Philippines missionary to speak at Platte Valley Christian Center

Reverend Stuart German, Assemblies of God missionary to the Philippines, will be a featured guest speaker at the Platte Valley Christian Center in September.

Staurt and his wife, Jeanie, first moved to the Philippines in 1991, and their three children, Nathan, Erika and Jared, were born in the nation’s capital city of Manila. The Germans have ministered in a variety of capacities during this tenure, and the public is invited to hear them speak on Sept. 8.

Stuart has directed his efforts at compassion ministries to the poor, serving for a few years as the Philippine director of Convoy of Hope, but is developing pastoral teaching, training and church planting initiatives that have become his focus for future ministry. Jeanie, whose experience as a public school teacher has given her many opportunities for outreach, teaches at Faith Academy, a school for missionary children. She has also conducted Bible classes in public elementary schools.

Stuart believes that equipping churches with well-trained pastors and workers, and using God’s Word to instruct in personal accountability, is the best path to strengthening and preparing the national church for self-sustaining growth. He has begun teaching in local Bible colleges around Manila, and laying plans for establishing training centers in provincial areas where pastors have no access to formal learning.

“The last thing we want to do is continue perpetuating Filipino decency on Western missionaries and mission programs,” Stuart said.

The Germans broadened their scope beyond teaching and training on their past term in Manila by assisting the national Assembly of God leadership with a church planting project called “Soul of the City.” The program is a concerted effort at starting churches targeted at middle and upperclass young, urban professionals in primary business districts throughout the country.

“Almost all of our existing churches are provincial and poor and there’s nothing wrong with that, but God also loves wealthy professionals,” Stuart said. “We don’t want to develop a ‘tunnel vision’ that ignores ministry to any segment of society. God can use the resources of the rich to help in reaching the poor.”

The Germans will speak at 6 p.m., Sept. 8 at the Platte Valley Christian Center, 111 N. Seventh St. in Saratoga.