Transformation That Is Holistic (draft)

Introduction

Powerless and suffering people are dotting the streets in urban centers all across the globe. In the Philippines, recent data shows, “. . . 27.6 million Filipinos-or roughly one out of three- are now living in poverty. . . higher prices, calamities and rapid population growth have pushed more families below the poverty line, with even more families falling below the so-called food line.” [Des Ferriols and Ted Torres, “27.6 M Filipinos now living in poverty – gov’t data,” Philippine Star, March 6, 2008, 7].

A more recent report has it that “many children in the Philippines, especially in Mindanao, go to school hungry, according to the United Nations. . . Stephen Anderson, UN World Food Program (WFP), Philippine country director, said hunger is on the rise worldwide and in the Philippines.” [Helen Flores, “Financial crisis deepening hunger worldwide,” Philippine Star, June 8, 2009, 1.]

A newspaper report cited the Ultra stampede in Manila, Philippines as “symbol of the magnitude of poverty problem and hopelessness particularly the women who bear the brunt of poverty.” [Ellalyn B. de Vera, “RP on A[euro] poverty Red Alerta [euro] TM,” Manila Bulletin, February 14, 2006, NA.] Their appalling conditions speak of how ugly the face of poverty is. While a clinical neuropsychologist is wondering it loud,

I wondered why the most successful society in history has, since the early 1960s, seen the divorce rate double, teen suicide triple, violent crime quadruple, the prison population quintuple, and depression sour to more than ten times the pre-World War II level. I wondered, if we’re so successful, why aren’t we happier and healthier. . .

[Paul Pearsall, Toxic Success: How to Stop Striving and Start Thriving, (Makawao, Maui, HI: Inner Ocean Publishing, 2002), 11.]

What is needed here is holistic transformation. As a matter of fact, governments are challenged to “make poverty a history.”

Face of Poverty

At the outset, poverty “has been created for us by an irresponsible government [referring to the United States]; a government that puts far more money into death than into life; a government that speaks of a kinder gentler time then kills off its infants, women and elders . . . “ [James Jennings, Understanding the Nature of Poverty in Urban America, (Westport, CT: Praeger Press, 1994), 133.]

We see poverty in countries where people are suffering from unfair trade systems. We graphically see poverty where “desperate people are forced to accept bad working conditions with long hours, minimal pay and lack of benefits, all of which makes people tired, reduces their immunity and makes them susceptible to illness.” [Steve de Gruchy, “Sick world,” CWM InsideOut, August/September 2004, 22.]

At its simplest poverty refers to a basic lack of the means of survival; the poor are those who, even in normal circumstances, are unable to feed and clothe themselves properly and risk death as a consequence. This description would probably attract universal recognition and assent. Moreover such a situation would probably be seen as one which should if possible be rectified, although precisely how this should be done may be a matter of dispute. [John Dixon, Poverty: A Persistent Global Reality, David Macarov, ed., (London: Routledge, 1998), 1].

Moreover, “In communities where jobs are scarce and many live in poverty, people have difficult time finding employment.” [ Melissa Browning, “Olive wood brings prosperity to CBF-backed microenterprise,” ABPnews.com (E-mail), 23 April 2008.]

There is a perspective on poverty which believes that poverty is a statement of mind. [Metziel G. Kiamco, a text message sent to this author on July 1, 2006] This means that if one thinks in himself/herself to be poor and helpless, then he or she will remain poor forever. Thus, to improve one’s economic lots, he/she would learn from successful people and start thinking of ways to alleviate their economic status in life, instead of just watching soap operas on television.

On the other hand, “the sole pursuit of material development without spiritual and value-based goals have contributed to a widespread culture of violence.” [Maria Theresa Nera-Lauron, “The AR-WACC Pre-Assembly Seminar and Triennal Assembly: An Affirmation of Communicating for Peace and Life,” AR-WACC, June 2005, 2.] The situation creates unjust social relationships and tramples on the needs of the others.

Psyche of Poverty

Poverty, like any other socio-economic status, becomes the inner psyche of the person or group of persons.

Powerlessness and hopelessness sculpt one’s inner psyche. We call this the internalization of a culture of poverty. And with its all-pervasiveness presence, a fatalism starves the membranes of one’s being of the oxygen of hope.

