Issue 14 | 2014
C
reative, diverse and expanding across various generations, Hillsong UNITED is known around the world for composing memorable worship songs with poignant lyrics, and their arena-filling tours. The band has been a favorite in church worship for more than a decade, with classic songs like “One Way”, “Mighty To Save”, and “Hosanna” still being sung today. Their last visit to Manila way back in 2011, saw thousands of people joining the band in worship of our God at a jam-packed Araneta Coliseum. After three years of waiting, it’s no wonder that music lovers from different churches and universities are eagerly anticipating the band’s upcoming tour. Fronted by worship leaders Joel Houston, Jad Gillies, JD and Matt Crocker, Hillsong UNITED is an evolving collaboration of pastors, worship leaders, musicians, and song writers – all intentional about giving voice to a generation passionate about God. Dubbed the “WelcomeZion Tour” on their website, the band begins the Asian route of their 2013 album Zion world tour this June, which includes Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines, and Singapore. Their upcoming visit to Manila is the only leg of their tour with two sold out nights – both concerts definitely can’t be missed! Fans of Hillsong UNITED have been vocal about their excitement and support for the
TO SIN
SLAVE
TO CHRIST
WELCOMING
ZION I N
M A N I L A
With less than a month away, Hillsong UNITED has been creating waves across the country with their upcoming twonight concert this June 11 and 13 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum!
“God, I want to be a part of what it is you’re doing. If that means write a song, we’ll do our best to write the best songs we can.” – Joel Houston (Hillsong.com)
band’s return. Just a month after Hillsong UNITED Manila was announced, tickets were already sold out for the band’s first night on June 13. Much to the delight of those who’d missed the initial hype, the strong demand for more seats led to a second night opening on June 11, also selling out shortly after tickets were released. One of the, if not the most anticipated song from Zion is “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”, including vocals by the talented 24-year old Taya Smith. What started out as a nine-minute album cut is now one of the biggest singles in Christian music history! “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” broke the record for staying at #1 on Billboard Christian Songs Chart for 33 weeks, starting last December 2013. The song is also the first Christian song in history to make it to the Billboard Hot 100, where it currently sits at #83. Exhibiting strong traces of indie and electronic vibes, Hillsong UNITED’s Zion exudes the musical excellence and spiritual intensity the band is known for. Much of the same is expected for their upcoming concert. But despite achieving massive international success, Hillsong UNITED has always pointed out the true purpose for their music: to intimately lead people in worship of Our Savior, Jesus Christ – the only one who deserves all glory and praise.
PASSION: IN IT
ENSLAVED
with Louie Giglio, Kristian Stanfill, and David Crowder
The grim reality of Human Trafficking in the Philippines
#ENDIT
PASSION: IN IT TO
#ENDIT
END IT MOVEMENT has been about really raising our voice and raising our awareness for the plight of the 27 Million men, women and children somewhere in the world today, who are trapped in human slavery of some form: sex trafficking, bondage, or slave labor. These people don’t have a voice. But God cares about them, and calls us to that opportunity to speak out for those who have no voice, and to bring justice to those who oppress. This is the heart of God: to bring freedom to people.
by Louie Giglio
PASSION has a big platform. We have a big mouth—that’s one way of saying it. We can use our big mouth to talk about Passion or to talk about our music, or something that we have going on. Or we can use our mouth to talk about Jesus and the things He cares about. One of the things He cares about are the oppressed. In fact He said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me… because he has sent me to proclaim freedom to the captives.” (Luke 4:18) That’s spiritual captivity, but it also means real captivity. And so, Passion wants to be about justice because that is worship. True worship is not just singing songs of praise. True worship is giving God what He wants, and God wants justice for the last and the least of these [captives] on planet Earth. If we don’t start with awareness, and people don’t know, then we can’t all stand up and say “We’re going to put an end to trafficking in this generation. Slavery is not going to happen on our watch.” And so together, we’re in it to END IT.
