Author: Joseph Krygier

I am the pastor at New Covenant Baptist Fellowship in Buffalo NY. I also teach classes for the NYSDEC with my small business, AARONCO Seminars. Before becoming a Christian in 1977, I was an actor for seven years. I was ordained in 1984. I have a THB jointly awarded by Trinity College of the Bible and Seminary and Canterbury Christ Church University, England. I am writing a play and finishing a book about a Holocaust survivor, Victor Breitburg (http://breitburg.blogspot.com). I am the managing editor of TOLIFE...INK.

2019-2020 Bible Institute and church update.

Bible Institute

We are planning to begin our Bible Institute in October 2019.

We plan our Bible Institute to begin in October. 25-30 hours of classes one week per month for 12 months.Pre and post-class assignments between classes. Crossway is helping us provide ESV personal reference bibles for our students at a 70% discount. We are starting the John G. Reisinger Scholarship fund to help our school. If you are interested in supporting the school, please contact me.  We will provide Bibles, printed student curriculum/notes/outlines, probably 4 volumes each 100 double-sided (200 pages total), and lunch. No other tuition or fees. All our staff is volunteer although a few instructors will receive some compensation if they are not part of our ministry. We have four Filipino pastors, myself, and two other pastors from the US doing the teaching. We will lecture live and use video teaching. We will also use lectures by notable seminary professors such as D.A. Carson, Tom Schreiner, Greg Beale, and other pastor/teachers like the late John Reisinger.

October 2019 Bible Institute

  • Opening Lecture
  • Class
  • Sitting Room
  • Staff Rented Apartment
  • Visit Mountain Families
  • Abe and Joe and materials
  • Staff Breakfast
  • Official Welcome
  • Class
  • Word of Life
  • At Pastor Ray’s

    We have four churches at present and one has an extension congregation and we are developing a new church plant. Two of our churches had to be closed due to ongoing rebel activities. Many people have moved away and other churches have also closed.  This is not from Muslim extremists but an ongoing problem with “Marxists” rebels who are really nothing but bandits.

    Covid Food Distribution in Opol at our fellowship

    We will keep you updated and I will add more information about the Bible Institute in my next post.

    July 31 2020 Our Bible Institute and Covid 19

    I could not travel to the Philippines in April for our pastor’s conference and teaching at the Bible Institute. The school was also closed down from march until the end of June.

    Our students have been regathering back on schedule since then meeting one week per month for 5 days of classes. I am meeting with them for 3 hours live each day and then they continue with our recorded lectures.

    We pray that all might be on schedule for me to be there in October. It will be a longer than usual stay.

    A project for farming in association with the government has started on undeveloped land in the Gingoog City area. 16 pastors have formed an organization to develop 20 hectares of land over the next 6 years. Most of them are students in our Bible Institute. We have loaned the group some funds to do what they need to do to begin, and the government has provided the first stalks and plants for crops of corn and cassava.

    This is the proposal from May 2020

    Dear Pastor Joe,

    Greeting to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!We are thankful to God day by day for keeping us safe and guiding us through his Words. The life and ministry of yours is precious before God and as you doing continually the work as a faithful minister for Christ’s kingdom sake. Pastor Joe I wrote this letter because I have some immediate concern to bring about. This is in line with the PASTORAL CARE GROUP PROJECT PROPOSAL ON SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD PROGRAM on CASSAVA and CORN PRODUCTION 2020. This Project Proposal is in the City Agriculture Office already since January 22, 2020 and waiting for depend but until COVID 19 came then all activities were cancelled.

    A brief history about this project of the PCG PROJECT PROPOSAL ON SUSTAINABLE LIVEHOOD PROGRAM. First, the LORD provides us a Farm Land with a land area of 20 hectares at Barangay LIBON for Cassava and Corn Planting, also we had already secure a MOA with the Landowner for 6 year’s contract. Second, a timely opportunity was the Agricultural Office in Magsaysay calls the City Agriculture Office in Gingoog informing that the Cassava stalk/seedling is available now and they are seeking for Farmers Association or Organization to be the recipient.

    This Cassava Stalks/Seedling comes from the SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION and the variety of this Cassava is RAYONG 72, in which the San Miguel Corporation is seeking for Farmers Association or Organization who are focused on Cassava Planting Project. The Corporation will provide the 300 Cassava Stalks for free and the Corporation is the one that buys the harvested product. The 300 bundles of Cassava Stalks/Seedling will cover 5 hectares of land area and the duration of the Cassava from planting to harvest is up to 8 months. Moving on, The San Miguel Corporation in Davao City, Cebu City, and Cagayan De Oro City is looking for Cassava Grower because of the demand for the ANIMAL FEEDS. This is a timely opportunity that God provided us such as the farmland and the Cassava Stalks for free. Tomorrow Thursday (May 20, 2020) we will go to Mindulao and take the Cassava stalks.

