What’s In A Name?
13:08 Is there really a true church that would have one true name?
15:15 How would they be able to identify that one true church that Brother Dexter just read about where Jesus said, it’s mine, I will build my church. How could that be identified?
16:35 But what if they would say, it’s just a name
23:28 Which is the biblical name that has to be carried for one to obtain eternal life?
25:50 So then what Brothers has to be then the official name of the one true church recorded in the Holy Bible Brother Rod?
33:16 What if they believed they could still be a Christian without carrying the name of Christ?
[Show open]
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INC International Edition
Brother Bob Pellien: Hello, I’m Bob Pellien. And this is the Iglesia Ni Cristo international Edition. What’s in a name?
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Bob Pellien
San Francisco, California
Minister of the Gospel
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Bob Pellien: Well, I’m sure we’ve all seen names of churches just like these. They’ve all made us scratch our heads a bit and maybe wonder, how did they come up with a name like that? Do you know, dear friends, the origin of the name of the church that you belong to? Do you know how that name came about? And dear friends, does the name of the church really matter at all in the first place? And could the name of the church you belong to be detrimental to your salvation? Join us as we tackle this topic that is so often overlooked by many Christians today. Stay with us right here on the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition.
Brother Bob Pellien: Today, we’re joined in our discussion by Brother Rod Bruno in Toronto, Canada,
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Rod Bruno
Toronto, Canada
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Bob Pellien: as well as Brother Dexter Manglicmot in Washington, DC.
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Dexter Manglicmot
Washington, DC
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Bob Pellien: and Brother Reuel Del Rosario in Jacksonville, Florida.
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Reuel Del Rosario
Jacksonville, Florida
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Bob Pellien: Brothers, thank you very much for joining us in our discussion.
Brothers: Hello, Brother Bob.
Brother Bob Pellien: Brothers, we’re talking about names, you know, as we do with every show, we start off by introducing you just as I have just done by your names.
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Bob Pellien: A name that I’m sure your parents spent a lot of time thinking about before they gave it to you in the first place. And you know, they say that a name is essentially the first gift that a parent gives to their child. And so well, there’s hundreds of books out there that parents use to help them pick a name suitable to the child the Lord has given them because well, it’s not always easy to pick a name. When it comes to churches, just how trivial is the name of a church? Does it really matter what name is given to it? Brothers? Before we begin our all important discussion for today, let’s take a brief moment to look at some of these, well, let’s call them interesting names that our team found online. Let’s take a peek at this:
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Brother Bob Pellien: A Flippin Church of God. There’s this strange one. What else do we have? A Coward Church of God. There’s another one you don’t see on a regular basis. Little Hope Baptist Church. I don’t think there’d be a whole lot of people who would want to line up and become a member of a little hope church. Run For Your Life International Chapel. What a name. Run for your life. Here’s another one. The Exciting Singing Hills Baptist Church. Here’s where the hills sing. Half Way Baptist Church. I think everyone would want to make it all the way to the kingdom of heaven and not just halfway I would think. Brothers here, let’s take a look at another one. Here’s one they called The Church of I Am That I Am. Get this one: The Cowboy Church. What if you’re not a cowboy? Would you not be welcome in that church? Do you think? Here’s one maybe apparent for soldiers: Guided Missiles Church.
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Brother Bob Pellien: You know, Brothers, those were some very, very strange, we don’t mean to belittle, any of them, but nevertheless ever knew anyone would have to admit that they are somewhat strange and unique. Oh, what do you think about some of the names of those churches, Brothers?
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: Well, Brother Bob, well, you’re right. As you said earlier, they’re very interesting. And they might catch the eye of people passing by those churches. But I don’t think it would allow them to be interested in actually joining those churches.
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Dexter Manglicmot
Washington, DC
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Bob Pellien: Yes, I don’t know who would line up to go to a church called Little Hope Church. You know, that’s not very appealing to draw people in. I wouldn’t think you think Brother Rod?
Brother Rod Bruno: If I saw a church that said Little Hope Church I don’t think I would really get too much hope from that so…
Brother Bob Pellien: How about Guided Missiles?
