IBC Heroes

Good Morning from Mindanao,

My sleep schedule is improving... Last night I stayed up to the wee hours of 8pm and woke up at 5:30 am (which is sleeping in by jet lag standards). If this continues I can expect to be fully on Fililppino time just in time to return to the US. Thank you everyone for your prayers and well wishes.

Yesterday was exciting in Iligan City. I preached in the local church, pastored by Frank Tameta (of whom I have affectionately nicknamed Tomato). Service was beatiful. It began with 8:30 Sunday school. With the aid of jet lag this wasn't such a problem but it is still not an idea that I would bring back to America.

After teaching a youth class of almost 30 students on the importance of baptism in Jesus name, the main service was underway. Well over a hundred people poured into the sanctuary under a tin room. Just as the first song began, rolling brownouts caught the city, causing the lights, and much to my chagrin, the fans to immediately sputter out. You could feel the temperature rise and it wasn't just the heat... After a small delay, a car battery and cables were produced which spit out just enough power to blast the keyboard and bass. Song after song filled the cramped neighborhood area, located around the church. (If you are a neighbor of the church- you would never miss a service especially when the microphones are on... Talk about taking the message to the streets).

Unlike my previous mission experiences, I recognized almost every song the worship team was singing. They were all contemporary worship songs but then I realized- they were all IBC songs (more on this later). After the worship service, prayer for the sick, and offering- the entire church cam forward to shake my hand and welcomed me to preach to them- talk about a confidence builder (this is an idea that I would like to take back with me to the states).

The remainder of the service was divinely anointed as people from the front to back shed tears and fell on their faces before the Lord. I preached myself into a puddle. But then again that is pretty typical of me even with air conditioning, this time I enjoyed an excuse.

After the service had concluded it was time for pictures. More pictures than a wedding party. Filippino people love pictures with white people... I empathized with animals in a zoo. But what really caught me off guard was a question by a few of the music team members.

"Do you know Alicia Hudson?" one of the young girls asked in a thick Filippino accent.

After deciphering what she said, I responded, "Well yes, I suppose I do."

"Oh, I just love her," she replied, "But my friend loves Jessica Petty more. They are our heroes. Did you sing with them when you went to In-gee-anna Bible College?"

I have never wished that I was into music ministry more. Here I was soaked from head to toe in sweat, 10,000 miles from home losing points because I can't tell the difference between a half rest note and a whole.

"We love all the songs that IBC sings and we watch them all online (the most recent CD they owned was 2007)," she continued.

Later in the day, it hit me what an impact that IBC has on the world that goes completely unnoticed, whether it is an unknown graduate that plants a home mission church in South Dakota to an IBC Praise singer inspiring a young Filippino girl. I have had critical things to say about IBC in the past, but you cannot overlook the enormous impact it makes on our world.

What IBC lack in formal education standards (accreditation) it makes up for in the opportunity it gives each of it's students. The opportunity to become a hero of the faith.

Now before this becomes a commercial for Indiana BIble College (I wasn't at the Allumni Banquet by the way), it's not just IBC or any other Apostolic Education Institute- it's the empowerment of today's Apostolic youth to follow after the spirit and take ownership of the gifts and talents that God has created them with.

It's Chad Thomas who has a burden for intervention ministries... Something much needed in Apostolic circles.

It's Corey Taylor who loves UFC so much that he started a blog, scored a major interview with "the Fight Pastor" and had e opportunity to see and report the undercurrent of Christianity spreading through the sport. (for more info search Fist to Mouth)

It's Jaydee Johnson who is on her seemingly 100th tour of West Africa missions.

Today's heroes are tomorrow's legends. Tomorrow's heroes are today's students.

We can be heroes... Follow your God given passion not your human creativity.