Chapter 11
The Famillaran & Lopez Leadership
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 5 years. Then it went down and failed to Regain Lost Momentum for the succeeding 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’s the Executive Assistant to the General Secretary. With the General Secretary, Rev. Esfe Tandog, produced an instrument for the CPBC ministry to reach out far and all over the Convention area.
He worked and published an 8- pages newsletter known as “Bali-Sulat”, in mimeograph and circulated monthly, reaching out to most of the churches, informing them of what were done during the months and the plans for the next months.
Employed CPBC Staff were headed by Rev. Edwin Lopez, General Secretary. Assisting him were 3 Field Secretaries, Rev. Penuelito Sacapano for Evangelism, Rev. Alfeo Tupaz for Stewardship. Rev. Apolonio Francia for Christian Education. Jacinto “ 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 these. 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.
Two Special Staff, Fred Lacuesta and Marissa Josico, were call as Convention Youth workers.
The Office Secretaries were Miss Deborah Dean and Mrs. Rizalina Rafols, asssisted by two parttime secretaries.
Manning the Business Office in 1976 were Fred Italia, Treasurer, He was assisted by Mr. Ephraem Baluya, Bookeeper and Edwin Gallenero, Assistant Bookeeper.
In 1976 -1977, the component of the Convention in the administration and the programs – Evangelism, Christian Education and Stewardship were 35 full time staff.
Two things, I will remember on the leadership of Rev. Edwin Lopez. He worked hard to send CPBC staff for training in the country and abroad, to learn more skills and capacity for the work in the Philippines.
I remember, he worked to send Rev. Monyong Francia and Miss Tita Grace Faldas to West Germany for training. The stayed in Germany for about 2 years. Their families in the Philippines were.
Rev, Esfe Tandog was sent to the United States to do 2 years study on his masteral course. He tried to go on to doctoral studies, to further developed his skills. A German pastor in the US assisted him to pursue his doctoral studies. But he went home.
But when he arrived to the Iloilo City, he learned the support provided him by CPBC for his family was stopped. He asked his German friend to find way, so that he can pursue his study in the US, and find some works to help his family who in Iloilo. He was assisted by his German friend to work with him in his church San Francisco.
He took a plane for the US. He did not have an endorsement from CPBC. Mrs. Sandra Mosher, the BIM Correspondent, perhaps worked so that Rev. Tandog could not work in the US. When his plane arrived in San Francisco, his German friend was waiting for him. But he was not allowed to live the immigration office. The following flight, he was sent back the Philippines.
When I saw the situation, I tried to assist him with some work at the NFM. There, Rev, Tandog worked for several months, until a church in Capiz called him to work in the mountain villages for some years.
Rev. Elias Laprades, was sent for a scholarship in Switzerland. He studied at Roschilon. He stayed there for about 2 years. He studied on ecumenical studies. The study, also offered him opportunity to visit other countries in Europe.
But starting 1980, the staff of the Convention decreased from 32 to only 10 full time staff. It remained on that level, until today.
Under that leadership, of Rev. Edwin Lopez, 1976 - 1979 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 showed growth of 200 per cent the last 4 years from 1976..
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. They were trained as Evangelists and church planters. And every Sunday morning, the Evangelism Program staff, go to their churches with new challenges 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 Dominikal”. and young people with four different grade materials – Junior, Primary, Kinders, produced with relevance. CPBC also started a joint program on writing Christian 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, 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 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 expert on stewardship technology 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 support 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 week-end 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 brought it on Sundays as church 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, Masbate, Cebu, Luzon, Manila, Western Mindanao and Eastern Mindanao.
The dynamism of the program could be felt by the churches with more members baptizd, more new churches organized and bigger resources coming-in for the ministry of the Convention.
While the 3 major Programs of the Convention were implemented with force and dynamism, Pastor Rudy Bernal, was assigned to start working on CPBC’s pilot Urban Industrial project at the vicinity of Insular Lumber Compnay in Hinobaan, Negros Occidental.
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It was for him, a process, learning technical skills and strategies for development ministries from later 1977 to 1978. Then, he was transferred by Rev. Lopez to the national office, as Deputy to the General Secretary on Urban, Industrial Mission. He worked in the CPBC office with Rev. Esfe Tandog, the Executive Assistant.
Starting in 1977, with General Assembly’s mandate, Pastor Rudy Bernal with the General Secretary and President, conceptualized, planned and resourced funds to expand the New Frontier Ministries (NFM), the national development arms of the CPBC reaching out several areas in the country where the Convention ministries were present.
Assisting Pastor Bernal. starting 1977, was Miss Feraz Baclagon, Secretary. She worked hard, creatively and efficiently, with nearly 100 staffs of the developments projects, including the 6 Kinderhomes and Support an Orphan (SAO) staffs.
For final editing…
Part of the series The Ministry Years (chapter 11 of 48)
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