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CCOWEF Young Professionals Philippines JUNE 2010

eamTCristina Dy

Editor-in-chief

Hansel David CoAssociate Editor

Rosalind Ngo-LiEditor

Johnson LiArt Editors

Marybelle TalaniaArtist

Rev. Alexander Hsu UyPtr. Philemon TiePtr. Joselito ChuaSpiritual Columnists

CCOWEspondence is a magazine published semi-annually by CCOWEF Young Professionals Philippines (CYP). This publication is distributed for free to Filipino-Chinese churches nationwide. If you would like to extend financial assistance to help in the production and distribution of CCOWEspondence, it will be greatly appreciated. You can send cash or check made payable to:

CCOWEF PhilippinesMetrobank-Sta. Cruz BranchS/A No. 025-3-02550155-2

Note: Views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of CCOWEF Philippines or CYP. Authors are responsible for their own opinions and articles.

ditorial ditorial

E E

For comments and suggestionswrite to us at

3rd Floor Manhatan Bldg.920 Banawe St., Quezon City, 1115

Telefax: 576-0724/577-4030or

email us ateditors@ccowespondence.com

cristinacdy@yahoo.com

hat is the price of obedience? How much are we willing to obey

God when it comes to money matters?

When I was a little girl, I always had this notion that money is the root of

all evil. But later, I learned that it's the LOVE of money that is the root of

all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). If we are not careful and wary of our actions

and lifestyle, many of us can easily fall into the pit of greediness and

dishonesty. Especially living in this materialistic world where everything

has a price, you have to admit that we all need money to survive.

Desperately for some, you might say. Sometimes our financial needs

can blow into magnified proportions that they cloud our vision of God's

greatness. The moment we are faced with such a situation, our instinct

compels us to look for ways and means to make ends meet. Although

there's nothing wrong with that, we usually end up relying on our own

strength and capabilities. We often forget that we have a bigger and

richer God who can and will meet all of our needs. If He takes care of the

lilies of the field, how much more will He not take care of us (Matthew

6:30)?

Let's all reflect, my friends, are we in control of our money or is money

controlling us? When our Christian principle is at stake, which one

would weigh heavier when we make our decision? How tightly do we

hold on to money when placed in our hands? Do we see the money that

we earned as ours to dispose and do as we please? Or do we see

ourselves only as stewards of God's blessings?

The concept of this issue came about because I believe that as

Christians, we need to be reminded once in a while of the four

commonly encountered struggles when it comes to obeying God in

money matters. These are: prioritizing God over profit, starting that

tithing habit, perfecting the art of cheerful giving and putting honesty

into practice. It is my prayer that you will all be as inspired as I am as you

turn each page and meet people who rose above these struggles. My

challenge for all of us is that as we daily surrender our lives to Him, let us

do so in all aspects and that includes even the money matters of our

lives. Are you willing to do that? The challenge is on!

The Price OF Obedience

- Rosalind

W

2 ccowespondence June 2010

“Our family really needs more income for we only have enough to pay our bills. That's why we should not be wasting business opportunities. Yet, I chose to obey God knowing that He will provide whatever we need.” This was the statement given by a young professional, whose family business used to open on weekends. Yes, even on Sunday, God's day.

Sister Evelyn Tan is a member of Davao Evangelical Church, whose family owns a hardware store in Calinan, Davao City (a town about an hour away from city proper). Their business was started by her father in 1957 and became one of the oldest stores in that part of Davao City. Ever since their business opened, there was never a day that they had it closed. There was never a day of rest, never a day to relax.

Being in a non-Christian family, sister Evelyn wasn't really bothered about opening on Sundays. Though she wished she could have that day for rest, but it never occurred to her that there is a biblical principle behind it. She shared, “Sundays were the best days for our business. It was a very busy day for us because it was when people come from neighboring towns to buy from our store. And the income we generated on those days was very much needed in order to have enough money to pay the bills.”

In 1991, almost forty years after their business started, sister Evelyn became a Christian. She then realized that Sundays should not be just like any other

ordinary day, but it should be a day for God. She knows that she needs to have time for God and hoped that she could have Sundays set aside as her time with Him.

Yet, that was just a personal wish.

Not that of her father's.