    Co-operative farm program

    If you would like to help our ongoing ministry of pastoral support, church planting and our Bible Institute and disaster relief, you can send a check to NCBF 105 Lang Ave. Buffalo NY 14215 or use our PayPal account at ncbfevans@gmail.com

    October 2018 Report and Updates

    Welcome

    A 12-minute video update on my recent trip from October 18-November 3rd.

    In Gingoog City, Davao City and Manila 

    This was a very humbling moment and completely unexpected. This is a special robe of distinction for receiving the award. Somebody has a picture with me in the whole thing with the cap. Don’t know who though. This occurred right after my address to the graduates.

    At the dais behind me, I was sitting with the Sectary of Health and Human Services for the Philippines, President Duarte’s personal secretary, one of two ambassadors to the UN, a retired Federal Judge and some others.

    Our piggery update:

    We are praying to expand our main farm from 29 to 40 pigs per growing season.

    Basically, it cost us $50.00 per piglet. They will sell for, at the lowest market value, $115.00 each

    From that, we hope to meet our salary requirement for 3 of our families and of course, replace the piglets and purchase feed for the next four months.

    We will reach self-sufficiency for this by the end of December.

    We have been blessed with a single buyer for all or hogs.

    We have purchased a scale so we do not have to transport the pigs to market.

    Our two smaller farms are going to be converted to breeding piglets. We have had difficulty getting enough water to one site, and buyers do not want to travel up the mountain for the other, so this is a good move for us.

    Our pastor is being fully supported by another church that supports our work.

    By the first of the year, we may have a new pastor in our fifth church who will need support.

    Our plan is to find a way to start another pig farm with eight pigs for his support.

    If you would like to help, let me know.

    Our Bible Institute:

    A more detailed report will be posted soon with more details.

    It will be an intensive 20 week, 25-30 hours per week, once per month curriculum.

    Every quarter will have one two-week session.

    We hope to have 3 Filipino pastors including Ernie, the director of all the work there and myself and a team of 5 pastors from here preparing some video lectures.

    Our plan is to provide free education for the pastors and church planters.

    Our only expense will be, if all goes well by God’s grace, the cost for our curriculum notebooks, travel to where the site will be (at a local church in partnership with us), the cost of a cook each week and a few classroom materials or minor pieces of equipment. Food and travel will be paid by the students and their local congregation. We hope to get an English Bible for each student donated by Crossway. Our classes will be taught bi-lingually as needed.

    All should be in place by April when I go back. We will have a 4-day meeting with our teachers in preparation for our October 2019 startup.

    This is a very different model for a theological school in the Philippines.

    Thank you for taking the time to read this.

    In His name.

    Joe

    Our first pig farm

    We have kept the information on our piggeries on the page as an archive post.

    We had to close our piggeries in 2019, along with many other people because the price of feed left no room for profit, even though we sold all our pigs to one buyer.

    Our first pig farm is up and running. This will help us on the road to self-sufficiency regarding the support of our pastors. We will add 2 more, one each month over the next two months. We will go to the market every 4 months. 50% of sales purchases the new piglets and feed and 50% pays for our pastor’s support. If you would like to help, let me know.

    Our Pig Farm

    We have kept the information on our piggeries on the page as an archive post.We had to close our piggeries in 2019, along with many other people because the price of feed left no room for profit, even though we sold all our pigs to one buyer.

    We have prayed for a long time to find a way to make our ministry, especially regarding our pastor’s support, a bi-vocational  self-supportive ministry.

    Our first steps are being taken.

    We are starting 2 pig farms with an initial investment that will allow us on an every four month basis, after the first 4 months, to earn our pastor’s support from the profits of selling the pigs.

    50% of the profits provide support, 50% goes to purchase the next number of pigs and feed for the next four months

    Along with that, a church has just picked up the support on a quarterly basis of one of our pastors.

    I will be posting more details and pictures…we will begin building the pig corrals soon and we will purchase piglets in July. Right now there are none available on the market.

    We pay our pastors $100.00/month plus $20.00 health insurance per month on a quarterly basis. Our director is Paid $300.0 per month plus insurance.

    We also provide basic ministry funds for vehicle repair etc.

    We underwrite the cost of all of our pastor’s conferences.

    We do not, at present receive  regular ongoing support from other churches for this ministry other than the one previously mentioned.

    We may adding a new pastor soon.

    I cannot give a lot of details at the moment but will soon.

    Pray with us for we truly believe this is a model ( not just pigs) needed for indigenous church growth and support for long term ministry and enablement of indigenous pastors.

