Key Points:
- Called “Lakbayin” or “journey,” the Manila Area program aims to make disciples as mandated by the Great Commission (Matthew 28).
- Lessons can be contextualized according to geographic locations and local church situations.
- Existing materials will be collated, printed in a manual and shared with local churches.
More than 1,800 Filipino United Methodists gathered to launch a discipleship program at Seed of Faith United Methodist Church in the Bulacan province in the Philippines.
Bishop Ruby-Nell Estrella of the Manila Episcopal Area reminded participants that discipleship is transformation and multiplication.
“We are transformed,” she said, “and we increase our number, transforming lives and increasing the number of people who would commit to serve and take part in this mission to disciple. Jesus transformed the disciples’ lives by leaving them the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will empower us to witness and bring God’s word to people.”
The Manila Area discipleship team created the program called “Lakbayin,” which means “journey.”
Romuel S. Flores, lay leader of the Bulacan Philippines Conference, stressed the importance of making disciples as mandated by the Great Commission (Matthew 28) and the church’s commitment to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
“This is once and for all a culmination of years,” he said, “seeking to have a unified discipleship program Manila Area-wide and maybe Philippines Central Conference-wide in the future with different discipleship resources and materials used by local churches for past years.”
Members of all 12 annual conferences in the Manila area attended the Dec. 8 launch of the program, which aims to unify different discipleship resources.
The program combines fixed and flexible components. The Great Commission and the process, for example, are fixed, but the frequency and time are flexible. The lessons can be contextualized according to geographic locations and local church situations. Beginners may follow a six-month time frame.
Existing materials will be collated, printed in a manual and shared with local churches.
The Rev. Elijah Lorenzo, superintendent of the North East Nueva Ecija District and Manila Area discipleship team leader, attributed the successful program launching to God.
“At first, when we tried to envision,” he said, “we thought it was Herculean due to the huge demand of preparation, but now it’s happening. We saw how the annual conferences were so serious in preparing for this gathering.
“We had an overflow of people. The venue is not enough to accommodate everybody. I am teary-eyed.”
Lorenzo described the program as complete, with ready-to-use materials that are simple and easy to understand. He noted that almost anyone can teach the lessons.
“We’re not expecting everybody to implement this soon,” he said. “Other churches are already immersed in their discipleship programs. The next thing to do is to cast the vision about discipleship because it is imperative to answer why we are doing this and why this is part of The United Methodist Church.
“We need to do more brainstorming to explore more ways of doing this, including campus ministries,” Lorenzo acknowledged. “Pastors are into it, but they don’t have enough resource materials and mentors.”
A goal is to design a framework and networks to help support campus ministers.
No matter what is happening in the denomination, Lorenzo said, “we should not stop making disciples, primarily evangelism, because making disciples is exemplified by (Methodism founder) John Wesley. We are hopeful to see why we are still alive, why we are the church, why God has chosen us to see what we can do (for) our part in kingdom building.”
The Rev. Jestril Alvarado, West Pampanga District superintendent, called for revival.
“We need to be revived,” he said, “and we need the Holy Spirit, the presence of God. We shall ask the Lord to fill us as a church, as a nation and as a people. With our shortcomings, we need to kneel and pray and ask for forgiveness (and) God's grace.”
With prayer and Bible reading, he added, “we will grow as a church.”
The United Methodist Church will be a powerful instrument of God, Alvarado said. “If we will just humble ourselves, like the Israelites,” he said, “there will be healing and revival, and more of what God can do, which we have not seen yet.”
Alvarado is among the Manila Area district superintendents on the discipleship team. He wrote curriculum for Bible studies, confirmation classes and basic doctrinal lessons and translated English materials to Filipino and Kapampangan, including translating hymns into the context.
“We need to go back to the basics — ask the Holy Spirit to fill us, save us from our sins,” he said. “It’s very basic, but this is our only hope, the same message ever since, and we must keep revealing.”
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Discipleship is embodying the principles of John Wesley, Flores pointed out. Wesley spoke against slavery, inaccessible public health services, marginalization of women and children, homelessness and poverty.
The Rev. Elino E. Rivera, former administrative pastor of Seed of Faith United Methodist Church, said, “Our primary call is to be with Jesus. This program certainly needs commitment, consistency, connection and cooperation.”
Discipleship will give life to the church, said the Rev. Edgardo Macarasig, Partida United Methodist Church, East Bulacan District.
“I consider this discipleship conference a great experience,” he said. “This is the life of our church. Without this, nothing will happen. The only help we should acknowledge is from the Holy Spirit.”
Participant Yehlen Pablo Gragasin, lay leader from Mag-Asawang Sampaloc United Methodist Church, Northwest Nueva Ecija District, said she especially appreciated learning that discipleship must be intentional and consistent.
“Everything that we have learned so far about discipleship,” she said, “let us, all together, do it hand in hand. Let us increase our faith and learn more about being the disciples of Jesus. It is high time to stop thinking that we are ordinary people who cannot do discipleship. Let us continue to sympathize and empathize with others so we may help our fellow beings. This is the purpose of our life given by God.”
Rivera grew up in the church and has served as a clergyperson for 30 years.
“I witnessed countless lives transformed by Jesus,” he said. “It inspired me a lot to continue serving the Lord.
“I hope that each of us can contribute to the next generation of believers by making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. It’s now time for us, United Methodists, to make discipleship our lifestyle and the Great Commission our goal.”
Mangiduyos is a communicator in the Philippines.
News media contact: Julie Dwyer at [email protected]. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free Daily or Weekly Digests
