From the City to the Village: The Rippling Effects of Access to the Word and Deeper Theology

Awakening to the Need

The Lord is bringing about reformation and biblical vibrancy to pastors and churches in northern Philippines. From the busy, bustling urban center of Baguio City, out to the slower, quieter villages in the surrounding mountains and valleys, congregations in this under-resourced region of the Global South are receiving Crossway resources that are correcting and deepening their understanding of God’s Word.

Pastor Jared Garcia is a pastor at Pines City Baptist Church and director of the School of Theology, which is the primary distribution point for Crossway resources in this area. Two years ago, Pastor Jared crossed paths with members of Crossway’s Global Ministry team, just when the Lord had put on his heart the desperate need for revitalization at the church and its related ministries. He says the church, school, and church plants were previously characterized by “shallow theology, easy-believism, topical sermons, and excessive alter calls.” However, since 2024 they are intentionally “moving toward more Reformed and deeper theology, a deeper understanding of Scripture, and expositional preaching.” Books and Bibles made available through Crossway’s Global Ministry Fund and the One Million Bibles Initiative: Global South have been of crucial importance in their journey.

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A Case Study in Revitalization

Pastor Fernan is one of the pastors in the network of church plants from Pines City. He first received Crossway resources from Pastor Jared personally, and shortly thereafter, enrolled to take classes at Pines City in Baguio. He made specific reference to Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever as a book of special significance in reforming his ministry. He said, “Crossway books are easy to understand and are immediately applicable” and they are “what we need here in my context. I’ve been looking for resources because that’s what we lack here in the Philippines. Because of financial constraints and because of limited access, we cannot buy many books.” And indeed, when asked about the impact of the resources, he spoke extensively of the practical implications.

Pastor Fernan described the previous ministry at his mountain village church to be similar to Pastor Jared’s church where Reformed theology was not welcome, only the King James was used, qualifications of a pastor were not addressed, and church discipline was not practiced. When he then spoke of the many changes that have come about in his ministry since his training and reading, in addition to changes in the previously mentioned features, he explains the foundational shift: “We learn from what we read in the Scripture. That’s what Nine Marks has taught me. Go to the Scripture. We believe that the growth of the church and the growth of the people is the word of God. So when we read the word of God, that’s where they grow. That’s where we understand.” Pastor Fernan then went on to tell of the variety of Bible studies that are gathering in addition to Sunday school and Sunday worship; dedicated Bible studies among the teens, men, and women, each taking up a specific book of the Bible.

Pastor Jared points to Pastor Fernan’s church as a case study of the revitalization he is seeking to see move outward from Pines City Baptist Church and School of Theology to the network of churches in the mountains, valleys, and jungles around Baguio City. His own journey of reformation included years of education and training in the United States. Then, propelled by a passion to share his love for the Word and love for the church, he returned to the community of his family and upbringing at Pines City. He understands the strategic location and historical influence of Pines City. In addition to revitalizing his own church and instituting a new curriculum at the school, he hosts yearly church planting conferences and preaching workshops.

The Word at the Center

Pastor Jared expressed great thankfulness for Crossway ESV Bibles, which are central to the work of the pastors in the Pines City network of churches, and to his congregants in Baguio City who are all English speakers. He and other pastors have been using their ESV Study Bibles for a few years, and more recently, all of the members of the church received copies of the ESV by way of Crossway’s One Million Bibles Initiatives. Pastor Jared has been slowly and gently showing them how “seemingly small details in word choices can have a significant impact on what you are reading and how you are understanding what’s going on in particular scenes and contexts.” He wants to ensure his flock understands why switching from the KJV to the ESV helps them understand God’s Word better.

Just earlier this year, when Pastor Jared last gave out Bibles to church members who hadn’t yet received one, a member asked, “Can we have these for the women at our study? The ones we have are all torn and old.” This church member serves with a government agency that has a safe house for women. Pastor Jared explained, “It is a very delicate situation. The women are not allowed to go out, so we can’t invite them to church.” However, some of the ladies from his church are going there and having a Bible study with these ladies. At that time, Pastor Jared did not have enough Bibles to immediately respond to their request. But because of God’s kindness and the generosity of those who have given to the One Million Bibles Initiative: Global South, these ladies received their own Bibles just weeks ago.

Crossway considers it a privilege to partner with Pine City Baptist Church and School of Theology and leaders like Pastor Jared and Pastor Fernan who are wisely and diligently caring for their flocks. Their testimonies underscore their conviction that God’s words will accomplish His work “as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater.” (Isaiah 55:10–11)

“My prayer request is patience and wisdom, so that God will bless our church and the people will be pointed to Christ.” – Pastor Fernan

Pray that the Lord would continue to work in the lives of pastors who have received training and resources, that they would be encouraged and equipped by the truth of God’s Word to lead healthy churches.