From humble beginnings in early 1998, a church was founded which can be characterized as a birth brought forth by divine interventions and appointments, with a group of several hundred people seeking a pastor to provide them leadership. Pastor Dennis Heppner, his son Jonathan, and Pastor Daniel Villa accepted the invitation and began a pastoral team to shepherd this flock. With faith and excitement, this group and their new pastors rented a ballroom in the New World Hotel for their first worship service on the 8th of February 1998. Dozens of committed people phoned all weeklong to inform people of where and when the service would be held. God miraculously provided funds for rent and musical instruments for the newly formed worship band. Almost 500 people were in that service! The church was then officially formed and named the following week as Church of God-Makati (COGM). The church rented the Greenbelt Theater to hold the morning Services on Sundays.
On March 1, 1998, the first Filipino worship service was held at the Makati Sports Club and then transferred to ASCM Chapel, which was then led by Pastor Danny Villa. Truly, COGM was widening its circle of faith, ministering to more people as the committed workers were led by the Lord. To attest to the continuing growth, Wednesday evening services began three days later at the ACCM Building’s 4th floor Chapel.
After two years of worshipping in dark theaters which chased us out at exactly 12:30 Sunday afternoons so the movie could begin, we miraculously found a way to lease the old AMA Computer College located along Chino Roces. A lot of renovation had to take place which was completed in about three months and with much rejoicing and celebration, we moved in!
After nine years, 2009 and 2010 were both remarkable years for the church as we went full-blast with our Building Project – our permanent Faith place. We encountered many different challenges in this project, but nevertheless, we have seen how God has been faithful to our church. He has enabled us to overcome all these challenges and has given us His favor and grace so that we now have a permanent church facility located in Makati.
In 2016, the church started pursuing the God-given vision, of planting churches. These churches will serve as faith places and glory outposts in the different communities and cities in the Metro Manila area and beyond. By the grace of God, several outreaches were started in Sucat, Paranque, Imus, Cavite and Malibay, Pasay.
During the 20th anniversary celebration in 2018, this vision was re-cast to the church family. As part of this new chapter of the church’s life, the name was also officially changed from Church of God-Makati to Beginnings Church, believing that our church family is truly a place of new beginnings when people encounter Jesus through the ministries of the church.
In 2019, right before the pandemic, God’s faithfulness was proven once again in a big way as the church was able to complete the payment for the church property in Makati City where it is continually making an impact in its immediate community and beyond.
In September 2021, the church family welcomed the Leadership of Ptr. Albert Clavo as the Senior Pastor of Beginnings Church. Under his leadership, the church will continue to be a multi-ethnic, inter-generational, and international family of ministers and ministries who will connect with a network of other like-minded church ministries in leadership, ministry, and missions to advance God’s Kingdom.
In the years to come, Beginnings Church will remain faithful to the Word of God as its foundation and proud to live out its Pentecostal heritage. We remain hopeful of the future as the church remains true to its mission of winning people, making disciples, building leaders and reaching the nations for Jesus.