PADAYON KATIPAN: A call to revival

This is the title  of  my new blog that  focuses on the Convention Baptist Ministers Association and Convention of  Philippine Baptist Churches. Two religious organizations that have been instrumental in the development of my spirituality.  My engagement in the leadership of  these organizations could had  been very productive, were it not interrupted by  chronic heart ailment that constrained my active life of service, some years ago.  Most of my time was spent at home due to limited mobility, making me vulnerable to discouragement and depression.

But such  critical condition  turned out to be a blessing in disguise for many reasons. One is my baptism  to  the wonders of  blogging world, courtesy of a pastor friend.  Starting as  therapy, blogging became a ministry.   I poured out my thoughts and emotion into the blogs and found relief. Even my suppressed commitment to the service of the people both in churches and communities were ventilated .

I succeeded to create 5  personal blogs and  3 official web sites of the organizations my wife and I helped put up.  However, my hectic schedule, especially when I resumed my work at Central Philippine University constrained me to update all my blogs. It was  good that the recent  Christmas break  gave  me time to visit my blogs, review and evaluate them.

Born on  Christmas eve of 2012,   this blog will recall successful activities in the past, analyze and make commentaries on the trends and issues in both organizations. In this way, we can refresh ourselves, remind the current officers and guide the future leaders of our organizations of the struggles we have and the covenant to keep. The alarming trend in both religious organizations has inspired me to create this  blog. May other readers learn from our experiences and find inspiration to guide them in their respective struggles.

The two Ilonggo words PADAYON (keep up/to continue)  KATIPAN (covenant) became a slogan during  my six years of service as president of the Convention Baptist Ministers Association (CBMA). The best years I have ever given to a particular cause in my lifetime. Years that witnessed the commitment and dedication surpassing my other endeavors, paid or likewise voluntary in nature. Padayon Katipan may mean keeping the covenant.

The author acknowledges the CBMA officers and board of trustees
during  his  last State of the Association Address culminating
his six years of service as president in January 2010.

PADAYON was first used on January 2009 during the closure of our annual national assembly. Inspired by the overwhelming responses of pastors to the CBMA leadership and governance, as well as the advocacies on changes in the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches politics, systems and governance, I was looking for a punch line/ clincher to sustain the momentum in delivering the concluding remarks.

Then came the message from my Ihado (wedding godson), when the worship leader innovatively asked the participants to write on piece of paper a message to particular person of choice. All of the notes I received have common message of encouragement to “keep up the good work.” My ihado gave me a note with one word which captured all other messages. Subsequently, I used it to officially close the National Convention of CBMA: PADAYON

KATIPAN, on the other hand, became the campaign slogan in the construction of a Session Hall at Camp Higher Ground to accommodate the participants for the CBMA National Assembly on January 2006. It was the name given to the hall, when completed after some years of struggle. It bespeaks of the realization of collective faith and action (Katumanan sang Tingob nga Pagtoo kag binuhatan).

Katipan sums up our victory in reclaiming the spiritual heritage of the Camp Higher Ground as icon of serenity, spirituality and renewal. Later, Katipan has become a symbol of unity and success.It has even galvanized our relationship bringing our association to the door step of the leadership and politics in Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches.

When used in 2010 during my swan song to culminate my 6 years service, PADAYON KATIPAN has twofold purpose. It was both a recognition of our collective success and a reminder to stay true to our covenant. I thought that was the last time I would be using the two words, cognizant of the end of my term and my very critical health condition at that time.

But God has been kind and gracious. He extended my life. A year after, the magic words served as the title of my open letter for Baptist Pastors published on Pahayag, official publication of the Convention Baptist Ministers Association, January- March 2011 edition. It was sort of a reminder. Excerpt of which states: “The collective faith and action must be uphold in order to sustain the unprecedented success, the changes, the development in our association. The moment we cease to keep  the covenant, we will be condemned to repeat the past.”

PADAYON KATIPAN (Keep up the Covenant) - Part II

EDSA Revolution is a product of respective struggles participated in by the basic masses gaining support from various sectors of diverse orientation, status, political and ideological leanings, colors and shapes. Youth, professionals, church people, businessmen and women, government officials, military and others. All have contributed their share in shaping the Philippine history. Try to isolate one, and the beauty of the event is gone. Just like the rainbow. With only three primary colors (red, yellow, blue), a beautiful multiplication of colors takes place when they link, interact, and overlap. Try to separate one from the other, and the beauty of rainbow is gone.

Such is the message of PADAYON KATIPAN. The collective faith and action must be uphold in order to sustain the unprecedented success, the changes, the development in our association. The moment we cease to keep up the covenant, we will be condemned to repeat the past.

I decided to keep silent for a year, not just because of my health. But to give more time for my successor to establish his leadership. Although the last quarter of 2009 was a transitory period when my illness confined me to an electronic leadership through text and internet. At that time, Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on and Rev. Rustom B. Ola were already taking the lead together with the CBMA Board.

Undeniably, however, my productive terms had embedded on the organizational culture. More so, with my closeness to him, being in the team leading the change. Hence, a year of rest and silence was the best option for a transition which became effective. For it was marked with the establishment of Pastor Jalando-on’s leadership. The only thing I contributed to him was the turn over of records and unfinished tasks and assurance of my prayer support.

My illness has given me sufficient time to rest, pray, meditate, read the bible, reflect and write. All the wonderful experience my previous hectic schedule deprived me. But it’s lingering effect exposes my vulnerability. There were times when I had already resolved to go to the beyond bringing with me thoughts of our collective success.

The only thing that holds back is the commitment made on that haunting day when I was about to respire my last breath: “Not now, Lord... for my family… the CBMA…there are still evil to fight and conquer.” I believe God took notice of that appeal and sincere desire as manifested in the extension and subsequently slow but sure healing process.

This is the commitment that keeps me going despite the pain and vulnerability experience for more than a year now. It is in this context that I now view your decision to bestow on me the title of President Emeritus. A providential niche for my lifetime commitment to CBMA. As long as I live, you can assure of my service to the CBMA. Let us continue our collective faith and action. PADAYON KATIPAN, ANO MAN ANG ATON MADANGATAN. (Keep up the covenant, no matter what.)