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ARP 021 - How Does a Pastor Prepare for Missionary Work?
104 Plays3 years ago
Above Rubies Podcast is a podcast created by a mom for every mom (and parents for that matter) embracing parenthood and sanity. Here to help you get by through weekly discussions on parenting as you juggle daily in life.
Thank you for "still" tuning in! We are now on Season 3 of the Podcast, I won't get this far without your help! Thank you so much. :)
In this episode, we are joined by Ptr. Vincent Quiñones, fellow IGBI-Bataan alumni, as we discuss how he and his family prepare for their mission work in Taiwan.
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Transcript
Introduction to Above Ruby's Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
The desire is really big factors. And at the same time, you know, the motivation. When we are in a GTCM train, I don't know the real definition of unreached and unsafe.
Exploration of Podcast Themes
00:00:21
Speaker
Thank you for listening above Ruby's podcast, created by a mom for every mom.
00:00:26
Speaker
and parents for that matter, embracing parenthood and sanity. Here to help you get by through weekly discussions and parenting, relationships, home and faith as you juggle daily in life.
Guest Introduction: Pastor Vincent Quinones
00:00:49
Speaker
All right, welcome to Above Ruby's podcast where we talk about faith, relationship, Christianity, and marriage. I am so happy.
00:00:59
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To be here, he is someone... He is someone... He is someone who is alma mater. He is a graduate of the International Grace Bible Institute and they were our seniors. So they were ahead of us and they were really helpful in guiding us when we were in the Bible school and even up to now.
00:01:22
Speaker
We have the same passion. And so I'm very happy that he said yes. Actually, did you say yes or did you? It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. But yes, I would like to welcome Pastor Vincent
Pastor Vincent's Journey and Mission Calling
00:01:40
Speaker
Quinones. Good afternoon. Thank you for having me.
00:01:45
Speaker
OK, so this is a good time when I thought of Pastor Vincent Quignon. It's because right now he is like preparing to be in the mission field. And so I thought it is the perfect time to talk about, you know, missions and going to the regions beyond. So, Pastor, please tell us about your story. What's your story? Thank you so much again, ma'am. My story is very meaningful for I think for me in terms of changing lives. I am a man.
00:02:15
Speaker
stone churches before, before I become a pastor. And the Lord called me really in the ministry and the Lord used, of course, my parents. I know the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal savior because of my mother. And I want to be, you know, I want to be a successful engineer, but the challenge is finances of my family or my parents.
00:02:45
Speaker
But the Lord is really good. He guided me in the path in which I am now. I met Pastor Merigimba and he's a person who used by God to encourage me to the Bible school. And I praise the Lord and I finished Bible school despite of the challenges, probably. We can talk about it later on. And Pastor Romero is a person who used by God to
00:03:13
Speaker
to motivate me and to encourage me also to be part of the mission roaster or missionary roaster of the things to commission Philippines. So I attended GTCM Batch 3 to make a long story short in Osamiziri with my wife and my two boys.
Impact of GTCM Training on Missionary Path
00:03:33
Speaker
And I am really blessed and I'm proud to say that
00:03:38
Speaker
I am a product of IGB, EBITDA and Campos, as ma'am didn't mention a while ago. A second batch, that is 2006. And I work as a pastor for 14 years in Das Marinyas, Grace Gospel Church of Grace, Das Marinyas. And I'm thankful that with 14 years of experience, I really believe that it's really big helps for me and my family to
00:04:09
Speaker
to be in a mission field. Right now, our mission field is Taiwan, and we pray for Taiwan, and thanks to the missionaries, I accept it as a missionary to Taiwan. And we don't know when, but we are ready and willing and committed to do the work of being a missionary.
00:04:27
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Yeah, thank you. Can I just say his wife, Addie Shirley, was also like an addict of me before. When I was in AGBI, she gave me a book. I cannot forget that. She gave me a book. It's the prayer of Jabez. So that's how I learned about that book. And Addie Shirley is also like a very good addict also. So to see them, you know, together.