Brother Rod Bruno: Well, I guess I would be safe there in a way, as long as the missiles are guided away.
Brother Bob Pellien: Brother Reuel in Jacksonville, have you come across some religious organizations with such kinds of titles or names as those like what we saw on that list?
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: Yes, I have Brother Bob. And aside from what we saw, I saw one church called The Mighty Wind Church, whatever that may imply to its members or passerby. That’s up to them to come to any conclusion.
Brother Bob Pellien: We don’t mean to belittle these individuals who come up with these names for their religious organizations, you know, but we cannot help but react by acknowledging the awkwardness. And of course, the fact that such names are not in the Holy Scriptures is an important element. And we’re going to be discussing that as we proceed in our program for today, dear friends. So we went out and asked people, just how important are, well, how significant do you really think the church’s name really is? Maybe this doesn’t matter at all. But let’s take a look at this video clip Brothers.
[Video starts]
[Source: incmedia.org]
Male: I don’t know if the name is actually too important. As long as it’s like a decent name. I think it’s more about the people that go there and sort of the culture that’s around there. And, you know, that’s pretty much all that matters.
Male#2: Flippin god? You’re like cursing God out. Halfway. So you mean you’re half atheists and half religious?
Female: What kind of feeling does it give off? Like, you know what I mean? Male#2: Don’t be religious, it doesn’t make any sense as no point has no meaning… God’s all big lie.
Male#3: Yeah, they’re not your ideal religious names, but I’m always somebody who looks outside the box. But I think that, you know, it can be offensive to some people, you know, in the context that they might take it like boring and like, flip. Flip what? Like, you know
Male#2: I’m not that religious myself. But if you want to, like, you know, take your congregation seriously, like those types of names, like they’re like, kind of leaning towards an atheist type of way of life.
Males4: These are kind of sarcastic. I mean, are they real? Do they sound like jokes?
Female: They don’t sound very faithful to me. They don’t sound like things that I think about when I think about churches or going to church or faith.
Male#3: Just seems like the apostle names seem like, what I don’t know, for me what churches should be called, I don’t know.
Female#2: I don’t think that the name really matters. I think we all go to church for the same reason. I never really thought about the name of the church, I mean, if you go there to find peace and love God. I mean, that’s, that’s what matters to me the most,
Male#5: Maybe it’s not as important as what they teach inside of them. But like, you have to be something like, serious not like, you can just name a church. And then like, because one of the names was funny, but like some like, inside, it’s pretty good. Like, I guess the name, the name makes people want to go there. You know. And so having a name like that just doesn’t sound serious.
Male#6: I think the name would affect whoever would participate, or affiliate with the church. But I mean, if the people there are trying to attract me, I’m okay with that, and I guess it serves their purpose.
Male#7: I guess the name is pretty important to the extent that you want more people to come to your church and stuff like that.
Female#2: If you’re trying to encourage people to go to your church, or to stay in your church, then the name takes on a certain amount of significance.
Male#8: Flippin Church Of Christ? Must I use that word?
[Video ends]
Brother Bob Pellien: So there Brothers, we can see a wide array of opinions about the names that we saw in those particular earlier clips and, and how they value the name of the religion most of them didn’t seem to value it too much.
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Bob Pellien
San Francisco, California
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Bob Pellien: And, before we move into the serious nature of our discussion here, let’s take a look at yet another video clip of a comedian who makes light of it. Well we’ve called it interesting, sometimes even silly church names that are popping up in our world today. Let’s take a look. Once again.
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[Source: youtube.com/ThouShaltLaughComedy]
Comedian: People got so many churches now popping up all over. They pick names, okay, the names they just pick any name the Bible. You can just pick any name. I’m saying the Bible is full of good and evil. We can search all kinds of search names now. Lucifer Baptist Church. I ain’t singing in the choir there. Judas Faith Ministry. I ain’t giving no offering there. Sodom and Gomorrah Baptist Church. I ain’t going to me as that ass. Now if you don’t get that joke, go to Bible study this week. Cause that is hilarious.