During that year, she really struggled to find

time to go to church on Sundays because she couldn't leave the

store. She knew that it was. God's day, and therefore, it should be God's time. After much prayer and

asking for God's guidance,

By: Sheree Go (Davao Evangelical Church)

she decided to talk to her father about closing the store on Sundays so that she can go to church for worship. To her surprise, without any hesitation, her father agreed to her request.

Things went smoothly for the first few months. Sister Evelyn was able to go to church as she hoped and prayed for. She was able to attend worship service and was able to obey the command of God written in Exodus 20:8: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”

However, a few months after, they encountered one of their greatest trials. A big fire started in a store in front of their establishment. Soon enough, it hit the other stores beside it. The fire had consumed almost all of the stores in front of them and fire fighters had given up hope of stopping it. Not only that, the fire was going towards their direction. She could not do anything but just pray and ask God to save their store. Her brother had no choice but to grab the fire fighter's hose and tried to stop the fire himself. After a few minutes, they were able to stop the fire with some damage to their store and a second-degree burn on her brother's arm.

Trials after trials came after that but she would not be swayed from her decision to close on Sundays. At times she wonders if her father might be angry or regretful to have agreed to her request, but she has peace in her heart knowing that God is on her side.

Through it all, she realized that when we obey God, when we give everything to Him, He will not short change us. She saw how God will give more to those who have given up a small amount for Him. She experienced the blessing of God to them through her simple obedience to remember the Sabbath. For them, Sundays may have been the best days where they have the most earnings for the week. But when she obeyed God, even when it means lesser income, they were amazed at how they were able to have much more than they need to pay the bills.

Indeed, when one seeks God's Kingdom and His righteousness, all the other things will be given as well. No one deserves the glory but the One who provides, guides and gives much to those who delight themselves in Him.

“Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33

eature toriesSFGod's Day, God's Time

June 2010 ccowespondence 3

By: Johnson Li (United Bethel Church)

Once upon a time in far, far away Ortigas Center worked a simple, charming guy who was involved in media ministry. One day, after eating his “baon” lunch, he decided to pay his credit card bill. He went through the crowded hallways, smiled and greeted people he came across and patiently waited for the elevator. Once down the building, he crossed the street to a nearby ATM machine. He was calm and composed as he joined everybody in the queue. Finally, his turn came, punched some numbers to check his account

thbalance. But he returned to his 26 floor studio-office with a sad long face, very dismayed. Obviously, he was frustrated for not being able to pay his credit card bill.

At a glance, all he saw was that there was only P1,511.74 left. How could he pay an outstanding bill amounting to more than P7,000.00? He wished he had enough money to settle his bill and still have some left to cover the minimum balance to maintain the account. He was very worried about the penalty that will be imposed should he be unable to pay the bill on its due date. He was unusually quiet and was in deep thought for a while.

Not satisfied, he went down again to check on his account. He went through the routine and later, came back to the office. But this time, there was a wide grin on his face. Looking closely at the ATM statement printout, he then asked all his ten colleagues with a sinister smile on his face, “What do you want? Laptop, cell phone, or camera? It's all on me!”

He proudly passed around the ATM print-out to everybody where the available balance printed is P1, 511,744.11! He must have overlooked the amount the first time he went down. Suddenly everyone roared into laughter and then someone shouted: “What a generous millionaire!”

Excitedly, he sent a message to his dear wife and told her to get ready for their delayed dream honeymoon to Hong Kong Disneyland! He called his mom to get ready for the much - awaited Singapore trip and i m a g i n e d a n i c e Christmas vacation for his entire family to avoid the New Year's pollution.

Dreams started running wild. In his mind, this was a good time to replace his mom's eleven

year old SVX van with the Subic V6 Prado he saw three days ago. He can finally have the EOS 1Ds-Mark III ,

upgrade the two year old Inspiron to Elitebook, buy expensive toys and prepare for the schooling of his little princess. Finally, he can retire his twenty-two year old Japanese dive watch with a Tag Heuer.

H e b e g a n t o m a k e allocations and strategies for his personal ministries. He will start a scholarship foundation, care center for the forsaken elderly and rejected children, drug rehabi l i ta t ion center ,

student counseling center, nursery and day care center, medical and surgical interventions, support for families of fallen missionaries and finally, upgrade his church's library with the latest books, computers and reading materials. Plans and budgets were almost complete when the telephone on his table rang.

