The Global Doctor of Ministry Scholarship Fund
Meet some of our students
Jocelyn Tan Esguerra
Current Ministry Settings
It was just started as a simple desire that a wife of a pastor like me would be able to study in a formal theological school. When we had these eight years of establishing a Filipino Orchard Ministry here in Singapore, I was a teacher of Sunday School and Home Bible Study (HBS) for our Filipino Adult members. It created on my heart the need of teaching correctly the word of God and not to teach in “out of context” or based only on my opinion and interpretation that urged me to pursue a Master of Divinity at Baptist Theological Seminary. I was advised to take this program since I was a graduate of a four-year course on Bachelor of Chemistry at Far Eastern University in Manila, Philippines. The Lord was faithful in providing my needs through a tuition grant from Baptist Theological Seminary (BTS). On May 17, 2015, I graduated in Master of Divinity with joy in my heart and a prayer that God will use me to teach his word effectively to our Filipinos here in Singapore.
When our Filipino Orchard Ministry was integrated at the main church at IBC last 2016, I still maintain the discipleship to our Filipino key leaders and also teaching our Small group leaders the sermon-based curriculum before they teach others the lesson in their small groups. I have a great burden to guide our key leaders in their spiritual growth so that they may also guide other young believers in their growth. As Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:2 (CEV), “You have often heard me teach. Now I want you to tell these same things to followers who can be trusted to tell others.” This desire has grown on me because I was a recipient of my Physic teacher who discipled me and guided me in my spiritual growth when I was in university life.
Aside from teaching key leaders, I joined with my husband’s Evangelism Ministry, bringing the evangelism team every Sunday at Lucky Plaza at the Orchard Road, the territory of a lot of Filipinos, and equip all our leaders in developing new contacts and be friends of “Filipinos in Diaspora.” We trained them in many evangelism tools using the Gospel Hand, The Four, Bridge Illustration, and 10 evangelistic verses so that they can use whatever is suitable to the person on whom they encounter. Our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) become an Overseas Filipino Witnesses. Every time there is an opportunity to share the gospel they do it with courage and dependency on the Holy Spirit bringing the “good news” of salvation to our fellow people.
As we do the ministry at IBC as an international church with 56 nationalities and 124 ethnicities, the Lord changed my heart to not focus only on our Filipino nationality in guiding and discipling people but also equip and train other others who need leaders who will guide them in their spiritual journey. Matthew 28:18-20 became meaningful in my life, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” I thought that I am doing already the discipleship, but since I am in an international church, I am not fully obeying the command because I am concentrated only on our Filipinos.
I began to open myself and look for members of IBC who are non-Filipinos and be used to guide them in their spiritual growth. The Lord entrusted me with a group of Korean ladies and a Japanese lady and bring them together in a small group. Then another group of young adult Singaporeans was formed, combined with our Young Adults Filipinos and together we are enjoying studying the sermon-based material that was given by the Small Group Ministry. The Lord enhances my skill in teaching the word of God even though I am not used to explaining God’s truth and facilitating the lessons in English. But thank God, he gave me the confidence and wisdom to take a lead on teaching his word.
Rationale for Seeking Higher Education
God’s plan for me is far more than I can imagine. He gave me a chance that after five years of helping my husband in our ministry at IBC on Evangelism and Small group, he led me to continue my study at Gateway Seminary taking up the Doctor of Ministry. At first, I was asking the Lord why I need to go through a higher theological education which I believed that only for the pastors of the church are needed to have them.
My husband has a privilege to continue his education in his Doctor of Ministry. The IBC supported fully his study at Union Theological Seminary at Jackson, Tennessee in the US. When he graduated last December 2019, he said that he wanted me to pursue also my study at the Doctoral level. At that time, I did not see my need of going to the Doctoral level because I had already my Master of Divinity. I am contented with what I attained as a wife of a pastor. Besides, I do not have support coming from IBC because I am not an employee neither in the pastoral team who has the privilege of personal development in terms of theological education. And also, I do not want to be a burden to my husband in supporting me because he already supporting our living expenses here in Singapore from the support he gets from IBC.
