A Brief History of the Church of Christ in Kalibo

By Sammy Sinco

The Lord's work began in Banga in 1996 when an American Christian, Brian Bishop, started to share the gospel with relatives of Sister Gloria, his wife, while they were on vacation in the Philippines. Out of need for a church to worship with on Lord's Day; Brother Bishop, a true soldier of Christ, took the initiative of leading the worship and preaching the gospel sermon to his family and in-laws. Some of his wife's relatives were converted including their parents, Sergio (now deceased) and Josefina.
Realizing the need for restoring the New Testament Christianity in Aklan, Brother Bishop invited preachers from Cebu to come over and help him prepare the ground for the Lord's work. Many responded to his seemingly wilderness call. To name a few of those who came and help were: Ed Poblete, Reuben Emperado, Jeff Shelton, Marvin Whitt, David Peyton, Richard Emperado, Ed Maquiling, and many others who blazed the trail for more extensive mission efforts.

The series of door knocking campaigns and medical missions of institutions, like the Mobile Outreach School of Evangelism and Sheperding (MOSES) and the Medical Action for Relief Counseling and Healing (MARCH) in 1997 and 1998 became instrumental in reaching out to prospects and the conversion of some residents in Kalibo ( 9 km away from Banaga Town ). Meanwhile the Bishop Family went back to the States during that time. When campaigns folded down, the MOSES group left behind some of their workers to do the follow up and other church works for the new born congregation. Kalibo, being the capital town of Aklan, became the staging point of mapping MOSES workers; they used Banga as their base for several months. During these period brethren in Banga, particularly he Dela Cruz Family (Brother Bishop's In-Laws), joined the members in Kalibo, worshiping as one congregation in a rented apartment space provided for them temporarily by MOSES workers. Later the church moved to the home of Lucia Macahilas, a few blocks away. This moving episode caused the attendance to become topsy-turvy and it was drastically reduced to five worshippers, from more than a dozen in the beginning.

One significant factor that contributed to retardation was the migration of some members to Metro Manila, for economic reasons. Most of those members were just babes in the faith; others fell away, and reverted to their former religion, the Roman Catholicism. In addition, there were some members who were fueding among themselves.

In the early part of 2001, Brother Chito Cusi of Banilad Church in Cebu, and Brother Larry Buck of Richland Hills, Texas, who had previously visited Kalibo during MARCH campaigns, committed to revive the lagging work there. With much desire and many prayers, they sent an additional worker in the person of Sammy Sinco. In August 2001, Brother Sammy and his wife Janel, and their two children arrived in Kalibo. The revival work started; first they had to locate the inactive members and MARCH contacts with the help of Rolando Sagum, a former MOSES campaigner who became a permanent resident of Kalibo by marriage.
Home Bible Study and Bible Correspondence Courses were set up with receptive contacts. Visitation and fellowships in the homes of members became a priority. These activities contributed to the growth of the worship attendance.

From Lucia Macahilas' home, the church meeting place transferred to a commercial space on the busy T. Reyes Street. That place was also utilized as Bible Study Center, venue for several Gospel Meetings, Bible Seminars and cooperative discussions with different denominations. Some inactive members were restored and feuding brethren were reconciled. Sunday attendance increased to more than twenty. God gave us the increase!

After seven months, the church moved again to their present location in Maagna Street. The first Sunday attendance to this roomy new space swelled to fifty. One significant event which contributed to this premature growth was our short lived success in comparative discussions with the "Pentecostals". Some of their people attended our meeting for few Sundays, but for a while they were "off the hook" again, unable to resist the lure of their leaders who promised them livelihood and a better domicile. One family embraced the faith for months, but then again, they left also due to the same reason. This chapter was our bitter experience of real frustrations.

Our Jesus told us a parable about the different soils or hearts that the seed would fall upon. We have certainly seen that happen here.

One major program that the church involved with was the First Visayan Church Leaders and Preachers Forum in June 2002. This event spearheaded cooperation among churches of Christ in Western Visayas which are currently very effective in formulating activities in this region. The congregation celebrated their first formal anniversary- July 21, 2002, 80 people attended this occasion, many of whom were prospects and contacts in BCC and HBS. The church there today is on its way to stability in the faith; maturity of some members is evident. There are more than twenty adults and a dozen young people actively involved in the church services.  Children's Sunday school has an average attendance of 10. Ladies and Youth activities are actively supported by members. Total membership including "seasonal" brethren is more than forty and growing.

To God be the Glory.