By Cyrus A. Natividad

Pastor Jonan Castillon.

Pastor Jonan Castillon (BSCE 1989, BTh 2021) has been appointed Pastor of the Oamaru Baptist Church in New Zealand. The 139- year- old Baptist Church, according to one member “has been praying to become a multi-cultural church.” He said that “Jonan is the answer to our prayers.”
Castillion whom the church commissioned on June 12, 2022, is the first Filipino to be appointed as pastor of the Oamaru Church. In accepting the challenge, he said that, “supporting the diversity of the church is one of his thrusts.”

Castillon served Central Philippine University as Executive Secretary, President’s Office, Communication Office’s Director, and Assistant Chaplain.

He continues to work as Online Marketing Consultant for Waugh Infrastructure Management Ltd in addition to his pastoral work.

Jonan’s parents, Malvar and Nenita Castillon are CPU BTh graduates. He helped establish the Ajuy Baptist Church School, Ajuy Christian Development Academy in 1996. He and his wife Jewel (BSC 1999), with their daughter Jaydn (Kinder 2011) migrated to New Zealand in 2011.