By Lee Bertsch
Former NAB Missionary
How delighted we are to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Bicol Center for Christian Leadership. However, the story actually begins 39 years ago in a conversation I had with another missionary. We talked about how our church-planting vision in the Philippines would struggle without a way to equip men and women for ministry, something that always happened with disruption and expense of them going to far away cities to study. With the partnership of three other church-planting ministries, a training center was launched in 1988, even before our first church plant was organized. God used that training program in wonderful ways, but five years later, after the other partners dropped out, that center ceased to operate. In 1996, another attempt was made to provide such training, but with two of our NAB co-workers leaving the field for health reasons, it was not sustainable. Still, God did not allow the vision to die.
God was preparing someone to lead a third attempt with fresh vision and skill. Mayette Ativo held a management position in a national bank, but for years prior she carried a great desire to help pastors and their families, who often served with great sacrifice; she often pouring personal resources into caring for them. When she expressed a desire to pursue seminary training, it soon became clear to us she might be just the person to lead a new attempt at local leadership training. When we opened that idea to her, the response was one of palpable enthusiasm. As ideas were shared, it quickly became apparent we were not only on the same page but also most often in the same paragraph! A few months after her graduation, the first course of the newly formed Bicol Center for Christian Leadership was offered.
For a variety of personal reasons, Jennell and I left our ministry in the Philippines and returned to Canada. It was a puzzling development given that BCCL had been a dream of mine for so many years and this third attempt looked to be the most promising of them all. But looking back, it was also a way that ensured this ministry would be Filipino led right from the start, with a vision more courageous, insightful, and expansive than I would have brought.
One precious memory I have related to BCCL starts in 1993, when I was holding a one-on-one Bible study with a man who operated a market stall selling rice. After several months, he made a firm commitment to follow Jesus, but the demands of feeding his family meant he worked his stall seven days a week and never connected with a church community. He drifted away. But then in 2009, I went to teach a course at BCCL. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw this man among the rows of students. He had not only renewed his commitment to Christ but was now involved in planting a church. What a joyful reunion that was!
There are three ways I appreciate the role of NAB International Missions in the development of this ministry. First, early on there was a commitment to make BCCL a ministry to the whole Christian community in Bicol. Teaching is done from a Baptist perspective, but only a minority of students are Baptist. This has contributed in a significant way to the unity of the Body of Christ in that region. Second, we are grateful for the numerous NAB pastors and professors who have come to teach. And finally, we are grateful for the funds that have provided good facilities and support for the present capable director Claire Marker and her husband, Tim.
If you are interested in giving in support of the ongoing ministry of the Bicol Center for Christian Leadership, or supporting Claire and Time Marker, the current director, use the links below.