Mar 6, 2026 Build It — And They Will Come

In 1984, a small group of believers started what would become Riverside Church in the Philippines. 

Rose Marie’s grandparents-in-law helped found it. The building was simple. The congregation was small. And for years, it stayed that way. 

“I was baptized in 1989,” Rose Marie shares. “I began serving as the church clerk.” 

But growth was slow. The original founders had little formal education. Leadership was faithful, but limited in resources. The church structure itself was tiny and struggling. 

On most Sabbaths, fewer than 20 people attended. 

Some members stopped coming. Others felt embarrassed to invite friends. From the outside, it didn’t look like a place where something meaningful was happening. 

The South Mindanao Mission reached out to QHM, asking for help to sponsor a new church building for Riverside. 

And that request became an answer to prayer. 

A new church building was constructed. 

It wasn’t just bigger. It was dignified. Visible. Permanent. 

And almost immediately, the congregation began to grow. 

Attendance doubled — from fewer than 20 to more than 40 members. 

Backslidden members began returning. People who had been silent for years started coming again. Even non-Adventists in the community — including Rose Marie’s own relatives — began attending services just to observe. 

“They were happy,” Rose Marie says. “They saw the change.” 

The new structure did more than provide space. It changed its perception. 

The community realized this was not just a small, forgotten local gathering. They saw that believers beyond their village cared. That someone believed enough in them to invest. 

And that investment sparked growth. 

When asked what would have happened if the church building had remained the same, Rose Marie’s answer was simple: 

“There would be no difference. No growth.” 

Buildings don’t save people. 

But they create space where people can meet Jesus. 

Church buildings can

– Restore dignity to a congregation. 

– Encourage members to return. 

– Attract curious neighbors. 

– Communicate stability and hope. 

– Provide a permanent home for worship. 

Across the world, there are small congregations just like Riverside once was — faithful, but stuck. Willing, but limited by their facilities. 

Through your support, we were able to help Riverside Church, where attendance doubled, and families returned. New people began walking through the doors. 

How many other congregations are waiting for that same opportunity? 

Will you help build the next church?