shine a light on slavery
SLAVE
TO SIN TO CHRIST
WE ARE ALL SLAVES TO WHAT WE CRAVE
O
ur own will, choices, and inclinations lead us towards a never-ending search for the satisfaction of ourselves. Whether it has something to do with our identity, who we have as friends, what we do for our careers, or why we simply matter as individuals, we have a deep yearning embedded in each of us. This desire is indeed God-given, but most of the time we fulfill these through human-driven means. This is the very fabric of sin. It makes us captive to what we think can satisfy us, but in the end is ultimately always lacking. We yearn for more and more each time thinking that we will reach the pinnacle of our desires, but it only enslaves us in the process. Jesus said so himself as he addressed the people of his day, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is
a slave to sin.” [John 8:34 ESV] There is no other way around it: the things we do will necessarily have a lasting impact on us whether these are good or bad. And if it’s the truth that sets us free, it’s a lie that keeps us in chains. We have to realize that sin has that effect on us. Not until we can admit that we are slaves to sin can we call out for freedom. Christ said in Luke 4:18-19 that he has come to proclaim liberty to the captives, the ailing, and the oppressed. He does this by captivating our hearts to himself rather than allowing us to be captive to our own sin. “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Jesus indeed paid the price for us to be bought from our bondage. He paved the way for us to walk in freedom. He made us to be reborn from sinful beings to slaves of righteousness. If this is real in our lives,
“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ESV no longer will we be vulnerable to the whims of a worldly life nor the ever-pressing pride that seeks to corrupt us. Knowing this immovable truth, we are powerfully brought from being slaves of sin to slaves of Christ.
K R I S T I A N S TA N F I L L ON CHRISTIAN MUSIC
T
he one thing that sets apart Christian music from any other genre of music is that it’s filled with so much hope. It’s filled with so much positivity. And I’ve talked to a lot of people who don’t even know who Jesus is, who don’t believe in Jesus, but they’ll dial in to Christian radio because they know there’s hope there, there’s positivity there. And honestly, I think a lot of people need that in their lives. In the world today and the culture we live in, we’re kind of surrounded by these negative views and things like that. Christian music is coming through with hope that says, hey, God loves you. God is real, and there’s hope for your life. I’ve talked to so many people who have found incredible comfort in that.
I know for me specifically, when I was a little kid, that’s how I learned how to play guitar. I learned a lot of what I know — what I knew about God back then as a kid, from all the music that I listened to, and it really got me curious about what it meant to follow God. What it meant to love Jesus. And all that really started for me when I started listening to Christian music. When we’re (PASSION) making these songs, when we’re writing these songs, we’re thinking about ‘Who’s going to sing these songs?’ ‘Who are these songs for?’ And we trust that to God. Music is a powerful tool.
Kristian Stanfill
KNOW YOUR WORSHIP: “One Thing Remains” Your LOVE
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never fails it never gives up it never runs out
Kristian Stanfill’s popular song cover is rooted on this verse: “And I am convinced t h at n o t h i n g c a n e v e r s e p a r at e u s f r o m G o d ’ s l o v e . N e i t h e r d e at h n o r l i f e , n e i t h e r angels nor demons, neither our fears for t o d ay n o r o u r w o r r i e s a b o u t t o m o r r o w — n o t e v e n t h e p o w e r s o f h e l l c a n s e p a r at e us from God’s love.” – Romans 8:38
DAVID CROWDER
Photos courtesy of artists’ websites.
D AV I D C R O W D E R FREEDOM IN CHRIST
I
grew up in East Texas, which is exactly what you think it is. We all ride horses, wear cowboy boots and cowboy hats, and have pistols on the hip. That whole deal. But growing up in the South in the States, we have an idea about slavery related to American history. Being in the South, you’re always trying to transcend where we were historically. To love people so well that it exceeds the context that preceded us, and try to erase the tension that’s there. So, to be able to do something in my lifetime that does bring freedom and does bring hope, that’s something that, for a guy growing up in East Texas, is almost like a dream come true.
“A RELINQUISHMENT OF SELF IS REALLY JUST THE
RELINQUISHMENT OF SELFISHNESS” The amazing thing about freedom in Christ is that when we submit and lay down ourselves to the bigger, grander story of God, what feels like a relinquishment of self is really just the relinquishment of selfishness.
Christianity had such a big role in emancipation in America as well as in Britain. So many of my heroes of the faith were part of bringing that, and to be able to participate in that stream in my current context feels almost selfish. It brings me so much joy to be able to do what feels like just a little, but at the same time having the voice and the ability to raise awareness of the reality we exist in.
Most of the stuff in the world that has the word “sin” attached to it, is just a twist of what the intentions of God were. We have sexuality which is tied to the End It Movement. There’s so much of human trafficking that’s related to the twisted side of sexuality. Sexuality is really a beautiful thing, a gift from God for the way we are made as humans. But what happens is we twist that thing, and it gets depraved, and then we seek just a hint of what the intention was to begin with.
