As the year is about to end, let us look back at our journey as a church this 2022 and be reminded of God's goodness. Let us hope and pray for a prosperous and an abundant 2023 as God blesses us with another year together.
To God be all the glory! /video by Em Gacad /photos compiled by Tin Pervera
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On December 18, 2022, the Gospel Bible Baptist Church Ensemble graced the church and its guests with a meaningful concert to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Why do we celebrate Christmas? Before the GBBC Ensemble serenaded their audience, Pastor Godwyn shared a short message about celebrating Christmas. Christmas is usually celebrated by putting up Christmas decorations, buying presents, and getting together with friends and families. However, people tend to forget the true reason why we celebrate this occasion. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The significance of Christmas: 1. It is the fulfillment of prophecy. The birth of Jesus Christ was prophesied in the Old Testament. His birth in the form of a man is the fulfillment of this prophecy. This reminds us that our God is powerful and keeper of His vows. 2. It reminds us of God's love. The first phrase of John 3:16 describes how great God’s love for us – because He loves the world, He gave His only begotten Son. God showed His love when He called us His children and in turn, we call Him as our Lord and savior. 3. It reminds us of God’s greatest gift and promise. The greatest gift that we received is our salvation through our Lord, Jesus Christ. His death on the cross is the fulfillment of God’s promise of saving us from fires of hell. Without Christ’s birth, His promise will not be fulfilled. We celebrate Christmas because our Lord is alive and powerful. Through Him, we are given hope to have a new life and experience salvation. GBBC Ensemble presents… Through their God given talents, the ensemble showcased several Christmas hymns, narrating the story of Jesus Christ’s birth, His power and creation, His love towards men and giving praise to His name. Part 1. Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ The ensemble performed Carol of the Bells, How Great Our Joy, Christmas Blessing, He gave the Greatest Gift of All and Angels We Have Heard on High to tell us that Jesus Christ was born and given unto us. We should celebrate the birth of our Lord and be awe in His glory for He gave us a new life to live. Part 2. Recognizing His power and wonderful creation The audience was then reminded of God’s power through the ensemble’s rendition of God of Wonders and Then Sings My Soul How Great Thou Art . From those that are in heaven and in the earth, God had wonderfully orchestrated these marvelous creations for us to receive and share His overflowing love. The string ensemble then filled the church with the melodies of The First Noel and O Come All Ye Faithful as part of their intermission number. Part 3. Reflecting on His overflowing love towards us As children of God, we must reflect on His promise that He will give us hope no matter what we go through on our journey. His love is enough to clean all wounds, restore our souls and uplift our spirits. His love and majesty were celebrated through the ensemble’s performances of How Can I Keep from Singing and The Majesty and Glory of Your Name. Part 4. Giving praise to His name To conclude the celebration, the ensemble gave their powerful piece of The Light of a Million Mornings and More than Wonderful. These songs reminded us that we must praise the Lord for He is good and faithful. We must show the world His marvelous works and power over us all. This Christmas, let us remember that Christ is the reason for this season. He was born, served as a man and died, to give us the greatest gift of all – our salvation. Led by Shimeah Aguinaldo, the Ensemble’s conductor and directress, the GBBC Ensemble is composed of Ericka Adille, Bea Aguinaldo, Cynthia Dizon, Em Gacad, Rebekah Gayeta, Odessa Maminta, Richelle Maranan, and Fe Suarez (sopranos); Aliyah Aguinaldo, Chloe Aguinaldo, Izzah Aguinaldo, Sophie Aguinaldo, Leah Joy Gayeta, Sweet Manalo, and Tin Pervera (altos); Raphael Pacheco, Jenzhel Sanchez, and Kevin Sanchez (tenors); and Jose Apollos Aguinaldo, Jose Ezekiel Aguinaldo, Jose Paolo Aguinaldo, and Angelo Bautista (bass). The 2022 Christmas Cantata was made possible with the guidance and supervision of Joseph Aguinaldo, GBBC’s choir leader and with the help of the technical team: Oscar Aguinaldo, Steven Caramoan, and Samuel Pacheco. /written by: Colleen de Ocampo
/photos by: Althea Lardizabal /published by: Em Gacad Last December 18, 2022, Gospel Bible Baptist Church held its annual thanksgiving Sunday to remember God’s goodness to His children for the whole year.
