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Children. Families. Cities. Nations.

“To open their eyes and turn them from
darkness to light and from the power
of satan to God” (Acts 26:18)

P.O. Box 0401, Cagayan de Oro City, 9000 Philippines Tel. No. + 63 (88) 858-8187 Cell No. + 63 (920) 913-3231 [email protected]

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VISION

OPEN EYES MISSION is a frontier ministry that aims to win and disciple children and their families, thereby effectuating the total evangelization and holistic transformation of whole cities and nations for Christ.

Presently, the ministry of OPEN EYES MISSION is focused on reaching 150,000 children and their families by building a network of 100 churches and establishing 600 Sidewalk Sunday Schools and Visitation Outreaches in 80 barangays (villages). As the Lord gives us success in one city, we believe that He will also expand our ministry to poor children and needy families all over Mindanao, the Philippines, Asia and the world.

To win 150,000 children and their families, we aim to multiply leaders and workers in the vision.  We do this by implementing the G12 Ladder of Success, which is to win, consolidate, disciple and send.

• We win souls through Sidewalk Sunday Schools, Personal Visitation  and Cell Group Ministry.

• We consolidate new believers through Telephone Ministry, Home Visitation and Encounter Retreats.

• We disciple believers and train cell group leaders through the School of Leaders.

• We send leaders to plant and multiply cell groups, and mentor them through G12 cells.

Sidewalk Project

Both Muslims and non-Muslims in Mindanao are highly resistant to the Gospel.  But by reaching children through the Sidewalk Sunday School and Visitation Program, we are able to penetrate "closed" communities and open hearts, families and whole communities for the Lord Jesus Christ.

G12 Vision

Pastors and church planters worldwide lament the tragic reality of the proverbial "back door" of the church.  People do come forward during altar calls, but then they leave through  the "back door" and continue living their old lives.

In the G12 vision, lost souls are effectively won to the Lord, new converts are consolidated and firmly established in the church, believers (old and new alike) are discipled and trained for cell ministry, and finally, they are sent out to win and disciple others.  The "back door" of the church is closed and the body of Christ is supernaturally empowered and strategically structured to "bear much fruit" – "fruit that remains" (John 15:8, 16).

Transformation Initiative

Throughout church history, the evangelization and discipleship of the masses always led to social, political and economic reformation.  Thus, we believe that as we prioritize the task of winning and discipling poor, needy and neglected children and their families, the Lord will raise up the new breed of pastors, home-makers, educators, business persons, politicians and media people that we have been praying for.   We will see our cities and nation transformed for the glory of God.  All of Asia and the world will see that Jesus is alive in Mindanao and the Philippines.  And God will raise up and send thousands upon thousands of Filipino missionaries to evangelize and transform cities and nations all over the world.

Accomplishments

1. A model missionary cell church (VISION CENTER FOR WORLD HARVEST) has been planted in Cagayan De Oro City (Mindanao) with 2 members in January 2000. Today, we now have 12 leaders-in-training and more than 50 members in the church. We also have an attendance of 500 children (and approximately 100 on-lookers) in our Sidewalk Sunday School.

2. Our Cell Church Conferences gather more than 1,500 pastors and leaders from all over Mindanao and the Philippines.

3. 103 pastors nationwide are mentored in the vision of revival and church growth through weekly apostolic e-articles from the desk of Pastor Glen Melo.

4. A citywide partnership for Muslim ministry has been established in 2003. Today, the very first Maranao church in Cagayan de Oro City is being planted in Balulang village.

Next Steps

1. Reach 1,000 children with the Gospel by establishing 3 Sidewalk Sunday Schools and visitation outreaches in 3 barangays (villages) in Cagayan de Oro City.

2. Win and disciple 100 adults and youth by establishing 12 cell groups.

3. Train and mentor 3,000 pastors and leaders in the vision of revival and church growth by conducting a Cell Church Conference.

