History of
NorthWestern Visayan District Council
of the Assemblies of God
BRIEF HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE PGCAG & NWVDC
The Philippine General Council of the Assemblies of God is an expansion of the Pentecostal Movement which had its origin in the United States at the turn of the century. The Pentecostal Movement was characterized by a revival of faith in fundamental Christianity, a re-emphasis upon the charismatic gifts and their operations, an intense evangelistic fervor, and a great missionary zeal.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONVENTION
The organization convention was held in San Nicolas, Villasis, Pangasinan on March 21-27, 1940. Leland E. Johnson, the superintendent appointed by headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, USA., presided over the meetings. Constitution was adopted. The elected officers were: Rodrigo Esperanza, secretary; Pedro Castro, treasurer; Hermogenes Abrenica and Rosendo Alcantara, presbyters. The newly organized “Philippines District Council of the Assemblies of God” was incorporated and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of the Department of Justice of the Philippines on June 19, 1940.
The wheels of operation for the young organization had just started to turn when World War II broke out in the Philippines. With the missionaries interned and later repatriated to the United States, the work in its embryonic stage was left without a head. Leadership passed from the U.S.A to the nationals.
The war curtailed the advancement of the work, but the nationals were quick to “redeem the time” after liberation. The fourth District Council was held in Bilad, Camiling, Tarlac on December 29-31, 1945. Due to the absence of a District Superintendent, the Foreign Missions Department of the General Council of the Assemblies of God, in Springfield, Missouri, USA granted an election for an acting General Superintendent and Secretary at the same time. His election ratified, he became the duly elect acting representative in the Philippines of the General Council of the Assemblies of God, U.S.A this arrangement allowed the normal functioning of the District Council as an incorporated religious body. Since 1946, the Assemblies of God in the in the Philippines had been headed by a national, elected periodically during the Council meetings.
FRUITFUL MISSIONARY WORK
The liberation ushered in a more fruitful time of missionary endeavor. New missionary appointees came and pioneered works in different places. Elva Vanderbout opened works in the Mountain Province; Edwin M. Brengle in Sogod, Leyte. Paul Pipkin, Paul Davidsons, Ruth Melching, Evelyn Hatchett came fron China and helped in the Far East Broadcasting Company and Bethel Bible Institute in Polo, Bulacan (now Valenzuela). Mr. and Mrs. Warren Denton pioneered work in San Jose, Antique; Mr. and Mrs. Gunder Olsen in Iloilo City; Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Zeisler in Bacolod City; Mr. and Mrs. Lester Sumrall in Manila; Mr. and Mrs. Edward Blount in Cebu City. Ernest Sjoberg, Eliseo Sadorra and Urias Ronquillo were the first to go to the Bicol Region. Graduates of Emmanuel Bible Institute in Cebu City pioneered works in Southern Mindanao. Leslie Bedell, while District Superintendent of the Vsayas and Northern Mindanao District, helped pioneer the Agusan Valley with twenty churches established. These pioneer works of the missionaries became mother of several churches. Other missionary appointees worked in the Bible schools. Evangelist Mayme Williams came in 1949 and traveled all over the country preaching the Word. Other evangelist who contributed much to the growth of the work are Harvey McAlister, A.C. Valdes, Clifton Erickson, Oral Roberts, Morris Cerullo, T.L Osborn, Hal Herman and Ralph Byrd. Thousands were saved, healed and filled with the Holy Spirit in their meetings.
DISTRICT EXPANSION
The growth and expansion of the work brought an increasing need for supervision from the office of the District Superintendent. At the Eleventh District Council held in Malinta, Polo (now Valenzuela), Bulacan on April 20-24, 1953, a resolution was approved which amended the District Council into a General Council, creating as many district as deemed necessary. This step kept the whole work as a unit but provided for proper supervision necessary for a growing organization, prosecuting its activities through its General and District Councils.
The Philippines General Council of the Assemblies of God was re-incorporated and re-registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 23, 1953. the General Council met triennially from 1953 to 1959 and met biennially from 1961 to 1973, and has met annually from 1973 to 1997 & triennially again from 1997 to the present. Now we have 20 Districts Nationwide.
April 1986, a resolution was approved during Gencil convention creating another District known as the Northwestern Visayas Council of the Assemblies of God which covers the area of Eastern & Western Aklan, Romblon and Northern part of Antique & later Capiz joined in this District. For 25 years NWVDC was with the Western Visayas District Council (Iloilo Office) but for the geographical and accessibility reasons the new District was organized.
May 28,1986, the first organizational meeting was conducted at Faith Village, Boracay, Malay, Aklan. The meeting chaired by Rev. Felipe Acena our Gencil Secretary, resulted to the election of the 1st District Officials as follows: Rev. Marcelo Arangote (District Supt.); Rev. Roberto Labor (Asst. Dist. Supt.); Rev. Ronardli Delfin (Dist. Sectretary); Rev. Juanito Espino (District Treasurer); Presbyters were: Rev. Eduardo Almaida (Eastern akaln Section); Rev. Leonard Enerio, Jr. (Western Aklan Section); Rev. Edito Gaad (Romblon Section); and later Rev. Rojeto Domingo (Capiz Section). The new district when first organized have 25 churches and 58 Ministers. 10 classified as ordained; 20 licensed; 28 Exhorter.
The burning desire and vision of the District from its beginning through the leadership of Rev. Marcelo Arangote is to train more workers into the Ministry, to see to it that every place is saturated with the Gospel in our area, and to organized strong committed core group of believers in every Barangays and Towns. So, crusades were conducted.