General Conference
- Organized Free Methodist Churches: 230
- FMC Membership: 21,285
- Ordained Ministers: 220
- Ministerial Candidates: 7
- Bishop: Jim Tuan
Origins
In 1949 missionaries Walter and Gertrude Groesbeck and John and Ruby Schlosser transferred from China to the Philippines. They settled on the island of Mindanao. The first Free Methodist church was constructed at Bunawan. Other missionaries soon joined the two couples. A Bible school was begun in 1955. Present Ministries
Today the Philippines is considered to be the Asian country most open to the gospel and one of the most receptive in the world. In April 1987 the rapidly growing Free Methodist work was divided into two conferences, then into four in 1992. Each conference has an aggressive plan of outreach. Established churches support and nurture new congregations, called "satellite churches," until they are organized. Light and Life Bible College in Butuan City and John Wesley Bible Institute in Manila train workers. Elim Farm, near the city of Davao, has an agricultural institute that trains rural church planters. Light and Life Graduate School of Theology, which offers a master's degree program for experienced pastors, meets in Bancasi. Churches reach out through kindergarten and primary schools and radio broadcasts. The four annual conferences became a provisional general conference in 1994 and inaugurated Rev. Jim Tuan as their first Philippine bishop. The conferences became a full General Conference in November 2003, which now have five annual conferences, an urban missions district movement called Oceans of Life Ministries and a church-in-formation among a tribal groups. Outreach
The church in the Philippines has missionaries in the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia and Hong Kong. Opportunities to support ministries in the Philippines
Learn more about Philippines
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