He was given the vision to establish a church which will bring people to Christ, where God's love will prevail, and where the sorrow of this world will forever be oblivious…a place where people will find joy, forgiveness and encouragement. So in 1995, he flew to Hongkong to put this dream into reality. God proved more than what Pastor Rene envisioned, He made the church flourish, He opened doors of opportunities, and He even gave Pastor Rene a loving wife in the person of Pastor Jewly who was his extension arm in this mission. This launched the start of JLG's wonderful history. JLG Hongkong launched their first public worship with only 5 attendees, a promising start for a great future destined for the church! Since then, the mission of reaching out to people became the heart of the ministry. Every given opportunity for growth was taken as a step of faith towards the beautiful destiny God has prepared for those who love Him. Another milestone had been made on October 2003, when Jesus the Living Gospel Philippines was formally registered to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The newly founded church became an open family who embraced the Filipino tradition and lived according to the life Christ lived in example. Upholding the virtue, "there is wisdom in the council of many," it was decided and agreed upon that a Board of Directors shall preside over the church's policies, decisions and programs. After 19 years of God's unceasing faithfulness, JLG has exceeded what people thought was impossible. At present, there are 220 gospel centers all over the Philippines and abroad with approximately 12,000 members. God has commissioned almost 200 full time, non-full time and lay ministers to be the modern soldiers of this generation's spiritual warfare. JLG Philippines has made developments, achieved milestones and adapted to the innovations of this virtual generation. The Pastoral Care Group was birthed to give rise to the Children for Jesus ministry, the Wholehearted Singles for Jesus ministry, the Couples for Jesus ministry and our youth arm, Zero Gravity. The D12 discipleship program has also been truly effective in making people feel a sense of belongingness in the church and in the family of God. It has spurted fast growth in many of our churches and is continuously honing believers to be effective disciples. Bigger Christian organizations and leaders have also acknowledged our efforts in bringing the good news to the people. In fact, Bishop EfraimTendero, PCEC National Director, graced Pastor Rene’s bishopric anniversary last October 16, 2011 in line with our 8th foundation celebration. Every great organization has its own story of beginnings. Jesus the Living Gospel does not aspire to become great, but to make the name of God the greatest. However, making this possible meant that each one of us would have to take on the great commitment to the great commandment to fulfill the great commission to grow a great church. The challenge is not only on the leadership of the church but most importantly, on each and every member. With the concerted efforts of both the leadership and members, we have successfully launched international services which are our partners in realizing the mission. These include Sha-Tin, New Territory and Wan Chai, Hongkong, Toronto and Vancouver, Canada, Macau, Singapore and London. These churches minister to people in a holistic approach, experiencing the same outpouring of God’s unwavering provision and love. Nineteen years may seem enough to say that we have experienced, conquered and achieved a lot. But the truth is this should be a reminder that all of us should step up and take part in the greater work God has set for the growing church to do. As the world continues to change, let us cling on to the promise of the unchanging God. Let your life be a testimony of God's unfailing love as He continues to unfold His story of church’s great destiny. Take part in the mission of knowing Christ and making Him known! With nineteen years of experience in its pocket, JLGII will never cease to proclaim the name of God until the world becomes a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come –with God’s grace and mercy, that will be the start of life never ending!
