Almost 8 years ago (mid 2012) my family and I decided to leave our old church and worship regularly at Christian Bible Church of the Philippines (CBCP Talayan Church or CBCP TC for short). This came at a time where I was spiritually tired and emotionally in turmoil. For one year, my wife and I ceased involvement in any ministry and just focused on being refreshed and renewed by the Lord. It was clear that the Lord led us there, and CBCP fast became my spiritual home. It was a place of quiet and reflection for me. It welcomed me and my family, it became an oasis for me because there I was spiritually fed and nurtured. I became part of a Life Group (LG), whose members fast became my close friends. Though this LG and the lessons the Lord taught me through the sermons I heard during Sunday worship, I was rebuked, restored and renewed spiritually. Eventually, the Lord opened ministry opportunities for me and my family. This past almost 8 years has indeed been years of spiritual growth for me and my family. Specially these past 2 years as my wife and I became part of our respective Journey Groups. Today, January 19, 2020 , CBCP will hold its last official worship service at our Talayan Village location.
I had a chance to walk around CBCP Talayan after worship service last week and took some photo help preserve the wonderful memory of this place for me. As I walked around the nearly empty place with most of it’s light turned off, I became quite emotional and was filled with mixed emotions. On one hand I was teary eyed and sad, I couldn’t believe we are leaving this location (that has been my 2nd home) soon but on the other hand, I was filled with thankfulness to the Lord for bringing me to this church, I recalled how I truly grew spiritually here these past almost 8 years and I thank the Lord for His amazing grace and faithfulness to CBCP and how He used this church to be a refuge, spiritual home and beacon for those are lost for the past 33 years.
I am also filled with excitement and anticipation for what the Lord will do through CBCP as we move in next Sunday (January 26, 2020) to the new Christian Bible Church of the Philippines Discipleship Center (CBCP-DC) at Eugenio Lopez Drive corner Samar Avenue in South Triangle, Quezon City. I’ll save for another day the story of God’s amazing leading, provision and faithfulness in leading us to this new location.
We all know that a move this big will involve a lot of adjustment, learning and even discomfort for many of us. I am looking forward with eager anticipation the lessons we will learn, battles the Lord will allow us to go through, the discipling we need to make us grow, the breakthroughs and victories the Lord will lead us into as we move in. It is not simply for the sake of moving into a place that is more contemporary with bigger capacity that we are moving but it is for us to be able to fulfill the Great Commission of Christ for us as we transition our church in to a discipleship making church and achieve our church’s vision of seeing generations of Christ-like disciples transforming lives and families, impacting communities and nations for the glory of God. Because as a church, CBCP-DC exist for the sole purpose of fulfilling the Great Commandment and the Great Commission of Christ. The Great Commandment tells us to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, will, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The Great Commission sends us to make disciples of all nations, that the lost may receive eternal life, and multitudes from all nations may become Christ’s disciples.
May we, as a church, continue to submit to the Lord as our commander and follow Him where He leads us! To God be all the glory!
Note: All shots were taken with the Sony A7III + Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 lens (Update: last photo taken with the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM).
Daniel's Lighthouse 