HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST CENTER CHURCH

Introduction

At the inception of the early American occupation of the Philippines, there were practically no Protestant Filipinos. With the arrival of the first American Missionaries who started their Evangelistic work among the young people who flocked to the newly opened English public schools, the picture gradually changed.



In Iloilo the Baptist mission opened the Jaro Industrial School which is now the Central Philippine University with a School of Theology. In La Paz, along Luna Street, a Student Center and a Baptist Missionary Training School for women were opened. The work in the Center was started by Dr. Thomas and co-workers succeeded in winning more young people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Church Planting

In 1920, when there were already several baptized students, Dr. Thomas organized a small student congregation. It was named "RENFROVILLE CHURCH" probably in honor of a U.S. congregation in a village bearing that name, which supported Dr. Thomas'work in the Philippines. Its services were held in a student center, with Dr. Thomas as pastor. The Student of the Missionary Training School formed the church choir. About 5 years later, Dr. Thomas organized a Visayan congregation which met in a temporary nipa chapel fronting La Paz Plaza. A few years later, the two congregations merged. Thus in 1936 as special service were held in the Student Center, solemnizing what they termed "marriage" or union of the Renfroville Church and the La Paz Baptist Church, thereby forming the LA PAZ BAPTIST STUDENT CENTER CHURCH. Every Sunday it held an early morning Visayan service and a mid-morning English service. A student pastor conducted the Visayan service.

Church Growth

After a score of years, Dr. Thomas retired. His work in the Center was taken over by Dr. Alton Bigelow for about two years. Dr. Bigelow was succeeded by Rev. S.S. Feldmann who late became Mission Secretary. In 1932 Dr. Ernest Ackley came and assumed the pastorate, assisted by Rev. Jesus Vaflor who took charge of the Visayan Service. This church was also blessed by the ministry of Miss Anna V. Johnson, founder of the Women's Baptist Missionary Training School, and Miss Dorothy Dowell, principal of the training school. Then came Misses Martien Sinkly, Appel, Whelpton, Lagergreen, Erickson and Warbuton. Miss Warbuton was head of the Religious Education Department, assisted by Miss Praxedes Martir.


In the 1920's to 40's the Student center was most useful headquarters of the Baptist Mission, and a venue for various seminars, conventions, public programs, concerts pageants, evangelistic rallies and graduation exercises.

Some of the earliest members of this church were: Dr. Cesar Jayme, Dr. Norberto Obregon, Martina Torres (Mrs. Java), Mrs. Maria Parreño, to name a few. These were among the first families to join: Argamaso, Albaladejo, Jarbadan, Gil, Plagata, Golmayo, Alarcon, Diolosa and Griño.

The pre-war pastors were: Dr. Rafael Thomas, Dr. Alton Bigelow, Dr. Feldman, Dr. Ackley, Pedro Masa, Pedro Cachupero, Patricio Confesor, Juan Pamplona, Jesus Vaflor, Alfredo Leonardia and Manuel Bacerra.

War Time

During the war, our church members were dispersed to various evacuation places. Misses Dowell and Erickson were among the Missionaries who were executed by the Japanese in Hopevale. Several of our male members joined the USAFE and the Guerilla movement. Mr. Mariano Diolosa took his printing press with him to the mountains and printed emergency money for the people under Gov. Tomas Confesor.

Pastor Bacerra and family evacuated with many of our church members to a safe place in Inadlawan, Dueñas. They brought the Church organ and the choir gowns, and held regular services. They called their group "BAPTIST STUDENT CENTER CHURCH IN EVACUATION."

In Iloilo City, many buildings were destroyed, including those of Central Philippine College. The Japanese Army occupied the Student Center building and used its ground floor as stable for their horses, leaving the buildings intact.

Post War Era

In May 1946, shortly after liberation, Rev. Bacerra and most of the church members returned to Iloilo City and resumed normal life at home and in the church. Pastor Elviro Albaladejo acted as senior Deacon and his daughter, Edith, as organist and choir director. For a few months, the Convention of the Philippine Baptist Churches occupied a room in the center as temporary headquarters. Rev. Jose Yap was then the General Secretary, assisted by Rev. Restituto Ortigas as office secretary. Later, the Central Philippine College held classes in the Center until the completion of repairs to the college buildings.

