Markers were finally placed at the Promised Land of SMO as land surveyors defined the three-hectare property where the future SMO Training and Recreation Center (SMO-TRC) will be constructed. The structures to be done in phases will start with the construction of the Main Conference Hall which will accommodate at least 500 people. Architect Faith Joy Lumauag designed the open circular structure of the hall (shown above). The property will house the SMO Bible Training Institute, National Office, Camp and Recreation Facility, and Livelihood Facility. The site is located along the national highway at Brgy. Silos, Murcia, Negros Occidental, which is a 45-minute trip from Bacolod City.

In the meantime, while waiting for the funds to start coming in, the ministry maximized the use of the agricultural property by planting sugarcane and fruit trees to help start-up the funds.

We encourage churches and Christian individuals, especially the alumni to help raise the needed funds. SMO is praying and trusting God for His provision to this project.

Some members of the SMO Staff and Board with locals and the former owner at the future site of the SMO Training and Recreation Center in Brgy. Silos, Murcia.

“We can only press on if we know the real value of our self in Jesus,” this is one of several important points in the message given to Batch 2012 of the SMO Bible Training Institute during the 8th Commencement Exercises held on March 25, 2012.

Pastor Ritchemar Macoy, Dean of Academics, proclaimed the students, graduates, in their respective levels. They were Saskia A. Antiquenio and Ryan Aries B. Montero for the four-year Bachelor of Theology in Youth and Church Ministry, and Mario H. Mag-aso and Rene T. Orbita for the three-year Youth Worker’s Certificate.
These students, who years ago have little knowledge of God and the Bible, entered the Institute with a desire to be of used by God in the ministry. Their time spent in the Institute equipped them with sound doctrines and honed their character to be effective ministers in the mission field.

Xerwin Ceballos, SMO Board Chair, preached a message on Philippians 3:14, where Apostle Paul said, “I press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The speaker reminded the graduates of three things: First, to press on and pursue righteousness as we are purchased by the perfection of Christ; second, to press on and pursue the excellencies of the knowledge of Christ; and third, to press on and pursue the goal which is the prize, the call of God in Christ. Ceballos added, “At the end of it all may we finish the race strong.”

Nenita del Mundo, SMO National Director, urged the graduates to consider God’s calling seriously adding that “mediocrity has no place in the ministry.” In her closing remarks, she outlined four things the graduates should remember: to submit to God, to be  humble before Him, to obey His Word, and to preach and live out His Word in one’s life.

Each year the Institute welcomes students who show willingness to be trained in Christian ministry. Academic and work scholarships are made available to those who qualify.

MESSAGE TO THE GRADUATES from National Director Nenita S. del Mundo:

“Beloved graduates, congratulations!

“Today is your much-awaited time to shine. Now is your opportunity to share to the world what you have learned from your training here at SMO Bible Training Institute. This is now your moment of truth. I challenge you to boldly declare your God before men. How?

“I have four basic things I want you to remember in order for you to show to the world who our Master is. These things are in the acronym – S.H.O.W.

“S – Submission. At SMO-BTI, you have been taught that our sovereign and wise God gave school authorities to oversee and rule over you; this includes the rules and policies given to instruct and guide you. We know that nothing happens randomly apart from God’s will or plan. Rules and authorities are meant to teach us the art of true submission. To submit with the right heart is also submitting to our Master who is the giver of both laws and authorities. If you have learned this lesson well while you are here, then, it will not be hard for you to accept whenever and wherever the Lord would lead you, or whatever circumstances He would allow you to experience. Submission to God includes poverty or wealth, sickness or good health, even life or death. This is our call as followers of Christ, to deny ourselves by dying daily, so that we may live the life of Christ in us.

H – Humility.  This virtue is hard to achieve because when we thought we have it, we actually lose it. Graduates, as you go to the place where God will send you, remember to serve God with all humility of mind. If our Master chooses to bless your ministry with bountiful harvests of souls or prosper the works of your hands as you have prayed or hoped for, then, give Him back all the glory. After all, we are only His instruments, channels and vessels to bless others. It is God who causes all things to prosper and grow. There is no place for self-glory, self-sufficiency and self-dependency in the Lord’s ministry. Let us be careful not to rob God of the glory due only unto Him. If there is one thing that we can be proud of, it is that our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ gave up His life for the love of His servants like us.

O – Obedience.  This Institute taught you how to engage in spiritual and personal disciplines. You have been taught the value of time. Every second, every minute, and every hour is precious. As we all say, “We live and move by the bell.” You may have obeyed what was demanded of you to do, but the question is, “How did you accomplish it?” God requires complete obedience in doing the work you are tasked to do and accomplishing it at the right time, the right way, and with the right attitude. When we do the Lord’s ministry, we do it more than just a duty, but a delight; that is complete obedience.

