TV News anchor: According to the organizers, today, at least 500,000 people have been joining this rally, opposing the extradition amendments. While according to police…
Brother Bob Pellien (voiceover): Whether it is the leaders of nations, leaders of companies, or even the leaders of international religious organizations, many leaders today have disappointed, have lost the trust of their constituents and even divided the population. People no longer trust them to be responsible, honest, or even to lead with honor, integrity and for the genuine good of those they are leading. Except for one.
[Video end]
Brother Bob: Hello everyone, I am your host, Brother Bob Pellien and this is the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. Today we’re asking:
“Do authentic church leaders still exist?”
Brother Bob: And joining us in today’s discussion is Brother Randy Weir from Quezon City, Philippines. Brother Randy thanks for joining our discussion! We also have with us Brother Donald Pinnock in Toronto, Canada. Welcome Brother Donald! And, as well, we have with us Brother Philip Velasquez in the United Kingdom. Welcome to you, as well, Brother Philip and thanks for being with us.
Today, we’re talking about leadership and you know with the world constantly changing and peoples’ beliefs and their values evolving. Many Leaders appear and seem to feel pressured to adapt in any way that they can.
For example, they change what they say, they change what they do, based upon what they think people want from them, what they think people will like. What are they doing? They are seeking for man’s approval.
So brothers, I begin today’s discussion by posing to you all this question:
“Are leaders bound to fail if they don’t adapt to the population’s desires?”
Brother Randy Weir: Let me just say right at the outset of our discussion brothers, the answer is no. True leaders are NOT bound to adapt to, nor adopt to the trends or cultural adaptations of the times in order to succeed. But people are adapting, and changing Brother Bob, and following all kinds of leaders that are not committed to the truth, nor committed to what is right, and not committed to what is good for humanity.
Brother Donald Pinnock: That’s why it’s not so surprising when it comes to so much turmoil that we can see in the world today. In fact, when it came to the video that was just shown, that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to protests that have been held in different nations and also territories.
We also hear of tragically mass shootings and people taking the lives of other people for no apparent reason. We can see the decline of the importance of marriage. There’s so much divorce now, families are disintegrating, there [are] so many single parents.
When it comes to leaders of nations, we can see that tragically, there are those who, as what was mentioned by you Brother Bob, they are just speaking or responding to the whim and will of the people at the current time.
When it comes to many leaders, they do not stand on the side of justice and most especially when it comes to righteousness. However in the Church Of Christ, there’s something significant, there’s something very very different.
Brother Phil Velasquez: You know, Brother Donald, what you just said there brings to mind, that the Bible actually made mention that people would choose leaders in this world that will have the wrong motives in their leadership or in their leading.
Brother Bob: Wrong motives Brother Phil? What’s the biblical guidance that people should be aware of regarding that?
Brother Phil: Well, Brother, the Bible says something here, [the] Apostle Paul says in II Timothy 4:3 :
“The time will come when people will not listen to sound doctrine, but will follow their own desires and will collect for themselves more and more teachers who will tell them what they are itching to hear.”
[II Timothy 4:3 Good News Translation]
Brother Phil: So we can see it’s not shocking then that we see so many troubled leaders in the world today, and especially in different religious organizations and churches. It’s because people are choosing for themselves leaders that will tell them what they want to hear.
Brother Randy: That’s very true brothers, because it was also predicted in the Bible, that there would be false teachers who would be tolerated and followed in religions. In fact, the Bible calls them as false teachers or prophets.
These teachers will surrender to trends and customs and traditions rather than to the Almighty God.
Brother Bob: Brother Randy, was that also spoken about in the Holy Scriptures in any way?
Brother Randy: Yes it is Brother Bob and we can read this here in II Peter 2:1, let’s read:
“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, (heresy is a false teaching) even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.”
[II Peter 2:1 New King James Version]
Brother Randy: So yes Bro Bob, and dear friends, the Bible is filled with guidance, or mentions of leadership, and gives clear warnings too. So, everyone really needs to be careful.
Brother Bob: But wait a minute Brother Randy, brothers, the question that people could—or maybe would want to pose right now is that, well then that being the case, is it even possible that there’s authentic leadership in these modern time while still a leader would be committed to the truth? Can a preacher today brothers, here’s the thing—can a preacher today lead with integrity and not surrender to the traditions of the world today? Not be the kind of preacher that just tells the people only what they’re itching to hear, can there be such leadership
Brother Donald: Well, the apostles Brother Bob, they did it. They were authentic and they did not just preach what peoples’ ears were itching to hear.
