“One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.” (Psalm 145:4) Much of the work I do is to take the “old time religion” I have learned from our faithful forefathers and pass it on to the next generation.
Our Bible college keeps us busy as we teach and train our students. It always is a joy to teach classes that are based four-square on the Word of God. In the last two months, I personally taught classes on Bible geography, key doctrinal words (like propitiation), personal finance, the Gospel of John I, the Book of Acts I, and time management. Our students also studied in classes about soul winning, walking with God, and English. Our men had classes on preaching, while our ladies had classes on sewing and baking (they love any class with food!).
The last two months were busy with traveling as well. Our Bible college students and most of our staff went with Bro. DeMoville to Bro. Rick Martin’s conference in Iloilo, where our college chorale sang for those gathered. Pastor DeMoville had to travel many days to prepare for and then attend an FBMI conference in Ghana, West Africa. I made a trip regarding my missionary visa, and I am grateful it was extended for another year. One trip I enjoyed was to be with my daughter’s family, Mike and Ruth Morrissey, and have Thanksgiving dinner with them. They serve as FBMI missionaries in Dapitan, Mindanao, Philippines. I enjoyed “catching up” with the grandkids and the ministry there. I was thankful to see how faithfully they are serving and the souls growing under their care.
While I have been well, many continue to struggle with health issues among our team and people. Dengue fever is still around, and another strange virus that causes fever, headache, and coughing has affected many. However, we have been able to continue seeing many saved every week and baptisms every Sunday. So far, by the end of November, we have records of 5,809 saved and 216 baptized.
On a recent Thursday night, I took a group of soul winners to a large public park. There I met the coach of a public school, who had brought her team to compete in Korean martial arts. While I was talking to her, the team came back from competition, and they were all willing to listen to the Gospel. Seven were saved, including the coach. Amen!
The same evening, one of our faithful men took some college students with him to witness to his cousin, who was in a local hospital. The Monday before, he had attended his cousin’s father’s funeral and had a burden to reach his family. We found out one of our college students had led the father who had died to the Lord just a few months before. While at the hospital, the cousin, her husband, and her daughter were all saved. Amen!
I have also been encouraged recently, as I have seen our Filipino staff growing in their abilities to teach, preach, and take on more of the workload of the ministry here. They are all graduates of our Bible college, and it is a joy to have them tell me something I taught them in a class helped them to better serve the Lord. It is a joy to work with them every day.
You will probably receive this update just prior to Christmas, so may I wish all of you a very blessed time with your families and ministries as you celebrate our Saviour, Who came into the world to save sinners. Because of your faithful prayers and giving, we are able to continue passing on the unchanging truths of God’s Word to a new generation of believers in the Philippines. If our Lord returns in 2020, may we all be found faithful.
May God’s richest blessings be yours,
Scott Christiansen
