ATS InTouch 2011-11

November 2011

INTOUCH T h e O ff i c i a l N ews l ette r of t h e Asian Theological Seminary

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p 12 I N TO U C H WI TH A BI BL E TRANS L ATO R HU PU[LY]PL^

.P]L 7YH` =VS\U[LLY Transforming Leaders for the Church and the World

2 TABLE OF

CONTENTS 4

Cove r Sto ry

8

42nd An n ive rsa ry Fe ature

10

D evotio n a l

12

I nte rv iew

18

I ` + Y ; P T .LULY

+ Y 9 L U L *OHUJV

Ce nte r fo r Contin uin g Studie s I ` 0 H U /PIPVUHKH

First semester is behind us now, and pretty soon, students will again punctuate our campus with their laughter, lively discussions with professors, and warm fellowship with the rest of the ATS community.

Our newsletter lets you in on what the past few months have been for our seminary. Dr. Tim D. Gener shares with you his desire for theology to be understood by the common person.

ATS Chaplain Rene Chanco reminds us of the battle we will win, and in fact God has already won.

Ian Hibionada shares his passion to help train pastors and Christian workers to become better leaders in their ministries.

We also get a peek into the life of a Bible translator.

We thank God that you are part of our community.

Ammi Belle Armas Head, ATS Communication & Development Office

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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OPEN CAMPUS

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N ove mb e r 2 1 to 26 , 2 011. ,_WLYPLUJL ^OH[ (;: 3PML PZ SPRL FI NANC I AL STATEMENT AS O F S EP T EMB ER 2 0 11 REVENUE Donations and Contributions Tuition and Other Fees Interest Income Others Total Revenue EXPENSES Instructional Administrative Total Expenses Net Expense over Revenue

8,985,375.00 5,884,010.00 89,686.00 1,213,819.00 16,172,890.00 12,812,408.00 4,226,074.00 17,038,482.00 -865,592.00*

*due to a non-monetary yearly depreciation cost of Php1.3M

4

COVER STORY

GOD CAN WEAVE A STORY OF

TRANSFORMATION ( ZWLLJO VM 7 Y L Z P K L U [ + Y ; P T + . L U L Y K \ Y P U N [ O L U K ( U U P ] L Y Z H Y ` V M (; : SHZ[ 1\S`

I became a Christian when I was 12. Soon after, I became a volunteer in Sunday School, and then a youth leader. Later on, I was persuaded by our Bible college intern in church, to spend a year in Bible College, which then led to a decision to pursue four more years to become a full time pastor at the young age of 21.

My heart was transformed.

It burned with the passion to serve God through the church.

I became part of a church planting team in Makati for five years. It was led by American missionaries and local young professionals. But in God’s providence, we had more and more conversions from the slums of Old Makati than the richer people.

As I became more exposed to the reality of poverty in the slums, I saw that heart transformation alone is not sufficient.

5 Our society, our culture and the church need to be transformed.The church has to “broker� this change in the s houl d world. Thus, the church needs to have a good theology of societal transformation to make lasting changes in government, business, and media and the environment. For when the Bible says Jesus is Lord, it is a claim that embraces all of life, including societal transformation.

H e a rt

tra n s for mat i on l e ad to

s oc i et a l cha n g e commun i t y

t ra n s formati on .

That is why I trained further in Seminary and I am still in Seminary, particularly the Asian Theological Seminary (ATS).

I needed a solid theology of Biblical transformation that integrates the individual and societal, body and soul, personal and creational. And I want to train Christian leaders with it. I also needed an understanding of theology that is not just for the experts, but a theology that’s for every Christian, understandable to the tricycle driver, and the carinderia (canteen) cook, my 13-year old daughter and other teens out there, as well as the engineer, the attorney and other professionals. And I thank God for helping me have a handle on transformation through many years of theological education.

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6

COVER STORY >OH[ ZL[Z (;: HWHY[ To God be the glory, ATS is a pioneer seminary that combines evangelism with community development.

