The delivery man has finally arrived with much awaited report! Excuse my absence, as I just couldn’t write another email until I had this information to share with you now!
For the last 10 months I’ve been back in the states working with Assemblies of God to become an ordained missionary. Although I can’t be ordained for a few more years (as I have to complete my degree with Global University among other requirements), I can attest to being accepted as a missionary associate as of March 17th 2014! I couldn’t have done it without your encouragements, prayers and support. Thank you so much for investing into God’s Kingdom and into my life!
This all means I’ll be speaking in the Tagalog and Bisaya language soon! As a missionary associate, I’m required to work under a veteran missionary for a year or two. I’m blessed to have Ray Miller as my full term mentor. I’m also very grateful for each of my missionary mentors who have helped me in many ways and are still helping; Lewis McCown, Dwight Palmquist, and Otho Cooley (thank you all!).
Ray Miller has much experience planting churches and raising up pastors for the Kingdom of God! I’ve been assigned to assist with outreaches in schools, evangelism and making disciples. The description of my work surely doesn’t end there, but it is at least some familiar ground. The last two years in the Philippines hundreds were healed and thousands were witnessed to who made decisions to follow Christ (though taking them further into discipleship is the real focus). Pray with Ray and I as we serve in the Philippines.
Where and when will I be departing? As of now I don’t yet know when, but I do know WHERE! I’ll be Philippine bound to a large island in the north called Mindoro. For the most part it sounds like I’ll be at Calapan, but churches are being planted all across the eastern side of the island. This location has just as much interesting history as the former place I was at in Cebu. There will be an indigenous group in Mindoro and far fewer people compared to Cebu city. Mindoro’s population is around 1.2 mil and is said to have been cut down in the past from former attacks by the Muslims and a rare breed of malaria. I doubt that there is little to worry about now, but there might be a heavy burden on the people, especially with all of these earthquakes and typhoons that have been hitting the Philippines that past few months.
Although many things are unclear, there is one simple truth that I cling to; most of the Philippines have yet to know Jesus their personal Lord and Savior! Though the tide is turning, our work is not yet done until the entire world has heard the truth. Wikipedia says that the Philippines is 80% Roman Catholic and 10% being Christian, though it groups up the Christians with the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Iglesia ni Cristo, Mormons, and other cults. I think we’d be fortunate to consider 4% of the Philippines disciples of Jesus! I didn’t realize how lost those Catholics really were as I was flying for the first time to the Philippines back in 2011. I understood American Catholic’s perspective to differ greatly compared to those in the Philippines.
We have yet to scratch the surface as a witness in the Philippines! Natural disasters have been shaking up that country and people are seeking for answers. “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (Romans 10:14).
I’ll provide more details about the ministry in the the future, but what I do know is that I need to raise $9,597 upfront and $2,203 per month in pledges. What I ask from you is to commit to pray and support your brother in Christ as I go. I know it’s a cliche, but I really can’t do it without you! We are a team that will storm the very gates of hell and they cannot prevail against us (Matt 16:17)! I ask that you be on the offense right now for His Kingdom and click here to sign a commitment form online. If you prefer donating by check; click here to use the printable form. Please add my missionary account number #2960516 to the form. Thank you for being used by God!
Because they haven’t heard,
Justin Gilpin
Catholicism was the religion started by Christ, every other Christian religion is just a break off of the Church that Christ started, Roman Catholicism. I don’t see how you can say they are lost when they are following the religion started by Christ…..
Thanks for your response Hannah. Not all Catholics are ‘lost’, but many have actually never read the Bible from cover to cover or even know the words of Jesus. If Jesus is the foundation of true religion then wouldn’t it be important to know what Jesus says, rather than just showing up to Mass to perform rituals?