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Brother Bob Pellien: So Brothers, they’re even comedians are noticing the wide array of church names. And well we all heard what those particular individuals that we interviewed on the street, I had to say about church names. What do you think Brothers is the real feeling of all of these people regarding how they value the name of the religious organization they may belong to are they giving it its due importance? Do you think?
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Bob Pellien
San Francisco, California
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: Well, Brother Bob, based on what we saw and heard, for them, it doesn’t really matter too much what the name of the church is, as long as what one says is that the people are good. It doesn’t matter what the name of that church or religion may be.
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: Brother Reuel, when it comes to our personal name, like what Brother Bob had mentioned earlier, we put a lot of thought, or the parents put a lot of thought in what they’re going to name their children.
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: And we as a person, are very particular about our name and how it’s pronounced how we’re called. So if we put it in that sense, the name of a church is also very important and very significant. And that’s how they should view it.
Brother Bob Pellien: Yes, I don’t think anybody would just like everyone to just call you by a different name, or just make up some ridiculous offensive nickname for us. Yes, that’s a good point, Brother.
Brother Rod Bruno: If I was to add to that, Brother Bob, you can see that most people don’t even really know if the name is important. And what it does, most of the time is confused, the people looking for religion, looking for God. And in some ways, it becomes almost a turn off, or the people who are searching. It’s funny, but it sounds scary.
Brother Bob Pellien: Funny, scary, and even sad, you are right. Now Brothers, we are always seeing these different types of church names that we’ve been discussing for the last few moments. Today, we’re going to find out how the Iglesia Ni Cristo or the Church Of Christ came up with the name. And as well, its significance is the importance of Iglesia Ni Cristo, or a Church Of Christ in English, and that we adhere to the belief that the words of our Lord God, are written only in the Bible, as well as the true and correct name of the true church.
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Bob Pellien: The Bible has to be the only basis for our services to the Lord God, it has to be what contains is what contains the truth. And it’s what will teach all of us how to be saved from punishment. On the Day of Judgment. It will guide us to know the names of these churches we’ve been discussing? Is it really ridiculous and absurd as it may appear? The Bible will tell us will. Is there a one true name that we should all embrace and be called upon as we enter the true Church that Jesus will save on the Day of Judgment? Well, that will be taught to us from the Holy Scriptures. Many agree with us. They find it strange that we would call attention to the importance of checking whether the name of the church that they belong to is also really written in the Bible. They ask whether that should even be considered as something important. So let that be then where we begin our discussion. Brothers, there’s so many churches in the world teaching and practicing so many different things. Brother Dexter, is there really a true church that would have one true name?
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Bob Pellien
San Francisco, California
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: Definitely there is Brother Bob. And we say that with all confidence, because it is based on biblical truth. And inside the Church Of Christ, that is our basis for teaching and preaching the word of God written in the Holy Scriptures. So we’ll turn to what our Lord Jesus Christ Himself mentioned here in Matthew 16:18:
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
[ Matthew 16:18 NKJV]
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: Is there a true church? Definitely there is. Which is that church? Well, it’s that church that the Savior mentioned here, described here as my church. This implies that not all churches belong to our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who do not belong to Him they’re not in His church. They’re not included in the church that was built by Him. That’s why when it comes to the name of that church, not all the churches named by just any name would belong to our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s very specific what our Lord Jesus Christ mentioned here, ‘I will build my church.’
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Bob Pellien: It was singular. He didn’t say he was going to build many churches with many different names. Now, Brother Rod, one of our viewers, any of our viewers joining us on our program for today? How would they be able to identify that one true church that Brother Dexter just read about where Jesus said, it’s mine, I will build my church. How could that be identified?
Brother Rod Bruno: Well, Brother Bob, because we’re talking about the importance of the name, and the religion that we’re trying to introduce to our friends and our viewers.
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Rod Bruno
Toronto, Canada
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Rod Bruno: We want to find if the Bible really teaches that the name is something that we should hold in high regard and value as important. So here, we read the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in the book of John, the chapter is 10 and this is what is recorded in verse 3:
To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
[John 10:3 NKJV]
Brother Rod Bruno: So we can see here that our Lord Jesus Christ, calls his own sheep by a name.
