About Us • Favor Church

Our Story

Who We Are

Favor Church is a vibrant and exciting church for imperfect people of all ages, from different backgrounds. We’re based in Metro Manila, Philippines, but our church family can also be found all across the globe.

Our church started in 2015, when Senior Pastors James and Kate Aiton, out of a great love for the Filipino people, moved from Australia to the Philippines and started a Connect Group in their condominium unit. This small group eventually grew into a community gathering in a small function room, which turned into our first official Sunday service at a bar in Ortigas Center. It was very raw, but we felt something special, and more people started coming in, meeting Jesus, and finding family.

In May 2018, in what was both a step of faith and a miracle for our very new church, we opened our own facility inside the Shangri-La Plaza Mall. Our church saw significant growth during this time as we made space for God to continue to bring new people through our doors.

We spent much of 2019 and the early part of 2020 praying for a new venue, as we did five services at maximum capacity every Sunday. Our prayers were answered—just very differently from how we imagined—when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Philippines. Our Shangri-La facility was converted into a studio, and we worked hard to creatively bring the presence of God into people’s homes every week. In November 2020, an opportunity we had been praying for opened up, and we began doing Sunday services at the Grand Ballroom of Crowne Plaza Hotel, a bigger venue where we’re able to gather more people into the room to experience God’s presence together.

No matter where we find ourselves, our heart and our vision stays the same: to know God and make him famous.

Where We're Going

Our vision statement is simple: to know God and make him famous. Knowing God doesn’t just mean knowing about God—it means having a real, intimate relationship with him. We desire to reach people across the Philippines and across the world with the good news of Jesus, helping them to encounter him in a real, authentic way. We’re passionate about making God famous, and we believe we’re called to plant churches in major cities across the Philippines, Asia, and the world—churches marked by passionate worship, inspired creativity, a hunger for God’s presence, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

What We Value

PRESENCE – God’s presence is our ultimate pursuit. In everything, we’re hungry for God to pour out his presence. We know that a moment in God’s presence can change a person’s life, and we’re all about creating space for those moments. Our understanding of his presence and power is rooted in the bible—which we believe is relevant and true for today and the generations to come.

PEOPLE – We’re authentic, and accepting of all people. We want to be a genuinely welcoming church, and we value people over process. We call our people our ‘Favor Fam’ because that’s what we are—a family. It’s not perfect, but it’s special!

PRAYER – We believe in the power of prayer. Everything we do is infused with passionate prayer and believing for God to do what he says in his word and move in power. We don’t pray for victory, we pray from victory! And we pray according to the truths found in his Word.

GENEROSITY – We’re generous in everything. God has been so generous with us, so we live generous lives. It’s not just about money, but every other aspect—our time, our words, our service. We live life with an open hand. Generosity isn’t something we do, it’s who we are.

CREATIVITY – In the beginning, God created. The message stays the same, but the method is always changing. We’re passionate about being creative in everything we do, and we believe God has anointed us to reach people through our excellence and creativity.

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Our Pastors

James and Kate Aiton moved to the Philippines in 2015, with a dream to plant a church that would reach and impact major cities across the PH and across the world. Born in Manila to missionary parents, James spent his childhood in the Philippines, where he grew a deep love for the Filipino people. Married in 2008 in Australia, James and Kate served in every part of church ministry together, developing a love and passion for the local church. Visiting the Philippines on what was supposed to be a vacation to show Kate the place where he grew up, James felt God speak clearly to him as they walked off the plane, whispering, “You’re home.” After many months of prayer and planning, they packed up their lives in Australia and moved to Manila. They are the proud parents of 3 beautiful children—Hope, Sienna, and Aslan. Together, they pastor Favor Church, both bringing their unique skills and gifts to serve God’s people.