MARK HENRY: End Point NOT Starting Point

At one Sunday I noticed someone new at the church.   He was seated to someone I know.  Every now and then I would glance in their direction to see if they are following what I was sharing.  He seemed to be a very serious guy. There was hardly an emotion on his face.  Later on I would get to meet him.  He is MARK HENRY DE VENECIA.

Mark Henry "THE ROCKER" DE VENECIA

He was invited over by Beverly Macalanda, a great friend of ours.  She has long been away from the church and it was really a joy to see her again.   Mark was introduced to us as a guitarist, a rocker and of course the love of Bevs (censya binuking ko na).  There was no hesitation on my part to invite him if he would want to join the music team.  He said he would try with Bevs helping out on the back-up vocals (WOW!).  I never cared where he was at in his spiritual journey.

Mark with Bebang (center) and Nikka

It wouldn’t be long that would Mark would show up and jammed with the other musicians and later on be part of the music team.  This guy was really a great guitar player.  He made a lot of noise, joyful ones though.  There was an obvious change in the way music was played in the worship.  There was the guitar lead that screams out and everyone was wondering who is that guy?

Mark (right) along with the rest of the music team during one Sunday in the worship service.

One thing led to another and we eventually see him hanging out in the church.  But he was not simply hanging out, he was serving along side with us.  He would join the PASA LOVE / Project PEARLS Feeding at Pantal where he would serve the kids whether carrying the meals or in the clean-up after wards.  He also was with us in the PASA LOVE at the Hospital 2 where he served as our idiot board (just joking bro!). Actually, he was the assistant director (not officially though) of the event because he was instrumental in helping the event director ( I wonder who’s that guy? ) in the logistics.  And he was also in the PASA LOVE at the streets.  He was a great help.

Mark at the PASA LOVE Feeding at Pantal along with the iFULL team.

Mark as "idiot board" but more of the ASSISTANT DIRECTOR during the PASA LOVE at the Hospital 2.

Mark (right) holding some arrozcaldo to give to jeepney drivers during the PASA LOVE at the Streets!

All of this was happening without him confirming his faith, accepting Jesus Christ, or even getting baptized!

This would be weird or totally unacceptable for some church.  We believe that people have different starting points where they can meet God.  If for some people being part of the church is by trying it out serving in any of the teams without being committed yet then why not?  We never felt we are compromising anything because if it leads them to know Jesus Christ, then it’s worth it.  It’s the end point that counts for us.  If it ends in people getting to know and believe in Jesus Christ, then letting them try or serve first in the ministry team is worth it.

It would be later on that we asked him when would he take the next step of deciding to follow Jesus in baptism.  When we asked him when would he take the next step towards acceptance and baptism, he answered us without any doubt to set a date for it.  A few days after I would share the lessons on salvation and baptism and he totally believed and agreed on doing this.

Along conversation he told us why he chose this church.  Prior to this he was a seeker attending many churches of different kind.  But it was this church that he wanted to be part of.  For him, the search was over in finding a church.  He loved the message.  It was simply presented and is easy to understand.  The people are fun to be with.  (We’re a bunch of messed up people who can laugh at ourselves and still serve God.) The ministry of PASA LOVE gives flesh to what is preached and taught in the church.

On August 15, 2010, Mark Henry De Venecia in obedience to the ordinance of Jesus Christ, decided to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and proclaimed through water baptism.

Ooops, wrong side!

Aahh. The day Mark decided to obey Jesus in baptism.

We’re so proud of you!  Welcome to our family!

It’s not the starting point that matters.  We believe people can have so many starting points that can lead to the critical end point: believing in Jesus Christ and entering the Kingdom of God. If that means we let people join us in ministry without requiring them to accept the Lordship of Christ and getting them baptized, so be it.  In fact, we’ll do it again!

Check out the video of THE PLUNGE!