PASSION always has social justice tied to worship. We just feel like worship is alive; a way of life that extends to the way we treat our neighbours. In a world that’s connected globally, your neighbours are from the other side of the world. And so, to have the knowledge that 27 million people right now - more than at any point in the history of the planet, live in slavery, the first thing we have to do is get the word out and let other people know. Because that’s just a mind blow of a statistic.
The fun stuff you love is just but a taste of what the dream of God was for you and for me. When you’re living and walking and breathing in the dream of God, all the other stuff kinda feels silly. You can see the twisted nature of it, and how it was destructive for you and the people around you. So when you participate in the full intention of how God made us, all of a sudden in what looked like maybe slavery or the relinquishment of self, you find freedom instead.
T H E B E S T O F PAS S I O N One Thing Remains Kristian Stanfill 10,000 Reasons Matt Redman How He Loves David Crowder Our God Chris Tomlin
Revelation Song Kari Jobe Like A Lion David Crowder
The Lord Our God Kristian Stanfill
Waiting Here For You Christy Nockels
God’s Great Dance Floor Chris Tomlin
sundays on 106.7 fm 6:00pm - 12:00mn
The grim reality of Human Trafficking in the Philippines
126 OF WHICH
Beyond the bright city lights, past the sanitized glow of polished glass windows and underneath an increasingly progressive urban society, is a flesh market for modern day slaves. The statistics are overwhelming: 27 million slaves exist worldwide today, more than at any time in recorded history. 27 million people who have lost their voice and their freedom in the face of ignorance and apathy. It’s a grim reality that calls for awareness and urgent action.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING is transporting people away from their communities and forced to work against their will using violence, deception or coercion. Human trafficking is tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest international criminal industry in the world and it is the fastest growing. A large segment of human trafficking is composed of children forced to work in prostitution rings.
The Philippines is considered a source country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. With rampant poverty in the country, human trafficking has become an issue that is closely tied with our economic state. Many victims are lured with the promise of better jobs or opportunities, only to find themselves trapped and forced into labor. However, reports from the International Justice Mission, an organisation that exposes and takes action against slavery worldwide, as well as the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, show that impoverished families have also willingly sold their own children to the sex industry, rationalising it as added income. “What we see now is not just a poverty in material things, but also in values,” said Pastor Joey Umali, Church Mobilization Consultant of IJM Philippines. “Without changing the value system, [the victims] voluntarily return to sex trafficking.”
SOURCES:
PHILIPPINES
human traffickers were convicted and incriminated during that period
ONLY
375,000
4TH RANKED
144 convictions out of the thousands of unreported cases between 2005-2014
WO M EN A N D G I R LS SOLD FOR SEX IN A YEAR mostly between 11-22 years of age
COUNTRY with most number of prostituted children
UNICEF Philippines www.unicef.ph International Labour Organization www.ilo.org Bureau of Justice Statistics www.bjs.gov Department of Social Welfare and Development http://www.dswd.gov.ph
THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY The fight against slavery is not just a social cause. In our pursuit of Christlikeness, we are called to take a stand and act. To love other people as Jesus did, so much that we long to put an end to oppression and injustice. In this light, the church is also a vehicle for social change. In Philippine society especially, churches play a large part in local communities and in the lives of Filipinos. Every city, town or baranggay has a local church and pastor who can help fight against human trafficking by being frontliners. 1. Rescue: Being the first to notice what’s wrong in a community, and working with agencies to identify possible trafficking. 2. Aftercare: Helping to reintegrate the victim or survivors in society and bring back their dignity through counselling. 3.Prosecution against offenders: Providing additional testimony in court and spiritual support. 4.Advocacy to improve the justice system: Spreading awareness and educating their congregation. Restoring a value system that will help decrease trafficking. Based on an interview with Pastor Joey Umali, the Church Mobilization Lead at International Justice Mission Philippines.
CHARITO'S STORY A Sex Trafficking Survivor Dedicated to Serving Others Like many young children in the Philippines, Charito (a pseudonym) dropped out of elementary school to help her impoverished family by working odd jobs as a maid or babysitter. She was barely a teenager when she met a woman who promised her a good job in a nearby city. But it was a lie. At just 14-years-old, Charito was trafficked into a large entertainment club in Cebu, and sold to be abused by customers. “They treated us like animals,” Charito said years later, remembering how she was sold for sex night after night. She adds, “I never thought it would happen to me.” Fortunately, national police rescued Charito and 13 other underaged girls who were trapped in the bar with her. But from there, the case stalled—stuck in a broken court system. Charito returned home alone, overwhelmed by shame and struggling to heal. Later that year, International Justice Mission (IJM) opened an office in Cebu. IJM attorneys heard about the troubled case and started working with state prosecutors to move the trial forward. IJM social workers found Charito and helped her move into an aftercare home for the support and trauma counseling she so desperately needed. Over the next few years, Charito said she “realized the importance of dignity.” She also decided to go back to school. She knew it would be difficult, but she said, “I really wanted to finish my studies to prove to people that everyone deserves a second chance.”
