“Planting seeds of faith from the shorelines to the islands.”

In the last quarter of 2001, a small band of passionate ministers and concerned Christians found themselves burdened by a quiet question: Why had the Churches of Christ in Quezon Province not grown as steadily as those in nearby provinces like Laguna, Cavite, and Rizal? Out of prayerful reflection and spirited conversation, the Shore Line and Islands Mission (SLIM) was born in December 2001 — a faith-driven response to that very question.

Led by its founding chairman, William S. Falla, and joined by committed leaders like Jonathan A. Carpena, Rodel P. Isleta, and Ronnalyn Isleta, SLIM began its journey not with fanfare, but with focus. Their vision was bold: To plant and equip Bible-based, Christ-centered communities across Quezon, and eventually throughout CALABARZON and MIMAROPA within 20 years. Their mission? To engage people in a holistic presentation of the Gospel, leading to empowered, active disciples in the local communities.

The Pioneering Spirit

It wasn’t easy at first. The idea of planting a new church came with hesitations. It took eight months of prayer, planning, and soul-searching before the very first congregation—Lucena City Church of Christ—opened its doors on August 4, 2002, in a humble hotel conference room. Over the years, it would move locations, grow in number, and become a thriving independent church with ministries ranging from feeding programs to leadership training and computer literacy.

Encouraged by this fruitful beginning, SLIM pressed on.

Expanding the Shoreline

In 2004, they planted Sariaya Church of Christ, followed by Real Church of Christ in 2005, Gumaca Church in 2006, and Tiaong Church in 2013. Each church was a beacon of hope, planted in faith and nurtured by hard-working ministers, volunteer musicians, teachers, and lay leaders. Programs tailored to local needs took root—feeding programs for children, campus ministries, scholarship opportunities, family development sessions, and even livelihood initiatives.

Behind every new congregation was a team of dedicated men and women serving through various ministries—evangelism, youth, music, education, livestreaming, journalism, and more. SLIM empowered people not just to hear the Gospel, but to live it out in practical, tangible ways.

From Plant to Partnership

Over time, the churches planted by SLIM grew strong and confident enough to stand on their own. Lucena, Sariaya, Real, Gumaca, and Tiaong eventually declared their independence, a testament to the mission’s effectiveness in raising up local leaders. Today, SLIM continues to nurture newer outreaches and churches-in-progress in places like Lucban, Pagbilao, Candelaria (Lansonesan), and more.

But SLIM hasn’t stopped there. Outreach efforts have been steadily making inroads into more remote areas, including Kiloloron and Laguio in Real, and Sampaloc 2 in Sariaya. Their approach is consistent: engage communities with love, train leaders, and then entrust them with the work of the Gospel.

The Heart of SLIM

At the core of SLIM is its deeply held values, summed up in the acronym LEADERS—Love in action, Empowerment, Accountability, Discipleship, Excellent persuasion, Discipline, Engagement, Respect, and Shared vision. These aren’t just words on a page; they are lived out by the workers, the members, and the leaders who give themselves to the mission day in and day out.

The Challenge Ahead

With Quezon Province consisting of 39 municipalities and 2 cities, the work is far from done. While some areas have thriving congregations, others—like the islands of Jomalig, Patnanungan, and Polilio, and mainland towns such as Panukulan, San Antonio, and San Andres—remain unreached. But SLIM’s eyes are on the horizon, with continued faith that more communities will be touched, more leaders raised, and more churches planted.

And so the story continues—of humble beginnings, bold faith, and a mission that keeps growing like ripples across the shoreline and into the islands.