Serious Situations, Carports and Coffee

by Patty Roberts | Oct 27, 2025 | Philippines 2025, Pray

Dear All,

Sunday’s Bottom Line:

Following the conclusion of the Tandem Conference on Saturday afternoon, Mark and his family stayed up in the mountains to preach Sunday morning at a church there, while Scott returned to Villasis to preached at Wilson’s church on Sunday morning. Monday will be an “off” day, allowing our team to reconvene and prepare for two important “Summits” this week, the first on Tuesday involving well over 100 people currently in DM groups. It will be a very exciting day!

Sunday’s Prayer Requests:

1. Our team to be Spirit-led as they prepare for Tuesday’s DM Summit and all attendees to leave encouraged, informed, and challenged to purposefully disciple others.

2. Jihadi terrorists in Niger, West Africa to immediately release kidnapped missionary pilot Kevin Rideout; safety for Christians there and terrorist activity in that nation to cease.

3. Wisdom and peace for Pastor Gil as he researches options for his CT scan; clarity for him and his medical providers as they prepare for his throat surgery, and God’s timing to be perfect.

Sunday’s Details:

TTC has two overriding goals during the Philippines part of this mission trip: 1) to expand the disciple-makers movement into new regions of Luzon, one of the two largest islands in the Philippines, and 2) to strengthen the existing coaches and their groups so they will be spiritually healthy and logistically effective.

The Tandem Conference up in Baguio was a huge thrust toward #1 (expansion), as those pastoral couples participate in online DM groups as they return to their far-flung homes, and now our team is focusing on #2 (strengthening) those who are have already been involved in DM groups. Currently, 50+ DM groups are meeting weekly in the Philippines, and all those people have been invited to Tuesday’s DM Summit, a time that will provide a great deal of, as Scott has summarized it, “cheerleading and challenging.” So far 130 people have registered to come, some from as far as eight hours away. We are expecting amazing results!

God is at work all around the world, and so is our enemy. Last week, Kevin Rideout, a missionary pilot, was kidnapped from his home in Niamey, the capital of Niger. Longtime TTC partners may recall that Scott has ministered in Niger under the leadership of our close friends, missionaries Neal and Danette Childs. They know Kevin personally, and their home is only a few miles across town from his. We are joining Neal and Danette in asking all Christians to pray fervently for Kevin’s release, for peace in Niger, and for the wickedness of the wicked to come to an end!

Our friend, Pastor Gil (“Hill”), who hand-selected and invited those 20 pastoral couples in his ministerial network to come to the Tandem Conference, is awaiting throat surgery to remove a tumor on his thyroid gland. He’s experiencing delays related to a necessary CT scan with contrast due to an allergy to the contrast medium. Pray for the details of that to be worked out properly, for the Holy Spirit to guide all decisions and procedures related to his situation, and for Pastor Gil’s total healing.

On a more upbeat note, here’s news about the two Sunday services Mark and Scott just preached.

First, from the Phillips family…

Unfortunately they have been pounded with sickness, so this first of their four weeks in the Philippines has been rough. But on Sunday Mark preached on “The Pursuit of Holiness” at the Agape La Trinidad Church, which meets in a converted carport.

Whitney said, “They said it was a timely message as they are focusing on Holiness for this month. We spent time after the service talking with small groups and fellowshipping with the church members. All were so encouraged by what he preached and how to get on with becoming holy and living close to God.” Then in the afternoon, “Mark was able to give a message of encouragement to their leaders of disciples and answer questions they had on reaching others for Christ.”

“They were so sweet and welcoming. We truly enjoyed our stay with them. They even gifted him with coffee beans! ❤”

Meanwhile, down in Villasis at Wilson and Angelica’s church, which is less than two years old and also meets in a converted carport… Scott said, “Sunday morning under the tarps. The service starts at 9 AM and it was already hot!”

Scott preached on “reaching to lay hold of the thing for which Christ Jesus laid hold of you.”

He said, “It was really powerful worship, and the people really seemed challenged to step up and find and fulfill their potential in God.”

“In this picture I am fist-bumping Nathaniel for stepping up to play the bass at such a young age.”

We all need to be encouraged every day, and I hope today’s update has encouraged you and shown you how important your prayers are for people you may never meet on the other side of the world. Thank you for standing with us!

Blessings,

Patty

Prayers and Pictures!

by Patty Roberts | Oct 24, 2025 | Philippines 2025, Pray

Dear All,

Friday’s Bottom Line:

Today’s Better Together seminar was well-received and as Angelica said,

“I believe a lot of marriages were healed today.”

Scott’s presentation in this marriage seminar is high energy, and it sounds like God is answering our prayers for his health and stamina. Tomorrow, these pastoral couples will learn some of the practical how-to’s of raising disciples who raise disciples.

Friday’s Prayer Requests:

1. Good health for all members of the Phillips family; Mark and Liam had upset stomachs yesterday. = {

2. The pastoral couples at the Tandem Conference to gain clear understanding of the principles presented in Saturday’s disciple-makers sessions; productive Q&A as the Conference concludes.

3. A successful throat surgery and recovery for Pastor Gil (“Hill”); details TBA as we have more information.

Friday’s Details:

Our team has sent us some pictures from the past few days. Prayers are being answered and both parts of the Tandem Conference (the disciple-makers seminar and the marriage seminar) are making an impact of these dedicated pastoral couples!

First, as they were driving up the mountain from Villasis to Baguio on Wednesday, they stopped at an impressive waterfall.

And it looks like Scott got up close and personal with the waterfall.

Scott and Mark tag-teamed some of the DM seminar sessions on Thursday, and I really wanted to put a great picture in here of high-energy Mark teaching. Unfortunately, although the rest of the attendees were attentive, the framing of the picture had the most prominent man in the foreground looking bored. Sigh. It just didn’t give the right vibe, so I’m going to leave that picture out, but we do all appreciate Mark!

Then on Friday, Scott taught the Better Together seminar.

That seminar includes a lot of solid information, as well as a fair amount of humor that most couples can relate to, and as it grows more serious in the afternoon sessions, Scott gives the couples some time to find a quiet place to talk about what they’ve heard and ask each other to forgive them for wrongs they’ve done. That part of the BT seminar is always a very serious time when God does some powerful things in the couples’ relationships. As they dispersed for this time alone together, some couples found places in or around the conference room…

… and some went outside.

On a lighter note, Scott always invites each person to write down why her husband is her hero or why his wife is his princess, and then some of the couples are invited to share what they wrote and small prizes are given to the winning princess and hero. Here are a few of those couples on Friday.

Reading why he’s her hero

Headed toward a kiss = )

And here are all the happy Tandem Conference participants, including the “delegates” (pastoral couples), our national directors Wilson and Angelica, Scott, and Mark and Whitney.

Front row far left: Wilson and Angelica; Standing far right: Mark (bald and bearded) and Whitney;

Back row with the big head (HA!), Scott

While the couples were talking to each other alone today, Scott had a break for a few minutes, and he sent this message for all of us TTC partners:

“Thank you so much for your prayers. I just told the story of my second wife, and the room erupted in applause! They are all pastors and pastors’ wives, and they could so identify with the story of my affair with Ministry. The guys and the wives are now discussing the story in two men’s groups and two ladies groups. I believe God will do a great and deep healing in the lives of these couples. Your prayers are making a huge difference. Thank you!”

I cannot say it any better than that!

Blessings,

Patty