About Us

Doane Baptist Church was founded by American missionaries composing the faculty of the former Doane Evangelistic Institute (DEI), now Doane Baptist Seminary. Dr. Rafael C. Thomas, the Director of the Institute, was the pastor when the church was founded in 1927. The church worshipped in the Montelibano building at the corner of Quezon and Ledesma Streets, which also served as the school. Mr. Percy Pemberton succeeded him when he went on furlough in 1928.

In 1929–1930, Mr. Patricio Confessor served as pastor and was followed by Mr. Alberto Franco in 1930–1931. Rev. Melquiades Galila became pastor of Doane in June 1931 and served until August 1947. During the early part of his term, the church rented another building at the corner of Quezon and Ledesma Streets where worship services were transferred. Later, however, the building was demolished. Services were then held at DEI on Bonifacio Drive in the building bought by ABWE from Don Severino Ferraris. Services continued in DEI until the fall of Bataan in 1942.

During the Japanese occupation, services were held in Ms. Prisca J. Blanca’s house at Rizal St., La Paz, Iloilo City. When Iloilo City was liberated in 1945, services were held at the Chinese Christian Gospel Center. Through the efforts of Rev. Galila, acting Director of DEI at that time, worship services returned to the Institute when the building, which was occupied by the Japanese, was repossessed. When Rev. Galila became the Director of DEI in 1947, Rev. Sofronio Estenor, who was called as assistant pastor the previous year, took over as pastor.

With the rapidly growing church membership, the Doane Church members decided to build its own building. The campaign started as far back as 1931. After many years of praying, planning, and campaigning, the church purchased a lot at Quezon Street. A Building Committee was formed to plan and implement the construction of the church building. Under the able leadership of the committee chairman, Rev. Jose Mandurriao Jr., the building was finally inaugurated on June 19, 1960. However, on February 6, 1966, the building was burned down during the big fire in Iloilo City that razed several blocks of the downtown area.

Once again, church services returned to DEI. The praying, planning, and campaigning for a new church building under the leadership of Rev. Estenor and Mrs. Leonila Lopez, our first Bible Woman, started in earnest. At Rev. Ruperto Alparque’s (Assistant Pastor) suggestion, the church offered to buy part of DEI’s lot at Bonifacio Drive. With the proceeds from the sale of the property at Quezon Street, the new church property was purchased from ABWE at acquisition cost. Another Building Committee chaired by Dr. Rey Cejar was formed to oversee the construction of the new church building. Members and friends of Doane and other churches here and abroad gave generously towards the construction of a new building, which was dedicated on May 27, 1973.

Rev. Estenor continued to serve as Pastor of Doane Baptist Church for a total of 33 years until his retirement in 1978. In July 1978, Rev. Roberto Gequillana was installed as pastor. Rev. Rudy Escobar was called as Associate Pastor in 1984 to help minister to the church’s membership that continued to grow. When Rev. Gequillana resigned in 1986 to go to the US, Rev. Rudy Escobar was called to take over but he also resigned in the later part of the same year. Rev. Esau Selorio readily accepted the Church Board’s invitation to be Pastor-in-charge while the church was earnestly praying and seeking the Lord’s will for a pastor.

On February 1987, Rev. Gequillana returned to reassume the pastorship of the church. Rev. Ruel Akut was called as Assistant Pastor in September 1987 due to the increasing membership and workload. Upon Rev. Gequillana’s retirement in 1993, he was made Pastor Emeritus while Rev. Akut was installed as Senior Pastor. In January 1997, Rev. Akut resigned to assume pastorship of the Filipino-American Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, USA. The church later called Pastor Danny Balm Escobar to be her Senior Minister and he is still serving until now.

References:

• 1973, 1997 Doane Baptist Church History
• 75th Doane Baptist Church Anniversary Souvenir Program