Women's Day!

Binhi sang Pagtuo

March 8, 2010

Dear Centralians and Friends,

Greetings from the campus!

Today is International Women’s Day. In commemoration of this event, let me share a portion of my lecture on the Role of Pastors in Overcoming Violence against Women that was delivered last Saturday at the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches headquarters.

Hans Küng wrote that religion can provide “A change in the inner orientation, the whole mentality, the ‘hearts’ of people, and a conversion from a false path to a new orientation for life.” This means that the church has a big role in the formation of theology and practice of the people.

Re-reading of the Bible is very important. Oftentimes, we read the Bible with close minds. This means that we already have an interpretation before we actually read it. Re-reading can change our perspective.

The issue of violence against women is related to the issue of dominance. And one of the scripture texts used to reinforce dominance of men on women is Ephesians 5:21ff “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.”

If we re-read the words of Paul in the original Greek, we can see that our usual interpretation of the meaning of head and submission is far from the intention of Paul.

There are two different words that mean head in Greek. First, arche which means “beginning, chief, boss, ruler of a group.” But Paul did not write that the “husband is the arche of the wife, instead, he used another Greek word with another meaning. Paul used kephale. Kephale is translated also as head but the meaning of this Greek word is a leader that is a servant of all, willing to give up life itself for the body. Verse 23 says, “as Christ is the head (kephale not arche) of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.”

Be subject to – “wives should be subject to their husbands in everything.” Paul did not use hupakouo which means the obedience of a slave to a master, nor did Paul use peitharcheo which means obedience to someone who is in authority, nor did he use hupotasso which means to subordinate someone such as the plight of the conquered.

Instead, Paul used hupotassomai. The essential meaning of this word is “be responsive to the needs of” or in modern translation, “be supportive of.” It is almost identical to the meaning of agape which is which means “giving up of one’s self-interest to serve and care for another.”

With this re-reading of Paul’s words, we can see the original meaning and hopefully change our theological framework, then our way of life especially on how we view and behave towards women.

May God bless us all!

Sincerely,

Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Assistant Chaplain

End Times??

Binhi sang Pagtuo

March 1, 2010

Dear Centralians and Friends,

Greetings!

Somebody said that today is the official start of summer. What comes to mind when summer is mentioned is vacation with friends and family, and most probably a trip to a beach and enjoy the heat of the sun. But right now what everybody is thinking is how to escape the scorching heat of the sun.

The last time that rain visited the country was in the first weeks of January. In some areas of the Philippines, a state of emergency was proclaimed by the government due to drought that consequently brought damage to crops. The El Niño spell has continued to bring havoc to health and livelihood.

The other day we received news of a big earthquake in Chile and a tsunami in Hawaii. What is still fresh in our minds is the devastating catastrophe brought by an earthquake in Haiti a few weeks ago.

These situations were the topic of my conversation with National Capital Region coach of Table Tennis the other day in Manila.* He was asking me if the end of the world is really coming. He quoted to me the verse in Mark 13:7-8 that says, “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines.”

There is a temptation for us to speculate when the end time will come to us. A lot of religious groups gained membership because they provide dates and proclamations when apocalypse will be. But up to now, all these groups were proven to be false. The words of Jesus are still the most authoritative: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

The lesson for us then is to take heed of the command of Jesus: “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come…If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”

Let us continue to be watchful and at the same time tell others to be on guard and be alert.

May God bless us all!

Sincerely,

Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Assistant Chaplain

*Thank you for your prayers. The Region 6 Table Tennis Women’s Team represented by 3 CPU players won the championship in the 2010 CHED National Games. We also won the silver medal in the women’s doubles event, and bronze in the mixed doubles event. Juliette Gayoso, a first year BS Accountancy student was hailed as the Most Valuable Player in the women’s event, and I was also adjudged as the Best Coach. To God be the glory!

People Power!

Binhi sang Pagtuo

February 22, 2010

Dear Centralians and Friends,

Greetings from Manila!*

Today is a holiday in commemoration of the People Power Revolution of 1986.

Let me share three things in relation to this:

First, it has taught us that a Filipino Christ must have the power to do. We, the people from the oriental countries have great ability to think. We are thinkers. We like to sit down and contemplate about a lot of things. Most of the world’s religions came from the East.

We must continue to transform these contemplative thoughts of ours into actions. We must not be thinkers only but also doers. Let us help each other develop this ability – the power to do. We must work hand in hand for the prosperity of our beloved country and not just wait in our chairs for a miracle to happen.

Secondly, it has taught us to learn from our history and culture. Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal in his great wisdom once said, “ang hindi marunong lumingon sa kanyang pinanggalingan ay hindi makarating sa kanyang paroroonan.”

That is very true. A Filipino who doesn’t know why he or she is a Filipino is an embarrassment to the nation. We must remember that we are Filipinos and not Americans nor Europeans nor Australians. Remember the song that says, “ako’y isang pinoy ako’y hindi kano. Huwag kang mahihiya kong ang ilong mo ay pangu.”