Brother Bob Pellien: So the name is more important than if he’s calling him by a name, right?
Brother Rod Bruno: Yes, the name is important because our Lord Jesus Christ, is identifying his sheep by name.
Brother Bob Pellien: But what if they would say, it’s just a name? What if they would say, okay, Jesus said He would call them by a name. But even if Jesus said He would call them by a name, doesn’t have any real significance to it, doesn’t carry any weight, especially when it comes to obtaining eternal life or serving the Lord properly or finding which church to enter? Brother Reuel, what if they would say something like that?
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Bob Pellien
San Francisco, California
Minister of the Gospel
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: Well, Brother Bob, there’s a lot that can be said about a name. A name tells us who you are. A name identifies the person, the group or the entity. And when it comes to salvation, which is of utmost importance, so should the name by which those who are saved will be called.
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Reuel Del Rosario
Jacksonville, Florida
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: And we can read that here, in the book of Acts chapter, or the verses are 10 and 12. It says the following,
let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. Nor is there salvation in any other, or there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved.”
[Acts 4:10 and 12 NKJV]
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: So when it comes to the name of a church, or a religion, it must be that which will bring man to salvation. And in the Christian era, God gave only one name for the salvation of man, not any other name. And that name is none other, but the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. So those called by the name of Christ will be saved, but those called by other names, they will forfeit their salvation.
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: And I’d like to point out Brother Reuel, which you had mentioned there, that last part of verse 12, it said, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ is the name by which we must be saved.
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Dexter Manglicmot
Washington, DC
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: It didn’t say, we might be saved, or maybe we will be saved. It is a must to be called by the name of Christ in order for a person to be saved on the Day of Judgment.
Brother Bob Pellien: So you can’t remove the name of Christ there from the name of the true church.
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Bob Pellien: But you know, Brothers, some may respond to that. Or they may be wondering, well, what will happen to me if I don’t belong, then to the church that truly belongs to Christ, carries the name of Christ. What if I belong to the neighborhood church, and then have a placard on the front of it that says, No Hope Church or Halfway House Church or whatever and some of those other titles that we were reading earlier on the placards in front of various chapels and religious organizations? What will happen? They may ask, What if I belong to one of those? Well, dear friends, stay with us and find out here on the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. Stay with us.
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INC International Edition
Brother Bob Pellien: Welcome back to the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. Today we’re asking what’s in a name?
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Bob Pellien
San Francisco, California
Minister of the Gospel
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Bob Pellien: Does the name of a church really matter? Could the name of your church actually be detrimental to your salvation? Brothers, before we go on further with our study and discussion, we want to show you this video that our team found of a church as well, they’re in the middle of actually changing their name. Let’s take a look.
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[Source: youtube.com/Len Campbell]
Male: I believe that anytime we find something that could potentially hinder or discourage someone from coming here, to experience the life-giving ministry that is in this place, we need to do everything we can to choose that change to broaden the gate so that they can come in and receive life-giving ministry. One change we believe in is important is the change of our name, where labels limit and we want to get any label or name that might hinder somebody maybe because of something they previously have known in another area, or church or so forth, so that they would feel free to come in and receive the ministry of this church. We are now in the process of changing the name of Ocala Word of Faith Church to Meadowbrook Church, as of the anniversary of the church, the 17th anniversary, which is August 20, we will officially be Meadowbrook Church. And we’ll be careful over the next year or so, to make sure that we all understand that process. And so that people don’t lose track of what happened to Ocala Word of Faith Church. We are now becoming Meadowbrook church as of August 20. We will now be Meadowbrook church. And then in the future. We previously went to Faith Church.
[Video ends]
Brother Bob Pellien: I don’t know about you Brothers. But it seems a bit confusing. I would assume that many would become confused with the changing of the name of their religious organization. But you know, confusion. That’s what happens when the name of a church is not of course founded upon biblical truths here, in the Holy Scriptures. Of course, confusion will ensue.