His friend's voice was on the other end saying: “Have you seen your account balance?! Yesterday, the bank unknowingly processed my fund transfer transaction even when there was a discrepancy in the stated amount in words and figures!” He was suddenly brought back to reality and realized that by now, the bank staff and superiors must be in panic and would surely be held liable for processing the erroneous transaction.

Without any hesitation, he decided to return the money. He called up his bank and requested to have the P1.5M transferred back to its origin. The bank staff refused and said he had to sign a withdrawal slip to have the transaction processed. Since he found it a hassle to have to drop by, he insisted that they accept his verbal instructions since all he wanted to do was just to return the money to the owner and relieve the burden off the shoulders of the other bank staff and officers who made the mistake. But the bank manager still insisted to have his signature and agreed to wait for him even after banking hours.

Upon arriving at the bank, he introduced himself. It was one of the few visits since he opened the account many years ago. He was surprised to see many staff still there, working beyond the required banking hours. The manager smiled and told him that people from the other branch called several times, asking if he was able come and sign the withdrawal slip. While they were processing the papers, he and the manager had a chance to talk about his work and religion, and even share about his faith. He noticed the bank staff were smiling while doing their own things.

That night he walked back home with an almost empty account but a much fulfilled man. Though he had none of the things he had hoped and dreamed of, but at least he was able to share how great God is. He was able to impact lives through some simple deeds. He believes that God knows what is in his heart. He still hopes that the ministries he planned will someday be realized. He is thankful for his parents, especially to his mom who brought him to Christ at an early age. One day, he will tell his daughters that his dad was once a millionaire but opted to return the money and did the right thing in the eyes of God and man.

I was that millionaire last August 18, 2009.

The Day I Became a Millionaire

4 ccowespondence June 2010

LBy: Arlene Ang & Michelle Lim (UEC Sta. Cruz)

ast September 26, 2009, typhoon

Ondoy shocked the whole Luzon. In fact, it

is considered the worst typhoon which

caused the most casualties, destruction and

flood not only in Metro Manila but as well as

Southern Luzon particularly in our town,

Santa Cruz, Laguna.

The storm Ondoy came normally

enough like all the other typhoons in the

past. Most of us in our town were thinking

that, sure, this storm will huff and puff, but will

generally pass by soon enough. It was a

gloomy Saturday. The skies were getting

darker and darker but still everything was

normal until the rain poured. The strong

wind and rain blew for more than 10 hours

non-stop starting at seven in the morning.

Our town is sheltered on all sides by

mountains. It is nestled by the Laguna Bay,

a huge lake spanning several provinces, but

mostly lies in our province Laguna. Although

the lake is huge, rivers and canals between

the lake and the ocean are mostly heavily

silted or blocked by makeshift houses. The

lake itself is heavily silted too by erosion and

fish penning. There are also several dams

whose water output goes into the lake,

directly or via several rivers like the Caliraya

and the Botocan Hydroelectric Power

Plants, to name a few.

Despite all that, towns beside the

lake were flooded. In some areas, only

rooftops were left to be seen. Livestock and

agriculture were devastated. People by the

thousands were evacuated to local schools

not affected by the flood. Some barely

managed to get a few pieces of clothing.

The rest of their things left beneath the

waters. A lot of people were affected

regardless of their status in life, whether rich

or poor, educated or not, Christian or non-

Christian. No one was exempted. Basically,

what happened to Marikina happened to our

town. The only difference is that the water in

our town did not subside that quickly. It stayed,

stagnated, and smelled for more than a month.

Our town became like Venice where the only

mode of transportation in some areas is by

boat. Soon it became a part of our lifestyle.

We got used to it. We had to.

Praise God that, even though our

church is nestled 100 meters away from Santa

Cruz market which was also flooded, the Lord

spared our church from any casualty. Although

both the main sanctuary and the fellowship

area were located in the ground floor, we thank

God because even after the natural calamity,

we're still able to go to church and have our

normal worship service and do our regular

church activities. Though a lot of church

members were affected, we still have a church

to go to and we still cling on to God for help and

have faith that God will help us through these

trying times.

Three days after the disaster, the

church decided to help out the victims of

typhoon "Ondoy" by having a one-week

feeding mission. It was called "United

Evangelical Church of Santa Cruz, Laguna

Community Kitchen for Typhoon Victim

Ondoy" and was held at Pagsawitan

Elementary School every night that lasted up to

October 5, 2009. Church workers, lay leaders

and other volunteers together with our church

pastor, Ptr. Gonzalo Pe, volunteered to help

out for the said mission work every night

without fail. Almost a thousand people were

fed each night. The church also took this

opportunity to share the gospel to the typhoon

victims through our pastor as well as teach

them songs which was led by the church music

team. It was a physically exhausting, week-

long activity but very meaningful and

satisfactory when you see the smiles of the

oving atrolPR

people and the lives renewed and touched.

