____________________________________________

Brief History of the Midtown church of Christ

The Midtown church had her humble beginning in 1983 when Felix A. Bravo and his family separated from the Baguio church of Christ and started a new work in the heart of Baguio City.

Meeting at the YMCA conference hall along Upper Session Road, Midtown church started with but a handful of faithful Christians namely brethren Felix A, Bravo and family, Dodoy Sameon and family, Simeon Reyes and family, Danny A. Oliva and family, Paulino Abubo and some Philippine Bible College students.

After about a year of existence, Midtown church moved to the Puso ng Baguio building on the third floor when brother David Stathopulo came and started the Bible Study Center.

To be precise, the Midtown congregation began on October 16, 1983, with nine members and some PBC students. The congregation has grown to a membership of 80 and an average attendance of 103. Later, in 1983 and 1984, 34 people were baptized; 45 people have been converted in 1985. A strong evangelism and edification programs were pursued by the Midtown church in the succeeding years and numerous conversions were effected resulting in her phenomenal intensive and extensive growths.

Full time church workers then helping in teaching students were Ruth L. Glori-Trinidad, Janice Reyes-Po, Felix Bravo, Danny Oliva, David and Sandy Stathopulo, Dodoy Sameon, the late Simeon Reyes, Jr. and his wife Phoebe Sameon-Reyes. Later, two American missionaries help in the work at Midtown church, they were Eddie Poblete and his family and Doug and Sandy Holcomb. Vickie Hombrebueno-Ragas and Jeanette Fetalino-Sarauer also served as secretary of the Bible Study Center.

As more members were added to the congregation, Midtown church moved to the top floor of Maharlika building. Later on to Baguio Patriotic High School gymnasium, then to the University of Baguio Little Theater, Education building, Baguio-Benguet Community Credit Cooperative Conference Hall, Third Floor Dangwa Terminal Building (with Bible Study Center c/o Sotero Denis) and back to the Puso ng Baguio building along Session Road. Owing to high rate of rentals, Midtown church leaders decided to worship at the facilities of Marlett’s building in October, 1993.

This church, just like her sister congregations, upholds that they belong to the Lord’s church which was established in Jerusalem as recorded in Acts chapter 2, which is the fulfillment of the prophecies in Dan. 2:44; Dan. 7:13,14 and Isaiah 2:2,3. Their faith is anchored on the Holy Scriptures as they pursue and follow the doctrines and practices of the early church, based on the New Testament. They speak only where the bible speaks, and are silent in matters where the bible is silent. They do not embrace any human creed or dogma but sticks to the Lord’s teachings only.

The Midtown church does not believe in any earthly head but strongly affirms that Christ is the head of the church as written in Col. 1:18, Eph. 5:23 and that the Savior of the church is Jesus. Further on, she believes that every congregation is autonomous as taught in Acts 14:23 and Titus 1:5. Midtown church also upholds the plurality of elders or bishops serving in their respective congregations, no more, no less.

The church is presently served by three full time and locally paid evangelists, namely: Arnan A. Bayla, Andy E. Bestre, Felix L. Olidan, Jr., and one church secretary/librarian Orlan J. Jadormio, Jr. Aside from them, other church workers like Santiago (Dodoy) Samneon II, Ernie Wagang, Daniel Oliva, Jonathan Ramos, Alan Po, Josias Aquino, Maril Bayating, Renato Austria, Gaspar Baldo, Jr., Efren Colcol, Jimmy Dumasig, Shemer Sameon, Rod Tada and others help in the church’s various ministries.

The present location of Midtown church is at Marlett’s Building, Km.4, Marcos Highway, Baguio City. Her current membership is well over 200, discounting the hundreds who moved to other places in the various townships in the Philippines, and those who have gone abroad. Midtown church has gone a long way since her early beginning! Her impact in changing the lives of people is not only felt in Baguio City but throughout the numerous islands in the country and overseas!

Today, despite all the different worship places chosen by the congregation, the Lord must be praised for Midtown church membership has remained intact and the church is still marching on.

Vision and Mission

The Midtown Church of Christ is a nonsectarian, nondenominational community of Christians dedicated to respond to the command of the Lord Jesus Christ to make disciples and to serve. This congregation is one of thousands of similar independent churches of Christ around the world whose plea is for all believers to practice pure New Testament Christianity. As a family of believers, we envision ourselves to be living demonstrations of the presence and power of Jesus Christ in a community of love, forgiveness and joy.

Our Plea

In a world divided into religious bodies of every doctrine and practice, churches of Christ plead for the unity of all believers in Jesus Christ on the basis of the Word of God. Although most of us are accustomed to religious division, stop and ask yourself, "Is this really God's plan for His people? Did Jesus die to bring about such confusion as exists among those who claim to wear His name?" Those of us who cannot find this condition in harmony with the Word of God are pleading that all men put aside denominational or sectarian ties and stand together united in Christ on the truth revealed in the Bible.