00:04:45
Speaker
And that's really good, you know, to see two faithful people plan by God to be together for a greater work. So that's really awesome. And to start, why Taiwan? I mean, yeah. Yeah. Why Taiwan? That's a very good question. Taiwan is 23 million population and 95% of Taiwanese is educated, but only 0.2% is Christian.
00:05:14
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not really
Challenges in Missionary Training
00:05:16
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Christian, but non-Christian. Most of them are Taoism and Buddhism, Confucianism. So when we are in our training in GTSM last 2018, the purpose actually is not to be a missionary, but to be trained, because the plan of possible mayors, to train and to be the next director of the historical mission,
00:05:40
Speaker
missionary department in the Philippines. That's the real plan where we train in GTCM. That's the real plan after. And then along the way, you know. Okay, this is interesting. Yeah, the Holy Spirit really works. And every single time, Pastor Ben Meho and, yeah, Pastor Ben Meho always remind me, you know, our agreement while you are here. Because little by little, you know, when you're in GTCM, I tell you,
00:06:08
Speaker
really, really, really different, you know, really different train. And the last day of our training, that is, I think last night, yeah, that is the final interview. And before the interview, and my wife prepared also, and we talked about, so what's our decision? So we come up with one decision. Let's do the work of the missionary.
00:06:35
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So, of course, we are thinking of Pastor Bermejo at that time, you know, because you have an agreement, right, before we train. Yes. So then I said, unknowingly, I'm not even talk to Pastor Bermejo's decision before the last interview. The interviewer is the three of them, Pastor Bermejo, Pastor Ben on the Sun, and Pastor Mom Joyce. So when I said, we really prayed for Taiwan, you know, I tried to look to Pastor Bermejo's name,
00:07:03
Speaker
I don't know what is, you know, I don't know what is in his mind, but she, I think he really, really sharp of that decision. And I said, whatever, whatever the emotions of Pastor Mehong, we are really decided to be a missionary, if things to commission USA accepted as
Personal Impact of GTCM Training
00:07:23
Speaker
a missionary. That's nice. And are you like presented with different countries that you can go to or?
00:07:30
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like this, this place, this place, this place needs, is that how it works? Can you give us like a glimpse of how the GTCM mission training, missionary training looks like? Actually, that's a very good scenario in training because GTCM were going to help you to pray for the country you want, you want to be a missionary. But during our training, the very purpose of that training is to
00:07:59
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produce a missionary to be part of the Asia or Southeast Asia country. But during our time, of course, all of Southeast Asia, we have already, you know, we have already missionary there. So the purpose of that training is for East Asia. So yeah, as you said a while ago, the training itself will really guide you.
00:08:29
Speaker
in what particular country you want to work and what country really calling you as an missionary to present the gospel of the kingdom. Yeah. But the first choice actually. That's really nice. If you remember our 60th anniversary in Usamis. Usamis. Yeah, Usamis. I put the flag of Vietnam in my back.
00:08:54
Speaker
at the top of my surname, after I have that jersey. And yet, I don't know the reason, but as I mentioned during training, they'll already talk to us to choose Taiwan. That's the thing that I believe. Was it always the desire to become a missionary, or when did that start even? Like the passion or the desire to go outside the Philippines, minister outside the country?
00:09:20
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You
Sacrifices and Emotional Challenges of Mission Work
00:09:21
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know, the desire is really big factors. And at the same time, you know, the motivation. When we are in a GTCM train, I don't know the real definition of unreached and unsafe.
