Our Philippines National Director, Mel Dianga (pictured center with his wife Agnes), recently shared an experience that occurred just two kilometers from his front door:

“We decided to began the new year by visiting smaller churches within Quezon City where we live. Our first destination was the Christian Alliance Fellowship church (CAF), located approximately just two kilometers from our home. It was located near the public market, which proved to be somewhat challenging to find as we drove through the heavy traffic and congested streets.

“When we finally arrived, we were warmly welcomed by the pastor even though he was surprised to have us visit his small congregation. The surprise increased when he recognized us because of our shared seminary background. Attendance that Sunday was relatively low, due perhaps to the recent Christmas and New Year celebrations.

“During the announcements, the pastor outlined the church’s current situation: they are unable to afford a full-time pastor, requiring him to hold a normal job alongside performing his pastoral duties.”

So many small churches, despite their size, still have great leadership and training needs.

“After the service, we spoke with the pastor and church leaders concerning their need for leadership development and ministry support. This conversation marked the beginning of collaborative efforts to help equip their leaders. As we spent more time with them, we observed a genuine desire among the leaders and members to grow spiritually and serve more effectively. This inspired our team to start planning workshops and training sessions, hoping to encourage the church and empower its leadership for the work ahead.

“We sensed God’s guidance as we took these initial steps, believing that even in a small church nestled in a crowded part of the city, meaningful ministry could flourish and lives could be transformed.”

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