Kerygma Conference 2019 is the last Kerygma Conference ever. In the Visayas, it has been inspiring and educating people for 11 years. Next year, it will all change. I am extremely blessed to have been of service in this amazing 2-day conference last November 30 and December 1. The biggest Catholic inspirational event was held in IEC Convention Center (IC3).

I was serving in three official roles during this conference. All three are extremely humbling roles yet my joy is overwhelming.

My first role is Mahogany Hall class coordinator. To put things into perspective, the biggest Feast that I handle has a maximum capacity of over 800 people. The Mahogany Hall can seat 3,500. That is a lot!

It gets way more challenging. The speakers in that class are the big names of the Light of Jesus Family! They are Bro Alvin Barcelona, Bro Arun Gogna, Bro Jon Escoto, Bro Stephen Nellas, and Bro Buddy Tan. We have to bring our A-game when serving these preachers so that they can serve the thousands in attendance well. It does not help my nerves to know that Mahogany Hall will also be the two-thirds of the venue for the plenary.

I am overjoyed though because I am not serving alone. Mahogany Hall has the most amazing gathering of servants from Feast Visayas. They are well-trained and inexhaustible in stamina. Thank you, God, for the opportunity to serve with these amazing people!

My second role is a plenary host. The Kerygma Conference is divided into 2 parts. These are the plenary and the classes. The plenary is where the worship and the main class happens. Every transition from the classes to plenary, I had to host the plenary pre-show.

Let me be honest. I am a proficient lead worshiper and preacher but I am a terrible host. Hosting is an entirely different skill. I did it last year with Bro Stephen Nellas. We did not sync at all.

My hosting this year is peppered by plenty of unforgettable moments though. During day one, one of the attendees jumped over expensive equipment just to get on stage to win the prize. How scary!

On day two, I got a chance to host the doughnut-eating contest. It was spectacular. The prize was the same as last year but it is still quite spectacular. The winners get a free franchise of Happy Haus Donuts. Moreover, the entire conference got to witness a marriage proposal between two long-time lovers who are also loyal Kerygma Conference attendees.

I am extremely grateful that I got I good hosting partner throughout this ordeal. He is my brother builder, Bro Rico Rentuza. Praise God for the attorney!

 

My third role was to give the Word for the Kerygma Conference 2019. The root scripture verse for this conference is Hebrews 11.

This was anxiety-inducing for many reasons. I was told that I would be giving the Word only three days before the event. This was going to be during the opening of the conference. I was supposed to deliver it in the spoken word style on top of a very high platform. During rehearsal, I fell two times while ascending and descending the stairs. By the way, I only got to rehearse three times with everyone. Finally, Hebrews 11 is just a very long chapter.

Two blessings got me through this challenge. The first blessing was the paper where I was supposed to read the Hebrew 11. Why? I was using The Passion Translation (TPT) version of Hebrew 11. There are no TPT bibles in Cebu. My brothers and I checked so I had to stick a paper with the scripture passage in our Bible. Naturally, I stuck it in the middle of the Bible where Psalm 23 was located. Coincidence? No! It’s God’s providence! God is telling me that He will protect me from danger.

The second blessing was Hebrews 11 itself. It is a powerful chapter on faith. Here it is adapted into a spoken word format.

THE POWER OF BOLD FAITH

11 Now faith brings our hopes into reality

and becomes the foundation needed

to acquire the things we long for.

Faith empowers us to see

that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated

by the power of God’s words!

He spoke

and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is
seen.

6 And without faith living within us

it would be impossible to please God.

For we come to God in faith

knowing that he is real

and that he rewards the faith of those who give

all their passion and strength into seeking him.

8 Faith motivated Abraham

to obey God’s call

and leave the familiar

to discover the territory

he was destined to inherit from God.

So he left with only a promise

and without even knowing ahead of time where he was going,

Abraham stepped out in faith.

10 His eyes of faith

were set on the city

with unshakable foundations,

whose architect and builder is God himself.

11 Heroes die

clinging to their faith,

not even receiving all that had been promised them.

But they saw beyond the horizon

the fulfillment of their promises

and gladly embraced it from afar.

14 For clearly,

those who live this way

are longing for the appearing of a heavenly city.

17 Faith operated powerfully in Abraham

for when he was put to the test

he offered up Isaac.

22 Faith inspired Joseph

and opened his eyes to see into the future.

24 Faith enabled Moses to choose God’s will

30 Faith pulled down Jericho’s walls

after the people marched around them for seven days!

31 Faith provided a way of escape

for Rahab the prostitute,

avoiding the destruction of the unbelievers.

32 And what more could I say to convince you?

For there is not enough time to tell you

of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets.

33 Through faith’s power

they conquered kingdoms

and established true justice.

Their faith fastened onto their promises

and pulled them into reality!

It was faith that shut the mouth of lions,

34 put out the power of raging fire,

and caused many to escape certain death by the sword.

In their weakness

their faith imparted power to make them strong!

Faith sparked courage within them

and they became mighty warriors in battle,

pulling armies from another realm into battle array.

35 Faith-filled women

saw their dead children

raised in resurrection power.

39 These were the true heroes,

commended for their faith,

yet they lived in hope

without receiving the fullness of what was promised them.

40 But now

God has invited us,

you, you, you, you, you

to live in something better than what they had—

faith’s fullness!

So let me ask a question.

Will you step out in faith?

It was pitch black when I gave the Word. However, I felt calm. I knew that God is in me and He will not abandon me. There was no fear. In those few moments, I was free from doubt and worry. It was only possible because I stepped out in faith.

Thank you, Lord, for everything.

That was my Kerygma Conference Visayas 2019 experience as a servant. It is my last one because next year I will be a FeastCon 2020 servant.

See you at FeastCon 2020 everyone!