The learnings I had in ministering with the poor is a given here at ATS. Theology here is down-to-earth, Scriptural but also as wide as creation. We have trained and continue to train pastors, missionaries, Sunday school teachers, bishops as well as urban poor workers, marketplace professionals, business people, military and police officers – people from all walks of life. We also have a Center of Biblical Stewardship concerned with Management programs as well as Center for Transformational Urban Leadership concerned with raising urban poor leaders from within the grassroots.

After doing graduate work in the US for nine years my wife and I came back to the country in 2002, became part of a specialized ministry of leading small groups of young professionals and businessmen. God seems to be saying, both the educated and the needy, the poor and the well-off – all have to be discipled as one integrates the people of God to effect and , the transformation that God desires. ...

...Biblical transformation that

individual

society

body and soul

7 >OH[ (;: ;YHPUPUN PZ SPRL Now as president of ATS, I see that God continues to weave a story of transformation through our life’s stories and ATS’. ATS as a seminary exists to train leaders with a flavour of biblical transformation in them:

Training here is HO L I S T I C. Evangelism is combined with social responsibility. Not merely the head (academics) is engaged, but also the heart (passions), the hands (skills) and the habits (virtues).

It is GLOBAL, reflecting an international flavour in our faculty and student body.

The training is transformative because it is UNIFYING. We are an interdenominational community as we seek to learn from and engage the whole body of Christ.

And finally, it is training that’s CONNECTED to real life, and thus aims to be relevant to life.

The Asian Theological S e m i n a r y prepares leaders who are holistic, global, unifying and connected, with the goal of transforming our societies and the world.

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8

FOUR THRU TOWARDS THE What’s ahead for Asian Theological Seminary?

How can it more effectively train and help transform leaders for the Church and the world?

During the 42nd Anniversary celebration of ATS last July 30, President Dr. Tim D. Gener, shared Four Major Thrusts in the next five years. As the Lord touches your heart, please see what you can do to help make these a reality.

1. Plan for the New Building The lot for the new building was acquired in a miraculous way through Project 8-30, so called because the goal then was to raise the needed money

by August 30, 2008. The goal was to expand God’s presence in the community, to bear God’s transforming presence locally, and accommodate the growing population and ministries of ATS. Help us pray how to best maximize the property for the work of God in ATS to enable us to more effectively train more leaders for the Church and the world.

2. Pursue Digital Distance Education Learners nowadays are more interactive, digitally aware, conversational and participatory. ATS has been receiving more requests for online training programs and extension classes outside of Metro Manila and overseas. Digital distance learning is the way to go!

We believe that this is something doable by the grace of God and your help. Plans are underway to begin assistive pilot classes by November 2011.

USTS

42nd ANNIVERSARY

STORY

9

FUTURE 3. Faculty Training & Development ATS is well known for its trained faculty with doctorate degrees. We have to plan ahead to maintain this distinctive.

Five teachers will retire in the next 10 years. We need to prepare teachers who will be in succession, to keep the international faculty line up strong. As we pray for this need we take our stand on the sure promise of God. 4. Reaching the Unreached We are people of the gospel that must be proclaimed to all people and to make disciples of all the nations--- that is to all the people groups in the world. We have to cross cultures to incarnate Christ in all them, especially now that global migration has ushered unreached peoples near our doorsteps. How about the Japanese? The Koreans among us?

ATS is multicultural in setting and given the task to see the cross of Christ planted in the very heart of many religions among the cultures of the world.

Join us in this strategic ministry of training leaders and bringing about the Biblical transformation that God desires for our world!

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We have to go beyond evangelizing the nominal Christians and see unreached peoples next door including Muslims from the South. We have to reach out to them with the love of Christ and break down the barriers of fear and prejudice, the breeding ground for misunderstanding and violence in our land. It is vital to lift up the presence of Christ for Christ is the Prince of peace and Shalom.

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FEATURE STORY

A FIGHT WE WILL WIN + Y 9 L U L * O H U J V (; : * O H W S H P U

In the movie, Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon, the Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and to learn its secrets. They almost lost the chase. The opposition has re-grouped and looked very formidable. In the most crucial moment, Optimus Prime rallied his alliance that was starting to get discouraged: “You may lose your faith in us, but never in yourselves. From here, the fight will be your own.” With this rally cry, he led the troops to a resounding victory.