With support, Charito felt strong enough to face her trafficker— and the painful memories—in court. “I testified against my abusers so that I can help in giving justice to all who have been victimized and exploited.” The trial finally ended in June 2013—after more than six years. The trafficker was declared guilty. Charito was ecstatic when she heard the news. She said, “It is an answer to my prayers. All this time, I’ve been praying, ‘God, please grant me justice.’ This really is a success for me.” Charito developed a strong faith in God during her time in the aftercare home. “I have learned that God rescued me. In the past I felt that everyone was bad, and I felt hopeless. But God brought good people in my life to show me that He loves me.” Upon finishing school, she told IJM she wanted to keep studying to become a social worker. She is now eager to graduate from college with a degree in social work so that she, in turn, can help others. Her reason for doing this is simple: “Because I saw that I was loved, my passion to serve was developed.”
27Million slaves exist worldwide today. there are more slaves around the world right now than at any time in recorded history
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161 countries affected by human trafficking as source countries, transit centres, or destinations D E VA S T A T I N G E F F E C T S O F C H I L D T R A F F I C K I N G UNICEF reported in “Child Trafficking in the Philippines” (2012) that the primary causes of child trafficking in the Philippines include poverty, low economic development, gender inequalities, limited employment opportunities, lack of public infrastructure, inadequate awareness, and sex tourism.
Between 1.2 Million to 1.8 Million children are trafficked each year worldwide
A frontliner for IJM Philippines emphasized the need to address trafficking, particularly for minors. He said, “Sex trafficking has devastating consequences for minors, including long-lasting physical and psychological trauma, disease (including HIV/ AIDS), drug addiction, unintended pregnancy, malnutrition, social ostracism, and death.”
OUT OF
SUSPECTED INCIDENTS
C L A SSIFI E D A S SEX TRAFFICKING
“long-lasting physical and psychological trauma, disease (including HIV/ AIDS), drug addiction, unintended pregnancy, malnutrition, social ostracism, and death,”
60,000 - 100,000 FILIPINO CHILDREN a r e i n v o lv e d i n prostitution rings
in 120 seconds, 4 C H I L D R E N H AV E BEEN SOLD INTO
S L A V E R Y H OW YO U CA N H ELP CALLED TO RESCUE Philippines Local Hotline +63.917.541.0287 International Hotline 1.855.646.5484 INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION http://www.ijm.org VISAYAN FORUM http://www.visayanforum.org/
IACAT Public Assistance Corner - Laban kontraHuman Trafficking Call 1343 if you notice suspicious activity in your community.
B E I N FO R M ED
Request for educational resources that you can share with others in your community. Be aware and informed of what is happening locally and internationally to help alleviate the cause of human trafficking.
G ET I N VO LV ED Organize a forum in your school, or work with organisations to spread awareness on human trafficking in the country, and help develop concern and compassion towards human trafficking survivors.
JACO B'S STO RY Jacob tells his story and the horrific reality of human sex trafficking. This film highlights the need for permanent change in the heart of men. When the gospel changes the heart of men, everything changes.
WATCH IT ON SHARE JESUS ONLINE.
SAV ED R eco m m en ds Nefarious: Merchant of Souls is a 2011 American documentary film about modern human trafficking, specifically sexual slavery. Presented from a Christian worldview, Nefarious covers human trafficking in the United States, Western and Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia, alternating interviews with re-enactments. Victims of trafficking talk about having been the objects of physical abuse and attempted murder. Several former prostitutes talk about converting to Christianity, escaping sexual oppression, and moving on to education or marriage. The purpose of the film is “to draw people’s attention to the issue, but also to inspire them in terms of what they can be doing … to take a stand against this injustice.”
AVAILABLE AT
VO I CE IT O UT
Be an advocate against human trafficking! Blog, post, and share about the reality happening around us. Stand up and say “NO” to slavery even in daily life.
s tat i o n S DJ GANNS
From classic praise songs to contemporary beats. From Gospel soul and jazz to indie pop-rock hits. Be uplifted by inspirational lyrics and dance to upbeat music on the airwaves.
