Grace Chapel Ministries and River Rock Church Philippines

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year from Patnongon, Antique, Philippines

My dear Grace Chapel Partners,

I want to wish you all Happy New Year!

Pastor Alagos and I were busy the month of December 2011.

Besides our regular services at Grace Chapel and Tabernacle of Praise, we were the guest speakers for 6 churches for Thanks Giving/Christmas Celebrations, a Leadership Youth Camp, and 3 New Year celebrations.

Thank you for your prayers and support. Without you, this ministry would not be possible!

I will post a pictorial report in a few days when I go to a high speed Internet spot.

This picture is my laptop. This desktop picture serves as my daily reminder. It says, like Peter, I’ve gotten out of the boat. However, I could not do this ministry without my eyes firmly fixed on Jesus! Sometimes I miss this goal, but in spite of my faithfulness, the Lord is always faithful. I’m learning to walk and sometimes swim with the Lord!

2Corintians 8:3-4 I was there and saw it for myself. They gave offerings of whatever they could--far more than they could afford!-- pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians. NIV

My love and prayers are with you all,

Steve Bragg
Elder/Pastor
River Rock Church
& Grace Chapel Ministries
Serving in Patnongon Antique Philippines

Email: steve.bragg123@gmail.com
Grace Chapel Blog: http://gracechapelministries.blogspot.com/
Grace Chapel Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Grace-Chapel/207519629261717
My Story http://youtu.be/6C2DRT2vtjs
Birth of RRC Esparar: http://vimeo.com/31760794
GET UP! GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOU! http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=140361
Documentary: First Four Churches http://vimeo.com/33566496

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

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Merry Christmas Grace Chapel Partners!

Merry Christmas from the Philippines

My internet is too slow to send pictures or create something fancy. I have to travel to San Jose or La Parola to get a higher speed internet.

Many have asked, so I will let you all know that the flooding in the Philippines missed us. It was at an island south of us in Mindanao. Many are dead and displaced so please continue to pray for them.

For Steven and I this is our first Christmas in the Philippines. It feels more like summer. In fact, it is summer here. The Christmas spirit is excellent!

A lot of families are too poor to buy presents. The giving of gifts and Santa Clause seems to be less important.

Steven will only get one small gift this year. We have told him it is because we live in a different culture and explained the difference of his Filipino neighbors and family. Steven understands. Many times this past two weeks he has told me it is okay he only gets one gift. I believe he is genuinely happy to adjust.

The Christmas spirit here is more about Christ, it seems. Here is an example of what I mean. This is a quote from the Department of Education in San Jose. It reads in part, “To developing functionally literate and God loving Filipinos”. All schools, including public school, celebrate with great activity Christmas.

My Christmas present from our Lord is being the guest speaker at 5 Churches the month of December. They are the San Rafael Christian Community Church, Hill of Zion Community Church, Buena Vista Christian Community Center, Tabernacle of Praise Community Church, and Gateway Church. For the November Thanksgiving Celebrations I spoke at Buena Vista Christian Community Center, Jesus is Lord Church, and Tabernacle of Praise Community Church.

I guess what amazes me most about speaking at these churches is preaching is not my gift. I believe the Lord blesses my passion and He is present with the Holy Spirit at these services. I have had the great honor of witnessing the Holy Spirit moving the hearts of these congregations.

I pray each of you have a Very Merry Christmas!

Thank you for your love and prayers for us,

Steve, Juliana & Steven

Monday, December 12, 2011

Documentary of our First Four Churches

This is a documentary of our first four churches in the Philippines. It’s only 15 minutes so enjoy!

Just click here and watch the video! http://vimeo.com/33566496

We establish the Lord Jesus Christ’s Church in the remote Barangays of the Philippines. Our goal is to plant a Christian Church in Barangays that have no church. Lord willing, we will plant 3 more churches this year in 2012!

Join and support us by contact me, Steve Bragg, at steve.bragg123@gmail.com You can also learn more about us at http://gracechapelministries.blogspot.com/

May the Lord continue to bless us all,

Steven Ray Bragg

Sunday, December 4, 2011

My Testimony

GET UP! GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!

This is my story, my testimony, written for your encouragement of how I learned that not only I can get up after falling from the ministry, but also after getting up, how I can walk with God. To my amazement God is taking the broken pieces of my life and putting them together as a useful vessel for His glory and my joy.

