The Solid Rock Bible Congregation (SRBC) conducted its first “cell-lebration”, a gathering of all members of cell groups handled by cell group leaders of the church.

The church overflowed with about 250 bodies, children excluded.  The cell members came from various locations even as far as Sual, Burgos, Calasiao and Mabini.

The cell-lebration coincided with Mother’s Day, and during the service, a tribute to mothers was presented.  Here are a few pictures from the event.

 Everyone prepares to watch a video presentation.

 Some mothers present a special number.

A picture of one mother is shown on video while the group of mothers present a song number. 

Here is another shot of the song and video presentation.

Mothers line up to receive a small token from the church. 

It’s all systems go for the Macro-Encounter of the EGR Pangasinan Network. 

Pastors and church leaders from Pangasinan, Zambales, Pampanga and La Union will be coming over to the JCSGO Campsite in Libsong, Lingayen, Pangasinan, venue of the Macro-Encounter on May 15-17, 2008.

This is probably the first time that a 3-day Bogota-type Encounter will be conducted in the province.  The purpose of the Macro-Encounter is not just to let pastors and church leaders learn the Bogota-type Encounter but also to have a fresh encounter with God anew.

If you are a pastor and you want to join the Macro-Encounter, you may get in touch with Rev. Charlie Loranza at mobile no. 09203290415.

Every Friday, during the current summer term, a group of students who opened their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ meet regularly to celebrate God’s goodness in the Christian Clique. The Christian Clique is an informal group of Christians, most of them new in the Christian faith. They are being guided by a couple of Christian teachers who happen to be their teachers in at least one subject.

Here are a few pictures shot during one of their regular meetings.

Clique leader Mr. Jessie Paragas shows a Powerpoint presentation to the group through a laptop.

Sir Jess explains the power of the presence of God as the group listens.

The group attentively watch the Powerpoint presentation.

The clique takes a snack break.

Some of the group pose with Sir Jess after the clique meeting.

Here’s another shot during the snack break.

Four ladies pose for a shot after the Clique meeting.

The Solid Rock Bible Congregation (SRBC) has scheduled its very first Encounter God Retreat (EGR) on May 29-31, 2008 at the SRBC compound.

The expected delegates are members of the cell groups being handled by various cell group leaders of the church. About 30 to 40 delegates are expected to sign up.

The Encounter format is the one being used in Bogota, Colombia, seat of the G12 Vision. The delegates will go through a 3-day incubation with their Maker not just to revive them but to make them fruitful as well.

In related developments, some selected cell leaders of the church will troop to Nueva Ecija to go through a 3-day Encounter which will be conducted by the FIFCOP Mission, the mission organization of SRBC. The Nueva Ecija Encounter will run from May 1-3, 2008.

Also, there will be a Macro-Encounter to be held at SRBC on May 15-17, 2008 which will be attended by pastors and leaders of the EGR Pangasinan Network. The idea of the Macro-Encounter is to pass on the anointing of the 3-day Bogota type Encounter to pastors and leaders so that they can already embark on conducting their own Encounter Retreats. The Macro-Encounter will be handled by SRBC pastors and leaders who have gone through the 3-day Encounter.

Here’s one of the nicest verses I’ve ever read.  It’s calling on men, but I believe women should seriously take it, too.

The World Needs Men…

Are you the man (or woman) the world needs?

If you’re a Christian and you are tired of the old-fashioned styles of one-on-one evangelism, you might find the life-and-death ambigram useful in your next sharing time.

The life-and-death ambigram is a presentation of the words “LIFE” and “DEATH” in one symbol.  It is called an ambigram because on one face you see the word LIFE, and when you turn the symbol 180 degrees, you see the word DEATH.  See illustration below.
              

When used in evangelism, the ambigram could offer a quick sharing of the message of salvation.  Here’s how:

First, show the ambigram to your prospect starting with LIFE.  Ask him if he can read it.  Usually he can read it.  Now turn it 180 degrees and show him DEATH.  Some people have a hard time reading it, but when your prospect does read it, congratulate him for doing so.

Now turn the ambigram just 90 degrees.  It can be read upwards or downwards depending on which side you turn.  But this time ask your prospect to read not upward or downward but sideward.  He could not read anything here.  From this position turn it 180 degrees and ask your prospect to read again.  He could not still read anything because there’s really nothing readable in those positions.

Now explain to your prospect that we only have to destinies: life or death.  A destiny of life is a life lived with and for God.  A destiny of death is a life lived without and not for God.  There’s nothing in between, that is why he can’t read anything sidewards.  It is just a choice between life and death.

Now ask your prospect which one he would choose.  He will, of course, choose LIFE if he is serious, not joking.  Others may choose DEATH, no joke.  If this happens, all you can do is to pray that that person would come to his senses.  If he jokes, ask him not to joke about it.  Tell him he can receive eternal life if he accepts Jesus Christ into his heart as Lord and Savior of his life.  At this point, you may opt to explain the fact that Christ died on the cross for his sin.  Yes, He died but He rose from the dead and is now alive.  If your prospect accepts Him as Lord and Savior of his life, he can have the eternal life that Jesus promised.  When your prospect chooses life and you have told him the meaning of his choice, ask him to pray.

Tell him to pray the prayer of acceptance.  Give him a sample prayer if possible.  When he says he’s willing to pray, lead him to the prayer.  While you say that you will lead him to the prayer, tell him to follow you and say the words sincerely from his heart.  When he does so, you have a new brother born in the family of God, all in five minutes, more or less.

Of course, it is necessary that you have a copy of the ambigram.  Try this evangelistic style and see the results.  God bless you.

