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TAGUM CITY
Reputed as the center of economic trade in Northern Davao, Tagum was dubbed as the City of Gold because the people's main source of income in this area is gold mining. Tagum is the first class city of the 1st Congressional District of the Province of Davao del Norte with its 233, 254 total population, 19, 580 hectares. Tagum is also known as the City of Golden Opportunities. Standing on its own feet now, Tagum City prides itself of multi-business establishments, malls, hotels, hospitals, tourist spots and many notable improvements.
On February 1994, Pastor Gregorio Simpas, together with his wife Pastor Rosario Simpas and 2-month old baby Micah set their foot out to respond to God's call. It was hard for them to leave their beloved homeplace but they knew that when they said their "YES" to God, God will take care of them and they only needed to trust the Lord.
Being the first Ilonggos sent by JECPP to Mindanao, language and dialect were their main challenges. It was a big adjustment for them to learn and understand the dialect but with the help of God and their dedication to plant a church, they were able to get through it.
For more than a decade, the church seemed stagnant, but they remained faithful to the promises of God. On January 2000, the first outstation church was planted in Tipaz. This small church resided in an old government building. The church began to experience faster growth and the owner of the building have become a faithful member and supporter since that year, faithfully standing behind the ministry until now.
Around year 2000, Pastor Greg and Pastor Rosario felt the eagerness to plant more outstation churches inside and outside Tagum City. With the help of a member who offered her house to be a place of worship, they were able to open another ministry in Kapalong section. This outstation church has borne 15 outstation churches and is still growing in numbers at present. Consequently, in the year 2001, they were among the church planters that Rev. Dr. Robert Lim awarded with a motorbike to ease church outreaches.
"Words cannot explain the goodness and faithfulness of God to us," said Pastor Rosario. They have witnessed how God has brought them through and have favored their ministry over the last 28 years.
Pastor Greg and Pastor Rosario have seen Sunday school students graduating from College, some members prospering in their own businesses and some pioneering members now pastoring and laboring alongside with them in the ministry.
Evangel Family Church Tagum has been blessed by God in the spiritual and financial aspect. As of now, EFC Tagum has been supporting outstation churches under them. EFC Bango and EFC Pagsabangan is under their mission support and they recently opened a new outstation church in Montevista, Davao de Oro.
"From bicycle to 'trisikad', from motorbike to multicab, from a container drum set to a genuine drum set, from manila paper to a projector, from 3 of us at our first church service to a hundred, from rental building to our own church building. "God has proved that our labors in Him are not in vain." Pastor Rosario said as she recalled EFC-Tagum's simple beginning and God's hand at work all along. She even recalled Pastor Greg's cherished dreams to have our own permanent church building and lot before he could reach his 50th year. We continued to hold on to the promise that God had given to us in Isaiah 54:2-3 and Zechariah 8:20 and God has been true to His word. On Pastor Greg's 50th year, he received the answer to his long-time prayer.
EFC Tagum had built their own church building and it is currently located at Purok Tipaz, Barangay East, Tagum City.