For a national movement that has spanned over four decades of gracious commitment to discipling the students and the lay for Christ, a manual such as this one is an apt source of information about the organization. Designed as guide for members, staff, board, lay and ministry partners, this manual also serves an instruction manual for teachers of leadership trainings conducted by PSALM on the regi
onal and national levels. This manual encompasses PSALM’s early strides, milestones and direction as a ministry. An account that seeks to further understanding among the lives it has helped transform, nurture and prepare for service to the world. For every soul who believes in the cause of following Christ, who strives to make a difference through changed lives and continue to see the world as a harvest field. The Philippine Student Alliance Lay Movement, Inc., officially referred to as PSALM, is a specialized Christian ministry committed to discipling the students and the laity for the Lord Jesus Christ. PSALM stated from a small and humble beginning. It evolved from a College Youth Center (C*C) which was established on August 8, 1969 in Zamboanga City, Philippines. Later on February 22, 1977, this ministry became a national movement that was incorporated as PHILIPPINE STUDENT ALLIANCE LAY MOVEMENT, INC and duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. With that, PSALM goes to the CAMPUS with government recognition. PSALM clearly states that the BIBLE is its TEXTBOOK. It will not teach church dogmas, but only what the Bible teaches. V I S I O N A global movement that produces dynamic servant leaders committed to transforming the world. M I S S I O N We exist to ExCEL : Extensive in our outreach Comprehensive in our people development Excellent in our structure and management systems Lifetime in our relationships PSALM EXISTS TO EXCEL · in sharing the Word of God to as many students possible so that they may know the saving knowledge of Christ and they may enjoy the fullness of Christ in their lives. · in encouraging and teaching students and laymen to obey God’s Word, love one another and reach out their families, relatives and friends; · in providing them leadership training that will equip the students and the campus leaders to become effective witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that will enable them to nurture and disciple young Christians. · in leading these students to righteousness – to see them baptized, and channelled to local evangelical churches · in empowering the members of the board, the lay and ministry partners to keep the movement growing, expanding and reaching out to all the colleges and universities, big and small, all over the Philippines. · in spearheading a cooperative and collective effort of all denominations in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the students and the lay professionals without being perceived as having ecclesiastical or denominational bias. PSALM seeks to cooperate with students and churches of all denominations. To evangelize and disciple students and laymen and to encourage their spiritual development; to train them for spiritual leadership and witness in the campuses, in local churches, and in the community. 2. To equip students, laymen, and pastors for effective leadership and for church growth. 3. To provide a program of activities focused on social welfare and development. 4. To encourage appreciation of Filipino culture and talent. 5. To be a research center in developing materials for spiritual, social, and cultural growth. WHAT WE VALUE: Ø GOD’S KINGDOM AGENDA Central to our message is God’s Kingdom Agenda: The fulfilment of the Great Commission, which takes two stages: § GRACE : On the basis of God’s justice and love, we first passionately win the hearts of the youth back to God. § TRUTH: Secondly, we train them for involvement in the ministry; for leadership in the advancement of God’s Kingdom here on earth; and we nurture them so they develop Christ-like characte Ø THE YOUTH Foremost in our ministry are, particularly, the students. Our movement’s success starts when we see the youth become passionate agents for spiritual transformation. We are committed to guiding college students obtain knowledge with spiritual insight so they become leaders with Godly values. Ø THE LAY Our greatest strength is our Lay Partners. They are adult Christians with veracious integrity. They are qualified individuals, well-trained in ministry leadership, coming from diverse sectors of our society. They are our resource pool that sustains the equilibrium between our delivery of our ministry services and our financial support base. Ø EXCELLENCE A commitment to excellence permeates everything we do. We continually improve our processes and our relationship without ministry partners so we stay efficient, relevant and cost-effective- continually delivering optimum performance. To excel in Evangelism, Discipleship and Leadership Training. THE 8 KEY POINTS PSALM ü Excellent Structure Management System We are committed to complete and strengthen our management System, using technology and tools to fulfill our mission, both in student ministry and church leadership. ü Comprehensive Staff Development Program We commit to consistently develop excellent staff recruitment and training programs to produce dedicated and highly competent and motivated servant leaders. ü Financial Breakthrough We strive to become a financially stable organization that is able to meet 100% of the present ministry operation and future ministry expansion. ü Social Responsibility We commit to a greater engagement in the society based on our core theological philosophy. ü Fellowship PSALM creates an avenue for life time connectivity, grounded in faith, friendship, and relationship glued by fellowship and fun. ü Training Philosophy We intentionally emphasize the full expression of the core theological philosophy of PSALM which is H.E.E.D. Humanity Exists to Express Deity. Let this be the guiding philosophy of the Philippine Student Alliance Lay Movement, Inc.