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When Dr. Isabelo (Bel) Magalit gave up a potentially lucrative medical career after graduating from the University of the Philippines, it was probably the most profitable decision he ever made—for the kingdom of God. Since his sacrifice nearly four decades ago, he has dedicated his life to caring for the spiritual health of Asia.

Today, Magalit is the president of Asian Theological Seminary (ATS) in Manila, the first Filipino and Asian to hold the position. Twenty-five years of student ministry and pastoral work prepared him for the job. A self-taught theologian and practitioner, Magalit has wrestled with the distinct problems and needs of the Asian context.

Magalit, the middle child of seven siblings, was the product of a nominally Catholic-Protestant marriage. His family had straddled mass, Baptist worship and the beach on alternating Sundays. Magalit didn’t become a believer until age 16 after his older brother converted and invited his siblings to an evangelistically fervent Baptist church. Shortly after his conversion, Magalit discovered InterVarsity’s student ministry. The eager believer grew quickly. “It was the main place I learned to love Scripture, to understand the Lord of all life, and to lead Bible study,” he says.

Magalit’s spiritual enthusiasm flowed into his growing leadership and teaching skills. He organized city-wide student conferences, and led Bible studies in college and medical school. He was appointed a deacon in his church while still a student.

When Magalit graduated from medical school in 1964, his poor family brimmed with pride. His older siblings had contributed toward his living expenses while his parents paid tuition. Living frugally, he had checked out textbooks from the library and saved bus fare by walking the five kilometers to campus.

So, when Magalit put medicine on hold and decided to join InterVarsity staff upon graduating, his family strongly objected. “My mother cried a lot, she even offered me a plane ticket to America to do post-doctoral studies.” But Magalit was determined to repay the debt he felt he owed to InterVarsity for his spiritual development. “I wanted to help train and teach the next generation of students,” he says. He thought a two-year commitment would suffice—any longer would be putting his medical career on hold for too long.

The two years of student ministry turned into nearly 20. Magalit married his colleague, “Lety,” who shared his vision for training youth and the couple had four children. Magalit became leader of InterVarsity Philippines in 1966 and then assumed leadership of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) for all of East Asia six years later. As he traveled across Asia preaching to students, he says, “I had a growing conviction I’d end up as a pastor.”

Magalit’s passion for motivating young believers grew against a backdrop of political uncertainty. After enduring more than three centuries of colonialism, many Filipinos espoused socialism for forging a nation free from Western capitalism and its vices. In contrast, Magalit directed idealistic students toward penetrating their societies with lives and careers emanating Christian values.

When the Marcos dictatorship imposed martial law in 1972, Magalit became part of the underground Christian opposition. An InterVarsity study group examined the legitimacy of corrupt government in light of Romans 13. “All the studies and documents we wrote were kept secret,” says Magalit. “If they had been published we would have gone to jail and InterVarsity would have been shut down.”

Magalit’s convictions were tested years later during his seven-year pastorate of Diliman Bible Church in Quezon City. The church participated in the peaceful revolution that toppled the Marcos dictatorship in 1986. Believers stared death in the face when tanks rolled down the street. Magalit recognized his own dual love for Christ and his country. “I thought, if I die here today I would be regarded as a Christian martyr or a nationalist,” he says. “But I’m really both—a Christian and a nationalist.”

Since accepting leadership of ATS almost 15 years ago, Magalit has continued to spur others on toward transforming society with the power of Christ. Only now, he is nurturing future theologians, pastors and missionaries, those who will “equip the rest of God’s people.” Over 1,000 ATS alumni are already heading denominations, leading seminaries and serving as missionaries in Asia and beyond.

Magalit’s vision spans the diversity of Asia’s burgeoning needs. “Asia is still one of the neediest of the continents,” both physically and spiritually, he says. “Most of the world’s unevangelized and poorest peoples are Asians. Only three of every 100 are believers.”

Magalit looks beyond Asia, welcoming ministry partnerships with the West for such needs as learning how to work with Muslims. “We can use help from more experienced missionaries. We don’t need to repeat the mistakes and reinvent the wheel.”

Beyond his term as ATS president, Magalit is considering teaching homiletics or returning to pastor Diliman Bible Church. But he also dreams of offering medical services to needy Muslim communities. In addition, he wants to maintain the national Ping-Pong title for his age group, and write more poetry and songs.

Magalit’s mission has taken him far from the operating table into the depths of God’s heart for Asia. The immense poverty and spiritual darkness of the continent have failed to daunt him. A three-time Urbana speaker, Magalit told potential missionaries, “When the going gets rough… only he who knows God will persevere.” The doctor has obviously followed his own prescription.

Dawn Herzog studies at Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, Ill.

May 10, 2002