Celebrating the Life of Gerrie Castillo

Bruce Aulie (Written by Sophia Wang, SEND International and adapted by Bruce Aulie)

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.

– Psalm 116:15

Friday the 23rd of April would have been Gerrie Castillo’s 66th birthday. Instead, on that day, people around the world honored this College Church missionary’s life. He died on April 11 from complications of COVID-19 in the Philippines.

Gerrie, as well as his wife, Casiana (Anneth), were from the Philippines, where they served in church planting and pastoral ministry in Batangas. In 2000, they responded to the call of God to take the gospel to the least-reached and joined SEND, and began to prepare to serve in Spain where other College Church missionaries were serving.

Over the years the Philippine church had grown and became a missionary sending country bolstered by Asian Theological Seminary that College Church supports. When College Church was approached about partnering with the Philippine church to send the Castillos to Spain, the church jumped at the chance to connect the dots. No one knew at that time that my wife, Laurel, and I and our family would not be able to continue in Guadalajara, and the Castillos would eventually take over that nascent church planting effort and see it through to its launch. For almost two decades, Gerrie faithfully ministered to the Spanish people through church planting, evangelism, discipleship and leadership. The Spain team needed an experienced pastor like Gerrie.

In 2020, after facilitating a smooth turnover of the church they helped start in Guadalajara, the Castillos returned to the Philippines where Gerrie began recruiting other Filipinos to serve in cross-cultural ministry.

Gerrie was always quick to credit the Lord for the fruit he and Anneth saw in their ministry. “God led us to move to Guadalajara during our second term of ministry,” he said last September.

“By faith, we followed his lead and began to see God work in us and through us! A couple we were friends with expressed an interest in joining us in ministry in our new location. Together we would eat, pray, study God's Word and go out to the streets and parks to share the gospel. Under God's leadership, Iglesia Centro Evangélico Cristo Vive Hoy was planted. God's mighty hand worked beyond what we could imagine. Glory to God!”

What a marvelous thing to partner with churches around the world for the gospel! “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:3-6) Whether it is church planting in Atlanta or partnering together in Spain, our bond and high privilege is to partner for the gospel. Upon hearing of Gerrie’s passing, Josh Moody expressed his sadness at this loss of a wonderful missionary and then added, “trusting God for this and for Spain…May Christ raise up ten others to fill the void.”

College Church is deeply thankful for Gerrie's many years of faithful service to his Lord and Savior, and know that he has now heard, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

A service celebrating Gerrie’s life was held Friday, April 23, at 7 p.m. Philippine time on Facebook Live. Please pray for Anneth and their four children and grandchildren who will miss Gerrie dearly until they meet again.

(Adapted from a SEND International sketch of Gerrie & Castillo’s ministry and life in Spain)