(PSALM)This is the reason why we exist, that is to express the fullness of Christ in our lives …to express the glory of God... to put a smile on His face and to put His goodness and His love in our life blood. Having His character written in our DNA, the only way for us to really enjoy the abundant life He has promised is to become what we are really designed to be - not conformed but transformed. Hence, these three emphasis: Evangelism, Discipleship and Leadership. v Servant Leadership The disciple continues to grown through a series of LEADERSHIP TRAINING. Teaching becomes an important process in the development of leaders. A person is taught how to teach others also. Helping another person to grow in his spiritual life enables him to carry on a meaningful and challenging lifestyle and become a responsible reproducing disciple for Jesus Christ. ü Dynamic and Holistic Evangelism We commit to respond to the challenges of the times in reaching students and professionals for Christ. EVANGELISM is to convince men and women to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and bring them to a decision to follow Him and lead them to a life of discipleship. ü Dynamic Discipleship Program We commit to continuously develop a dynamic discipleship program. DISCIPLESHIP is to assist the new believer to walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit, thus providing a balanced development of the total person. His personal relationship with Christ produces in him a meaningful relationship with members of his family and society he lives with. Also his life is invested to witness for Jesus Christ in any place of endeavor. Ø CARING CIRCLE : it is a series of ten Bible Study Lessons. ØTEAM BUILDING LABORATORY : it is composed of basic, advanced, specialized and administrative levels of training, equipping students for excellent ministry leadership. Ø AWARENESS IMPACT GROUP : it is composed of students in different colleges and universities who serve as frontliners in Evangelism and Discipleship in the campuses. Ø MISSION ENCOUNTER TEAM: it is a community-related program that fast-tracks church planting and church growth strategies. It provides the students with the opportunity to be integrated in a church; it also empowers them for church ministry leadership as they serve the local churches and the community. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE PSALM is a three-layered organization: National, District and Campus. The National Level is composed of the National Board of Directors (NBD) and the National Ministries Planning Council (NMPC). The NMPC is composed of the National Director, National Staff Director and District Directors. The District Level is composed of the District Board of Directors (DBD) and the District Ministries Planning Council (DMPC). The DMPC is composed of Campus Directors and Master Awareness Impact Group (MAIG). The Campus Level is composed of the Campus Directors and MAIG, which is composed of the MAIG Leader and AIG Leaders. HOW IS PSALM FINANCED? PSALM is a faith-based organization. The National and District Board of Directors are completely autonomous in financing the offices, programs and projects they are responsible for. Sources of funding come from partner churches and Christian individuals in areas where PSALM is working. Generally, PSALM is being supported by love gifts, donations and sponsorship by Christians who are challenged to disciple the nation and who love the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ. PSALM’S SPONSORING ORGANIZATION AND ITS RELATION PSALM is incorporated under the Christian and Missionary Alliance Churches of the Philippines (CAMACOP), but its relation is one of reporting. An annual report is submitted to CAMACOP Headquarters by the National Director. PSALM EXERCISES ITS AUTHORITY AND FUNCTIONS PSALM is an incorporated organization. While it is sponsored by CAMACOP, PSALM is granted complete freedom to plan and devise programs as an organization. This unique relationship has contributed much to the success of the PSALM organization, allowing it to have flexibility needed to find ways and means to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ effectively to the student world of the Philippines and to build a generation of spiritual champions. PSALM RELATES WITH OTHER EVANGELICAL CHURCH GROUPS PSALM as a movement maintains its dynamism as it works in partnership with local churches and people in the community. PSALM has a church directed discipleship program. It encourages a disciple to join a local evangelical church. PSALM desires to assist in local church planting and the development of leaders through a systematic discipleship program. THE INTERDENOMINATIONAL SCOPE OF PSALM Whereas PSALM is sponsored by CAMACOP, INC., PSALM has been recognized from its inception that to be serious about reaching the student world, the scope of its ministry is interdenominational. PSALM desires to be a catalyst to draw as many Christians together as possible for the purpose of Evangelism. The work of evangelism cannot be done by one denomination alone. Thus, it calls for a joint effort and wider cooperation from other evangelical churches to accomplish such a gigantic task. Any Christian who agrees with PSALM’s purposes and Basis of Faith is welcome. PSALM maintains that any Christian who joins forces with PSALM should be greatly involved in the making of disciples and encourages them to join and serve in an evangelical local church of their own choice. Any Christian group that signifies to work with PSALM must agree with its doctrinal position. PSALM must in turn, agree that the church represents a part of the body of Christ and that their doctrinal differences are within the scope of the evangelical doctrine and not with a cult. First, doctrinally, the Statement of Faith of Lausanne I and that of CAMACOP are almost identical. Secondly, the spirit of CAMACOP and that of C&MA International is one of interdenominational cooperation. Thirdly, PSALM is a bonafide member of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, Inc. (PCEC). Thus, for those church groups which desire to reach the student world for Christ, PSALM presents a strong option. However, it must be properly communicated to them. Therefore, for PSALM to have a broader scope of ministry as much as possible, it must maintain its original position that though PSALM is sponsored by CAMACOP, it has full freedom to work within the scope of its mandate with other evangelical groups to join for its work of evangelism.
