Camiling, Philippines Church & PST Study Center Opens

The PST-IMI Bible school in the newly planted church in Camiling, Tarlac, The Philippines

The Launch. The Lord goes before us while we wait on Him! Since 2016, Pastor Eric and Pastora Marivic Antonio sowed prayers and waited for the Lord to confirm their plans to plant a church in Camiling, Tarlac, the hometown of Pastor Eric.  The great challenge found was that Camiling is a 7.5 hour travel from their home church, Goshen Christian Community Center, in Cabuyao, Laguna.  With each visit to Camiling, Pastor found that his burden to  share the Gospel of Jesus with his hometown friends and acquaintances became stronger and stronger.  He had found that over time, some of them had even passed on without surrendering their lives to Christ, giving an ever growing sense of urgency for ministry to begin. Finally in 2019, the Lord confirmed the call for the ministry of a church plant in Camiling to begin. Pastors Eric and Marivic moved forward with these goals in mind: first to share the Gospel to the lost,  and secondly, to develop church leaders and serve the community by offering Biblical and Leadership Training with the opening of the Camiling, Tarlac PST – International Maranatha Institute study center. 

       Beginning in the latter part of 2019, Pastor Eric and Pastora Marivic canvassed Camiling for the support of the local church leadership, building upon relationships begun in the years past while holding ‘Church Leadership Seminars’ offered by PST-IMI and the Philippine Alliance of Full Gospel Churches. 

       Then while praying and searching for a potential home church, one of Pastor Eric’s friends referred him to his Christian friend who built a church building almost a year prior. This friend had been looking for a pastor to use the church. Within a short time, arrangements were made to move forward, making use of this provision of the Lord.  And with all these God-given breakthroughs, the Goshen Christian Community Center launched with its first Sunday service in Camiling, Tarlac on January 12, 2020, opening the 200+ seat church with a 20 car parking capacity.  Truly a gift of God! Soon following, was the opening of the PST-International Maranatha Institute study center with Pastor Eric Antonio instructing. This first class of Camiling brought together some 16 students for training as church workers and future pastors. Then with the onset of COVID-19 restrictions, church services and PST training classes came to a halt.  

      Now, some 6 months later, limited worship with 25-30 in attendance is permitted once again!  The PST study center has also reopened with weekly classes now ongoing.   Students in training tend to be younger Next Generation candidates, being honed to be future leaders to the Camiling community and surrounding areas.  Greater days are yet to come! Let us continue to lift the work in Camiling in our prayers as our FG church leaders continue to spread the Gospel and equip local leaders. All glory to our Lord God!