Vol.

1 2014
INTOUCH
The Offcial Newsletter of the Asian Theological Seminary
www.ats.ph
45th Anniversary Issue
Gods Flame in ATS
Gods Flame in ATS
ATS Vision
To become the leading evangelical
seminary in Asia that produces
outstanding servant leaders.
ATS Mission
To glorify God by providing
quality theological education for
Christian leaders to effect biblical
transformation in the Church and
society in Asia and beyond.
President
Rev. Timoteo D. Gener, PhD
Editorial Staff
Ella Abigail Santos
Glevy Baybayon, Marizol Duran,
Junette B. Galagala-Nacion,
Honey Belle Wong
Contributors
Dr. Timoteo Gener, Dr. David Cheung,
Dr. Stewart De Boer with Corrie De Boer,
Dr. Isabelo Magalit, Dr. Lydia Mapile, Dr.
Cecilio Pedro, Bishop Cesar Punzalan,
Leslie Lofranco-Berbano, Ariel Siagan,
Tano Emboc, Tricia Mazo, Paolo Xavier
Saldevar, Doni Wijaya,
Henry Baldevarona
Layout Artist: Faye Castillo
INTOUCH STAFF
A Worker
Approved by
God
27
Dr. Isabelo F. Magalit
Gods Flame
Within
03
Dr. Cecilio Pedro
The Joy Burning
Within
21
Dr. Lydia Mapile
Keeping the
Fire Burning
13
Batch 2014 Graduates
Embodying
Servanthood
10
Bishop Cesar Punzalan III
The Flame That
Sustained ATS
06
Rev. David Cheung
Burning Hearts
That Started ATS
04
Dr. Stewart De Boer
23
Spreading the
Flame: ATS
Theological
Forum 2014
Leslie Lofranco-Berbano
On the cover: Generations of students, faculty,
and staff built the ATS community for over
four decades.
Holistic transformation through service and community. Evangelical
confdence in the Scriptures and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sensitivity
to context and culture. All these and more are at the heart of
Asian Theological Seminary, which celebrates 45 years of the
Lords goodness this year. The seminary is testament to the fruit of
Evangelical engagement that is rooted in faithfulness to Scripture and
lived out in the myriad expressions of ministerial diversity.
If you would notice, the ATS logo has fre burning on top of Gods
written Word. That burning fre is the light of God. In this 45th year of
ATS, we affrm it is the LORD who gives us light, the One who causes
our lamp to be lighted and to shine (Amplifed Bible). It is this light
which we pass on in equipping Christian leaders for ministry. In the
Bible were shown that an encounter with Jesus Christ opens up the
Scripture and makes people on fre, moved by God and burning for
Him (Luke 24:32). ATS thrives on this encounter with the living Lord.
Striving to create global impact through its diverse training programs
and grounded in an international community of Christ-followers, ATS
combines commitment to the Scriptures with engagement in ministries
that transform churches and societies.
What you will see in this Anniversary issue of InTouch is a collage
of stories that portray the way ATS has encountered and continues
to meet the living Lord on the road while serving Him. With every
heart that is changed, every hand that still seeks to serve, and every
mind that grapples with the truth of Scriptures, we have every reason
to celebrate the Lords faithfulness.
Amid the constant changes in an
increasingly multifaceted world, it
is the fre from our walk with God
and passion for Gods mission that
transforms our vision and enables us
to act in ways that please Him.
We bless the Lord who began and
sustained ATSand will bring us into
more strategic focus and direction
in the coming years. God alone be
glorifed!
DR. TIM GENER
It is You, O LORD who give us light! (Psalm 18:28)
2
ATS at 45:
ATS at 45:
F
or 45 years, Asian
Teological Seminary
has consistently produced
leaders of the Christian
faith. Each one is called
to share the unchanging
promise of Gods love in
these constantly changing
times. Together with
them, we as members of
the ATS family, also share
in this work. And in this
time when Christianity
faces blatant disregard,
it is the ame within
that bonds us together in
defense of our faith.
Te gospel of Jesus
Christ is constantly
attacked in the world
we live in today. Many
Christian churches are
embattled by forces that
inuence believers away
from God. It might seem
that this is the worst
of times but in Gods
eyes, this is the best of
times. Christians should
accept this challenge of
declaring our faith and
allowing God to work
His power so that more
are drawn closer to Him.
Te truth needs a voice
and ATS can easily be
at the forefront with
InTouch. Everyday, we are
bombarded with horric
stories that discourage
us. However, InTouch,
with its collection of
personal testimonies, lls
us with the knowledge of
Christ and res our spirit
to move forward even
through rough situations.
Our work never
stops. Moving forward,
we should capitalize on
the tools aorded us to
continue sharing the
truth and love of God.
We have to speak the
language the world
today understands.
Tis is the trial for
ATS and InTouch,
to reach this social
media-crazed
generation and
bring it to an
enlightened state
of being. Let us
take advantage of
the Internet and
maximize it for
the furtherance of
Christianity.
I thank God for our
ATS family. I am equally
grateful to God for using
InTouch to assert His
truth. I am certain that
He still has so much in
store for everyone that
lives to serve Him. To
my ATS family, thank
you for allowing our
heavenly Father to work
through you. I look
forward to more years of
working alongside you in
Gods name. My prayer
remains that we take each
opportunity to make a
dierence for His glory.
