Membership and Attendance

Last Decenber 21, just before the year 2008 ended, eight more believers were baptized by Pastor Roy B. Raquintan, seven of which were from Bacong – 5 adults and 2 young people. This was the third time that a baptismal service was held and it officially declared Lola Piling, the mother of Deacon Sam Quising, as a member and part of the Cornerstone family. Praise God!

As of now, the church has 25 resident members but on the average, there are about 40 attendees – 15 adults and 25 children and young people. Please pray that our dear Lord would preserve the 25 strong members to be faithful, and lead other regular attendees to follow the Savior and be baptized as well.

Place of Worship

Three months after the church was officially formed (through the baptism of 14 believers in May 2008), CBC led by Ptr. Roy started the construction of the place of worship. Praise the Lord for He caused the ever generous Quising family to volunteer one of their land properties to be used as the site in which the church building would be erected. With much love for the work and faith in the Lord, the Legazpi and the Quezon City (through Ptr. Jed) brethren gave for the building fund and so the building construction started last September and until November 2008.

Led by Ptr. Roy, the goal of the church for 2009 is to partially concretize the walls to strengthen and beautify the church building. Please pray that the Lord would touch the hearts of the local believers to give and help in the implementation of this task. God is our great provider! Amen (Phi.4:19).

Church Service

Regular church services are held every Saturday from 9:30 am to 12 nn. The first service starts at 9:30 am when the young people and adults study God’s word through Ptr. Roy or Bro. Leo, and simultaneous with the children through Sis. Edna or Sis. Joy. The second service starts at 11 am and is led by Ptr. Roy or myself. During Sundays, the Bacong brethren would travel to Legazpi City to attend Sunday services at the Legazpi Mission Church. The Bacong brethren actually go to church for two consecutive days – Saturdays and Sundays.

A new strategy has been agreed on by Ptr. Jed and Ptr. Roy for this year. Regular church services will be moved to Sundays. So starting 2009, gatherings in Bacong will officially be held during Sundays for at least two Sundays. For the 1st and 3rd Sundays, the Bacong brethren will attend in the Legazpi mission and for the 2nd and last Sundays, the missionary will come to lead the service in their own local area. The services will be regular morning and afternoon services. This new strategy would minimize church expenses spent for traveling of brethren from Bacong to Legazpi and vise versa, and would allow more time for soulwinning and discipleship during Saturdays.

Soulwinning & Discipleship

Soulwinning and visitation time is conducted on Friday afternoons.

At first, I allotted the afternoons visiting and encouraging the regular members to continue. On the latter part of this quarter, we started going to new houses and conducted bible studies in at least two houses. When the members and attendees have become faithful in attendance, I would transfer to others who need more encouragement and guidance. As of now, I do not have a fix itinerary of the houses that I go to, but Lord willing, new home bible studies would be established by next year, as the members mature.

We have lost some young people along the way but by God’s grace we’ve won them back to the Lord. Most of the time, I do this activity with some of the faithful members in the church, both young people and adults. They are excited in doing this activity. They would accompany me to different houses so I could witness to the people and invite them to attend the services. It would last until 6 pm because by 7 pm I had to conduct bible study to the children and young people, until 9 pm.

This year, a new strategy in soulwinning and discipleship will have to be adapted in accordance with the change in schedule of services, thereby freeing Saturdays. In that case, the missionary can have more time from Fridays to Saturdays. Please pray that the Lord would strengthen the members so I can further dedicate my time to other areas in Bacong. Please pray also that the Lord would raise up faithful members whom I can disciple and distribute the work of witnessing to maximize work load and results.

Growth of Ministry

Praise be to God for He has raised true and faithful followers of Christ in Bacong who are zealous to serve Him in the ministry. From the start, we already have a Priscilla and Aquila in Lola Piling and Lolo Benito Quising who welcomed me in their home and regularly provide food for the attendees before and after church services. Now, God has raised two faithful Phebes through Lola Trining and Sis. Rose. They volunteered themselves to prepare the worship place for service. They’d provide plants, flowers and curtains to beautify the worship place. They’d clean it on Friday evening so it’d be ready for Saturday Service. They are also faithful students of God’s words. They’re my companions in visitations and soulwinning. They are God’s way of encouraging me as a rookie missionary.

Not only did the Lord raised Phebes in the church but also faithful and courageous young people whom Bro. Leo calls "Daniel’s friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego." They are Bro. Masaki, Bro. Arlee, & Bro. Jomar. They are being trained to be faithful in small matters of responsibility such as song leading, ushering during offering, scripture reading, keeping the song sheets, and rendering special numbers. The person who once taught me song leading was also the one who taught these three boys and is training them in ministerial duties - Bro. Leo, my dad. The Legazpi team has been a great help and we have always been good partners! The Lord’s grace enables us to work as a team.

Today, Masaki and Arlee would do scripture reading, and ushering alternately. These boys are very courageous when they do the task as they stand in front and speak with authority. They would never miss services. They would miss review classes at school during Saturdays just to attend the services. No one forced them, they just wanted to. They’d say, “mas masaya magsimba e… mataas pa rin naman grades ko, di ako pinapabayaan ni God”. Then I’d smile, praising my Savior! Faith is the victory! Amen. Please pray that the Lord would call these boys into the ministry and that the Lord would motivate the other young people to imitate Daniel’s friends. They are God’s way of inspiring me to remain as “Kuya ng Bayan."

In November, 2008, the Legazpi brethren led by Ptr. Roy & Dr. Edna Raquintan held a medical mission in Bacong for the second time this year. The activity was held right after the service in the morning. The attendance reached 70 and there were visitors that responded positively during the invitation for salvation. The laborious activity was successful through the hard labor of our lone doctor, Sis. Edna - the wife of Ptr. Roy and the assistance of the brethren both from Legazpi and Bacong. We rendered medical assistance to about 240 locals. Praise the Lord for He provided medicines through Dr. Edna and Dr. Yul. The church in Bacong is experiencing criticisms from the outsiders but the Lord keeps on preserving the fundamental Baptists against the unbelievers and our members are becoming loyal to the church. Amen.

Please continue to pray for the laborers in the mission field in Bacong: Ptr. Roy & Sis. Edna, Bro. Leo & Sis. Joy, Musicians (Bro. Ran, Josh, & Sis. Esther) and myself.

Plans for 2009

• Hold prayer meeting service at 5 to 6:30 pm on Fridays where the missionary is present in the local church.
• Disciple the faithful young people, at 3 to 4:30 pm on Fridays, through Bible study and church ministry training (Witnessing, Choir, Song leading, Piano/Guitar Playing, etc.).
• Allot the whole Saturday for soulwinning, visitation, and discipleship.
• Practical training of church members in evangelism through Saturday works.