Abridged Version:
We and two other families started an international Bible study in our area of Antipolo in August 2023. In April 2025, our church, International Baptist Church of Manila, did a feasibility study that showed yes, we should plant a church out of this group. We are now meeting as a church plant two Sundays per month. We have no definite timeline but, Lord willing, we will officially launch as a church in early 2026.
Unabridged Version:
Some people believe ministry is the husband/father’s job. I (Cameron) am not questioning their motives, since ministry definitely can take over one’s life to the point of exhaustion, burnout, family stress, etc. To be sure, family time does need protection. But Jessica and I also want as much as possible for our children to see how being a Christian means we all lead and serve together. Together as a family we pray for God to move. Together as a family we invite our neighbors to study God’s word. Together as a family we dream of Kingdom communities growing to love God more. Together as a family we plant churches.
What has that looked like for us? In August 2023, we began an intentionally international (English-speaking with both non-Filipinos and Filipinos) Bible study with two other families from our community who also travel an hour or more on Sunday to worship at the International Baptist Church of Manila. We met in our homes one Saturday per month, and the Lord blessed. We began dreaming of the Lord planting an international church through our group. In August 2024, we moved to two Saturdays per month and quickly began outgrowing the largest of our living rooms. In October 2024, I was introduced to another American-Filipino missionary couple (non-IMB) who owns a newly built training center in Antipolo and for ten years have longed for an international church nearby that they might attend. So, we began meeting there. The next month, I met with our pastor at IBC Manila about the possibility of moving toward church planting by also meeting one Sunday morning per month in early 2025. That one-Sunday-per-month gathering began in February 2025.
We are convinced that the New Testament model is churches plant churches. Our sending church, North Wake Church in Wake Forest, North Carolina, also instilled in me and Jessica a DNA of every-member-serving, relationally deep small groups, and churches planting churches. By God’s grace, we saw the North Wake elders and members live out this type of deep, gospel-centered community. It is the church where we were married, where I was licensed and ordained, and that sent us to the nations 13 years ago. Southeastern Seminary taught me to love studying God’s word. North Wake Church taught me to love people well.
Because of our conviction that churches plant churches, I approached our pastor about our group being a plant of IBC Manila. In March 2025, the Church Council voted to allow the pastor and me to form a “feasibility study” team composed of IBC Manila members and people attending our Bible study in Antipolo. Over a three-day period in April 2025, we interviewed about 25 community leaders (Filipino pastors, area missionaries, Faith Academy staff, etc.) in our area of Antipolo. We wanted to find out if an international Baptist church really is needed in our area. The responses were affirming. We found that many internationals in our community are either 1) not attending church in person, 2) attend a Filipino church but their kids are often not satisfied/involved, or 3) like us, live so far from their church that genuine community with church members during the week is not possible. Praise God, the team gave a green light for a new church plant. At the end of April, the pastor informed the Council.
At this time, we call our group One Story Fellowship. We like the name because we do a lot of Bible storying, we believe the Bible is one, big story, and even though we all have different stories/backgrounds, we play a part in God’s one Story of redeeming the nations. The name One Story Fellowship may change as we and IBC Manila look at launching as a full-fledged church, Lord willing early in 2026.
Beginning this month of May, we have moved to meeting two Sundays per month. We always pray for one another, teach the Word interactively and via exposition, and share a meal together. We do not practice baptism or the Lord's Supper; we attend IBC Manila to practice those ordinances. Once we launch officially, we will practice baptism and the Lord's Supper. The two other guys I initially approached in August 2023 are acting as elders with me. We teach on rotation with me as kind of the teaching elder. Several families in our area (international and Filipino) have indicated they’d love more opportunities to attend.
Two prayer requests:
1. 1. Our family will go on our six-month furlough beginning June 27. It is my fervent prayer that God will bless our church plant and cause us not to miss a step. As much as possible, we as a group have intentionally involved our wives and families in our roles/decisions. For example, Jessica leads the music, we talk with Sara and Noah about how we could do things better, and our kids invite their friends in our neighborhood to “our new church” (plant).
2. 2. As more families with kids attend and want to attend our church plant, we need wisdom in how to organize them in a way that is both comfortable and safe. To date, kids under 10 leave together after the songs for a Sunday School-type lesson. We realize this is not sustainable as we continue to grow, especially since it is an outdoor area and it is (always) hot here in the Philippines.
