Who We Are

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44)

Gem Land Bible Training Institute is a non-denominational evangelical Bible school dedicated to the task of training Christians in the Word of God. GBTI strives to give every student the opportunity to prepare for effective Christian ministry.

Our Mission

To teach the Bible faithfully by engaging with the text in a biblical, theological, pastoral, and passionate manner. This approach helps students grasp the unity of Scripture and apply the Word of God in their lives. Consequently, our instructional design seeks to provide knowledge firmly rooted in Scripture, fostering a transformed life through God’s grace and His Spirit for His glory.

Our Vision

Gem Land Bible Training Institute seeks to partner with local churches to teach God’s people the Word of God, fulfilling His work and bringing Him glory. GBTI dedicates itself to being a vital partner of local churches in the Philippines and beyond. Our goal is to offer every student an in-depth exploration of God’s Word that can transform lives, mold them into Christ-like individuals, equip them to serve the church, and influence others through the gospel and God’s Word.

Our History

In 2020, a conversation between Pastor Alvin Delos Angeles and his wife Beulah sparked an idea—an online Bible training school to develop and equip church leaders in the Philippines. Because of their connections to local churches there, Alvin and Beulah felt God’s leading to support these churches by providing affordable, accessible, and faithful teaching of the Scriptures. Additionally, they wanted to help students equip their local churches so that entire congregations could become more knowledgeable and mature in doctrine and practice.

Five years later, with the support of Pastor Alvin’s four close friends—Pastors Bert Duero (Son Life Christian Church, Alabang, Muntinlupa, Philippines), Ben Gusto (Alliance Bible Church, Long Beach, CA), Andres Umana (Cloud of Glory Christian Church, Lakewood, CA), and Ken Wilson (seminary friend)—the vision of establishing a Bible school finally came true. These brothers in Christ became co-founders of Gem Land Bible Training Institute (GBTI). Other faithful partners in ministry (Pastor Lemuel Barrios, Pastor Ray Gutierrez, Pastor Steve Gusto, and Bro. Carlo Ponce De Leon) provided much needed encouragement and prayers throughout the planning and preparations. Gem Land was officially launched on July 5, 2025, with Alabang, Muntinlupa, Philippines, as its base of operations.

Why the name “Gem Land”? Pastor Alvin and his wife selected the name to honor their friendship with Gemma Alegre Vicedo (whom they called “Gem”), who passed away in 2021 due to cancer. The name is also inspired by Matthew 13:44, which describes the hidden treasure of Christ that belongs to all who, in their joy, go and sell all that they have to obtain it. 

Today, Gem Land is entering its second semester with five class offerings (in subjects doctrinal and practical: theology, Bible survey, apologetics, hermeneutics, and evangelism). Thirty-three students are currently enrolled and growing in the love and knowledge of Christ. We await the fruit of this ministry with anticipation and expectation, embracing the promise that the Word of God faithfully taught will not return void, but must accomplish all that God purposes. God’s servants have only to be faithful in the task He sets before them.

By God’s grace, GBTI is not only serving and equipping people in the Philippines, but also in South Korea, Canada, and the United States. We trust God that will continue to use Gem Land, whenever, wherever, and whoever, all for His glory!

  • WE BELIEVE that both the Old and New Testaments constitute the divinely inspired Word of God, inerrant in the originals. (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20–21)

  • WE BELIEVE in one God (Gen 1:1; Deut 6:4; 1 Tim 2:5) existing eternally in three persons (Isa 48:16; 61:1; Matt 3:16–17; 28:19; John 14:16–17; Eph 1:3–14; 2 Cor 13:14)—Father (John 6:27; Rom 1:7; 1 Pet 1:2), Son (Ps 2:7, 12; 110:1; John 1:1, 14; Rom 9:5; Col 2:9; Heb 1:8; 1 John 5:20), and Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3–4; 1 Cor 3:16).

  • WE BELIEVE that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God so that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. (Matt 1:20–23; John 1:1, 14; Gal 4:4; Col 1:15–20; Heb 1:1–3; 2:13–17)

  • WE BELIEVE that the Holy Spirit came forth from the Father and the Son (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8–11) and to regenerate (John 3:6; Tit 3:5), sanctify (1 Cor 6:11; 1 Pet 1:2), comfort (John 14:16–17), and seal (Eph 1:13–14) those who believe in Jesus Christ.

  • WE BELIEVE that man is totally depraved in and of himself; he is utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen 6:5; Isa 64:6; Jer 17:9; Matt 19:25–26; Rom 1:18; 3:9–12; 5:12; 1 Cor 1:18; 2:14; Eph 2:1–3)

  • WE BELIEVE that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace (Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8–9; 2 Tim 1:9; Tit 3:5) and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:12; 3:16; Rom 10:9–10), whose atoning blood was shed on the cross for the forgiveness of sins (Isa 53:5–6; Matt 26:28; Rom 3:24–25; 5:6–11; 1 Cor 5:21; Eph 1:7; Heb 9:12; 1 Pet 1:18–19; 3:18; 1 John 2:2; Rev 5:9).

  • WE BELIEVE in the water baptism of believers (Acts 2:38; 16:23–34), symbolizing the believer’s union in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom 6:3–4; Gal 3:27; Col 2:12).

  • WE BELIEVE in the observance of the Lord’s Supper, commemorating the sacrifice of our Savior for all mankind. (Matt 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:14–20; Acts 2:42; 1 Cor 10:16–17; 11:23–26)

  • WE BELIEVE the believer’s life is to be separated from the world by consistent conduct before God and man (Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 6:14–17; Jam 1:27; 1 Pet 1:15–16) and is to be in the world as a life-giving light (Matt 5:14–16; John 17:14–16; Phil 2:15).

  • WE BELIEVE in the personal, visible, and bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matt 24:30; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess 4:16–17; Heb 9:28; Rev 1:7)

What We Believe

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