Floodwaters of Grace

Floodwaters of Grace

Our God is a God who can turn tragedies into stories of redemption.

After nearly a month of devastation caused by Super Typhoon Carina, our nation is slowly recovering. Yet, amidst the rebuilding, we remember how the flood of God’s grace poured into the hearts of our communities, even as the floodwaters filled their homes.

Two days after the flood receded, affected families in a town in San Pedro returned to their homes to face the challenge of cleaning up. One volunteer from Victory San Pedro teamed up with a couple from Victory Alabang to serve their neighborhood and offer prayers during the cleanup. Pastor Rein to join them in ministering to the people. The small team was driven by a heart to bless the community and share God’s love.

They went door-to-door, offering assistance wherever needed. Little did they know that this would become an open door for God to touch hearts and invite people into a relationship with Him. On each visit, they asked about each family’s well-being. While no casualties were in their midst, the calamity brought fear and despair. The team heard stories of great fear as the floodwaters rapidly rose, an unprecedented event for the community.

The team encouraged the residents and reminded them of God’s protection for their families. These conversations led to a revelation of who Christ is and what He has done -His work on the cross covers and preserves; but more than anything, Christ has provided a solution for all eternity, giving us eternal hope. 

From one family hearing the good news of the gospel, filled with great joy, word spread quickly, and soon, neighbors from across the street requested prayers as well. Around 12 families received prayer and ministry, and much later, people from the community flocked the streets and opened their hearts to receive God’s love in their midst. 

It was undeniable that there was an outpouring of God’s spirit, a flood of grace that surpassed any physical floodwaters. The same hunger for Jesus was evident from one street to another. 

Although the floodwaters invaded their homes, the overwhelming flood of God’s grace poured into their hearts at that very moment. 

Please continue to pray for our teams in Alabang and San Pedro as they continually support the rebuilding — not just of homes but lives that are touched and transformed by Christ. 

Brigada Eskwela 2024: God’s New Mercies in the Campuses

Brigada Eskwela 2024: God’s New Mercies in the Campuses

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.

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.

Faith. Hope. Love.

Faith. Hope. Love.

What started as a survey of where our church members are residing provided opportunities to share God’s love and reach out to the city–one barangay at a time. 

“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.” — Psalm 127:1 With this verse as an anchor, our church in Las Piñas prayed for wisdom on how to best serve the people in this city.

From the start of the year, we gathered our key leaders and formed volunteer teams into three clusters that will cover and serve each barangay in Las Piñas. Each cluster will serve the city by praying in faith, moving in hope, and expressing love to the areas assigned to them. The three phases, faith, hope, and love, have also become our way to determine the specific needs of each cluster and how we can preach and demonstrate the gospel to them.

Currently, Brgy. Pilar, Las Piñas has requested assistance towards mental health awareness in their small communities. Part of our service includes HOPE (House of Prayer and Encounter), where we reach out to residents through organized house visits and gatherings, to pray for them and share Jesus to them. 

In all these, we believe that God has more great things in store for the city of Las Piñas—by faith, we hope that His love will be magnified and glorified.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV)

Beyond Tangible Hope

Beyond Tangible Hope

On March 17, 2024, a fire broke out in Barangay Alabang, Muntinlupa City, causing over 900 families to be displaced and lose their homes.

Our volunteers were quick to respond to their call for help as they repacked and brought hygiene kits, prayed for, and ministered to the fire victims.

During our outreach, we also had the privilege to pray for our Barangay Chairwoman. One of our faithful volunteers, Rea, who is also a fire victim and a part of the community, volunteered to serve the children. Rea boldly preached the gospel to them and organized various activities for them in the evacuation center.

While hygiene kits and other relief efforts may come to an end, we are confident and sure that something far greater is being birthed in this city—something that will outlast a lifetime—the gospel of Christ. It is the love that meets us in our darkest, and the love that shines through us—making our city one that stands on a hill; a beacon that cannot be hidden.

Let us continue to pray for our communities and cities, that no further fires will cause such devastation. But ultimately, let us press on bringing them closer to Christ, the One in whom hope will outlast our lifetime.

Hope Isn’t Gone

Hope Isn’t Gone

News about suicide cases isn’t new to us at all. In the Philippines alone, DepEd has death records for a total of 404 learners and 2,147 records of those who attempted suicide in the academic year 2021-2022.

These numbers represent lives, leaving behind a trail of regret. Whenever we hear such stories, it either wounds us or serves as a powerful wake-up call.

However, grief is not the only response. The local government of Taguig moves swiftly in compassion–calling forth the whole city to slowly transform grief into action.

Taguig CARES (Community Awareness towards Resilient and Empowered Students) is one of the LGU’s programs that aims to equip students and their families with holistic tools to navigate life’s challenges through values formation and mental health talks. 

