Dear Brethren and Friends,

Welcome to the Filipino Worship Service!

We must give thanks to the Lord for another missions station in the Philippines that celebrates its Anniversary Thanksgiving today! Christlife Bible-Presbyterian Church with, Pr Martinez Azores as the preacher there, is in Sta. Ana, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon. Most importantly, we rejoice with the angels in Heaven over one sinner who repents and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. She is to be baptized today and three catechumens will transfer their membership. Although this is still a small church consisting only of two families as regular worshippers, Jesus in Matthew 13:31–32 assures us that, “The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” May this be our prayer for Christlife BPC.

Let us continue to pray for more stations to be established for the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let us not be busy with the things in this world but in spreading God’s Word to gather souls for Heaven, which are genuinely treasures that will last forever and ever. Please remember Christlife BPC in your prayers and especially Pr Martinez Azores and his family. Below is the English translation of his Cebuano testimony of salvation and ministry.—JTGL

TESTIMONY OF PR MARTINEZ AZORES

Pr Azores (left) taking exams at BEST

I am Martinez D Azores Sr, 54 years old. The Lord saved me in the year 1986, on September 26. I thank the Lord for His grace having chosen me and saved me. I believe that the salvation I received is only by the grace of God and this is through faith in Jesus Christ. I am thankful to the Lord for the salvation I received and the many spiritual blessings by using His servant, Ptr Paulicarpio Sulinay so I trusted in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour.

After I believed in Jesus Christ, in 1987, I received water baptism at Mindanao Evangelistic Institute while I was still studying in that Bible School under Pastor Jermie Azores. I am thankful to God that even though I did not finish my Bible School studies, the Lord still uses me in many wonderful ways. Even before I joined the Bible Equipping Seminar and Training (BEST) I already started the Christlife Family House Church ministry. This missions work began as an independent work in 2006 in Zone 2, Santa Ana, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon together with my family. We had our first Thanksgiving in 2007 with my family and we were able to invite one person. Then I met Pr Ronel Libertad in 2009, but he left Sta Ana. I continued the work together with Roniel Ayoc and there was an additional the family of Mr and Mrs Romeo Neipes. In the year 2008, there were 6 adults and 6 children attending. However, in 2010, I was discouraged and disheartened because of my co-worker who told me that I should not handle a church because I did not graduate from Bible School. From that time, I did not continue with the ministry except my family who became the Christlife Family House Church members.

Christlife BPC Worship Service

In the year 2016, Ptr Montera invited me to study under BEST. For me, I just wanted to try and join so that I could gain more knowledge of the Word of God. After my first attendance, I did not have any plan to return and continue with BEST. But then I realized that I just have to continue since I already started it. By the grace of God, I understand the importance of learning more. I am thankful to the Lord that He is using people so that I can study His Word and continue to learn even today in the Bible Equipping School of Theology (BEST).

Vacation Bible School

I continued with the ministry and prayed to the Lord with my family that we can have some support for the ministry. The answer to our prayers is the True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church in Singapore. For several years since 2018, the ministry is called Christlife Family House Bible-Presbyterian Church. Then, Dr Lagapa suggested that I should drop the words “Family House” so that it is now Christlife Bible-Presbyterian Church. I thank the Lord that there are still servants of God who look on us who like me is very poor materially though I am rich spiritually in the Lord.

Regarding my transfer of membership, with the Lord’s help, I have decided to because it was already a long time since I prayed about where I should transfer my membership. In this transfer, nobody invited me but this is the Lord’s will, in fact, I did not decide immediately. I prayed to the Lord if it was His will. I told my family about my plan to transfer membership. My wife’s answer and that of my three children, was that they would follow me whatever my decision, even the one who is now in Manila. Then I decided to transfer my membership to Christlife Bible-Presbyterian Church. Another answer to my prayers was when I told those fellowshipping with us in the church that I would transfer my membership, and they are happy. I truly believe this is the will of the Lord that I will transfer to the Bible-Presbyterian Church. I rejoice and thank the Lord that this coming April 30, 2023, I will become a member of Christlife Bible-Presbyterian Church under True Life BPC.

I thank the Lord that the ministry of Christlife Family House Church will continue as Christlife Bible-Presbyterian Church. To God be all the glory!

Christlife Bible-Presbyterian Church regular worshippers