A new Regional Training Center is birthed in Bicol!

By John Pesebre

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Elder Tony Serapio thinks that opening a Regional Training Center (RTC) in Naga City is a strategic move for Conservative Baptist Seminary Asia (CBS-Asia).  Located approximately 400 kilometers south of Manila or an 8 hour trip by bus, Naga is at the heart of one of the least evangelized regions of the Philippines. He is confident that the RTC promises training and development of Christian leaders in Bicol.  As he regularly meets with the CB pastors of Bicol, Kuya Tony, who is the chairman of the Bicol Regional Council of CBAP, is constantly informing them to support the Bicol RTC.

When CBS-Asia Executive Director Nicky Joya opened its first class on hermeneutics, Pastor Arnel Rivera traveled 102 kilometers from Legazpi to Naga (an hour and a half trip by bus).  Pastor Arnel leads a GCF church in Legazpi that has grown from 50 to 150 in the previous months.  He is enthusiastic of the fact that CB workers gather together in Bicol for training. 

These are some of the stories of hope for Bicol that hosted its first RTC class in Naga City last March 11 conducted by Rev. Joya.  The venue is the newly refurbished 3-storey building owned by GCF-Naga under the leadership of Pastor Ed Pilapil, Sr. 

A total of 26 students enrolled in the first class.  The farthest of the students who came was from Legazpi.  Rev. Nicky is enthusiastic of the turn-out, “I’m hopeful that our theological training would greatly contribute to the development of more qualified leaders and workers for our present local churches, and the establishment of new ones in all the provinces of that region!”  

Since the professors come mainly from Manila, and Naga is quite a distance, the format of studies is one intensive week (20 hours) of classroom lectures and discussion every other month. Required reading assignments are given to the students before the class week. They are then expected to have made full preparations before the actual class. Written and ministry assignments are also given to students which help them to integrate the academic instruction into life and ministry application. 

GCF-Naga’s new building, home for the new RTC  

“This is where the RTC will be,” says Pastor Ed Pilapil enthusiastically as he walked a number of visiting CBAP pastors through an unoccupied building mid-2004.  True enough, January 8 this year and coinciding with the inauguration of the newly refurbished building of GCF-Naga, Pastor Pilapil announced that the classroom on the second floor of this new building will be devoted for the seminary training of Christians in Bicol. 

The first classes conducted there were the orientation seminars conducted by CBS-Asia professors Eyriche Cortez, John Pesebre and director Nicky Joya last February 7-9.  A huge turnout of enthusiastic CB folks came from as far as Legazpi.  

This new building will be the home of CBS-RTC in Bicol. Thankful for the new and excellent facilities Director Joya shares, “Praise God for the vision of Pastor Pilapil and that of the GCF-Naga leadership to see more qualified Christian workers produced for Bicol. And the first-class room devoted to ministerial training is proof of his earnest commitment to accomplish this vision.”   

If RTC comes, can church planting be far behind? 

Pastor Apollo Ces, secretary of Adopt Bicol Church Planting Team (ABT), went to Bikol to attend the inauguration of the new GCF building last January 8.  Together with his family, they were warmly welcomed by Kuya Tony Serapio.  In his durable missionary car, Kuya Tony drove Pastor Pol and family around like tourists and served them sumptuous Bicol delicacies.  Pastor Pol texted me saying that his family enjoyed their fellowship.  Before Pastor Pol and family left, they committed in prayer the work in Bicol. 

This and many other ABT testimonies attest to the growing partnership of the team and the Bicol Regional Council of CBAP. Adopt Bicol Team is a church planting partnership created at the CBAP Biennial Conference last year. Its main aim is to facilitate or initiate church planting movements in Bicol.  ABT Chair John Pesebre says, “The movement of God in Bicol has been tremendous in the past year. We see here two new churches planted this year and we expect new churches to follow because of the trainings offered by the Bicol RTC.  God is even building bridges among the CBAP pastors in Bicol.  They are now on their second monthly Regional Council meeting.” 

The RTC in Bicol has already established partnership with churches and CB organizations.  Soon we hope to see a massive growth of CB Christians in the area.

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Pastor  John Pesebre is CBS-Asia Professor of Systematic Theology. He is a Master of Theology candidate at the International School of Theology.