We have so much to learn from history. This includes our struggles from foreigners and our aspirations to become a free and independent nation. Let us not be weary to teach our children our own history, our own Filipino values and our own culture. Let us continue the struggle to preserve our culture, our race and our language.

Thirdly, it has taught us to have the courage to fear God. Proverb 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

If we fear God, we will value life, we will respect the sanctity of a person, we will uphold justice and we will work for peace. We can build a community in which everyone bears each other’s burden.

May God bless us all!

Sincerely,

Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Associate Chaplain

*I’m currently in Manila with 30 athletes and coaches from CPU. We are here to represent Region 6 in the 2010 CHED National Games. I’m coaching the Tables Tennis Women’s Team. The CPU delegation would like to extend our grateful appreciation to the CPU Alumni Association of Greater Manila. Last Saturday, February 20, during their get together, they raised P13,000.00 to augment the allowance of athletes and coaches.

Valentines Day Reflection

Binhi sang Pagtuo

February 15, 2010

Dear Centralians and Friends,

Greetings from the campus!

As part of the Valentines Day celebration, here is a reflection on relationships.*

Bring your own uniqueness into the relationship. Do not lose your identity. In the first place, it is the distinctiveness of the person that you fell in love with.

When two different individuals bring their own personality in a relationship it is bound to clash. Do not avoid it. Embrace your differences. Listen to one another. When you do, there will be a creative tension that will blossom into harmony.

When loving, do not drown out the person with your own style of doing things. Molding the person the way you wanted him/her to be will result to resentment. It will eventually suffocate your loved one, and drive him/her away. Instead, allow the person to grow in his/her own pace and time. Give him/her space. Challenge him/her to be what God wants him/her to be. And love him/her for who he/she is.

Remember that you said “I do” for better and for worst. You cannot choose only one. There will be ups and downs. You hope for better days but bad days will surely come. And sometimes it comes in bundles. Be ready for it. Anticipate it. When it comes, be patient and think first before you say something, because if not, you will regret later that you have said those words.

For men, keep in mind the moodswings of a woman before their menstrual cycle. Oftentimes you cannot understand why a woman is easily angered and impatient. It is her biological makeup. Accept it with understanding and grace.

For women, do not ask men their opinion if you already have your own. If the opinion raised is opposite with each other, a woman will usually sulk and be in a bad mood for a number of days. This is when things get out of hand sometimes because a man cannot understand what in the world have he done to make the woman angry. He just voiced out his opinion that she asked in the first place. A man should watch out for this, and weigh his answer before voicing it out.

Lastly, give God a room in your relationship. If God is outside of it, then your relationship is bound to be selfish, and just centered on the two you. If God is there, your relationship is bound to be a blessing to others. It is because you always think and act on what is pleasing to God and loving to others. Be a channel of God’s bounty and love!

May God bless us all!

Sincerely,

Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Assistant Chaplain

* I gave this reflection as a piece of advice to a couple that got married last December 2009.

Why is love the greatest?

Binhi sang Pagtuo

February 8, 2010

Dear Centralians and Friends,

Greetings from the campus!

Since February is considered the “love month,” our reflection will focus on love.

I always wondered why Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 (the love chapter) concluded his discourse by stating “Three things will last forever: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love” (NLT).

In this chapter Paul writes that there are five spiritual gifts that God has given us: tongues, prophecy, knowledge, faith, and giving. Paul was saying that without love, the practice of these gifts is nothing.

Without love: the gift of tongues is just a big noise; the gift of knowledge will sometimes make us arrogant and feel important; the gift of faith will make us compare our maturity to others, and this oftentimes leads to envy; the gift of giving will lead us to count what we have given and belittle others.

Paul is reminding us that it is love that enriches the gift and gives it value. Faith, hope and love go hand in hand, but it is love that boosts faith and hope. When you love somebody, you have faith and trust on that somebody. When you love someone, you hope for that someone, and it produces anticipation of new things. This is why love is the greatest.

May God bless us all!

Sincerely,

Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Assistant Chaplain

From a life of unbelief to a life of faith in God

Binhi sang Pagtuo

February 1, 2010

Dear Centralians and Friends,

Greetings from the campus!

During the Christ Emphasis Week (CEW) celebration last week, a student emailed me and asked if the purpose of CEW is to convert them to the Baptist faith. This has been a common question in the campus. My answer was based on the document entitled, “A Statement on the Faith Posture of Central Philippine University” by Rev. Dr. Johnny V. Gumban, CPU Academic Manual, 1981.

Let us reflect on what the statement says:

“The proclamation of the Gospel is for the conversion of the people from a life of unbelief to a life of faith in God. Christian life means a life of personal faith in Jesus Christ, which issues into a life of discipleship and service for the believer. This necessitates the membership of the believers in a community of faith, which is the Church where nurture of faith is done. Since this community of faith is represented by local churches with different traditions, rituals, and lifestyles, believers are encouraged to seek membership in churches where faith is effectively nurtured according to one’s personal preferences in faithful adherence to the will of God as revealed in the Bible.”

