PHILIPPINES | ORO BIBLE COLLEGE

College Director, Sister Dr. Nely Gamayon recently reported…

“God is indeed good! We praise and thank him for directing us and providing for our every need as we went through school year 2015–2016.

AB Theology had an enrollment of 24 for the first semester and 22 for the second semester. We graduated three in March, 2016. The preschool had an enrollment of 34 for the school year, with 14 graduating to grade one in June.

For the Certificate of Biblical Studies, 13 students from the Jesus is Alive started with the classes in Greek and Systematic Theology I (Evangelical Theology), but only nine were able to finish, because the others were just too busy with their ministries and jobs. We also conducted summer classes for five courses. I taught three General Education courses (Humanities and the Arts – four students, World Literature – 10 students, and Philosophy – five students), while Reniel Comajeg taught Church History 2 and Billy Comajig taught Theology 3. Six third-year students took both courses under the two pastors. The preschool also conducted tutorial classes for the summer for six children.

The AB Theology graduates were: Ailyn Khor Baclay of Mt. Olive Church, Pangantucan Bukidnon; Ericson Bucio of Loay Advent Christian Church, Bohol; and El Mark O. Compra of Patrocenio Advent Christian Church, Claveria Misamis Oriental.

Standing in front are the graduates, from left to right – Ericson Bucio, El Mark Compra and Ailyn Khor Baclay. Behind them are the faculty, staff, and the OBC Board.

After graduation, Ailyn Khor Baclay went home to Pangantucan, Bukidnon, to assist her father who is the pastor of her home church. Ericson Bucio went home to Loay, Bohol, to assist the pastor there; while El Mark Compra is at Maranatha Bible Church, Cagayan de Oro, helping out at the youth and music ministries.

On March 30, 2016, we commissioned six students for their internship:
• Charmina Takiang of Mindagat Advent Christian Church,
• Malitbog Bukidnon and Gaylie Morala of One Way Outreach Ministries Cagayan de Oro will have their internship at the New Life Fellowship Institute, Iligan City, with Pastora Perlita Pusa and Pastora Corazon Tejano as their supervisors and Mrs. Fe M. Laturgo as their college adviser.
• Sarah Tuico of Mount Olive Church Pangantucan, Bukidnon, and Eric Evasco of Free Methodist Church, Tudela, Misamis Occidental, will be having their internships at the Presbyterian churches in the city of Cavite, Luzon.
• Fernando Relatado will have his internship at the Lord Jesus Our Righteousness (LJOR) Church in Cagayan de Oro. He is the senior pastor of the said church even before he came to OBC.
• Joshua Udang, son of the leader of the Cagayan de Oro Evangelical Ministers Association and the Bishop of the Blessed Hope Ministries, Philippines, is assigned to do his internship at his own church with Nely A. Gamayon as his college adviser. Joshua studied at the Immanuel Theological Seminary in Cebu when he got sick and needed to move back to Cagayan de Oro, so he requested enrollment for his remaining two years of AB Theology at OBC.

This year’s AB Theology graduation speaker was Pastor Reniel M. Comajeg and for the Preschool graduation, Pastor Billy M. Comahig. The faculty and staff recommended OBC faculty to speak for graduation to minimize expenses that we would otherwise incur if we invited speakers who needed transportation and accommodation incidentals.

The preschool graduates performing their graduation song: “He’s Still Working On Me.”

NSTP – First Year Students
On the first and second semester of the school year, first year students held classes once a week on Saturday afternoons to teach a children’s Bible class on campus. Thirteen young children attending the Bible class accepted the Lord and faithfully came for Bible lessons and tutorials. Ms. Minda Lipanta and Maam Amy Gawangon supervise the students who are doing these classes. During the summer break, Minda Lipanta and Amy Gawangon took over the teaching of the children’s Bible classes.

On Saturday evenings two of these first year students conduct evangelistic Bible studies in one of the church plants of Maranatha Bible Church. On Sundays, they lead worship and sometimes even preach at the outreach church, and then lead youth activities in the afternoon.

The other students lead worship, play music instruments and lead Bible studies in their home church.

NSTP students also joined tree planting and street cleaning as part of their community awareness lessons. Together with students of other colleges and universities in the city, they attended seminars and participate in community outreach activities.

