Our Mission
Our Mission is to preach the message of salvation to the people and make disciples of Jesus Christ with a burning desire to prepare the world for the soon coming of our Lord.
Our Vision
Our vision is to see and participate the fulfillment of the climax of God’s plan for the restoration of humanity into its full harmony with His perfect will.
Our Philosophy
Jesus is the ultimate foundation of the spiritual framework of a Christian life, making this world a little heaven on earth.
Western Mindanao Conference ( formerly Western Mindanao Mission) is part of the South Philippine Union Conference in the Southern Asia – Pacific Division of the Seventh – day Adventists. Western Mindanao Conference was organized in 1958. It comprises the territory of the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur.
Statistics ( September 2023)
It is divided into 62 districts and has 542 churches and a membership of 87,317 in a population of 3,279,224. It has one academy and 19 elementary schools.
Organizational History
Western Mindanao Conference in Ozamiz City (formerly Misamis) was organized in 1958 as Western Mindanao Mission through the initiative of the Far Eastern Division and was officially recognized by the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.South Philippine Union’s leadership had recommended its organization, for it had seen the mission’s spiritual maturity and was able to meet its financial needs. Furthermore, it had shown commitment to spearhead and supervise the Lord’s work to speedily fulfill the Church’s gospel commission in the area originally composed of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and part of Lanao del Sur provinces and the Jolo-Sulu Archipelago in Mindanao, Philippines. Juanito Obregon served as the first president of the mission. It was a pioneering mission field with six districts: Pagadian, Dipolog, Dapitan, Ozamiz, Oroquita, and Molave. At its organization, there were 152 churches and companies with a total membership of 4,980.21 From its beginning, Western Mindanao Mission had undergone a continual succession in leadership, which paved the way for its full spiritual maturity and capability of pursuing the Adventist mission.
Like many pioneering institutions, Western Mindanao Mission based its beginnings on “faith that works,” a classic principle of bold and resolute missionary spirit, which was demonstrated by the pioneers in the island of Mindanao. In 1958 and 1959, during Pastor Obregon’s term as pioneering president, the first mission headquarters was located in a rented house at Rizal St., Ozamiz City. The rented space was literally bare without furnishings. Pastor Obregon requested the South Philippine Union Mission (now South Philippine Union Conference) executive committee to appropriate funds for office equipment for the new mission office. The request was approved, and the funds for the purchase of the much-needed equipment were released three months later. After a few years, the city’s fire department inspected the building and declared it a fire hazard, and an immediate transfer to a safer place was necessary.
In 1964, the mission headquarters was moved to the ground floor of a safer, more presentable two-story building at Valconcha St., Ozamiz City, owned by a Mr. Maghanoy. This was in overdue compliance to a recommendation from the city’s fire department. Although the new location was in a flood-prone area, it temporarily provided a convenient and comfortable place for workers and brethren who occasionally visited the headquarters to conduct ministerial and evangelistic transactions. However, frequent flooding on the streets surrounding the office building became unbearable. President Paterno Diaz, a visionary leader, transferred the mission headquarters to a duplex building owned by a Dr. Libonao and located at Barangay Carmen, New Annex, Aguda Extension, Ozamiz City. Years went by, and, during President Anastacio Gayao’s term (1977-1979), the mission headquarters was relocated to a new seven-room building next to the Grand Hotel at Ledesma St., Ozamiz City.
Sometime in 1980, during Pastor Fernando Pangca’s term as president, the mission headquarters was moved to its present location along the national highway at Barangay Gango, Ozamiz City. Throughout the years, the mission experienced every aspect of growth, demonstrating a “metamorphosis” through God’s unending grace and showing a classic example of transforming a mission into a matured conference.
In 1994, upon the recommendation of its conference status survey commission, the Far Eastern Division granted conference status to Western Mindanao Mission. Mission President Rodulfo Yap was elected president of the new Western Mindanao Conference.
On November 19, 2003, during South Philippine Union Conference’s 4th General Constituency Meeting at Western Mindanao Academy in Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur, it was voted to divide Western Mindanao Conference into two fields: Western Mindanao Conference, which retained the original name and location; and Southwestern Mindanao Attached Field located at 290 A. Climaco Drive, Talon-Talon Loop, Zamboanga City. Edwin Gulfan was elected president of Western Mindanao Conference, and Ephraim Paquibo was elected first president of Southwestern Mindanao Attached Field.
Through the years, Western Mindanao Conference has waved the banner of victory in Jesus against the forces of evil. The conference stands as one of the most attractive and modern Seventh-day Adventist conference headquarters in the Southern Asia-Pacific Division territory. Its administration, leaders, pastors, and workers remain humbly and fervently committed to the conference’s noble mission of preparing people for the Second Coming of the Lord.
Executive Officers Chronology
Western Mindanao Mission
Juanito Obregon (1958-1959); Elpidio Lamera (1960-1961); Bayani Arit (1962-1963); Tomas Cabaluna (1964-1965); Paterno Diaz (1966-1967); Loreto Duriquez (1968-June 1972); Clemencio Rosco (July 1972-December 1972); Tomas Rojas (1973-1976); Anastacio Gayao (1977-1979); Fernando Pangca (1980-1984); Lorenzo Lacson, Jr. (1985-1990); Rodulfo Yap (1991-1993).
Western Mindanao Conference
Rodulfo Yap (1994-1996); Luciano Nermal, Jr. (1997-1999); Alejandro Perez, Jr. (2000-2003); Edwin Gulfan (2004-2006); Luciano Nermal, Jr. (January 2007-November 2007); Rudy Jimenez (December 2007-May 2014); Segundino Asoy (June 2014-2015); Carlito Quidet, Jr. (2016- 2021); Arnel Benasahan (2021- )
SOURCES: encyclopedia.adventist.org