When BTS invited the Alumni to attend the orientation of Cohort Singapore offered by Gateway Seminary, my husband said that I needed to attend so I can know what this orientation all about. The orientation was finished already when I came to BTS. What I just did was to inquire and ask questions on how to go about this Doctoral study. Since then, I prayed to the Lord if he wants me to go further study, he will provide the financial support that I need from the start of the study up to the end of it. And indeed, if God wills He will provide. I am praying so hard that the Lord will give me a grant of scholarship or use any institution that will give me a “tuition grant” like what happened in my Master of Divinity at BTS that I was able to finish my course.
At first, I wrote a letter to Gateway Seminary expressing my desire to study after I attended the orientation here in Singapore. By faith, I am praying that the Lord will answer my prayer as a sign that it is His will for me to study. My prayer is like: “Lord, I ask for your provision to me in my Doctoral study like what you have done to my husband that you used IBC to support him and was able to finish to his Doctor of Ministry. Use Gateway Seminary or BTS to grant me financial support because IBC will not able to support one more in our family. Please Lord, have mercy on me. I want to be used mightly for your kingdom expansion and be an instrument of reaching out and bringing many people into your kingdom. This I pray in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.”
The rest of my story, the Lord is working mightily in my life. I believe He will use the Gateway Seminary in finishing my study on Doctor of Ministry. Our God is an ever faithful and an answering God. He hears my prayer!
Benefits of having more Education in My Specific Context
In our thirteen (13) years of ministry in Singapore at IBC, my husband has the vision to go back to our home country and build a Theological school for training our contact of 40 pastors and church workers Mindoro, Philippines. This is far away from our home country and you need to take a ferry boat of reaching the place. When he was sharing that to me last December, neither that I know that he shared that also to our Senior Pastor Dr. Rodney Woo and Missionary Pastor, Dr. Keith Eitel that vision and desire to have a training school.
During the Covid-19 period of “Circuit Breaker” from April to June 1, 2020, my husband was continuously communicating with our pastors and leaders at Mindoro. He has also shared his desire that a theological school will come in when we will going back to the Philippines for good. With the regular meeting and planning of IBC and BTS for the next year’s transition of our ministry from Singapore to the Philippines, the more that my husband has this great passion to start an online class. For the whole month of June, he taught our pastors how to go online, how to use the zoom, how to respond on email, and be trained in using the technology as a way now of doing the church online or teaching in a bible study or prayer meeting, and doing the church ministry. Every day, that was my activity of my husband, teaching these 40 Pastors and workers as a preparation for new method on teaching students, until it came to pass that the first online class started last July 15, 2020.
With the help of Dr. Fong of BTS, there is a newly born theological school named, “Southwestern Training Center for Global Leaders.” In the Philippines, you cannot build a school like this if the President doesn’t have this higher education because we are teaching students in Advanced Diploma Course, Bachelor in Theology, and Master of Divinity.
It is started in a vision and the Lord started to accomplish it through people who are willing to step up by faith. My husband’s question in his mind, “Why he needed to go on his Doctor of Ministry has been answered. The Lord prepares in advance way back when he studied Master of Divinity at BTS and even graduated last December 2019 on his Doctor of Ministry. And I think that the same thing, the same question in my mind that the Lord answered: “I need this Doctor of Ministry to help my husband in administering the theological school that will benefit more pastors and leaders in the Philippines and equips them in Church Planting and Missions.”
We both take this challenge because we believed that the Lord prepares us beforehand so that many pastors and leaders will be educated in a more and deeper level of studying the word of God, teaching and leadership skills in Church Planting and Missions for the expansion of the kingdom of God.
My Plans for the Future
We are working now in our transition of the ministry from Singapore to the Philippines. By 2021 of January, I will be in the Philippines to prepare the place of school in Mindoro. I will go ahead from my husband to prepare the application of the school in the Philippines and the set-up of the school ministry. My husband will continue working in IBC until March 2021, and since my course at Gateway is online class, I will continue my study in my home country. Praying that there will be good access to an internet connection.
By July 2021, is the formal launching of Southwestern Training Center for Global Leaders (STCGL). The Lord entrusted to us the ministry of training and equipping leaders especially the young generation who have the calling to go in seminary and to be a pastor of a church and have a passion for church planting and mission. As the Academic Dean of the school, I will continue connecting with the professors at BTS and other professors who have a burden to teach our Filipino pastors and leaders. I will also conduct a Leadership Training for Pastors and church leaders for their Leadership Development and conduct this training to the churches who need Leadership Training.