This time it’s the Bogota type of Encounter God Retreat that the Solid Rock Bible Congregation (SRBC) will conduct starting next month. This development occurred after five SRBC EGR staff went through a dry run Encounter held at the Masagana Mall along Taft Avenue, Corner Kalaw St., Manila last April 4-5, 2008.

Yes, the Bogota type of Encounter is a 3-day Encounter God Retreat designed especially for the local church. The recommendation of G12 Philippines Director Rev. Oriel Ballano is to do away with the 2-day EGR of the Pangasinan EGR Network. The 3-day Encounter is really custom-designed for local churches so that they can conduct their own. They don’t have to go somewhere else for the Encounter part of PEPSOL.

The five SRBC staff who went to the 3-day Macro-Encounter are: Rev. Charlie Loranza and his wife Tess, Ptr. Jess Paragas, Sis. Kess Malicdem and Sis Angelita Fernandez.

May 14-16, 2008 is the tentative schedule of the Macro-Encounter here in Pangasinan to be conducted by SRBC. Member pastors of the EGR Pangasinan Network are expected to go through this 3-day Encounter for them to see how the Bogota Encounter works and how they can do the same in their own churches later on.

At the time Jesus was hanging on the cross, He uttered seven sentences which in the Christendom is popularly known as the 7 Last Words.

In the Good Friday of 2008, 2:00pm at the Solid Rock Bible Congregation in 151 Samat, Bugallon, Pangasinan, more than a hundred people heard seven inspirational messages highlighting the value of the 7 Last Words of Christ in the life of each person in attendance.

Then when Resurrection Sunday came, the church went to Tobuan Beach and at exactly 5:30am, the Sunrise Service was celebrated commemorating the triumph of Jesus Christ over death when He was not found in His tomb three days after He died.

Rev. Charlie Loranza stressed in his sermon that the Resurrection of Christ is the bedrock of our hope of an eternal life with God in His kingdom.

After the Sunrise Service, the church witnessed the water baptism of 33 brethren, all of them products of the G12 Vision of the church.

Rev. Charlie, assisted by his associates, Pastor Jess and Pastor Joel, and by church and cell leaders, led the baptismal rites.

I got what I wanted when Manny Pacquiao beat Juan Manuel Marquez for the WBC Superfeatherweight Championship but, honestly speaking, I was not impressed by my countryman’s victory.

It was a close fight, close enough for everybody to see it in three ways: win for the Pacman, triumph for Dinamita, or still an “unfinished business” in a draw. Although the judges saw my countryman the winner, it is not easy to dismiss the fact that it could have gone the other way around.

For all his sacrifices and claims to be the winner, I give credit to Juan Manuel Marquez for giving Pacquiao another hell of a fight. He has the tools to neutralize the Filipino dynamo. He’s got the correct technical skills to slow down the onslaught of Manny; he’s got the quick wits to improvise at every moment of danger; he’s got something that neither his two compatriots, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, don’t have in facing up to attacks of the one they call “The Destroyer of Mexican Legends”.

Despite his age, Marquez was able to give Pacquiao a tough duel which the Filipino seems to put immediately to oblivion. Those right hand leads, uppercuts and counterpunches were like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that Pacquiao almost did not make to show us a victory picture.

The Pacman’s power was there. It floored Marquez once and probably twice more had Marquez failed to adjust properly. But what was missing was Manny’s speed and the improved right hand. Yes, there were moments when his speed was shown but only a few times. His right fist didn’t get to the target most of the time and there were occasions in which Manny seemed at a loss as to how to penetrate JMM.

See it again, folks, but during the time the winner was being declared by Michael Buffer, Manny Pacquiao went over to Juan Manuel Marquez to congratulate the Mexican. He knew he did not do enough to crack the Mexican nut and he thought it was well to accept the “fact” that he lost this time. He thought he failed his countrymen. He wouldn’t be surprised at the declaration of a loss unlike the first time they met when the mention of the word “draw” was for him a victory for Marquez and a defeat for him considering that he dropped the Mexican three times in the first round.

But when he was declared the winner, he painted a face of surprise, an amazement, some kind of unbelief in the pronouncement of his triumph. Noticeable also was the kind of moderate cheers from among the fans. There were many Filipino spectators there but half of them seemed to have been surprised also at the judges’ decision. They wanted to cheer but there was a question in their minds if it was right for them to cheer at the victory of their countryman.

No, I’m not impressed with Manny Pacquiao’s victory against Juan Manuel Marquez.

It’s not because I am a Filipino that I have this bias in favor of Manny Pacquiao.  I believe that the odds favor a victory for the Pacman, racial  and other factors counted out.

First, in terms of hunger, Manny has more.  Although he is the acknowledged king of superfeatherweights, Pacquiao’s not the legal king, and the man he will fight on March 16 is the recognized crown owner.  Manny feels that the crown should be in his hands, and to remove all doubts about his status as the numero uno, he will give all he’s got to legitimize his status.

Second, Manny has shown tremendous improvements in his skills as a boxer since his first meeting with the Mexican warrior.  He has grown more powerful and refined in his boxing craft.  Up to this point, no one has really solved the puzzle that is Manny Pacquiao, except of course, Marquez.  But the Pacquiao he fought that time is not the same Pacquiao he will meet on Saturday.

Third, Juan Manuel Marquez has not really shown much since he fought Pacquiao.  He only got the belt from Marco Antonio Barrera not really through his own efforts but also because of some misdeeds of Barrera himself during their match.  Had Barrera not hit Marquez while the latter was on the floor, Marquez would not have snatched the belt from the Baby Faced Assasin.

Lastly, Juan Manuel Marquez is old.  There’s no question about excellent technical skills but the age factor will take its toll on him especially against the younger and much more improved Pacman.  Pacquiao’s speed and power will wear down Marquez with his aging body.

I expect a knockout win for Manny Pacquiao.