Eventually the water subsided, a few

inches every day until one could finally see the

sidewalk. People heaved sighs of relief. Some

returned to their houses and started the

cleanups, anticipating that day when the roads

will be completely flood-free.

Indeed, the Lord reminded us a lot of

things because of this catastrophe --- that all the

more we should be thankful to Him for

everything every day. First of all, we came to

realize that nothing in this world will last. In one

day, everything we hold dear can easily

disappear. Secondly, we thank God for sparing

us from any harm during the typhoon. And

lastly, we thank God for all the blessings that He

has showered upon us and for using us to be a

blessing to others in times of trials. To God be all

the glory!

Be a Blessing In Whatever

June 2010 ccowespondence 5

Situation You are In

By : Leslie Sun (United Evangelical Church of Balintawak)

Looking back at the CCOWEF Young Professionals ministry's marvelous fifteen years of existence, we are awed with God's gracious provision and continuous guidance. Undoubtedly, the ministry has experienced God's workings in double portions. It started as a singular gathering of Chinese Christian young professionals nationwide for an annual retreat. Then it has enlarged its territorial ministry to the less privileged street children (ICOM), to publication (CCOWESPONDENCE) and to support a group for singles (S.A.F.E.).

As a former volunteer, I can attest to God's presence in this ministry; henceforth, all these were made possible. He brought up batches of young professionals from different churches who gave their time and talent and took turns in facilitating one event after another. It is best to describe our stint with this ministry as a journey to remember. Just like any trip, the destination was as important as the journey. Though we encountered tough times, yet we all can proudly testify to the fact that God always led us through them. More so, He uses this nuisance for His glorious purpose.

This journey has led us to two things — firstly, this made us experience CHANGE at its optimum. From ministering to less than a hundred people, the Lord has blessed us with growth. The ministry's coverage is not just confined to our country but also abroad. The magazine we published can be access through Internet! We used to solicit financial assistance in every ministerial activity we had, but God touched the hearts of fellow young professionals and they freely gave to sustain the needs of our group. God also transformed and molded the character of each servant-volunteer. We were trained, humbled and challenged as we served. One of the more fascinating changes we witnessed is how many young professionals came in as a single person, but left the ministry to face new chapters in their lives as a married person. This is indeed a remarkable blessing. Secondly, this journey led us to God --- a closer and more intimate fellowship with Him. We witnessed His loving care each step of the way --- every year, every camp, every issue of our magazine, every S.A.F.E. activity and every outreach event through ICOM. The ultimate destination of all our ministry work is to glorify the name of God and its fruition can only be made possible as we draw strength and wisdom from the Creator of all things, our dear Heavenly Father, our God. 15 years of CCOWEF Young Professionals Ministry

Year Location Camp Director1995 Laguna Rev. Dr. David Cheung1996 Caliraya Re-Creation Center, Laguna Johnson Li1997 Caliraya Re-Creation Center, Laguna Johnson Li1998 Nawawalang Paraiso, Quezon Province Johnson Li1999 Bethel Guest House, Dumaguete Johnson Li2000 Sarrosa International, Cebu Leslie Sun2001 Racso's Resort, Iloilo Ptr. Greg Benidy200220032004 Malasag Resort, Cagayan Teena Tanrena-So2005 The Legend Hotel, Palawan Ruthlane Pua & Jackson Ngo Gui2006 Bohol Plaza Resort, Bohol Allen Bruce Uy & Haidee Chu

Eden Resort, Davao Johnny YaoAPTS, Baguio Shirley Bautista

DUMAGUETE 2008

DAVAO 2009

SAFE 2008

CHINOY 2009

DOULOS 2009

CEBU 2000

A Journey to RememberA Journey to Remember

ILO-ILO 2001 BAGUIO 20022 ccowespondence June 2010

2007 Sampaguita Garden, Aklan Charlie Azcarraga, Jade Si & Marilen Co2008 South Sea Resort, Dumaguete Ptr. Philemon Tie, Jackelyn Ngo