00:09:41
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So, when Pastor Ben really explained that, the difference of a rich people group, unsafe people group, that's the factor that really motivate me. I think if I remember, I have a post that the traditional church is always
00:10:00
Speaker
teaching us to preach, preach, preach, preach, preach to the same people, right? But the biblical church is to preach. I read that. I just, I just, I forgot the exact exact word, but that's the really, that's the thing that I really, you know, I really admire for, for Pastor Ben, how he explained and enrich people and experience with the same people. So these are my meaning is, it's a factor, but you know, motivation is,
00:10:31
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another thing. And of course, the wisdom of the Lord. Yeah, I agree. And let's talk about, you know, it's really nice not to think about it, because like, when GTCM started, I was like, Oh, you know, there are people that you think are, it's not, it's not a surprise that they went to training, but there are also people like,
00:10:52
Speaker
Ooh, the Risadapalasala Magma. Some of them, because I see the people, like they are right there posted online and I was like, yeah, it's not a surprise, but then other people, Ooh, the Risadapalasala Magma and all that. So it's nice. And even though we don't know how it actually, how the training actually looks like or how it works, but, you know, the posts somehow gave us an idea and, you know, it's a month long, is it?
00:11:22
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Yeah, it's a month long training, right? Yeah, it's intensive. Two months. Yeah, very much. So, yeah.
00:11:32
Speaker
It is, right? So it's like, I'm thinking maybe after you go out, you're like, you're a completely changed person, I guess. And speaking of that, because GTCM is what prepared you to be in the mission field, to like prepare you emotionally and like, you know, mentally, of course, to be to go to the region's beyond. But what else? What else did you do that prepared you? You and Bam Shirley, what else did you do to prepare you for the mission work?
00:12:01
Speaker
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00:12:32
Speaker
14 years and that's my limits. Our needs as a person, you know, they really think about it. They really appreciate that. And even, you know, their love to us, very priceless, got in common. Evident. Yeah.
Visa Challenges for Taiwan Mission
00:12:50
Speaker
And in regards with what you said, as I mentioned, you know, being a pastor, being a worker,
00:12:56
Speaker
It's kind of situations that you want to stay, actually, you want to stay, you want to stay. And many people are saying, no, we need you. But the fact that you are convinced, you are already, what's the right word? Convinciedokana, and then kumbaga, you're not bringing waskall, if that's the right one. You are going to prepare things, you know?
00:13:26
Speaker
situation because we train some young people to do the work. Yeah, they can actually no doubt that the pastors that assume are my office could really work and they are actually doing good work also. So we have to do it because
00:13:56
Speaker
The call is very different. Yeah. And I really agree. As a pastor's kid, I really agree on how painful parting time is. Especially 14 years, it's not easy. It did not just happen like that. It's years of building the church together, building the relationship together so I can completely relate to that.
00:14:25
Speaker
Is that part of the sacrifices that you had to do for this decision to happen? Actually, I can say yes, there are sacrifices there. But if you think of the most important calling in the ministry, it tends to be a person, okay, Lamco, I have to do this. Because that's how the Lord gave us model. You have to really separate from this, turn over the work.
00:14:55
Speaker
despite of, you know, you have a good situation, you know, you can eat some type. I can tell you that we can eat with jollibee, you know. So we have a good, good situation in faster industry. But you are no longer really attached on that. Because you are, you're convinced by the Word of God that there are people who are walking, going into part of the nations.
00:15:21
Speaker
the Lord called you, the Lord used people to motivate you to rescue those people.
00:15:39
Speaker
So, totally, we turn over properly, we turn over. The good thing is, we turn over the ministry in a very professional way. And as I mentioned, you know. Yeah, so, good challenge, yeah.
00:16:00
Speaker
You had an anatomy of a star, like missionary exposure. You went to Taiwan already. Is that, did I get that right? If COVID did not happen, when would have been the time that you would leave the country to start the mission? Actually, right there and then, when US, TCMUS accepted us as first commissioner, they want us to really be in Taiwan. ASH.
00:16:28
Speaker
So but the challenge is it's about our situations, you know, we as you know, in Taiwan, if you want to bring your family, whole family, you must you must secure a missionary visa. Because if you're if you're going to choose, you know, work, schooling, that's that's another talk. But if you want to be to bring your family, you have to you have to secure a missionary visa.
