United in their deep commitment and compassion for the
Police and Armed Forces, police volunteer pastors and ministry partners from
different sectors of society, different denominations and different nations trooped the Philippine National
Police National Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City last November 29 to
December 1, 2012 to join the Second Bless Our Cops Annual Convention to give
thanks to God’s goodness worshipping Him for his enduring faithfulness to those
who have blessed the Philippine National Police.
The annual gathering for volunteers was intended by the
Bless Our Cops Movement to honor back partners who continually support and
bless the Philippine National Police. The convention intends that the delegates
find new inspirations on how to faithfully serve One God; replicate best
practices that are performed by other co-workers who have mastered certain
techniques in their locales as volunteers move towards reaching One Nation;
discover new friendships from different cities in the Philippines and abroad
who would faithfully journey with them as part of One Movement and tell new
stories of God’s love and goodness of how God has supported them, upheld them,
loved them and promised to go with them from here to the rest of the World.
“We are so blessed by
God to have partners who have continuously support the cause of Bless Our Cops.
Their dedication to Christ and faithfulness to reach their local police
stations and towns are truly inspiring…may He who began a good work with you
may be faithful to complete it.” PSSUPT Cesar Hawthorne R. Binag President of the CORPS Movement said.
The event was attended by Christian Officers based in the
PNP National Headquarters: Office of the Chief PNP, Directorate for
Intelligence, Maritime Group,Center for Police Strategy Management, SOSIA, PNP
Training Service Building; PCR Officers from the NCRPO, Cadets from the Philippine National Police Academy.
Pastors and Volunteer workers came from different provinces such as Cagayan,
Pangasinan, La Union, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal,
Quezon, Albay, Iloilo, Leyte, Davao Del Norte, Davao Oriental, Compostela
Valley, Davao del Sur, Zamboanga, North Cotabato, Basilan as well as Metro Manila. Ministerial partners
who supported the event includes Bro. Wyden King of the Kabayan Hotel Chains,
the JOSHUA Ministry of the Greenhills Christian Fellowship, Gmen of Christ
Commission Fellowship, the House Church Fellowship, MASCOM, Olongapo Christian
Businessmen, NE Catering, Mistah Foundation, Women of Purpose, Military
Ministry, Philippine Bible Society and COPPS. Countries represented by
delegates include Guatemala, the United States, India, Scotland, Malaysia,
India, Cambodia and Thailand.
Day 1: Reflections and Revelations
The event started with a challenge from Armlynk
International Director Ronald C. Wilson: a longtime partner of the BOC Movement
and whose ministry covers the whole of Asia.
He challenged everyone that God has called them and has given them a
unique role in His service. No matter what conscious motivations that they had
in entering the service, God’s sovereign hand was already upon them guiding and
directing them so that they could use their positions as pastors or officers to
spread the word of God in the respective country.
He then began to expound for the span of three days the
message of Romans 13 and gave insights and principles of submitting to
government authority, journeying with those in authority and the impact of
ministering for the armed forces particularly those who are in close nations.
His talk was followed by another inspirational talk by Boi
Manuel who reminded each and every delegate that the Bless Our Cops Movement is
all about the grace of God is about compassion at work. He added that all is
needed to dig deeper and find wisdom in the word chamal (doing harm but not choosing to) and splagchnizomai (to
be move by love) which is the Hebrew and Greek equivalent for compassion which
basically means compassion as we go about with our police ministry.
The first day also had a workshop and a refresher course on
Hermeneutics served by the GCF which was quite beneficial to pastors who are
ministering and sharing the word to police.
In the afternoon, three breakout sessions ensued: The first
was for the NCRPO PCR officers who wanted to learn how pastors and churches
could beneficially help the PNP and how they could better perform their
services through the help of the community, this was handled by the BOC
Movements Most bemedalled Police Officer in terms of PCR work- PSUPT Eric E.