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I’m passionate about God. I’m passionate about music. How can we keep God-music to ourselves? Music can change lives. When the music is about God, the life change is of eternal significance.
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O
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My passion is to honor God, serve my family, and witness the lives of broken people transformed by The WORD of God, that is JESUS CHRIST. (John 1:1) Christian Music is the natural collective creative response of a people set free by the Son of God.
DAGUPAN
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7:00 – 8:00 PM
REFRESH kickstarts the SAVED Radio program with the latest release on songs, albums, and artist updates. Listen to new covers and singles by Contemporary Christian Music powerhouses, and covers made by emerging new talent. Be refreshed!
CONTEMPORARY hour features a mix-match of different genres in Contemporary Christian Music ranging from Alternative, Rock, Reggae, and Indie to R&B, Hip-Hop, and Pop. Hear the message beyond the genre!
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8:00 – 10:00 PM 10:00 – 11:00 PM
LIVE SESSIONS with DJ Ganns & DJ Judah features top Contemporary Christian Music hit charts, music reviews, guest artist interviews and live performances, talk shows, and coverage of the latest news and events. Join the sessions!
WORSHIP starts at the peak of SAVED Radio prime-time. With most of the songs played currently sung during church gatherings and events nationwide, tune in to worship and praise songs both old and new, from the familiar to the up and coming!
SAVED Commune launched as the first SAVED community gathering last May 31, 2014 at the 26th St. Bistro by CBTL in Bonifacio Global City! The gathering was an intimate, worship-centered event that reflects what SAVED envisions to do this year—encouraging and empowering youth and young professionals into living a lifestyle of worship beyond church walls.
11:00 – 12:00 PM
E A S Y- L I S T E N I N G caps off the night with slow-tempo songs like acoustic singles, covers, and ballads. Tune in for a relaxing and meditative listening experience with songs that inspire and speak to the soul!
IGNITE GOSPEL MUSIC FESTIVAL SEASO N 2
SAVED Brand Manager Mike Yap cast the vision of what being part of the community means, which includes embodying Christlikeness and being an active advocate for social change in their communities with Christ as their example. SAVED Radio DJ Ganns Deen on the other hand, shared his testimony on how God took his passion for music and blessed him with the work he does now, ultimately allowing him to glorify Him while doing what he loves to do. This recent gathering is just the first of many more to come. The SAVED Team would like to thank everyone who came and had fellowship with us that day! in partnership with Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
If you would like to join our next SAVED Commune, please send an email to volunteer@saved.ph!
Every Saturday
8:30PM - 9:00PM
on Light TV 33
F E S T
VA L
OCT 11 2014 Multi-Grammy Award-winning band ISRAEL HOUGHTON & NEW BREED fuses elements from Gospel, jazz and rock into a completely unique cross-cultural style of Christian music.
AND NEW BREED Led by singer-songwriter and worship leader Israel Houghton, they have achieved a synthesis of music and message that is electrifying and activating audiences inside and outside of traditional church walls. Most of their albums have been recorded before live audiences to capture their infectious energy. Their passion is to propagate a movement for those who believe that worship and justice go hand in hand. Their goal is to reflect the heart of God and His love for the nations, the poor, the lost, and the forgotten.
# S AV E D F E S T I VA L 2 0 1 4 search this ha shtag on june 23 for our next artist announcement!
NO OTHER NAME Heroes have risen and fallen through the ages, leaving legacies upon which civilisations have flourished. We look up to these leaders, teachers, history makers and other people of influence who have changed our global political, social and cultural climates.
But none can compare to the ONLY NAME by which all else falls short. No other name transcends time to touch hundreds of billions of lives in each generation. No other name impacts our world more than Christ’s. Through no other name can salvation be received.
We boldly declare that Jesus Christ alone is the source of true transformation and renewal.
OCT 11 2014
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#No Other Name Post these words on your campus bulletin. Stick a note on your work desk. Find a creative way to share this message of hope and take a photo. Share your photo on your blogs and networks with this hashtag to be part of the campaign.
Join us in declaring this truth! Write,
post, draw, print, or even do a graffiti of this statement.
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#NoOtherName photos will be shown at SAVED Festival 2014!
savednewsmagazine
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to find out the first saved festival artist, view inside!
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newsmagazine@saved.ph