Tag: Word on the Street Magazine

September 25, 2021 Shofar Missions Cebu

God’s Design

Learn what has been going on with Shofar Missions.

With semester one underway we look forward to seeing all that God will do. Ministry wide we planned for all digital ministries. September also led to hearing that a lot of people are “busy.” In August, Cebu City was under a stricter quarantine status. Churches went to online services due to seating capacity requirements set by local governments. As more things opened this month it seems many went right back to being “busy” despite the sermons that have been taught during the various quarantine statuses in the last year.

Street Level Ministries

Though the bulk of what we do remains online we have continued to have a few people join for a meeting or two after seeing a Facebook or YouTube ad. This month we started a new series on Friday nights at Street Level. We continue trying to meet in person when we can.

Writers reviewed issue 88 of Word on the Street Magazine and are hoping to send it to print soon. Due to the lockdown last month, we were unable to distribute the new issue to universities as they were closed for walk-ins. Volunteers for Street Level Radio continue producing short sermon excerpts for the air, updating promos, and recording audio for the new WOTS website. One DJ has been going live on the air every Wednesday. We have also had a chance to take a couple of students to church with us. Pray that they would want to keep attending and get plugged into a local church since Street Level is not replacement for church.

Exploring Creation Science

With the school year underway, lessons will continue virtually. Again, this year multiple schools and grade levels are tuning in for online lessons. New Explore Booklets were developed with short videos available on Facebook for students receiving printed learning materials. Another set of booklets will go out in October. Some students also received the booklet on USB with their courses.

The first week of October, lessons for a Nazarene School in Banawa will begin. The grade 4 students have a few lesson and experiment requests (some have older siblings that have learned about the human body and fossils before). A couple of schools have had curriculum requests. They are for the same series for grades 7-12. Opportunities to visit or team teach a lesson or two with classroom teachers from schools are in the works. A special lesson for Believers City Church homeschool group is also planned.

We continue to see God at work in other areas of ministry as well! Shofar TV viewers have continued to reach out letting us know they are watching, and we have been asked to provide some curriculum for possible use at a youth event in December.

Prayer Requests:

  1. For vaccines to be available to the general population soon and that people would get vaccinated.
  2. For new and continued relationships with school staff and local churches.
  3. That the SLM students we have brought to church would want to get plugged into a local church.
August 24, 2021 Shofar Missions Cebu

Read more about what God is doing in the Philippines through Shofar Mission Cebu.

Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.

– William Carey

As the Philippines continues to battle an unseen virus, we continue to battle an unseen foe. Due to rising COVID cases throughout the nation, restrictions on gatherings and movements have been heightened. But what the enemy means for evil, God uses for good. We’re planning for another semester (at minimum) online. However, after more than a year of doing the bulk of our ministry virtually, we’re confident that God will still use our feeble efforts for His glory. We’ve learned to adapt and exploit various methods of communication for the sake of the gospel… and He’s been gracious enough to show us some fruit from it all.

Street Level Ministries

We are gearing up for the start of school in September, so we’ll be meeting with the current members to regroup, cast vision, and pray for the upcoming semester. Over the past few weeks, God has brought in a few new students and recent graduates to our Friday night meetings. One young lady got connected by receiving a copy of WOTS from a local book store. A few others saw our videos and posts on Facebook. The Holy Spirit used to put students in our way randomly on the streets near universities. Now, He’s doing it on the busy roads of the internet. You can’t outrun the hound of Heaven…

Issue 87 of Word on the Street Magazine has been released both digitally and in print. We’ll be sending copies out to various church and student contacts throughout the Visayas. Since universities are locked down and UV isn’t sending modules out, we’re praying for other ways to distribute the magazines. Recently, we welcomed a new member and volunteer to Street Level Radio. She got trained in on the technology and basics of DJing. Next week, she’ll start going live on air!

Exploring Creation Science

Some schools have started the new school year already, so lessons will continue to be offered online. Students at multiple schools can learn about biblical creation science via Facebook Live lessons every week. A few new Explore booklets have been created. They are sent to students that can’t watch lessons online (or have limited access to internet). As the new school year starts, we’re hoping that a couple schools in Toledo will tune in for lessons. One of the schools (connected to a small local church) will receive Explore booklets for their students. Exciting news for Inayawan Nazarene – they’re adding grade 7 to their school this year!

