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Dear Ministry Partners,
What makes CCI training different? It is not just another pastoral training program. It is a family.
At CCI, learning is not confined to classrooms or textbooks. It is alive, relational, and transformational. Students do not merely study theology; they live it. They do not just talk about ministry; they practice it in real homes, real communities, and real lives.
Let me give you an example. In Kiamba, Sarangani Province, Pastor Arsenio Datang, pictured in the white T-shirt, leads his students beyond theory and into action. They visit classmates in their homes, care for one another, and experience the very heartbeat of pastoring.
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This is discipleship in motion. It is training that shapes not only minds but also hearts and hands. It reflects the servant leadership Jesus modeled when He knelt to wash His disciples’ feet and said, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14).
CCI is raising up leaders who do not just know the Word. They embody it, carrying the love of Christ into their churches, homes, and communities. This is why CCI is more than training. It is a shared life. It is a family. It is a mission.
Thank you for being an important part of the CCI family. Through your prayers and generous support, pastors and ministry leaders like Pastor Arsenio are equipped to disciple others, serve their communities, and put God’s Word into practice. Your partnership makes this shared life and mission possible as we work together to raise up servant leaders who carry the love of Christ into communities around the world.
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May God bless you,
Henry and Cora Ventura
CCI Philippines National Director
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Domingo Cardejon, a CCI Graduate from Palawan
"When I enrolled in the CCI training program, I thought the greatest benefit I would receive would be additional biblical knowledge. I expected to learn doctrines, improve my preaching, and become more effective in ministry. While those things certainly happened, I discovered that God was doing something much deeper. He was not only teaching my mind but also shaping my heart.
One lesson that has remained with me throughout the training is that ministry is not measured by activity but by faithfulness. Before entering this program, I often focused on what I could accomplish for God. I wanted to preach well, lead effectively, and see visible results. However, through every subject and every biblical principle that we studied, I realized that God first looks at the character of His servant before the success of his ministry. This understanding has changed the way I view my calling.
The training has also taught me to slow down whenever I open the Scriptures. Instead of immediately asking, "What can I preach from this passage?" I have learned to ask, "What is God saying through this passage?" That simple change has transformed my Bible study. I now appreciate the importance of understanding the context, the author's purpose, and God's intended message before applying it to myself or teaching it to others. This has given me greater confidence because I know that true authority comes from faithfully explaining God's Word rather than sharing personal opinions.
Another change I have experienced is in the way I look at people. I used to think that good ministry depended mostly on having the right programs or activities. Through this training, I came to understand that lasting spiritual growth happens when God's Word is faithfully taught and personally lived out. This has encouraged me to become more patient in discipling others, knowing that spiritual maturity is God's work and often takes time.
Perhaps the greatest change is that this training has exposed areas in my own life that still need God's transforming grace. Every lesson reminded me that before I can shepherd others, I must continually allow the Lord to shepherd my own heart. Instead of feeling discouraged by my weaknesses, I have learned to depend more completely on God's grace, knowing that He equips those whom He calls.
As I continue preparing for pastoral ministry, I do not see this training as the end of my learning but as the beginning of a lifelong commitment to study God's Word faithfully, serve His people humbly, and remain teachable throughout my ministry. I pray that wherever God leads me, I will never forget that the greatest qualification for ministry is not knowledge alone, but a life that continually submits to the authority of Christ and His Word.
Looking back, I can honestly say that CCI has changed me in ways I never expected. It has not only equipped me to teach the Bible more accurately but has also reshaped my priorities, strengthened my convictions, and reminded me that the privilege of serving God is first an invitation to know Him more deeply. For that reason, I will always be grateful for this training and for the work God has accomplished in my life through it."
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Pastor Mthane has received the motorcycle donated through CCI to support his ministry. His heart overflowing with gratitude, he said, “Your support is more than the gift of a motorcycle. It is an investment in the lives of people who are being discipled through Christian ministry. This vehicle will help me travel more efficiently to teach, encourage, and equip believers, especially in remote communities where transportation is often difficult. It will enable me to reach more churches, visit more discipleship classes, and serve faithfully where God has called me.”
| | The first CCI graduation in Palawan was held with five students from Aborlan, Palawan. These pastors and their teachers are ministering to the Tagbanua, Palaw'an, Cuyunon, and Cagayanon people groups on Palawan Island. The five graduates are now planning to start their own classes, and their teachers, Pastor Elison Bagamaspad and Pastor Job Saldejeno, are now our volunteer Area Coordinators for Palawan. Praise the Lord! | | We led a Teacher Training Workshop (TTW) in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, with eight participants. Four of them are new CCI graduates, and the other four are CCI teachers who wanted to attend the TTW again. | | One of the participants wrote, “This training is very essential for church leaders, to incline them with the basic teachings in the Bible in a very systematic way, and it’s for me, by the will of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to be the vessel of God’s Word to the community where I dwell, and the materials which I obtained would be a great help for me to multiply leaders in the church.” | | Pastor Val Abellanosa led a TTW at Gusa Baptist Church in Cagayan De Oro City with 11 participants. He was assisted by Pastor Alan Gabe, the host pastor. | | |
We praise God for the continued growth of CCI training throughout the Philippines. A new class has begun at Mt. Hermon Bible Training Center in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, while another class of 15 students has started at City Church of Christ Jesus in Calamba City. Pastor Marlon Bermas also launched the first CCI class in Bulusan, Sorsogon, expanding CCI training into its 44th province.
In Cebu, Pastor Minguito began a class with seven students at Living Bread Ministries. These students are already pastoring churches in the mountain communities of Cebu City but have not previously had the opportunity to receive formal ministry training. Pastor Villetes also started two new classes in Pagadian City as a result of the Teacher Training Workshop held there in January 2025.
| | New Class in Bulusan, Sorsogon | | | | New Class in Pagadian City | | |
A devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines on June 8, leaving widespread destruction across Mindanao. Several CCI leaders and churches were directly affected, including Area Coordinator Arsenio Datang, whose church building sustained significant damage.
CCI has established a relief fund to assist impacted pastors, churches, and families as they recover and continue ministering to their communities. Please pray for those who have lost loved ones, for families rebuilding their lives, and for our CCI leaders as they share the hope of Christ during this difficult time.
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Prayer Requests & Praises
- Praise God for the countless blessings that the Lord has poured upon us in July.
- Please pray for our staff and teachers as we continue to travel and serve during this season of typhoons, monsoon rain, floods, and landslides. It is difficult for many of our students to go down from the mountain to study because the roads are slippery.
- Pastor Eloi praises God for the provision for his cataract surgery. He asks for prayer for the healing of his kidney.
- Linda asks for prayer for Pastor Manny that his Parkinson’s will not progress quickly.
- Please pray for healing for Teresa Caindoy from her heart illness and hypertension. She suffered a stroke in July.
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