Brother Phil: That’s right Brother Donald, and we can actually read that in the Holy Scriptures written here in II Corinthians 6:4, and these are the words of [the] Apostle Paul, an authentic preacher in the first century Church Of Christ, it says here:
“Yet, as God’s servants, we prove ourselves authentic in every way. For example: We have great endurance in hardships and in persecutions. We don’t lose courage in a time of stress and calamity.”
[II Corinthians 6:4 The Passion Translation]
Brother Phil: So the apostles were authentic, in the sense that they didn’t allow the truth to be compromised when it brought to them hardship or persecution.
Brother Donald: That’s so right Brother Phil, in fact some of them according to the Bible, they were thrown into jail and even others, they were thrown into jail because of their righteous stand.
Brother Bob: Just because they wanted to preach the truth right Brother Randy?
Brother Randy: Yes, they were authentic preachers who had honor and integrity. Preachers who held onto the truth no matter what.
A Leader That is Teaching the Truth, Leading With Power and Spirit
Brother Bob: So then brothers, how about now, how about in our time? Is there anyone today, in our time, a leader that is standing his ground, not surrendering to trends if those trends go against the truth? A leader that is teaching the truth, leading with power and spirit, and never compromising the truth when it comes to service to God? And in fact, leading others to serve God without compromise as well, even if it will bring persecution or personal hardship and personal sacrifice? Is there a leader like that nowadays Brothers?
Brother Phil: Yes Brother.
Brother Donald: Yes Brother Bob, there is.
Brother Randy : Yes there is Brother Bob.
Brother Bob: Brother Randy, who is it?
Brother Randy: Well brothers and dear friends, it is the Executive Minister of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, the Church Of Christ, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo—for us, he is the best example of being a true dynamic leader in our time!
Brother Bob: Dear friends, can that be proven? Stay with us right here on the Iglesia Ni Cristo, International Edition. Because when we come back, we will prove to you that the ten years of leadership inside the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church Of Christ, wherein we can see and follow the victory parade of successes over the past decade, and these have been led by Brother Eduado V. Manalo. He stands unique and profoundly of God and we’ll prove that. We will be right back.
[Break]
Brother Bob: Welcome back everyone. Today we’re asking:
“Do authentic church leaders still exist?”
Brother Bob: Let us now take a look at the contrast between the ways of this world, let’s say leaders and the leadership of this world, and the profound contrast difference being here in the past ten years under the leadership of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo inside the Iglesia Ni Cristo or Church Of Christ. Brother Donald!
Brother Donald: Well one quality that differentiates the leadership of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo from others is none other than how he gives importance in making known to the brethren the importance of worshipping our Almighty God.
Brother Bob: Singing, praising, serving God. But what we see around us in the world is something different Brother Donald?
How is it different?
Brother Donald: What is it we can see Brother Bob? We can see that many churches are closing their doors and it means to say that when it comes to the number of congregants, that number is diminishing. That also means to say that when it comes to the leaders of those churches, well they must be lacking when it came to a significant aspect of the responsibility and because of this, as we said, the doors of many churches all throughout the world, they are being closed permanently.
Brother Bob: So those leaders did not teach the members to stand their ground and persevere come what may. You know Brother Donald, to your point, we have a short video clip about that really closely correlates to what you just said, let’s take a look.
[Video start]
TV Anchorman: Here with breaking news, it’s happening again. Pittsburgh Catholic Bishop David Zubik announcing that four churches in Washington County will close next month. They include Saint Joseph Roscoe, St. Michael the Archangel, Fredericktown, St. Thomas Aquinas, California, and Saints Mary & Ann in Marianna. They all make up the Saint Catherine Drexel Parish. Bishop Zubik warned of church closures last year because attendance has declined at mass, there’s a shortage of priests, and the population has shifted.
[Video end]
Brother Donald: What we just viewed was a myopic view of what’s happening when it comes to many churches all throughout the world, including Canada, Brother Bob. In fact, according to statistics, 1/3 of the churches in Canada, they could close their doors within ten years. We have to repeat that because that astounding number of churches in Canada, 1/3 of them could be closing their doors within the next ten years.
