Saturday, March 10, 2018

Around the Region - PNG Earthquake, Member Care - Renewing our mind and more!!! The Asia Pacific Region of the Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific in Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal, Manila 1920 Philippines - VOLUME 6, ISSUE 04 for SATURDAY, MARCH 03, 2018

Around the Region - PNG Earthquake, Member Care - Renewing our mind and more!!! The Asia Pacific Region of the Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific in Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal, Manila 1920 Philippines - VOLUME 6, ISSUE 04 for SATURDAY, MARCH 03, 2018

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 04 for SATURDAY, MARCH 03, 2018
Join Us In Prayer
7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Hit Papua New Guinea
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake strike Papua New Guinea’s Southern Highlands province. This is the strongest earthquake to hit PNG in almost a century. It has claimed 31 lives so far and officials expect that death toll to climb further.
7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Hit Papua New Guinea
Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea: A magnitude 7.5 earthquake strike Papua New Guinea’s Southern Highlands province. This is the strongest earthquake to hit PNG in almost a century. It has claimed 31 lives so far and officials expect that death toll to climb further.
Nazarene sources report that a 7th-grade girl, the daughter of Nazarene church members, died when her house collapsed during the earthquake. Three permanent Nazarene churches have collapsed and one Nazarene bush church has been destroyed. Many of the people, including the DS, are living outside of their houses due to fear of them collapsing in one of the aftershocks. The Southern Highlands District Superintendent will try to travel out of the area next week to bring a more detailed report to the Field office. He is asking that the church family around the world be informed so they can pray for the people of the Southern Highlands area of Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea is home to 7 million people. It sits on the Pacific’s “Ring of Fire” in which a multitude of volcanic and seismic activity occurs.
Please pray:
  • For those impacted by the earthquake.
  • For the Melanesia-South Pacific Field and Southern Highlands District as they assess and respond to the needs of those who have been affected.
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries is receiving donations towards the PNG Southern Highlands Earthquake Relief. You can send your donations through https://give.nazarene.org/donate/f/128585.
You Can Always Find Current Global Prayer Requests and Praises on the
NMI Prayer Mobilization Line
Latest News
Renewing Our Mind: Part One
renew
[ri-noo, -nyoo]
verb
to begin again
to make effective for an additional period
to restore or replenish
to revive; reestablish
to recover
to restore to a former state; make new or as if new again
(Oh, I love this definition!)
What Is it?
In Romans 12:2, Paul says we are transformed by the renewal of our mind. What does that even mean? These definitions above for ‘renew’ sound like God’s continuing invitation in this journey of being restored. Restored to Him and in all the ways He intended me to think … about myself, you, others, and the world we live in.
So, what gets in the way? What is it about my mind that He offers to “begin again, restore, revive, recover, make as if new again”? I‘ve been intrigued by the concept of Cognitive Biases. A Cognitive Bias is a psychological term, used in counseling and coaching, and it refers to patterns of thinking that often produce distorted perceptions of people, surroundings, situations, and ourselves.
Join me as we explore, in the next few articles, some of the common Cognitive Biases that get in our way and let’s consider our response to this invitation for Renewal.
Why Does It Matter?
Cognitive biases are tools we develop as shortcuts to thinking. And they aren’t all bad; they can be useful in helping us solve some common problems in regard to the ways we think. Blog writer Buster Benson has summarized four primary thinking problems that are addressed with these shortcuts and the downside if we rely on them without awareness:
Problem 1: Too much information.
There is just too much information in the world; we have no choice but to filter almost all of it out. Our brain uses a few simple tricks to pick out the bits of information that are most likely going to be useful in some way.
Problem 2: Not enough meaning.
The world is very confusing, and we end up only seeing a tiny sliver of it, but we need to make some sense of it in order to survive. Once the reduced stream of information comes in, we connect the dots, fill in the gaps with stuff we already think we know and update our mental models of the world.
Problem 3: Need to act fast.
We’re constrained by time and information, and yet we can’t let that paralyze us. Without the ability to act fast in the face of uncertainty, we surely would have perished as a species long ago. With every piece of new information, we need to do our best to assess our ability to affect the situation, apply it to decisions, and simulate the future to predict what might happen next, and otherwise act on our new insight.
Problem 4: What should we remember?
There’s too much information in the universe. We can only afford to keep around the bits that are most likely to prove useful in the future. We need to make constant bets and trade-offs around what we try to remember and what we forget. For example, we prefer generalizations over specifics because they take up less space. When there are lots of irreducible details, we pick out a few standout items to save and discard the rest. What we save here is what is most likely to inform our filters related to problem 1’s information overload, as well as inform what comes to mind during the processes mentioned in problem 2 around filling in incomplete information. It’s all self-reinforcing.
Sounds pretty useful! So what’s the downside?
In addition to the four problems, it would be useful to remember these four truths about how our solutions to these problems have problems of their own:
We don’t see everything.Some of the information we filter out is actually useful and important.
Our search for meaning can conjure illusions.We sometimes imagine details that were filled in by our assumptions and construct meaning and stories that aren’t really there.
