Starting the Lord's Church at Barangay Magarang

Attending were 20 adults and 40 children. Sis Henemia has broken the ground in establishing a congregation. This is where Sis Henemia grew up. This was Pastor Alagos and I first time there to visit the growing church. We both were moved and felt the presence of the Lord in this work. Lord willing, this will be our next new church plant. Pastor Alagos is now committed to preaching there every Saturday. Pray we get funded for this work soon.

Worship service at the Barangay Hall

 

Praising th Lord in Song

 

Telling the story of David and Goliath

 

 

Feeding children

 

 

 

View from Barangay Magarang

 

Future site of RRCP Magarang
Donated by Sis Henemia

 

Pleease donate to build this new church.

Secure Donations: http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html 

"He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done." - Proverbs 19:17

 

Thnk you,

Pastor Steven Ray Bragg

 

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO GRACE CHAPEL PARTNERS – RRCP

My Dear Grace Chapel Partners – RRCP

I want to take this time to say thank you for your prayers and generosity. This past, 2012 has been our most productive year of ministry; packed with blessing ever.

This year, we started 5 churches, fed and clothed 100’s children, helped provide financially for our Pastors and families, provided 14 scholarships for High School students, provided 11 scholarships for Bible College students, helped many families and children with emergency needs, helped replace 3 homes, 27 baptisms, countless lives were saved, recommitted and transformed.

Our Lord Jesus’ name has been lifted high in every ministry of love! He has been the blessings to the Filipinos.  Jesus has brought us victory through many trials and adversaries. Jesus has moved the hearts of people worldwide to be our partners in this mission of love in our Lord’s name.

Every request of ministry we have asked of you has been met with prayer, love, and generosity.

You, my partners, have been God’s strong arm of compassion and love.

You, Grace Chapel Partners, are this ministry. I am just simply your ambassador and our Lord’s ambassador to the Philippines.

I love you all.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Steve Bragg

A CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS

My Dear Grace Chapel Partners - RRCP

We minister God’s love in one of the most needful places in the world. In fact this province is considered one of the poorest in the Philippines. Many of the children at the we churches we start have little to wear. My heart cries seeing them with big holes in their clothes. Some children only have a shirt to wear with no underclothes. Some only have underclothes to wear.

Some loving and generous people from River Rock Church donated a large box of clothes for some special children just in time for Christmas here at Grace Chapel. Thank you all. What a great blessings!

Would you like to send us some good used clothes for our children? We need summer clothing. It’s hot all year here.

You can contact me at steve.bragg123@gmail.com I will tell you how to get the clothes here.

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Steve Bragg

Check out our new Website: http://www.riverrockchurchphilippines.com /

A LIST OF MINISTRIES YOU CAN SUPPORT

Pastor Kelly Backstrom sharing the Gospel at Mabasa

The year-end is approaching, and many will be considering their favorite charity. I pray you will consider us, and support one of our ministries.

 

When you designate your gift, just let me know at steve.bragg123@gmail.com  I will get your gift to your designated ministry. If your gift is a general gift, its primary use is planting new churches and/or a necessary need that may arise.

 

Starting a New Church: Our primary ministry is planting new churches in a remote area of the Philippines where there is no other Christian church. Its total cost including launching the church, building a church building and parsonage, and 1 year salary for the pastor is $5,800.

 

Adopt a Pastor and Family: After the first year salary, the pastor and family still need financial support. $100 per month, $1,200 per year will support and pastor and his family. They serve the most remote and poorest of areas.

 

Student Scholarship: $25 per month makes the difference of allowing a high school student to complete school.

 

Travel and food Allowance for Bible College Students. Our Bible college students get free education from Asian Theological Seminary on the island of Boracay. We provide their travel and food allowance, monthly, to and from for only $25 per month. These are students with a heart to serve. Many of our pastors also attend for continuing education. Without the help of a travel and food allowance, most would not be able to attend.

 

Child and Care Ministry: This is an emergency fund used to help children in distress. Sometimes we help with medical, or food, or housing.

