THERE IS MORE!
DEU 1:6-8

God Speaks..
When everything is smooth, but also when everything is bad.
When we are achieving, but also when we are failing.
When we are advancing, but also when we are stuck in the mud!

Advancing?.. How long have you been a Christian?  Do you have a regular encounter with God? Are you maturing spiritually? Are you sharing the gospel to others and bearing fruit?

GOD SPEAKS THREE IMPORTANT LESSONS ON JOURNEYING:
1. Don’t Get Stuck, v6  Stayed too long
WHY? After a few victories? v3-4 Disorganized? V9-14 Fear of the Unknown? V21-25 Rebelled in Unbelief? V26-33 Unnecessary Defeat? V41-46 Useless Wanderings? 2:1-3
2. Move Straightaway, v7
Break camp, organize for action Move forward, surge like wave. Start aggressively, 1st gear Move Progressively, create and ride the momentum Explore to the edge, full extent.
3. Believe His Promise, v8
See things from God’s view Go in & possess like it’s yours The Lord has given (already).. The Lord swore He would give Promise is true to all descendants of faith.

WHY I BELIEVE THERE IS MORE
1. BECAUSE IT IS POSSIBLE, ACT 18:9-10 .. “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”
2. BECAUSE OF WORK OF GRACE – 2CO 4:15 ..so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. ACT 15:19  “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
3. BECAUSE GOD GIVES MORE. PSA 2:8a Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance.. EPH 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..
4. BECAUSE WE HAVE A BURDEN, PSA 126:4-6 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, ..Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
5. BECAUSE OF A PROMISE. 1CO 3:6-7 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. ..only God makes things grow. ISA 54:1 “Sing, O barren woman, ..because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.
6. BECAUSE GOD IS WORTHY ROM 15:16..the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. ISA 66:20  And they will bring all your brothers, from all the nations, ..as an offering to the LORD.

WHAT WE WILL DO
We will train how
We will work with God
We will organize for action
We will start strong
We will form a movement By my Spirit says the LORD

Carefree pastel moving lights, drums beating, electric guitars screeching, husky strong voices and moving experience with God, took over the First Assembly Roxas Missions (FARM) last January 20, 2012 as the Movers, together with the Band, rock their hearts out as they dance and sing for the Lord during the free Mini-Concert.

The show started around 5:30 pm and lasted up to 7:30 pm to reach out for the youth of today and showed them how fun and exciting it is to have Christ in their lives.

After a light snack at the Welcome Lounge, Pastor Ben Judah Calusay started the flame with a “dance” and was heightened by the Movers’ theme song, “Move..Errs” that gave the cue to what was in store for 2 hours. As the new comers were surrounded by the Movers (the name given to the young people in FARM, high school and college students as well as out of school youth from ages 13-21), they were given an opportunity to appreciate God through the message of the songs Where I Belong, Hanging On By a Thread, and Believe.

In the middle of the concert, a heartwarming, informative video presentation entitled The Gospel Message was played. Afterward, Pastor Jireh Calusay enlightened the message of what they viewed, followed by the Sinner’s Prayer which every single audience participated in. Everyone was intent on praying. It was a scene of God’s miraculous victory for these youth. Subsequently, the bombastic yet meaningful song “He Loves Us” ensued which expressed such conviction of Jesus’ love for mankind.

For the Finale, the Street Sign Band led the crowd to sing Shine Like the Stars, that moved the audience to raise their arms in worship and eventually, ask for more.  “The Band accommodated this event to communicate to the youth that life with Jesus is safe, fun and fulfilling.” Through God and by this concert, it was made possible.

MAT 20:6-7

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. – 2CO 5:15

PARTS OF THE STORY
1. Hiring
2. Working
3. Rewarding

WHY PEOPLE ARE NOT INVOLVED?
Timing
Thinking
Terms Truth

WHY PEOPLE SERVE:
Guilt
Self-seeking
Fear Duty
Rewards
Significance
Gratitude
Love

LESSONS
1. Workers are never enough. “..You go ..too”
2. Timing is never too late. “..about eleventh hour”
3. Idleness is never tolerated. “..why do you stand here idle all day?”
4. Excuse is never accepted. “..because no one has hired us.”