So it goes to point again to leaders of these churches who are lacking when it comes to impressing upon the members of their church the importance of worshiping, glorifying, and praising God no matter what happens. That’s the difference.
Brother Bob: They didn’t pass it on right Brother Donald to the next generation? They failed as leaders then isn’t it Brother Phil?
Brother Phil: Yes, Brother Bob, and you know it’s not only there in the United States also here in the United Kingdom, and throughout Europe. It’s a growing trend and we can see the closure of many churches throughout the country. An interesting statistic is that there are more pubs now than churches here in the United Kingdom. You might think “Well there’s nothing special about that.”
The thing is this, many of those pubs were former churches, renovated into pubs and it’s something that’s happening all throughout the country and it’s something that the local population is not happy about. Their former churches being turned into pubs or nightclubs or other different establishments.
Brother Randy: The point I noticed in these video clips brothers is that the world is filled with failed leaders, failed religions. The world is filled with sheep that are not being lead by a true shepherd.
Brother Phil: That’s true, Brother Randy but, you know it’s not the case here inside the Church Of Christ.
We Are Being Led to be Diligent
Brother Phil: —in all of our works to intensify all elements and aspects of our services to our Almighty God, especially our worship services inside the places of worship or houses of worship.
Brother Bob: Exactly brothers. You know, under the leadership of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo for the past ten years, how many of these of these worship buildings have been built, have been renovated, have been made available by the Church Administration to the people of God for that very purpose? They could go inside, they could pray, they could give glory to God. What’s transpired over the ten years of leadership of Brother Eduardo Manalo, brothers?
Brother Phil: Well Brother Bob the numbers are absolutely astounding. The number of chapels built and renovated in the last ten years, the last decade, under the leadership of our Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, 2009 to June 2019, there’s been a talk of 3,338 chapels including what we call these barangay chapels, or neighborhood chapels. Included in that number is 105 whole concrete chapels that are located outside of the Philippines and within the Philippines we have 945 concrete chapels. Those numbers are mind blowing and on top of that we have 1,105 renovated chapels throughout the world.
Brother Bob: All in just the past decade?
Brother Phil: Yes Brother.
Brother Bob: Brother Donald, did Brother Eduardo Manalo lead the members of the Church Of Christ to offer, to dedicate this grand number of worship buildings and other properties of the Church for man’s glory?
What has always been his motive that he has taught to all of us as well?
Brother Donald: Brother Bob, the motive or sacred purpose of our beloved Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo has not changed. Let us read Haggai, the Chapter is 1 and the verse is 8, and this is stated:
Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the [a]temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord.
[Haggai 1:8 New King James Version]
Brother Donald: We can read here how the Lord our God instructs His people to build or temples or modern day usage of words when it comes to building houses of worship.
When it comes to Brother Eduardo V. Manalo he has held true to this commandment of the Lord our God so it’s not to satisfy the whim or will of other people. But rather, the Lord our God is utilizing Brother Eduardo V. Manalo in order for the people of God to glorify our Father in heaven.
And I have to point that again Brother Bob, the numbers that were read earlier about the number of houses of worship being built that is astounding, that is tremendous. There’s no other Church that can point to thousands of buildings, houses of worship being built all throughout the world. It’s really phenomenal.
Brother Bob: It really is. You’re correct Brother Donald. And you know these houses of worship have truly given glory to God. You know brothers like we mentioned earlier, these headlines of churches closing their doors and turning their chapels into pubs and stuff all over the U.K., America, Australia, other places of the world, it’s all become a very common thing.
But with God’s help and the voluntary offerings of church members inside the Iglesia Ni Cristo we’ve been able to purchase these abandoned buildings that- renovate them and help connect people back to God in so many communities all over the world and we’d like to share a little bit with you by means of this video clip. Let’s take a look together.
[Video start]
[On-screen text graphic]
The house of worship has always been a place of refuge for God’s people.
For Neil Duazo, it’s the best place to go.
Neil: If I’m having a really bad day at work or just life is starting to you know—bills get caught up and stuff and I come in, and just pray for a few minutes, meditate for a few more minutes, and I could feel peace right away.
