Monday DGroup Meeting last September 21, 2026

 

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• Key Outcomes

  The group completed the second session of Book 2, focusing on the Bible as the primary source of spiritual guidance and the "Creator's manual for living" 1. Participants shared personal praise reports, discussed inspiring biblical characters, and committed to implementing the Obedience-Based Bible Study (OBBS) method to foster spiritual growth 2.

  
  

  Biblical Foundations

  The session outlined five primary reasons for believing in the Bible 3:

  • Truth: Fulfillment of approximately 2,000 of 2,500 prophecies, including over 350 regarding Jesus 1.
  • Unity: Written by over 40 authors across three languages and three continents over 1,500 years with a single unifying theme: Jesus Christ 4.
• Accuracy: Validated by ancient manuscripts, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, which show identical similarity to modern texts 5.
• Divine Inspiration: Viewed as "God's breath" (theognostos), where the Holy Spirit led human authors to speak words from God 67.
• Transforming Power: Demonstrated through the supernatural ability to reform lives and change characters throughout history 7.

Purpose and Application of Scripture

The group discussed why believers should follow the Bible, noting its utility in four key areas 89:

• Teaching: Providing sound doctrine and comprehensive knowledge of God's truth 10.
• Rebuking: Convicting believers of misbehavior and exposing ungodly conduct 10.
• Correcting: Straightening out errors and providing the right understanding of truth 10.
• Training: Instructing believers on how to live righteously to please God 10.

Spiritual Discipline and OBBS Method

To avoid the common pitfall of acquiring biblical knowledge without growth, the group introduced the Obedience-Based Bible Study (OBBS) method 2:

• Process: Read $\rightarrow$Interpret $\rightarrow$Obey/Action 2.
• Goal: To move beyond hearing or writing to active application in daily life 2.
• Example: Using a "Story-Message-Gain" pattern to relate a personal experience to a verse and derive a practical life lesson 11.

Personal Reflections and Commitments

Participants shared favorite biblical characters and their personal "I will" commitments:

• Inspiring Characters: Job (faith despite loss), Joseph (integrity and forgiveness), David (repentance), and Esther (faith in difficulty) 121314.

• Individual Commitments:

  • Janice: Restart journaling to help meditate on the Word 15.
  • Sara: Become more intentional with time management to read the Bible regularly 16.
  • Weng: Move from taking screenshots to physically writing notes in a journal to enhance learning 17.
  • Loudilee: Commit to meditating on the Word day and night 18.

Action Items

• All Participants: Practice the OBBS method daily as a session assignment 19.

International Lecture on Economics by Dr. Roperto S. Deluna, Jr. last September 21, 2026 with Universitas Diponegoro Students

Key Outcomes

A guest lecture on foundational economics was delivered by Dr. Rupert (De Luna) from the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) to approximately 35 business administration students at Happy University (Indonesia). The session covered demand and supply theory, market equilibrium, elasticity, externalities, and circular economy concepts — all framed through a sustainable business lens. The lecture ran approximately one hour with a brief Q&A at the close.

Session Setup

• Host/Moderator: Ray (student co-host); Dr. Vicky (Robetmi) presided over opening
• Guest Speaker: Dr. Rupert De Luna, USeP Davao City
• Facilitator: Jennifer (USeP-College liaison, former Korea study connection)
• Co-hosts assigned: Ivan, Ray, and Russell (Rasendriya) 12
• Jennifer noted the session is part of USeP's ARISE program (Academic Research and International Society Exchange), with intent for future COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) activities 3

Core Economics Concepts Covered

Demand

• Law of Demand: Price rises → quantity demanded falls (ceteris paribus) 4
• Two mechanisms: substitution effect (buyers switch to alternatives) and income effect (real purchasing power falls) 5
• Distinction emphasized: change in quantity demanded (movement along curve, own-price change) vs. change in demand (curve shift from income, preferences, related goods prices, expectations, number of buyers) 67
• Giffen/luxury goods noted as exception but excluded from typical household market basket analysis 8

Supply

• Law of Supply: Price rises → quantity supplied rises (ceteris paribus); supply curve slopes upward because marginal costs rise 910
• Supply shifters: input prices, technology, weather/natural events, expectations, policy/number of sellers 1011
• Supply curve represents the firm's marginal cost curve 10

Elasticity

• Inelastic demand → price increases raise total revenue; elastic demand → price increases reduce revenue 1213
• Fuel/energy demand is inelastic in the short run — factories and commuters cannot switch overnight 1415
• Key rule: know your elasticity before adjusting price 13