Gods Flame Within
By Dr. Cecilio Pedro
Dr. Cecilio Pedro is the Asian Theological Seminary Board of
Trustees Chairman. He is also the chief executive offcer/president
of Lamoiyan Group of Companies. He worships at United Evangelical
Churches of the Philippines, where he is also an elder. 3
Burning Hearts That Started ATS
W
orld War II had
just come to a stop.
Several American soldiers,
who were stationed in
Manila, nally stripped
o their uniforms.
Missionaries saw their
need and began Back
Home Bible Studies with
them.After more than two
decades, two institutions
were born from this
groupa college-level
Bible school and a
graduate-level seminary.
Mission boards needed
trained leaders and ATS
was the platform to train
leadership at a Masters
level at this time.
Te intention then
was to develop national
Filipinos to take over
the administration and
for these roles; he
wanted to step out of the
administration and teach
instead. Even after his
Dr. Stewart De Boer, with Corrie De Boer, as told to INTOUCH
faculty. I came up with
the idea, inspired by my
fathers example. He was
a missionary in India, the
president of a college.
He had set up the school
to be eventually taken
over by Indians in the
administration, funding,
and faculty. To do this,
he trained the nationals
untimely death at age 44,
I had already imbibed my
fathers perspective.
It was in 1969,
when two missionaries
from Dallas Teological
Seminary (Drs. Elliot
Johnson and Cary Perdue)
agreed to serve in the
seminary for two years.
Te rst Board was

DR. STEWART DE BOER

4
Why not set up the seminary
here [and not rely on training our
people overseas]?
composed of delegates
from Overseas Missionary
Fellowship, Conservative
Baptist Association of
the Philippines, and Far
East Gospel Crusade
(now SEND). ATS
still represents these
organizations in its Board
today. Recruiting a huge
number of faculty, ATS
became the training
vehicle to work with the
missionaries.
In the 1980s,
missionaries had been
sending Filipinos overseas
to train but some of
them did not come back.
Why not set up the
seminary here? At the
time, the global church
growth movement was
also gaining ground and
ATS produced leaders
to shepherd the growing
movement. So ATS
developed its Master of
Teology program, which
many of ATSs senior
faculty tookall of them
were my former students.
My role had been to
develop a strong core of
national and international
Asian faculty. I organized
a team of American
missionaries to train the
locals. Tey went abroad
to get their PhDs then
they returned to teach.
After the Filipinos
received their PhDs, the
Swiss, American, and
British professors stepped
down.
We also bought the
ATS property in Scout
Madrian in 1980. We
used to hold classes at
the Ben-lor Building on
Quezon Ave., then along
Panay Ave., and also on
Roosevelt Ave. I worked
workers, which we did
through ATSs Center
for Transformational
Urban Leadership and
in partnership with
Bakke University. I
also advocated for ATS
Extension Programs,
which had centers
in Davao, Cebu, and
Bacolod.
I saw myself as an
encourager, a Barnabas.
I stepped down after six
years because I believed in
the importance of national
leadership. Although one
more American served
as president after me,
Dr. Isabelo Magalit took
over the reins in 1989 as
rst Filipino and Asian
president. Turning over
closely with the Board,
raised funds, and nally
purchased the present
campus. In 1984, I helped
set up Mission Ministries
Philippines, which is
the learning laboratory
of ATS for work among
the grassroots with the
urban poor. We strived to
provide access to Masters
and PhDs to urban poor
the leadership had its
challenges, particularly
economic. Tere was no
need to pay expat workers
but we had to raise the
salary for local sta and
faculty. Overhead costs
increased. Tuition had
to go up but slowly, the
expats exited. I had always
wanted the seminary to be
self-sustaining.
Dr. De Boer is third in the line of ATSs frst four presidents,
all of whom are American. He continued to teach three to
four subjects until the mid-2000s. Today, the entire ATS staff
is Filipino while 80% of the faculty is Asian. The professors
are also practitioners in their respective felds of expertise.
I want to see the alumni in
active ministry, bringing the
kingdom into communities.
5
Now, I would like
the church to grow under
the leadership of the
alumni. It used to be
that the school was in
the church, the student
was a practitioner. I want
to see the alumni in
active ministry,
bringing the
kingdom into
communities.
The Flame That
Sustained ATS
By Rev. David Cheung, PhD
President Emeritus, Asian Theological Seminary
I
nstead of talking about spiritual principles in the abstract, may I share
with you the concrete testimony of how the Flame sustained ATS during
the crisis years I served as ATS president.
After the Lord guided me to assume the post, Cesar Punzalan told me
I had a three-month cushion. Tat is, if the nancial problems were not
resolved, ATS would close down in three months. We will not be able to pay
our electric bill, water bill, salaries, everything. I knew beforehand there was a
fund crisis but I did not know it was this bad.
Some thought I came into the presidency with a solution. I did not.
I did not even know the true size of the problem. I accepted the task only
because the Lord so directed me. Later I discovered that the money in our
general fund was good for three weeks. Tis was the cash gure on the 14th
day of my Presidency!
But the Flame sustained us. During my rst week, the nance ocer
told me: Mr. President, you need to raise 300,000 pesos within a week. I
was told this was to meet mid-month salary release. I was then occupying
a desk in the Business Oce since the Presidents Oce was under
renovation. I could not even locate my stapler and ruler. Much less nd
P300,000.
So that night I told Ester and my 11-year-old son: I need to raise three
hundred thousand in a week. So, Matthew, can you pray for me? He replied:
Okay, Dad. Is it (US) dollars or pesos? I told him it is pesos. So he asked
the Lord for it, then went to sleep peacefully. I went to sleep as well but
less peacefully.