[On-screen text graphic]
…a feeling all members of the Church Of Christ can relate to.
Herman: It’s a serene place that I can go to no matter how I’m feeling when I leave home, no matter how I feel [when] I’m coming, even sometimes, when I’m coming back from an appointment or whatever…
Fred: Aw, this is home, This is home. In Psalms 27, I like to live all the days of my life, you know, in Your house, Lord. And this is where I get my prayers answered.
[On-screen text graphic]
Fred helped renovate the Bloomingdale house of worship before it was dedicated to God in 2011 by Brother Eduardo V. Manalo.
[Choir Singing]
Neil: For me, it was the other way. I didn’t know anything except for a rented space, but once the chapel was dedicated, I knew exactly what they were talking about. Wherever they went to, whichever place they went to visit or go on vacation, they always looked for the house of worship first. [They would say] thanks to God for their safe journey, and then they go on about their day. And now I know what that feels like.
[On-screen text graphic]
The past 10 years have seen rapid changes in attitudes about religion and spiritual beliefs…
[Newscast voicover]
Local Catholic churches will shut down after the holidays. Effective January 11th, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will close St. These of the Child Jesus.”
[On-screen text graphics]
…leaving many with no place to go.
But in the Church Of Christ, the past 10 years have seen over 3,300 worship buildings dedicated to God—a great task led by the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo.
This helps ensure that those who seek God would always have a place to find Him—
—much like Herman King, a former pastor from Bronx, New York.
Herman: I passed the Church all the time and it was just this one particular day that I was walking past, one of the brethren was outside, he handed me an invitation to come to one of the Evangelical Missions. I took it and I just stuck in my pocket. You know I’m going—what I’m doing, what I’m doing—and I’m just—you know and I put it in my pocket.
[On-screen text graphic]
Brother Eduardo V. Manalo led the dedication of the house of worship in Bronx, New York in 2011. The building had sat empty for two years before that.
In 2016, Herman walked into the house of worship to attend a Bible study.
Herman: I thought to myself, I said, “You know what? I’m going.” I went to the Evangelical Mission and I was sitting there and I heard them talking about the Bible. Everything that was (said) came straight from the Scripture. So I’m sitting here thinking, “Am I in the right place or did I make a mistake by coming here?” Then I went maybe for a day or so, and I didn’t go back. Then all of a sudden I had this feeling, I need to go back.
[On-screen text graphic]
The Executive Minister leads many of the chapel dedications to God, illustrating just how important the house of worship is for the faith of God’s people.
Fred: (Brother) Eduardo, fabulous man, fabulous man. Very inspirational to have one of His servant’s love you so much, that they practically lay down their life, which is basically what he does when he goes to all these countries that I read about every day.
Herman: When I look at him, he is a leader. (When) we follow him, we will receive our salvation.
Fred: They love us all and that’s the most beautiful gift that God could give anyone.
[On-screen text]
In just ten years as the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo has already given so much to the Church: constantly teaching lessons and giving reminders from the Bible and helping make sure that God’s people will always have a place to worship.
Herman: I’m in the right place, I’m doing the right thing. Our goal is to reach the day of salvation, so everybody’s moving in that direction. Like I said, I love the chapel because it’s a beautiful place.
Neil: It was dedicated to God. The beauty of this is that you know God lives here.
Fred: The nights that I have to guard, I take special time out and spend a little extra time so I can kneel and I can pray in the house of worship. This is home.
[Video end]
Brother Bob: Communities like that all over the world are thankful to God and thankful to the Church Administration under the leadership of Brother Eduardo Manalo for the past ten years of making that happen everywhere around the world.
That was a clip from a series entitled Blessed Moments—[a] video series that you can find on incmedia.org/blessedmoments and we can see just how much, from that video clip and from visiting these houses of worship, dear friends, we can see how much these houses of worship are able to inspire and change lives.
Brother Phil: And not only that Brother Bob, they also give glory to our Almighty God and that’s the actual very theme of all our upcoming activities, as relayed to us from our Beloved Executive Minister, having its biblical basis here in Isaiah 42:12, this is what we can read in the Bible regarding that:
“12 Let them give glory to the Lord and proclaim his praise in the islands.”
