of the nations.
To all international students, you have a home where you are welcome regardless of where you came from. You are welcome here.
The next generation’s excitement for the Love Month is felt across campuses in Metro Manila. Many are vocal about love and express their longing for genuine connections and a community to belong to. This makes it a fitting time for us to reach out to them and tell them about God’s great love.
That is why our churches across Metro Manila came together to become vessels of the gospel and share with others that the God we worship is deeply personal and mindful of His people. We’ve launched various initiatives across campuses and cities to demonstrate this love in action.
Students from our church shared God’s great love on their campuses, visiting classrooms and inviting everyone to church.
Students participated in mental health discussions and enjoyed chocolates. They were also encouraged by love notes placed in the classrooms.
Hundreds of students from San Pedro, Laguna discovered real love in Jesus during a Love Talk facilitated by our Serve Teams.
God’s love is immense—surpassing any form of love we can give. When we’re filled with it, it naturally overflows.
We thank God for the grace to experience this overflowing love, and we pray that it continues to flow through us wherever we go, whenever He calls us to love and demonstrate His love, no matter the circumstances.
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” — 1 Corinthians 5:14-15
After Typhoon Carina caused widespread devastation across Metro Manila, schools had to resume a new school year. Many embraced the start of the school year with heavy hearts amidst the storm subsiding.
Despite it all, we find hope in the truth that God’s mercies are new every morning.
Through God’s grace, we are grateful for the hundreds of volunteers eager to serve about 50 campuses across Metro Manila during the Brigada Eskwela. This program brings together local communities, parents, teachers, and students to help clean and prepare public schools and facilities for the coming school year.
Willing hearts and ready hands helped clean and provided cleaning materials.
Our team of volunteers in Greenhills and Pasay
Medical mission in partnership with Operation Blessing at Parañaque National High School – Main that served 274 students, parents, and educators with medical, dental, and optical care.
The start of the school year welcomed more open doors to bless the campuses in the U-Belt and Santa Rosa area
In all these—from donations and cleaning up initiatives, we are grateful for every person who selflessly gave all for something that we hold last: the gospel.
The storm may have taken away many valuable things, but through your service and prayers, we know that the eternal love of God is something that the students gained and will treasure beyond this lifetime.
Hebrews 13:16
And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices, God is pleased.
But it is precisely at these times that we are urged to be the hands and feet of Jesus and embody Christ’s presence in our society. Every act of compassion, every raised prayer, and every extended hand is evidence of our Creator’s unquestionable love for us and others.
As the campuses open for a new school year, continue to stand with us in prayer as we build stronger partnerships with the faculty and administrative staff, seek more open doors to serve more campuses, and most importantly, preach the life-transforming message of the gospel to every student.
During rough times, a small act of kindness or a short encouraging message can go a long way in inspiring a person to conquer hardship. One of the most challenging seasons in a student’s life is the midterm or final exams week. Due to the difficulties encountered during this time, like sleep deprivation and tons of materials to review, many students call this period, “hell week.”
Instead of magnifying problems, we believe that exams week is a chance to serve the campuses by praying for and encouraging the future leaders of our nation. We want to redeem this season by renaming it “help week,” which is a time to bless the students during their most trying season. Last September, we distributed over 800 “all-nighter survival packs” to students of UP Diliman, Miriam College, Ateneo de Manila University, and Philippine Science High School.
Each pack included coffee, food, school supplies, and a handwritten message by our student volunteers. Each note contained a word of encouragement to remind the students of God’s promises and make them feel that there is a community willing supporting to them. As our volunteers distributed these packs, they also took time to pray for the students who were in need.
Photo from Lourdes Marie Pobeda-Martin
Photo from Liane Silla
As a movement, we want to stand with the students in our communities. One word of encouragement can carry one student through an entire week of exams. We thank all the pastors, staff, and volunteers who gave their time and resources to make this happen.
What is one way you can be a blessing to the next generation today?
Last November 24, Thursday, our 16th batch of campus missionaries graduated from the Every Nation School of Campus Ministry. The 46 men and women who make up this batch were trained for three months, and are now entering their new season of full-time vocational ministry.
For the past eight years, the School of Campus Ministry has been training, equipping, and preparing men and women to be sent out, to advance God’s kingdom in the campuses. We are in faith that our new graduates will be living the vision of witnessing young people give their lives to Jesus, and help them make disciples.
Please pray for grace, strength, and fruitfulness for our new batch of campus missionaries! Let’s continue standing with them as they change the campus, and change the world.
As a movement, Every Nation has always given emphasis on making disciples of the next generation. We believe in reaching the campuses because we believe that every student has a chance to change their lives through the gospel, and in the future, positively change the world too.
That is why we celebrate this recent milestone for one of our churches in a restricted nation in South Asia. Last June 30, they launched their first youth service, which is also the first worship service catering to young people that happens on a weekly basis. Typically, churches in this nation can only hold a youth service once a month. Scheduled at 7:30 PM, the service aims to accommodate students after their classes, before they end their day.
We believe that God is opening new doors into the mission field for the next generation. We are in faith that many young people will receive Jesus as their Savior, and will be discipled through these services. Let us intercede for our Every Nation church in this restricted nation as they break barriers and boldly preach the gospel.
Pray for the worship team and other young people serving as volunteers to the worship services, that they may delight in their work and be refreshed as they serve.
Pray for new volunteers and leaders to step out, so that the current teams will be spared from exhaustion and fatigue.
Pray for new preachers among the youth, so that the gospel may be preached in a manner that will resonate most with their fellow young people.
Pray for protection against any kind of attack–be it physical or spiritual–as our missionaries continue to serve in this restricted nation.
Together, we believe that we can reach every student, on every campus, in every nation.
Our Every Nation missionaries in this creative access nation continue to boldly preach the gospel, disciple locals and raise leaders. If you would like to support our missionaries with monthly or one-time gifts, please click here.
Note: The image used here is from a Buddhist temple in Thailand. It does not represent the nation referred to in this missions update.
The School of Campus Ministry is designed to train and equip incoming full-time campus missionaries for their first year of ministry. The program’s curriculum, which has a three-month duration, was built on the fundamental principles of campus ministry. It serves to instill these principles in our future campus ministers as they reach the campuses and disciple students.
This year, the fifteenth batch of campus ministers will be graduating from our Every Nation School of Ministry on Thursday, the 14th of April.
This batch, made up of 38 men and women, is comprised of 21 students from provincial churches, 6 from Metro Manila, and 11 international graduates from countries such as Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Australia and Singapore. These future campus ministers will pioneer campus ministries in their areas. As they go back to their respective mission fields, we are expectant that God will use them in different campuses to reach out to the next generation and be radical for Jesus.
