Category Archives: Reformed Faith
New Place, Old Path: A Pastor’s Reflection on ZCRC and Church Growth
By Rev. Lance Filio It happened again. By God’s providence, ZCRC(Imus) is moving to a new and more spacious place. This is the third move since its establishment and so far, the church experiences modest increase in membership. What contributed to the growth? Moving forward, what are the plans to sustain it? Since the planting […]
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Biblical Qualifications for Men in Office (Deuteronomy 17:14-20 and 1 Tim 3:1-7) – Part 1
By Rev. Lance Filio Introduction I remember being asked years ago what it means to be “biblical”. The term has been tossed haphazardly nowadays and much confusion arises. Is the mere mention of a word makes it biblical? Who determines if its qualities? Well simply put, it is the Word of God as a whole […]
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Biblical Qualifications for Men in Office (Deuteronomy 17:14-20 and 1 Tim 3:1-7) – Part 2
by Rev. Lance Filio Introduction Nobody wants to receive discipline. I remember growing up, whenever we are being disciplined by older people in the church, I find correcting appalling. Considering I saw myself to be a well-behaved child, I did not want to receive reprove. Growing up to be an adult did not change my […]
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Christ is the Lord of Sabbath (Exodus 31:12-18 at Hebrews 4:1-11; Mark 2:23-28)
By Rev. Lance Filio The Sign of Rest When summer comes, the change in season is most welcome. The summer heat prompts us to happily visit the latest and most exotic beaches and resort. For most people, it has become a sign of rest and recreation. A time of a long vacation […]
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Growing An Ordinary Church (Isaiah 28:14-16 at Matthew 16:13-25)
By Rev. Lance Filio Introduction The story is not mine to tell. But it fits well to illustrate our theme this afternoon so I will use it. Two months ago, I received a message from Deacon Clark Añora asking for help with his car crisis. As you might all know, Clark recently bought a new […]
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Know Why We Believe in Jesus (Psalms 24:7-10 and Revelation 5:11-14)
By Rev. Lance Filio Introduction We have come now to the most crucial question in the Christian belief system and it is the identity of our central figure – Jesus Christ. In order for us to list down the reasons for believing in him, we need to determine first what we believe about Him. Every generation […]
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Life in Gratitude to God (Psalms 106:1-3 and James 2:14-26)
By Rev. Lance Filio Introduction Filipinos are well-known for their positive and negative traits. Positively, we are considered to be hospitable, fun-loving and caring people. As part of the larger culture in Asia, we are also known for our “honor-shame” culture – “Amor propio, Delikadesa at Pagtanaw ng utang na loob.” These values show the […]
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“Know Why We Believe in God” (Isaiah 55:8-9 and 1 Peter 3:15)
by Rev. Lance Filio Introduction Finally, the president made some concessions in his controversial speeches about religion. He admitted in public that he does believe in God and explained his personal view about Him. Because of the backlash he received, he realized that while the nation is still generally religious, they are not ready with […]
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Know Why We Believe (Isaiah 55:8-9 and 1 Peter 3:15)
By Rev. Lance Filio Introduction Religion took the center stage in the Philippines when the President made a blasphemous remark against God. Duterte called God stupid for allowing Adam and Eve to get tempted and to sin against him when they were in the garden. During his speech, he also questioned the doctrine of […]
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Biblical Overseers (Numbers 11:16-17 and Acts 20:28)
By Rev. Lance Filio Introduction I was elected and appointed as the head of the elders of my home church before I answered the call to become a pastor. I remember being the youngest member of the group and practically knows nothing about the principles and practice of eldership. During this, I am experienced […]
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