John Holbrook

Career Missionary since 2011.

John and Rodelyn Holbrook grew up playing together in the mountains of the Philippines where John’s family served as AFM missionaries. Both John and Rodelyn heard God’s call to missions while still in elementary school, and both pursued educations to prepare them for this calling. After John’s graduation in the States, he returned to the Philippines to start a new AFM project among the Tawbuid. His friendship with Rodelyn was rekindled, and they eventually married.

John and Rodelyn, along with their daughter Ellen Joy, continue to plant churches among the Tawbuid on the Philippine island of Mindoro. God’s ministry through them and the native church leaders has grown to include four tribes and numerous churches. Currently, their primary focus is training and equipping native leaders and missionaries in church leadership, evangelism, healthcare, agriculture and earning a livelihood. They are also working to help native students receive higher education in order to return and help their tribes in development and evangelism.

Frontier Stories

The Widow’s Mite

When she reappeared, she solemnly and joyfully placed a single dollar bill on the table in front of me. I felt odd accepting her money, but I knew it was not a gift to me but to the Lord, so I humbly and gratefully turned in her donation.

By: John Holbrook
May 01 2011, 7:07 am | Comments 0

Fighting with Spirits

Smoke burned Pandak’s eyes as he swung in his hammock with fierce concentration. But he couldn’t see the smoke, nor could he hear the clatter of the village around him. He was deep in a trance, fighting desperately to navigate his village through a world ruled by hundreds of spirits.

By: John Holbrook
April 01 2011, 7:04 am | Comments 0

Now is the Time

Nearly a year had passed since his dream about the Batangan crossing the fiery sea, and he was beginning to get discouraged. So little progress had been made toward reaching them with the news of Jesus. “God!” he cried out. “What is Your plan? Why is it taking so long?”

As Ramon lay pleading for the Batangan, God once again gave him a dream. He found himself looking down at a map of the world.

By: John Holbrook
March 01 2011, 6:01 am | Comments 0

Across the Sea of Fire

On one side, Ramon saw an indescribably beautiful land and many Alangan church members standing there. On the opposite side of the sea stood the Batangan about to be destroyed by the fire. Screaming in terror, they begged for deliverance, but there was no one to help them.

By: John Holbrook
February 01 2011, 5:55 am | Comments 0

Scouting New Territory

I did what I could, going into the foothills where I providentially met a few Batangan and interviewing anyone who knew anything about them. When I left, I was certain I had accomplished nothing except wasting the Lord’s money.

But our God never lets things go to waste.

By: John Holbrook
January 01 2011, 5:51 am | Comments 0

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