W – Words. It is one of the best expressions we can show who our God is. We are tasked to teach and preach God’s message of salvation. Our words are so powerful that it could either mean life or death. This is the main reason why you have been taught theology and doctrines in this Institute. Ministers should spend time diligently studying the Scriptures in order to rightly divide the word of truth. Simply put, we cannot teach or preach what we have not studied or learned. Therefore, studying and learning the Word of God is a never-ending discipline among God’s ministers. And I must add, our talk must be consistent with our walk. If our words do not match our works, we lose the authority of our words.

Graduates, now my fellow workers, I urge you to treat God’s calling seriously. Mediocrity has no place in the ministry. By God’s grace, let us live, and die for the cause of our Master who willingly gave His life for us. Let us show the world what kind of Master we have through our Submission, Humility, Obedience and Words.

Congratulations, graduates!

My first visit to our mission work in Mindanao as SMO National Director was on January 20-23, 2012. The purpose of this visit is two-fold: First, to fellowship personally with our workers, supporters, and students in Gen. Santos City; and second, to discuss current and future plans of the ministry there and in general as a whole.

Let me give you an overview of our work there.

Pastor Elmer Polo, one of our dynamic workers in Gen. Santos City, first started his campus ministry at Gen. Santos City High School (GSCHS). With the partnership of Ms. Sioderly Barieses, one of the faculty members of that school, a Bible study group was formed. Starting from a few number of students, this grew into a bigger group through constant evangelization, follow-up, and discipleship. Eventually, some of the students became baptized members of Grace Gospel Baptist Church, the church where Pastor Polo works. Today, these students play an active part in the growth of the SMO and church work there as they lead Bible studies in their schools; while those who graduated from high school continue to do campus ministry in the colleges and universities they attend to. The work that once started at one high school has expanded to five more schools in the city, namely: Mindanao State University, Gen. Santos Academy, Mindanao Polytechnic College, Crown Asia College, and Gen. Santos Foundation College.

Those who have finished their college degrees and are now working professionals continue to play an active role in the church as zealous leaders and faithful givers of the Lord.

The field is wide and white for harvest in Mindanao.

Over in another campus, the Fatima National High School, Christian teacher Ms. Jocelyn Asparagoza, have been faithfully supporting the work of SMO in the school by giving time for her students to know the Gospel through Bible studies and Moral Values Program conducted by our workers Pastor Ener Gamolo and his wife Veronica, and also Pastor Bienvenido Flores. Each year level in the campus gets the time to have a Bible study and values formation lessons. Some of these students undergo follow-up lessons and discipleship and have become regular attendees of SMO’s fellowships, trainings, and camps. These activities are done at SMO’s campsite, which is just a 20-minute trip from the school through a tricycle. The campsite needs a generator to supply for its electricity. They are also praying for a second hand vehicle van to transport many students from the school going to the SMO Center for their bible studies and regular activities.

Some students have been baptized and became active members of our workers’ local churches. Some of them went into full-time service in the ministry while others are still being trained to become future campus ministry and church leaders.

Aside from campus ministry, our workers were also given opportunities to conduct Moral Values Program to government workers, among the policemen and local community leaders at least once a week.

The progress made in the work in Mindanao is very encouraging. My visit gave me a first-hand glimpse of the joy and hardship of our fellow workers in doing the ministry of the Lord. Despite the limited resources, they have managed to continue the mission work and their labor is paying off. The time I spent with our workers gave me the opportunity to get to know them better as I pray with them, and encourage them to be faithful to the Lord. I also spent some few hours ministering to young men and women who were all so excited to hear me speak to them about love, courtship, and marriage. I gained new friends mostly among these young people. It’s very important for me to talk to them about relationship that should be based on God’s word, and with their testimonies, I believed the message impacted them greatly.

I want to share Jessa Balidio’s testimony, a second year student from the College of Education at Mindanao State University. Here, she writes:

Life is full of uncertainty for it is a constant change. As I looked back on my past, I see myself like a fallen leaf that goes wherever the wind blows. Praise God because He used the SMO campus ministry as a means for me to hear the Gospel. Through our Bible studies, I came to understand His Word better and knew life’s meaning and purpose. By God’s grace, I became a member of the family of God despite the oppositions and persecutions of my family members. As I live my Christian life, I experienced moments of doubt and fear, joy and pain, times of victory and regret, hope and despair. And through all these, God had shown His unfailing love, His amazing grace and mercy. By His power, he taught me how to rise above my circumstances. Living the Christian life maybe filled with tests and challenges, but it is surely the most fulfilling and meaningful life.

