Building the Next Generation in God’s Kingdom
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."
– Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
When God moves and molds us, it’s neither a painless nor an overnight transformation. More often, we go through seasons of wrestling, surrendering ambitions, and learning to have quiet faithfulness when walking away feels far easier.
Before Joshua was ever entrusted to shepherd Israel into the Promised Land, he had to learn patience, humility, and complete reliance on God's presence. Similarly, Loren and Erika have learned that leading God's people requires both passionate conviction and deep surrender. Today, as leaders of Envolve Ministry–the campus ministry of the Philippines–they are pouring their lives into raising up the next generation of disciples.
Yet their story is not just about leadership, but about
how God brought two radically different paths together to light a torch for those coming after them.
Loren’s journey with God began during his college years. His older brother, hoping to connect Loren with a spiritual community, made a simple arrangement: he would give Loren his allowance, but only if he picked it up at a church devotional or Sunday service. What started as a mechanical routine slowly became the soil for the Word of God to take root.
During an out-of-town trip with disciples, Loren began studying the Bible. For nine months, he wrestled deeply with the Scriptures. As he studied Discipleship, he was called to surrender, including letting go of his then girlfriend and confronting his sins.
When he studied the Cross, the conviction became undeniable: Jesus was worth giving up everything for..
Even on the day of his baptism, challenges were present. His mother, a pastor herself, opposed his decision. When Loren suddenly came down with a high fever, his parents took it as a sign that he should stay home.But Loren fought through the fever and still chose to move forward with his baptism, choosing Christ above all else.
Erika, on the other hand, grew up as a Kingdom Kid in the church and was baptized at 16 while in high school. Yet as she transitioned into her college years, the allure of the world tugged at her heart. She entered a relationship and lived, in her words, as a “stubborn child”.
Her turning point came in the painful wake of her mother’s passing. Grieving and broken, Erika began to reflect on the consequences of her choices. She realized with heavy regret that she had spent precious time chasing the wrong things and the wrong people instead of cherishing her mother and honoring God. In 2020, amidst her grief and repentance, Erika decided to make things right with God, choosing to dedicate her life to serving in God’s ministries.
Erika serving as she renewed her faith
Though Loren and Erika had known each other since college and were baptized in the same year, their lives moved in separate orbits for a long time. It wasn't until years later, as Erika walked out her journey of repentance, that God began quietly weaving their paths together.
In 2020, they were paired up for a single date, but nothing immediately materialized. Over the next couple of years, the two interacted only distantly—sharing the same friends and social circles, but rarely speaking directly. By 2022, both were serving actively in their respective ministries, with Erika serving as a leader in both Dance for God (D4G) and ICOC Muntinlupa Singles Ministry while Loren led in the Envolve Ministry. That year, carrying the heavy responsibilities of ministry and life, Erika prayed deeply about her dating life, acknowledging her need for a godly partner.
Loren and Erika partnered together at two weddings
The true turning point came when they served as partners in the wedding entourage of Erika’s eldest brother, Dennis. A photo of them together at the wedding went viral within their church circles, sparking a noticeable shift. Enthusiastically supported by their friends—who continuously cheered them on and tried to pair them up—Loren and Erika began going out on more dates and connecting on a much deeper level.
Later, their relationship officially blossomed into dating in December 2022, eventually leading to their marriage in 2025. God’s timing, though tested by years of waiting, proved perfectly ripe.
Loren and Erika from Dating, to Engagement, and Marriage
Today, Loren serves full-time in church ministry, while Erika works as a Luxury Brand Manager. For Erika, despite her professional career,
nothing compares to the fulfillment she finds in serving God’s people.
Loren and Erika serving together
Loren’s path to full-time ministry was a leap of faith. After graduating college, he became a college instructor at one of the top aeronautical engineering schools in the Philippines. Yet, despite a promising career ahead, his heart remained tethered to the campus ministry.
His road into full-time ministry, however, was tested through seasons of severe doubt. After entering the Asia Pacific School of Ministry (APSOM) and serving as an intern, he faced years where he questioned his impact.
"In 2017, I was ready to resign," Loren shares candidly. "You go in feeling like you can change the world, but when you don't see the fruit you desire, you feel like you're failing."
Campus Ministry before the pandemic
The turning point came in 2018 during his quiet time in Judges 2:2-10, which describes a generation that arose after Joshua who "knew neither the Lord nor what He had done for Israel."
Loren realized that if he walked away from campus ministry, a critical gap would open. His role was not necessarily to manufacture instant "muscle growth," but to ensure the light of Christ reached the next generation. A year later, when feelings of inadequacy resurfaced—comparing himself to his predecessors—God shifted Loren’s perspective again:
Do not look at the future with what you do not have, or even at what you have. Instead look at the future with what God has. (Stop looking at what you lack, and start looking at what God has.)
Today,
Envolve is a thriving ministry filled with more potential for growth and impact. Through Loren and Erika’s leadership, they have empowered their leaders to operate with greater love, empathy, and emotional depth. The couple also actively supports
clusters, the school-based ministries led by young disciples in college. This enables the students to take ownership, lead their own initiatives, and reach out to their own peers.
ICOC Philippines Envolve Cluster Meets
Another notable growth Envolve has shown over the years is its digital presence. The Envolve CREATE team (which is composed of the Envolve and Young Professional members from ICOC Philippines’s media and production ministry, CREATE) has
utilized social media to increase the ministry’s presence and accessibility in the digital space, helping reach more souls than before.
Looking ahead, Loren and Erika hold a bold vision for the ministry. Their dream is to see clusters mature into fully established, self-sustaining sectors that will eventually grow into distinct regional ministries across the nation.To achieve this vision, they pray that God will raise up more full-time ministers, dedicated campus workers, and leaders who deeply love God and His church within the Envolve ministry.
With your support we can help Envolve ICOC Philippines to thrive further this 2026!
You may be miles away but with your donation, you can be part of God’s mission.
Watch our newest Walking in the Footsteps video below!