So you can see the purpose is always to give glory to our Almighty God. That all our actions, our activities is for that end, to glorify our God and creator!! And that’s why the Church is so thankful to our Almighty God for providing us a leader inside the COC that is not only authentic, dynamic, but always leads us to put God first in our lives, without any kind of compromise.
[Isaiah 42:12 New International Version ]
Brother Randy: And you know brothers when you mention trends, nowadays as we all know, there are gaming addictions that are very, very common, but yet our Brother Eduardo Manalo is teaching the families inside the Church Of Christ how to be careful and how to use these modern advances in technology without violating the commandments of God.
He does this by reading God’s guidance to us as what is written here in Galatians 5:19, 21 this is what we read:
“19(a)It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: …
21(b) … uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.”
[Galatians 5:19, 21 The Message]
Brother Randy: So, if leaders of this world today, allow themselves to just surrender to trends, customs or human traditions that oppose the will of God that’s written in the BIble, their leadership will not be challenged, they will not be serving God anymore, but instead, they will be serving themselves. They will jeopardize eternal life for themselves, and for those that they are leading. Which again dear friends, is precisely why we inside the Church Of Christ are so very thankful to our Lord God, to be given a leader like Bro Brother Eduardo V. Manalo in his taking good care of the Church Of Christ.
Brother Bob: You know Brother Randy you mentioned addictions, like gaming addictions, there are so many kinds of addictions and that’s not the only trend of our times that really believers and holds down our society, there’s a lot right?
Let’s say for example, there’s divorce. Divorce is very common. Homosexuality is now a socially acceptable behavior and even promoted as a normal behavior. Immorality, pornography, same sex marriage, and just general disrespect for law and order, not to mention as Brother Donald did earlier, mass shootings and killings and such.
Well, let’s take a look at this news clip of a mainstream church that’s been divided due to disagreement on one of these significant issues. Let’s take a look:
[Start video]
Woman News Reporter: One of the world’s largest Christian denomination faces a potential split as United Methodists leaders gather this weekend to decide it’s path with gay marriage.
Man News Reporter: While some American Methodists welcome same sex relationships, conservative members are holding to the denominations traditional stand.
Woman News Reporter: 41 Action News reporter, Jordan Bets, talked to some local churches today as they await a decision.
Reporter Jordan: Methodist churches are at a standstill right now. They’re focusing on how the church will deal with the LGBTQ community.
Subject: We know here in Kansas City most of the United Methodist churches in Kansas City metro are very opening and welcoming.. (inaudible)
Reporter Jordan: Back in February a plan was passed, deny gay and lesbian members the ability to get married or be a clergy member in the Methodist Church. Now their members of their Judicial Council are meeting this week to determine if it was unconstitutional.
Subject: And the only question is, will they throw away the entire plan out or will they only throw out the 40% that’s unconstitutional and let the other 60% remain.
[Video end]
Brother Bob: Brothers, Brother Donald, should we be surprised about these things? If you noticed there Brother Donald, in that video clip, no one was asking the obvious question, “Well, what does the Bible say about such things?” But instead they were just basing their side, their stand on their understanding or opinions.
Brother Donald: So Brother Bob when it came to your question, should we be surprised? We should not, because when it comes to the traits, the characteristics, and the behavior of many people nowadays, it was foretold as recorded in the Holy Bible. We can read the following in II Timothy 3:1-5:
“1But you need to be aware that in the final days the culture of society will become extremely fierce and difficult for the people of God. 2 People will be self-centered lovers of themselves and obsessed with money. They will boast of great things as they strut around in their arrogant pride and mock all that is right. They will ignore their own families. They will be ungrateful and ungodly. 3 They will become addicted to hateful and malicious slander. Slaves to their desires, they will be ferocious, belligerent haters of what is good and right. 4 With brutal treachery, they will act without restraint, bigoted and wrapped in clouds of their conceit. They will find their delight in the pleasures of this world more than the pleasures of the loving God. 5 They may pretend to have a respect for God, but in reality they want nothing to do with God’s power. Stay away from people like these!”
[II Timothy 3:1-5 The Passion Translation]
Brother Randy: Is that not then a description of so many people nowadays beloved viewers? We mentioned here, there is mention we should say, that there are those who would boast of great things as they strut around in their arrogant pride and mock all that is right. And we can see this even when it comes to some leaders of nations and or countries.