The Jehoshaphat script in 2 Chronicles 20 has a similar note of alarm. Here we find the King of Israel, Jehoshaphat, crestfallen. The news was as bad as it could get: A vast army is coming against you from Edom. (v. 2)” The king was understandably “alarmed” (v. 3) But instead of panicking, he rallied the people together and all of Judah came to seek help. (vv. 3-4).

How about you, dear friend? Do you feel you’re in the same boat as Jehoshaphat – outmatched by the challenges you’re facing right now?

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Admittedly, in the work of training we do here at ATS we also reckon with serious challenges.

In a conference of Ministerial Formation a few years back, an educator cited the many issues and problems facing ministers these days such as poverty and the great disparity of wealth, racism and racial conflicts, unemployment and homelessness, child abuse and oppression of women and other marginalized people, alcoholism, drug addiction, and crime, among others.

It is a challenge for us here in ATS to motivate, to equip and to enable the people of God to develop their gifts, i.e. to educate them, so that in turn they can give their lives in meaningful service, and be able to motivate, equip and enable others to do the same----thus becoming God’s transformative agents in society and the world.

Like Jehoshaphat we admit,”We have no power to face this vast army...and we do not know what to do…” Unlike Optimus Prime’s rallying words, however, we declare that our faith is not in ourselves. Rather, “Our eyes are upon You, Oh LORD... (v. 12).

Indeed the Lord is our Help.

Battles are part of life. But take heart.

God’s word reminds us: “Do not be afraid or discouraged… for the battle is not yours but God’s” (v. 15)….Together with the Lord, and by praying together, giving and volunteering, we will rally to victory and “fight the good fight of faith” God has entrusted to us!

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In ter view

IN TOUCH WITH A

BIBLE TRANSLATOR This is an interview with an ATS alumna who took up Masters of Divinity in Biblical Studies. She serves as a Bible translator in an undisclosed country.

How did God call you to be an ATS student and how did you sense that God was leading you to become a Bible translator?

I was seven when I responded to a challenge to give my life to serve the Lord, and by the age of 14 it was clear to me I wanted to be a Bible translator: I was aware of the many native tribes in my own country in need of the Word of God. So I took Translation Studies as my undergrad and also private classes of Greek to prepare myself. After my college graduation, the Lord made it clear that He wanted me to work for a specific country in Asia. Around that same time, while I was applying to a seminary in my country, the Lord spoke very clear to me: “Go to the Philippines.� In the following hour it all became very clear to me, that it would be here in the Philippines where i would get the training I needed. I then remembered I had heard about ATS from people who had attended Lausanne II. So I came to Manila and enrolled at ATS.

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Share what you can about your job, where you minister or among what kind of people.

I got an opportunity to visit a group of translators who worked for the country the Lord had called me to. What a joy to see their faces, and it was a greater joy when i was invited to join their work.

My task was to help the native translators understand the text they were translating and then check their work against the Greek text to guarantee we were not drifting away from the original. It’s now been seven years since I joined this project. We hope to publish our New Testament

by Christmas 2012.

What are your joys and challenges as a Bible translator?

Bible translation is a very fulfilling work, but also deeply frustrating. It’s fulfilling because we are the people who get the privilege of working with the Word of God all day long every day. Translators are the most privileged people in the world, we drink from the fountain, we think it over, meditate on it all the time. But it is extremely frustrating when you work with the original text (Greek, Hebrew), you know how the text should read, but you can’t get that meaning through to the language you’re translating into for many different reasons. The most frustrating one being

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In ter view (c o n t.) the established tradition that was based on an inaccurate old translation carried over through generations. Also, when things get down to a point where quality matters less than meeting the deadline, when there’s no more time for proper revision. That frustrates me a lot.

Bible translators (as well as other missionaries) working for people groups involved in dark religions, have to get used to being often haunted by spirits and learn how to stand our ground and fight. God called people who could stand the fight. And oh they have to fight darkness daily!

What in your ATS education helped or trained you to serve the Lord in this capacity?

All—from the basic Greek and Hebrew skills, to exegetical skills, understanding genre and specific biblical language and phrases, what is crucial for our work. The ability to think for yourself, to struggle with the text first before you read others, the ability of being a theologian and of making bridges between cultures. Also to have a learning attitude and to let the Word of God transform you.