4. Contextualize the Sidewalk Sunday School, G12 and other teaching materials for Muslim Ministry.

VISION MINDANAO

VISION

The glory of God and the total evangelization of unreached Muslim people groups in Mindanao and beyond

MISSION

To establish a model missionary cell church in Cagayan De Oro City and establish it as a mobilization, training and sending base for prayer warriors, humanitarian workers and church planters to unreached Muslim provinces

STRATEGY

Spiritual Warfare

To establish teams of intercessors, “bind the strongman” in Muslim areas and open the way for evangelism and church planting

Strategic Partnerships

To unite and work in partnership with evangelical churches, parachurch ministries and mission agencies to fulfill the Great Commission in Mindanao

Leadership Training

To train believers and missionaries in Intercessory Prayer, Spiritual Warfare, Friendship Evangelism, Cell Group Leadership, Muslim Ministry and Church Planting

Sidewalk Sunday Schools

To reach children and open their families to the Gospel through contextualized Sidewalk Sunday School and weekly visitation outreaches

Cell Group Evangelism

To establish and multiply evangelistic cell groups in homes, schools, business offices and work places

Humanitarian Outreach

To minister to the poor and needy, build bridges of friendship and open “closed doors” through relief, medical and community development outreaches

Contextualized Church Planting

To gather new believers in house churches, facilitate Biblical, contextualized worship, teach the Scriptures in culturally sensitive way, train and mentor indigenous leaders and mobilize them to multiply new churches

TARGET PROVINCES

Our eyes and heart are on the five “hard places” in Mindanao. With a total Muslim population of 2.1 Million, these are the most unreached and most dreaded provinces in the region.

1. Lanao Del Sur

The seat of Islamic power in Mindanao and the home of the Maranaos, who are known to be “the brains” among Muslim people groups in the Philippines.

Muslim Population: 563,023 or 94%
Estimated Number of Churches: 7 (all of which are in the town of Wao)
New Churches Needed: 1,993

2. Maguindanao

The center of most armed conflicts between government forces and Muslim cessationist groups.

Muslim Population: 568,834 or 75%
Estimated Number of Churches: 118 (90% of which are in Cotabato City)
New Churches Needed: 1,397

3. Basilan

Mindanao’s “iron trail” – a tough place for a tough people who, for centuries, fought for freedom and independence from foreign invaders

Muslim Population: 212,400 or 72%
Estimated Number of Churches: 22 (most of which are in the capital town of Isabela)
New Churches Needed: 590

4. Sulu

The birthplace of the long Muslim struggle for a separate state in Mindanao and the home of the Abu Sayaff, the most prominent Filipino member group of Bin Laden’s international Al Qaeda network.

Muslim Population: 519,920 or 97%
Estimated Number of Churches: 9
New Churches Needed: 1,072

5. Tawi-tawi

The birthplace of Islam in the Philippines and the location of the country’s oldest mosque, which was erected in A.D. 1340 by an Arab missionary named Shiek Karimul Makhdum.

Muslim Population:240,750 or 96%
Estimated Number of Churches: 8
New Churches Needed: 500

TARGET PEOPLE GROUPS

The 5 “hard places” of Mindanao are inhabited by 9 unreached Muslim people groups in the Philippines, all of which are 0% Christian and have no churches – except the Badjaos, who are less than 1% Christian and have 3 churches.

1. Maranao

Population: 866,259
Location: Lanao Del Sur and Lanao Del Norte; also Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City, Metro Manila and other urban areas throughout the Philippines
Percent Christian: >0%
Number of churches: NO CHURCH; some 30-50 isolated believers
Scripture: New Testament; also Old Testament portions
Mission groups working among them: 5

2. Magindanao

Population: 850,389
Location: Maguindanao, North and South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Zamboanga Del Sur; also Cotabato City, Metro Manila and other urban areas throughout the Philippines
Percent Christian: >0%
Number of churches: NO CHURCH; some 40 isolated believers
Scripture: Bible portions; Jesus film
Mission groups working among them: 10

3. Tausug

Population: 784,066
Location: Sulu and Tawi-tawi; also in Zamboanga City
Percent Christian: 0%
Number of churches: NO CHURCH; a few isolated believers
Scripture: New Testament, Pentateuch
Mission groups working among them: 7

4. Badjao

Population: 170,512
Location: Sulu; Davao City, Cebu City, Metro Manila and Batangas
Percent Christian: <1%
Number of churches: 3
Scripture: New Testament
Mission groups working among them: 4