“Central Philippine University differentiates between conversion and proselytizing. While conversion is change from a life of unbelief to a life of faith in God, proselytizing is a sectarian manipulative way of calling people from one church membership to another. Proselytizing is not the reason for proclaiming the Gospel. As a sectarian activity, proselytizing must not only be discouraged but also condemned.”

“Central Philippine University is ecumenical in its perspective in relation to other human concerns. Ecumenical means “one world.” It implies the unity of mankind in the spirit of love as envisioned in the prayer of Jesus Christ in John 17:11, 21 - “That they may be one as you and I are one.” Ecumenicity does not mean unity in one institutional super church. There can be never be, because of our humanity, unity in doctrine and in one system of life, whether secular or religious. Ecumenicity believes and promotes the unity of all believers in the spirit of Christ. It accepts the fact that, even though locally, believers are institutional members of local churches, in faith they are one in the spiritual universal church of Jesus Christ. Their relationship to each other in faith and love transcends the barriers of creed, culture and race.”

“Central Philippine University honors its Baptist tradition. It also accepts and respects the reality of diversity in religious traditions, which are the results of historical circumstances. It is honored to serve its constituency, which is about 80% non-Baptist in their church membership. It accepts the responsibility to convert those who are not yet in faith and to nurture those who are already in faith. It sincerely offers its Christian Baptist tradition and faith as a means by which faith in God can be established and nurtured in the life of all people. It respects the freedom of those whose religious preferences may be other than that which is offered by the university.”

“Ecumenicity of the Christian church, as a whole, believes that faith must be translated into a lifestyle, which is characterized by sincere observance of Christian moral values. These include respect for life and property, the preservation of human relationship based upon love, righteousness and justice, and the preservation and protection of the integrity of creation. It believes that while a man is part of creation, he was created in the image of God so that he can establish dominion over all creation as God’s steward, not as exploiter and destroyer of God’s creation. As a steward, man is accountable to God for his life, and for all the gifts of creation, which is for him to preserve, according to God’s divine purpose.”

“Central Philippine University is committed to Christian mission. Christian mission is for the purpose of attaining wholeness of life on the total life of creation in conformity to God’s design and purpose as revealed in Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures. God initiates this work in history by whatever means He chooses. Central Philippine University offers itself to be a means that God may choose for this purpose.”

May God bless us!

Sincerely,

Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Assistant Chaplain

Let us pray like Jesus

Binhi sang Pagtuo

January 25, 2010

Dear Centralians and Friends,

Greetings from the campus!

The CEW celebration has started this morning with Rev. Jerson Narciso as the speaker. From Tuesday until Thursday the new format of CEW will be implemented. There will be four simultaneous convocations for the college in four different venues in the morning, and another four in the afternoon. This is to ensure maximum attendance.

The method of delivering God’s message this 2nd semester is through a lecture with ample time for open forum. The three main topics are Live like Jesus in your 1. Prayer life. 2. Faith and Integrity. 3. Stewardship and Commitment.

We covet your prayers for our invited speakers: Rev. Cris Amorsolo Sian, Rev. Jerson Narciso, Rev. Dr. Melvin Mangana, Ms. Faith Nava, Rev. Dr. Bernabe Pagara, and Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Fabula.

Let us reflect on some aspects of the model prayer of Jesus found in Matthew 6:9-13, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (KJV)”

The first word in the prayer is “our.” This word is communal rather than personal. This is later affirmed by the following words: “us,” and “we.” Jesus is reminding us that God is the God of everyone. God is not exclusive but inclusive.

In this regard, Jesus is questioning our tendency to make God exclusive to only one denomination, and that God is not present on others. We tend to domesticate God like the Pharisees of Jesus’ time. Steve Mosher, former CPU Theology teacher, in his commentary on the book of Romans wrote that when we domesticate God, we reverse the spelling of God. God becomes a Dog.

Exclusivist attitude is quite rampant now in our churches. It is as if we own God and that anytime we can put him inside our pockets and when we need him, we take him out of our pockets again. Let us do away this personalistic tendency and let God be God. Our personal faith should not be over-emphasized to the detriment of our communal faith. Let us remember that this model prayer of Jesus later evolved to be a confession of faith by the church.

The last portion of the prayer speaks about the boldness of the declaration of Jesus that it only God who is the king of all creation and therefore has the power and the only one that deserves the glory. This is very revolutionary because it contradicts the prevailing religious atmosphere that brought by the Romans. The emperor has declared himself a deity and colonized areas must adhere to emperor cult worship. Those who did not worship the emperor faced severe punishments even death. The challenge for us is to make their declaration, that God alone is to be worshipped, be our constant declaration also.

May God bless us all!

Sincerely,

Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Assistant Chaplain

p.s.

Thank you for your prayers and support to the just concluded 69th national assembly of the Convention Baptist Ministers Association at Camp Higher Ground attended by more than 600 pastors. I covet your prayers because I was unanimously voted as the new president of our association. This is an honor yet a great burden for I am the youngest president of CBMA at the age of 33. If you want to get in touch with Baptist pastors, kindly email me at fnjalandoon@yahoo.com