COLF Launches Livelihood Program

COLF Livelihood Program (under the Social Concern Department) launched on November 8, 2009. Four families are the initial beneficiaries. Pray for the growth of the investments of these families and that we will all learn to be good stewards of God’s blessings

Why Church? Isn’t my college fellowship enough?

Why do we need to go to church… read this helpful article from intervarsity.org

The Gospel is Good News to the Poor

by Atty. Raineer Q. Chu

Rich and poor Christians should worship together.

Only one message

I have only one message today: that the church should always aim to have the rich and the poor together inside the church. This way the church can jump start the Kingdom within. This way the church can regain her voice to the world outside to speak against greed and corruption.

Rich and poor separated

The problem is the church has separated the rich from the poor Christians and now the Christians cannot feel the tension of the gospel. The church now preaches the gospel of heaven according to Ray An Fuentes, the gospel of heaven is to accept Jesus and wait till I die and go to heaven. The gospel of the kingdom means to receive Jesus and to live out the Kingdom in me and in the community of believers called the church.

Cannot feel the tension of the gospel

This tension is found in 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, applying this, we see that a member who has two cars is sitting beside one who has not had a decent meal that day, will likely sell his second car to feed his brother. Applying also 1 John 3:17 which says, but whoever has a surplus of the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and does not provide for his needy brother, how does the love of God abide in him?

I John 4 says ²⁰If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? ²¹And God Himself has commanded that we must love not only Hhim but our Christian brothers and sisters, too.

Because it wants to pursue wealth and power

The church has separated the rich from the poor not because it has decided to or has made a conscious decision to separate but the separation grew from her desire to pursue wealth and power. Ostensibly, the pursuit of wealth and power was made in order that the church could evangelize and speak prophetically to the rich and powerful.

Church has lost her voice and power

The result is that the church not only lost her voice but also her power. Today, the church can no longer say, silver and gold I have none but this I give to you, arise in the name of Christ.

The church does not like the poor.

Church aligned with rich and powerful

Let us begin by looking at the poor. Most churches look at the poor either with suspicion or with disdain. Historically, the church has always been aligned with the rich and powerful. Geneva Global study shows that of total USA donations to the poor including church giving, only 4% reached the poor. Mega churches in Manila will spend billions on their air-conditioned buildings when just a tenth of that will easily finance the entire urban poor ministry needs of the country. Most churches spend their money for themselves than for the poor. Tithes in the New Testament are meant for the poor, your giving in church must not redound to your own welfare like air-con and great buildings but you should make sure it is given to the Lord.

Poor are cursed

The suspicion and disdain for the poor is no different from the perspective of the Jews in Jesus’ time. They believed that the poor were cursed by God and that poverty was a curse. Thus they believed that the poor had no share in salvation.

The Currency in God’s Kingdom

The Currency in God’s Kingdom ^*
Para ‘san ang pera sa kaharian ng Diyos?
by Atty. Romel R. Bagares, Chief Elder

Main Passage:  Luke 16: 1-15

Introduction

Mabuti pa ang pera may tao, pero ang tao, walang pera. Madalas nating marinig ang patawang kasabihang ito, lalo sa panahon ngayon, kung saan  – sa patuloy at di-masawatang pagtaas ng presyo ng gasolina at mga bilihin – tila ba ang buhay na lamang ng tao ang mura.

Kaya heto ang litanya ng mga reklamo: Mahaba na ang pila para sa murang bigas sa NFA. Ang taas na ng singil sa kuryente at tubig. Nagdagdag ng isang libo kada buwan sa upa ng apartment ang kasera.  May dagdag na sampung piso ang flag-down sa taxi. Otso pesos na ang pamasahe sa dyip. Malilit na lamang ang agwat sa presyo ng diesel at gasolina. Ang mahal mahal na ng sine!  Ewan ko na lang kung ano ang mangyayari kapag tinaasan pa nila ang presyo ng text.

