About Us

Watermark Fellowship Church is affiliated with the Southern Baptist denomination and was planted by Pastor
Alan Balatbat in June 2003. It began as Cornerstone Bible Community Church with a core group of seven people as a home Bible study. The church met in various locations in Southern California until moving to Chino Hills in 2008, which was the original target location. Due to different factors, but ultimately God's providence, Cornerstone had to move out of our building and had no consistent meeting location. This trial led us to pray for God's direction and vision for our church.

In 2012, God provided a new building in Chino and Cornerstone Bible Community Church was renamed Watermark Fellowship Church (WFC). This change was not only a name change, but also a heart change. God gave us a vision to serve the local community through apartment ministry and serving with local food non-profit organizations. With the shift, Watermark became a member of the Inland Empire Southern Baptist Association.

After more than 10 years at our building, God gave us a new calling and we moved to Pipeline Ave in March 2024, right before Easter. We are blessed to share a building with Pipeline Baptist Church. We are seeking God's vision and direction to love our neighbors through prayer, life groups, and equipping the saints for the ministry. Our mission is to Love God, Love Others and Make Disciples in Chino, CA.

Alan Balatbat has been preaching since 1997 and has been in pastoral ministry for over 26 years in the greater Los Angeles area. He studied at Master’s College and Seminary and is currently attending Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Pastor Alan has served as Pastor/Elder of Watermark Fellowship Church in Chino, CA since 2010. He and his wife, Olivia, have been married since 2001 and are the proud parents of three children: Caleb, Chloe and Natalie.

“But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know your labor is not in vain in the Lord,”

- 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Howard hails from the east coast born and raised in New York. He moved to California in 1993 after graduating from The Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering. While at Penn State, he accepted Christ as his Savior and was one of the founding fathers in partnership with Campus Crusade for Christ (known today as CRU) of the local AACF (Asian American Christian Fellowship). Howard was a worship leader for over 15 years. Recently, God called him to ministry and so he left the business world to attend the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he received a Master of Theology in 2022. Howard has two daughters Kaylee and Katelyn, and survives his late wife, Lucita.

"So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."

- 1 Peter 5:1-3

Rich grew up in Walnut, CA and attend Cal Poly Pomona. After graduating, he spent a year interning with CRU, a college campus Christian ministry, and was able to work with students at different campuses. Shortly after, God led him to Watermark Fellowship Church where he began attending and graduated from Gateway Seminary. Rich now serves as the Associate Pastor. Other than coffee and new foodie spots, Rich and his wife Catherine love serving their church family together and seeing God's people grow in their joy and love for Jesus. They currently live in Chino with their mischievous dog, Hudson, and their daughter, Hailey.

"to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

- Ephesians 4:12-13