Gospel Academy students participate in the Fairfax job fair outreach.

It only took an hour and a half for the Gospel Academy students to hand out 200 fliers and 400 tracts.

For Laura, this was her first time handing out any sort of religious literature to strangers. On the other hand, this was Dan’s third time handing out Bibles and/or tracts with Gospel Xpress, so he found it less stressful. Kevin has also done evangelism outreach in the past, so he was quite comfortable.

At one point during our outreach, the organizer told us we were not allowed to distribute literature at the job fair (which seemed suspect to me due to the nature of job fairs and the fact that everyone else was distributing job-related literature), and he asked us to leave. However, after discovering we were from McLean Bible Church and were promoting the church’s well-known Career Network ministry, he allowed us to finish.

The point of this outreach event was to get the students comfortable with handing out literature that was highly targeted to the recipients (i.e., giving unemployment-related information/literature to people looking for jobs). This will act as a stepping stone to the next series of outreach events.

Check out the video highlights from the outreach (you can also subscribe to our Witness Videos podcast)…

Megan leads the class.

We will be going through the Way of the Master basic training course, featuring video lessons hosted by Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron. The class is facilitated by Michael Tolosa and Megan Beckwith, and study guides were provided free of charge to each student by Gospel Xpress.

The class meets every other Sunday for eight sessions at McLean Bible Church. On the off-weeks, Michael and Megan organize evangelism outreaches in the DC metro area. Stay tuned for more info on our class and outreach events!

In the meantime, check out the video promo we created to promote the class…

On Saturday, February 20, we showed up to a homeless outreach event in Herndon, Virginia, where we handed out free Spanish Bibles to the predominantly Hispanic crowd gathered to receive free warm meals and clothing from Cota and other members of the Soul Purpose ministry at McLean Bible Church.

The outreach started at 4:30 PM, when Cota went across the street to the 7-Eleven in Herndon, where homeless/poverty-stricken illegal Hispanics notoriously gather for day labor opportunities. Once promised with free meals and clothing, they gathered in a parking lot across the street, where Cota and her ministry partners dished out hot meals.

Following the meal, Cota and another woman presented the Gospel message in Spanish to the listening crowd. They acted out impromptu skits and also led the group in a cappella praise songs.

After the message was given, the attendees were given free clothing provided by MBC’s Clothing Shop ministry. During this time, we handed out the Bibles I had brought.

On Thursday, February 4, we were able to hand out fifty Spanish Bibles during a Hispanic outreach in McLean, Virginia. The outreach was held at McLean Bible Church and was sponsored by the church’s Clothing Shop ministry. Luis Villalobos, the Hispanic outreach director for Frontline (the young adult community at MBC), shared the Gospel to the predominantly Latino audience prior to their visit into the Clothing Shop, where they helped themselves to bag-fulls of free clothing.

The Clothing Shop provides free clothing to people attending MBC, as well as the local community — there are no economic qualifications. They provide gently used men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and shoes, which have been donated by the MBC community.

The Hispanic clothing ministry is held every Thursday night at 6:30 PM. We would like to attend regularly to pass out Bibles, but we will need funds to purchase additional Spanish Bibles. Find out how you can help!

Megan Beckwith and Michael Tolosa handing out Christmas-themed Bibles outside the White House in Washington, DC.

“Did you get one of these?” I would say to get their attention, “They’re free.” When the passersby inquired what I was handing out, I would tell them, “It’s the original Christmas story.” Most would gladly accept the free gift, while the others would politely refuse.

We encountered many fellow Christians, who encouraged us and thanked us for doing the Bible handouts. One woman said she was completely surprised and inspired to see someone doing what we were doing in DC. A pastor even stopped to bless us. The park police officer patrolling the National Christmas Tree area told us, reluctantly, that we had to move further down the sidewalk away from the Christmas Tree, because there was no soliciting allowed. “I’m a fellow believer,” she said, “And I think what you’re doing is great.”

Inside each Bible, we included a Christmas-themed Gospel tract, so that everyone who received a Bible also received a clear Gospel message. That is, after all, the point of all of this… To reach the Washington, DC area with the message of Jesus Christ.

In addition to the handouts in DC, I was also able to hand out 100 Bibles at Tysons Corner Mall in the affluent area of Tysons Corner, Virginia. In total, we handed out nearly 300 Christmas Bibles last week. We have more Bibles to hand out, including 100 Spanish-language Bibles we’d like to distribute to low-income areas of Langley Park, Maryland in the coming weeks.

Please pray that our commitment to hit the streets with the Gospel message would remain strong, that we would find more people to help us, and that God would bless our efforts and use these Bibles to reveal Himself to the people of Washington, DC.