Market Equilibrium & Comparative Statics

• Equilibrium: quantity demanded = quantity supplied; no shortage, no surplus, no incentive to change 16
• Three-step comparative statics framework: (1) identify shock and which curve it hits, (2) determine shift direction, (3) read the new equilibrium price and quantity 1718
• Example applied: 90% technology cost reduction in solar → supply shifts right → price falls, quantity rises 18

Sustainability & Market Failure

• Core thesis: "Prices allocate resources; most sustainability problems start with a price that is wrong or missing." 19
• Negative externality: Producer externalizes costs (e.g., pollution, plastic waste) → market price too low, quantity too high → deadweight loss 20
• Fix: Pigouvian tax or permit priced equal to external cost forces producers to internalize social cost; output moves from over-production toward socially optimal quantity 21
• Tragedy of the Commons: Resources without price are overused; no market mechanism to correct 22
• Burden of tax/subsidy falls on the inelastic side of the market (typically consumers for fuel/energy) 23

Circular Economy & Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

• Circular economy keeps materials at highest value vs. linear "make–use–dispose" model 24
• Barrier: virgin materials are artificially cheap because environmental costs are excluded from price 24
• Philippines EPR Act (2022): Large firms must recover ≥60% of plastic footprint annually; >1,000 enterprises registered; early targets exceeded 25
• Indonesia: 30% plastic reduction target by 2029; several regions have banned single-use plastics 26
• Dr. Rupert's current research focuses on circular transition barriers and behavioral economics; open to student collaboration 26

Key Takeaways for Business Leaders

1. Prices = signals, not just costs — read them as information about scarcity 22
2. Sustainability problems are price problems — wrong price or no price at all 22
3. Policy is repricing — carbon borders, EPR, disclosure rules turn externalities into real cost lines 27
4. Competitive advantage goes to firms that read demand/supply shifts early and price them first 2728
5. Poverty and inequality are structural barriers to sustainability adoption in both Philippines and Indonesia 27
6. Ethical producers should internalize externalities; conscious consumers reinforce this through purchasing behavior 21

Action Items & Follow-Up

• Students: Complete the attendance/feedback form shared during the session 29
• Dr. Rupert: Open to follow-up lectures on specific topics and research collaboration (circular economy, resource economics) 29
• Ray/Team: Shared Dr. Rupert's PowerPoint with students for independent review 29
• Future collaboration discussed, including potential offline/in-person engagement between the two universities 29

 

CCF Sunday Big Dgroup

 

Key Outcomes

The meeting focused on the biblical definition of love as an unconditional commitment to seek the highest good of others, specifically within the family and the church community 1. Participants discussed transitioning from a self-centered worldview to a servant-hearted approach, emphasizing that volunteering is an act of gratitude for salvation rather than a means to achieve it 23.

Core Values and Biblical Principles

• Love (L): Defined as an unconditional commitment toward imperfect people to seek their highest good, often requiring sacrifice 1.
• Obedience (O): Foundational to following Christ, involving obedience to God's Word and instituted authorities (parents, government) to receive blessings 45.
• Volunteer (V): The current focus, emphasizing serving others out of gratitude and worship 36.
• Humility: Modeled by Jesus Christ, who emptied himself and took the form of a bondservant, remaining obedient to the point of death 78.

Practical Application of Love in Action

• Living Sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2): Presenting one's body for God's glory through specific actions 9:

  • Hands that help rather than harm 9.
  • Mouths that encourage rather than tear down 9.
  • Ears that listen patiently 9.
  • Eyes that notice overlooked people 10.
  • Feet that go where love is needed 10.
  • Minds that think of blessing others 10.
  • Schedules and resources used for generosity 10.
• Family Focus: The family is the primary training ground for Christ-like character 11. Key practices include affirming family members, extending grace, and choosing patience over pride 121314.

Group Discussion Takeaways

• Personal Gifts: Participants identified unique gifts to be used for others, such as financial resources for the kingdom 15, empathy and language skills (Korean) to bridge communication gaps 16, and artistic abilities (drawing) to bless others 17.
• Overcoming Challenges: Members shared struggles with pride, work-related stress, and long-distance relationships, concluding that prayer and humility are essential to maintaining healthy family dynamics 181920.
• Service Mindset: Agreement that serving in the church (CCF) is often unpaid because it is driven by love for the Master, not for personal gain 621.

Announcements and Next Steps

• True Life Retreat (TLR): Scheduled for October 9–11 at Osanri Prayer Mountain 2223.
• Registration: The final deadline for registration is September 30 24.
• Upcoming Events: A "big group" meeting is scheduled for next Sunday 24.
• Holiday Safety: Reminder to stay safe during the Chuseok holiday, particularly regarding driving and home electrical safety 25.