Leading the Nation

Binhi sang Pagtuo

January 11, 2010

Dear Centralians and Friends,

Greetings from the campus!

Next week, January 19-22, pastors from all over the Philippines who are members of the Convention Baptist Ministers’ Association (CBMA) will meet in Camp Higher Ground, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo for the annual assembly.

We will be discussing the theme: Ministers as Leaders: Claiming and Leading the Nation. The reflection, discussion and meeting will be timely since there is a national election in the Philippines this coming May.

One of the landmark documents that will be part of the presentation on the historical development of the pastors’ involvement in societal issues is the Statement of Concern by the CPBC Assembly in May 1977 at Capiz Evangelical Church. The approval of the statement by the church people affirms the life and ministry of Baptist pastors and members who involved themselves on societal issues.

Let us reflect on the excerpts of the statement:

“We affirm that the dignity of a person or his worth emanates from his being created in the Image of God. The worth of a person, in other words, is a gift of God bestowed upon him – a gift that can only be tampered with or enhanced in the context of a living relationship with his fellow man.”

“We believe that the environment in its entirety was created by a loving and providing God. Man's use of the environment for the sustenance of his life is a moral mandate.”

“We believe that the world and the resources in it were created by God to be enjoyed by all. We also believe that it is His will that man become good stewards of the world's resources which means that he should exercise effective control of all resources for the good of society as a whole.”

“We believe that life abundant is a right of every man. While wealth is that which can allow man to have stability, security, freedom from want and independence, its concentration in the hands of a few in a world where the majority of people are in want, is a form of injustice that must be deplored.”

“We believe that progress is beneficial, when it provides a place of dwelling and maintains a healthful living.”

“We believe in the worth of every individual created in God's image, and that no circumstances whatsoever can justify practices intended to break bodies, minds and spirits.”

May God bless us all!

Sincerely,

Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Assistant Chaplain

p.s.

If you want to send your financial contribution to the CBMA, kindly email me at fnjalandoon@yahoo.com for details. Thanks. It will be highly appreciated.