[Charles Ringma, Whispers from the Edge of Eternity: Reflections on the Life and Faith in A Precarious World, (Manila, Philippines: OMF Literature, 2005), 59]

Bernard Malamud as well writes, “If you’ve had nothing, you’re afraid of too much.” [Berdard Malamud, as quoted by Ringma, Whispers from the Edge of Eternity, 59.]

Poverty impacts humanity miserably; It breaks the person’s spirit! “The reasonable inference arises that even though blacks are not genetically inferior, science proves them to be so damaged by racism and poverty that they are inferior now. [George Gilder, Wealth & Poverty, (San Francisco: KS Press, 1993), 75]Poverty can be isolating, separating the people who live in it from the kind of networking relationship that would help them get needed resources. [ Joy Skjegstad, Winning Grants: The Case for Faith-Based Organizations. Http://www.alban.org/conversations.aspx?q=printme&id=4468. Internet. Accessed on December 17, 2007.

A hungry, hopeless world is looking for someone who would bear healing and justice to every corner of our planet.

What ills the society is the fact that people want selective transformation. This renders a compartmentalized transformation where they receive transformation that they wanted and disregard those whom they do not like. It follows that these people determine the outcome of transformation according to what pleases them. This makes a reality of domesticated transformation.

For the Christian, development means people living better lives. The Christian is urged to speak out for fairness and be ready for hostility that follows. The Christian is called to work for and support those who live at the edges. Christian churches have been involved against poverty for a long time yet there is pressing need to address the ethical and spiritual issues related to wealth [Beyond Boundaries: A Newsletter Connecting Friends of Bossey, A Periodic Publication of the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, May 2005, 8.] in order to shape an alternative economic system which does not manufacture poverty. [Steve de Gruchy, “Economics – God’s way,” Inside Out: The Magazine of the Council for World Mission, January-March 2005, 22. ]Much more, we need holistic transformation as a way of sorting things for the better.

Holistic ministry is conceptualized as “ministering to physical needs and ministering to spiritual needs, though functionally separate, are relationally inseparable, and both are essential to the total ministry of Christ’s church. [Yamamori, “Appendix B: Case Study Guidelines,” Serving with the Urban Poor, 231.] Whereas Maggay states that “evangelism and social action are distinct; both however, are parts of our Christian duty.” [Melba P. Maggay, Transforming Society, (Quezon City, Philippines: Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture:, 1996), 11.] Compare this further with Tetsunao and Kim-kwong Chan when they say:

Moreover, “spiritual value of human beings consists in and through their bodily existence.” [David S. Lim, Transforming Communities: Biblical Concepts on Poverty and Social Justice, (Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila: OMF Literature, 1992), 9]

Although Lisu Christian leaders have no formal theological training, their theological methodology seems to be ‘from below’ approach: realization of physical needs, reflection upon their needs, and pastoral action to fulfill them. At first, they taught only the Bible to their voluntary pastors, but in recent years they have realized that the needs of the Christians are physical as well as spiritual. They began to focus their ministry not just on spiritual but also on agricultural, educational, and medical programs. They are now teaching the voluntary pastors to minister to both the spiritual and physical needs of their flock.

[Tetsunao Yamamori and Kim-kwong Chan, Witnesses to Power: Stories of God’s Quiet Work in a Changing China (United Kingdom: Paternoster Publishing, 2000), 104-105. Cf. Perkins, Guidelines for Development, 18. It says here, “People transforming the world and creating their own future; thus, it is participating in God’s redemptive plan for mankind.” Cf., further with Jonathan Warner, “Towards a Christian Economics?,” PRO REGE, 13.The vision of Warner is to see “each human being is able to flourish, to become what he or she ought to be as an image-bearer of God.”]

Or “a tissue paper separating material from spiritual,” as the late George McLeod of the Iona Community, would put it.

Jesus’ Holistic Transformation

Ringma writes, “And in the wider political arena, we know of liberation movements that have brought about newer and sometimes greater forms of oppression.” [Ringma, Whispers from the Edge of Eternity, 144.] It always happens when we lose sight of Jesus Christ as the true framework of transformational engagement. Rather, holistic transformation is a process which aims at, not only a “downward mobility and mission” [Urban Expression: “A Mission Order?”, 3.] but setting fully at developing a richer and more intentional process of transforming the whole being of a person.

