The HiMiG Gospel Singers

This is a short story of how the “Gospel” got into the Himig Singers.

We started out as a small singing ensemble in 1988, just a bunch of college freshmen wanting to indulge their passion for choral music. Within the next few years success and national acclaim transformed the group into a concert chorus, the pride of their city, Davao. This was followed by bittersweet triumphs in European choral competitions and festivals in 1995, 1997 and 2004. Soon we were touring the United States and Canada, performing for Filipino expatriates nostalgic for the culture of their homeland.

In 2005, while on tour in Canada, the group began to experience a series of difficulties that soon came to threaten its very existence. Financial difficulties and the stress of numerous singing engagements began to take their toll. Relationships became strained to breaking point, and a mutinous atmosphere pervaded. Bottom line, it was every touring choir’s nightmare.

Then God sent people, ordinary folk, who felt compelled to offer assistance. A handful of Filipinos helped ease us out of a one-sided relationship with our producer. They offered us food and shelter and found us singing engagements without asking for a return. Some of these folk called themselves Christians and because they knew nothing else, they pointed us in the direction of singing in churches. Soon churches large and small became our favored performing venue.

We became particularly enamored of a small church in a small town, in a nondescript industrial building just off a busy highway. Safe Haven Worship Centre in Pickering was one place where the gospel was not only preached, it was also lived. We half asked and half begged for us to be taken in as their regular choir. Without so much as a hiccup, the church took us in, lock, stock and barrel. And through ordinary folk we began to experience the unconditional, all-accepting love of Jesus Christ.

That amazing evangelist pioneer named Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” Safe Haven was shameless. The pastor and his congregation thought nothing of “crawling on their hands and knees” just to point us to the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ. And soon our own lives were being transformed by this same Jesus who was the driving passion of these wonderful people. It was not long before many of us in the group realized things would never be the same again. Those in the group who were already Christians felt a renewing conviction in their hearts, a conviction that rekindled a stagnating life of faith. And those of us who felt hopelessly lost found ourselves in the comforting arms of a merciful and loving Savior who scorned the shame and the pain of Calvary so that we the ungodly could be reconciled to the Holy One of Heaven.

By that amazing work of divine grace, we felt called to share the same gospel that worked itself into our hearts. So here we are today, unashamed of Jesus Christ and his gospel but rather boasting in him and the free gift of eternal life that he offers everyone.

Would you like to receive this free gift?

The bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But of even more concern to us, it says, “The soul that sins, it shall die,” and “It is appointed for man once to die, and after that the judgment.” In other words, we all are born condemned to die and to be judged by God. And if all of us have indeed sinned, how then can we expect to spend eternity in heaven with God who is righteous and holy?

The bible itself gives us the answer: “For God so loved the world that he gave us his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.” “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

The answer is clear. There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. But because of God’s great love for us, through his amazing grace, Jesus paid our sin debt in full, once for all time on the cross of Calvary 2,000 years ago.

God sent Jesus. Sinless and spotless, He was at once both perfect Man and perfect God. Yet he died the death that we deserved. He suffered the pain, agony and shame that were rightfully ours. He endured the separation from the Father that should have been our lot. He paid the penalty so that we could go scot free. Isn’t that the most amazing gift one could ever have? And to seal that gift forever, he rose from the grave to reign in glory so that he could live in us through his Holy Spirit and prepare a place for us in heaven.

Would you like to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime offer? Jesus’ life for yours. Would you like to give him your sin so that he could give you his righteousness? Would you like to cast upon him your guilt, your shame and your pain so that he could give you the freedom to be what you ought to be? Salvation is rich and free, and it is freely given. But like any gift, it is not yours until you freely receive it.

If you would like to receive this gift, and experience the transforming power of Jesus Christ, perhaps you could pray a prayer like this: ” Lord Jesus, I admit I’m a sinner. I know I’ll never be able to commend myself to you on my own. But I’m just so thankful that you died for me so that my debt of sin could be forever erased. Help me to turn from my sin and to trust you only and always. I receive your gift of eternal life, and I ask you to live in my heart and life as my Savior and my Lord. Amen.”

Have you made that crucial decision to trust in Christ Jesus? If you have, we would be honored if you would send us an email at yes2jesus@himigsingers.org. If you are looking for a place to worship and to grow in your new life as a disciple of Christ, please visit our church, Safe Haven Worship Centre. God bless you as you begin to experience the fullness of his love!