On that Sunday morning, Pastor Godwyn Aguinaldo reminded the church that our service is one way of giving thanks to the Lord. To be thankful, we must first learn how to be a good and faithful servant. Being a good servant starts within ourselves. There must be a mental shift or a change in our attitude. Philippians 2:4 tells us that we should not look on our own things, but we must also look on the things of others. “Others” in the text includes God. A good servant is sensitive to the needs of others, specially of God. We are reminded that the reason for our service must focus on what pleases God and not of our own intentions. God is always more interested in why we do things rather than what we have done. ATTITUDES OF A GOOD SERVANT: 1. A good servant thinks more of others. Jesus Christ showed an example of being a servant. Jesus became a servant when He was born as a man and died on the cross (Philippians 2:7-8). He took the form of a servant to ensure our salvation. We are commanded to follow Christ’s example of selflessness. If we stop focusing on our own needs, we become more aware of the needs of God and of others. 2. Being a good servant requires self-denial. A real servant does not use God for his own purpose. However, a true servant let God use him for His purpose. We should have pure hearts when it comes to our service. We must think first of what we can do for the church and for the Lord before ourselves. If we can give our best to achieve our dreams, then why can’t we do the same for our Lord? The pulpit commanded us to give our all when it comes to our ministries. GIVING OUR BEST The second point of Pastor Godwyn’s preaching taught us to give our best when it comes to our service. Matthew 5:41 required us that when we go a mile, we must go with him twain. It means that when we do something for the Lord, we must give twice the effort of what we can do. The story of Joseph taught us that we should have a servant’s heart. Genesis 39:1-4 showed the humble beginnings of Joseph as servant of Potiphar, the captain of the guard and of the Pharaoh before he became a governor. Joseph gave his best and prioritized the needs of his masters before he became a steward. Despite the hardships, Joseph continued serving his masters and trusted God. God improved the life of Joseph because of his servitude. Like Joseph, our works will never be in vain if we give our best. We must remember that everywhere we go and whatever challenge we may face, our Lord is with us to lift us up. Psalm 116:12 what shall I render unto the LORD [for] all His benefits toward me. [14] I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all His people. This year, God had prospered and showered us with countless blessings. It is time for us to prove to Him that we are worthy of these blessings, and that we can be trusted for bigger ones. We should start where we are and give our all for the glory of the Lord. After learning what God’s children must do to give back to the Lord, the church wholeheartedly sang Dakilang Katapatan before they gave their thanksgiving offerings. This year’s thanksgiving, we are reminded that God deserves the best from us because He gave us everything despite our shortcomings. /written by: Colleen de Ocampo /published by: Em Gacad On November 27, the Gospel Bible Baptist Church Tala, Caloocan partook in their first Lord’s Supper. Pastor Godwyn Aguinaldo reminded the church of its importance, being an ordinance of God (1 Cor. 11:2), is to remember the Lord Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. To observe this ordinance, one must have accepted the gift of salvation, and followed the first step of obedience by being baptized in a local church. It was also emphasized that we must confess our sins to God and reflect on ourselves before partaking in the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:28). On November 30, the Gospel Bible Baptist Church Tandang Sora also partook in the Lord’s Supper. Everyone was reminded to look back on the sacrifice of the Lord when He died for our sins at Mt. Calvary; to examine our intentions in our service for the Lord; and to wait for His return (1 Cor. 11:26). The Lord’s Supper is one of the two ordinances that a member of the church must follow. To read and learn more about it, kindly visit the links below.
https://www.gospelbbc.org/news-and-events/the-lords-supper https://www.gospelbbc.org/news-and-events/the-lords-supper-2021 /written and published by: Em Gacad /photos by: Kevin Sanchez |
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