Quick decisions can be seriously flawed.Some of the quick reactions and decisions we jump to are unfair, self-serving, and counter-productive.
Our memory reinforces errors.Some of the stuff we remember for later just makes all of the above systems more biased, and more damaging to our thought processes.
What can we do about it?
Self-awareness comes to the rescue again! At least, as always, it is the first step. Over the next few months, we’ll explore in more detail how some of these cognitive biases show up in our thinking patterns and decision-making processes. We’ll explore what we can do to be transformed by the renewal of our mind, as we can protect ourselves from these default, but often-erroneous ways of thinking.
For now, let’s take some time over the next few days to allow God to begin to reveal some of the biases, or ‘ruts’ we may have gotten into with our thinking patterns. Let’s ask him to show us where we need to have our minds renewed. This will require humility as we intentionally consider where we may be functioning with impaired judgment or restricted vision. Let’s be open to considering alternative perspectives beyond our default ways of processing and making decisions.
  • What conclusions do I function from that might not be true?
  • In what ways do I make decisions too fast when slowing down might be beneficial?
  • What processes do I have in place to help me take a humble perspective of my own conclusions?
  • Who might be a trustworthy companion for accountability and discussion on this journey of exploration?
As a coach, I’ve watched people identify and come against damaging thought patterns. With intentionality and God’s grace, I’ve watched them learn how, in a very practical way, take every thought captive and allow transformation through renewal of thinking. What an incredible thing that God has made available to us! How amazing that He invites us into partnership with him in this renewal journey!
Announcements
2018 Easter Offering for the World Evangelism Fund
Hiring English Teachers for Malaysia – INQUIRE NOW!
Dynamic Language Centre is accepting applications for full-time language teachers in their English language center in Penang, Malaysia. The newly renovated center has been in the business for over 15 years. While they teach many languages, children’s and adult English are their main focus. If you are an experienced children’s teacher, enjoy a wide mix of cultures from Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, and are looking for a rewarding career- we have an opportunity for you! Read More
Schedule of Asia-Pacific Region District Assembly Dates
Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific Region, District Assembly Schedule for 2017 - 2018 is now available! District Assembly schedules will start on October 2017 and will end on March 2018. Click here to see full schedule.
Links You Might Like!
Articles
Selected Nazarene Resources

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VOLUME 6, ISSUE Saturday, 03 FEBRUARY 09, 2018
Join Us In Prayer
Taiwan hit by 6.4 magnitude earthquake
Hualien, eastern coast of Taiwan was hit by a 6.4 Magnitude earthquake. The epicenter of the earthquake was estimated 14 miles northeast of Hualien. It is the strongest in the series of quakes that have been hitting Taiwan since February 4th.
The earthquake tipped 4 buildings and has claimed the lives of 9 people, injuring 266 people and with 62 more still missing and believed to still be trapped inside the buildings. Residents have taken shelter inside a local stadium due to the continuing aftershocks. Search and rescue operations are still ongoing even with the continuous aftershocks.
Taiwan hit by 6.4 magnitude earthquake
Photo Credit: Paul Yang / AFP / Getty Images
Taiwan: February 6, 2018, 11:50 PM, Hualien, eastern coast of Taiwan was hit by a 6.4 Magnitude earthquake. The epicenter of the earthquake was estimated 14 miles northeast of Hualien. It is the strongest in the series of quakes that have been hitting Taiwan since February 4th.
The earthquake tipped 4 buildings and has claimed the lives of 9 people, injuring 266 people and with 62 more still missing and believed to still be trapped inside the buildings. Residents have taken shelter inside a local stadium due to the continuing aftershocks. Search and rescue operations are still ongoing even with the continuous aftershocks.
Hualien is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Taiwan and is less populated than the western side due to its mountainous terrain.
According to one of our church leaders in Taiwan, we do not have any affected churches or church members from this catastrophe.
Please pray:
  • For the families who lost a loved one or who have been affected by the earthquake.
  • For the strength of the search and rescue teams.
  • For the safety of the people as there are still a lot of aftershocks.
Regional Prayer Requests Page
You Can Always Find Current Global Prayer Requests and Praises on the NMI Prayer Mobilization Line
Latest News
Church Responds to Those Affected by Volcanic Eruption
The Church of the Nazarene through the Nazarene Disaster Response and Nazarene Compassionate Ministries continue to be in the frontline by helping provide assistance to 5 evacuation centers around the city, giving away 2,000 Crisis Care Kits (CCKs) to 2,000 families. Field Strategic Coordinator Stephen Gualberto of Philippine Micronesia Field and NCM Field Coordinator Leody Echavez III led the district in this response, with the local church in Legazpi City serving as the Command Center.
Church responds to those affected by volcanic eruption
Bicol, Philippines: On January 22, Mayon Volcano in the province of Albay in the Philippines erupted with heavy ashfall.
Around 80,000 people or 20,000 families living near the Philippines’ most active volcano were pre-emptively evacuated after lava and ashes came out of the crater. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology have recorded 152 lava fountaining events since the first day of its eruption.
Aside from this, the eruption has destroyed 185 million pesos in crops, affecting at least 9, 791 farmers and around 7,131 hectares of land.
