We welcome you to GCF South Metro’s 15th Anniversary! For our church members, regular attendees, guests, and visitors, we are glad you can worship with us today. David declared, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable” (Psalm 145:3). The greatness of God cannot be sufficiently explained, it can only be sensibly experienced.  My prayer is that you will sense the Spirit move in our midst this morning and affirm the greatness of God not only for GCF South Metro but in your individual life as well!

Let me give you a brief history of GCF South Metro so you will know our roots and appreciate the great things God has done for and through His church all these years.

In February 1978, Greenhills Christian Fellowship was started by Rev. David W. Yount of the Conservative Baptist Mission—thus we are under the Conservative Baptist Association of the Philippines (CBAP). In 1993, the late Dr. Luis Pantoja, Jr. (21 Nov 1946—06 Sep 2010) was called and appointed by God to lead GCF. It was during his leadership that GCF started to multiply through satellites in strategic areas in the Philippines and Canada. As of today, GCFSM is part of a fellowship of churches composed of 15 local and 6 international (all Canada-based) GCF satellites.

In 1996, God orchestrated events that led to the birthing of the first GCF satellite through the efforts of a handful of committed and dedicated members who regularly met in their Growth Group in Parañaque. GCF South Metro was launched January 19, 1997 at its first venue in One Legacy Place, Alabang 400 under the leadership of Dr. Narry Santos (currently GCF Toronto Senior Pastor). After three years, GCFSM moved to Madrigal Business Park along Alabang-Zapote Road to accommodate the growing ministry. In 2005, the Lord finally moved the church to a permanent and strategic place here in Daang Hari, Las Piñas. 

During all these years, GCFSM commissioned some of its members to establish and plant three local satellites—GCF Batangas, GCF Sta. Rosa, and GCF Parañaque.  In 2007, after ten years of faithful service, Pastor Narry was given the task to spearhead the launching of GCF Toronto—the first GCF international satellite.  In a span of four years, GCF Toronto was able to launch 5 other satellites within Canada (GCF Peel, GCF Calgary, GCF Vancouver, GCF Winnipeg, and GCF York). It is only by God’s hands and grace that GCFSM was able to take part in fulfilling the Great Commission and bringing the gospel in areas covered by these church plants.

When Pastor Narry left for Toronto in 2007, he was succeeded by Pastor Larry Pabiona. Pastor Larry led GCFSM from 2007 to 2010 until he was recalled back to GCF Center and later became its Senior Pastor. In February 2010, I was given the gracious privilege to lead GCFSM. For the past two years, the Lord gave me the burden to emphasize the importance of growing deep in God’s Word and to have a closer walk with Christ. I believe we have laid out the foundation and the structure to continue experiencing life transformation until Jesus Christ returns.  For the past 15 years, we have experienced joys, triumphs, challenges, and trials. But in all these things, God’s greatness alone sustained us!

For the next three years, as we focus on preaching God’s Word and growing in Christ, we need to go beyond the four walls of this church building and intentionally reach out to our “Jerusalem, Judea & Samaria, and the ends of the earth.”  We also need to be proactive in developing homegrown leaders—from the children, youth, singles and adults—who will be called by God to take on various pastoral and ministry leadership positions. Celebrating God’s Greatness is an appropriate reminder to always rely on the power of God’s hands and the grace of God’s heart to fulfill our mission to Know Christ and Make Him Known.  Pray with us that we can accomplish these tasks by God’s grace and for His glory alone!

-Rev. Lito Villoria | January 29, 2012