 

River of Love Christian Radio Program: Pastor Alejo Alagos, our very own evangelist, has a popular Christian radio program. It’s on once a week and reaches one third of the Philippines. Our hope and prayer is to reach all of the Philippines with the gospel through this ministry.

 

I pray our Lord has prepared your heart to help in this blessed ministry.

100% OF ALL GIVING GOES TO MINISTRY!

There are no salaries or administration fees deducted from giving.

 

How to Give

Please make your gift to River Rock Church Philippines (RRCP) through River Rock Church online or by mail.

River Rock Church is a 501 (c) (3).

 

ONLINE: Use our secured online giving.

River Rock Church online http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html   

Use the River Rock Philippines drop down and proceed.

 

BY MAIL:

River Rock Church 2008 SE 8th Ave, Camas, WA 98607.

Make the check to River Rock Church Philippines.

 

Mat 25:37  "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?

Mat 25:38  'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?

Mat 25:39  'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'

Mat 25:40  "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

 

Check Us Out!

Website: http://www.riverrockchurchphilippines.com /

Thank you for your generosity and love.

Your partner in this ministry,

Steve Bragg

steve.bragg123@gmail.com

ADOPT A PASTOR AND FAMILY

Steve, Alejo, JiJi, JoJo, Kelly

My Dear Grace Chapel Partners RRCP,

 

ADOPTED A PASTOR AND HIS FAMILY MINISTRY FOR ONLY $100 PER MONTH.

 

As you know, we are planting new churches at as amazing pace. I believe this could not be done without our Lord’s blessing. This past year we have planted 5 new churches.

 

Many have helped in the funding of these churches. Built into the funding of our churches is the pastor’s first year salary. Our plan was that, within that year, the church would become self-sufficient. However, we are planting churches in the most remote and poorest areas of the Philippines. Our pastors need more help than just the first year of support for himself and his family.

 

As a result, my heart is to start the Adopted a Pastor and His Family Ministry.

 

$100 PER MONTH WILL SUPPLY A SALARY ABLE TO SUPPORT A PASTOR AND HIS FAMILY.

 

Pastor Gaudencio Valdez Jr. (JoJo) his wife Conception (JiJi) and their 5 year son Jabez the first family you can adopt.

 

They will be moving to one of our new churches at Esparar. They are moving by faith. Their prayer was to locate to Esparar because they have family there. We are praying to start building the church and parsonage by March 2013. Pastor JoJo has 6 years’ experience as an evangelist and pastor. Sister JiJi is an experienced worship leader. Please pray for their success in ministering to the people of Barangay Esparar.

 

Please let me know if you will adopt this pastor and family.

 

Your Partner in this ministry to the Filipino people.

 

Steve Bragg

 

Blessings from America

My Dear Grace Chapel Partners RRCP,

This last 3 weeks was a special blessing from our America.

Thank you, Pastor Kelly Backstrom and ‘Iokea Pasco for coming to our First Annual International River Rock Church Philippines Conference. You were a blessing for us.

Both men visited our churches individually as well.

This is a video presentation of this visit.

Blessings from America http://vimeo.com/54121045

We are indeed one church!

"Lord What More Can I Do?"

My Dear Grace Chapel - RRCP Partners

I have put the attached picture as my desktop picture. Each time I open my computer it is there and I pray “Lord empower me to do more.” My prayers are usually met with great emotion!

Will you put this picture as your desktop picture and pray with me?

"Lord what more can I do?"

Their Story:

On the second day, of the Barangay Sugnod church launch, Pastor Alagos, me and others hiked to a mountain spring, the Barangay’s water source. It is said that evil spirits are there at the water source. We went to pray and ask God to bless the spring. After we had a good swim! It was very hot that day, and the water was cool and refreshing. Thank You Lord!

On our way back the first house was this one. I had seen the house before, but not the family. We stopped and engaged them. In the picture are 7 of her 10 children. The boy on the right has big sores on his legs. The little one with the white shirt (that is all she is wearing) looks malnourished. All the little ones are malnourished, I believe.

One of our partners has started a Child and Care Fund.

He is asking others to join.