CHALLENGE:
“Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?”
“Today, if you hear his voice,   do not harden your hearts.”  HEB 4:7

Below is the message of FARM Senior Pastor Rev. Rey Calusay to the NWVDC body:

Dear Fellow Ministers of NWVDC,

The prospect of better things, more things, and new things excites me. The theme of our 26th District Convention `Raise the Bar sparked this excitement.

To `RAISE THE BAR’ means to set a higher standard for other people to follow. This is a very popular concept even in the secular world.  In sports, an Olympic athlete can plan to raise the bar by setting a new world record for his sport division.  In education, a new professor entering a university is said to have raised the bar because of his superior teaching skills.

After many years of pastoring a church, or years of existence of our churches in our respective communities, we all can fall into the rut of what is good enough, mediocrity, the routine, the ordinary, the `at least’. Worst of all, into immovable traditions.

Our church services can become   boringly predictable or pitiful cases of `hit and miss’.   Our church services start at a time different from what we announce. People are already in but the musicians are still struggling to set up their instruments. Meanwhile, whoever is in charge says `hello’ to the equally struggling microphones.  Singing starts and lyrics of the song are projected on the screen as the pastor and all with clear eyes cringe at words wrongly spelled.   Then the mc announces an event that he himself has no full knowledge of  and has to be coached by people from the audience.  After a `many times heard’ exhortation on giving, two people stand on stage to give a special number. One of them speaks, `There is supposed to be three of us, but our dear sister so and so is sick today,   so there is only two of us. Bear with us because we haven’t had much time to practice this.’  They sing `Give of Your Best to the Master’.

When church attendance is low, when people seem passive and unexcited, we blame it to the devil and start prayer meetings to rebuke his demons.    We spare the real culprits – ourselves. We have not prayed enough to put fire on the altar, we have not invested enough time to plan, and we always serve regular meals for our people.  Feasts are only for church anniversaries   during which we actually ask a guest speaker to prepare the special spiritual menu of our people.

I tried to put this `Raise the Bar’ challenge with a humor. I hope I have caused you to smile – smile at our own mistakes. Deep in our hearts, we all cry `we can do better than that!’  We can raise the bar in the way we do church and church ministries.

A popular BSM line says: `The good  is the enemy of the best’!An old poem gives the same sentiment: Good, better best, Never let it rest, until your good is better and your better, best.
Someone said, `Mediocrity is excellence in the mind of the mediocre’.

The Church is God’s dream project. Jesus said, `I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it’. (Matthew 16:18)  To  make this  dream   come true, He gave His best   – His only begotten Son. It’s the most excellent prize God can pay, the most excellent investment He can give. He could not do any better.  BUT WE,   we have so much to do to make things better.  WE CAN RAISE THE BAR!  Aim for excellence… 2 Cor. 13:11)

Laboring with you,

REV. REY A. CALUSAY
General Superintendent Philippines General Council Of The Assemblies Of God

Training Manuals Are Ready

In preparation for SOS 2012, FARM will again host another  Church Planters Training Module. The module is part of the regular curriculum of the FARM-based Berean School of Ministry for  Church  Planters but  is offered also for church planters of districts who are having SOS church planting  laboratories.   
Details of the event are as follows:

CHURCH PLANTERS’ TRAINING MODULE
VENUE: Berean School of Ministry for Church Planters, First Assembly Roxas Missions, Inc, Roxas City Capiz
FOR WHOM: Those qualified and designated by districts as the church planters in their 2012 targets. Other existing chrchplanters designated by the districts to attend.
TRAINING DATES: January 17-22, 2012 January 17 @ 12 noon Arrival before lunch, Welcome Lunch January 17 @ 3pm – January 20 Lecture and Workshop Sessions] January 21, Saturday Week-end Field Work, OJT January 22, Sunday Church Exposure, Graduation January 22, Sunday pm Departure
FEES: No Tuition Fees, free board and lodging sponsorship for all approved applicants.