Speaking to a hall of attentive listeners at the Adventist Academy Cebu Chapel on Dec. 5, 2025, Pastor Joel Matarung Wales, a retired president of the Central Visayan Conference, urged them to embrace the key principles needed for success in gospel work.
Wales explained that there are four essential “M’s” in the cause of God—Message, Mission, Method, and Ministers. He expounded on each principle using Scripture and real-life illustrations drawn from his own experiences and from people he had worked with during his active years of service.
He emphasized that the Seventh-day Adventist Church upholds a message firmly rooted in Scripture, noting that its Bible-based teachings are expressed in the church’s 28 fundamental beliefs. He added that the gospel is unchangeable and eternal because it is authored by God Himself, who is “the way, the truth, and the life.” Citing Galatians 1:8, he reminded the constituents that anyone—even an angel—who proclaims a gospel different from the one they have already received stands under condemnation.
In explaining the mission of the church, Wales said its primary task is to proclaim the gospel as mandated in Matthew 28:19–20, where believers are instructed to teach all that God has commanded. He challenged the audience by asking whether the church is truly teaching all its fundamental beliefs when evangelistic meetings are limited to only one week.
Wales also underscored the vital role of the Holy Spirit as the One who brings genuine conversion. “We should not aim to meet baptismal goals by using incentives, only to see people drift away afterward,” he cautioned. “For me, it is better to baptize five souls who will be candidates for heaven than 500 souls who will become problems for the church. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to keep those precious souls.” He warned that many fail to grasp biblical teachings because they are not taught properly.
When discussing the method, Wales challenged the constituents to elevate their approach to soul-winning. He urged them to “make changes in our method—not merely relying on rice, noodles, or other giveaways to draw people to evangelistic meetings—because such incentives cannot lead the heart to fully understand the truth.”
Finally, Wales addressed the role of ministers, reminding them to be discreet, careful, and exemplary in their conduct. He warned of “two things that ruin a minister: kwarta ug kwarto,” (“money and room”) referring to misusing sacred tithes and offerings and falling into moral sin. He remarked that these failures have left some ministers unable to retire, reducing them to “flat tires” in the ministry.
The presentation was marked by wit and laughter, yet it remained rich with valuable lessons for the constituents to take home.
Marisheil Lauron, High School Teacher, AAC
Published and printed by the Central Visayan Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.