The Earliest memory of an organized young people at the
MFBBC was in October to December 1980 when five young men
from Malanday started to have their own Bible Studies in
Tumana. They were Unyo (Jay-R), Dodie, Ariel, Obet and Ronnie.
It was more like a kind of sharing some insights from reading
the Gospel of Matthew since there was no leader at that
time.
In January 1981, these young people were introduced by
Jimmy Macarilao to Pastor Nelson de Jesus who was then a
student pastor of Marikina Fundamental Baptist Church (MFBC).
Since then discipleship was conducted for these young people.
The five started attending MFBC in a rented room (fondly
called and remembered as the Upper Room) in J.P. Rizal,
Lamuan, Marikina. It was quite a blessing for them to realize
that this same church was the one organizing the DVBS that
they were participating in as kids. They were welcomed and
nurtured in the faith by the members, to name a few - the
Bautistas, Perezes, Ilagans, Edillons, and ate Naty Juaquico
(ang ditse ng lahat). Jun DG, Nancy Topacio and the CPARS
(Cristy, Beck, Joy, Emir, Chit) joind these YP in their
baptismal class.
On April 12, 1981, these twelve candidates were baptized
in Ilog Wawa, Montalban, Rizal by Rev. Roberto Basto of
Pasig Baptist Church since MFBC had no full time pastor
at that time. The MFBC family was so excited that almost
all members attended to witness and rejoice with the new
members added to the church. ince then with the leadership
of student pastors assigned in MFBC like Pstr. Nelson de
Jesus, Pstr. Lemuel Tarucan, Pstr. Sydney Albano, Pstr.
Jonathan Ortega, these young people were trained in the
ministry and began joining the different ministries of the
church like song leading, presiding in the worship service,
singing in the choir, handling bible studies and even preaching
during Gospel Hour. They started attending camps also and
even won on award for the most represented church in the
Summer Camp of 1981, the first they attended at that time.
In a few years, other members joined in. The year 1985,
upon the internship of Pstr. Jerry Lepasana, saw the young
people's involvement in ministries like Musical Drama and
Christmas Cantata. Some of the young people's solid foundation
in God's Word rendered them suitable as members of the Board
of Deacons. Certainly, they already graduated from being
young people then.
The fruits of the informal bible studies in Tumana yielded
two members who attended the BBS&I for training in full
time ministry. In the early 90's Pstr. Dodie Santos who
was once a member of the MFBBC young people graduated from
BBS&I and re-joined MFBBC as one of the pastors. The
church started raising funds for church building. Again
these young people were greatly used by God with teir given
gifts in music ministry. They visited different churches
ministering to them through songs and challenging them to
be partners of MFBBC in her building project. These YP had
a great role in our "BAYANIHAN" for the church
building.
Over the years, the young people had a big role in a number
of church activities, in music, cantata, stage plays, evangelism
and others.
Of late, the young people group who participated in evangelistic
programs of the church became a collective vessel to share
the message of salvation thru the mini-play Isang-Isa lang
in year 2000. This presentation yielded about 60 people
who professed that they were moved and that they accepted
the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Not yet adults but no more kids, the group's unique quality
has been put to good use during summers for the DVBS. Some
of them have also been involved in Sunday School as teachers.
Shaping them into role models and responsible adults are
also addressed by the MFBBC. Living in a world where young
people experience peer pressures, culture shocks brought
about by movies, MTV's, and worldly issues about relationships,
a series of seminars of Love, Courtship and Marriage (LCM)
was conducted for them. Facilitated by a couple in the church,
the concept of LCM was presented with a strong Christian
perspective. The book entitled "I Kissed Dating Goodbye"
by Joshua Harris was used as guide and standard in how Christian
young people should face these situations.
Fellowshipping with one another is one of the many activities
that the MFBBC young people now fully enjoy. Apart from
praying, sharing and singing, this weekly activity was further
enhanced with Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Life"
group discussion, facilitated by Pstr. Elpi Ticman.
Interchurch young people's events are also well attended
by the MFBBC. These activities are organized by AFBCP-AFC
youth organizations. In February 2004, the MFBBC young people
was priviledged to host this event. The event featured a
number of songs, games, and God's message delivered by Pstr.
Wally Ibañes.
In a few years, next generation young people will be composed
of sons and daughters of the same young people who stepped
in the threshold of MFBBC more than twenty years ago. They
stayed and made indelible marks in the chronicles of the
church.