Ministry Skills – Second Year and Third Year Students
On weekends, second year and third year students went out to the various churches where they were assigned to lead worship, play musical instruments, teach Sunday school to children, youth and adults, lead Bible studies, teach and lead young people in the youth groups, preach on Sundays as requested and during prayer meetings when asked; assisted the pastors and leaders of the churches for any ministry they were called upon to help. Students, first through fourth year, had the opportunity to attend a seminar on Christian courtship and dating conducted by the Blessed Hope Ministries – the church of one of our third year students – Joshua T. Udang. This church has a big ministry on young people in the entire city of Cagayan de Oro, and through the leadership of Joshua, the students were able to observe and participate in classes in various high schools and colleges in the city.

Internship – First Semester – Fourth Year Students
For academic year 2015 – 2016, interns were able to comply with the requirements for the internship program in their assigned churches.

Ailyn Khor Baclay was assigned to intern at the Jesus Is Alive Church with our alumnus, Pastor Josephine Rojo, as her supervisor. Ailyn helped in the church planting ministry of the church in Agora, Lapasan Cagayan de Oro and in Medina, Misamis Oriental. She led Bible studies and did counseling with the contacts. On Saturdays and Sundays, she helped in the music ministry, Bible studies, training seminars and devotionals with cell group leaders and young people.

Ericson Bucio, who was assigned in Riverside Advent Christian Church, Calinan Davao City, was assistant pastor to Pastor Benjie Marquiño, who was also his supervisor. Ericson led church and home Bible studies. He led worship, played music instrument and trained some young people to play keyboard, guitar and drums. He went with Pastor Benjie on home visitation and observed in church meetings.

El Mark O. Compra did his internship at the Naburos Advent Christian Church in Naburos Island, Misamis Occidental, with Pastor John Sarmiento as his supervisor. “Naburos” means pregnant. Indeed El Mark had a great time doing his internship at a church pregnant with varied ministries. He had the opportunity to do almost everything that the pastor does – in leading the church to ministering to the community. El Mark preached on some Sundays, led Bible studies at the church and in the homes of members, led youth fellowship activities, did crusades in the community, witnessed, prayer and fasting, consulted with community leaders and officers, fetched drinking water from another island using a small boat and many other things. He spent much time talking with the pastor and discussing many things about pastoring a church. This is the same church where his mother did her internship and was called to pastor after her graduation.

After their internship, students came back to the College with their faith strengthened and their commitment to full-time ministry deepened because of what they experienced in their practicum. All three of them were excited to work in the church after graduation. Right now, all three of them are mentoring with the pastors they are working with in their churches. We praise God for all that he has done through the OBC faculty, staff and students for the past school year. We were able to minister to many people in the various churches we went to in our ministry skills, student internship and college promotion activities.

Promotions
On December 2015, Maranatha Bible Church Cagayan de Oro gave OBC one Sunday for promotions. One of our third-year students, Joshua Udang, preached the sermon; some students led worship and played the music instruments, served as ushers for the worshippers, and creative ministries. The faculty and staff assisted in the sacrament of communion and offered a message in song while offering was taken.

An OBC Sunday was also held at the Claveria Advent Christian Church for the second time. Pastor Reniel Comajeg, Mizpah Joy Zambas and Rhona Fe Saripa went with the students on Saturday afternoon to practice their presentation and visit with the young people and some members of the church. Members of the church took turns in accommodating the students and some faculty. Eric Evasco, a third-year student preached the sermon on Sunday morning.

A third promotional activity was done in New Life Church, Iligan City, in February, 2016. Joshua Udang, one of the third-year students preached the sermon. The students, together with Reniel, Mizpah and Rhona Fe Saripa went ahead on Saturday afternoon. OBC was able to fellowship with the leaders of the church and many of the young people. The church took care of accommodations and food for the students, faculty and staff.

Through the holding of an OBC Sunday in local churches, we are able to promote the college. We have pending invitations for the incoming school year from Advent and non-Advent Christian churches. Our challenges include finances in bringing the students, faculty and staff to these local churches and the safety of our travels. Commission on Higher Education (CHED) issued a very strict memo on educational trips for all the higher education institution in the whole country. We hope through this activity, we are able to challenge the churches of their need for residence training in theology.

We would like to thank our leaders at ACGC, the churches and individuals who sent the funds for our need of newer computers in our laboratory. Nathan A. Gamayon Jr., who is the computer technician and IT class facilitator for the school year, was able to put up five new CPUs for the school. Three of these are installed in the computer laboratory for the students’ use. At present, there are seven computers that the students can use for writing their assignments and research; three of these are updated with new CPUs.

We would also like to thank ACGC, individuals and churches who also donated the funds for fire safety and Bureau of Fire requirements. We were able to install fire safety equipment, mobile rechargeable lamps for the offices and installed rechargeable lamps, fire warning bells for each building, smoke detectors, exit signage, fire hose cabinet and replacement of older lamps in our buildings.”