6
Te next day the nance ocer came again: Mr. President I said in
my heart: Not another amount to raise, please. She continued: Te money has
arrived. How? I wondered, for I did not make a single phone call or write a
single letter. It was wired in last night and it was over 300,000 pesos.
From this episode I realized two things. One, if the Lord is with us, what
crisis can defeat us? Two, Matthew should have been the president I am
willing to take his place in Grade 5 class at Light Christian Academy.
In my week two, I discovered from old les that we had been negotiating
to buy the adjacent corner lot for many years. As we were running short of
space, I called up Mrs. R whom I found to be a nice old lady. She asked
P34.4 million. I said the amount sounds too big. We talked some more but
stalemated at her price. Finally I heard myself saying: Actually, Mrs. R, the
problem is not simply you giving us the land and we the cash to you. So
whats the problem? she asked. Te problem is you are renting out your land to
businesses of sin.
It is true her land was leased to Hunks and Babes, a second night club and
also a beer house (with hospitality ladies and an upper room which the leasee
refused to show me when I visited later). But I wanted neither to condemn
her which I just did nor to start a quarrel with this nice senior lady. Tis
was but our rst conversation. And on the phone too we had yet to meet in
person. Oh no, how could I just mess up everything with such a thoughtless
remark!
Dr. David Cheung pastors Immanuel Christian Reformed Church in British
Columbia, Canada and served as ATS president from 2007-2009. Pictured with
him are his son, Matthew (L) and his wife, Ester (R).
7
Ten Mrs R replied: Oo, nga,
eh (Yes, it is true). So I said, Since
you and I agree on this, let us work
together to transform the moral
climate of our neighborhood.
She armed and then asked me
to name my price. Troughout the
conversation, the Flame sustained
ATS despite my ineptitude at
social diplomacy and business
negotiation.
In week ve, I had a special
meeting with the ATS board. I
proposed ATS buy the corner lot
and build a 9-storey edice above-
ground plus a two-level underground
parking facility. Someone asked
the budget, so I announced P334
million (or US$8 million by
Manila-California minimum-wage
equivalence). Tere was silence for
about 400 years. With the general
fund dwindling fast, I suspected
some board member may be
regretting we got a president who is
poor at math. Anyway, Ef Tendero
and the board graciously allowed me
to continue negotiations over the
land.
I called up Mrs R and said we
oer P30 million. She said she will
go ask them. Tem who? I thought
you and I agree on it and its done
No, she explained, I dont own the
land. My husband and his siblings do.
How many siblings? Four they
inherited the land from their late
mother.
Now this is tough. I learned the
land is nearly P40M in the market.
So how can four people agree to
P30M and lose P10M altogether
or P2.5M per person? All it takes is
for one sibling to say he wants his
P2.5M, and the price goes up to the
full P40M.
Mrs R continued over the
phone: By the way, one of the siblings
just died. I nearly said, Praise the
Lord but didnt. Te Flame knows
when to make us say things and
when to silence us. Mrs R added: Te
dead sibling is replaced by her ve adult
children. Oops, from four siblings to
three siblings to eight people this
means complicated negotiations.
Soon I found myself at a Makati
coee shop with eight people, not
counting their driver/bodyguards.
Te R family is all business folks
operating a restaurant, a catering
service, real estate, etc. One was
accounting ocer at a multinational
company, knew tax laws by heart,
and can compute big numbers
without a calculator. Sitting across
the eight-person team, I was
protected by nine coee cups and
about to be out-negotiated. But the
Flame was there to sustain. In the
end, they agreed to P30M.
After I updated the ATS
board, they decided to install an
administration fee into it. Tis is
common practice, for any institution
carrying on a major capital project
normally gets a big dip in the
general fund. Fortunately the admin
fee was only 10% instead of the
8
Yes, it was the Flame
which sustained ATS
during those crisis
years. That Flame was
the Lord our God.
usual 20-30%. Adding an allowance
for tax and legal expenses, the project
totaled P35M.
Te next step was to negotiate
the payment scheme. Cecilio
Pedro helpfully coached me on an
installment plan. I asked Mrs R for
36 months to pay. She wanted 18
months. We settled on 22 months.
So the thing was named Project
8-30 we were to down P8M (on
August 30) and nish paying the
whole P30M by June 2009.
To nalize things, we met at
a coee house in Pasay City. Te
R family insisted on giving us the
land title after full payment. Atty.
Alex Parco whom I brought along
suggested ATS issues 22 post-
dated checks and the title be held
in a bank escrow account. Tis was
rejected. So we oered to take out a
huge bank loan and pay the whole
P30M in one go. Tis was agreed.
But the Flame has prepared
things way in advance. Paul Ung
gave me very wise advice on loan
options. Bank manager Janet Q
my churchmate from the 1980s
granted a super-friendly deal. Our
account ocer, Donna M attends,
my childhood home church UECP,
which was then supporting me as
missionary for theological education.
In February 2008, we paid the R
family, got the land title for a few
minutes, and quickly handed it over
to the bank. Eventually, we paid
o the whole bank loan in seven
(instead of 22) months.
Meanwhile, the general fund
did not dip. At one time, it grew up
to 2000% (yes, two thousand). As to
foreign-vs-local donation income,
we went from 30% local funding
to 70%, then to 93%. As you know,
2008 was the year of the nancial
tsunami which seriously aected our
western donors. For this, the Flame
prepared our local givers in advance.