& Aileen See2009 Malagos Garden Resort, Davao Jessica Chen & Ptr. Jesse Ramoso

Camp Advisers: Rev. Tie Ing Hang, Elder Samson Su, Elder Pio Cordoves, and Rev. David Cheung

CCOWELYMPICSICOM Volunteers: Racquel Barria-Li, Samuel Ng, Cathy Kho, Greg Ong, Elizabeth Chua-Tan, Joannah Chua , Richard So, Teena Tanrena-So, Shirley Bautista, Ronald Chua, Jimmy Co, Maritess Tiotingco, Charlaine Uy, Cristina Dy, Allen Bruce Uy, Stephen Lao, Jackelyn Ngo, Jackson Ngo Gui, Charmaine Uy-Lui, Rev. Neil Ty, Aileen Sy, Judy Dee, Lawrence Co, Samuel Ong, Johnny Yao, Godwin Hao, Jessica Chen, Marietta Hernandez, Amor Hernandez, Maan Hernandez, Joan Sy, Cecile Kho, Eben Dy, and Philip Uy

CCOWESPONDENCE Team Volunteers:Leslie Sun, Enjoy Gaw, Christine Tiu-Gaw, Cristina Dy, Johnson Li, Rosalind Ngo-Li, Hannah Lee-Dy, Hansel David Co, Haidee Chu, Rev. Alexander Uy, Ptr. Joselito Chua, Ptr. Philemon Tie and Rev. Neil Ty

Y speaks : (Young Pro speaks)

Maritess Tiotingco says: “I am thankful to God for all the trials and blessings that he allowed me to experience in my years with CCOWEF. The promises he gave me strengthened me to continue in spite of the odds. It is my prayer that I will continue to be faithful and obedient to Him in serving Him till my last breath.”

Aileen See says: “I thank God for allowing me to serve Him in a bigger scale. I was able to work with different Christians from difference churches in the Philippines.”

Jessica Chen says: “Congratulations and more years to come.”

Jackelyn Ngo says: “I am blessed to be part of CCOWEF. It has led me to meet a lot of new friends who helped encourage me to serve God. It's my prayer that more people will rise up to give their time and talent to God.”

DOULOS 2007

DUMAGUETE CAMP 1999LAGUNA CAMP 1996LAGUNA CAMP 1997

REUNION CAMP 1997

BAGUIO CAMP 2202 QUEZON CAMP 1998

CAGAYAN DE ORO 2004

June 2010 ccowespondence 7

By: Jackelyn NgoChristian Bible Church of the Phil.

Con’t. on page 118 ccowespondence June 2010

Last February 21, 2010, we had t ho u r 1 5 C C O W E F Yo u n g

Professionals reunion at Christian Bible Church of the Philippines (CBCP). About a hundred people from different Chinese Christian churches attended the event. We were privilege to have Rev. Morley Lee to be our speaker. He is the incumbent General Secretary of CCOWE International. He spoke on Esther. Although God is never mentioned in the book of Esther, His works can be seen throughout the book. When Mordecai knew that Haman wants to annihilate the Jews, he tore his clothes, wore sackcloth and put ashes on his head. When Esther was told that his uncle was seating outside the city gate wearing sackcloth, she had clothes sent over to Mordecai, not knowing this was a foolish act. She was living in the palace with all the luxury and comfort and was ignorant of the will of God. When she was enlightened by Mordecai that the reason she became a queen was for such a time as this, she didn't care for her life and was used by God mightily to save her people, the Jews. Oftentimes, our situation is just like Esther. We try to build our own kingdoms in our work and business. We become too busy and engrossed in our ambitions to the point that they become hindrances for God's greater kingdom. We should learn to step out of our comfort zones just like what Esther did. We should hear God calling us to serve Him even when it means

piritual ornerCSBy: Ptr. Joselito Chua

United Evangelical Church of Greenhills (Metro East)Heartfelt GivingThe Reverend Richard Christian Halverson, D.D., (1916-

December 1, 1995), who served as chaplain of the United States Senate from 1981 until 1994, was once quoted as saying,

“Jesus Christ said more about money than about any other single thing because, when it comes to a man's real nature, money is of first importance. Money is an exact index to a man's true character. All through Scripture there is an intimate correlation between the development of a man's character and how he handles his money.”

