Straight From Pastor Ey

“Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what's right in front of you. These... fields are ripe. It's harvest time!” John 4:35, The Message “Magtanim ay hindi biro!” (In English, “Planting rice is no joke!” ) Remember this song? These words bring mental images of rows and rows of farmers planting in unison stalks of rice in the field. Then after a few moths, the entire rice field is golden brown, ready for harvest. Such a beautiful sight to behold! It’s harvest time! What we do every Sunday is no joke, either. We are working very hard to make our English Worship Service seeker-sensitive. The music is short but tasteful and meaningful. The greeters are friendly. The moderator is in command of the service, ever mindful that every moment counts. The message is simple, practical and Biblical. (And, if you have any suggestions on how we can improve it more, please let us know.) Every month we print a lot (and, really, I mean a lot!) of quality, colored fly...

“What’s your business?” That is one of the two probing questions that , according to Peter Drucker, the recognized father of modern American management, corporations must ask to keep itself on the cutting edge . The other question is “How’s your business?” Obviously we have to ask the first before we ask the second. In a sense, it’s the same question Dr. Rick Warren asked in the Purpose Driven Life bestseller: “What on earth am I here for?” We need to answer it not just as individuals but as a church as well. What’s does God want Makati Gospel Church or MGC to do? I believe we can spell it out through this formula: M= GC2 (No connection to Albert Einstein’s E=MC2) M=GC2 stands for the M aster’s G reat C ommission and the M aster’s G reat C ommandment . Matthew 28:18-20 spells out the great commission: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations , baptizing them in the name of the Father a...

“I have a dream!” That was the title of the most famous speech of civil rights leader, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., which he delivered in August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., USA. King spoke about his longing for freedom from prejudice. Freedom! Such is our need for it that Patrick Henry in 1775 even cried out, “Give me liberty or give me death!” Freedom! In the movie Braveheart , that was the last word uttered by the Scottish hero, Sir William Wallace, at his execution. But our Lord Jesus Christ already died in order to give us freedom. And He spelled it out for us how to enjoy it: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, NIV) To obey is to know the truth. Only then can we experience freedom. There are three things we can glean from these verses. First, obedience reveals who we really are. “If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples.” (Cont...

A math teacher asked a boy: “Suppose your mother baked a pie and there were seven of you, your parents and five children. What part of the pie would you get?” A sixth,” the boy replied. “I’m afraid you don’t know your fractions,” said the teacher. “Remember, there are seven of you.” “Yes, teacher,” said the boy, “ but you don’t know my mother. Mother would say she didn’t want any pie. ” [1] The Bible regard mothers highly. When the people of Jerusalem complained that God has forsaken them, He replied, “ Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (Isaiah 49:15, NIV) The Lord asked a rhetorical question that expected a “no” answer. Yes, there will be some who might forget. But, usually a mother doesn’t forget. Then later on, He promised, “ As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you ; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 66:13) The Lord pointed to mothers as object l...

We are commanded in Colossians 4:5, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” (NIV) That’s why we see the upcoming Da Vinci Code movie as an open door to reach out to seekers. Allow me to share some suggestions on how we can wisely maximize this opportunity. (I came up with the acronym C-O-D-E to make it easy to remember.) C reate opportunities to share the Gospel. Instead of waiting for an opportunity, create one. If you see a friend reading the book, strike up a conversation about it. Or, after watching the movie with friends, discuss it over a cup of coffee. In Acts 8, God sent Philip to share the Gospel to an Ethiopian eunuch. He ran up to the man who was riding a chariot while reading the Old Testament. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The eunuch replied, “How can I unless someone explains it to me?” That may well be what’s in the mind of your seeker friends. O ffer to listen to the person’s views. Don’t launch pr...