In the midst of this tragic event, the Church of the Nazarene in the Bicol District through the Nazarene Disaster Response and Nazarene Compassionate Ministries continue to be in the frontline by helping provide assistance to 5 evacuation centers around the city, giving away 2,000 Crisis Care Kits (CCKs) to 2,000 families. Field Strategy Coordinator Stephen Gualberto of Philippine Micronesia Field and NCM Field Coordinator Leody Echavez III led the district in this response, with the local church in Legazpi City serving as the Command Center.
Because of severe ash falls particularly in the municipalities of Ginobotan, Camalig, and Ligao, many people especially children are at risk of inhaling ashes. There is an increased need for relief goods and health-related supplies like dust masks and medicines to help the people in the evacuation center. The government estimated the volcanic activity may last up to 4 months or until the volcano remains active.
The Church of the Nazarene in Bicol continues to plan and prepare for this situation. Nazarene Disaster Response is conducting training and orientation on Child Protection Policy and establishment of Nazarene SafePlaces for children. These Child-Friendly Spaces will be set up in the different evacuation centers where the church responds. The church is also working closely with local and provincial government in the monitoring of the situation and the needs of the displaced families.
Please pray:
  • For the people and families affected by this disaster.
  • For the health of the children who are in the evacuation centers.
  • For the Church in Bicol District as they respond to the needs of the affected families.
  • For the physical and emotional strength of our volunteers. Pray that God will use them to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this difficult time.
  • For the God’s provision on the needs of the people. Let’s pray that the church will unite to give to the needs of those who were affected.
Read More.
WM Communications Asia-Pacific Joins Discipleship Summit 2018
WM Communications Asia-Pacific played a big role in the preparation, planning, and production of the 1-day training program including planning and coordination of the program flow, coordinating with the speakers, graphics design, video production and audio and video coverage during the event.
WM Communications Asia-Pacific Joins Discipleship Summit 2018
Manila, Philippines: It was October last year, that the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) approached World Mission Communications Asia-Pacific to be part of the organizing committee for the Discipleship Summit 2018. This discipleship and disciple-making training is the result of the vision shared by Dr. Billie Hanks, Founder of International Evangelism Association, Bishop Efraim Tendero, CEO/Secretary General of World Evangelical Association, Bishop Noel Pantoja, Chairman PCEC, and Bishop Leo Alconga, the Philippines for Jesus Movement. They have the vision to have 120,000 churches in the Philippines by the year 2020.
Discipleship Summit 2018 was held in Christ’s Commission Fellowship one of the biggest churches in Metro Manila, on February 3, 2018. More than 3,500 small group leaders, Sunday School teachers, Pastors and church leaders gathered together to be equipped in discipleship, disciple-making, and church multiplication. Billie Hanks, Randy Craig, Efraim Tendero and Andrew Liuson were among the speakers.
-- Let's go! Tech rehearsals at CCF Center
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WM Communications Asia-Pacific played a big role in the preparation, planning, and production of the 1-day training program including planning and coordination of the program flow, coordinating with the speakers, graphics design, video production and audio and video coverage during the event. This was an answered prayer for the team as we look for ways that we can serve the ministry organizations in the Philippines.
At the end of the program, Billie Hanks extended his appreciation for how the team helped the program to be the “best training event” that they have done so far.
Truly it was a great opportunity for our team to partner with these organizations and serve the Lord through the talents and creativity that he has given this team with excellence.
World Mission Communications Asia-Pacific (WMC-AP)
about a month ago
People were active in the role playing & lessons during this vision casting event.
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Read More.
Holiness Writers Conference 2018
Asia-Pacific Regional Literature Ministry is inviting you to attend the “HOLINESS WRITERS CONFERENCE” on February 28 to March 3, 2018, at Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary, Manila Philippines. This training event will inspire you to write about what it means to follow Christ and live a holy life in the Asian and Melanesian contexts. Some of the workshops will equip you to write through guided practice with experienced writers.
Learn more how to join the Conference.
Once in a Lifetime Biblical Tour to Greece and Holy Land
Mount Waverley Greek Church of the Nazarene is organizing a once in a lifetime Biblical Tour to Greece and Holy land on September 1-14, 2018. Learn More
Hiring English Teachers for Malaysia – INQUIRE NOW!
Dynamic Language Centre is accepting applications for full-time language teachers in their English language center in Penang, Malaysia. The newly renovated center has been in the business for over 15 years. While they teach many languages, children’s and adult English are their main focus. If you are an experienced children’s teacher, enjoy a wide mix of cultures from Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, and are looking for a rewarding career- we have an opportunity for you! Read More
Schedule of Asia-Pacific Region District Assembly Dates
Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific Region, District Assembly Schedule for 2017 - 2018 is now available! District Assembly schedules will start on October 2017 and will end on March 2018. Click here to see full schedule.
Links You Might Like!
Articles
Selected Nazarene Resources
Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific
Ortigas Avenue Extension
Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal, Manila 1920 Philippines
Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific
Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific
Ortigas Avenue Extension
Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal, Manila 1920 Philippines
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