Transformation is premised on the fact that the coming of God into one’s life impacts him or her monumentally forever. It involves the restoration of God’s image in humankind. The Apostle Paul would view it as the passing away of the old and in turn the coming of the new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Holistic transformation is thus viewed as a process of integrating one’s faith in all aspects of life and in all days of a lifetime. A person’s transformation can be achieved with the constant reference to Christ. This calls for deeper living out of one’s personal spirituality in either the church or workplace in society. A writer puts it this way. A writer puts it this way. The truly saved life will experience genuine transformation because God is constantly renewing the person's whole being (Brent Briggs). Another writer has this to say:

The transformation that takes place in man is holistic in nature . . . His life is no longer under the power of sin. Rather, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the new man has the freedom to experience dynamic changes in his life. He will live a fruit-full of life of service for the glory of God.

[Fernando Tan, Jr., “Contextualizing the Gospel Message in Asia,” Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, Prepared for the International Faith and Learning Seminar held at Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies. http://groups.google.com/group/pendeta-advent/msg/4929fa8c30d416d?mode=print. Internet. Accessed on 5/27/2008.]

Holistic transformation is likewise termed as integral mission where evangelism has social consequences by calling people to love and repentance in all areas of life and social involvement has evangelistic consequences by bearing witness to the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.

Integral mission or holistic transformation is the proclamation and
demonstration of the gospel. It is not simply that evangelism and
social involvement are to be done alongside each other. Rather, in
integral mission our proclamation has social consequences as we call people to love and repentance in all areas of life. And our social
involvement has evangelistic consequences as we bear witness to the transforming grace of Jesus Christ. . .

[http://groups.google.com/group/mennonite-poverty- forum/browse_thread/thread/c9b18231a01fb365?hl=en. Internet. Accessed on January 8, 2008.]

On the other hand, holistic ministry addresses the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual state of the whole person. [Joy Skjegstad, Winning Grants: The Case for Faith-Based Organizations. Http://www.alban.org/conversations.aspx?q=printme&id=4468. Internet. Accessed on December 17, 2007.] In this sense, material and spiritual are inextricably intertwined. As a matter of fact, conversion is not only a transformation of the soul, but also affects the way we handle our money and possessions; conversion of our heart and our economics, said Charles Ringma. [Ringma, Whispers from the Edge of Eternity, 89] In remote villages in Thailand, the poor are helped by bringing water and teaching them with life skills as well as sharing with them about the Living Water which flow into each of the villagers’ heart and soul. [ABP Staff, “Christian credit union pledges $232,000 to support workers, Thai villages,” Associated Baptist Press (Electronic), April 25, 2008.] That is holistic transformation.

Meanwhile, holistic transformation requires one must live with people to know their problem, and he or she lives with God in order to help solve them. [Fred V. Bat-og, in his text message to this author on November 22, 2005.]

Prayer and service, and contemplation and action, need to be held together. Our daily life and life with God need to be interpenetrate. This way, we live beyond the sacred-secular divide in that all of life is important and all life is to be lived with and before God. [Ringma, Whispers from the Edge of Eternity, 33.]

Holistic transformation calls us back to the centrality of Jesus Christ where his life of sacrificial service is the pattern for Christian discipleship.

We call one another back to the centrality of Jesus Christ. His life
of sacrificial service is the pattern for Christian discipleship. In
his life and through his death Jesus modeled identification with the
poor and inclusion of the other. On the cross God shows us how
seriously he takes justice, reconciling both rich and poor to himself
as he meets the demands of his justice. We serve by the power of the risen Lord through the Spirit as we journey with those who are poor, finding our hope in the subjection of all things under Christ and the final defeat of evil. We confess that all too often we have failed to live a life worthy of this gospel.

[http://groups.google.com/group/mennonite-poverty-forum/browse_thread/thread/c9b18231a01fb365?hl=en. Internet. Accessed on January 9, 2008.]

The transformative encounter enabled the Apostle Paul to experience “a new creation in Christ” which brought him peace with God, forgiveness of sin, and the healing and encroaching presence of the Spirit. [Ringma, Whispers from the Edge of Eternity, 27] Paul was frail and sinful human being, yet he was transformed into the likeness of Christ. His encounter with the Inimitable Transformative Agent brought Paul, not only spiritual transformation but holistic transformation in his lifestyle. Paul’s was deep and holistic transformation.

The Apostle Paul had an encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road that forever changed his life. Throughout his writings, he is trying to find the words to make sense of his momentous and transformative event. In the language of philosophy, the Jesus encounter affected a paradigm shift for Paul. In the language of psychology, this was a gestalt experience. In the language of religion, this was a momentous encounter. [Ibid.]