Michael Tolosa

Michael, who has over a decade of online marketing and filmmaking experience, will use his skills and knowledge to impact the secular Washington, DC area (as well as the Internet) with the message of Jesus Christ.

Already, the U.S. division of Gospel Xpress has launched two video podcast shows (Testimony Videos, Witness Videos) and engaged in mass Bible and tract handouts on the streets of DC, Maryland, and Virginia. In 2010, Michael will begin training other young adults to do street evangelism.

We’re excited to see how God is using Gospel Xpress to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the United States capital and all over the world!

The new GX Program Director is Bro. Ed Tolosa. He took over for Bro. Chito Tolosa, who passed away last year. A new team has been trained by Ed for door-to-door evangelism.

When Jesus began His public ministry, He came “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God” (Mark 1 :14), calling the people to repent for “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17b). This was an announcement of an wonderful new state of affairs; God was at work in time and space to bring about the government of the promised Messiah.

As Jesus’ apostles took the Gospel into all the world, however, their preaching and writing referred more to “the gospel of Christ”(Romans 15:29). The church was proclaiming the Good News of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. This was the same message; the focus had merely shifted from the kingdom to the King. And above all, it was “the gospel of God”(Rom.1:1), the Good News to man from God, who declared Jesus to be the Messiah, most powerfully by raising Him from the dead. So the Gospel is God’s message about Christ, and when we communicate the Gospel, we are, in a real sense merely repeating to the world what God has said.

Jesus employed a very significant word for this task in Acts 1:8, saying His disciples would be His “witnesses.” In the New Testament, to bear witness to something is to call attention to it. When “witness” is applied to the work of the church, we see that our task is to call attention to the King and His kingdom; we are to make visible what is invisible to a lost and dying world. Christians do this in a host of ways: by loving one another, by keeping the Lord’s Supper, by feeding the hungry and clothing the naked, and even by dying for the faith. Any activity that calls attention to Christ falls under the heading of “witness,” evangelism and missions included.

MEDITATE…

It is ironic that “to witness” has to do with calling attention to Christ-we’re often reluctant to witness because we fear calling attention to ourselves. Somehow we must overcome this hesitation. Examine your heart: What do you fear? Ridicule? Loss of social status? The mockery of worldly friends? Seek to please Christ, not men.

Cavite: 2009 Mission Field

Cavite has a total population of 2,856,765 based on the year 2007 census. The main languages spoken are Tagalog, Chabacano and English. However, a large number of immigrants from farther provinces also speak Bicolano, Cebuano, and Ilocano. In line with national statistics, the majority (90%) of the population are Roman Catholic while adherents of Iglesia ni Cristo account for 4% of the population. Other Christian sects and Muslims comprise the remainder.

Cavite is one of the fastest growing provinces in the country due to its close proximity to Metro Manila. Many companies have established manufacturing plants in numerous industrial parks.

Cavite is subdivided into 20 municipalities and 3 cities: Cavite City, Tagaytay City, Trece Martires City.

GX door to door evangelism campaign in the year 2000 started at Trece Martires City. The pure message of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ was brought to the residents in different subdivisions and barangays. As a result bible studies and cell groups were established. Our workers may have covered almost all of the major subdivisions and barangays of this city through the years but saturation work still needs to be done.

Door to door evangelism, the heralding of good news, is not easy, for in evangelism, we attack the strongholds of Satan. True evangelism often results in Christians being mocked and mistreated.

God honors true evangelism and is often pleased to make the seed grow and bear fruit. The Father is the Lord of the harvest, He grants or withholds success. Christ is the builder of His church, the Holy Spirit is the divine Energizer and Commissioner. Where God is honored and His doctrine is maintained, we can be sure that our labor will not be in vain.

I would like to commend our ex-GX workers for their good stewardship in fulfilling the Great Commission of preaching the gospel. They have been faithful servants who selflessly served the Lord, never thinking of financial gain. They have become models of the gospel. The gospel has changed them. Their examples speak, perhaps more than their words.

This year 2009, we have a new team who will go door to door in General Trias to continue to wear out more shoes for the gospel.

GX would like to specially thank our former workers for their faithfulness. We thank the Lord for our friends for your prayers and faithful support. May our good Lord bless us as we move on to tomorrow.

Our door to door evangelism started last January in Navy Base, Baguio City with the help of our volunteers and co- workers in all our projects. Navy Base Christian Fellowship is surrounded by almost 200 houses and all of them received GXcomics and welcomed the good news we shared. We extended invitations for them to join our Sunday Services. We thank the young people, ladies and Pastor Winnie for their help in making this ministry possible. We are looking forward to ministering to more homes in adjacent areas. It is our prayer that this activity will be carried out all year round to places where our brothers and sisters in Navy Base have already established contacts and to places where we will build new ties. I am very confident that this will be possible because our volunteers are very enthusiastic and dedicated.