That quote captures the essence of what Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Simply put, this passage means where your money goes is a reflection of what your heart goes after as well. How we spend our money and where we spend it reflects what we truly believe about what is most important in life. If we say our hearts long after God and we treasure Him above all, then one of the best proofs of that would be in the area of giving or tithing.

Much has been told about tithing, and much debate has centered on whether it is still prescribed for Christians or not. We are not here to argue about whether we as New Testament believers are still under the Mosaic Law of Tithing, and if so, do we compute on the basis of our gross or net income? Paul gives a more fruitful discussion on giving that does away with all these

“6arguments. In 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, it states: The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever

7sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for

8God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (ESV)”

Here, Paul gives us key principles on Christian giving. Let us use the letters of the word GIVE to help us remember these principles.

)Our giving must be a matter of generosity and not grudging

obligation (v.5). We are not to give sparingly, but bountifully or generously, for in the manner that we give, in the same manner we will receive. This is the same principle we find in Luke 6:38: “For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Think about this: We sometimes tend to think that we own our money and should give some of it back to God. The Bible, however, teaches that God owns everything and allows us to keep up to 90% of it, for which we remain responsible as stewards. It's not that we give God 10% and keep the rest. Rather, He gives us 100% to manage for Him and asks us to voluntarily give back 10% or more to test our hearts. Understanding this will help us to hold loosely to the money that is entrusted to us.

This is a principle that we miss out whenever we talk about tithing. Scriptural giving does not happen by accident. It is accomplished by careful thought and planning. Our giving ought to be intentional. Most of us carefully plan our personal financial investment strategy. We would not want to make hasty decisions on matters of personal or family investment. How much more care and planning should we give to eternal investments. Yet

G – Give Generously (2 Corinthians 9:6

I – Give Intentionally (2 Corinthians 9:7)

many of us do not have a strategic plan for giving money to help build the kingdom of God. We give random amounts at random times. Whenever the offering bag or plate comes to us we quickly pull out our wallet and just give what we can pull out. The Lord does not want leftovers; He wants and deserves the first fruits.

Giving intentionally would entail setting aside in advanced what we want to give. However, we should not fall to the trap of being too legalistic with money set aside for tithing like the story of a little girl. The story is told of a little girl who was given two euro, one to buy candy and one to put in the collection plate. As she skipped along the street she dropped one of the coins and it rolled into the storm drain. As she peered through the grate she said: "Whoops! There went the Lord's euro!"

We are to give vivaciously or cheerfully, not reluctantly because the church needs money or others expect us to do it or because we made our faith promise or pledges at the start of the year. A cheerful heart rejoices over what God has given and has the same joy in giving a portion to Him. Interestingly, our motivation to be a cheerful giver is the love and pleasure of God. As little kids we used to do everything in our power to please our parents. What greater joy for us to do what our heavenly Father desires and what would give Him pleasure as well!

Whenever we give to the Lord's work, we give with an expectant heart, knowing that in our giving doors are being opened for the spread of the gospel. When we give we also have this expectation that the Lord will bless our giving as well as the giver and will cause all his grace to abound. Our giving is also a reflection of our view of God. If we view Him simply as a Taker, then giving becomes a burden and a demand. However, if we see the Lord as a Giver and a Provider, then giving becomes a joy. He is a giver in two ways, He gives the blessings that enable us to give, and He gives by rewarding our giving with even more blessings. We can give with confidence and expectation because we can never out-give God.

In the end we go back to the issue we raised earlier, that is our giving reflects what we truly value most and what we treasure. In the Newmarket church where Charles Spurgeon first served as pastor, there was an old gentleman familiarly known as Father Sewell. One day a meeting on behalf of home missions was being held, and he was only able to get to it at the very end. The pastor said, “Our brother who has just come in will, I am sure, close the meeting by offering prayer for God's blessing on the proceedings of the evening.” He stood up, but instead of praying began to feel in his pockets.

“I am afraid that my brother did not understand me,” Mr. Spurgeon said. “Friend Sewell, I did not ask you to give, but to pray.”

To which the bluff old saint replied, “Aye! Aye! But I could not pray till I had given. It would be hypocrisy to ask a blessing on that which I did not think worth giving to.”

