Short Studies Are Having Long-Reaching Impact on Pastors Worldwide

Enthusiastically Embraced Resources

How can I experience freedom from guilt before a holy God? – For an evangelical pastor ministering amid a predominantly Roman Catholic backdrop, possessing biblical clarity and confidence in addressing such a question is essential. This is why Pastor Vernon Magsucang in the Philippines was elated to receive the book Justification: An Introduction. In the Lord’s kindness through the generosity of donors to Crossway’s Global Ministry Fund, he, along with ninety-nine other pastors, received this and six other titles from the Short Studies in Systematic Theology series. Regarding the book on justification, Pastor Vernon explains:

I was so happy to come across what the pages of [this book] say. The author introduces justification to us in a plain way from the Bible along with an explanation of the historical event of the Reformation. Plus we are able to see how the Reformers were able to share their faith and beliefs in the midst of the tug of war between Roman Catholics and the Protestants.

The one hundred pastors attended a theological forum hosted by the Reformed Ministry Training Institute (RMTI) in March of 2026, which provided a strategic means of placing the Short Studies in Systematic Theology titles into the hands of pastors eager to be equipped in the Word. The Philippines is one of those regions of the Global South where the evangelical church has grown exponentially over the last few decades, but theological training and resources have not kept pace with the growth. According to Pastor Vernon, “It is very hard for us to find theological books, because publishers from our Reformed tradition are very hard to come by, and it’s even harder to buy them in a bookstore.” Crossway Global Ministry is grateful for the opportunity to provide much-needed materials to pastors and leaders in the Philippines through partners like Vernon.

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Ideal Content for the Context

The Short Studies in Systematic Theology books are helping pastors lead with confidence and clarity from God’s Word. In addition to the challenges posed by the culture’s deeply rooted Catholicism, diverse spiritual views litter the landscape of the Philippines, including a growing number of Muslims as well as booming Pentecostal megachurches. Plus, the Philippines is characterized by high poverty rates, political friction, and social unrest. Amid such turbulence, pastors need to be all the more deeply rooted in their theology.

Pastor Ben Gonzaga, who hosted the theological forum through RMTI, speaks to the strategic level of the theological content in these books. He said, “What we need is a balance like what Crossway publishes in this series. It is a balance of academic depth and at the same time, practical readability and applicability to our actual ministry context.” These pastors are not aspiring to be academic scholars but are seeking to be skilled shepherds who faithfully preach and care for their flock.

The Exponential Use of a Book Set

Beyond using the books in his own church ministry, Pastor Vernon is using them as he trains pastors where he lives in Mindanao, the southernmost region of the Philippines. There, he directs an extension of RMTI and also leads the Reformed Theological Seminary. Pastor Vernon describes his work with students: “We travel from town to town where students are pastoring with the help of God. I visit them and give them input especially in theological standards, and also give them tools to more effectively work with the people.” The Short Studies in Systematic Theology books are ideal tools to help him be a shepherd to these shepherds.

By God’s grace, the content of these books has extended even beyond the boundaries of the English-speaking pastors and communities in Mindanao. For pastors who are not able to read English, Pastor Vernon explains, “We create a three to four page summary of each book in the pastors’ vernacular languages.” This way additional shepherds can clearly understand the biblical doctrines and utilize them in their own ministries.

Pastor Vernon is also directing the use of the Short Studies titles in teaching young people. Because very few curriculum options are available for youth, the churches with which he is involved create their own. They are grateful for resources that help them train their children in the foundational truths and themes of God’s Word. He said, “We present the biblical truths [from the books] in very plain ways to our elementary groups and in a program I’ve started for preschoolers.” One of Pastor Vernon’s top prayer requests is that the Lord would raise up the next generation of Christ followers and theologians among these churches in the Philippines. Crossway Global Ministry is overjoyed to equip leaders such as Pastor Vernon who the Lord has raised up to serve his kingdom.

Pray that pastors would continue to have opportunities to be equipped and strengthened to accurately teach the Word in the Philippines, and that they would be protected as they lead their local churches in sound doctrine.

Praise the Lord for pastors like Pastor Vernon and Pastor Ben and the training institutions that they lead.