Grace Chapel Ministries and River Rock Church Philippines: Why Start a New Church in Igsoro?

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Why Start a New Church in Igsoro?

Hello Grace Chapel Partners,

I have held each of by name up before our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I have asked Him to bless you, your families, and finances. If you sent me a specific prayer request, I have held it up to our Lord, also.

I was asked by one of you, why start a new church in Igsoro? It's a good question and here is the answer. With this detail, I hope it will enhance your prayers for this new church, Lord willing.

Hill of Zion Church Building

Our goal is to plant Christian churches in barangays where there is no Christian church. Most of these Barangays are remotely located. Most churches have capitalized on the Barangays nearest the main roads. So we try to go where there are none. We want to take the Gospel where it will have the greatest impact.

Igsoro is extremely remote, deep in the interior. There are still tribes there. I’m told I may be the first white man for many there to see.

There is a lady who lives there, Irene, who is an alternative school teacher. It’s the only school there. Both Irene and her husband live in Igsoro.

Hill of Zion First Year Anniversay Celebration
December 2011

Irene is a Christian. She has a Bible study in her home. She had heard of us and has been trying to contact us for two years and finally did a few months ago. Several denominations have tried to start churches there but finding pastors to live there is hard and there is no money for support. The locals are very poor. The churches that have gone there before have been unsuccessful. Igsoro’s remote location hinders many ministries, regular services, and shepherding of the people.

Lord willing, when we go we will build a church building. The Alternative School will use that building during the week. We will be bringing the Department of Agriculture up to help them also. Pastor Alagos has connections with them. Through our connection with the Department of Education we will try to get the Alternative School program enhanced.

Hill of Zion lanch with a Concert Crusade

We also have a trained Pastor who is willing to go and live among them. We will build an attached parsonage to the church building. Sister Irene is willing to donate the land for the church and give the new pastor 1 hector of land to help support him. He can plant crops and start a piggery, and have poultry, etc. We will support the new Pastor for one year. Our support is much more than he will need there so he can use it to start developing the land that is given him.

There are 3000-4000 Filipinos in that community.

I hope this helps to focus your prayers and support for this new church and this ministry. We need both your prayer and financial support to start these new churches.

(The pictures are of the Hill of Zion church building that we built. The parsonage is attached in the back. It has a cement floor and steel roof. The Hill of Zion congregation will repalce the bamboo walls with cement block later as they grow. This is our model.)

You can make your online donation to Grace Chapel

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

Or mail to:

Grace Chapel

c/o River Rock Church

2008 SE 8th Avenue Camas, WA 98607

Phone: 360.885.9000

Blessings,

Steve Bragg

Pastor/Elder

River Rock Church

& Grace Chapel Ministries