| Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries (ASCM) |
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YOUTH & DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING 2011
 For the 3rd consecutive year, the Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries (ASCM) hosted the Church of God Youth & Discipleship Training Conference held February 10-11, 2011. Tony Lane, Coordinator of Discipleship and Children's Ministry for the Church of God, along with his wife Joy Lane, spearheaded yet another fantastic training team.
The ministry leadership team members consisted of John & Jennifer Harris from Brunswick, GA; Randy Holdman and Chris Pascale from Naples, FL; Laura Harvell from Douglas, GA; Teri & Jenelle Mullen from Washington, DC; Roger Stephenson from Huntsville, AL; Richard Philipps from Shelby, NC; Retta Ewell from Wilmington, NC and Randall Parker from Yakima, WA. For two days, the anointed and powerful team shared their practical expertise in the Children's Ministry, Youth Ministry, Discipleship/Christian Education, Leadership/Pastoral and Evangelism/Outreach tracks to hundreds of students and Christian workers of all ages from various backgrounds. READ MORE... See the Y&D Training Photo Album
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COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE (CTI)
MAKATI CEMETERY OUTREACH
For years, more than 60 families have lived inside a nearby cemetery complex (Makati Catholic Cemetery, Makati Municipal Cemetery, and Manila South Cemetery) which is located less than one mile from ASCM. They sleep on top of the whitewashed cement tombs in makeshift housing with walls made of discarded tarps and fabric. During the day, most collect garbage to sell in order to feed their families. Without work and opportunity, they are trapped in a cycle of extreme poverty and death. They are the poorest of the poor in our community.
 
ASCM through our Community Transformation Initiative (CTI) has identified the incredible need of these families in our community and has set out to help. A team of ASCM students, faculty, and staff along with Pres. Rains and his family, Carol and Stephanie, reached out to them on March 12, 2011.
In an effort to connect these families to a nearby local church, ASCM teamed up with members of Church of God Praise Center Makati under Pastor Rey Calingasan.
Students ministered to the children and adults by providing a hot meal and distributing canned goods, rice, medicine, and vitamins. The children loved all of the activities for them which included games, Bible storytelling, and group sharing.
 
In an ongoing response to this dire situation, ASCM is making this a priority in its CTI program to minister both holistically and regularly to these families.
ASCM has also been initiating partnerships with Habitat for Humanity, the local city and barangay government, and other partners to lift the living conditions of these precious people and work toward better alternatives to improve their quality of life.
See the Cemetery Squatter Outreach Photo Album
AETA TRIBE OUTREACH
The Aetas are a nomadic mountain tribe who have lived in the area of Olongapo, Northern Luzon for centuries. During the Vietnam War and afterwards, the Aetas taught their survival skills to US military personnel including the Marines, Navy Seals, and other Special Forces units at the Jungle Environment Survival Training Camp. They still carry on and teach the traditions of their past in the Philippine jungle.
ASCM board member Attorney Rupert Bustamante III provided ASCM students an opportunity to feed and minister to the Aetas last weekend as part of the Community Transformation Initiative (CTI) program in remote areas. The tribe was given a hot meal and the children participated in activities that demonstrated and shared the love of Jesus Christ.
 
