Manara Mountain Ministry

There are seven billion people in the world today. Two billion of them can hear a Lifeword broadcast through traditional Lifeword “broad”-casting and Lifeword Community Radio “narrow” -casting. Covering more territory and more languages is Lifeword’s continued prayer through those gospel programs.

During the 2016 Lifeword Sunday/Walk season, Lifeword Community Radio will be highlighted in the 2016 LWS video and on T-shirts. LCR has been an incredible tool for local communities, churches and pastors to use for outreach, discipleship and teaching. On a recent trip to the Philippines, BMA Productions and Lifeword team members were able to witness a community in the Manara Mountains dedicated to serving and ministering to surrounding villagers…and even multiplying itself.

Pastor Pete (Pedro Etabag, Lifeword’s Asia-Pacific director) and his assistant Pastor Jhun (Santos, Pastor Pete’s son-in-law) drove the team into the mountains two hours from Bacolod City to see the village where LCR station manager Pastor Andrew (Orquita) broadcasts two hours of programming, including twenty minutes of Bible teaching, every day. Pastor Andrew lives on site at the radio station and pastors a church several miles away, but it’s his father-in-law who pastors the church (Manara Grace) there. What was once Pastor Mario Baroma’s rice storage building has become the radio station, thanks to the efforts of Pastor Pete and his team who made the difficult journey to build and bring power to it.

Radio Manara 90.7 FM advertises one of their most fruitful outreaches during the broadcast: a free battery- and phone- charging station. People come from several kilometers away to use this service, and while they are waiting for their devices and batteries to charge, Pastor Mario of Manara Grace Baptist Church asks them to gather together so he can share the gospel with them.

One example of a changed life through this ministry is Roberto, who lives in the neighboring village of Sinalsagan and heard about the charging station from Pastor Andrew’s broadcast from Manara. He carried his car battery (on his shoulders) that helps to light his home at night and made the twelve kilometer trip that would change his life. While waiting at the station Pastor Mario shared the gospel with him and won him to the Lord. Very excited to share the good news, he then invited Pastor Mario to come to his home and tell his family and relatives about how Jesus died for their sins. Families at Manara Grace began ministering to Bro. Roberto’s family, and they became faithful church members there.

In the spirit of multiplication, when Pastor Pete received a donated solar panel, Manara’s power source for the charging station, he attached it to Bro. Roberto’s home in Sinalsagan and it became a new charging station called Sinalsagan Mission. Now there are two places in the mountains where people can hear the gospel while waiting for a charge.

After the new mission was established, the people of Manara Grace Baptist Church, who had been challenged by their pastor-Bro. Mario-to minister to their neighbors, answered that call to ministry with repeat visits to Sinalsagan. Pastor Pete says he and his leaders are training “potential leaders (young and old) so they can minister to this new mission that will eventually become a church. I never thought that the Low Powered FM radio will do such tremendous job in opening missions and even follow up the believers in a daily basis. I don’t think a missionary can do that alone. LPFM radio is one of God’s important tool to help us spread the Gospel in a wider scale. Help us pray that we can install more of this in many more villages. PRAY, GIVE AND GO!” Lifeword Community Radio is an important part of the multiplication process that pastors, missionaries and radio station managers are being called to.

On October 23, Lifeword Sunday, be a part of this and other life-changing ministries of Lifeword Media Ministry by registering your church (lifeword.org/lifewordsunday/)and planning for Lifeword Sunday and/or a fundraising opportunity for your church. Pastors, if your contribution is sent in before December 12, you will be a part of the December 14 drawing for a 60-inch TV. For more information, contact holly@lifeword.org.