How CCF church in the Philippines became a missionary sending church to the world, sharing the Gospel globally
In 1982, Peter Tan Chi began a bible study at home in Brookside Subdivision in Cainta, Rizal. Only three couples attended the first meeting. They invited friends to join, and soon, they had to move into the garage to accommodate more people.
About two years later, the group established itself by having a core group of 40 people, mostly in business or professionals in various fields. Thus, the Christ’s Commission Foundation was established to help others know Christ.
In August 1984, they had their first Sunday worship service at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). The CCF church was born, and its mission turned into making disciples of men who love the country.
From AIM, the now Christ Commission Fellowship (CCF) moved to a bigger venue in Greenbelt Cinema, Makati. Then CCF began holding double services at PICC and Valle Verde Country Club.
CCF Saint Francis Square
In 1997, CCF’s worship services in Metro Manila were moved to St. Francis Square, behind SM Mega Mall, in Ortigas Center. However, CCF’s phenomenal growth couldn’t be contained.
During this time, God moved at warp speed; CCF SFS had to be renovated several times to accommodate the growing number of people coming.
From the top floor, CCF initially began renting the floors below to make room for Sunday school and ministry groups needing a venue. Still, it wasn’t enough, and CCF made rooms and rented another floor to accommodate new ministries being established.
It was also during this period that the Master’s Academy moved to CCF Saint Francis, making it the center of CCF activities for all groups and ages.
CCF Satellites
By early 2000, CCF satellites had emerged in various parts of the Metro. CCF Tondo was one of the few branches that emerged.
A few years later, CCF churches in provinces slowly began to be established, birthed by the burden of members responsible for expanding God’s kingdom.
Inevitably, members from nearby Bulacan, Cainta, and the Pampanga region realized the need to establish a satellite church.
Vision toward a global CCF
CCF Senior Pastor Peter Tan Chi may have the skills and organizational discipline that helped CCF become what it is, but the movement would have been short-lived without God’s anointing and provisions.
Its senior pastor of CCF has only one focus—to honor God and make disciples. Through this, CCF began to look beyond, and CCF Beyond was born.
Filipinos at the center of the mission
Spain brought Christianity to the Philippines in 1521. By the 1970s, missionaries from the West had established strong Christian churches they’d planted decades earlier. In the 1980s, church fellowship grew in leaps and bounds.
At the same time, brain drain was also happening as more and more Filipinos went outside the country to work or relocate.
Behind all these was God’s providence in putting Pinoy OFWs and immigrants around the globe. With the advent of the internet, Christian Pinoys connect, mentor, and establish small groups and churches.
By the time CCF moved to its global headquarters, several members of CCF who relocated to Singapore, HK, the Middle East, Australia, the United States, and Canada started their small groups.
These D-Groups gave birth to CCF churches in these countries—a pattern of growth since CCF was conceived in 1984.
Criticism of Christ Commission Fellowship
It’s common for Christian organizations to encounter criticism, and CCF is no exception. While the doctrine and theology of CCF haven’t been extensively ridiculed or criticized by Biblical scholars and apologists, the church faced criticism concerning the speakers they invited.
Among these were Bill Gothard, who had a joint ministry project with CCF in 1999, Chuck Missler in 2013, and their use of Rick Warren’s materials in 2001. Additionally, their close friendship with Ravi Zacharias also drew scrutiny and raised concerns.
In the early 2000s, disagreements within the church leadership resulted in the departure of two stalwart pastors and other leaders.
Senior Pastor Peter Tan Chi also faced persistent criticism, including an invitation to Camp Crame to address baseless allegations about his business dealings. He was once part of a business tycoon family that thrived in the 1970s but chose to leave it behind and pursue church ministry in the 1990s.
In the 2021 election, CCF (Christ’s Commission Fellowship) was criticized for appearing politically neutral but implicitly supporting a specific presidential candidate. Their involvement in inevitable political protests and the newly formed Christian Values Movement, which appears to favor some candidates while disavowing others, contributed to these concerns.
Global CCF Center in Pasig
People with professional backgrounds help lead CCF with strategic planning. However, despite their expertise, God’s plans were much more significant than they had in mind.
Only by God’s grace could the church construct its ambitious 3-billion building project. Today, it sits on a P1 billion worth property, sold for only P1.
The land was never intended to be sold by the Ortigas family, but God is sovereign. Moreso, CCF did not borrow a centavo from the bank. God moved—His people gave.
On May 12, 2013, CCF held its first Sunday worship service at the new CCF Center in Frontera Verde Pasig. It has a 10,000 seating capacity.
Today, the vast Christian facility is home to Global leadership training, the Master’s Academy, and a host of Christian ministries making disciples and helping change the social landscape of the Philippines.
A great awakening in the Philippines
In 2023, CCF had over 100,000 members and 70 satellites in the Philippines alone. CCF has satellite churches and small groups in other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, the Middle East, and Asia.
CCF also helped establish over 600 small groups in East Asia and 12,000 house churches and small groups in South Asia. In 2020, the CCF main had 55,000 active members.
This page is updated. We are not part (directly or indirectly) of CCF. For additional information, please send us an email.
