Grace in Action: How God Moved in the Philippines in 2025
Strangers are families we haven’t met yet.
For disciples of Christ, every stranger met and every friend made is a chance to share the truth of Jesus’ love and grace. And in a nation as diverse as the Philippines, that purpose takes on an even greater meaning.
Geographically, the Philippines is a vast archipelago—thousands of islands separated by seas and distance.
Yet across these shores, the Word of God has continued to travel farther than physical boundaries could ever limit. The heart of the mission has always been clear, even beyond comfort: to share God’s love and grace so that it may reach more and more people. And so in 2025, ICOC Philippines embraced the call to REACH.
Called To Reach
As Paul reminds disciples in 2 Corinthians 4:15, God’s grace is meant to reach more and more people. ICOC Philippines, committed to sharing this grace, moved forward with the theme REACH.
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
— 2 Corinthians 4:15 NIV
Reach Within
Disciples remember the love granted to them in Jesus, a love that continues to move hearts.
Reach Out
Reaching out begins with remembering God’s outpouring grace, a grace meant to be shared beyond ourselves.
Reach Upward
As it spreads, it stirs thanksgiving in hearts and ultimately brings all glory to God.
REACH in Action: 2025 Highlights
Growth, Baptisms, and Restorations
Building on its 2030 vision to reach 20,000 disciples across the Philippines, God has worked miracles throughout 2025. This past year, the church saw 301 baptisms across the country and had the heartfelt restoration of 34 of brothers and sisters. God continued to work in the Philippines by planting two churches: ICOC Calamba in January and ICOC Butuan in August.
These milestones are a testament to how God continues to use these growing communities to help His light reach across the nation.
Congregationals: Reaching Further as One Church
REACH Beyond: Worship Camp 2025
On June 27–29, 2025,
nearly 500 delegates from across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao
gathered in Batangas for Reach Beyond Worship Camp 2025 at Club Balai Isabel in Talisay. The camp marked a long-awaited revival of nationwide worship training after years of pause during the pandemic.
The camp offered classes designed to equip disciples serving in In Hymn (music), Create (media), and D4G (dance) ministries, while strengthening unity and creativity across the worship family. Beyond these sessions, delegates also participated in a Praise & Worship Devotional, Fellowship Night, and Worship Service, making the three-day event a meaningful time of worship, learning, and connection.
More than a training event, the camp became an opportunity to learn from one another, reconnect as one worship family, and realign in the shared mission of leading God’s people in worship.
ICOC Philippines Metro Manila at 36: Reaching Further as SouthWest and NorthEast Geo Regions
In celebrating 36 years as one family in Christ, ICOC Metro Manila celebrated as two geo regions: SouthWest and NorthEast.
The SouthWest Geo Region celebrated with a heartwarming worship service that stirred hearts to REACH. Naths Zuñiga and Loren Lee delivered the keynote message, urging the church to move forward united in purpose and bold in faith.
Naths, focusing on unity, acknowledged that it’s not always easy, especially when conflict happens. Yet through the example of the early church in Acts 2, 6, 11, and 15, he reminded disciples that the church grew because it refused to give up. They stayed devoted, loved one another deeply, and chose perseverance over division.
Loren took the message even deeper, pointing to 2 Corinthians 4:15 and Paul’s example of sacrificial love—the kind of love that reaches far and wide. It is a love that gives to the church without expecting anything in return. Loren urged everyone to reach further through this kind of love, reminding the congregation that the mission is not finished and disciples are called to go farther, together.
The Northeast Geo Region gathered over 1,200 disciples at the Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, for a stirring 36th-anniversary service. Edwin and Madz Virtudez opened the celebration by calling the church to not only remember God’s faithfulness since 1989 but to look forward with renewed vision, passion, and faith as one spiritual family.
Focusing on the benchmark of true faith, Christian Gonzales reminded the congregation of the "pure and faultless" religion described in James 1:27. He emphasized that being one spiritual family means intentionally looking after one another—especially those in distress. This heart for unity and care serves as the foundation for the church to extend God’s love effectively to the community.
Rolan Monje delivered a powerful message on how God’s grace reaches beyond human limits. Drawing from the lives of disciples like Marelle Santos and Oliver Manalili, he illustrated that grace is not about our own skills or perfections, but about God’s power being made perfect in our weaknesses. Rolan urged the church to let "more thanks overflow," encouraging everyone to be excited in their gratitude and to humbly accept help from one another, as these acts of service ultimately result in greater glory for God.
From Reach to Thrive: The Vision of 2026
ICOC Philippines is looking toward the future, the focus for 2026 has shifted—from a season of "Reach" to a powerful new vision for 2026: THRIVE.
They will thrive like well-watered grass, like willows by streams of running water. One by one, people will say, ‘I am the Lord's.’ They will come to join the people of Israel. They each will mark the name of the Lord on their arms and call themselves one of God's people.”
- Isaiah 44:4-5
This year, the mission is to move from outward expansion and to transition focus into becoming deeply rooted in Christ, ensuring that every disciple and congregation flourishes from the inside out. Drawing inspiration from Isaiah 44:4–5, the church is committed to further cultivating a culture of spiritual growth, deeper-rooted faith, and a spirit of unbreakable unity. Like trees planted by streams of water, ICOC Philippines aims to be a community where believers grow thick with life and vigor, boldly declaring their devotion to the Lord while bearing fruit that lasts for generations to come.
With your support we can help ICOC Philippines to thrive further this 2026!
You may be miles away but with your donation, you can be part of God’s mission.
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Strangers are families we haven’t met yet.
