Planting a church in Davao City.
We're Justin and Anna Gilpin, Assemblies of God missionaries since 2011. We're planting Rise Church Davao, training believers through Bible studies, and reaching villages outside the city.
Planting Rise Church Davao
An English-speaking, Spirit-filled church in Davao City that sends its own people out.
Training believers
Bible studies and training where people learn to hear God, pray for the sick and share Jesus.
Reaching villages
Serving an Aeta village where families live without electricity or phones.
About 1,100 people gave their lives to Jesus at a two-day crusade in June. We served at the altar alongside several evangelists and are now following up with 135 of them.
Read the full storyStories from Davao
All storiesGod got there before we did
It was a Saturday, around 2:30 in the afternoon, when we showed up at the Aeta village where we’ve been serving. It wasn’t Sunday, and it wasn’t anywhere close to a normal time for church. The…
The ground shook
There was another earthquake here in the Philippines yesterday. And as the ground shook, my mind kept going back to 1 Samuel chapter 14. Jonathan and his armor bearer climbed up a cliff toward a Philistine…
1,100 said yes to Jesus. Then the earthquake hit.
We're safe. We wanted you to hear that from us first, because some of you have already seen the news. A 7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of General Santos, one of the strongest we've ever…
What partners say
“We are truly grateful for the work you do and the sacrifices you make in faithfully living out your calling, one that is changing lives for the glory of God.”
Pastor Dave & Cindy DivineLead pastors, Chapelhill Church, Georgia“Super proud of you all. Bless you for laboring on Tagalog and helping God's servants there.”
Alan JohnsonAGWM missionary to Thailand since 1986“Love what God is doing in your life, family and ministry! We are with you!”
Pastor James SeilerLead pastor, Authentic Church, Maryville, TennesseeStand with us
Three ways to be part of what God is doing in Davao, besides giving.
Pray with us
See what we're praying for right now and send us your own requests.
Pray with us
Have us at your church
We'd love to share what God is doing in Davao with your church or small group, online or in person.
Book a call
Come serve
Short trips and longer stays both help. Tell us what's on your heart.
Send us a message
Meet our family
We've both come close to dying. Justin's leg was shattered in a motorcycle crash. Anna survived a broken back and a serious head injury. Jesus healed us both, and it's a big part of why we love teaching people to pray for the sick.
We stepped onto the mission field the same month, October 2011, in different countries and years before we met. Anna went to Thailand and became fluent in Thai. Justin went to the Philippines as an evangelist. We met in 2014, stayed close friends for five years and married in 2019.
Now we're raising our two girls in Davao City, where God made it clear in 2024 that we were to start a church.
- 2011Thailand and the Philippines
- 2019married after five years as friends
- Davaohome since 2023