With the nancial crisis
resolved and the land acquired, I
stepped down from the presidency
in 2009. Troughout the journey, the
Flame that sustained ATS guided
me and my fellow sojourners. May I
thank the latter the board, faculty,
sta, students, alumni, the many
donors, prayer partners, encouragers,
and especially the executive
committee members from those
years, who graciously and generously
supported me in the lonely post of
the presidency.
Yes, it was the Flame which
sustained ATS during those crisis
years. Tat Flame was the Lord our
God. And He continues to sustain.
Truly, Te Lord is my Shepherd, I
shall not be in want (Psalm 23.1).
Glory to His great Name! May we
depend on Him always and pray
more.
ATS acquired the vacant adjacent lot in 2008
9
Embodying Servanthood
By Bishop Cesar Vicente P. Punzalan III
O
ne of the functions of the church is diakonia. It means service.
Diakonia is the root for the word deacon. Deacons are servants. Te
members of the body of Christ in many ways are to serve.
Te Philippines has been called a nation of servants and some years ago,
a dictionary dened a Filipina as a domestic servant, to the howls of protest
from our national thought leaders. God called us to serve but why is it
shameful to be called a nation of servants?
We understand servanthood from the perspective of servitude.
Servanthood as servitude is a mindset borne of more than three centuries of
colonization by Spain and 50 years of American occupation. As per Oxford
American Dictionary, servitude is the state of being a slave or completely
subject to someone more powerful. It further means being born to a life of
servitude slavery, enslavement, bondage, subjugation, subjection, domination,
and historical serfdom.
Photo | davecrabb.com
10
It is a life of bondage. A
bondservant in the Bible wears a
ring on one ear to announce his
survival. It doesnt really matter how
hard you work, what matters most is
whom you are connected to.
In order not
to oend potential
benefactors, we
develop a culture of
pakikisama. Structural
evil is largely ignored.
But we must respond
to the vilest form of
personal evil, and to
the onslaught of natural tragedies
such as severe typhoons and
earthquakes. We have yet to unite
our discordant voices as Christs
church and harmonize it to speak
the mind of God on the evils of
culture in our midst.
Diakonia is servanthood. Jesus
used the word doulos to describe
His servants. Te word describes
someone who is devoted to another
persons wellbeing in disregard for
his or her own interests.
Among the evangelicals in the
Philippines, diakonia as a function
of the church is very much ignored
and misunderstood. It seems that
today, we evangelicals spend more
hours, nancial resources, and
time devoted to our own interests.
We spend more money building
sanctuaries than evangelizing the
lost, speaking the mind of God
in the public square on matters of
structural evil, or even addressing
the appearance of evil in our midst.
We somehow believe that if we
build those magnicent temples,
people will come and they will hear
the word of God. And we believe
that somehow they will deal with
Servanthood is the
decision to be engaged
because Christ has
called us to serve.
lifelong servitude. For a time, the
men of China wore pigtails to
remind them that they were once
a conquered nation. Some other
cultures, including ours, have
invisible earrings and pigtails that
are far more destructive than visible
marks of servitude. Tey have values
based on inequality, resignation,
corruption, and hopelessness.
It is a life of hopelessness. It
is a life based on the philosophical
foundation that some are created
more equal than others. Tere are
servants and there are masters.
But poverty can be conquered by a
deep sense of hope. Servitude is an
endless cycle of bondage.
Biblical servanthood on the
other hand, is transcendent. Te
gospel provides a natural economic
lift through hope, so the destitute
rst generation believers become
parents of emerging middle class
believers.
Second, we have our own
cultural experience of servitude.
For three centuries, servitude has
created a lifestyle of hopelessness
for our people. Te padrino system
makes corruption necessary for
11
evil after they heard the word of
God preached in those magnicent
temples.
Jesus touched the leper before
He healed him. Barnabas sold his lot.
Believers brought their resources to
the apostles feet. Te Macedonians
gave out of their poverty. Troughout
history, Christs disciples took
care of their sick and their poor
as well as the sick and the poor of
others. George Mueller took care of
Londons orphans. Mother Teresa
held the hands of the dying destitute
of India and the world understood
how compassionate her God is.
Samaritana Transformation
Ministries provides hope and life
renewal to prostituted women in
Metro Manila. Mission Ministries
of the Philippines reaches out to
the children of the slums and trains
teachers to disciple and educate the
children in the margins of our city.
Te ATS Center for Continuing
Studies continues to serve those who
are in the ministry eld by providing
practical, non-formal theological
training. Te ATS Center for
Transformational Urban Leadership
program trains men and women of
God to focus their ministry on the
people on the margins. Te ATS
formal theological programs train
young men and women to serve in
churches all over Asia at a fraction
of the actual cost of the education.
Te ATS board and administration
ocers labor beyond the call of
Christian duty so the institution
can continue to serve. Tese acts of
servanthood draw unbelievers to
Jesus.
Servanthood is the decision to
be engaged because Christ has called
us to serve. Pastors are to prepare
Gods people for the works of service
(Eph.4:12).
When the body of Christ
stops serving, evil succeeds. When
the body of Christ serves, the hungry
get food, the sick are cared for,
the oppressed get an advocate, the
victims of tyranny get justice, the sick
and groaning land gets healing, the
good news is preached. All of these
move us to a culture of righteousness.