The question we need to ask ourselves is do we think that God's cause and God's church is worth giving to? Not just with our money, but with our lives…

V – Give Vivaciously (2 Corinthians 9:7)

E – Give Expectantly (2 Corinthian 9:8)

June 2010 ccowespondence 9

Don't let the title of this article fool you. It is not a formal course regarding the topic of personal finance; rather, it is a pastor's attempt at teaching God's people about an important area of life that should be viewed through the eyes of Scripture and worked out practically in the hope that we will become better stewards of God's resources.

The concept of saving is not new to most people. We have probably heard proverbs like, “A penny saved is a penny earned”, which connotes that by saving and not spending one's money needlessly, the effect would be similar to one earning money from labor. Another saying, “look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves”, exhorts people to continually save even a small sum and soon, one will easily amass a huge amount. We have also heard the phrase, “saving for a rainy day”, where we are encouraged to prepare for the unexpected that we will surely face.

In general, books on personal finance and budgeting have viewed savings as a component of total income that is set aside or allocated, along with taxes and other government mandated deductions that benefit employees (ex. Social Security System, PhilHealth, Pag-Ibig Fund). Let's add into the equation the offering that we will set aside for the Lord. The remaining amount is what is left for expenditures. When viewed as an equation, it would look something like this:

What is unfortunate is that many have reversed the order of allocated savings and household expenditures, making savings something incidental rather than deliberate.

What is worse is that often, even God is robbed of his tithes and offerings and the equation becomes something like this:

When a person adopts the first formula and diligently practices it, he is able to control expenditures well as well as prepare for future needs. It is also likely that those who adopt the first formula will avoid unnecessary debt. However, the person who adopts the second and third formula will certainly have little or no savings to talk about since savings will be dependent on how the person spends their disposable income. Thus, there is a great need for people to change their perspective about savings – that it is not something incidental, but should always be something

SAVINGS:

Gross Income – Government Deductions – Tithes/Offerings - Allocated Savings = Household Expenditures

Gross Income – Government Deductions – Household Expenditures - Tithes/Offerings = Savings

Gross Income – Government Deductions – Household Expenditures = Savings + Tithes/Offerings

deliberately done; in fact, it should be the first thing that should be done once we have received our paycheck. We must set aside the amount we want saved first before we even think about what we want or need to buy.

Saving is commendable and is something we all need to do; however, it is not practical to leave a substantial amount of one's money in low-yield accounts. If we do not venture to wisely invest our excess money in higher yielding instruments and accounts and business enterprise, we run the risk of seeing our money lose its value over time due to inflation. Leave enough money readily available for emergencies and “rainy days” and invest the rest.

The Book of Proverbs records quite a number of sayings regarding investment. In Proverbs 12:11, the man who puts his field to good use will have enough to eat when harvest time comes, but the man who goes after worthless pursuits are viewed as lacking good sense. Here, the wise will use whatever he has in his possession in order to create resources. In Proverbs 24:30 - 34, the field and property of the lazy man is described as being in a state of disrepair as well as being overrun by nettles and thorns. This condition was brought about by the laziness and procrastination of the man. This proverb can rightly apply not only to people who are too lazy to work but also for those who keep on putting aside the plan for saving and investing. Proverbs 31:10 – 31 describes the wife of noble character who is depicted not only as being diligent in her work but also as someone who puts her wealth to work in order to gain more wealth. In verse 16, the wife buys a field out of the earnings she had saved, most likely from doing business, and she proceeded to make her newly acquired asset to productive and profitable use by planting a vineyard. Verse 18 indicates that she is involved in trading, and verse 24 seems to point that her line of business was in making garments not only for retail sales but also for wholesale. It is evident from this passage that this woman knew how to save her earnings and then make wise investment with it in order to grow her capital base, such that her family knows no want and her husband is greatly honored by the elders of the city.

Finally, we must deal with the issue of debt. Simply put, to be in debt means that we owe someone money and we are liable to pay off what we owe plus whatever interest expense may be imposed on that debt.

In Proverbs 22:7, the borrower is considered a servant to the lender; in other words, the borrower has no choice but to bow to the demands of the lender because he owes the lender money, and if he fails to pay on the right time, he could be sold

INVESTING:

DEBT:

Finance 101Finance 101 By: Rev. Alexander H. Uy Grace Gospel Church

con’t. on page 1110 ccowespondence June 2010

or be forced to pay with whatever possessions he had. The other passage that teaches about debt is Proverbs 22:26 where we are told not to be a guarantor for other people's debts because you will endanger your financial position when your friend defaults on his debt and the lender comes after you.