Socio-Cultural Construct of Holistic Transformation

Holistic ministry is more effective than government programs when group is working with people who live in poverty and on welfare, simply because ministry addresses the moral and spiritual issues as well as material needs. [Skjegstad, Winning Grants.]

Cultural Images of Holistic Transformation (Christian Communities or persons who practice holistic transformation – how they learn from Jesus’ Transformation and how they bind these practices) The following are cases on cultural images of holistic transformation.

In her blog, Christine Sine categorizes her spiritual; practice as " any routine I perform on a regular basis that connects me more intimately with God and God’s purposes." [Christine Sine, "What Is A Spiritual Practice," posted on May 18, 2009, Godspace.] Sine cites a case in Christian history where "the Celtic Christians were so good at connecting their prayers to everyday events and giving them spiritual significance." [Ibid.] In another blog, Sine aptly says,

Connecting activities like this to our faith definitely help us to centre our thoughts and our actions on God and God which means that any activity that has a rhythmic motion to it can become a spiritual practice. No wonder many of us find that knitting, quilting, sewing, woodwork, gardening and running are places where we meet God. Evidently even sweeping the floor can have this kind of an impact. The soothing rhythms of these activities enable us to focus our thoughts more fully on the God we love and worship. I find that repeating short repetitive prayers or short verses of scripture while performing these activities enhances that sense of closeness to God. [Christine Since, “Is Breathing a Spiritual Practice?,” Godspace, http://godspace.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/is-breathing-a-spiritual-practice/. Internet. Accessed on June 20, 2009.]

With his Matthew 25: Ministry, Wendell Mettey expresses holistic transformation in this account:

With a background as a welfare caseworker, Mettey realized early in his career that giving people handouts would not alleviate poverty. Rather, he discovered, meeting people's most basic needs and then emphasizing education, job creation and sustainable projects like housing construction could create greater self-reliance. They would also fulfill Jesus' injunction to his followers, found in Matthew 25, to care for "the least of these." This approach formed the basis for the group's name and mission statement. [Heidi Bright Parales, “ Ministry connects needs, would-be wasted commercial products,” Associated Baptist Press, June 25, 2009 · (09-91). http://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/1221a2bedfa2f5aa. Internet. Accessed on June 26, 2009.]

Aloha Binds 'Ohana

The concept of 'ohana (family) refers to an extended group of friends, work colleagues, children, siblings, mothers, fathers, and grandparents from many biological families. Aloha (love) is the bond in the family and not blood, where a family member is expected to focus on 'ohana in all aspects of daily life and work. [Paul Pearsall, Toxic Success: How to Stop Striving and Start Thriving, (Makawao, Maui, HI: Inner Ocean Publishing, 2002), 62-63] That was a Hawaiian experience!

This experience, I believe, has its roots in the biblical teaching about love for each other in the family of faith. Jesus Christ commands us to “love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.” (Luke 6:35) While the Apostle Paul in Romans 12: 9-13 admonishes us to honor one another in brotherly love. Love must have been the bond that binds for Christians all over the world and is not blood relationship; Jesus Christ’s love encompasses all biological families.

The ideal community of people envisioned in the teachings of the Bible is confronted by present-day realities where greed for power and of material resources is the order of the day. Those of us who profess to be Christians lack the qualities of love that Jesus is encouraging us to live, simply because we cannot just restraint the excessive desire for something from biological family and political lines.

Despite our loudest claim, it seems that there is a strong lack of people who can inspire, awaken and motivate others to live their true hallmarks of God's love. Not only that, but there is an ever-decreasing number of people who have been able to forge their Godly love values and instead the majority just follow the social norms.

Look, what happens to CON-ASS? As Filipinos, are we honoring one another in God’s love in this latest political maneuver? With this political move, are we immersed in the divine aloha for ‘ohana?

On Prospect Theory

In his book, The Medici Effect, Frans Johansson quoted a research study on prospect theory which “suggests that it is not so much that we hate uncertainty, but rather that we fear losing.” This theory suggests as well that “it is not that easy to see how things in our life could instantly get better- but it is easy to see how they could quickly get far worse” (page 174).

Perhaps, this must be the reason why former President Bill Clinton advised President Barack Obama to be optimistic. Mr. Obama’s $787 billion economic stimulus plan has been signed into law and there is no reason for him to tarry in somber mode. Instead of repeating the most bleak of tones, that America's economic ills could last years, Obama could have used the stimulus law in spurring hope for America and the world.

