BCI History: Pastoral Leaders

  • Nov 21, 1992
  • Series: 10th Anniversary

BCI has been blessed with pastoral leaders, who are steadfast in their faith, committed to their calling and immensely visionary. Rev. Jaime Prieto’s many years of experience in the ministry provided the wisdom necessary to organize and develop a new church. He was a father figure to the young family of BCI and the members looked up to him for guidance and direction. BCI was firmly grounded when he resigned in February 1984.

A few months before the Lord sent Rev. Prieto to Hawaii, He led Rev. Romeo Manansala to BCI. Rev. Manansala was preparing to start a Filipino mission chapel in Manhattan when Rev. Prieto announced his resignation in 1983. BCI ordained him as its second Pastor and his tenure ended in Fall 1988, when he joined the Baptist Convention of New York (BCNY) to become its Filipino Church Growth Consultant. As a young Pastor on fire for the Lord, he had a great vision for church planting. He influenced BCI’s commitment to initiate, develop and multiply Filipino-based SBC congregations in the northern and southern counties of New Jersey, five boroughs of New York City and key cities in the northeast. He also introduced evangelistic ministries which effectively multiplied church membership. In addition to his responsibilities at BCNY, he is currently the interim pastor at The City Chapel (TCC), which is a transfer growth from and a daughter church of BCI. Rev. Manansala, once again, spearheaded the formation of this church. His wife, Loida, and three children, Mark, Grace and Paul, actively participated in numerous ministries during their time of service at BCI.

Rev. Kenneth Tan joined BCI to become its missionary in Manhattan. This plan was aborted once again when Rev. Manansala announced his resignation and Rev. Tan was installed as the third Pastor of BCI. Rev. Tan has maintained and enhanced the ministries initiated by his predecessors. BCI continues to lead in church planting and target areas have extended to the central counties of New Jersey. As in the past, the Lord blessed BCI with a sensitive, perceptive and focused pastoral leader, who is committed to exploring and encouraging the gifts and talents of its members while fostering spiritual growth. Thus, the strength of the Church has been maximized through the growing faithful and nurtured members, who take initiative and are dedicated to propagating the Lord’s work through multiple ministries that are effectively managed. His wife, Felicia, has been providing invaluable administrative and clerical services with great devotion. Young as they are, their children, Felineth and Andrew, actively take part in different ministries.