Righteousness exalts a nation
(Proverbs 14:4).
Tere is no redemptive or
transcendent value to servitude. But
servanthood is Gods transcendent
lift from the evil of becoming too
engrossed with ourselves, and from
structural evil that man imposes on
his fellowman.
InTouchs Note: Tis article was rst published
in the Ministry Digest. Revised June 2, 2014.
BP. PUNZALAN III is the vice-president
of the ATS Board of Trustees. He
served as OIC president in 2006.
12
Keeping
the
Burning
Fire
Batch 2014 graduates share their next ministerial steps and
plans in sustaining their passion for God outside the walls
of the seminary.
13
After fnishing my studies at ATS, I came back to Rebana
Foundation, the humanitarian arm of the Union of Indonesian
Baptist Churches. In this organization,we are not only capable
of giving fsh (caritative actions), but also able to train them in
catching fsh (development / empowerment), and educate
them on what, where, when, and why should they fsh
(assistance / advocacy). Working in the humanitarian feld
allows us to be actively involved in the interfaith movement.
This gives us the opportunity to display our Christian witness and
develop mutual respect among other faiths.
My time in ATS truly developed my knowledge and
understanding in seeing how God is working comprehensively
to make himself known to all nations and the entire creation.
With this sense, I am always excited to experience surprises
when I am involved in Gods redemption plan for this world.
My hope and prayer is for God to continue equipping me to
become a faithful agent of transformation and enable me to
equip others through any way He allows me to. Soli Deo gloria!
Doni Wijaya
MA Intercultural Ministries
My time in ATS
truly developed
my knowledge
and understanding
in seeing how
God is working
comprehensively to
make himself known
to all nations
14
I will be serving as the administrative pastor of our local
congregation in Catmon, Malabon. Our congregation is
located in an urban poor community so our ministries are
geared towards the materially disadvantaged. At the same
time, I will continue to work at the National Council of Churches
in the Philippines in the Christian Unity and Ecumenical Relations
program unit.

Self-denial, sacrifce, right grounding, and proper perspective
will keep the fre of God burning in my heart. The people I am
serving are marginalized communities. I choose to be in this
situation, and self-denial and sacrifce will surely sting the soul.
Bits of these stings will help keep me grounded and give me the
right perspective in the ministries I do for God.
Ariel Siagan
MA Transformational Urban Leadership
Self-denial,
sacrifce, right
grounding,
and proper
perspective will
keep the fre of
God burning in
my heart.
15
A month or so before graduation, my church informed me of
an immediate opening for the position of Community Outreach
Ministry Coordinator. I was both expected and encouraged to
apply, having been given educational support by our church. I
was then appointed for the position. I thank God for how He has
smoothly transitioned me from ministry study to ministry work.
The task would make me involved in the lives of community
kids. I would oversee the teaching of more than 200 children
every Sunday from economically challenged families and the
handling of an educational sponsorship program that benefts
more than two dozen of them! That would require much prayer,
preparation, visitation, follow-up, and counseling of children on
my part.
I thank God for ATS. I am sure that the equipping I have received
from ATS will enable me to realize a fruitful ministry. With the
values of diligence, discipline, and discernment that I gained
from seminary, I feel confdent that God will use me much
to help bring about kingdom transformation in my sphere of
infuence.
Paolo Xavier Saldevar
MA Christian Education
I am sure that
the equipping I
have received
from ATS will
enable me to
realize a fruitful
ministry.
16
In line with my background in social work and counseling, it is
with fervor that I witness for Him and make a difference in the
lives of women and children in oppressive situations. I sent my
resume to an organization working in this feld and I continue to
trust Gods plans. He knows exactly where to put me and has
already set the stage for this.
Weeks before my graduation, professors suggested to me the
need for a coordinator of the ATS disaster response initiative to
typhoon Haiyan survivors. As coordinator, I am helping supervise
ATS volunteer counselors who will be deployed in various areas
devastated by the typhoon. We continued training volunteer
counselors and had our frst workshop on disaster preparedness
and psycho-spiritual support with groups of pastors and church
workers from 11 urban poor churches. The equipping of workers
and follow-up visits on the sites provided with psycho social
processing and trainings are in the pipeline.
It is a privilege to remain at ATS, having the honor of working
alongside wise and Spirit-led leaders. It is Gods grace that
keeps me seeking and listening to Him. The charity of Christ
urges me on (2 Cor 5:14) to keep this passion burning.
Tricia Mazo
MA Pastoral Counseling
It is Gods grace
that keeps me
seeking and listening
to Him. The charity
of Christ urges me
on (2 Cor 5:14) to
keep this passion
burning.
17
I have been involved in Bible translation since 2006 as a mother
tongue translator with Wycliffe Philippines. We had translated
the NT and some books in OT and dedicated them two years
ago. Right now, we are trying to fnish the OT because the
community requested the whole Bible to be translated into
our own mother tongue, the Matigsalug Manobo language in
southern Philippines.
Aside from direct translation work, I am also helping some other
teams in the Philippines primarily as consultant-in-training. Bible
consultants are the ones who decide whether the translation is
ready for publication or not. This means that revision is required
or another series of checks must be done after a series of
checking sessions. Hopefully, I will be able to fnish my internship
next year and become a legitimate entity-level consultant in
Asia. Then I will be responsible in helping my team have an
accurate, natural, acceptable, and clear translation of the
Scriptures. I do a lot of lecturing, checking, facilitating, and
mentoring work for my team and other teams also.