BE

PART

OF THE

ATS

COMMUNITY!

ATS subsidizes 70% of a student’s total cost of education to make tuition fee affordable to students coming from the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Pakistan, Nigeria, and other parts of Asia. As you give to ATS, you participate in the great task of sending people back to their home countries as agents of transformation. Your gifts impact lives and societies.

Pray for more students to enroll. The more Christian leaders we equip, the more we can send out to the world!

15 You said earlier that you love ATS, tell us why.

I love ATS for the humble spirit of our teachers, for the friendly family atmosphere, for the freedom and liberty that we have in Christ and which comes out so clearly in our community; I love ATS for its commitment to the Word, for not wasting time discussing theories but forcing us to work with the text, forcing us to think, to draw our lessons and to grow; for its broad mind and for teaching us to work along with people who have different views than our own. ATS is a laboratory for transformation and I’m thankful I was challenged and transformed during my years of study.

What are your dreams/ desires for the people you are translating for?

For the people we are catering to, my desire is that the Word of God in their language will help them grow in their faith so they will have a better grasp of who God is and of how they can relate to him in a deeper and more meaningful way. I hope many of them will read it from cover to cover over their lifetime. I also dream the Lord will raise new people, with a fresh mind and a fresh spirit who will review, revise and improve our work.

t Pray for the missionaries you know who

t

are working in restricted countries to bring God’s good news to people. Many of these are focused on reaching children between 4 and 14 years old.

. P ] L [ V [ O L

Volunteer your expertise, skills and time by helping us with the various programs and events that ATS will be launching for the coming years: New Building, Faculty Development, Online Distance Learning, and ministry to the Unreached People Groups.

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FEATURE STORY

CENTER FOR CONTINUING

STUDIES: Eq uippin g Min iste rs .

Tra n s formin g Comm un itie s.

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My experience in equipping pastors and church workers began when I was just 10 years old. I observed my father organizing Bible training courses in our church in New Manila, Quezon City. He invited instructors to help equip the church members for pastoral ministry. We occasionally went to Pampanga with a team of church workers to train local pastors and workers near Mt. Pinatubo.

Need-based.

I believe the need for theological training for Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workers is growing. Churches and ministries multiply from one place to another as these leaders take an active role in Kingdom building.

Economical.

A student pays P 800 per module (16 hours) but has to enroll in 10 modules to qualify for Certificate programs.

CCS offers scholarships to Twenty years later, I am now deserving pastors. part of the ministry of ATSCenter for Continuing Studies Quality Theological (CCS) which provides need- Education. based, economical and on-site The programs offered are quality theological education to Pastoral Ministry and Biblical pastors and workers in the local Interpretation. In one of our church and in the marketplace. module classes in CCS - Sta.

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Mesa (in partnership with a Ministerial Association), a student shared his experience with me, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I already had biblical training before. Most of what we did was read hermeneutic books and explain it. But in our first CCS module, we engaged the passage and learned to explain it in the light of its context.â&#x20AC;?

Beyond the joy of equipping Christian workers is the wonderful privilege of hearing stories of changed lives, as God used the modules to challenge, convict and encourage the students even in their personal lives. In a course for pre-school teachers in partnership with Mission Ministries Philippines (MMP), a student came to know Christ deeper through the Spiritual Formation subject. In the same partnership, another student

reconciled with her husband after a very painful and difficult time in their marriage.

Yes, beyond quality theological training CCS offers is the exciting privilege of empowering Christians for godly living, affirming their calling as â&#x20AC;&#x153;salt of the earthâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;light of the world.â&#x20AC;?

What can I say then? I thank God for my father who exposed me to the need for equipping pastors and church workers.

ATSâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;CCS gave me the platform to take an active and passionate role in continuing the training of leaders for the church and the world.

Note: Ian Hibionada graduated from ATS with a degree in Masters of Divinity in Christian Education on March 2009. Two months later he began to work in the seminary as Coordinator of CCS.