    Typhoon Tembin

    Overview article:

     http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2017/12/23/10000-temporarily-displaced-floodwaters-rise-across-davao-581078

    While were were enjoying the Christmas holiday here, many had no Christmas this year.
    The Island of Mindanao where our ministry is based was struck by Typhoon Tembin.
    Two of the areas are places where we do and have done work.
    None of the pastors that we support across the island were injured and we did not suffer damage to any of our buildings that I know of.
    The area of New Bataan and the Compostela Valley were devastated in 2012 by a “40 year” typhoon, Pablo, in 2012.
    It takes from 2-3 years for banana,mango and pineapple trees to recover and produce crops for those who are sustenance farmers such as our friend’s family, Pastor Bobby Abella. His home village is in Cateel.
    He pastors a church in Davao City, which was a shelter for two days during the typhoon.
    The school there which has up to 1000 children in classes and has lost all of its basic supplies.
    We’re hoping to replace pencils, pens, crayons, notebooks and papers for the students.
    The cost is     $1.75 per student to resupply.
    If you or a friend may be able to help you can send a check to:
    New Covenant Baptist Fellowship
    105 Lang Ave.
    Buffalo NY 14215

    or use our Paypal account



    Note: Paypal charges .30 per transaction.

    Africa Israel Initiative Conference Nairobi, Kenya – Nov. 20-29 2017

    During our time in Nairobi we participated in the Excel To Love Israel Conference .

    This was a local conference sponsored by GHOMI CHURCH. A much larger multi-African Nation Conference was scheduled but had to be postponed because of the elections  for a new president.

    The African Israel Initiative larger conference will be held next year. We have been invited back to teach the Holocaust, teach at GHOMI CHURCH and then teach a bible conference in Nairobi the following week.

    Our hosts were the Mulinge Family headed by Bishop Joshua Mulinge.

    What a blessing to be asked to be part of a family celebration photo. It was their

    granddaughter’s first birthday and sister Emily just completed her Masters Degree.

    Some Photos From The Conference

     

    Some Photos from our trip into Ambeselli National Park

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Philippines Update:Earthquake and Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda Relief

    quake

    In light of the recent earthquake and Typhoon Haiyan/ Yolanda, we are concentrating some effort for relief on Bohol. Our lead pastor and director of Theodoulos Ministries, our ministry on Mindanao Island, which suffered from severe floods in 2011 in Cagayan De Oro and Typhoon Pablo, this year near our home base in Pantukan, has made contact with a pastor on Bohol.

    We are currently working out the logistics on how to proceed and what would be the best use of any funds we can raise so Ernie can go to Bohol and be engaged in person with the effort to help.

    We appreciate your prayers and if you can help in some way you may send a donation via Paypal at ncbfevans@gmail.com or a check to New Covenant Baptist Fellowship and mail it to me:

    Pastor Joseph Krygier at 105 Lang Ave. Buffalo NY. 14215

    This morning I was teaching a business seminar. Before class, I was in a conversation with an employee in the operations office whom I had never met before except to say hello to when signing in. After our talk, Don gave me $20.00 for our relief effort. Thank you Don.

    Also thank you to Donna and Peter for your contribution.

    I will keep this blog updated as we move forward.

    We are collecting funds and goods on the ground in Mindanao. Our five churches there are very simple churches with mostly sustenance farmers and low income earners. They are doing what they can to raise funds and goods as well.

    We will also send funds from our Mindanao account. As many of you know we are a small church that the Lord has blessed with a big work in doing pastoral training conferences, outreach, soon to be free public school education, and we have been used by Christian Aid Mission as on the ground relief workers when they have raised funds for disaster relief on Mindanao for the flood and Typhoon Pablo, where we are still having outreach in Compostela Valley and New Bataan.

     

    Philippines-October ministry-Postponed-Rebels

    zamboanga

     

    The MNLF-Moro National Liberation Front is battling with the Philippine Army in the city of Zamboanga – they have taken about 160 hostages and 30 people have been killed in the fighting –  on the lower western side of the island. Although we are on the other side in the Davao region, the Mayor of Davao City and the State Department have issued warnings for tourists, foreign travelers and business people not to come to Mindanao at present.

    Christians in particular are not under any special threats and our projects on the ground across the island are not currently in any danger. This is a long standing rebellion with occasional flare-ups, as the MLNF is demanding an independent Muslim state. Last year while there, if you read my previous report, I did have two armed officers with me for a portion of my trip and stay and felt completely safe.  The real concern is that even if a peace is negotiated, some extremists within the group may not be satisfied and could activate cells in other parts of the island.

    So, we are watching and praying for the right time to re-schedule the trip and continue our hands on portion of the work there.

    From Ernie:

    I also have a concern with regards to the conference and for your security as well. Just this week, Zamboanga City – a City in Mindanao – is in a war against MNLF or the Moro National Liberation Front. Until now, the war is not yet over. The leader of the rebel group has not decided to retrieve its troops and continues to declare war. Their group is all over Mindanao. They want to own the island. They are even present in the Davao Region. Even in our place in Pantukan the presence of MNLF is observable. MNLF rebels that are residing in Davao region is just waiting for the go signal of their leader, NUR MISUARI, as to when they will attack this place. The Mayor of Davao City even plead to the foreign tourist as to not to come to Davao and Mindanao so that their lives would not be at risk. To this, I would like to propose that maybe we should cancel the conference for this year. I am just concerned with your security and safety. Any time now, the rebel group could declare an all out war if the peace negotiation would not go well.  Maybe we can continue the conference some other time next year. If this is ok with you!