Standing here, the Manila Chinese Baptist Church rises tall. Its blue-lighted cross is a beacon in the Chinatown night sky. But its story began far from here.
Imagine China in the late 1940s. Communist advances forced American Southern Baptist missionaries to relocate. These included the Crawleys, the Pettits, Fern Harrington, the Jowers, the Lawtons, and Theresa Anderson. Their hearts were set on sharing the Gospel with the Chinese. Most spoke Mandarin. They wanted to reach the overseas Chinese here in the Philippines.
Initial efforts began in Baguio. This led to the Baguio Chinese Baptist Church in 1950. Soon after, Theresa Anderson moved to Manila. She taught English at Chiang Kai Shek High School. The Pettit and Jowers families joined her. Then came the Abernathys, veteran missionaries from China.
By October, they rented space at the People’s Bank of the Philippines. It was at the corner of T. Pinpin and David Streets in Binondo. This became the Overseas Chinese Christian Baptist Church. Mr. Co Ching Chuan oversaw the pulpit ministry. The first Mandarin worship service was November 19, 1950. A week later, Dr. Abernathy led evangelistic services. Young people professed their faith.
On March 16, 1952, Rev. Clyde Jowers baptized the first five believers. A month later, he baptized four more women. On Easter Sunday, April 13, 1952, the Manila Chinese Baptist Church was formally established. Rev. Clyde Jowers was the first pastor. There were eleven charter members.
From the People’s Bank, the church moved to Elcano Street. Then, it moved to the Tokyo Hotel on Ongpin Street. In 1956, the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board bought land. It was on Tomas Pinpin Street corner Quiñones Street. The Manila Chinese Baptist Church was built here. It stands here to this day.
Construction began in 1960. The building fund was raised through faith. The Holy Spirit moved people. In four months, the first church building was complete. On July 31, 1960, the two-story building was dedicated. The parsonage was added in 1970.
The church incorporated with the Securities and Exchanges Commission in 1990. In 1991, the Philippine Baptist SBC donated the property to the church.
By the 2000s, the church needed more space. In 2002, they rented the Yutivo Building for services. The last service in the old building was October 3, 2002. Demolition began. Groundbreaking for the new building was January 7, 2003. The eight-story building was dedicated on April 17, 2005, during the church’s 53rd anniversary.
Now, the Manila Chinese Baptist Church stands as a testament to faith. It is a community that loves people. It leads them into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Its ministries serve all ages. The church builds a loving community. It reaches out to neighbors in Jesus Christ’s name. It transforms lives through Christ-centered relationships.