By Rey Taniajura and Bobby Ferrer
QUEZON CITY, Philippines--More than 2,000 WCG members, almost two thirds of the membership, heard Pastor General Joseph Tkach in his visits to Davao, Cebu and Quezon City.
In addition, another 182 denominational leaders and members of Philippine evangelical fellowships heard the testimony of Mr. Tkach about the transformation of the WCG into orthodoxy.
Mr. Tkach also had a question and answer session with the leadership in Davao and Cebu. Then he addressed more than 200 pastors and church leaders at a ministerial leadership conference Feb. 2 to 4 at the Christian Development Center in Tagaytay City.
The visit of Mr. Tkach, with his wife, Tammy, was his first since he became pastor general in 1995. He addressed Philippine ministerial conferences in 1993 and 1994.
In a fellowship dinner with Philippine evangelical leaders in Quezon City Feb. 3, Mr. Tkach met with Jun Vencer, international director of the World Evangelical Fellowship.
He also met Efraim Tendero, general secretary of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC). He first met Bishop Tendero in 1994.
The morning after their arrival Jan. 28 in Manila, Mr. and Mrs. Tkach were interviewed by Evangelicals Today, a PCEC publication, and by a radio station of Far East Broadcasting, the main evangelical media organization in the country.
When asked about the church's journey to evangelicalism, Mr. Tkach said: "It's a wonderful journey. Anytime you give up control that you have and surrender it to God, the journey becomes exciting."
For the Philippine brethren, Mr. Tkach said: "I am proud to see how the Philippine members of our denomination have been so mature through this transition and change."
He noted that in the Philippines we had the least members who left our church because of the changes.
Mr. Tkach spoke to 53 members of the evangelical pastoral movement Jan. 30 at the College Assurance Plan auditorium in Davao City before speaking to about 300 Mindanao brethren in a combined worship service in the same auditorium.
In Cebu City Jan. 31, Mr. and Mrs. Tkach were warmly received by more than 400 brethren. Mr. Tkach also met with about 87 leaders of the evangelical community of the city.
On Feb. 1, 1,362 brethren from Metro Manila and outlying areas came to the Faith Fellowship Ministry Center in Quezon City to hear Mr. Tkach in a combined worship service. Mr. Tkach gave a sermon about Jesus Christ and why the WCG as a denomination should focus on him and his work in members' lives.
Regional director Bill Sidney announced at the service that the Philippine church had 281 baptisms in 1997, the biggest number so far.
At the Christian Development Center in Tagaytay City starting Feb. 2, Mr. Tkach addressed more than 230 pastors and leaders.
Mrs. Tkach spent time with the women in an evening fellowship Feb. 2. Mr. and Mrs. Tkach took time to answer several questions from the members.
Feb. 3, Mr. Tkach was the guest of honor at a formal dinner in Quezon City with leaders of the Philippine evangelical community.
Feb. 24, 1998, WN, page 19
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