Look Out Philippines! This Missionary is Coming Back!
The delivery man has finally arrived with the much-awaited report! Please excuse my absence. I just couldn’t write another email until I had this information to share with you!
For the last 10 months, I’ve been back in the States working with the Assemblies of God to become an ordained missionary. I can’t be ordained for a few more years, since I have to complete my degree with Global University, among other requirements. But I can say that as of March 17th, 2014, I’ve been accepted as a missionary associate! I couldn’t have done it without your encouragement, prayers and support. Thank you so much for investing in God’s Kingdom and in my life!
This all means I’ll be speaking Tagalog and Bisaya 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 a lot of experience planting churches and raising up pastors for the Kingdom of God! I’ve been assigned to help with outreaches in schools, evangelism and making disciples. That surely isn’t the whole description of my work, but at least it’s familiar ground. Over the last two years in the Philippines, hundreds were healed, and thousands were witnessed to and made decisions to follow Christ. Still, taking them further into discipleship is the real focus. Please pray with Ray and me as we serve in the Philippines.
Where and when will I be departing? I don’t know when yet, but I do know WHERE! I’m Philippine-bound to a large island in the north called Mindoro. It sounds like I’ll mostly be in Calapan, but churches are being planted all across the eastern side of the island.
Mindoro has just as much interesting history as Cebu, where I was before. There is an indigenous group in Mindoro, and far fewer people than in Cebu City. Mindoro’s population is around 1.2 million, and it is said that in the past its population was cut down by attacks and a rare strain of malaria. I doubt there’s much to worry about now, but there may be a heavy burden on the people, especially with all the earthquakes and typhoons that have hit the Philippines these past few months.
Although many things are unclear, there is one simple truth I cling to: many in the Philippines have yet to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior! The tide is turning, but our work isn’t done until the entire world has heard the truth.
Wikipedia says the Philippines is 80% Roman Catholic, with another 10% in other Christian groups. When I first flew to the Philippines back in 2011, I didn’t realize how many people there had never heard that they could know Jesus personally. I also came to see that the perspective of Catholics in America differs greatly from that of Catholics 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 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 share more details about the ministry in 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 is that you commit to pray for and support your brother in Christ as I go. I know it’s a cliché, 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)!
Let’s be on the offense for His Kingdom! You can click here to sign a commitment form online. If you prefer to give 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