Rev. Famillaran & Rev. Lopez Leadership Brought Strong Impact on CPBC Ministry, then........

M E M O R I E S:Life and Time of Pastor Rudy Bernal, his Glimpses on History &  the People’s Struggle for Freedom

Chapter 32 – Rev. Famillaran   & Rev.  Lopez  Leadership  Br0ught  Strong  Impact  on CPBC Ministry,  then...

The Election of Rev. Moley Familaran, President of CPBC  on May 1976 and Rev. Edwin Lopez in July  that same year,     have brought  momentum  to CPBC ministries the next 8 years.  Then it went down and never regained the lost momentum for  following years.  

 In  the next  4     years after their elections in May 1976,   CPBC reached  some  strength and  height in the Convention  ministry  that was unprecedented.

At the CPBC Office,   Rev. Esfe Tandog   provided   the needed leadership to  consolidate the efforts from the ground. He was appointed  Executive Assistant to  the General Secretary.   With the General Secretary, Rev. Esfe Tandog,   produced  an instrument for the  CPBC  ministry to reach out  all  over the Convention  area.  He worked and published an 8- pages newsletter known  as “Baii-Sulat”, in mimeograph  and circulated monthly, reaching out to most of  the churches,  informing them of what were done during the  months  and plans to be made on the next months.

Employed CPBC Staff were headed by Rev. Edwin Lopez, General Secretary.  Assisting him were  3 Field Secretaries,   Rev. Penuelito Sacapano, Evangelism, Rev.  Alfeo Tupaz, Stewardship  and Apolonio Francia,  Christian Education and Rev. Esfeamori Tandog, Executive Assistant and  Jun Fabellore, Janitor and general services.

The  CPBC  Ministries  have grown  fast.  Never  in the history of the Convention  from its founding in 1938,  Think of this. Recruited to work full time   for CPBC in 1976-1977, were  Rev.  Amado Leonares, Rev. Elias Laprades,  Rev. Gigare, Rev. Selencino, Rev. Larry Leysa, Pastor Grace Faldas, Pastor Manny Monteclaro, Rev. David Rama, Rev. Norberto Tabligan, Pastor Fred Jacildo, Rev. Jose Tarug,  Pastor  Lilia Lirazan,  Pastor Nora San Pedro,  Pastor Nora Gabilo and Ms.   Deli Baclagon.    Rev. Repolidon was Coordinating Minister for  Eastern Mindanao, and Rev.  Este,   Coordinating Minister for   Western Mindanao

The Office Secretaries were Miss  Deborah Dean and   Mrs. Rizalina Rafols, sssisted by two parttime secretaries.

In 1976 -1977, the  component of the Convention  in the administration and the programs – Evangelism, Christian Education and Stewardship were 33 full time staff. But  starting 1980, the full time staff decreased to 10 full time and even less. Today, in 2017, the full time staff of the Convention  is only, 8 persons?

Manning the Business Office in 1976  were  Fred Italia,  Treasurer,   He was assisted by Mr. Ephraem Baluya,  Bookeeper and  Edwin Gallenero, Assistant Bookeeper.

Under that leadership, the CPBC  Evangelism Program of  Rev. Penuelito Sacapano strengthened  and expanded to many  different places in the   country—in the towns of  Panay & Negros, Romblon, Mindoro,  Manila –Luzon. It made  stronger strides in both Western and Eastern  Mindanao.  The planting of new churches and it’s registration with the CPBC show a growth  of 200  per cent   the last  4  years from 1976 to 1980.

Some  ordained  ministers, were recalled by Rev. Lopez from hibernations to be evangelists again, planting churches in their assigned circuit areas.  Fresh graduates  were recruited,  like Pastor Tita Grace Faldas of CPU   College of Theology  and Pastor Nora San Pedro of  CBBC,  and   trained as Evangelists and chuch planters.  And every Sunday morning, the Evangelism Program staff, go to their churches with new challenge and  carries new expectations

 The Christian Education under Rev. Apolonio Francia produced 5  Sunday School materials girded to strengthen  the education of  adults with “           Eskuela Dominika”.  and  young people with  four  different grade materials – Junior, Primary, Kinders, produced with relevance and  has started a joint program  on writing education materials with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines. 

The Eskuela Dominal  become a  kind of text book, where several members in  local churches  buy copies for their studies during Sunday Schools for adults. They  studied  the Eskuela Dominakal before attending Sunday school on Sundays.

 Working with Rev. Apolonio Francia, Field Secretary for Christian Education  were Ms. Deli Baclagon and   Rev. Selencino. They were assisted  sometimes by Mrs. Pat Lopez, with her skills on writing and editing. A group of volunteer writers, wrote their assigned manuscripts and readied for printing on time,  every quarter and  circulated  as Sunday School guides.    The Kasapulanan offices were designated places where  Sunday School materials were available for churches.

