First Baptist Church of Manila

The Fundamental Baptist churches which were the fruits of ABWE, BBSI and DBBI ministries formed the Association of Fundamental Baptist Churches in the Philippines (AFBCP) with 7 regional associations some of which were organized even earlier:

1. Association of Baptist Churches in Northern Luzon
2. Association of Baptist Churches in Central Luzon
3. Association of Baptist Churches in Southern Tagalog
4. Palawan Association of Baptist Churches
5. Visayan Fellowship of Fundamental Baptist Churches
6. Bukidnon Association of Baptist Churches
7. Davao Association of Fundamental Baptist Churches

Providentially, the AFBCP became a member of the International Council of Christian Churches and was frequently represented by Pastor Antonio Ormeo and Pastor Epifanio de la Pena in the early days of their involvement with the AFBCP and the ABWE. As the AFBCP was the National Association representing the ICCC in the Philippines, so was the National Council of Churches in the Philippines for the World Council of Churches (WCC). This sparked the already seething controversy between Biblical Christianity and the "Laodicean" version of Christianity in the country.

In 1951, the Far Eastern Council of Christian Churches (FECCC) was formed at the First Baptist Church of Manila with Pastor Ormeo as president, Dr. Timothy Tow as vice president, Rev. K.C. Quek as secretary and Pastor Epifanio de la Pena as treasurer. The AFBCP became one of the original national associations that joined this Far Eastern Regional Bible Fundamental(ist) movement. In 1999, the AFBCP and the ABCLVM (Association of Baptist Churches in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) co-hosted the 15th FECCC Congress at the Caliraya Re-Creation Center in Laguna, Philippines. This event was a marvelous reunion of "Senior Citizens" Fundamental Bible Pastors and Missionaries in the Philippines and from the neighboring countries: Dr. K.C. Quek, Pastor Antonio Ormeo, Dr. Ernesto Rivera, Dr. Roberto Gequillana, Dr. Antolin Zamar, Dr. Mariano Leones and a host of second-generation leaders like Pastor Ed Ormeo, Dr. Quek Swe Hwa, Dr. Choi, Pastor Ebenezer Nacita, Pastor Fidel, Rev. Collado Dr. Kwang Jae and the special presence of Dr. Carl McIntire, though on a wheelchair.

The first split in the AFBCP/VFFBC took place in Southern Negros Occidental over the Indigenous policy. Seven churches in Southern Negros Occidental (Cauayan, Isio, Caliling, Inayawan, Narra, Tapi and Linaon) formed a new fellowship called Associated Gospel Churches (AGC) because their request for a loan from the ABWE to finish the high school building that was almost finished was denied (loan not denied but diverted to other school). Ninety percent of the project was already accomplished through voluntary contributions of believers in that region. The issue of indigenization became so crucial that the fellowship was broken particularly when in the north, another school's request for financial aid was granted. The churches in the south felt that there was favoritism and special preference and so another Baptist fellowship was formed not because of doctrine or ethics but over missions philosophy and policy of financial support.

The second split came in 1965 when the AFBCP expelled three churches with their respective pastors over the issue on Biblical separation. In 1956, the FBCM decided to call a Filipino pastor in the person of Pastor Antonio Ormeo.

Up to 1957 the FBCM and BBSI were sharing in the use of church building and facilities in Padre Faura. In 1958 the Seminary transferred to Taytay, Rizal in the property bought by ABWE for the Seminary, leaving FBCM as the sole occupant of the church compound.

Pastor Antonio Ormeo

In line with the program of indigenization, the lot and church building in Padre Faura, which was built and owned by ABWE, was sold in 1961 to FBCM for the price of the lot (in 1936) and building construction cost (in 1951). A downpayment of about 10% was paid and the balance was to be paid in two installments in two years. In 1963, the controversy over biblical separation and compromise was simmering in the AFBCP with three churches and their respective pastors at the center of the conflict. Other issues were also brought out. All issues, having been clouded with other personal problems between Filipino-American leadership became impossible to solve especially because Filipino leaders were polarized to take opposite sides in the conflict. This conflict affected the contract to sell the property in Padre Faura to FBCM. With the possibility of expulsion from the AFBCP, the intention to sell the church building became subject to many questions which were pre-emptive in nature. FBCM failed to pay the second and third payments on time. Still hoping for the possibility of culminating the sale, FBCM continued to use the property during the years of uncomfortable and hostile atmosphere until 1965 when, sure enough, the expected expulsion from the AFBCP took place at the National Conference of the AFBCP in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental.