Noble and PSINSP Gus Ferrer; The second was a PNP survival training crash
course for the My Brother’s Keeper cadets facilitated by PSSUPT Gene Tolejano,
PCINSP Sonny Celedio and of the Lt. Col Dennis Pacis of the Philippine Army
Light Infantry Brigade who all shared their experience in surviving the field
as Christians; last, was a women’s discourse on living a Godly life as officer
wives that was attended by women officers and ministers delivered by Sis. Aida
Ceron of Women of Purpose.
Bro Wyden King who sponsored the billeting of pastors from
the provinces also graced the event and also shared some inspirational words
for pastors on the need to be steadfastly serving God.
Bro. Elmer Anibigno of the House Church Fellowship also
shared some lighter side of the police ministry to the hearty delight of the
delegates and urged pastors to continue to serve and bless the police for it
was only through the sheer determination of those said ministers that a former
scalawag like him came to know Christ.
The vision of a police version of the National Service
Training Program was also shared by Dr. Letty Afuang and her husband Ptr. Danao
Afuang. They gave ideas of how churches could be further reach their respective
communities with the Gospel using a school program.
The first day ended with a Jericho walk around Camp Crame
for pastors to pray over the whole camp as well as the policemen that they
encounter.
Day 2: Sharing
Best Practices
The second day was a time of sharing experiences in forms of
anecdotes, life lessons and other learning that police and pastors have learned
in years of their ministry.
PSUPT Bernard M. Banac, PSUPT Eric Noble, PSUPT Warren
Tolito and PSUPT Fred Obar led an open forum discussion and answered questions
from pastors on how to effectively minister to the police on the side of
policemen. Pastors and ministers also joined to share the experience and best
practices that they are doing in their different regions: PCINSP Elmar Sillador
informed the group of how they were able to produce chairs for ministers in all
police stations across the province, PSSUPT Resty Gatera and Pastor Ed Santos
also informed the group that Davao has already a TV program that broadcast the
police ministry and share the gospel to fellow Davaoeneos, Pastor Roland
Santiago and Ptr. John Pangilinan shared stories of how they strengthened the
Police works in Pangasinan as well as Bulacan.
The Guatemalan delegation also joined the sharing by telling
of how they do their Police Ministry in Guatemala. They observed that it is not
only the climate of our two countries similar but also the passion for Christ
in our Ministry. They offered their thanks and prayed the pastors of the
Philippines and Guatemala too.
Operation Compassion of GCF also shared their vision and
mission to other pastors who might want to also partner in the hospital
ministry.
In the Afternoon, PSSUPT Cesar Hawthorne R. Binag shared how
pastors could be a part of country building not only as a church who prays for
the Philippines but also as active citizens who could make a difference in
their community. In his speech entitled “Ako at ang National Security, PSSUPT
Binag talked about the patriotism through the change in attitude and through
thinking of having a Filipino first mentality. He also said that being good
citizens who follows the rule of law and being a Filipino that truly loves
everything about our country is good starting point.
The evening of was a special night with none other than the
Chief of the Philippine National Police, PDG Nicanor A. Bartolome gracing the
event as the guest and honoree of the convention. GCF Head Pastor Dr. Larry
Pabiona shared a message on servant leadership in the lives of Ester and
Mordecai who have blessed the nation of Israel by being obedient to God and
also led all the volunteers in praying for the C, PNP and the Philippine
National Police.
PDG. Bartolome on the other hand was so elated at the
response and support of the pastors and ministers towards him and the PNP. He shared his passion for the word of God also
and reported how the PNP is making police community work more favorable for
churches through the ITP program of the PNP. He thanked each and every one of
the delegates and gamely posed for pictures afterwards for all.
Day 3. Thanksgiving and Re-Commitment
The final day saw volunteers recommit towards police
ministry and pledge their dedication to God and his work. They also gave God
thanks for his love towards the police and the volunteers who dutifully work
for the salvation of men in uniform. Volunteer sang praises, gave their
counterparts souvenirs and even pose pictures with all of them.