Tano Emboc
MDiv Biblical Studies
Right now, we are
trying to fnish the OT
because the community
requested the whole
Bible to be translated
into our own mother
tongue, the Matigsalug
Manobo language in
southern Philippines.
18
After ATS, I am praying about exploring more opportunities to
develop and strengthen my gifts and potential as a minister
of God. I have been pastoring for almost thirty years and I am
currently the senior pastor of Provider Christian Reformed Church
in Bicutan, Taguig. I am also a core member of church.net,
which focuses on ministering to all pastors and churches that are
in need. Our vision is for there to be no poor among all Christians
through a deeper togetherness in work and life among poor and
rich Christian communities.
ATS has helped me so much in my development as a servant
of Christ, especially in my heart and ministry for marginalized
pastors as well as the churches God has entrusted to me. I have
been traveling to Panay island almost every month for the past
two years, leading the group of pastors in different churches and
helping them develop their struggling churches. Pastors in Panay
are having diffculties due to their limited access to resources. I
encourage them to be accountable, have healthy relationships
among one another, strengthen their spirituality, and cultivate
their skills for the progress of their churches.
I thank God for this opportunity to be an agent of transformation
and nurturing. I am praying that Gods grace will continue to
develop my desire and passion, which ATS has imparted to my
spiritual formation as a minister of God.
Henry Baldevarona
MDiv Pastoral Studies
I am praying that
Gods grace will
continue to develop
my desire and
passion, which ATS
has imparted to my
spiritual formation as
a minister of God.
19
Congratulations to Dr. Andrew I. Liuson of Cityland Corporation for having been
conferred the Honorary Doctor of Divinity during the ATS 45th Commencement
Exercises. Dr. Liuson is the ffth recipient of the prestigious ATS honorary degree. The
previous recipients were Drs. Isabelo Magalit, Bishop Efraim Tendero, Mike Harrison,
and Arch. Erlinda Tan.
20
Faculty Award and Expository Preaching Award
Tano Emboc
Academic Excellence Award
Ma. Angelica de Vera
Christian Education Award
Samuel Sumaoang
Community Service Award
Tricia Mazo and Doni Wijaya
Counseling Award
Tricia Mazo
Cross-cultural Missions Award
Doni Wijaya
Theological Education Award
Jonathan delos Reyes
Transformational Urban Leadership Award
Ariel Siagan
2014
STUDENT
AWARDEES
S
everal ATS alumni still communicate with me through e-mail.
Others come to my oce for personal visit, most of them sharing
their experiences while in the seminary, which have enriched them
particularly for their current ministry endeavors. All updates they impart
deeply touch my heart. While several of these alumni gave me the
privilege of listening to their heart sentiments while they were students,
a few others did not seem to feel free in sharing about their inner selves.
After graduating from their program, however, they become more verbal
about their experiences. If as students they had to grapple with anxieties
over academic requirements, they are now as they have always been
thankful for everything they have learned at ATS.
One of the most recent letters I received through e-mail is from
a Malaysian alumnus. He shared openly what he had experienced as
a student at ATS several years ago: Tose times at ATS were very
hurried times, just soaking in all the teachings, doing assignments
sometimes interacting with ATS faculty and studentsall done within
a period of two years. Im grateful to the Lord for such times, short they
may be, but really precious Tis is the same alumnus who came to visit
me at ATS with his wife two years after his graduation. I was surprised
when they delivered to my oce a brand new computer (with a printer),
The Joy
Burning Within
Students, alumni, previous faculty and staf continue to love ATS
21
The Joy
Burning Within
Dr. Mapile teaches an
extension class of Educational
Principles and Methods.
and he told me that I needed one to replace my old computer. Such
generosity from an ATS alumnus armed and challenged me to keep on
endeavoring to do my best as part of the ATS family, for Gods glory.
If I were to share all meaningful experiences Ive had at ATS,
particularly with students, co-faculty, sta, and even our administrators,
words will not be enough to express the joy burning deep within me.
Current students and alumni have articulated the same sentiment.
ATS, to them, is not only an academic institution; it is also a venue of
emotional and spiritual growth, and this relates to me as well because
I delight learning with and from my classmates. I call my students
classmates with the thought that if I share with them my insights, I also
glean wisdom from them, particularly through our classroom
discussions. Teir thoughts embedded in their
papers, which they are required to
submit, inspire me as well.
Relating with students and the
ATS community as a whole does
refurbish my hearts satisfaction
and personal growth as well. Tis
is mainly the reason I turned
down several oers extended
to me. I am deeply grateful for
their invitations, but my heart
was as it has always been
at ATS, a home which gives
me inner delight and passion
for teaching. I do thank and
praise God for my privilege
of being part of the ATS
family.
Dr. Lydia Mapile
has served through ATS for more than three
decades. After fnishing her MA in Christian
Education, she became ATS registrar in 1981. After seeing her teach a session in class,
the former dean asked her to take a PhD so she could formally take a teaching position.
She did fnish her PhD even while serving at ATS and later became the department head
of the Christian Education program. Even after retirement, she continues to teach several
courses and is the frst professor emeritus of ATS. Tita or Mommy Lyds never fails to
give warmth as she greets or hugs ATS students, alumni, faculty, and staff a valuable
contribution to the community she calls her home.
22
L
iminal was the word of the day during the
ATS Teological Forum held last February
6-7 at the Greenhills Christian Fellowship Church,
Ortigas Center. Te theme was God at the Borders:
Globalization, Migration and Diaspora.
