The Shepherd's Journey
A collection of stories, reflections, and other works of Nezer
About Shepherd's Notebook
This website is a personal platform created to gather and share a collection of stories, art, and reflections from Nezer’s journey in ministry—among young people, within the global church, and throughout his personal life.
As Nezer embarks on a new chapter as a seminary student, this website offers visitors a window into his work, passions, and calling, as well as an opportunity to walk alongside and support his continuing ministry.
Early Beginnings
Born and raised in the Philippines as the youngest of five siblings, Nezer grew up in a humble but faith-filled household—his father a pastor, and his mother a dressmaker.
He has been rooted in Lumban Mennonite Bible Church (LMBC), a local congregation in Lumban, Laguna, which is part of the Integrated Mennonite Church, Inc. conference.
Nezer was baptized in May 2007 at the age of 15 and soon began serving as a youth leader both in his local congregation and in the national conference. His 16 years of youth leadership have shaped his heart for mentoring, community-building, and nurturing faith among the next generation.
Involvement with the global church
In 2015, Nezer represented the Integrated Mennonite Church (Philippines) as a delegate to the Global Youth Summit in Pennsylvania, USA. Following that experience, he was appointed Asian Representative for the Young Anabaptist (YABs) Network, the young adult branch of the Mennonite World Conference (MWC).
Since then, Nezer has been deeply involved in global Anabaptist leadership, attending MWC meetings annually and helping connect young leaders worldwide.
In 2022, he spent six months in Indonesia working with the MWC Assembly Team and was later appointed as Young Anabaptist Mentor, guiding five young leaders—each representing a continent—to serve as part of the YABs Committee.
Under his leadership, the YAMEN (Young Anabaptist Mennonite Exchange Network) a partnership program between MWC and Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) was integrated into the YABs Network, fostering stronger collaboration among young global Anabaptists. He also helped establish the Global Youth Summit as a triennial (every-three-year) event, strengthening opportunities for continued connection and learning.
In 2025, Nezer spent nearly five months in Germany, contributing to preparations for the 500th Anniversary of Anabaptism in Zurich, Switzerland—a milestone celebration for the global Anabaptist community.
After years of service in the global church, Nezer felt called to deepen his understanding of faith and ministry. Pursuing theological education became the natural next step in equipping himself to serve more effectively.
As a committed Mennonite, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) emerged as the ideal choice. Few seminaries in the world share such a strong Anabaptist-Mennonite foundation, and AMBS’s values, community life, and practices closely reflect the culture and faith tradition Nezer cherishes.
Hope for the future
Currently pursuing his Master’s in Christian Formation at AMBS, Nezer envisions returning to the Philippines after graduation to strengthen collaboration among Anabaptist-Mennonite churches and organizations in the region.
He hopes to help establish partnerships with global Anabaptist service and mission agencies, such as MCC, which currently have no formal presence in the Philippines. His vision is to bridge this gap—linking local churches with international networks of service, peacebuilding, and discipleship.
Nezer also hopes to continue serving through the Mennonite World Conference, empowering young people and amplifying the voices of churches in the Global South. His lifelong mission remains clear: to help cultivate a global community of faith rooted in peace, justice, and the way of Jesus.