Please pray for the Aeta tribe and ASCM's continued ministry there.
See the Aeta Tribe Outreach Photo Album
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NEW ASCM EXTENSION PROGRAM IN AFRICA
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(L-R) Scott Rains, Peter Thomas, Jürgen Rudolph
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In March, Rev. Peter Thomas, COG Field Director for Africa: West, Central, and Eastern, along with Rev. Jürgen Rudolph, C.E. Coordinator for Africa, visited ASCM to finalize plans to start a masters level training program in Africa as a satellite extension of ASCM.
President Rains, Rev. Thomas, Rev. Rudolph, and Academic Dean Abraham signed a Memorandum of Agreement for ASCM to cover the Master of Arts (MA) program in Africa.
This new partnership between ASCM and C.E. Africa will offer an ATA accredited MA in Christian Leadership degree for the first time in the West, Central, and Eastern Africa Region.
Plans are now in the making for this new Masters program to start in 2012.
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 ASCM GRADUATION 2011
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Bro. Eddie Villanueva
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On April 1, 2011, ASCM held their 36th Commencement Exercises. Graduating students from all across Asia walked the stage to receive Masters and Bachelors degrees, as well as certificates in Church Musicianship and Ministerial Studies.
The commencement speaker this year was Brother Eddie Villanueve, Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Founder and Spiritual Director. JIL is a Pentecostal denomination with more than 5 million members worldwide. Bro Eddie commended ASCM for introducing two new courses - Masters in Applied Linguistics and Master of Social Work (MSW) to the ministerial community. Having been a Philippine Presidential candidate on two occasions and with his strong involvement in civic social helps, Bro Eddie highlighted the role of ASCM's MSW program in producing much needed social workers founded in Christian faith and values.
Please pray for our newest ASCM graduates as they return to their homes and ministries across Asia to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and work to reap the Lord's harvest.
See the 2011 Graduation Photo Album 1 and Album 2
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ASCM SUNDAY
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Pres. Rains Preaching at Naic COG
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Each month, select students, faculty and staff of ASCM head out to a local church somewhere in the Philippines to completely take over the Sunday service. Every aspect of the service is conducted by the visiting ASCM team including the music, praise and worship, prayer, preaching, and altar calls. This practical ministry event is called "ASCM Sunday." Most of the churches that we visit are pastored by graduates of ASCM. This quarter, we held ASCM Sundays at Praise Center COG in Makati, COG Naic and COG Calubcob, as well as Harvest COG in Taytay. Our students look forward to ASCM Sundays because it gives them a chance to do practical ministry on a consistent basis. This also gives ASCM a valuable opportunity to connect with the local church and our alumni. See the ASCM Sunday Photo Albums
COG Praise Center Makati AlbumCOG Naic and COG Calubcob AlbumHarvest COG Taytay Album |
ASCM CERTIFIED IN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING
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Alternative Learning Training at ASCM
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Philippine Government's Department of Education's (DepEd) Bureau of Alternative Learning System (ALS) accredited ASCM as an ALS Service Provider in a ceremony on January 14, 2011.
The recognition capped a 5-day training workshop hosted by ASCM and attended by 42 pastors, teachers & church workers from Church of God and other Christian denominations. The training event was facilitated by the ALS-National Capital Region Training Team led by its Chief, Dr. Virginia Silvestre together with Assistant Chief Dr. Felix Trongco and Regional Supervisors Dr. Al Ibanez and Dr. Teresita Guevarra.
ALS is DepEd's training program for out-of-school children, youth and adults who have not finished their elementary and high school studies but still yearn to do so. They are considered as the least, the lost, and the last in the society. READ MORE...
See the ALS Training Photo Album
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INTER-SEMINARY SPORT FELLOWSHIP
In this year's ISSF, masteral student Gideon Gunawan hauled in the gold in Singles Badminton for ASCM on January 15, 2011. Pastor Gideon, a COG minister from Indonesia, defeated all his opponents in lopsided victories as he was cheered on by fellow ASCM students and faculty in the bleachers.  | |
Women's Volleyball Team
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ASCM's Women's Volleyball team brought home the silver against the International Graduate School of Leadership who were Overall Champions once again after the all day sportsfest. Featured games were Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, Table Tennis, Darts, Games of the Generals, Scrabble and Chess. ASCM was declared 3rd Runner-Up after all points were tallied.
See the ISSF Photo Album |
ASCM LEADERS MEET MAKATI MAYOR
 ASCM President Scott Rains together with Academic Dean, Josh Abraham; Dean of Students, Victor Immanuel Cuarto and Business Manager, Letty Rimonte made a visit to the office of Makati Mayor Junjun Binay (center) on January 17, 2011 at the 21st Floor of the Makati City Hall.
This visit was part of our Community Transformation Initiative's local strategy to develop service oriented relationships with elected officials and other leaders in our immediate community, which is the city of Makati. Working in partnership with the local government, ASCM can more effectively impact the surrounding community through civic social helps.
As ASCM ministers to the social needs of the community, our students are able to experience practical ministry first hand through a model which goes beyond the walls of the seminary or church and meets the human need both physically and spiritually through the demonstration of the love of Jesus Christ.
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| ASCM RETREAT
Hacienda Darasa, a family resort in Tanauan City, Batangas was the venue of ASCM's Family Camp held on January 20-21, 2011. Bannered by the theme "PUSH" (Hebrews 12:1-3), the camp was a time to unwind as a family and be refreshed by the Word of God delivered by COG National Overseer, Dr. Marc Ligero and ASCM President Scott Rains as camp speakers.
Dr. Ligero challenged all students to excel in their studies. Pres. Rains likewise issued a challenge - "Do you have what it takes?" to serve God. Altar calls were made after each session as faculty, staff and students alike poured their hearts out to the Lord in prayer and intercession for one another.
The students were divided into four teams - Yellow, Red, Green and Blue which competed against each other in a series of fun games, quiz and skits. Free time was spent in the pool, the basketball court and the volleyball grass court while others tried the ropewalk.
See the ASCM Retreat Photo Album
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From the President
Carol and I want to thank God for all that He has accomplished through the faculty, staff, and students of ASCM. We are particularly excited about how God is helping ASCM expand it's role as the regional school for Asia and the Pacific. ASCM currently has 9 extension centers, which operate all across the Philippine Islands, with one being in India. With the addition of our new extension in Africa, ASCM will be adding 5 new extensions this year for a total of 14 centers, of which, 9 will be teaching the grassroots level Certificate in Ministerial Studies (CIMS) and 5 will be offering an accredited Master of Arts degree. Through ASCM, God is equipping His ministers today and training a new generation of ministers for tomorrow in Asia. They are the workers that He will send out into His harvest field (Mt 9:38). Please pray for the students of ASCM; the Asian harvest field workers! May the Lord continue to bless you abundantly for your ongoing support of this vital regional school!
Scott C. Rains President
FACTS ON ASIA
Of the 6,759 Unreached People Groups globally, 5,269 are in Asia. Of the 68 countries in the 10/40 Window, 45 are in Asia. |
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