We don’t know what the next few weeks or months will hold, but we are expecting God to show up. Thanks so much for praying for and supporting us… we miss you all and hope to see you soon. Until then, we’ll keep working the night shift on this side of the pond 🙂

Prayer Requests:

  • That the curve flattens throughout the Philippines, for travel & gatherings restrictions to ease up, and for vaccines to inoculate the population.
  • For the Holy Spirit’s guidance, strengthening, and empowering… and that our ministry will bear fruit that remains.
  • That the new SLM students get connected and for all the students to grow as disciples.
  • For continued and new relationships with schools. Pray that that students would stay engaged with another year of online classes.

July 25, 2021 Shofar Missions Cebu

Read what is happening at Shofar Mission Cebu!

Street Level Ministries

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, virtual or modular learning, and many students studying from their hometowns, Street Level continues to meet digitally.

At the beginning of the month, we were blessed to spend the day together at a coffeehouse at Spring Park Mountain Resort. This was the first time three of the members saw each other in person since March 2020. The next day, we attended church with two of the SLM members. It was wonderful to meet the church and to fellowship with them! We journeyed by bus, car, and motorcycle, and look forward to the next time we can see each other in person. The digital community just isn’t the same as face-to-face. Please pray that students would see the value in reaching out to invite other students in.

Members can volunteer for Street Level Radio and Word on the Street Magazine. We are putting the finishing touches on Issue 87 and started writing drafts for Issue 88. In the next few weeks, we will continue updating the new WOTS website with local articles and finding ways to get the magazine in the hands of students. Despite being unable to meet in person, SLR volunteers are keeping the station fresh with new content and helping to record WOTS articles for the new website.

  • WOTS Sample Review
  • Some of the SLM Members
  • Church Visit

Exploring Creation Science

Exploring Creation Science lessons have continued. As the month of July comes to a close, we will start the 2021 school year soon. As of this writing, classes at all levels are to remain online or modular. To prepare for online and modular learning, Exploring Creation Science will print booklets for students that receive modular packets. Online lessons will be held for those that are enrolled in online learning. We also continue to provide lessons for specific schools we have worked with in the past as requested.

Other Ministry Updates

We continue getting the word out about Shofar TV and updating content. For those of you that may not be aware, Shofar TV broadcasts 24/7 on three cable TV stations throughout the island – one each in Toledo, Balamban/Asturias, and Metro Cebu.

Through Shofar Youth Network, we have provided curriculum to local youth groups that discuss some tough questions like “How Did We Get Here?” “Is the Bible True?” and “Who Created It All?” Several churches are trying to do youth events safely, so we have been able to share their postings to our social media pages also.

We have also had a chance to meet up with Dyreen, Orchids, & KC (in person!) to celebrate a couple of July birthdays!

May 25, 2021 Shofar Missions Cebu

Read the latest news update from the mission field in the Philippines.

We continue to be thankful for the little things we used to take for granted. From March 2020 to April 2021, we have been able to attend in-person church services during 5 of those months. It is great to worship together with other believers after several months of hard lockdowns and barangay-enforced Sunday stay-at-home orders. Though one entrance to our road remains closed and checkpoints and curfews remain in place, we are thankful God has allowed us to have occasional visitors, minister in Toledo, and work from the office.

Street Level Ministries

By the time you are reading this, we will have held a coffee giveaway at Knockbucks Cafe in Toledo. The giveaway is one thing we are doing in an attempt to reach students on the west side of the island – especially UV students. Street Level may be small in number, but members have continued to volunteer for Word on the Street Magazine and Street Level Radio. We recently released issue 86 and are continually adding new content to Street Level Radio. Since students are still spread throughout the island, we are planning to continue our weekly SLM meetings online throughout the summer.

Fellowship before our Friday night Bible Discussion… Cebuano “til-as” = English “hairy caterpillar”

Exploring Creation Science

As classes end for many private schools Exploring Creation Science will start summer with a four-week series. “Examine the Evidence of Forensic Science” will explore various topics like fingerprints and DNA. These are also specially designed by God. Graduating students at Southern Bethany Christian School and Visayas Wesleyan Christian School will receive a special letter to grade 12 students. The letter is about Faith & Science. Students will also get a Word on the Street Magazine, and a bookmark with the verse Job 12:10. Since they have a copy of the magazine they also have information about SLM. This will also be shared with a short video on our Facebook page. This month also allowed for a lesson to be taught for the Believers Church Homeschool group.

