Baptist Conference of The Philippines - History

History

In June 1950, the Baptist General Conference (BGC) Foreign Mission Board declared Northern Cebu as the area where the BGC missionary work was to begin. BCP is the direct result of the mission endeavor of the Baptist General Conference of the United States of America. Miss Agnes Erikson was the first BGC missionary to the Philippines, sailing from San Francisco on December 9, 1948. A year later, two missionary families, the Andrew Nelsons and Irwin Bjellands, followed, sailing from San Francisco on October 30, 1949 and arriving in Manila on November 20, 1949.

Initial results of their work are as follows: “At the end of February 1950, Andrew Nelson reported 5 services were being conducted on Sundays near Bogo, while Irwin Bjelland reported on May 7, 1950 letter, the first Sunday service had been held.” Another group was organized in the town of Catmon marked by k.m 57. The place was situated between Cebu City and Bogo. The couples Eufrosino Ares and Paterna Comain became language teachers who could speak English very well. They assisted the Hughs, Osbrons, Chesbro's and later the Chalmers family who actually lived in the place. Mr. Ares became the first chairman of the newly formed school board of Baptist Bible School tasked to help manage the 24 hec. property for the school site situated in the northern end of Cebu. Although, he did not become a pastor upon invitation due to the large family he had to support, he became involved through his profession as a teacher and his farming skills in the conception of the early missionary endeavor.

The concrete result of the mission work occurred on June 1952, when the first baptismal service was held. B-Etta Mayer gave this report of the event: “The six candidates included a promising preacher and his sister. On the shore were jeering mocking, scornful friends, relatives and casual observers.”

Of these six believers, two now are still in active service: Rev. Cresenciano Batuto, Pastor Emeritus of Grace Baptist Church of Gigatangan, Naval, Leyte and Mrs. Jacinta Batuto Sarcos, the widow of BTC President Rev. Eliseo Sarcos.

In 1954, there were small Baptist churches in the town of Bogo with 54 baptized members. June 6, 1954 marks the birth of the Cebu Baptist Association (CBA). In the town of Bogo, these three churches met to organize themselves into a fellowship of Baptist churches.

In 1965, the constitution was amended, by changing the title from CBA, to Baptist Conference of the Philippines (BCP). The change was necessary due to the fact that mission work was no longer concentrated in Cebu province alone. Churches and mission points have already been established in the neighboring provinces.

The creation of the CBA, then BCP concretized the identity of the national organization, which developed from a simple organization into a more complex entity. As the BCP grew in number of churches and members, its area of ministry widened. Leaders too in local churches, districts and the national organization developed. This necessitated a clarification of role in its relationship with the “mother organization”, the BGCPM, resulting in a series of consultations, which gave birth to a partnership.

BGCPM and BCP now became partners in working together to accomplish God’s purposes. The ultimate goal is always a strong and self-propagating family of Baptist churches. Rev. Marwin Linstedt wrote: “This partnership, however, is constantly updated. Times change. So do people. The original leadership gives way to next generation. The strategies of the 1950s and 1960’s serve their purposes and yield to approaches that are more relevant to the 1970s and 1980’s. The Philippines is a rapidly urbanizing society. During the nearly forty years covered in this story, the population of the country more than triples. Old values give way to new ones. An entirely new generation of Filipinos moves into leadership in the nation and in the churches.”