On the other hand, the prospect theory gives light to the malady of our society such as gambling. Gambling has been ingrained into the Filipino psyche. The recent draw of Philippine lotto with more than three hundred million Philippine Pesos at stake has stimulated without let-up the fantasy of millions of Filipinos. Bettors patiently lined up in lotto outlets in almost all nooks and corners of the Archipelago just to chase the chance of becoming millionaires. Since losing is more vivid than gain and is more painful, so we fear it. Prospect theory gives the reason why we are willing to gamble to avoid certain loss such as money.

Pre-Education Program

Contextual Strategic Issues:
The secularization of education in the 1860s brought the demise of overt Christian characteristics that had marked American education. (Mark A. Noll, "Christian thinking and rise of the American university," Christian Scholars Review, IX, 1979, 8-9.)

On the other hand, there is pervasive moral malaise, which has afflicted not just the bureaucracy and the power structure but even the citizens. (F. Sionil Jose, Looking into the future darkly,"Philippine Star, June 27, 1999, L-11.) Furthermore, F. Sionil Jose sees the Filipino family will splinter further as urbanization continues and there will be fewer workers on the farm where the family is not only a social but also a work unit."(Ibid.) Alongside this, Alejandro R. Roces says, Education is the answer to all our national problem. To go further, it is the answer to all the world's problems. It is not only the first and last resort, it is the only resort."(Alejandro R. Roces, World Congress on Higher Education,"Philippine Star, July 10, 1997, 7.)

In seeking the expansion of the government's preschool education program Rep. Heherson Alvarez says, Education is the single most important intervention in combating poverty and ending child labor."(Heherson Alvarez as quoted in a news report, Expansion of preschool programs sought,"Philippine Star, July 9, 1999, p. 5.) Max Soliven adds, He lived in a little 'jerry-built' house "in those years, just one step above a barong-barong. But 'fight poverty' You don't fight it. You overcome it. And the only weapon by which the poor can overcome it is through education - not government dole-outs, grants, gifts 'or through sermons."(Max V. Soliven, "Teach the poor to overcome poverty, not give excuses, deliver sermons, hold parades,"Philippine Star, July 11, 1999, 7.)

Considering the previously mentioned contextual concerns, there is a need to put up a Christian school.

Educational Philosophy of Pre-Elementary Education:

Since "formal schooling or another form of training shapes the person's mind and character,' and because God is the center of Christian education, the SARJ Schole Pre-Elementary Education Program subscribes to the philosophy that every child and every person, even if brought up in a Christian home, must consciously make a decision to confess their sins and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

One-sentence statement of the purpose:

SARJ Schole Pre-Elementary Education Program ensures the optimal holistic transformation of every young child.

Goals of the Pre-Elementary Education Program:

1. To provide infrastructure such as school campus, classroom buildings and administrative offices for the Pre-Elementary Education Program;

2. To develop and validate quality curricular program for learning competencies of children, such as Christian life, perceptual motor skills, language, cognitive skills (including numerical) and socio-emotional development;

3. To provide teachers with recognized training in early childhood education and be competent in Christian life.

Rationale of the Project:
Extensive research findings show a positive impact of early interventions and long-term effects of early childhood education. To put it aptly, quality early child education program makes a difference. This is where SARJ Schole Pre-Elementary Education Program is relevant and a necessity.

Educational Objectives of Pre-Elementary Education:

Cognitive Level:
The students will be able to:
- demonstrate basic understandings of languages and literature, mathematics, social studies, and other science-related subjects;
- demonstrate a basic knowledge of Christian living contents;
- demonstrate ability to transfer learning to different and varied life-situations.

Affective Level:
The students will be able to:
- acquire positive attitude toward study and learning;
- develop a conscience more sensitive to the teachings of the Bible;
- grow in their passion for moral and academic excellence.

Life and Academic Skills Level:
- the students will be able to study and learn from academic materials and from the Bible personally;
- develop their ability to state and explain clearly the academic and Christian living contents;
- grow in confidence to transfer learning to different and varied life-situations, and to analyze and solve problems.

Instructional Strategy for Pre-Elementary Education:
Teaching pupils information related to the core knowledge group such as mathematics, science, and world geography at the same time teach them on how to get information.

