THE JESUS FOR ALL NATIONS HISTORY
The Jesus for All Nations and Network International rejoices as it remembers every victory that the Lord has brought in the past, and as it lives onto something fresh and wonderful today, it looks forward with greater expectation to the future, and believes we’re about to see Him perform what no eyes have seen, what no ears have heard, and what we’ve only dreamed about…
It was during the time when our nation was in great distress because of unstable political conditions, and the people cried for freedom, desperately and aggressively wanting for a change. It was during this time also, that the very place where Jesus For All Nations (JFA) started became unsafe to live because of rampant drug addiction and gang wars that, the Lord, took out from among many a man whose heart was hardened by unkind and disgraceful experiences…experiences, that resulted in years of restless nights and uncertainties, which led Sito and Elsie Gadian, his loving parents, to really seek the face of God and offer this young man in prayer. Then the Lord heard the cries and woes of this couple and turned his weary and wounded heart into Christ on the 19th of February 1984, during the Evangelistic Crusade of Dr. Romeo D. Puentespina, Herbert “Bing” Gadian finally said, ”Yes, Lord, I’ll follow you for the rest of my life”.
Dr. Romeo D. Puentespina was the very first person whom God used to guide, train, and nurture Bing’s early spiritual life for years. With the newly found life in the Lord, Bing began to boldly witness to the people. Later, an informal bible study was opened with 15 young believers gathered under His grace known as the “Batch 84”. These same people have rallied behind Bing and by the Grace of God, devotedly and undyingly supported his ministry. As a result, a new church in Negros , Visayas was opened. Soon families began to
open their houses for a regular bible study and the first Sunday service was held at the Amahit’s residence in Bugo where later on, moved to a rented modified two-story PPC (Philippine Packing Corporation) staff house.
It was during one of his prayer times when Pastor Bing saw a vision of Jesus Christ in the form of a fire slowly descending to earth, then it was impressed in his heart that God loves all the people of the world, and because of that impression, the name “Jesus For All ” was formulated. The ministry was geared towards the unity of the body of Christ, recognizing and capturing God’s vision for everyone. As the ministry moves, and as the calling moves in the life of Pastor Bing, a specific call for the young people becomes evident, God has mandated him to prepare the younger generation as strong future leaders.
It was through familial witnessing, influencing friends, visiting schools and campuses, street meetings, crusades, evangelistic seminars, tracts distribution, outdoor fellowship, tarry nights of signs and wonders, and the first radio program “Kalipay sa Milagro ni Jesus” in DXMO-Cagayan de Oro which later transferred to DXCL-Cagayan as “Yawe sa Kagawasan”, DXRU- Hesus Alang Sa Tanan, that, the Jesus for All Church expanded and multiplied. Moreover, it was the cries, the moaning, and the groaning of the pioneers of intercession – from the intercessory and warrior department, which have strengthened the entire ministry. They’re the backbone of the ministry. Their prayers, intercession, and fasting for two straight years served as the foundation and have tremendously affected the church – they’re the unseen heroes of the ministry.
To accommodate the fast-growing number of people, the old two-story PPC staff house was renovated and extended. The newly renovated staff house not only served as a place for fellowship where everyone was nourished and fed, but also, as a home for individuals who desired to be trained and to work full-time in God’s vineyard.
As the vision and calling of JFA expanded, its ministry focus has moved from Bugo to other places in Mindanao. We see God’s faithfulness as He instruments us in helping establish churches in many parts of Mindanao and Visayas, where we trust together in one Lord, grew and moved together in one direction, and bind our individual gifts and callings. To be more competent, JFA has adapted a networking strategy with other national churches that shares the same vision with the ministry. Because of this networking, “Jesus for All Ministries” changed its name to “Jesus for All ministries and Network Philippines”, with the spirit to unite the body of Christ in the Philippines .
JFA’s networking strategy has not only influenced the national churches but in the international churches as well. We gained their trust and confidence through integrity, honesty, and dedication. Finally, JFAMNP was changed its name to “Jesus for All Nations and Network International” because we are called to influence the nations of the world through the unstoppable power of the Holy Spirit and the Gospel of Jesus of Christ. The vision of the church was also arranged and improved strategically for massive growth after a 3-day fasting, praying, and planning headed by Dr. Jill Boyonas, the Vice president of JFANNI, a former Manager of National Steel Corporation in Iligan City.
Being sensitive to the work and move of the Lord, the ministry was able to flow with God’s mandate for the Philippines to be a missionary-sending nation. Many great men of God today confirmed this, like Benny Hinn, when he said in his last visit to the island that he had come to the Philippines because God told him, God doesn’t only want to touch this country, but He wants to use this nation to spread the gospel.
In 1990, JFANNI started to train more church planters and started churches in different parts of Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon. Then we worked with Pastors’ Associations for the unity among the believers for nation-building. We worked with Philippines for Jesus Movement based in Manila to pray and support all righteous Christians to become government officials. We started to involve actively in the electoral process
In 2006, after many years of leading Jesus For All Nations leaders in evangelistic crusades with teams from America, there was still a cry of winning more souls by uniting churches from different denominations in church planting, Dr. Jill Boyonas headed the formation of CMC, CHURCH MULTIPLICATION COALITION. Currently, thousands of churches were planted already in the entire nation with the combine efforts of local pastors and American missionaries. Today, CMC has penetrated the 6 continents of the world already by the grace of God.
Recently we have churches in Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon and some churches are serving many different tribal groups including a few Muslim communities. We have churches in Bangkok, Thailand, California, U.S.A., and Canada.
Our churches have two categories, the Chapter churches and the Network Churches. Our main Church in Cagayan de Oro City is the Central Church. We do not use the term affiliation. All pastors of the chapter and network churches are called Senior Pastors. The educational arm of Jesus For All Nations is All Nations Seminary. At the central church, we registered a school to reach out to the community and teach Christian values to the students. The name of the school is Greenland Christian Academy.
The JFA central church adopted the Lion and Eagle System in making disciples in small groups. We have 6 Zones with 6 zone pastors, 6 assistant zone pastors, and lion leaders or bible study leaders. We have a few house churches in some zones. We have also 7 chapter churches within Cagayan de Oro City alone. To count all churches from Chapters and houses of churches to network churches, we are about 1,500 in the Philippines.
Today, all the accomplishments of Jesus For All Nations, were neither served in a golden platter nor in an overnight easy endeavor. It was however gained through simplicity, integrity, perseverance and dedication and hard work but, above all, because of the grace of Our Almighty Father. The church had experienced tough times, but, those tough times doesn’t prevail the reality of God’s presence. Darkness has fallen, clouds has gathered and shadows has came but, our faith and confidence in Jesus Christ who is a Big and Great God, who has done great, big and mighty things in the ministry, will never perish. Despite every accomplishment and success, the ministry has remained unmoved from simplicity to what it is today, it remains the same and all glory, and honor belongs to our Wonderful Lord, believing that the best is yet to come.