Personally, I am against going into any form of debt. I believe that if you cannot afford to buy something now, don't get into debt just to obtain it; instead, I would prefer to save up for that thing I want. The reason why many people are heavily indebted to credit card companies and to banks is because they do not know how to delay gratification until such time that they are capable of paying for what they want. If you don't believe me, all you have to do is visit any bank and ask for a list of foreclosed property and vehicles and you will probably receive a long list. I know of people who carry huge balances in their credit cards and they're unable to pay them off, forever in debt to the bank. When my wife and I decided to get a new car a few years back, we never entertained borrowing money from the bank because we knew that the interest we would have to pay the bank would jack up the price

we have to pay for the car. Instead, we opted to pay for the car in cash, at the same time trading in our old car. We made sure that we had enough money to buy a new car before we ventured into doing it.

I regularly use credit cards when I buy gas and groceries; however, when I am purchasing these items, I am not spending against future income, but instead I am spending based on what I have in the bank. In effect, the credit card is simply a tool of convenience for me as I do not want to carry a lot of cash with me. Furthermore, I make it a point to pay my credit card bills in full. Never leave any item unpaid in your credit card because the interest they will charge against you is staggering. Never just pay the minimum required amount but always pay in full. Remember that if you want to buy something with your credit card but you do not have the cash right now in the bank to pay it, then don't buy it. If you ever get in debt because of your credit card, you will be fulfilling what the Proverbs say about the borrower becoming a slave to the lender.

The issue of personal finance

Conclusion:

from page 10 finance 101

sacrificing ourselves in the process. Remember what king David said, “I will not sacrifice to God anything that cost me nothing”. Sacrifice can be very painful at times but because of God's great love for us, the task becomes joyful knowing that we are just giving a portion of what He has given us.

After the inspiring message, we watched a collection of pictures of the past fifteen years of CCOWEF Young Professionals camps, reunions and other activities. It brought back memories of how God bestowed CCOWE with people that has a joyful heart to serve Him. We had raffle prizes given away that night. We had fun with trivia and chopsticks game. May God continue to bless the CCOWEF young professionals to gather and build up many more young professionals all for the glory of God!

From page 8 15th CCWEF

management is something we all need to take seriously because it is a very practical issue that affects us almost every day. I hope that we will take saving and investing seriously as these ensure that we have money for our use as well as to prevent our money from losing its value due to inflation. I hope also that we will not allow ourselves to fall into debt because it is a trap that will be hard to come out of.

In giving my personal advice about finance, I pray that you will always remember that we are called to be stewards of God's resources, including the money that we have in our possession. At the end of the day, remember that when we save or invest, it is never about relying on ourselves but it is all about taking responsibility for how we manage that which God has given us. In exercising sound financial undertakings, it should never be about loving money but it should be because you love God that you want to do that which is prudent. Finally, personal finance management should never make us hold on more tightly to money but let it be the means for us to generate even more for God's kingdom – that we can give more to the church and to other worthwhile ministries.

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CCOWEF SAFE OUTREACH: “Feed One Soul”By: Michelle Ching (Christian Bible Church of the Philippines)

Last November 22, 2009, the CCOWEF Young Professionals headed an outreach entitled “Feed One Soul” at Tumana, Marikina, one of the places that was hit very badly when Typhoon Ondoy devastated the metropolis. Thirty people from various churches volunteered to minister with us. When we reached the place, we were given a tour of the area and were shown the damages that Tumana suffered.

The Young Pro Group partnered with a local church, “The Faithful One of Zion Church”, to host a feeding program for the locals of Tumana. But this was not just an ordinary feeding where people were given food. Apart from the free meal, they were also fed in their spirits with praise songs, a message, and counseling sessions. The highlight of the event was the showing of the evangelistic movie entitled “A Journey Home” starring Ms. Toni Gonzaga and Mr. Joem Bascom. A lot of people were touched by the movie. And many shared of how it moved them. Even the children and youth gave a lively discussion with our volunteers about the movie and how it impacted them. 95% of the targeted hundred plus people gave their life to Christ at altar call. Donations of canned goods, processed foods and used clothing were also distributed as gifts.

“Feed One Soul” is the third SAFE (Singles Accountable For Each other) activity for the year 2009. SAFE is hosted thrice a year to allow singles from different Chinese churches to come and serve, have fellowship, and to enjoy and have fun together.

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