Brother Rod Bruno: Well, Brother Bob, you noticed the speaker there said, “If at any time anything is a potential discouragement for people to go to their religious services, it should be changed.”
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Rod Bruno
Toronto, Canada
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Rod Bruno: And in this case, what they needed to change in their understanding was the name of their church. Little understanding about the value of the name of the church causes that.
Brother Bob Pellien: Yes, they didn’t seem to have any understanding or any perception that the Bible has given a name to the church already.
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Bob Pellien: And they seem to be believe they’re authorized to just change it at the whims of their own opinion and desires to whatever name be at Meadowbrook or whatever else they would choose on on their own Brother Dexter, Brother Reuel, as you view that the the casual nature of their willingness to just change the name of the church, what came to your mind about that?
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: Well, one of the things I noticed, Brother Bob, is their former name, and then the name they’re changing it to is not the name that was mentioned earlier in our discussion, the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which a person must be saved.
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Dexter Manglicmot
Washington, DC
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Bob Pellien: Which is the biblical name that has to be carried for one to obtain eternal life? They were changing it from wrong to wrong again. What’s going to happen Brother Reuel if well, if someone becomes a member, and embraces their service to God with within the confines of one of these religious organizations, that has thrown away the name of Christ, and named after their town are named after the whims of their own opinions, instead of the biblical name, Church Of Christ? What’s the consequence of that?
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: Well Brother Bob, the consequences is this, they’re not going to be saved. Because they have no calling an election through other names. That’s why a name is indeed very, very important. And we can read that here in the book of James the chapter is 2 and the verse is 7.
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Reuel Del Rosario
Jacksonville, Florida
Minister of the Gospel
Is it not they who slander and blaspheme that precious name by which you are distinguished and called [the name of Christ invoked in baptism]?
[James 2:7 AMPC]
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: So those who are called by other names, or they change their names based on a town or based on how they feel, if it’s not the name of Christ, they have no calling. They have no election. That being the case, they will not be saved on the day of judgment.
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: And dear friends, what we should take notice of is that during the time of the apostles, the Christians that were living during that time, they knew that they were called by a certain name that distinguished them from everyone else.
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Dexter Manglicmot
Washington, DC
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: This was the name that Apostle James mentioned here, the precious name by which you are distinguished and called the name of Christ, and they receive this name when they receive baptism into the church.
Brother Bob Pellien: So then what Brothers has to be then the official name of the one true church recorded in the Holy Bible, Brother Rod?
Brother Rod Bruno: Brother Bob, the official name, the name of the church, that is recorded in the Holy Scriptures, is found in the book of Acts, chapters 20, in verse 28. If you would allow, I’d read it:
Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.
[Acts 20:28 Lamsa]
Brother Rod Bruno: It’s very simple. The name reflects the one who established the church.
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Rod Bruno: The name reflects the person who the church belongs to– the owner. So it’s no wonder that the apostles recorded the true name of the church established by Christ, the Church Of Christ.
Brother Bob Pellien: The church that is of Christ is the Church Of Christ, the official name. Now Brothers, there may be those watching our discussion at home and may be wondering, well, can’t I be a true Christian even if I don’t, become a member of the Church Of Christ? And can’t I be a Christian, even if I remain, maybe just simply believing or be or remain a member of one of these other organizations that carries a different name, other than the Church Of Christ? Can’t I still be a Christian? Friends, we’ll answer that when we return. Stay with us.
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INC International Edition
Brother Bob Pellien: Welcome back, today we’re talking about the importance of the name of a church and also its connection to receiving salvation.
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Bob Pellien
San Francisco, California
Minister of the Gospel
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Bob Pellien: Now, before we go on in our discussion, I just wanted to share with you Brothers in the article from The Washington Post, which recently said this it’s recorded:
[The Washington Post]
Recent national surveys show that in an attempt to fill pews, a small but steadily growing number of Christian churches are changing their names and even their religious denominations. Wycoff Baptist in New Jersey became Cornerstone Christian Church. First Baptist in Concord, New Hampshire is now Centerpoint Church. The Reformed Church in America outside Detroit became Crosswinds Community Church. Even the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant group in the country, whose 16 million membership has declined in recent years, has hosted church-naming seminars asking the question, “To Baptist or Not to Baptist?”
