Bible teaching started in the Ibaloy village in 1973. By 1985, the church was strong enough to allow the missionaries to move to another village to teach there. Nine full-time Ibaloy missionaries have come out of that first church!
There are 13 Ibaloy churches located in the rural areas around Baguio City — a major city up in the mountains on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. When young people from the rural churches wish to attend college or university, they must go to Baguio City. During this time of transition, the students tend to drift away from church because they don’t have a body of believers near them where they can fellowship. For some time now it has been the desire of the Ibaloy church leaders to provide a place where these young people can come and have retreats, seminars and even Sunday morning worship. The Fellowship Centre will provide a safe place where the students can be cared for and discipled. There is a group of Ibaloy believers meeting together in a home near the Fellowship Centre, but the home is not adequate to handle the large number of people wishing to attend.
The Fellowship Centre project has been under way for the past few years. The Ibaloy have purchased the land, paid for the engineer drawings, transferred the land title into their Flock of Christ Ministries name and have already begun working on the building project. Additional funds that come in will keep the building project moving forward according to the engineer’s blueprints.
Recent Progress
How You’ll Be Helping
Your gifts will help to provide a centrally located training, conference and meeting venue for the 13 Ibaloy churches. There are several ways the Ibaloy church leaders believe the Fellowship Centre will enhance the overall effectiveness of their ministry.
- The believers from the rural churches will be much encouraged to know that their young people going to schools in Baguio City have a safe, centrally located place where they can be cared for and worship together.
- For a number of years, the Ibaloy church has had a training program for those who wish to become full-time Christian workers amongst the Ibaloy. The Fellowship Centre will be a great venue to assist them with their training program.
- The local church that is currently meeting in a home near the Fellowship Centre location will move into this new building once complete and will have the space they need for growth and regular church functions.
- Once a year the 13 Ibaloy churches have an annual conference. This new Fellowship Centre will be a central and adequate meeting venue for their annual conference.
- Flock of Christ Ministries will have its office located in the Fellowship Centre.