Our church had the privilege to partner with this effort by serving as resource speakers during the city-wide Parenting Seminar. Leaders and volunteers across Victory Metro Manila helped equip 40,000 parents with the biblical responsibility of parenting. Many signified their willingness to receive help and guidance as parents and guardians of the next generation.

Let us continue to empower more families with resilience and faith by fostering strong values and building a supportive community together. 

Stand with us in prayer as we reach families in every city, shedding hope and dispelling darkness.

In Christ, we are never left without hope.

Source:

https://mirror.pia.gov.ph/features/2023/02/09/schoolchildren-suicide-a-growing-epidemic-that-needs-immediate-attention

Hope from the Ashes: Helping Las Piñas Fire Victims Recover from A Tragedy

Hope from the Ashes: Helping Las Piñas Fire Victims Recover from A Tragedy

With March as a Fire Prevention Month, continue to pray for our nation’s protection from further devastating fire incidents.

Just over a week ago, a second-alarm fire struck the Maligaya Compound in Barangay Pilar, Las Piñas City.

This fire tragically impacted 30 homes, displacing 125 families and roughly 400 individuals. Thankfully, there were no reported casualties or injuries. 

An overwhelming number of volunteers from various organizations across the city joined forces with us—including the body of Christ in Las Piñas.

We are also grateful for our leaders who readily offered help and provided meals to those affected.

What a sight of grace to behold—that despite the tragic event, we were led to an open door, an unexpected opportunity to demonstrate and proclaim the gospel. 

We were also given the privilege to pray for and minister to our barangay officials.

May our hearts of compassion continue to burn with fire, to be vessels of things of eternal worth, unlike a physical fire that consumes and destroys.

Let’s continue to stand in prayer and faith together.

  • Pray for our second wave of efforts to provide counseling and medical support for the fire victims.
  • Pray for continued protection and recovery for the affected families. Just recently, another fire broke out on Wednesday (March 6) morning, displacing another 170 families.

Love—in Quezon City

Love—in Quezon City

We are called to serve others like how He did and be faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms (1 Peter 4:10-11).

In Quezon City, we serve as faithful stewards of God’s grace by sharing the value of family. We believe in God’s mandate and design for marriage, and we have been given the privilege to serve the families in Quezon City by providing seminars promoting biblical values on marriage.

Through these events, we are able to speak hope and encouragement towards building strong foundations as husbands and wives. This is key to changing communities and even the course of our nation.

Godly marriages will surely bless generations after generations that come after us. May we never tire of passing on the word of God and the baton to the next generation!

We are grateful for volunteers serving with us — and we ask God to give us sincere and utmost compassion that can continually transform lives. May we create a culture of growth and service that reflects the heart of God for all.

Let us continue to serve others, just as Jesus did. 

The Message of Reconciliation—Sharing God’s Hope in San Juan

The Message of Reconciliation—Sharing God’s Hope in San Juan

The blood of Jesus makes us whole and alive—with all the joy that is set before him, He still chose to bear the cross in our place, so that we may have a restored relationship with a holy God.

This is the love that compels us to action.

Before 2023 ended, we spent Christmas within the walls of a juvenile detention center in San Juan City. Despite their past, we have the privilege to share the hope of salvation and reconciliation. Christ’s love and His church is not a place of condemnation but of restoration. 

We shared laughs, enjoyed meals, and ministered to their needs as a church community. 

This simple act of generosity also enabled us to extend our service to women in correctional facilities.

Let us always remember that God’s love is always looking after the least, lost, and the last. May we always find ourselves kneeling at the foot of the cross—the only place that qualifies us to be ministers of reconciliation to the world that seeks true and lasting hope.

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. — 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 ESV

From Our Hearts to the Cities: God’s Love Experienced in Pasig

From Our Hearts to the Cities: God’s Love Experienced in Pasig

God calls us to be His hands and feet here on earth, to love and serve His people, and to live out the gospel wherever we may be.

In December 2023, we were given the privilege to partner with the local government of Pasig to bless and minister to those in need at the Kanlungan sa Pasig facility. This place provides a space for healing and recovery for those in crisis—including children at risk, teens, victims of violence, and abandoned elderly.

A Christmas party was held where Noche Buena packages and hygiene kits were given to 180 families, as the children enjoyed a time of fun and games.

More than the tangible gifts, sharing the most beautiful gift of all—the gospel of Jesus Christ was the best thing that happened that day. It was such a joy to witness the children lift hands as they gave their lives to Jesus.

Just before we closed the year, a blood donation drive in partnership with the Philippine Red Cross called “Give Blood on Christmas Day” was also held in Victory Pasig. This allowed us to be an answered prayer for those in need of help; our act of faith and obedience surely made a huge difference in many lives.

