• Thailand (1983)
  • Thailand Coordinator
  • Location
  • Registration
  • Schedule
  • History
• Philippines (1985)
  • Philippines Coordinator
  • Location
  • Registration
  • Schedule
  • History
• Myanmar (1988)
  • Myanmar Coordinator
  • Location
  • Registration
  • Schedule
  • History
• Hong Kong (1989)
  • Hong Kong Coordinator
  • Location
  • Registration
  • Schedule
  • History
• Singapore (1994)
  • Resident Staff Coordinating
  • Location
  • Registration
  • Schedule
  • History
• Papua New Guinea (2005)
  • Papua New Guinea Coordinators
  • Location
  • Registration
  • Schedule
  • History
• South Korea (2006)
  • Coordinator
  • Location
  • Registration
  • Schedule
  • History
• Australia (2007 Pending)
  • Coordinator
  • Location
  • Registration
  • Schedule
  • History
• Potential New Sites
  • Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • China
  • India-Nepal
  • Japan
• Students from outside site areas
  • Contact ABTS office in Singapore
  • Location
  • Registration
  • Schedule
  • History
• Southeast Asia Map

Each and every course I have taken with ABTS impacted me differently, with its teaching being so well planned, so comprehensive, so fruitful, so enlightening, so challenging, so enriching . . . (Hong Kong, Grad)

I recommend this program to my friends and colleagues because the program is very helpful to our ministries. We do not get a degree only but also receive spiritual lessons. (Myanmar, '05 Grad)

The program brought a renewed exuberance and passion to me and the ministry where God has called me. (Philippines, '05 Grad)

God at work in the Philippines

The ABTS headquarters was relocated to Manila from Bangkok in 1985. Moving to the Philippines was a natural move since ABWE missionaries were so instrumental in the growth of the church there. ABWE came to the Philippines 1927.

 
Because of the evangelistic and church planting work many students were ready to take advantage of the opportunity to study at the master's degree level with ABTS. The church had grown. Pastors and missionaries had been raised up but these leaders realized that for the church in the Philippines to grow stronger they needed a greater understanding of the Word of God. This realization of the need has produced ABTS’ largest teaching site, at present about 40% of ABTS’ student body.

Seminars began in Manila soon after relocation there and within two years an additional site was opened in Iloilo, a city on the island of Panay in the central part of the islands. Later a third seminar location was established in Davao, a southern island located in Mindinao. And a fourth site opened in Baguio, thereby providing more convenient access to the educational opportunities to the Filipino students spread throughout the islands.  

With the increase in the number of ABTS students more personnel arrived on the field.  The John and Gail Lillis family were joined by the Paul and Sharon Leslie family, Dave and Marilyn Clark, the Phil and Becky McDonald family, and Jim and Shirlie Moore, and Jean Shawver.  All became part of  ABTS while it was located in Manila, Philippines.  The Bob and Esther Rapa family also began raising support at this time, and Norm and Louise Barnard began preparations to serve with ABTS.
 


For many years Kent Craig, an ABWE missionary and now Field Supervisor of ABTS at ABWE headquarters, served as the ABTS Philippines Country Coordinator.  Several other missionaries also ministered in this way when needed, but in 2003, a national, Rev. Zoilo Anat was appointed.  At the time he was serving as pastor of a church in Manila and had been working on his MRE degree with ABTS.  He has also served as an adjunct professor and board member of a Bible school in the Philippines.  In 2005 he accepted the Directorship of the AWANA program in the Philippines.  He continues to travel extensively in the Philippines and is an active recruiter for the ABTS program.

Read the next part of the story of the Asia Baptist Theological Seminary in Myanmar.