Reports from Carl Henderson
November 2008 Update
Carl reports that 51 house churches have now been planted in less than 5 months with over 500 people meeting together and reading the scriptures!
September 2008 Update
Many people are coming to Christ! We have planted 38 new churches (we call them Seed Churches) in 11 weeks with mostly new believers, baptized many, discipling more, training leaders to replace us and plant more churches. It is a very exciting time, we are still experiencing miracles, and the fields are white for harvest!
Here is an excellent and powerful video by Brian Burns of a recent baptism of 21 new believers in one of the Baguio International Church outreaches. I have not been able to update our website because of all the work we have been engaged in… However, the Lord is on the move in the Philippines and we are trying to stay in step with HIM.
See this exciting and moving video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q09uJdcM7kg
Read Carl’s article New Testament Evangelism: multiplication, not addition which explains the scriptural approach being followed to achieve such extraordinary results for the kingdom of God.
August 2008 Update
Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.”
“We remind new believers that we/they are part of the unstoppable Kingdom of God which is on the march and cannot be stopped or defeated! Those committed to the Kingdom and King Jesus will overcome the world even if cost them their lives. This actually inspires greater commitment and obedience.
We have 34 of these home fellowships started now. Most are about 8 to 12 people, some have 18 or more people present (over 250 new believers and seekers after God). Many are experiencing changed lives by reading, discussing and obeying the Scriptures. We have baptized people almost every week now for the last four weeks. Many of the new disciples are taken to do evangelism immediately. Some have done evangelism on two weekends in a row and have been with our SEED Churches—small home fellowships—for only three weeks. Our new converts are already starting new SEED churches even while they are new believers themselves.
We are lowering the bar on what it takes to be a church, and raising the bar on what it takes to be a disciple of Christ: obedience to Christ commands, a life of repentance and seeking the lost. And we are seeing great progress in only seven weeks. Of course we have used The Elijah Challenge with great effect and this brings many people to the fellowships and excites our new converts to take it to others. By avoiding the crusade atmosphere and crusade events, I think we are seeing even more exciting and long lasting fruit after using The Elijah Challenge to heal the sick.
Most of the missionaries I know seem to be bringing the tried and failed methods of the USA that did not work there, and impose them on the Philippines.
The Biblical New Testament ‘way’ of following Jesus bears more fruit (meaning producing obedient disciples) than all the salesmanship, and church growth methods combined.”
Pastor Carl Henderson
Elijah Challenge Philippines Coordinator
MOR – Mission of Reconciliation