Liminal aptly describes the experience
of migration as a dicult transitional period
characterized by ambiguity and uncertainty. When
migrants leave their homeland for economic reasons,
or to escape persecution, war, or natural disasters, they
undergo a period of alienation and disorientation
as they cross borders and try to make a new life in
By Leslie Lofranco-Berbano
unfamiliar conditions.
Migration has
become a global
phenomenon. More
than 230 million people
crossed international
borders last year, many as
refugees. Tere are now 10
million overseas Filipino
workers. Wars and natural
disasters cause internal
displacement, as in the
Zamboanga siege and the
supertyphoon Yolanda
tragedy.
Te theological
challenge is to discern the
heart and movement of
God in this global trend,
and deduce how the
church can best respond
in order to fulll Gods
purposes.
To lay down the
theological foundation,
plenary speaker Dr.
Athena Gorospe,
ATS professor of Old
Testament, gave a
ATS 2014 Theological
Forum Highlights
23
Spreading the Flame
Jesus incarnation was a movement
downwards while human migration tends
to move upwardsso that we can return
home to God.Dr. Athena Gorospe
Forum Highlights
comprehensive overview
of what the Bible says
about migration. Dr.
Sadiri Joy Tira, the
Lausanne Movements
Senior Associate for
Diasporas, outlined the
spadework that led to
the formulation of the
diaspora missiology
framework and strategy
presented at the Lausanne
III Congress in 2010. Dr.
Calvin Chong, Associate
Professor at Singapore
Bible College, spoke on
the impact of global ows
on spirituality and justice,
and their implications
on pastoral ministry and
missions.
Twenty break-out
seminars discussed
practical ways for the
church to understand and
address Filipino diasporas.
Subjects covered were
OFWs and their families,
displaced communities
in situations of armed
conict and in disaster-
stricken areas, Muslim
refugees, and Filipino
migrants from the
provinces.
Te forum drew more
than 400 participants
from churches and faith-
based organizations from
Metro Manila, Cavite,
Laguna, and as far as
La Trinidad, Benguet.
Overall satisfaction
rating was high. Many
commended the forum
for the high quality
of presentation, the
sucient time given for
the Q&A portion, and the
beautiful and sensitive
indigenous music and
liturgy. One remarked
that it was a gathering of
Christian brains in one
conference.
As we lit our candles
during the closing liturgy,
the concept of the migrant
God accompanying our
migration and diasporas
resonated with us. Te
nuggets of insight served
as fuel for our personal
ministries and collective
vision. We were burning
with revelation in our guts.
Te venue itself
served as an objective
correlative of the liminal
experience. In traversing
its labyrinthine hallways,
where hallways branched
out into further hallways
leading to unexpected
oors and doors, we were
reliving liminality on a
micro scale. But because
God was surely in this
place, we knew God was
with usand with each
migranton our respective
journeys in the world,
redeeming each liminal
space and giving hope
that He would turn it,
eventually, somehow, into
the lucid and luminous.
24
25
26
Guess your
professor!
The ATS faculty
circa mid-90s.
#atsthrowback
Greetings from Our Anniversary
Guest Speaker DR. HOWARD SNYDER
Congratulations to Asian Theological Seminary for 45 years of faithful
service to church and mission both in the Philippines and worldwide.
In today's currents of globalization and digital interconnectedness,
ATS is strategically placed. The challenge before today's church is to
be radically faithful to God's Word and the promise of the Kingdom of
God while creatively engaging surrounding cultureslocally, regionally,
and globally. Seminaries that maintain this focus effectively prepare
men and women to be pastors, evangelists, disciplers, church planters,
and culture-transformers. The world needs not just Christian believers,
but faithful disciples who redemptively carry the Good News to every
people and who care for God's good creation. ATS has laid a strong
foundation for fulflling this mission in coming decades, and I am happy
to join in saying congratulations and in praying for Gods continued
blessing on this fne institution.
Fl ami ng Thr ough t he Year s
To know the Scriptures.To grow in
their knowledge of God and become
more like Jesus. To discern and
nurture their gifts for ministry and
employ them for building up Gods
church. All three are related and
justify the existence of ATS, but let
me focus on the rst one, to know
the Scriptures.
1. Do your best (spoudaz) In
the AV (1611), 2 Timothy 2:15 says,
Study to shew thyself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the Word of truth. Study ts well
with those in seminary. However,
spoudaz means to be zealous or
eager, take pains, make every eort
(BAGD). Do your best, says the
2011 NIV. My favorite illustration
of doing ones best is Sir Sebastian
Coe, chairman of the 2012 London
Olympics Committee. Some thirty
years ago, Coe was the fastest man
to run the mile, a distance of 1,609
meters. In the international track
meet in Zurich, Coe stayed with the
lead pack for most of the race. With
200 meters to go, at the signal from
his coach, Sebastian pulled all the
stops. He strained forward and gave
it all he had! He did his best and
won the race. Paul says to Timothy
(and to us): Spare no eort, burn the
midnight oil, struggle to understand
your text, agonize in prayer over
your people and their pastoral needs,
exercise discipline over your body
and its appetites, be careful in all
your relationships. Do your best!
2. For Gods approval
(dokimoi) Not for the approval
of men. Do not work to please
your professor. Do not work for
high grades. Do not work for your
congregations admiration. Can
Why do people
come to ATS?
