The effort was born out of a vision that a Church would emerge in the center of the Metropolis and will serve as catalyst of reaching the entire Cebu. A team of church planters led by Rev. Dan Balayo staged out to answer the call. In the past two years they diligently served the Lord by converging as a small group to intercede for the city. On December 12, 2010 their prayer for the city was elevated to a higher level when this team together with other new believers was organized as a church by no less than the Field Strategy Coordinator, Rev. Stephen Gualberto. It is now identified as Nazarene Christian Fellowship (NCF) Metro.

“This is historic moment,” says Rev. Balayo “since NCF Metro has been the first downtown church to be established since the entry of the Church of the Nazarene in the island. There were a number of attempts in the past to plant a church downtown but for some reasons only uptown areas were seen to be receptive.” He noted that Cebu is a very strategic and important location for the holiness Gospel since it has been the gateway of Christianity introduced by the Catholic Spain during the colonial era. Since then Cebu has become the religious capital serving as gauge for the spiritual climate of the whole country.

NCF Metro started on November 2008 as small Bible study and prayer group at Kan-irag Hotel, Ramos St. Cebu City spearheaded by the couple Joel and Julie Detalo. The first gathering was attended by a group of nine people and has slowly increased in number since then. On December 12, 2010 a group of 38 strong believers stood to be accepted as charter members of the church. Another batch of seven followed to be added to the role the next week. This made the membership count at 45 on its organization.

Of these newly accepted members 13 were transferees from other Nazarene churches, four were children and two were infants, born during the formative year of the church. All the rest are new Nazarenes. NCF Metro included the children to their role of membership as an expression of their commitment to highlight the value of children in building the Kingdom of God. NCM Metro believes that the Church God mean to be is inter-generational faith community where children and youth are love and valued.

NCF Metro members wants to remain faithful to its calling as intercessors for the city and in so doing pray that the church will serve as a beacon for salvation and hope in Christ. “We have high hopes and big dreams” says Franklyn Lachica Jr., member of the pastoral staff. “We wish to see NCF Metro grow to the maximum and impact the whole city and province.”

“NCF Metro is one strong message and example of starting with a vision and not with resources,” says Rev. Gualberto. “NCF Metro started with a prayer, sustained by prayers and is growing through more prayers. Resources and people come as believers passionately serve God through discipleship. They started indigenous and has become an example of nontraditional approach to church planting.”