00:16:58
Speaker
So when things took a mission, USA accepted us as a family to be a missionary. Right there and then I work hard for my people. All my credentials I put in. But the challenge, actually the last step is we have to get a visa. But the last, that step is really gave me kind of probably, I can say frustrations because
00:17:28
Speaker
This is the last thing that I have to do with for me, for us to be in Taiwan, but the Teiko really rejected us because of the credentials. You know, probably I can tell you that because our Bible school is not accredited in Chet. So Taiwan or Teiko, they want, they want, I don't know, not one, but their standard is to have accredited credentials from Chet.
00:17:57
Speaker
As a pastor, as a pastor, as a imam, as a bishop, something like that. So that's a problem. And even Pastor Roland, that's our problem. You know that. We know that. We came from the Bible school. So that's the reality. So I have to think of what way for us to be there because things like the missionaries really expected us to be there and that. That's 2018.
00:18:27
Speaker
And then I said, I really maximize my connections and even the wisdom of the world. I try to send emails from the company as chaplain, all my experiences. And then here comes the COVID-19. So that's the challenge, the credentials to be a missionary. But of course,
00:18:55
Speaker
If you want to be there as a student, no worries, no problem. It's pretty easy to have to acquire the student visa. You know, with a college degree, you have to secure a show money, you know, as a student. But as a missionary, that's a very, very, very, very challenging because you're going to, you are going to secure the missionary visa.
00:19:26
Speaker
So that's
COVID-19 as a Time for Growth
00:19:27
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the reason why. And what did you do, Pastor? Yeah, that was 2018. What did you do as a workaround for that? Yeah, I really prayed for 2019 to be in Taiwan. So I used to, you know, the organizations, I mean, the mission, Lou already did the situation and pretty hard, I think, and they know that. Pretty hard to solve immediately.
00:19:54
Speaker
So the Lord gave us wisdom. I enrolled in all missions college to acquire, to have SO number, we call it in your transcript of record.
00:20:09
Speaker
That's the very need of Taiwan. So I studied. I present my credentials from IJI Bataan. The good thing is they accepted the credentials and allowed me to enroll and to finish for one year.
00:20:26
Speaker
So I praise the Lord. I did it and I have ready in my hands the credentials with special order. That's 2019. And then as I keep on, you know, inquiring or I keep on looking on the, on the Taiwan news or Taiwan, my friend, I have connected, I have contacted also my friend also in Taiwan and the missionary, the foreigner and I still not allowed to be there. So I said, Lord,
00:20:54
Speaker
what you want us to do with this religion. So my wife and I enrolled again in another school in Deadmont College of Theology in North Carolina, you know, and as a master's degree. So 2019, June, last June, 2020, last June, my wife and I graduated as masters of arts in religious education, the two of us.
00:21:23
Speaker
And yeah, we really maximize the time because we know that Taiwan, you know, Taiwan is, in terms of education, they're very, they have a high standard. Yeah. And my wife is working also. My wife is really working on her doctorate in guidance counseling. So that's how busy we are. But we praise the Lord. We are so thankful for the pandemic.
00:21:53
Speaker
And of course, we have a good quality time with my two boys.
00:22:00
Speaker
Yes, you know, that's really awesome know how you how these what quote unquote negative things, how we can turn this around. And you know, at the end, it was you would say thank you, Lord. For the extra time that I'm not saying like, thank you, Lord for the COVID. But you know, in your case, it has really helped you be even more prepared for the mission work. And wow, like before to those of you who are listening before
00:22:27
Speaker
Like before we started pressing the record button, we talked about this. And one thing that Pastor Vincent and I have in common is that we know that when you graduate at GBI, that's not the end of it all. It's like the beginning of a lot of more learning that you have to go through.
00:22:47
Speaker
to be able to, you know, be of great health in the ministry. So yeah, that's really awesome. Like, wow, that's years of preparation pastor for to be in the mission work. And that's good. And now do you have like, what is expected of you now for the mission work in Taiwan? Do you have like an estimated time of when you can go? What else are you waiting for?
00:23:13
Speaker
Yeah, actually, if Taiwan will open their borders to the missionary, and Taiwan will pass all our documents, and Taiwan will give us missionary visa anytime. The Instagram mission is really waiting for that anytime. No time frame next year or anytime.