With his money we provided food for the family. November 3^rd we will return. The father has a large boil or something like that, on the back of his neck. His job is carrying large sacks of rice that rub against this great sore. It is bigger than a baseball. His Dr. has requested further test, but they are too poor to follow through. We will use the Child and Care Fund to help their Dad get the needed test. Lord willing, we will use any money left over to buy rice for the family.

Will you post this picture on your desktop and

help me pray for them and others like them?

That night, the second night of the crusade, this family brought 3 other families with them to the crusade. They are attending the Bible Study now.

God bless,

Your partner in this awesome ministry,

Steve Bragg

Website: http://www.riverrockchurchphilippines.com/

 

Please help by donating through our SECURE website:

Donations: http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html   

RRCP Website

River Rock Church Philippines Has a New Website!

Check it out!!!

www.riverrockchurchphilippines.com


Thank You LORD!

Please Pray for Us!

RRCP Prayer Partners,

Yesterday we asked our churches to begin a 40 day fast. They will fast something each day and pray. Maybe you can join us in this praying and fasting experience.

We are fasting and praying for 3 things.

1.       To know the will of God for our life. To live out this precious gift of life that He gave us in His will with His blessing (Parable of the Talents).

2.      What is God’s will for our life in His church? How has He gifted us for service and to start living out our talents and gifts.

3.      They are praying for the First RRCP International Convention November 16-17. They are praying for the speakers coming from America. They are praying God will prepare them for the messages they bring and us for the hearing and doing of their messages. Our theme is LEADERSHIP… DOING THE LORD’S WORK – THE LORD’S WAY!

Please pray for our speakers at the convention Pastor Kelly Backstrom from River Rock Church and Pastor Iokea a Pastor of RRCP living in Texas. Pray that not only will they encourage us, but that they too will be encouraged.

·         Both men will be guest speakers at our River of Life radio program that reaches 1/3 of the Philippines. This program has become popular. There are many listeners. Pray for their messages and the hearing of their messages.

·         They will be visiting and speaking at each of our churches individually for their anniversary and thanksgiving celebrations. November is the month that the churches celebrate. They thank God for how many years they have been a church and the many blessing of our Lord for the past year.

·         Both pastors will be addressing many independent churches and associations.

Please pray for us that we will be prepared for our guest. Our expenses are not yet fully raised.

Please pray that our Lord will provide the finances for our next new churches. We are prepared to start 5 churches in 2013.

Please give thanks that our Lord provided for us to start 5 churches this year! Thank You LORD!

 

Your partner in this ministry,

Steve Bragg

Steve.bragg123@gmail.com

Donations:   http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html    

RECAP – FOR YOUR REVIEW!

My Dear Grace Chapel Partners,

RECAP – FOR YOUR REVIEW!

I want to recap the blessings of this ministry with you. God is quite astonishing. I repeat often that I’m surprised that He would use such a flawed person like me to work in His Kingdom. I’m also delighted that Grace Chapel Partners has become such an effective group of partners in this ministry.

Together, with our Lord, we have accomplished so many fabulous ministries to the Filipinos.

Our Primary Ministry

To date we have started 8 new churches!

New Churches	Sitio	Barangay	Town	Providence	Island	Established
RRCP Grace Chapel	Dacutan	Padang	Patnongon	Antique	Panay	Aug-06
RRCP Tabernacle of Praise		Igbarawan	Patnongon	Antique	Panay	Nov-07
RRCP Hill of Zion		Macarina	Patnongon	Antique	Panay	Oct-10
RRCP Esparar		Esparar	Barbaza	Antique	Panay	Oct-11
RRCP Franks/Mabasa	Franks	Mabasa	Patnongon	Antique	Panay	Jul-12
RRCP Santa Lourdes		Santa Lourdes	Porto Princesa		Palawan	Jul-12
RRCP Tagumpay		Tagumpay	Roxas		Palawan	Aug-12
RRCP Sugnod		Sugnod	Malinao	Aklan	Panay	Sep-12

*We have organized these churches as River Rock Church Philippines (RRCP). We are still a location of River Rock Church, but this organization helps the Philippines churches accomplish much in the Philippines the same way being a legal church in the US helps.

** 5 churches have asked to join us. We are considering them now.

Pastor Salaries

We provide salaries for 7 of our Pastors.