(Nenita S. del Mundo, SMO National Director)

“Redemption” was Camp Forever’s theme last December where high school and college students joined the weeklong event. The morning lectures focused on “God Redeeming His People for His Glory”. The evening messages highlighted on “Worship”. The speakers were: Pastor Don Quinosa, speaking on “The Great Promise”, Pastor Angelo Gonzaga, “The Great Cost”, Pastor Glen Amantillo, “The Great Redeemer”, and SMO Board Chair Xerwin Ceballos, “The Great Encounter”. The camp was held at Seaside Resort in Manapla, Negros Occidental last December 26-30, 2011.

One of the campers, Kris Gawan, a Management graduating student of CHMSC, shared how the camp made an impact in her life.

Camp Forever made me discover the difference between knowing God just by mere intellect and knowing Him both in head and heart. The groundwork of this discovery was laid even before this camp as I also attend Bible studies regularly conducted by Pastor Reno Sayon, the SMO Youth Worker in our campus.

My life before was filled with fear and anxiety about the future, but through constant guidance of the Word of God in my life, they were replaced by living this life with hope and confidence in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I praise God that at present, I go to attend worship at a Christian church where I am being fed with the faithful preaching of God’s Word and the wonderful fellowship of fellow Christians. It’s such an unspeakable joy.

In Mindanao, a hundred youths also joined the SMO Gen. Santos City-organized camp. “Be True, Brave, and Faithful” is the theme. The main speakers were: Rev. Federico Gulle and Rev. Alfedo Duraca. This was held last December 20-23, 2011 in Brgy. Fatima, Gen. Santos City coordinated by Pastor Ener Gamolo, the SMO Youth Worker in the area. The Camp brought about several students who decided to follow the Lord in water baptism where a number of them are now attending and are actively involved in the Church of Pastor Ener Gamolo. Through the Annual Camps sponsored by SMO in this area, God has been challenging young people to offer their lives to the Lord in full-time ministry. Some of these students are now being trained in the Bible School.

As I look at the variety of flowers in a bouquet, beautifully arranged together in diverse shapes, colors, sizes and qualities, I can’t help but be awed on God’s genius for art and style, reflected in the works of his hands. God must be the greatest Artist, the master Designer, The author of beauty and lover of harmony. In all of his creation, there is the mark of unity in diversity. For even in the Godhead – The Father, Son, and The Holy Spirit, we can observe their unity and harmony, yet, a distinction in their persons and functions especially in their redemptive plan for man.

Just like God’s masterpiece, each member of His body, the Church, both universal and local, carries with it His imprint. True believers in Christ vary in our culture, language, race, spiritual maturity and spiritual gifts. God had already broken the barrier between the Jews and the Gentiles, enabling each one of us who are true believers in Christ to be united to one another in the bond of peace and love through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. There may be lots of personal differences from fellow believers staying in one local church, or with fellow pastors and workers coming from different brand names of Christian associations and church councils. We differ in our personal conviction and preferences maybe on what version of Bible to use, what method of evangelism or worship to adapt, proper dress code to wear, and a hundred much more of varying opinions and suggestions on the do’s and don’ts in our Christian service within the Christian circle. These differences often times create division and bitterness among fellow believers and may serve as an effective way of our enemy to take advantage of us in destroying the unity of the body of Christ, hurting the testimony of His Church, and breaking our sweet fellowship and bond with one another as brothers and sisters in the Lord. No wonder Jesus Christ in his priestly prayer prayed earnestly for the unity of God’s people.

The apostle Paul exhorted the members of the Corinthian church to settle their disputes, immaturities, sinfulness and differences by considering one another in love. They were aware of the doctrines of God, they have been gifted with varying spiritual gifts, but the missing element in their midst is love. If only God’s people would acknowledge that the mission, motive and message of our Christian life is God’s glory, we will join hands together and serve our Master in unity, peace, harmony and love with one another. Because God is love, He manifested it through Jesus Christ, being then united to Him, we ought to show and share the same love for one another. This kind of love is the willing, joyful desire to put the welfare of others above our own. It is esteeming others better than our self, respecting them on their personal preferences. Love leaves no place for pride, vanity, arrogance, self-seeking, or self-glory. Just like the variety of flowers in one bouquet, it gives a sight of beauty and joy to anyone who views it. Psalms 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” Love conquers our differences. There is beauty in unity amidst our diversity.

(Nenita S. del Mundo, SMO National Director)

In line with SMO’s commitment in partnering with pastors in campus ministry, the Bible study group at Negros Occidental High School (NOHS) led by Pastor Regie Tibulan is gaining ground. Pastor Regie has also started inviting the students to attend church at the newly established Hope Church which is just a few blocks away from the school. Pastor Regie is a graduate of SMO Bible Training Institute in 2010 and is serving a local church in Pulupandan, Negros Occidental. The Bible study group in NOHS is an outreach activity of his local church.

The seminar will continue to be offered to different schools for free, beginning June, 2012, the start of the new school year.