Sabi nga nila, saka mo nakikita ang kahalagahan ng isang bagay kapag ito’y wala na sa iyo. Naku, totoong-totoo yan pagdating sa pera.  Kung naranasan niyo nang wala kayong trabaho ng mahabang panahon, alam niyo ang ibig kong sabihin. O para sa mga estudyante sa atin, kadalasan ay parang walang hanggan ang ating paghihintay sa pagdating ng allowance mula kay Papa at Mama.

Ang tanong: may pagkakaiba ba ang ating pananaw sa pera mula sa pananaw ng iba? Pag walang pera, wala ring pag-ibig – tama ba?

In this episode in Luke’s Gospel we stumble upon the remarkable parable about the unjust oikonomos or servant (verses 1- 8).

You know the story: of a shrewd, street smart and yes, corrupt servant who, one day, comes to realize that his happy days are just about over. He’d lived a wanton life under the graces of his master. In fact, he is aksiyong aksaya three times worse. He’s the guy who squandered all the money while the master was away. And now the master has gotten wind of how this ingrate of a servant had abused his master’s kindness. The master demands an accounting from the servant prior to dismissing him. Everything now comes crashing down on him. Judgment day has come!

Yet in this parable we also find Jesus talking about money and its proper place in his Kingdom. In his discussion we get hints of just what money is all about in relation to the values of the Kingdom. As it were, there are two ways of looking at money that are in conflict here – two contending Kingdoms, in fact, each with a set of values that clash. But before going into that, I’d like us to look at six observations about money that Jesus makes in the text we just read.

May anim na puntong tinutukoy ang panginoong Hesus tungkol sa pera sa talinghagang nabanggit. Mahalagang malaman muna natin kung ano ang mga ito bago natin talakayin kung ano ang kabuluhan ng kalakal o pera sa kaharian ng Diyos.

What Is More Important Than Being Successful?

Uncommon Lessons from the Life of Daniel: What is More Important Than Being Successful?
(Ang Higit na Mahalagang Bagay Kaysa sa Tagumpay: Mga Hindi Pangkaraniwang Leksiyon Mula sa Buhay ni Daniel)
delivered on September 30, 2007
by Atty. Romel R. Bagares, Chief Elder

Main Passage: Daniel 1: 1-21; 6:1-11

Introduction

The story of Richard Cory: success or failure?

The American poet Edwin Arlington Robinson was made famous by a poem he wrote in 1837 entitled “Richard Cory.” It tells of a man whom everyone in town thought of was the perfect picture of success. Everyone envied him, until one day, as the poet wrote,  Richard Cory, “one summer night/ Went home and put a bullet through his head.”

These days, we hear a lot of talk about how to be successful. A lot of people make a lot of money telling people how to get rich. Not too long ago, a book about what the millionaire next door tells his children and what you and I ought to know about it came out. It was a best-seller.  Ours is the age of how-to’s. Just go to your nearest bookstore and you’ll see a lot of books by different authors telling us what we should be doing if we want success in life.

No doubt somewhere, there is a book written about how to prepare successful sermons.  We are told that there is no better way to live life than to be successful; we are told that we are missing out on something important if we are not successful. Of course, success is often described in terms of financial success, or being famous. If we are only almost famous, then we are a failure.

No doubt, there are some important truths to learn about the pathways to being successful in life. Don’t get me wrong: I do not think that working hard to be successful is wrong in itself. But there is something wrong with the idea that all of life is all about being successful. Today, we will learn about something more important than being successful. In fact, today, we will learn about how NOT to be successful. We will look at the book of Daniel, hopefully, to learn some uncommon lessons about living as Christians in a success-driven age.

The Book of Daniel tells us that what matters most in life has nothing to do with being successful. I will talk of three important principles we can learn from Daniel and his friends in relation to this.

Taking a Leap Of Faith at 15

15th Anniversary Sermon
delivered on July 27, 2008
by Pastor Ric Recla

Main Passage: Matthew 16:18

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matt 16:18 )

I’d like to acknowledge the presence of very important personalities in this Church’s beginning and history -– Dr. and Mrs. Tano.

