RRCP Sugnod - Getting Ready

My Dear Grace Chapel Partners,

Barangay Sugnod

We are getting ready to launch our 8th church, River Rock Church Philippines Sugnod. 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 many battles were 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 is providing a police presence during our 2 night launch.

Planning Meeting

Two weeks ago we traveled more than 4 hours by motorcycle to reach Sugnod. There we had a planning meeting with Pastor Alagos mother-in-law who is donating 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.

These last two days we were in Sugnod again securing our permit from the Mayor and talking with the Chief of Police. They are also excited about the many community programs we will bring. As you know our values are to change lives through Jesus Christ and transform communities by “being the Church”. That comes from our value DON’T JUST GO TO CHURCH – BE THE CHURCH. I talked to the Mayor about “being the church” to Sugnod. His response was “yes, you want to walk your faith not just talk it!” I could not have said it better!

Malinao Meyer

Pastor Alagos and I also finalized hiring Sugnod’s new pastor, Billy Aclo. 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 desire is to start a new church in Sugnod. As it turns out, Pastor Alagos and his wife Edna and Billy and his wife 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 Christ and belong to the same Church, Jesus Christ’s Church. Pastor Billy has an independent church in a neighboring Barangay that has been there for 6 years. Pastor Billy wants to join his church, Jesus Christ Worship Center, to RRCP. We will begin the process. In the meanwhile, we hired Billy to be the new pastor of RRCP Sugnod. It was Pastor Billy that secured the permits and meeting with the Mayor and Chief of Police. He is well known in the communities there and loved. WOW! We serve an awesome God! Our God always is in control.

This next Friday and Saturday evenings, September 28 & 29, we launch the Sugnod church with a concert crusade. We have hired a Jeepney that carries 30 people. The Jeepney will take people from our churches here to help with the crusade. They will go house to house Friday and Saturday. They will get the names and addresses of those who respond to the call for salvation and repentance. Pastor Billy and members of his church will follow up and start home Bible studies.

There are powerful strongholds that have kept the Church out of Sugnod!

•           WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS THAT OUR LORD WILL TEARDOWN THESE STRONGHOLDS!

•           PRAY THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS POWERFUL IN CONVICTING THEIR HEARTS AND LEADING THEM TO REPENTANCE.

•           PRAY THAT WE WILL ALL BE SAFE.

IN JESUS NAME!

Your partner,

Steve Bragg