Church Planting Ministry Holds Third Baptismal Service

Candidates for baptism (in baptismal gowns) with staff of CCT's church planting ministry.  

Sixty-nine believers  made a public profession of their faith in Jesus Christ and repentance from sin when they were baptized during the third baptismal service held this year by CCT's church planting ministry.

The believers are from CCT community churches in Taguig City;  Cabrera and Malibay, Pasay City; San Andres, Manila; San Pedro, Laguna; Bagong Silangan and Araneta, Quezon City; GMA, Cavite; and Antipolo City.

The service was held at the home of CCT board member Stephen Roxas in Makati on November 5, 2011. A total of 180 persons have been baptized by CCT's pastors this year.

Pastor Joel Indico speaks about the
significance of baptism...

...and prays for the believers
about to be baptized. 

CCT staff sing at the poolside during the actual
baptism.

Photos and reportage: Ciara Tan

2nd Batch Baptismal Service

Praise the Lord for 37 new believers from various branches of the Center for Community Transformation who identified themselves with the Lord Jesus Christ by following His command to be baptized, on July 15, 2011.

Pastor Jun Gonzaga welcomes all who
gathered for the service, held at the home
of Board members Stephen and Helen Roxas
in Makati.

Pastor Joel Indico speaks on what baptism
symbolizes: obedience to Christ's command,
ceasing from sin, and identification with
Christ's death, resurrection and return.

CCT staff sing, "Ang buhay ng tao'y nagbabago,
ang puso'y nililinis ni Kristo,
kahit na anong sama't nagkasala,
Ang Panginoon ay babaguhin ka
Kung mananalig sa kanya."

Jocelyn Jabiniao of Quezon City
shares her testimony.

Pastor Rommel Dancel accompanies the singing of
praise and worship songs on the piano.

Baptism candidates from the CCT Bagong Silangan branch
in Quezon City.

Baptism candidates from GMA, Cavite with Fortune
Bayucan, covenant community builder.

Former street dwellers with Kaibigan Ministry staff Ver
Pailona (extreme left) and Arlene Rimando (second from
right).

CCT Pastors, Community Servant-Leaders Attend Hermeneutics Seminar

Twenty-seven staff from different CCT programs and 14 community leaders attended a four-day seminar on  Biblical hermeneutics. The speaker was Pastor Felix Ballon, a California-based Filipino pastor working with the Christian and Missionary Alliance.

Biblical hermeneutics is the theory and methodology of interpreting scriptural texts.  Pastora Cerela Sumido, CCT's spiritual development coordinator, said the objectives of the seminar were to help attendees:

• learn to study the general principles of biblical interpretation
• hone their skills in interpreting the Scriptures
• develop the habit of study and research. 

Leading Children to Jesus

Children of Cabrera, Pasay sing an action song during their VBS graduation ceremony.

Knowing that individuals can be more easily won to the Lord when they hear the Gospel message at a young age, CCT sponsored Vacation Bible School classes in eight locations in Metro Manila during the summer break -- in Cabrera, Pasay City; Taguig; GMA, Cavite; Malibay, Pasay; Araneta, Quezon City; Antipolo City; and Bagong Silangan, Quezon City.  More than 200 children belonging to street dwelling families and community partners heard the gospel story, memorized verses, and learned songs about Jesus.  For these five day classes we used the Jesus: My Saviour and Friend curriculum published by Child Evangelism Fellowship Press.

Water Baptism

Praise the Lord for 74  adult men and women who followed the Lord Jesus Christ in water baptism during a baptismal service on April 3, 2011. Two were CCT staff while all of the rest  came to have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ through the ministry of CCT. Seventeen of the newly-baptized believers are former street dwellers and 55 are microfinance community partners. They now attend  CCT community churches in 

·  Taguig City

·  Tondo, Manila

·  Cabrera, Pasay City

·  Malibay, Pasay City, 

·  Bagong Silangan, Quezon City

·  Araneta, Quezon City

·   General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite provine

·   Antipolo,  Rizal province    

 The service was held at the home of CCT Board Member Stephen Roxas in Makati City. It  was a first for CCT's church planting ministry this year.  From here on, a baptismal service will be held every quarter.