We had a series of lessons on door to door evangelism with the young people and ladies of Navy Base Christian Fellowship.

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. Do you not say, “There are still four months and then comes the harvest”? Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” John 4:34-35

Reed Basket

The weather in Baguio is a lot cooler than the rest of the Philippines but that did not prevent the kids of Reed Basket from enjoying a cup of delicious ice cream after school. It was some sort of a reward for being fast learners. The older group can now read sentences fast and easy! School’s off this coming week to give way to Daily Vacation Bible School. Our students are required to attend. School year 2007-2008 ends on May 17.

If you think Teacher Joey Tolosa is confined inside the small day care room then think again! Just recently she was special guest speaker of the ladies’ group. She talked about Ana and Priscilla being worthy of emulation. The message was interrelated with the games (mind games) which Joey also prepared. At the end of her message she read a very encouraging poem dedicated to a sister, a daughter, a mother, a wife, an aunt, a grandmother or whatever the present role in life the attendee is in. ”In God’s eyes we are more than what we perceive ourselves to be!”

SOP Daycare, Cavite

Another school year had ended and truly God is so Good!

The graduation of the children was held at the SOP Church building on 14 March at 9am to 11am.

There were 7 kids who successfully completed the daycare program curriculum. They were given a certificate of completion and are now qualified to enter Grade I. Likewise, 11 kids who completed the Kinder-1 curriculum and were promoted to Kinder-2 this coming school year (2008-2009). Not to forget the 2 nursery kids who were promoted to K-1.

The program was opened with an invocation prayer by Rev. de Fiesta. Inspiring messages were also given by Rev. Conrad Tolosa and Hon. Councilor Remegio Dilag.

A thanksgiving message was given by Teacher Maria Cartagena and to close this happy event for the kids a snack was provided by our benefactors and parents of the kids. Though the daycare program has come to an end and will no longer be available this coming school year, we know in our hearts that the Lord Jesus will still continue to lead these kids to another school were they will know more about the life of our Lord Jesus and His free gift of salvation.

Home for Abused Girls

Last January 4, 2008, GX workers headed by Bro. Tony Tolosa, visited the Bethany Home for abused girls. The home is operated by the Salvation Army and is in it’s 7th year. The GX and SA workers treated the girls to a wonderful party. There was singing, dancing and a lot of good food. Bro. Tony brought with him gifts courtesy of the SA World Service Office. The girls were waiting for him to return and visit them, as he had promised on his July 2007 visit. A message of faith, hope and love was given by Sis. Maria Cartagena to the encouragement of the girls. Pray that this ministry will continue.

Thank you for all your support and prayers. To God be the glory!

Christians of all generations practice evangelism, rather than merely talk about it. They draw their spiritual life from the Word and for this reason evangelism is a way of life rather than a technique to be learned. They witness for the Lord Jesus Christ and teach His salvation to others.

The roots of evangelism are embedded in the local church which derives its life from Christ. Christians who abide in Christ by abiding in a true local church will evangelize spontaneously. We should devote our time and energy to evangelism, evangelism that springs up all year round.

Evangelism is not a special crusade or campaign. Evangelism is the preaching of the Gospel to every person old or young, male or female, rich or poor, weak or strong. The Gospel must be preached and applied to our own family first before we go into all the world.

Evangelism, in which teaching and doctrine are minimized by man-centered religion with emphasis on entertainment, is weak and disappointing because those who profess to have made decisions for Christ soon fall away. It is not by the wisdom of men that souls are saved, but by the foolishness of preaching (1 Cor. 1:21).

Door to door evangelism, if thoughtfully conducted, is found to be the best means of evangelism. To evangelize is to teach and instruct every person about the Gospel (Matt. 28: 19). Door to door evangelism can be done two by two. It is not suitable for men to visit women on their own. One purpose of visiting is to make contact with the people and to inform them of the work of the church in their area. While people are invited to come, it is to be realized that it is exceedingly doubtful that they will respond to such an invitation and therefore, the main objective must be to share the primary issues of the Gospel. We must not wait for them to come to us for we will wait in vain; Rather, we must be the ones to walk the distance. Records should be kept. Careful follow-up work is also very important. Proper timing for visitations need to be observed.

Starting door to door evangelism is difficult to do, follow-ups can be even more painstaking. Our Lord commanded us to teach all nations and assured us that He is with us even to the end of time. If He has commanded evangelism and promised to be with us, then that should be enough to encourage us on. We should persuade one another in this urgent and important mission.