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ACTIVITIES & TRIVIA

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DIDYOU KNOW? 1969 205 29 (;: -HTPS` +H` ZWVY[Z MVVK SH\NO[LY

8

the total number of current ATS students the number of international students enrolled in ATS for the school year 2011-2012 countries represented (USA, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Canada and Cambodia)

33

the number of years Lillian Tiquia, ATS president’s secretary, has been working in ATS, the longest-term staff in its history

15

the number of dedicated faculty working in ATS

25 42 8

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year the ATS was started

1700

the number of staff working behind the scenes, enabling ATS to function well and fulfill its mission of “Transforming leaders for the Church and the world” ATS just celebrated its 42nd anniversary last July the number of presidents ATS has had since it began; three of the most recent ones are Filipinos and more, the number of students ATS has graduated since 1969

22 SPONSOR ATS STUDENTS NOW...

Help them reach the world tomorrow!

The actual cost of education is P4,566/unit.

For a student enrolling in 12 units per semester, this is what we need in Philippine pesos: To support a Partial Scholar (enrolled in 12 units/semester), we need 32,600 pesos/semester (US$ 754). The student pays a counterpart of 22,200 pesos.

To support a Full Scholar (enrolled in 12 units/ semester), we need 54,800 (US$ 1,267).

Enrollment will be on November 10 and 11.

Please pray with us, that many will respond to ATS studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; need for financial help.

Should you wish to sponsor any number of students, please send your donations through any of the following ways:

1 ) D o n ate O n l i n e * We are currently working on credit card donation facilities.

2 ) D o n ate by P h o n e Donors within Metro Manila may request gift pick-up service by calling: Asian Theological Seminary at 928-6717, 928-6709, 928-5105, local nos. 108 (Business Office) or 132 (ComDev Office)

3 ) D o n ate by M a i l Make your check payable to: Asian Theological Seminary and send to: Asian Theological Seminary #54 Scout MadriĂąan St, South Triangle, QC. 1103 Philippines

NOTE: When making a deposit/remittance, please do any one of the following to ensure we can track/acknowledge your gift:

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1) CALL/TEXT your name, amount deposited, bank where you deposited and date of deposit to (02) 984 - 5391 / 0947-5713752 or 2) SEND FAX of the deposit slip to (632) 928-5114 or 3) MAIL DEPOSIT SLIP TO: Asian Theological Seminary (Business Office) QCCPO Box 1454 -1154, 1100 Quezon City

4 ) D o n ate by d i re c t b a n k d e p o s i t a. For Local Donors Pay through: Banco de Oro Universal Bank (BDO), Manila Swift Code: BNORPHMM Bank Name: Banco de Oro, Timog Rotonda Branch In favor of: Asian Theological Seminary, Inc. US Dollar Account No.: 1620-037317 (Savings Acct) Peso Account No.: 1620-0252-97 (Savings Acct) Pay through: BPI Family Bank Timog Avenue Branch, No. 34 Timog Avenue Quezon City Swift Code: BOPIPHMM In favor of: Asian Theological Seminary, Inc. US Dollar Account No.: 6854-001181 (Savings Acct) Peso Account No.: 6851-0007-37 (Current Acct) b. For USA Donors (needing tax-deductible receipts) Please make checks payable to: MEANS

IMPORTANT: Please indicate the donation is for Asian Theological Seminary Then mail your check to: MEANS (Mission East Asian National Support) c/o Ms. Carmena Cruz PO Box 8434, Barlett, IL 60103, USA How to contact MEANS: Mailing Address: PO Box 8434, Bartlett, IL 60103 Email: info@meansusa.org Website: www.meansusa.org Phone no: 630-289-1032 (Carmena on weekdays) c. For UK Donors For inquiries with OMF International (UK) Mr. Jeff Hall.

Phone 01732-880-300.

Fax 01732-887-224.

Email: finsupport@omf.org.uk Website: www.omf.org/uk/about_ omf/giving UK registered charity number: 1086040

Asian Theological Seminary | CAMPUS LOCATION | 54 Sct. Madri単an St., South Triangle, Quezon City 1103, Philippines | MAILING ADDRESS | QCCPO Box 1454-1154 Quezon City 1100, Philippines | PHONE | (632) 928-6717; 928-6709; 928-5105 | FAX | (632) 928-5114 | EMAIL | info@mail.ats.ph | WEBSITE | www.ats.ph