Taking Church Growth Overseas

Church growth in Hayward has translated into church growth overseas.  With the growth of our church’s own Fil-Am Sabbath School class, they were inspired to reach out and help establish a new church in the Philippines. 

A Sabbath School lesson back in 2008 first inspired the class to think about helping build a new church.  They held a brainstorming meeting and set a goal for raising the funds needed to finance a church building project in the Sanghan Village, which is in the poorest and most remote area on the island of Mindanao.  A group of Adventist individuals in this village were worshipping in the small home of a farmer, which can only hold 20 people.  They cannot afford to travel (or walk long distances) to the nearest church outside their village.  They had been praying for a church building for more than two years. 

A year ago, in May 2009, two members from our church, Ernesto and Lisa An, visited the village.  They talked with the pastor, who is responsible for 15 churches in the region, as well as the members, discussing their needs and the cost of building a church.  When they returned home, the Fil-Am Sabbath School class started a fundraising campaign, which included hosting a Valentine’s Day banquet at church, selling lumpia, and hosting a concert.  Their efforts were so successful that they raised twice as much as their original fundraising goal.

The funds they raised helped to build the church, plus provide Bibles, song books, and pews.  In addition, four members of the Fil-Am Sabbath School class traveled to the village in February 2010 to celebrate the completion of the church.  They included Ernesto and Lisa An, Esther Chong, and Lerhroy Querol.  During their week in the village, they were involved in presenting evangelistic meetings, which more than 100 people attended.  They also helped provide medical services, including dental work, vision care, and preventive care, such as blood pressure checks and blood sugar screenings. 

The new Adventist church is the only church in the village, and it serves as a community center, providing a place for residents to gather.  Funds raised also went towards purchasing medical supplies for the community, as well as a Bible worker who spent several months in the village, reaching out to residents prior to the evangelistic meetings.

What’s next for this ambitious group?  They already have their sights set on their next goal.  They plan to raise money to build a church in Fiji two years from now.

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