Read my testimony on this link:

GET UP! GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOU! http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=140361

Steve Bragg
Elder/Pastor
River Rock Church
& Grace Chapel Ministries

Serving in Patnongon Antique Philippines

Email: steve.bragg123@gmail.com
Grace Chapel Blog: http://gracechapelministries.blogspot.com/
Grace Chapel Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Grace-Chapel/207519629261717
My Story http://youtu.be/6C2DRT2vtjs
Birth of RRC Esparar: http://vimeo.com/31760794
GET UP! GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOU! http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=140361

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

Monday, November 28, 2011

Tabernacle of Praise 4th Thanksgiving Anniversary Celebration

I thought I would share some photos of the Tabernacle of Praise 4^th Thanksgiving Anniversary Celebration this past Sunday. I was the guest speaker and Pastor Alagos was my interpreter.

Tabernacle of Praise’ pastor is Alejo Alagos, my friend and our partner in starting new churches here in the Philippines. Tabernacle of Praise was the next church started after Grace Chapel. Tabernacle of Praise is our model for starting new churches.

Almost a dozen churches where there to celebrate with us. Among them were our first 4 churches that we started; Grace Chapel, Hill of Zion, River Rock Church Esparar and of course Tabernacle of Praise. Also present where the churches that help us in our partnership of starting Christian Churches in Brgy’s where there is none. These Churches are Gateway Church, New Life Mission Church, and Tomyong Christian Fellowship. The other 6 churches present where church’s pastor Alagos has started in his 27 years of ministry. Pastor Alagos has amazingly started 27 churches in 27 years of ministry.

Pastor Alagos will accompany me this April 2012 to visit you all in American. We would love to meet with as many of you as possible

May the Lord continue to bless us all.

Steve Bragg

Elder/Pastor
River Rock Church
& Grace Chapel Ministries

Serving in Patnongon Antique Philippines

Email: steve.bragg123@gmail.com

Grace Chapel Blog: http://gracechapelministries.blogspot.com/
Grace Chapel Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Grace-Chapel/207519629261717
My Story http://youtu.be/6C2DRT2vtjs
Birth of RRC Esparar: http://vimeo.com/user3366428/birth-of-a-new-church

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

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

In America, we have the annual tradition that was started by our forefathers of being thankful for the Lord’s abundant blessings of the past year.

King David captured the heart of being thankful when he wrote “O LORD my God, You have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all Your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.” (Psalms 40:5 NLT)

In the Philippines, we also have the tradition of Thanksgiving. It is not based on historical tradition of a country but on the Church being thankful of the many blessings from our Lord. Each November the churches celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s a glorious celebration with food and guest speakers. They celebrate the years the Lord has blessed their church. All this month I went to churches celebrating with them.

I can tell you, after living in America the richest nation in the world and now living in Antique the poorest province in the Philippines, that God is faithful with blessings regardless of wealth or assets. God is indeed full of “wonderful deeds” “too numerous to list.”

Happy Thanksgiving,

Steve Bragg

Elder/Pastor

River Rock Church

& Grace Chapel Ministries

Serving in Patnongon Antique Philippines

Email: steve.bragg123@gmail.com
Grace Chapel Blog: http://gracechapelministries.blogspot.com/

Grace Chapel Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Grace-Chapel/207519629261717

My Story http://youtu.be/6C2DRT2vtjs

Birth of a New Church: http://vimeo.com/user3366428/birth-of-a-new-church

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

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Would You Like To Support And Partner With Us In Establishing Nondenominational Christian Community Churches In The Philippines?

Our target is the remote barangays of the Philippines that has no church. We bring the Gospel and establish His Church where there is none.

Our method is straightforward.

We obtain permission from the barangay officials.

We canvas and invite the people of the barangay to a 2 night Christian Concert Crusade. Jesus Saves Concert Crusade the banners read.

We bring the Gospel through song and preaching at the Crusade.

We get the names of those who come forward at the call.

We follow up and create home Bible studies.

We build a bamboo church and parsonage with steel roof and cement floor.

Call a pastor. We provide an income for one year and help him build a long term ability to provide for himself.

Tabernacle of Priase First Building 2007

The pastor continues to build and establish the congregation and work of the Lord in that barangay.

We provide ongoing training and spiritual support for the pastor.

Our goal is to provide a church a firm foothold. Later the congregations will replace the bamboo with concrete block and expand as needed. Tabernacle of Praise was just this way. They now have a bigger church building, and it is concrete block. It is a beautiful building. But more notable is the congregation is mature and in the active process of establishing more church like theirs.