This expulsion resulted in the formation of the Association of Baptist Churches in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao (ABCLVM) when several churches in Luzon Visayas and Mindanao withdrew fellowship from the AFBCP expressing their sympathy with FBCM pastored by Pastor Antonio Ormeo, Fellowship Center Church pastored by Rev. Leonardo Calica and Mandaluyong Baptist Church pastored by Rev. Gavino Tica, which were voted out of the AFBCP in June 1965 during the Biennial Conference in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental over the issue on biblical separation and compromise. The controversy stemmed from the accusations that the three pastors had violated the AFBCP Articles of Faith, particularly on the ecumenical evangelistic method of Dr. Billy Graham, Far East Broadcasting Company, Back to the Bible Broadcast, Overseas Missionary Fellowship, New Tribes Missions, and other missions organizations which are inclusivistic and ecumenical in their evangelistic methods. A three-day debate during business meetings was held which centered on the interpretation and application of biblical separation. The three pastors tried their best to defend their own interpretation and practice of biblical separation but to no avail. The debate ended in an overwhelming majority vote to dismiss them and their respective churches from the AFBCP. Two buses of delegates cut short their attendance and left Kabankalan, Negros Occidental and met at Caingin Beach, Pontevedra, Negros Occidental and formed the ABCLVM and organized the Gethsemane Baptist Church with members who left Calvary Baptist Church (AFBCP) and joined the ABCLVM.

From 1965 to 2002, many important events had taken place within the ABCLVM. The first break-away was in 1972, when Pastor Gavino Tica came back from his studies at the Tennessee Temple Schools in the United States, and started his own Baptist Association in the Philippines. Many churches, particularly in Eastern Rizal who were members of the ABCLVM joined his BIMI. His group was the first split from the ABCLVM. The issue involved was not doctrinal because he remained a Fundamentalist. The reason for the split was a shift from his former indigenous missions policy to foreign sponsorship and subsidy. With this change in the philosophy of support, he could no longer be comfortable with the ABCLVM which insisted that Filipino ministries should be supported by the tithes and offerings of the membership of the local churches or through joint missions partnership where both partners share in the burden of the work.

The second group that pulled out of the ABCLVM in 1989 was the Hilltop Ministries and the Center for Biblical Studies led by former New Tribes Mission missionaries who in 1972 joined the ministries of FBCM and who were adopted by the ABCLVM, Rev. Dan Ebert III and his two sons, Rev. Dan Ebert IV and Rev. Bill Ebert and some Filipino leaders; and later joined Rev. Willie Bona and Rev. Laudemar Lubaton, Rev. Samuel Comising and others. Issues involved were very complicated because they ranged from controversies over the Dispensational approach to Biblical interpretation; differences in philosophy of missions operation and support; Bible institute training priorities; conflicting approaches to church discipline and rehabilitation; indigenous policy; bible translation preference and other minor administrative problems mixed with interpersonal conflicts.

The third group that became separate from the ABCLVM is the Filipino Baptist Fundamental Fellowship International led by Rev. Rocky Diaz and the late Rev. Gideon Romero organized in 2000. The issue was partly impatience over the very slow reactivation of the national activities of the ABCLVM and the wrongly perceived attitude that FBCM and its Senior Pastor Ptr. Ebenezer Nacita was no longer interested with the ABCLVM as a national association. Another reason could have been the delinquent status of the ABCLVM with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Still another significant reason may have been the shift from the Indigenous Missions Policy to foreign support which this new group has adopted soon after its organization.