In the meantime, many more students and adults were baptized, especially during the Youth for Christ rallies by evangelist Greg Tingson. Some of the students were: Jorge Tamayo, Al Harder, Rodolfo Parreño, Ravelo Argamaso, Romulo Plagata, Quintin and Ramy Doromal, Domingo Diel Jr., the Sulit brothers Johnny and Linda de la Fuente, Perfecta Dellaban, the Brasileños, Letty Jara, Lucy Lahaylahay, Lily Argamaso, etc.

In 1947 Rev. Bacerra left for Mindanao. He was replaced be Rev. Zacarias Dayot for a few months, then by Rev. Dioscoro Villalva who later went to Negros Occidental.

In 1948 our church called Pastor Ernesto Ungcho. He began on July 4, 1948, on which day he was also ordained at the Student Center. In his ministry, Rev. Ungcho intensified the work by house-to-house visits, cottage prayer meetings, distribution of thousands of religious tracts and more evangelistic messages. More young people were baptized. He succeeded in getting many families to join the church. These were among the new added families: Hobar, Sotelo, Tayo, Brasileño, Bastero, Camiña, San Luis, Ramos, Castro, Gaduyon, Peñacerrada, Hormillosa, Alcazar, de Asis and others. Membership increased fro a hundred to over three hundred.

A new church constitution was adopted, creating a Board of Deacons and Deaconesses and various committees, Board of Stewards, Moderator, Secretary, Treasurer and Auditor. There were only two auxiliary societies then: the Women's Missionary Society for the young people, which was later, named the Baptist Youth Fellowship.

New Chapel and New Center Building

In 1949 Dr. James Sprigg arrived from the U.S.A. to take charge of the Center, part from the church which had become self-supporting. He was assisted by Misses Talapian, Ciriaco and Garrido. He recommended the demolition of the old Center building and a construction of a permanent one. Funds came and work began immediately.

Simultaneously the church voted to construct its own chapel. Mr. Roman Maravilla started with a gift of 10,000 Pesos. The San Luis and Ramos families gave hollow blocks. The Gils and the Obregons gave gravel and sand with free trucking. The Tayos led other male members in wheel borrowing materials for cementing the ground floor. Engr. Arturo Rivera was the architect. Engr. Luisa Dechupa designed the chapel. Mr. Procoro Bastero made the fluorescent hanging lamps. Mr. Roque Gaduyon arranged with the Iloilo School of Arts and Trades for the making of the pews.

In 1954 Rev. Ernesto Ungcho was called to Odiongan Baptict Church, Romblon. In a way this delayed our campaign for funds. Meanwhile the new Center building was finished. It was inaugurated with Secretary Ramon Magsaysay of the National Defense as guest speaker. This attracted more young people to the Student Center.

After Rev. Ungcho, the church called Rev. Salustiano Cabahug. In his time, Rev. Cabahug concentrated on the development of the young people. The Women's Missionary Society staged a benefit cantata, "Garland of Melodies". Proceeds went to the church building fund.

After two years, Rev. Cabahug was called to Ilog Baptist Church. The church then wired Rev. Greg Tingson in America to be our pastor. He came with his family in 1956. At his suggestion, the name of our church was shortened to "BAPTIST CENTER CHURCH." We intensified our fund campaign. It was dedicated on December 20, 1957. with Norman Nelson as guest speaker.

More Church Development

In his ministry in our church; Rev. Tingson introduced the following: 1) Hooking up of our Sunday services with the Iloilo radio stations. 2) Holding vesper services, besides the early morning and mid-morning services. 3) Evangelistic rallies in surrounding districts and towns. 4) Bible studies. Many more converts joined our church. Several students decided to go into the Ministry.

In 1958, Rev. Tingson was called to become our Convention Baptist evangelist. Our next pastors who served for a year or two each, were Rev. Lawrence Kearney, Rev. Thomas Gabio, Rev. Rodolfo Robles, Rev. Alfeo Tupas, Rev. Loel Bacerra, Rev. Prudencio Bañas and Rev. Thomas Calisterio. In 1959 our Baptist Men's Council was organized. During Rev. Calisterio&'s time, we had a weekly radio broadcast "Kapawa sang Pagtoo" featuring Auntie Lucy's family messages. We also organized the Homebuilders Club which held free medical consultations in neighboring communities and barrios, patterned after Dr. Teofilo Marte's post-war Traveling Clinic that later inspired the medical work of the HAND led by Mr. Johnny de la Fuente and later the Concehos.