So what does it mean to say? It only means to say that when it comes to what is happening in the world today it was predicted, it was prophesied according to what is written in the Holy Scriptures. That’s correct, Brothers!
All those things that were read are the trends of our time but you know, Brother Eduardo Manalo for the past ten years, has been teaching us as members of the Church Of Christ in worship services and in the family programs of the Christian Family Organizations inside the Church Of Christ how to fight against any of those things that will destroy the family.
Brother Phil: Actually In the past ten years of Brother Eduardo’s leadership, we’ve seen him launch countless programs for the benefit of families within the Church Of Christ.
Also launched were the FYM foundation or the Felix Y. Manalo foundation and the INC Giving project. These are humanitarian outreach arms of the church in response to God’s call to all of God’s people written here in Proverbs 3:27, and this is what it says here:
“27 Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it.”
[Proverbs 3:27 Good News Translation]
Brother Phil: So you can see, in response to that call of our Almighty God, what did our Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo lead all of us in the Church to do? Well this is what he did for the past ten years, the past decade under his leadership: and these photos that we are actually looking at now, are just from this past spring and summer alone there in Canada and USA.
And this has been happening throughout the whole leadership of our Brother Eduardo in many other countries especially there, in the continent of Africa and many other places around the world and think about it, all in the last ten years.
You see this is an important part of what authentic and genuine leadership and service is and our Brother Eduardo is leading us, the people of God, members of the Church Of Christ, not only to serve our fellowmen, but most of all, to serve our Almighty God, just as He commanded.
Brother Randy: And you now Brothers, one of the commanded ways to do good for our fellow man is also recorded in the Bible, which is an additional basis of why Brother Eduardo Manalo leads us in the grand Aid To Humanity Outreach projects. It is recorded here in, the book of Deuteronomy 15:11, let us read it here:
“11 There will always be poor people in the land, so I command you to ·give freely [L open your hand] to your ·neighbors [or relatives; or countrymen; L brothers] and to the poor and needy in your land.”
[Deuteronomy 15:11 Expanded Bible]
Brother Randy: Hence that is why we pause and reflect upon these first ten years of Brother Eduardo Manalo’s leadership. He is leading us to fulfill what God commands His people to do!
Brother Bob: The Aid to Humanity Projects here in the United States were actually noticed by community leaders all over the country. Take a look.
[Video starts]
News Reporter: A Humanitarian Organization that helps areas that are struggling makes a stop in the Forest City. 23 News Reporter Courtney Sisk tell us about the national groups missioned to spread hope.
Courtney: Tourists sponsored by the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation, through the Church Of Christ. It visits nine cities in the U.S. and today made its final stop.
MC: Struggling to meet their basic needs..
Lady: Nine cities.
MC: To good to those who need it.
Lady: One goal.
Brother Dino Bunag: To reach out to all communities. Especially the people who are in dire need of help.
Lady: The Aid to Humanity Tour sponsored by the Felix Y Manalo Foundation made its way to Rockford.
Brother Bob: A lot of underprivileged children that could have such a bright future. They just kind of need just a little bit of a nudge up so to speak you know, and that’s kind of what we’re doing.
Lady: Members of the community met at West State Street at Henrietta Avenue Sunday, where kids were kids were gifted backpacks with school supplies and ten local organizations received thousands of dollars for the work they do.
Brother Bob: Those agencies that are doing something at the grassroots level, in the communities, especially to impact the lives of children.
Lady: Some of those agencies included the Rockford Police Department and Lewis Lemon Elementary School where church leaders say about 60 homeless students attend.
Brother Dino: Because this is in fulfillment of God’s commandment to help the needy, you know in every possible way we can to help those who are in dire need.
Lady: Many left with bags filled with free winter clothes. Beyond the donations and gifts, tour leaders say spreading and showing God’s compassion is their goal.
Brother Bob: When our Lord Jesus Christ said “Love your neighbor as yourself” When we do these kind of things, we believe we’re fulfilling that. That Christian responsibility that we have.
Courtney: 1,000 free backpacks with supplies for Rockford kids to help prepare for the upcoming school year. There was also a station to help get your blood pressure and health checked for free.
News Reporter: Thanks Courtney, and Rockford is the ninth final stop on this tour. Leaders say they chose the city after researching and decided it could benefit the area.
