On Tuesday, June 13^th I arrived in Mindanao on my third visit to this region. I was accompanied by brethren Bob Loudermilk, Ed Daniel, and Nick Cunningham. We spent ten days together on Mindanao where we conducted six separate studies with preachers, teachers, and local church leaders, and then four days on the island of Leyte and two and a half on the island of Cebu where we conducted two more preacher’s studies and visited and preached for numerous congregations. While our brethren have made four trips into Mindanao that I am aware of, this was the first one on which we were able to visit and observe the churches and the work on Cebu and Leyte.

During the seventeen days we were in the Philippines, we conducted preacher’s studies in eight distinct areas that involved at least 130 men (preachers, teachers, and leaders) and numerous sisters and young people sat nearby to learn as well. For the most part, everyone was very attentive and focused. We addressed topics such as Congregational Leadership, The Role of Teachers and Preachers, The Role of Women in the Church, How to Equip the Saints, Identifying Marks of the New Testament Church, and The Scriptural Confession.  We also found opportunity to do some important doctrinal teaching during the daily Question and Answer Sessions.

Ed and I preached in eight different congregations during our trip, while Bob and Nick visited several others near General Santos City. We observed at least 16 baptisms, all of which had nothing to do with us. These were simply the fruit of the labors of the local preachers. We visited sixteen congregations and met with representatives from at least 32 others. We purchased 485 Bibles and 600 song books to be distributed by the brethren (and there is still a substantial need for more of both. We have established a good relationship with several book stores around Mindanao and in Cebu City that are willing to offer us a discount on all purchases of Bibles and hymnals). We left hundreds of copies of sermon outlines, articles from the OPA and the Christian Expositor, Bible Correspondence Courses and other study aids.

The work in southern and eastern Mindanao is relatively young and there are evident growing pains. But there are dedicated and knowledgeable men there who are establishing faithful churches and who are standing firm for the Truth of the Gospel. I believe it is a wonderful work that God is blessing. If you have questions about the work, please contact brother Mike Whitworth or Bob Loudermilk in Wichita, Kansas, or Ed Daniel in Chapel Grove, Tennessee, or me, Glenn Ballard, in Tyler, TX.