ABOUT US

Strengthen for Service

Strengthen for service, Lord, the hands that holy things have taken; let ears that now heard Your songs to clamor never waken Lord, may the tongues which "Holy" sang keep free from all deceiving; the eyes which saw Your love be bright, the glorious hope perceiving The feet that tread Your holy courts from light be never banished; the bodies by Your Body fed, be with new life replenished.

HISTORY

THE BROTHERHOOD BEGINNINGS

The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals can trace its beginnings to the Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon Covenant Community as well as to the community movement and Charismatic Renewal from which it sprang. The Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon was established in 1975 by members of a Charismatic prayer group meeting at Assumption College in Makati. Ligaya has grown to be one of the most successful communities.

In order to bring the Gospel message to other sectors of society and out of a desire to share its community spirituality with more and more people, Ligaya established several renewal ministries and evangelistic movements. One of these movements is the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals.

Thus, in July 1980, 24 men met at the Makati Sports Club in what was to be the first Men's Breakfast of the soon-to-be Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen & Professionals. The initial breakfast flourished with more and more businessmen and professionals attending. This signalled the start of the first Life in the Spirit Seminar, the forerunner of the present Brotherhood Christian Life Program (BCLP).

In a span of two years, the first BCBP chapter was established right from where it all started, Makati. By 1984 the fledging organization split into two chapters with the boundary being the Pasig River. The North Chapter was based in Greenhills, San Juan, the South Chapter remained based in Makati. With this milestone, the BCBP continued to spread its wings the following years with Alabang, south of Metro Manila bein established, followed by Dagupan up in the northwestern Luzon region in 1986. There was no stopping in the expansion of BCBP from thereon. Several business hubs in Metro Manila cities and municipalities later on found their birth in the BCBP movement.

At the beginning of 1988, BCBP found its way into the business centers of central Philippines, this time conquering Cebu City, Bacolod City and Puerto Princesa City. Cebu Chapter later on ventured into its neighboring provinces and further down south of the country to open new chapters in Mindanao, with Cagayan de Oro City as its initial take off point.

To date, the BCBP can be found in 113 strategic business centers nationwide covering 37 provinces and 38 dioceses. There are 51 full chapters and 62 outreaches in the Philippines and two (2) outreaches in California, USA. In addition, consistent with its calling to evangelize the marketplace, BCBP has opened several corporate evangelization communities in different business establishments, Coca-Cola, Dutch Boy, Phils., Files Systems Inc., Phinma, Mapecon Phils., MZB Mktg, Silay City Gov't., Victorias Milling Co., are among those which have benefited in the conduct of BCLP's and other growth programs through the efforts of the various BCBP chapters' mission teams.

REGISTRATION AND AFFILIATES

The BCBP is also an active member of the Federation of Transparochial Charismatic Communities, a conglomeration of renewal communities organized and under the supervision of the Archdiocese of Manila, and LAIKO; Laity of the Philippines.

As a foundation, the Brotherhood is a registered non-stock, non-profit corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as being a registered Donee with the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

The BCBP Log

The logo of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals captures the very essence of the organization.

The Cross in the middle of the logo symbolizes Christ, who is the heart of the Brotherhood. Christian tenets and values are central to all endeavours of the organization. The arm of the Cross - indeed, Christ's outstretched arms, welcome all who come under His salvation and love.

It symbolizes, too, the mission of the group to increase its members by evangelization.

The twin figures on the logo's foreground are the two active groups of the Brotherhood - businessmen and professionals. They are bent in adoration, typifying the Brotherhood's acceptance of Christ as Master and Redeemer.

Finally, enveloping all the elements of the logo is a circle. It represents the unity of the Brotherhood - one in purpose, one in spirit, one in Christ.

The BCBP MEMBERS

A BCBP member is a businessman or professional who influences change leading to Christ centered behavior and practices in his sphere of work. He is a disciple of Jesus Christ and has integrated the Lord's teachings into his total life. He gains support and grows spiritually through his active involvement in the Church and in the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals. This definition of membership applies not only to men but also to women who are engaged in business and /or the professions.
The BCBP member is one who exerts influence in his place of work, whether out of his position of authority or leadership, or simply out of his own effective dealings with those whom he works and comes into contact with. He is an agent of Christian change in his marketplace, a powerful witness for Jesus Christ and have the ability to encourage and lead transformational change in others.