In 1968 our church called Miss Josefina Esguia to head the Religios education department. On May 7, 1970, our church celebrated its GOLDEN JUBILEE, and at the same time hosting the annual assembly of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches.

In 1972 Rev. Calisterio resigned. His place was taken over by Prof. Rudy Acosta of the CPU College of Theology as our part-time English preacher. Later we also called Rev. Aniceto Laurente as our full-tine Senior Minister, and Visayan preacher. Since he was not trained in church administration, this task was assigned to Miss Esguia who was later ordained. At one time or other, the church also availed the services of women missionary workers, like Ligaya Agus, Natividad Jagonase, Teresita Regalado, Amparo Laruya, Leonila Floro and Belen Manalo.

Rev. Laurente resigned on June 30, 1982, and Rev. Esguia on December 31, 1982. Beginning January 1, 1983, Pasto Rudy Acosta became our Senior Minister. Then the church called Pastor Rustom Ola as our associate Minister beginning June 1, 1983.

Other Constructions

Besides the main chapel, our church has constructed the following: 1) Parsonage, 2) Religious Education Annex, 3) Kindergarten, 4) Prayer Room, 5) Concrete wall around the compound, 6) Conference Room, 7) Concrete Water storage.

Convention

On May 4-7, 1982 our church again hosted the national assembly of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches. The delegates were able to see the physical outlay, and the spiritual and educational aspects of the work of Baptist Center Church.


Church and Center Relationship

The pioneering work of the Baptist Student Center brought about the birth of Baptist Center Church. Then the church became self-supporting. Lately, the American Baptist Mission (BIM) donated the Student Center to the Church, to be an evangelistic channel to win more students to Christ. The present director of Baptist Student Center is Miss Mansueta Calinawagan who joined us on August 1, 1977.

Church Corporation

In 1983, our church voted to be incorporated. The old constitution was revised, creating an enlarged Church Council composed of the Board of Deacons for spiritual affairs, and Board of Trustees for temporal matters. Government permit was issued on September 13, 1983.

The church continue to grow in membership through personal evangelism, pulpit messages of salvation, prayer meetings, religious education, community outreach, and radio program, "Tubig sang Kabuhi." More attention is also given to church music. Each of our three services on Sunday has a vested choir, a competent director, an organist and a pianist. Internationally known violin virtuoso, Dr. Gillopez Kabayao, and his wife Corazon Pineda-Kabayao, an equally famous pianist, have joined our church, and greatly reinforced our spiritual and cultural growth through their musical concerts and active participation in our church activities.

With many people being won to Christ, more baptism was held every month. Our average weekly church attendance has increased to 1,200 which justifies our early morning, mid-morning and vesper services to accommodate a big crowd.

Besides the regular Sunday services and mid-week and cottage prayer meetings, the following auxiliary societies add vigor and enthusiasm to our activities: 1) Women's Christian Missionary Society, 2) Baptist Men's Fellowship, 3) Baptist Youth Fellowship, 4) Christian Professionals Fellowship; 5) Senior Citizens Association; 6) The Homebuilders Fellowship; 7) Baptist Student Center, and 8) Children's group or the Junior BYF.

Missionary Church

Our congregation started as a "Mission" church, subsidized by the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society. After World War II, it became "Self-supporting", Now it has become a "Missionary" church with the following accomplishments: 1) Scholarship for deserving Theology students; 2) free medical services to indigents through the Homebuilders; 3) Foreign mission involvement Mrs. Efigenia Fernandez, A BCC member, served as Missionary to Laos; then in Philadelphia with Vietnamese refugees. Two of the BCC members, Miss Nora Carnaje and Manuel de la Fuente served as missionary in Thailand. 4) Missionary personnel and financial aid to church openings in Leganes, Bo. Obrero, Nabitasan, Alzar Country, and Highway Evangelical Church. 5) A Mission Endowment Fund initiated by Atty. Amador Garcia for the missionary work of the church, as Christian outreach. 6) Bible study centers in two public schools and in Bo. Ortiz, Iloilo inspired and initiated by Atty. Amador Garcia and Engr. Manuel Lizardo Sr.