Have you had that "A-HA!" moment? Like when an idea suddenly pops up in your head or when a switch just clicks and a genius undertaking comes on? Like a bulb that suddenly lights up and a great idea comes to life? Just like a spark of ingenuity and then a new ministry is born....that is exactly how this group I am featuring today got its name: LIGHTBULB MINISTRY!
As Praise & Worship (P&W) is a vital part of our worship, I have always respected the team that leads us to it. When I discovered this group of Young Adults singing LIVE on Facebook with their hearts out and glorifying God the best way they can for as many people to see and be blessed, I thought that is something and I would love to share their story and their ministry with you all.
Let me start by sharing with you why I love this group. Jem, who is the brain behind this Ministry, is my youth contemporary (but I'm sure he'll say he is much younger than I am! and that's probably true WINK!). Jem has a gift for music, he is the quiet type but a born leader at that. I think he's been part of Binakayan IEMELIF's (Binakayan, Cavite Evangelical Methodist Church in the Philippines) P&W team for as long as I can recall. With this gift, he started inviting a few of the youth at church and within the P&W Frontliners to come together for a small group bible study. The group collectively called themselves LIGHTBULB MINISTRY. Why LightBulb? It was exactly like a bulb that lit up an amazing idea for some talented young professionals from the church who have the passion for music, GOD's word and ministry of serving. They started coming together more regularly jamming with different instruments, using their talents for GOD's glory, sharing life together, supporting and counseling each other. They would invite a pastor or a church leader to lead them with a Bible study and at times invite another church's P&W team or another youth that have the same love for music to jam with.
Their Ministry's goal is to eventually become a resource center for talented church youth; to help other Music Ministries not just for IEMELIF members but to be able to open its doors to other churches with fervent love for Christian Music. They would also like to train youth and young adults in music production, recording, arranging, technical expertise, digital content, P&W, tutor them with playing instruments/singing and finally offer them a stage to share their talents.
The group's vision is to provide a christian platform for their talented brothers and sisters in Christ that needs help and a logistics support in order to display their talents to be used for GOD's glory therefore maximizing talents that can be used by both local and national organizations within and outside of the church. They wanted to be used to spread GOD's word and His free offer of salvation by ministering through their music.
Just a few days after they have established the group a big gig came in the form of our church's National Music Department (PMK-Pagsamba, Musika at Kultura) . This was a big call, it was to recreate some of the church hymns; to reinvent hymns with words - this was aptly called "IMNO Project" (Hymn Project). The project came with a great responsibility- they have to finish it within days, ready for a big church event in the national level. Well, guess what by GOD's grace, they totally delivered!
By the time they started venturing on Facebook Live, the group has already been coming together for almost four years, have recreated and recorded a few hymns for the church "IMNO Project". Lightbulb has even slowly established themselves by renting this little space (out of Jem's own pocket) where they can hang out regularly, keep their instruments and set it up as a recording studio with equipments and instruments all used for the glory of GOD.
You know what, they are also increasing in numbers. They have recruited an array of talents who give their time in spite of their busy lives as college students and young professionals. During my interview there were a few present and I would just like to acknowledge each one of them and what role or talent they share in the Ministry.
VENER, guitar, acoustic and host
GEORGE, guitar
AIRA, violinist, cable girl (I need to mention this Aira, sorry. She is the Assistant Concert Master, UST)
LA, clapper (seriously, she's the moral support), audio control
PABLO, cameraman, photographer
SHAYNE, prompter, social media specialist
JOHN, host
SHEENA, singer
GRACE, singer, host
MICAH, PR, camera
ARIES, singer
JEM, director, keyboardist
Apart from these names, there are a few Pastor's kids who are part of the ministry, others are from the Binakayan IEMELIF Church Frontliners and Tambourine Dancers. At present, they are trying to pitch in one or two Pastors from the District to minister and counsel them on a regular basis right in their headquarters.
I asked them about their major accomplishments, but they don't seem to count or consider them accomplishments but rather service to other churches and our church's national organizations. This year, they joined forces with Ptr. Reymart Orbillo to compose, digitally arrange and record the VBS 2019 theme song. They also arranged, sang and record the theme song for the PKKI's (IEMELIF's National Youth Movement) Summer Camp 2019. They have done some great collaborations with other local IEMELIF talents from all around Cavite and even up to Bulacan (even from my home church!).
It was more than a year ago since LIGHTBULB MINISTRY hosted and posted their very first FACEBOOK LIVE performance, called #LightbulbLIVE!. It was all so surreal to the group up to now and still overwhelming how their friends have warmly welcomed and responded to this. With almost a thousand followers a year after and thousands and thousands of views on their videos, they celebrated this milestone with an interview and performance with a well-known news anchor, Ms. Bernadette Sembrano from ABS-CBN's TV Patrol. She actually did a Q&A with Lightbulb and a walk through of their very cozy recording studio. CLICK HERE to watch and learn more about LIGHTBULB MINISTRY.Â
For the next few years they are looking at providing tutorials for voice, dance and instruments. They wanted to provide training for recording and all other digital content. In the very near future in coordination with the IEMELIF District-4 Music Department, they are planning to put up a "Music Camp" mainly for anyone who wants to develop skills and have love for music who are wanting to be used for the glory of GOD.
As we were coming to a close, I just had to ask them if they have encountered problems with humility that instead of "MINISTRY" it becomes "ME"-nistry....and if so how do they deal with it? And here were a few of their answers put together in one statement:
"I am serving here in Lightbulb because I want GOD to use me according to His purpose. I want to make use of my talent the best way I know. I wanted to give back. Because I am blessed by this Ministry, I want to bless others too by sharing it with them. I feel I am called to do this. It is my thanksgiving for all the blessings I have received. This ministry helps me to serve and witness about Jesus in our own small way and through our music. We also want to influence other P&W teams just like how Binakayan IEMELIF Frontliners have influenced us to serve GOD and give Him the highest glory through our music." [-- Lightbulb Family]
These talented young adults are creating waves not just in our church circle but anywhere and anyone who can be reached by social media. They are utilizing the current technology in ways some of us cannot comprehend but they are using it to spread GOD's word and share His promise of salvation. They are giving in their time and talent to share whatever they can for the church, for other christian organizations in and out of the church too. They have big dreams, they have the talents, they are gathering support and they need our prayers for them to succeed. We can be part of their Ministry by following them on their Facebook page, liking and sharing their videos and performances, praying for them and if God is speaking to you now....you can also be an anonymous sponsor.
Are you part of your church's P&W Team? Do you love music? christian music? praise and worship? Or are you the instrumentalist type? Do you like serving but would rather be designated behind the scenes? Whatever your talent is, however you think you can serve GOD through this talent, be inspired by this Ministry and come out and use your GOD-given talents to give Him back the glory. Find your ministry within your church, start serving, start sharing, step up for the glory of GOD.
I hope and pray that Lightbulb Ministry will thrive and grow more, that our Lord God up above will be glorified and immensely bless them so that they can continue to minister with their music through Lightbulb LIVE!; that they may also be a driving force in the Music Department to lead the way in training more talented individuals; that each one of you will stay humble and continue to be a reflection of Jesus so that you can all bare witness to the salvation that we have through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. AMEN.
And so LIGHTBULB MINISTRY leaves us with these words from the BIBLE.....
"So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." [Isaiah 55:11 ESV]
To connect with LIGHTBULB MINISTRY
Via FACEBOOK - https://www.facebook.com/lightbulbministry/
Via YOU TUBE - Subscribe to LightBulb Ministry or click the LINK below