5. Samal

Population: 168,000
Location: scattered among the many islands located in the area between Sulu, the Zamboanga peninsula and Palawan
Religion: Islam
Percent Christian: >0%
Number of churches: NO CHURCHES for most Samal groups; a few churches and isolated believers for some Samal groups
Scripture: many of the Samal groups have Bible portions and New Testament translation projects in progress; complete New Testament for Central Samal
Mission groups working among them: at least 4 or 5

6. Iranun

Population: 145,094
Location: Coasts of Lanao Del Sur, Lanao Del Norte and Maguindanao
Percent Christian: 0%
Number of churches: NO CHURCH
Scripture: NO SCRIPTURE
Mission groups working among them: 1

7. Yakan

Population: 130,183
Location: Basilan, Sulu and east coast of Zamboanga Del Sur
Percent Christian: 0%
Number of churches: NO CHURCH; a few isolated believers
Scripture: New Testament
Mission groups working among them: 1

8. Bangingi Samal

Population: 170,512
Location: Eastern coast of Basilan, the Samales group of islands in Sulu, and the eastern coasts of the Zamboanga peninsula
Percent Christian: 0%
Number of churches: NO CHURCH; one known believer
Scripture: New Testament translation in progress with 33% completed; also Old Testament portions
Mission groups working among them: 1

9. Jama Mapun

Population: 25,441
Location: Cagayan de Sulu Island, Turtle Islands, and southern Palawan islands
Percent Christian: 0%
Number of churches: NO CHURCH; three known believers
Scripture: Bible portions (1979-1985); New Testament translation in progress
Mission groups working among them: 2

"We believe that through the Sidewalk Sunday School and Visitation Program, we will reach 150,000 children in Mindanao.  And through cell group ministry, new believers' Encounter Retreats, School of Leaders and weekly leadership mentoring through G12 cells, we will win whole families for Christ, train and mobilize leaders and workers for the harvest, and bring about the 'blanket' evangelization of whole cities and nations for the glory of God!"

Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (Luke 18:16)

We are determined to reach the children, families and cities of Mindanao and the Philippines for Christ. But we can't do it alone. We need your partnership and support.

Be an Open Eyes Mission Partner. Please write or call us today:

OPEN EYES MISSION, INC.
P.O. Box 0401
Cagayan De Oro City
Philippines 9000

Tel. No. + 63 (88) 858-8187
Cell No. + 63 (920) 913-3231

E-mail:

[email protected]
[email protected]

For online partnership information, please click here.

Our Ministries

• SIDEWALK PROJECT

  A vision to reach 150,000 children and their families by building a network of 100 churches and establishing 600 Sidewalk Sunday School and Visitation Outreaches in 80 villages.

• G12 VISION

  A vision to

  Win souls through men, women, couples, youth and children's cell groups;

  Consolidate new believers through Encounter Retreats;

  Disciple and train believers for cell group ministry through the School of Leaders; and

  Send trained leaders to win souls, make disciple and multiply leaders for a greater harvest.

• TRANSFORMATION

A vision to effectuate the salvation, healing and transformation of Mindanao and the Philippines by raising up a new breed of Filipino pastors, business persons, politicians and media people by spreading Christ-centered, Bible-based teachings of reformation and building a network of reformation-minded Christians nationwide.

"We believe that through the Sidewalk Sunday School and Visitation Program, we will reach 150,000 children in Mindanao. And through cell group ministry, new believers' Encounter Retreats, School of Leaders and weekly leadership mentoring through G12 cells, we will win whole families for Christ, train and mobilize leaders and workers for the harvest, and bring about the 'blanket' evangelization of whole cities and nations for the glory of God!"

PASTORS GLEN & AYMI MELO
Founders and Senior Pastors
Open Eyes Mission, Inc.

Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (Luke 18:16)

We are determined to reach the children, families and cities of Mindanao and the Philippines for Christ. But we can't do it alone. We need your partnership and support.

Be an Open Eyes Mission Partner. Please write or call us today:

OPEN EYES MISSION, INC.
P.O. Box 0401
Cagayan De Oro City
Philippines 9000

Tel. No. + 63 (88) 858-8187
Cell No. + 63 (920) 913-3231

E-mail:
[email protected]
[email protected]

For online partnership information, please click here.