Philippines General Council of the Assemblies of God
Encyclopedia
The Philippines General Council of the Assemblies of God (PGCAG) is a Pentecostal Christian denomination
in the Philippines
. It has 4,000 churches, claims to be the largest evangelical
group in the country, and is led by General Superintendent Rey Calusay. The General Council was established in 1953, but the history of the Philippines Assemblies of God goes back to the 1920s. It is a member of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship.
s who had graduated from Assemblies of God Bible schools began requesting that the denomination send an appointed missionary to organize the church there. At the time, the Philippines were a U.S. protectorate, and legally, the AG needed a missionary appointed by the U.S. body to be registered as a religious organization. In December 1939, the Assemblies of God USA responded by sending a missionary, Leland E. Johnson, to organize and superintend the Philippines District Council of the Assemblies of God. The first convention was held in March 1940, and the district was incorporated in July. Other missionaries would arrive, especially from China
as conflict with Japan
escalated. In 1941, Bethel Bible Institute was opened in Baguio City
to train pastors and evangelists.
During World War II
, Japanese military forces occupied the Philippines
. The Bible institute, like all schools, was closed, and the missionaries were interned. During these years the district was led entirely by Filipinos. After the war, the missionary presence was revived and Bethel Bible Institute was reopened. Immanuel Bible Institute in Cebu City
was founded in 1951, and in 1953, Bethesda Children's Home was founded by Elva Vanderbout, a missionary to the Igorots of the Mountain Province in Northern Luzon. After 14 years under the Assemblies of God USA, the work in the Philippines became fully independent with the creation of the Philippines General Council of the Assemblies of God in 1953. Rodrigo C. Esperanza was the first general superintendent.
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It has 4,000 churches, claims to be the largest evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
group in the country, and is led by General Superintendent Rey Calusay. The General Council was established in 1953, but the history of the Philippines Assemblies of God goes back to the 1920s. It is a member of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship.
History
The first missionary of the Assemblies of God in the United States of America to work in the Philippines was Benjamin H. Caudle and his wife who arrived in 1926. However due to his wife's illness, Caudle was forced to return to the U.S. In the 1930s, FilipinoFilipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
s who had graduated from Assemblies of God Bible schools began requesting that the denomination send an appointed missionary to organize the church there. At the time, the Philippines were a U.S. protectorate, and legally, the AG needed a missionary appointed by the U.S. body to be registered as a religious organization. In December 1939, the Assemblies of God USA responded by sending a missionary, Leland E. Johnson, to organize and superintend the Philippines District Council of the Assemblies of God. The first convention was held in March 1940, and the district was incorporated in July. Other missionaries would arrive, especially from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
as conflict with Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
escalated. In 1941, Bethel Bible Institute was opened in Baguio City
Baguio City
The City of Baguio is a highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Baguio City was established by Americans in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway...
to train pastors and evangelists.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Japanese military forces occupied the Philippines
Japanese occupation of the Philippines
The Japanese occupation of the Philippines was the period in the history of the Philippines between 1942 and 1945, when the Empire of Japan occupied the previously American-controlled Philippines during World War II....
. The Bible institute, like all schools, was closed, and the missionaries were interned. During these years the district was led entirely by Filipinos. After the war, the missionary presence was revived and Bethel Bible Institute was reopened. Immanuel Bible Institute in Cebu City
Cebu City
The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...
was founded in 1951, and in 1953, Bethesda Children's Home was founded by Elva Vanderbout, a missionary to the Igorots of the Mountain Province in Northern Luzon. After 14 years under the Assemblies of God USA, the work in the Philippines became fully independent with the creation of the Philippines General Council of the Assemblies of God in 1953. Rodrigo C. Esperanza was the first general superintendent.