Prayer Requests

  1. Continued vision and wisdom as a majority of our ministry remains online for the foreseeable future.
  2. True discipleship and a heart to reach other students among the SLM students.
  3. For churches throughout the island to be able to meet safely and be vigilant about safety protocols.
  4. Continued relationships and conversations with the people in our home and office communities that we see every day.
February 25, 2021 Shofar Missions Cebu

Read the latest update from Shofar Mission and see what God has been doing in Cebu, Philippines.

This month started with major updates to the two cable TV stations God has blessed us with. Shofar TV is currently broadcasting on Cebu Cable in Metro Cebu and ATD Cable in Balamban/Asturias.

Street Level Ministries

Since our last update, we had a chance to meet with two students that attend UV-Toledo and explain what SLM is all about to them. Issue 85 of Word on the Street is hot off the press. 1,000 copies will be distributed with modular learning packets to students at the University of the Visayas. We are hoping we can deliver the magazines during the first week of March. Street Level Radio continues to stream (with some minor tech upgrades here and there) and students are still volunteering for the station. We are pleased to announce our sister station Burning Dog Radio recently started streaming online worldwide!

Word on the Street Magazine Philippines
Seeing the Hand of God Up Close in Toledo
Street Level Radio Upgrades


Exploring Creation Science

Even though the “new normal” has classes in all levels from Pre-K to university online, the mission for Exploring Creation Science remains the same. Know why you believe what you believe. Again, since classes are online we are able to do things that would normally be more challenging. During the month of March, Explore booklets for students in grades 4-6 and 7-12 will be printed and distributed, a special four-week series using Facebook Live class for students in grades 7-12 will take place, and Zoom lessons will continue.

Science Experiment Up Close
Seeing God Up Close Through Science

Prayer Requests:

  1. Pray that God would continue working in the hearts and minds of all those we have met.
  2. We ask that God would bring people into the ministries.
  3. Pray for all the churches that are unable to meet in person due to Sunday barangay lockdowns.
  4. Pray for viewers to tune in to Shofar TV and that we could expand our broadcasting reach throughout Cebu Island.
January 25, 2021 Shofar Missions Cebu

Read what is happening with our mission work in Cebu, Philippines. Get the latest news from the branches of Shofar Mission.

As of this writing, we are two months shy of March 28, which in 2020 signaled the start of quarantine. In-person church services started again the first week of October. Many pastors suggested God simply wanted everyone to STOP and challenged their people to stop, listen, and spend time with Him. On January 24, our barangay reinstated a mandatory Sunday lockdown. No one goes out of the house and businesses must close except pharmacies. We are cannot worship in person at this time. Though in-person fellowship is limited we have been able to fellowship digitally! Since Believers Church West Duluth was playing Bingo digitally we were able to join in for a game.

Street Level Ministries

Weekly Bible Discussions have resumed after the holidays. SLM is a smaller group than last year at this time, but God continues to grow each of the students involved – specifically three ladies that are participating in an additional weekly discipleship group. This has been a chance to read through some discipleship material and have an in-depth discussion as we read. Another issue of Word on the Street will be printed soon and we are looking forward to the first in-person gathering since last year. Writers plan to come to the office for a collaborative workshop with WOTS USA next month! We also got to catch up with a former WOTS writer at church recently. Students continue helping produce teaching and promotional clips for Street Level Radio. In February, we are also looking forward to catching up with our friends from Burning Dog Radio for a group video call.

Above – WOTS distribution throughout the province (L); Catching up with one SLM member at the office (R)
Below – Happy New Year from SLR DJ’s Ruby and Atheena!

Exploring Creation Science

Semester two started the first week of January for many schools. Exploring Creation Science classes continue online via Facebook Live and Zoom or Google Meet upon request. We also had the opportunity to do a seeds lesson with the Believers Church Homeschool group. As always this is a neat opportunity and a way to connect with the kids. Many of them are also part of the Believers Church Children’s Ministry. They made cards for some of the local churches and schools last month here. Explore Booklet #2 about Life on Earth was passed out to students that are unable to receive their coursework online. Explore Booklet #3 for students in grades 4-6 and grades 7-12 will be printed and passed out the second week of March. We cannot share a meal or snack after lessons with teachers, administrators/pastors but can fellowship with them when we are able to attend church again.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

  1. Please pray for the churches in our barangay as they revert back to online-only Sunday Services.
  2. Pray for the Street Level members that have recently found work or are looking for full-time work. That they would put God and the ministries he has called them to be a part of first in their lives.
  3. For all the churches and schools we have relationships with especially as semester two continues online. We would like to see some of them in person.