The Stewardship Program under  Rev. Alfeo Tupaz undertook massive training of church members nationwide  on Stewardship.  It was   designed to educate  members from adults to Kinder school to give  their tithes and offerings  of  their income for the ministry.  An “Every Member Canvass”,  a  stewardship process  were  held for all staff, to maximize their skills on stewardship development and transfer this skills to church members all over the convention area.

Rev. Harold Blatt, an American missionary came to   CPBC on request by Rev. Edwin Lopez  to  help.  He was assisted by  Rev. Emilio Lapatha, an experts on stewardship technolgy  and mobilizing   financial resources.  They   helped   train  CPBC staff on the art of stewardship with  “Every Member Canvass”  strategy.

This training   was  implemented with a  two -days week-end seminar, Saturdays and Sundays   where all members of   churches, from adults, young people to children were provided Biblical studies on stewardship, both from the Old and New Testaments, with tithing   as a  strong  focus and challenge. Then on Sunday morning worship services, each member put their commitment for support in a Pledge Card and gave during worship service as  commitment for the whole year.

With the  Stewardship call,  program plans  were  made, with  financial support planned the whole  year, based on the pledges made during the stewardship commitment.

Some 30  CPBC staff were assigned to undertake the Every Member Canvas training all over the Convention several Sundays. I was assigned on one Sunday to Pulupandan Bapitst Church in Central Negros.  The response was  great.  Increased  of support was recorded.  Most  churches  gave 10% of their income   to   CPBC, the 50% of which was also shared with the  Kasapulanans.

The church members were  also challenged to give one  tablespoon of rice, for every cup  of rice they will  cook every meal. They kept   this daily in a Stewardship Basket, and bring to church every Sunday and gave as offerings, specifically for the Pastors and his family’s food. 

The  3 CPBC  programs – Evangelism, Christian Education  and  Stewardship  with their  30   full time staff, pushed  hard the ministry   covering  Negros, Panay  Romblon, Mindoro,  Luzon, Manila, Western Mindanao and Eastern Mindanao.

The dynamism of the program could be felt   in the churches with more members baptised,  more new churches organized and bigger resources coming-in for the ministry of the Convention.

During this time, Rev. Edwin Lopez, sent several lay leaders and pastors, both from the staff of CPBC and from churches   opportunities for overseas exposures and to  travel abroad and in the country to learn knowledge and skills with other sister bodies  in the field of leadership, management and special training ministries . It was during this period a number of scholarships in medicine were given to young people with interests in medicine. Some were encouraged to attend  seminars, workshops and related  training in the Philippines, Asia and other foreign countries.  

Pastor Tita Grace Faldas, Special  Minister  with . Apolonio Francia, Field Secretary for Christian Education  were sent for  2 years aAdvance Studies in West Germany.  Rev/ Esfe Tandog, CPBC Executive Assistant was sent for a masteral study in the United States.  Rev. Elias  Laprades, Special Minister was sent  Ecumenical Studies  to Bossey Institute in Switzerland. I think, three students were assisted to take Medicine thru a schaolarship from the Board of International Ministries,  hoping they will be able to help our people  on some medical  services. 

While the 3 major Programs of the Convention were implemented with force and dynamism,  Pastor Rudy Bernal, was assigned to start working  on CPBC  pilot Urban Industrial  and Rural Mission (URIM) at Insular Lumber Company, in Bacuyangan, Hinobaan, Negros Occidental. Pastor Rudy Bernal, He was  given a scholarship by a  German organization with  a 1 year study grant,  that provide him opportunity to learn more on Urban Industrial Rural Mission (UIRM) and    enrolled again at the College of Theology, Then, he was  transferred by Rev. Lopez  to the national office, as Deputy to the General Secretary  on URIM.  He worked in the CPBC office with Rev. Esfe Tandog, the Executive Assistant.

Starting in 1977,  6 years after President Marcos declared martial law, the Baptist Convention’s  and with General Assembly’s  mandate that year, Pastor Bernal with the General Secretary and the President, conceptualized, planned, resource funds and  mobilized needed resources to expand the Pilot Urban Industrial Mission (UIM),started in 1976,  the New Frontier Ministries (NFM), the development arms of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches, reaching out to all areas in the country where CPBC  ministers.

Assisting him starting  1977, is Miss Feraz Baclagon, Secretary.  She worked hard, creatively and efficiently, leading services with the CPBC to  international  Chrstian involvements,  in the Asia Pacific Development Aid Ministry. And in 2017,  God called her  to led  the Baptist   Convention  as President.