Bermie Dizon

Bermie Dizon, senior pastor of GCI churches in Inglewood and Altadena, California, grew up in the Philippines. “I am the youngest of six children. My father was a street laborer for the government and did not earn enough to support the family. As children we helped by selling rice cakes, boiled bananas, etc. My father did not attend church, though he often read the Bible to us. And so we learned about Bible characters like Abraham, Joseph and David. This made me realize that there is a God who cares for us. I remember at age five, kneeling to pray to the God out there who I did not fully know.”

Bermie became interested in WCG as a teenager. “Right after high school at age 16 (in 1974), I moved to Manila for college and joined WCG because my older siblings were members. As a young person, I loved the focus of the church on the youth through camps, community projects and Spokesman Club.” This interest led Bermie to enter Ambassador College in 1980. He graduated in 1984 and became a ministerial trainee. Two days after graduation, he married another student from the Philippines, Carmelita. According to Bermie, “my wife now serves the church as a children’s church teacher, a member of the worship team and a member of the nursing staff at SEP. Most importantly, she is my dearest friend, accountability partner and counselor.”

Bermie and Carmelita have four children. Ben (26, married) works for the US military. Carmel (24, married) works as a nurse in the Denver area and will give birth to Bermie and Carmelita’s first grandchild in June. Abel (23, married) is working on a PhD in civil engineering at Caltech. David (18), will graduate from high school this spring and plans to study aerospace engineering.

In 1996, Bermie transferred to serve WCG churches in the Pasadena, California area. He focused on working with Filipino members with an emphasis on developing leaders among them. He has pastored in Southern California since. “I feel good when my kids tell me that they are so blessed to have a dad who is a pastor. Working as a pastor makes me realize that it is Jesus who is at work. I also enjoy helping and equipping members for leadership work.”

When asked what he enjoys most about being part of GCI, Bermie noted, “the fact that I have a part in the journey that God gave us…the transition from law to grace, from exclusivity to inclusiveness…from Jesus plus to Christ alone. This journey is God’s doing and what a privilege it is to have part in it.”

Anyone who knows Bermie knows that he loves to share his love for the Lord Jesus and for his family. He also mentioned, “Somehow, I get excited and feel a great sense of accomplishment in equipping people for ministry work.” He also finds cooking fun.

Bermie said that his memorable pastoral moments are constant. “They occur whenever God gives me opportunity to visit the needy, the poor, the discouraged.” He credits mentor Curtis May for helping him learn to be a good pastor. “Of all the people I worked with, Curtis May was the one I appreciated most. He is so genuine, humble and has lots of wisdom in building relationships.” He also credits the late Aurelio Mandap, a local church elder in the Philippines, who taught him by word and example about Christlike shepherding.

Asked when he feels closest to God, Bermie says, “It’s when I am with my loved ones, especially during family meal times. The love in my family reminds me of our Great God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who loves us unconditionally.”