Since I am a teacher by profession and able to work in Singapore for five years as headteacher of pre-schoolers, I have a dream to manage a church-based daycare school in a different part of places of those pastors in their church so that they a tangible contact of reaching out through education the parents, children, and families in the community. I will help the pastor’s wives to be educated in early childhood education so that they can also be teachers and principals of the church-based school even if it is only on early childhood education. By God’s grace, my husband and I will focus on different platforms of education so that we can reach and equip more workers of the Lord for his kingdom expansion.
Darwin David
Current Ministry Settings
I have been working as a Pastor and church planter in a remote village, especially a Hindu dominated area with 60% of people under poverty line. The church is growing in number, but she needs strong theological foundation. As a Christian minister, I do maximum efforts to make church as vibrant in worship, administration, women involvement, youth leadership, personal evangelism, street witnessing and social activities. There are hundreds of children in the street, wandering due to the absence of an effective pastorate or Christian Counseling. 40% of house holders are addicted to alcohol and intoxication.
There is a need for Mission Stations and pioneer works for church planting. Surrounding villages where I am working need committed ministers. Gracious Lord helped me to plant 5 churches in the State of Kerala and pioneering in 3 places at present, apart from pastoring in a local church. As a mission coordinator, I use to organize Bible Fest, Bible meet and Seminars to motivate and challenge the youth for Mission and Evangelism. Every year, in the month of March, I use to visit Andhra Pradesh for organizing pastor’s conferences as well. I have been teaching in a Bible Seminary for 15 years.
Rationale for Seeking Higher Education
“Determination is the Key to Success.” I have a strong desire to pursue higher education to gain personality development and acquire indebt knowledge in the Scripture to feed my soul and people. The pattern of learning and teaching is changing every now and then. Spiritual, ideological and practical challenges are visible. As far as ministry is concerned contextual, cultural, political and educational issues are common.
Being a pastor, there is a need for education to expand theological and practical skill in leadership to have the rational coordination of the people by allocating responsibilities to achieve explicit purpose of the church. Theological education is mandatory for me to handle the responsibilities as a mentor and a resource person to meet holistic needs of the believers.
As a teacher, there is a desperate need for higher studies to gain competency and practical skill for teaching and administrating. Scholarly interaction is always preferable for me with maximum logical back -up to provide in-depth knowledge of the written Word of God.
As a Mission coordinator, it is very urgent to know the ministry strategies for mission and evangelism. Christian counseling is one of the interesting tools for me to encourage, motivate, guide and correct the people who are in needs.
Benefits of having more Education in My Specific Context
Theological education will be a channel to make me as an effective communicator, mentor, and resource person. It may benefit me to set convent goals for the development of personal and professional lives. It is know for sure that education will sharpen the biblical knowledge and practical skills for making Christ’s disciples and motivate them to have firm commitment for Christian ministry. As a spiritual a spiritual guide 1 will be able to prepare the people to respond to Christ with prayer, praise, and leadership and, creative and relevant activities. As a spiritual father learning will be beneficial for me to administrate the youth leadership and all the areas of ministry by implementing and incorporating ministry expertise with academic excellence
My Plans for the Future
The following ministries are not new plans, but the movement from GOOD to GREAT.
1. Pastoral Ministry: I would like to establish my local church to provide inspiring worship that renews and restores the relationship of the people with Jesus in order to promote authentic fellowship of people each other that welcomes meaningful spiritual journey and to develop outreach ministries to exercise spiritual gifts in and out of the church.
2. Leadership: Effective coordination is needed apart from evangelism to help the needy, orphans, widows and old aged people from church income.
3. Mission Centre: I want to construct a mission station at the center of my village for giving pastoral and youth training. It may help to cultivate effective leaders for churches, outreach ministries. Those who desire to take advanced training for pastoral ministries and leadership, this mission station will be an ideal place for them.
4. Church planting: There are plenty of possibilities to plant churches in many villages in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. Most of the pastors are uneducated and doctrinally poor. People are wandering for fellowship. This is not just an imagination. Personally I am witnessing this fact. Therefore, I plan to give special training for the able people to assist the Baptist Organization for church planting and establishing.
To God be the glory!