Christian Radio Program

We provide the River of Life radio program. Pastor Alagos has a weekly, 1 hour Christian radio program that reaches almost 1/3 of the Philippines. This program is popular!

Student Ministries

·         We provide 14 high school students scholarships.

·         We provide financial assistance to 12 Bible College students. 4 of these students are RRCP pastors.

Children’s Feeding Program

With your gifts, 2 of our churches provide a weekly feeding program for children. These 2 churches are RRCP Franks/Mabasa and RRCP Tagumpay. Both churches are in disadvantaged areas were many children are malnourished.

Child and Care Fund Ministry

Each month, the Lord makes us aware of children that need help with food, medication, clothing, any vital care that might be needed. We provide for children and their parents. These are wonderful gifts of love from our Lord! The 2 families we help at the Sugnod launch are examples.

WE ARE NOW OUT OF MONEY TO START MORE NEW CHURCHES

Our last 3 churches are in varying stages of completion. We have the funds to complete these.

But we now have no money to start more new churches.

Our next new church, Lord willing, will be at Barangay Magarang. There is no Christian church there. The Barangay Captain and council have invited us to start a church. We currently are using the Barangay hall for our weekly Bible study. Land has been donated to build the church and parsonage. Our target is to launch this new church in December of this year!

***Will you consider providing the finances for this next new church? $5000 provides for the launch, church building and parsonage, and 1 year salary for the pastor.

Our vision is to plant 5 new churches on many of the islands in 2013. Lord willing. Will you provide for these, as well?

Your partner in the ministry,

His servant,

Steve Bragg

Please inform me of any designated donation/gift
steve.bragg123@gmail.com

Donations can be made through River Rock Church
Donations: http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html 

Successful Launch of RRCP Sugnod!

 

I’m happy to announce that we successfully launched RRCP Sugnod this past weekend September 28 & 29, 2012.

Sugnod, like many of our churches, is in a depressed area.  There are no other churches in Sugnod. There is a Catholic Church building, but only once a year the priest comes to hold a service. The word Sugnod means pile of dead bodies. During WW2, one of its last battles fought here. After the battles, they piled the dead bodies and burned them. This city is currently an area of many beheadings. Because of this we had to get a permit from the city Malinao. The Mayor of Malinao provided a police presence during our 2 night crusade launch.

Pastor Alagos mother-in-law donated land for the church. She is also willing to donate land for our new pastor and family to farm if he wants. They are eager to have a Christian church and pastor in their Barangay.

Their new pastor is Beltran J. Aclo (Billy) and his wife Linda. We had been invited to start the new church in Sugnod several months ago. However, as we were getting ready, we discovered Pastor Billy was holding a Bible Study in Sugnod already. His passion is to start a new church in Sugnod. As it turns out, Pastor Alagos and his wife Edna and Billy and his wife Linda graduated from the same Bible School. They know each other well, and we have the same beliefs and values. More importantly, we are saved by the same Jesus Christ and belong to the same Church, Jesus Christ’s Church. Pastor Billy has an independent church, Jesus Christ Worship Center, in a neighboring Barangay Sipac that has been there for 6 years. 

The first day of the launch the Lord provided an opportunity to teach the children.

Pastor Billy’s wife Linda and Pastor Alagos’ wife Edna teach the gospel message and children’s Christian songs. I told them the story of David’s faith as he battled the giant Goliath.

 

 

 60% of the Philippines population is youth. Our youth groups from Jesus Christ Worship Center and Tabernacle of Praise provided the Gospel through song, dance, and drama.

 

 

 

 

Pastor Alejo Alagos preached the Gospel message of salvation through our Lord Jesus both nights. When he called them to repentance and salvation they responded.

Add caption

Pastor/Evangelist Alejo Alagos

 

First Night Response

 

Second Night Response

 

15 families made commitments to attend RRCP Sugnod. Pastor Billy will follow-up with those who responded to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Within a few weeks, we will begin to build the church building and parsonage.

 Praise and Glory to our Lord Jesus Christ,

Pastor Steve Bragg

River Rock Church
Serving in the Philippines

Donations: http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html