During the Church Planters Training Module last January 17-22, the students went out last January 20, 2012 for their practicum in getting contacts. They knocked on doors in the community at Mckinley Street, Roxas City.  Rowena Javier (BSM student) with partner Rev. Marietta Sarmiento (from CLDC) had a good contact in the person of Mrs.   Edisel  Lumanyao.  After a follow up Bible study, Edisel started to attend  church at FARM,Inc. The picture below, taken February 12, 2012 – shows Edisel with Rowena at the FARM Welcome Lunch.

BSM students engaged in fervent intercession during corporate prayer time at FARM.

BSM Batch 2011-2012,  try to remember what you were doing or what you were thinking corresponding to your facial expressions!

The assignment to take charge of the setting up of the Welcome Lounge for the Friday Night meetings of the `Movers’ (FARM,Inc. youth group) show cased the artistic talents of  many of the BSM students.  Every Friday, the young people can can expect to find out something unexpected.

As practicum for their speech class, the students made a video of themselves performing a brief Poetry choir based on Isaiah 51:12-16.
`Isa 51:12  “I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass,  and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor, when he sets himself to destroy? And where is the wrath of the oppressor?  He who is bowed down shall speedily be released; he shall not die and go down to the pit, neither shall his bread be lacking. I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar– the LORD of hosts is his name. ‘

Sunday, 22nd of January, 2012,  the BSM students are back to their Sunday posts after a month long Christmas break.  Their smiles once more welcome in  members and visitors to the Welcome Lounge, and their advertising skills were seen in selling SOS gift certificates to FARM SOS senders.

After four days of classroom sessions, the BSM students with  the other participants in the Church Planting Module had fieldwork in Mackinley, Roxas City. After a couple of hours of knocking on doors in the community, the group had 44 good contacts and had 17 Bible study appointments. They also had the hands on experience of filling up the IPR form (Individual Progress Report form) to document the results of their fieldwork. They were then served dinner by the Cabarles family who will later serve as the host for the House church that is hoped to be formed in the Mckinley community as a result of the said practicum.

The BSM students returned from Christmas vacation in time for the Church Planters’ Training module  last January 17-22, 2012.  Pioneer pastors from other districst and trainors from CLDC and NEMDC  joined the BSM students. All these are in preparation for church planting through SOS this coming summer of 2012.

Before their month long Christmas break, the BSM deans of students, Franz Vasquez and Percival Navarro arranged for an outing for the students at the Lolets EcoPark in Dao, Capiz.

The philosophy being taught to students in dealing with new comers in the church is expressed in these three words in this order: `Belong, Believe, Behave’. We first make people  feel they belong before we start preaching on them, and before we expect them to behave like we do.  FARM opens a welcome lounge  between the two Sunday morning celebrations where people are welcome to fellowship over some coffe or juice. This is where the BSM students  learn to deal with church visitors in a way that  they are made to feel they belong.