[Video ends]
Brother Bob: And now Brother Phil, it was mentioned before that video a little but about Africa. I heard you mentioned Africa. Didn’t you personally have a mission there in Africa? What did you experience there? Briefly…
Brother Phil: Yes Brother Bob. Actually we’ve been shooting, producing, and releasing a number of what we call vlogs. Vlogs that show the successes of the Church in the last ten years under the administration of our Executive Minister and many of them are about the impact that the Church’s charity works have had upon those who are suffering and experiencing poverty.
In Africa where we conducted many works of Aid to Humanity, giving out parcels, food parcels, also purchasing vast amounts of land to be used for farmland by jobs and employment for many hundreds of people and I’m telling you what the Church has done. It’s really amazing. It’s changed lives, it’s had such an impact on their lives.
Not only their life, the ability for them to provide for themselves and their families but an impact on their relationship with God. You know bringing to them the true faith, the true act of service, and the true way that leads to salvation. It really is a wonderful and exciting thing to experience.
Brother Bob: And these events like what you experienced there, and what are being experienced in so many places around the world, are being broadcasted all over.
Since Brother Eduardo took the helm of leadership of the Church, the media arm of the Church; it has just blossomed into a modern missionary tool being used by the members of the Church to make known the Word of God all over the world. We have websites like iglesianicristo.net, incmedia.org and incgiving.org, we have social media pages that showcase all the activities of the church being conducted everywhere around the world. All these media tools are Brother Eduardo Manalo’s inspiration to lead all of us to reach out to everyone all over the world.
In 2009, when Brother Eduardo, ten years ago, when he took the helm of leadership in the Church that—we didn’t even have a website. The online internet presence of the Church was pretty much nonexistent. Under his leadership, millions of people have come to know and admire the Iglesia Ni Cristo and the truths of the scriptures being taught here inside the Church Of Christ.
Brother Randy: Well aside from this Brother Bob, hundreds of new congregations are opening up all over the world under the leadership of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo. He does this because he wants everyone to be able to have a worship service near enough to them so no one will ever miss our most important responsibility in life, which is always to offer our worship and our praise to the Almighty God.
Brother Bob: Brother Donald, why is it that Brother Eduardo incessantly teaches members of the Church Of Christ to always Worship? Never be absent from worship service.
Brother Donald: Brother Bob the importance of the Worship Service is indispensable, it is invaluable and we can read that from Psalms 46:1-4 TPT:
“1 God is the one who protects us and causes us to be strong; he is always ready to help us when we have troubles. 2 So, even if the earth shakes, we will not be afraid. Even if the mountains fall into the middle of the sea, 3 and if the water in the sea roars and foams, and the hills shake violently, we will not be afraid! (Think about that!) 4Blessings that come from God are like a river that makes everyone in the city where we worship God joyful. It is the city where the temple of God, who is greater than any other god, exists.”
[Psalms 46:1-4 The Passion Translation]
Brother Donald: This is why we are so thankful, as you mentioned Brother Phil. We are grateful unto the Lord our God for providing, for the past ten years, the kind of leader that is showing us, teaching us, and reminding us to always attend the worship service in order for us to give glory unto the Lord our God and obey His teachings so that eventually, we may obtain eternal life.
Brother Bob: Yes brothers, ten years of dynamic, spiritually profound leadership that we all continue to benefit from. Stay with us dear friends and we’re going to take a look at some personal special moments experienced by some members of the Church over the course in the past ten years under the leadership of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo. We’ll be right back.
[Break]
Brother Bob: Welcome back everyone. You know dear friends another element of the leadership of Brother Eduardo Manalo over the course of the past ten years has been beyond the grand victory parade of successes that well, we have all witnessed. But included as I mentioned a while ago, some personal interaction that he has had with certain members of the Church whenever possible. Whether it be taking time out to shake their hands or saying a prayer for brethren who are in need, the Executive Minister finds time, makes time to help members of the Church with their spiritual needs. Take a look:
[Video starts]
Kaithe Fadreguilan: I felt regret and pain that I may be the reason to why my family was not complete.
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We remember the difficult moments.
(in Tagalog)
Joselito Eslao: [Lord,] if you would allow me to perform my duty, then give me the strength I need.”
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These moments pull us closer to God.