Curriculum for Pre-Elementary Education:

1. Communication Arts such as:
1.1 Language/spelling (30%);
1.2 Reading (50%)
1.3 and Writing (20%)
2. Christian Living
3. Filipino
4. Civics and Culture (SIBIKA)
5. Mathematics
6. Science and Health
7. Arts/P.E.

On Faith and Politics

It was Mahatma Gandhi who said that those who believe that religion and politics aren’t connected, don’t understand either. [Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy, The Preacher and the Presidents: Billy Graham in the White House, (New York, NY: Center Street, 2007), x.] Whereas Billy Graham “had moved in both realms, tried for decades to bring them closer together, and by doing so learned the value of keeping them apart. (Ibid) In fact, in matters of faith Graham’s certainty had never faltered but now had his doubts on matters of politics. (Ibid)

It now appears that faith in God has nothing to do with public life. By putting abyss between politics and religion, it renders our whole life shattered and tragic. So when you see the highest official of the Philippine Republic intently prays in the Cathedral on Lenten Season and in other significant event in the Church calendar, we should realize that such pious act is wholly a private matter and has nothing to do with his/her brand of governance.

You see, we are the only Christian country in the Far East and yet our brand of Christianity is not immersed in the way we run the Government. Government officials in general, claiming to be God-believing leaders and deeply religious in attending Church liturgies, are the ones leading in corrupting the political systems and in plundering the Filipino people. There lies the tragic reality. It always happens when we lose sight of God in Jesus Christ as the true framework of transformational politics.

Transformation is premised on the fact that the coming of God into one’s life impacts him/her monumentally forever. Holistic transformation is thus viewed as a process of integrating one’s faith in all aspects of life and in all days of a lifetime. A person’s transformation can be achieved with the constant reference to the Lord God. This calls for deeper living out of one’s personal spirituality in either the church or workplace in the society.

Thus, holistic transformation in the Lord God is the uncompromising foundation to any leadership pursuits in politics-ministry.

Nexus Point for Holistic Transformation in Jesus Christ

SARJ Schole is a strategic implementation of the Filipino Baptists Model of Transformational Leadership developed by Sergio A. Rojo, Jr. during the Doctor of Ministry in Transformational Leadership program at Bakke Graduate University(www.bgu.edu) in Seattle, Washington. There is a need to affirm the legacy of the Filipino Baptist leaders by cultivating and instilling the contextual core values of Jesus Christ's transformational leadership in both formal and non-formal mentoring.

Schole denotes principally as lecture, then, that for which leisure was employed, a disputation, lecture; hence, by metonymy, the place where lectures are delivered, a school. . .” While the Schole in the Biblical times was a place for lecture and discourse, SARJ Schole in the contemporary world is not only a place fort education and learning, it is as well a nexus point for groups of peoples, ideas, and understanding connected to each others for holistic transformation of human life and relationship based on the life and teaching of Jesus Christ.

SARJ Schole subscribesto the conviction that leaders play a major role for the church of Jesus Christ to function effectively in carrying out the mandate of preaching the Gospel and bringing peoples of God to maturity.Research shows however that, Evangelical theological schools and seminaries in the Philippines could only produce an average of 1,000 graduates every year vis-a- vis the 8,000 trained pastors needed each year for churches in this region.

The SARJ Schole was incorporated in accordance with the Corporation Code of the Philippines under SEC Registry No. CN200528083 dated June 17, 2005. The Bureau of Internal Revenue issued the Schole a Tax Identification Number: 006-002-457 dated July 1, 2005.

SARJ Schole envisions: Contextual People Who Are Living Out the Transformational Leadership of Jesus Christ.

SARJ Schole is committed: to Educating Peoples in the Holistic Transformation of Jesus Christ.

SARJ Schole distinctivesare linked together by a set of espoused values such as call of God (Bahala na ang Dios), compassionate (Kalu-oy; Maayong Kabubut-on) and service-oriented (Bayanihan spirit) life, missiological (Bugsay Padulong sa Kaginhawaan) and ecumenical (Baranganic model) approaches to leadership.

SARJ Schole designs the teaching-learning environment to be collegial. The student attending the Schole will not only mimic the teachings of the mentor-transformational leader but will also serve as companion of the mentor in learning and in growing up to the life, works, and teachings of Jesus Christ. This approach calls for both the mentor and the mentee to commit (bug-os nga paghatag sang kabuhi) themselves to each other and to grow together in their being disciples of Jesus Christ. They become fellow sojourners in Christ with a view of increasing competence and commitment to the works of His calling.