We see more of His generosity overflow through us, wherever God sends us!

Thank you for praying and giving so others can experience the power of the gospel. Let us continue to believe in God for more open doors to serve our cities and allow Him to set us apart for His purpose this year.

A City Embraced: Bringing The Gospel To Taguig

A City Embraced: Bringing The Gospel To Taguig

Just like a father’s heart aches for his child in need, God’s love knows no bounds, especially for the lost, the least, and the last (Psalm 140:12). 

Here in Taguig, a city of vibrant yet painful contrasts, we want to echo that very heart of Christ—not just within our church’s walls, but in the least, unseen communities.

Remember the joy of those Noche Buena gift packs we shared nearly two decades ago? That simple, compassionate act from our volunteers ignited a fire, a passion to be God’s hands and feet, to proclaim His love in a greater capacity—to even embed social responsibility in our vision as a church.

And that is where our Love the City initiative started—just from a desire to bless and embody the gospel within and beyond our city walls. By God’s grace, we strive to live out our faith not just in words, but also in acts of generosity and service. Taguig, amidst its divides, has brought us closer to those who need it most. We’ve joined hands with these organizations that are beacons of light and hope in our city:

  • Generations–Home: Their heart is to end the orphan crisis and give orphaned children a chance to be loved well by raising awareness about foster care and adoption. They do this by reaching out to families through forums, discussions, and more. Currently, twelve families from our church have already opened their hearts and homes—good news to celebrate as we start the year!
  • Zonta‘s Kababaihan Project: They advocate for women’s rights and support women in need; we serve alongside them by building bridges of mental health support and sharing Christ’s love with the moms and their children. Because of our volunteers’ efforts, at least three women are now on their discipleship journey with us!
  • Marillac is a government facility that houses sexually abused and neglected young people. As a church, we partner with them by offering platforms of God’s healing through art therapy sessions, group discussions, and fun activities to spend time getting to know and building friendships with them.
  • Wipe Every Tear: They rescue victims of human trafficking. We stand beside them by starting small group sessions with the women and children—talking and being with them, helping them process their thoughts and emotions, and just simply, hearing their stories.

We believe in starting small, in the ripple effect of a single act of love. Every shared meal, every listening ear, every word of blessing, and every prayer of hope matters. 

To all our Victory BGC and Taguig volunteers, may the Lord bless you a hundredfold for all the time and effort you’ve given to minister to our communities.

Thank you for serving with us and loving on people just as Christ loves, wherever you are!

God’s Heart For Our Cities

God’s Heart For Our Cities

God’s Kingdom is likened to a mustard seed that grows, sown, and nurtured—just as God honors His people’s steps of faith, even the seemingly smallest ones.

We all take part in the Great Commission by making disciples. At the same time, we also serve hand in hand with the Body of Christ extending Christ’s love to permeate our nation.

How do we do this?

Our church serves and collaborates with national Christian ministries like the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC), Global Filipino Movement, and NGO Pamilya Muna Pilipinas to support nation-building initiatives that promote Christian values and uphold God’s word in our society.

We also recently partnered with TransformNation for a Breakfast Forum where we gathered Christian leaders and marketplace professionals to pray, worship, and encourage each other to fulfill God’s purposes in our nation as we share the gospel with every sector of our society.

The annual celebration of the National Bible Day is also important to us as we strongly believe in the transformative power of God’s Word to shape our moral character. This enables us to effectively demonstrate and proclaim the gospel in our nation.

Apart from these, we also conduct various initiatives in the local church closest to you!

A Picture of the Church

This gives us the picture of the biblical metaphor of the net–where each thread symbolizes each church member in Christ. Our nets, however strong, benefit from being part of a larger, more powerful whole. This is why fostering a greater relational connection with the whole body of Christ is important.

We face challenges, and each local church is a work in progress. The church is even made up of people who are navigating insecurities, past hurts, theological differences, spiritual opposition, and more—but, at the end of the day, let us be reminded that the devil only seeks to delay God’s work and that he can only hinder, not stop, the inevitable triumph of the gospel.

The Bible offers us a powerful image: from a garden in Genesis to a flourishing city in Revelation. It’s a story of reaching outwards, of transforming cities. 

This is our call, and the role of the church: to honor God and make His name known to nations. We do this by reaching out to the students, equipping marketplace leaders, discipling families, and reminding every child of God that their calling, no matter how seemingly ordinary, holds immense value in God’s eyes.

May God give us the strength to pursue His mission alongside His body of believers.

Call to Prayer:

  1. Pray for the church’s unity in mission and purpose.
  2. Pray for the church to live out its calling and be the godly influence to the different sectors of society.
  3. Pray for the next generation of leaders to rise and take the lead–and that they may have strong biblical foundations as early as now as we disciple them in campus ministry.