(Foreign Language)
Karina Huayta: I told Him that I wanted my family to know about this, this truth, I need them to know.
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We feel God’s guidance in many ways.
During the lessons, one of the most important lessons was carved into my heart. It was the statement of the Executive Minister that not every situation has to be understood by an individual, instead we must trust God.
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We celebrate the moments God reveals His love through the Executive Minister.
(In Tagalog)
Joselito Eslao: I said to Brother Eduardo, “Thank you Brother Eduardo for praying for my household.”
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We celebrate the moments that have deepened our faith.
Isabelle Alfonso: When he entered the room it was this immense feeling of love and happiness for all of us. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and my family.
Tyler Toledo: I feel like any moment with Brother Eduardo is a blessed moment.
Fred Reed: I mean it with everything in my heart when I pray for you because [of] all the souls you are helping as the Executive Minister of the Church Of Christ.
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10 Years of Dynamic Leadership
BLESSED MOMENTS
WITH BROTHER EDUARDO V. MANALO 2019
[Video ends]
Brother Bob: Yes dear friends, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo is not any ordinary leader. He’s been placed by God and it shows. But brothers for the sake of our viewers who may also want to know, is there any biblical basis as to what we are doing here right now on this program today? We’re pausing to reflect, we’re expressing our deep love, we’re expressing our admiration for the leadership, ten years of dynamic leadership of our Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo. But I pose this question Brother Donald, is there a biblical basis for us to be doing this.
Brother Donald: Yes there is Brother Bob. We can read the following in Colossians 1:25 :
“25 I have become its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known…”
[Colossians 1:25 Holman Christian Standard Bible]
Brother Donald: Therefore it is due also to the entrusted responsibility given unto Brother Eduardo V. Manalo. The responsibility to make God’s message fully known.
Brother Phil: Yes Brother Donald but not only that, there’s another reason why members of the Church Of Christ have this profound love and respect for our Executive Minister and we can read that here in I Thessalonians 5:12-13, this is what we’re taught:
“12 We beg you, our friends, to pay proper respect to those who work among you, who guide and instruct you in the Christian life. 13 Treat them with the greatest respect and love because of the work they do. Be at peace among yourselves.”
[I Thessalonians 5:12-13 Good News Translation]
Brother Phil: So you can see, this is why we members of the Church Of Christ have this deep and profound love and respect for our Executive Minister, because our Almighty God teaches us how we should feel, how we should regard and recognize those whom He has placed to lead us. Not only in serving God and serving Him but also in the way we should live as true Christians.
Brother Bob: This is why dear friends, we join our brethren all over the world in thanking God for placing Brother Eduardo Manalo as our leader, our Executive Minister. We thank God for filling him with the power of the Holy Spirit. We thank God for protecting him from dangers and guiding his Pastoral Visitations to congregations all over the world for the past ten years. May God grant him many many more years leading us all, till we reach our promised salvation.
We thank Brother Randy Weir in Quezon City Philippines. Brother Randy thanks for joining us in our discussion. We thank you as well Brother Donnald Pinnock from Toronto Canada. Thanks for joining us Brother Donald. We as well, extend our appreciation to you there, Brother Phil Velasquez in the United Kingdom for giving us Bible based answers in our discussion, so as Apostle Peter said in his letter: you will “Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are…” in I Peter 3:15 the Message.
Well that does it for us here on the INC International Edition for today. We hope you’ll join us again next time. I’m Brother Bob Pellien and thanks for watching. But as we come to the end of the program as we always do, we invite you to please join us for a short prayer.
Almighty Father, Lord we thank you for bringing us together in the study of your Holy Teachings on this program today. Lord we join our brethren all over the world thanking you for blessing the Iglesia Ni Cristo with the dynamic leadership of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, thank you for filling him with your spirit. Thank you for protecting him and keeping him safe in all his visitations to us all around the world. Lord, please continue to keep him safe. Continue to fill him with your spirit, continue to empower him with the leadership skills coming from you oh God, to shepherd the Church Of Christ in these last days. Lord Jesus may you bring our requests to the Father. May you mediate on our behalf asking Him Lord Jesus, to bless the families and homes of all of us and our guests and viewers joining us in this program. May you move their inner spirit, that one day they will choose to join with us here inside your Holy Church. Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you all in the name of our Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
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