Invited guests, Rev. Isaias Catorce, friends, my brothers and sisters at COLF.  Happy 15th Anniversary.
For the past 15 years of walking with the Lord, the time has come when this church has decided to take a leap.  A leap of faith.

Early this year the leaders of this church have conducted a series of meetings articulating the very rationale for this church’s existence in this part of the country.

As we reflected on God’s Word and the context where God has placed us, we realized that we need to articulate a vision to direct our energies as we serve God and pursue His purposes for each one of us.

The Leadership of the Church understands that the expressed mission of the church of Jesus Christ is to make disciples of people.  Thus, our Mission Statement: Christ Our Life Fellowship is a community of believers called by the Lord Jesus Christ to make disciples in UP BLISS, the neighboring areas and elsewhere for God’s Kingdom.

The task of this church is to make disciples for God’s kingdom as reflected from the Great Commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Teachers Visit Sunday School Parents

God is at work in the lives of everyone.  And we have found that very true today, 28 September 2008, as we visited the parents of the students in BLISS Garden and San Vicente.

We were able to visit the parents of 15 students to invite them to the upcoming Parenting Seminar and also to pray for their needs.

Praise God for the positive response we got from the parents.  We always thank God for these parents who,  though not members of COLF, still allow their kids to attend the Sunday School regularly.  It is our prayer that we will also be able to reach out to the parents and be able to meet their needs.

Not only that, praise God for an opportunity that He opened for COLF.  We were able to open a new Bible study group with some mothers of our students in San Vicente.  We will be starting this October, so continue to pray for the Bible study leaders and the mothers.

– Stella

Clockwise: Shiela May (our student who guided the way around San Vicente), teacher Joice, teacher Mila, teacher Beverly, head teacher Ann, teacher Sam

COLF Celebrates Alliance Heritage Festival Month

This August, Christ Our Life Fellowship will celebrate Alliance Heritage Month. The themes for the next Sundays are as follows:

August 3:  Our claim of Christ as the only Saviour is our historical distinction
August 10: Our claim of Christ as Sanctifier is our holy aspiration
August 17: Our claim of Christ as our Healer is our passion
August 24: Our claim of Christ as our Coming King is our greatest inspiration.

Rev. Isaiah Catorce will be the speaker on the topics above. Rev. Catorce is a former Senior Minister of COLF, and the current director for Asia Ambassadors for Christ.

COLF Takes a Leap of Faith on its 15th Year

Christ Our Life Fellowship (COLF) celebrated its 15th anniversary last July 2008.  The celebrations commenced with a Dinner Treat for UP students last July 21 at the UP Balay Kalinaw.  The dinner was a night of music, fun games, delicious food, and food for the soul through God’s Word.

The San Vicente Bible Study also continued its weekly meeting with a challenge to expand the Bible study group to include more people from the San Vicente community.

On Saturday, July 26, the church met to pray for personal needs, the church and the country.  There was also a general clean-up within the morning in preparation for the Sunday celebration.

The week-long anniversary celebration culminated in the Sunday Worship Celebration last July 27 – declaring God’s faithfulness and goodness to COLF throughout its 15 years of ministry in the UP BLISS community.

During the celebration, the mission of COLF was reiterated: “COLF as a community of believers called by the Lord Jesus Christ to make disciples for God’s Kingdom in UP BLISS, the neighboring areas and elsewhere.”  Senior Pastor Ricardo Recla also posed a challenge to both members and visitors to take part in accomplishing the church’s mission in the community.  (complete message of Rev. Recla to be posted).

This year, COLF takes a leap of faith to accomplish God’s purposes in the UP BLISS community — taking on greater challenges and envisioning greater things for God’s glory.  Among these are: the challenge to build existing COLFers as disciples of Jesus Christ, make disciples within the community, and to build the church structure.

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generation, for ever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

A Leap of Faith: COLF Celebrates its 15th Anniversary

colf at 15