00:23:43
Speaker
Yeah, the situation really challenges us because even Teiko and Manila, they are not accepting the papers right now. And Taiwan, Taiwan also are not allowing, you know. They are allowing now, but those who have contract as a workers, but as a tourist, as a missionary right now, it's still closed. But the moment Taiwan country will open for the missionary, for the foreigner, and we will be able to
00:24:13
Speaker
secure the missionary visa.
Advice for Aspiring Missionaries
00:24:17
Speaker
I remember Pastor Ben mentioned that even midnight we can get a ticket and be there in Taiwan. That's the fire in the heart. That's how ready you are. That's how they are ready. That's the fire of, you know, fire in the hearts of the historical mission, desire to be in the mission here.
00:24:36
Speaker
I'm guessing you are like watching the news then in the situation in Taiwan. By the looks of it, based on the news poster, do you think that is going to be sometime soon? Yeah, I think for me, this series is not yet possible. Probably possible.
00:24:52
Speaker
but from October to December, yeah, I don't know. But then again, we are ready, after we are ready. Yes, trusting his timing. That's right. All right, now I have one last question for you, Pastor, before I let you go. Now, what I learned about becoming a missionary is that it's more effective if
00:25:14
Speaker
like there are places that you are more effective when you go as a couple, as a family. There are also some places that it's good if you go there alone. So for those couples, grace believer or non-grace believer, any evangelical worker who are thinking, thinking of becoming a missionary in the future, what can you advise them? Like what's one step can you tell them that they can do to prepare for the mission work?
00:25:45
Speaker
The first step is really talk to the Lord and always evaluate your spiritual life and what is your ambition as a pastor, as a couple. When you talk about the heartbeat of the Lord Jesus Christ, then after that you really build with that motivation. Talk to your wife. Allow her also to explain her ambition, her knowledge, or her heart about Jesus.
00:26:15
Speaker
So that's how I did it. Always, always play together as a couple. And if that will happen, I believe it's very easy to decide to be a missionary. So the very important is you have to know your situations spiritually and what is your ambition from the Lord's heartbeat. So, you know, you have to know very well.
00:26:44
Speaker
Because let me add or let me say great, I never think that I will become a missionary. I enjoy playing basketball in the Philippines. I enjoy leading the young people, enjoying fellowship here in the Philippines. But the moment that the Lord really calls you, the moment that the Lord wants you to be, the person who are going to be His voice and His hands and His feet,
00:27:11
Speaker
in that particular people group. I'm talking about the enriched people group. It's really different at the same time. It will really motivate you in doing it. And you're not going to think about yourself. You're not going to think of your situation, but you're going to think of people and so on, who are really in need of spirituality. So, you know, Abu Sapan evaluates a boy, Masalya Kannabajan,
00:27:44
Speaker
Are you really ambassadors? Are you really a voice? Are you really a hand of the Lord to reach those people? So when we talk about it with my wife, you know, very smooth, you know, whatever, you know, of course I can tell you that there is challenge really. Then again, if the two of you decided together, same heart, same mind,
00:28:07
Speaker
seeing vision, those challenges is just a challenge. It turns into blessings. Wow, that's really awesome, Pastor. And I pray that, you know, whenever God will, whenever that's going to happen, that, you know, everything will go smoothly, especially with the travel and going to Taiwan and prepare you there.
00:28:25
Speaker
when you go there. But yeah, we are praying for you and we'll always be in the look for the updates when you are already there. Yes. And thank you so much for this time. Thank you so much for this time, Bastar. And thank you also for your support in IGBI, the alma mater, who is always, you know, you're like the leader there when whatever you say, we say yes. So thank you.
00:29:09
Speaker
Hope you enjoyed today's episode. Sign up to my newsletter so you're notified of my next podcast at www.abovepreciousrubies.com or follow me via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Podcasts, and other podcast streaming platforms. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, email me at n-i-l-y-n at abovepreciousrubies.com. I look forward to talking to you.