A Worker Approved
GOD
by
2 Timothy 2:15
By Dr. Isabelo Magalit
27
Anniversary Devotional
preachers be man-pleasers? Oh
yes. Unfortunately, yes. Do your
best only for Gods approval, only
his commendation counts. Gods
approval means we will not be put to
shame, particularly on the Day of the
Lord. We aim to hear on that day
the words of commendation: Well
done, good and faithful servant!
You have been faithful with a few
things; I will put you in charge of
many things. Come, and share your
masters happiness (Matthew 25:21,
23).
Dokimoi, approved, also includes
the idea of faith being shown
genuine after testing (1 Peter 1:2).
So the word includes passing the
test, being proved genuine. We may
ask: Are the people we serve being
built up in the faith by our ministry
of preaching and teaching the Word?
Dr. Isabelo F. Magalit is the frst
Filipino and Asian president
of ATS. He served from 1989-
2005 and is now senior pastor of
Diliman Campus Bible Church.
Tat is Gods seal of approval. Te
worker who is approved by God,
who does not need to be put to
shame, is the one who rightly
divides the word of truth (AV). Or,
who correctly handles the word of
truth (NIV 2011).
3. Correctly handling the
word of truth (orthotome) Te
word means to cut a path in a
straight direction, or cut a road
across country (that is forested) so
the traveller may go directly to his
direction (BAGD). In 2 Timothy
2:15, it means to guide the word of
truth along a straight path, without
being turned aside by quarreling
about words or godless chatter
(2 Tim 2:14, 16). It means straight
and correct interpretation. Straight
teaching is contrasted with the
false teachers Hymenaeus and
28
Philetus who have swerved (RSV)
or wandered away (NIV) from the
truth.
How does one get to the other
side of a mountain? Usually by going
up a winding road on one side, and
going down a winding road on the
other side. Te short way is to go
through a tunnel! I did that once, in
Gschenen in Switzerland through
a 10km tunnel!
In 2 Corinthians 4:2, Paul
says he sets forth the truth plainly
and in Colossians 4:2, he asks the
Colossians to pray that he may
proclaim the mystery of Christ
clearly. We aim to preach and teach
the truth, rebuking error, correcting
wrong conduct, and training us in
righteousness (2 Tim 3:16).
Conclusion
Some people say seminaries
are pass. Tey are an expensive
and useless luxury. ATS should be
renamed ATC Asian Teological
Cemetery. I have not earned a
degree from seminary but I believe
in seminaries. Te seminary is
the repository of the evangelical
tradition. Dr. Oliver Barclay, for
many years the leader of the inter-
varsity movement in Britain often
said: We cannot maintain the
plainly and clearly so our people can
grasp the truth readily, and obey it
enthusiastically. We teach our people
not only content but also method.
Hermeneutics is part of our job.
We desire our people to be like the
Bereans (Acts 17:11). As we preach
the truth, and as they examine the
Scriptures, we want them to say: Oh
yes, that is what the Scriptures teach!
We are not infallible but Scripture is,
and we desire for Scripture to fulll
its four-fold function of teaching
evangelical tradition without serious
work in scholarship.
I am not a scholar; I am only
a pastor who loves to study! How
privileged have I been to have had
access to the scholars. My mentors
mainly through their books have
included B.B. Wareld, Bernard
Ramm, Leon Morris, Howard
Marshall, Derek Kidner, Henri
Blocher, James Packer, Martyn
Lloyd-Jones, F.F. Bruce, and John
Stott. What a pleasure to say I
We are not infallible but Scripture is, and we desire
for Scripture to fulfll its four-fold function of teaching
the truth, rebuking error, correcting wrong conduct, and
training us in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16).
29
know some of them personally! Of
course I must include Martin Luther
and John Calvin. Many of these
scholars went to seminary! Where
else can one learn how to do your
best to present yourself to God as
one approved, a worker who does
not need to be ashamed and who
correctly handles the Word of truth?
ATS is not the only place, but
what an excellent place to do it!
A well-stocked library, classmates
as highly motivated as you are,
over the years coming from 100
denominations, and some of the
nest theological faculty in the land,
and in Asia!
Fifty-ve years ago, we were
welcomed as freshmen of the U.P.
College of Medicine. Te professor
said: We have a great hospital here
(PGH), a very ne medical library,
and particularly our great faculty,
some of whom did post-doctoral
work in Harvard, Johns Hopkins,
and Cambridge. Te opportunity
is here for you to learn as much
as you can. What you do is your
responsibility.
Here is ATS. Learn all you can
here. Do your best to become Gods
approved worker, correctly handling
the word of truth. Ten God will get
the glory.
Graduate Diploma
Biblical Languages | Christian Education | Intercultural and Urban
Studies | Counseling | Advanced Pastoral Studies
Theological Studies | Transformational Urban Leadership
Master of Arts
Biblical Studies | Christian Education | Intercultural Ministries
Pastoral Counseling | Theology | Transformational Urban Leadership
Master of Divinity
Biblical Studies | Christian Education
Intercultural and Urban Studies | Counseling | Pastoral Studies
Theology | Transformational Urban Leadership
Certifcates (Center for Continuing Studies)
Pastoral Ministry | Biblical Interpretation
Biblical Preaching | Lay Counseling
ADMISSION TEST
Exam dates: August 18, September 29,
October 20 and 26, 9:00am-12:00nn
30
MBA in Biblical Stewardship and Christian Management