Brother Bob Pellien: So Brothers, it seems to be a trend even in some of the more prominent Protestant denominations trending towards this issue of just trivializing the name, changing the name as they see fit.
Brother Rod Bruno: Oh, Brother Bob, this all comes from people not understanding the instruction of God as found in the Holy Scriptures.
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Rod Bruno
Toronto, Canada
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Rod Bruno: So when people don’t know, well, they come up with their best version of how they want to serve God. And that’s what creates the confusion. So it’s good that we have programs like this so people can learn and find out that really, the name is not something that you can just pick and choose, there is an instruction.
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: Yes, that’s true. And if you really refer back to that article that you were mentioning earlier, if you continue to read in that article, it mentions there a lot of times, they’re changing the name, and they’re doing so based on voting of their members.
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Dexter Manglicmot
Washington, DC
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: It’s not any biblical revelation or new teaching that they’ve learned from the Holy Bible. They’ve actually just brought their members together and had a vote on what their members want to do with the name. How they want to change.
Brother Bob Pellien: Right. And we are and we could all notice in the few examples that were mentioned in that article.
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Bob Pellien: They didn’t change the name to the biblical name Church Of Christ. They didn’t do that, they changed it just again, like I mentioned earlier, from one wrong name to another, another wrong name, one unscriptural name to another unscriptural name. What did you notice, Brother Reuel?
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: Yes, Brother Bob, that even when they changed their name, it still remained unscriptural.
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Reuel Del Rosario
Jacksonville, Florida
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: But for them, what they want is that the name of the church is a trendy sounding name, with the attempt to attract more members so that their church grows even more. So it’s like a battle of names now, who has the best name for their church or for their religion?
Brother Bob Pellien: Do you think it’s healthy spiritually to chase the trends as opposed to simply adhering to the biblical truths? Brothers, are trends, what should direct our service to God?
Brother Rod Bruno: Well, the trend, Brother Bob, is becoming more marketing. As Brother Reuel said, ‘Who could have the best name? The most attractive name?’
Brother Bob Pellien: Almost like a competition?
Brother Rod Bruno: Yes, exactly.
Brother Bob Pellien: You know, Brothers, there’s another church, this one in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who after 60 years, just up and decided to change the name of their church because well, according to their particular pastor, they needed a name that would, will fit anywhere, they said. Some say this whole name-changing trend, Brothers, has become an epidemic. Brothers, you know, jumping here, do you think that trend of trying to pick a name that’s just gonna fit anywhere, is the way to go in choosing a name for a religious organization?
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: Brother Bob, I just wanted to make a point, we have to see why this trend is happening. And if you look deep into it and study it more closely, it’s because a lot of these churches are losing membership.
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: The church that was mentioned earlier, they were in the hundreds, and now they’re in the 30s. And because of their loss of membership, they do something like this, to try to gain more members. But they keep changing their name. It could be because they’re trying to please everyone so that they could gain membership. But it’s really, the trend is because they are losing members in their church.
Brother Bob Pellien: Here inside the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church Of Christ, going back to our lesson, we have to stay with what is recorded here. And before we went on our break, we were posing some important questions. For example, can those who refuse to belong to the Church Of Christ that’s recorded here in the Holy Scriptures, can they even be considered a true Christian?
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Bob Pellien: Because Brothers, considering all that we’ve discussed so far, what if simply, the response of any one of our viewers would just be well anyway, none of that matters because I’m a Christian. And what if they believed they could still be a Christian without carrying the name of Christ? Can that be Brother Reuel?
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: That cannot be Brother Bob. No matter how much they would emphasize, claim that they are Christian, but yet belong to a church of a different name, they’ll never be a true Christian, in the eyes of God, and in the eyes of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s read here in the book of Ephesians chapter 4 and the verse is 12:
The common object of their labor was to bring the Christians maturity, to prepare them for Christian service and the building up of the Church Of Christ,…
[Ephesians chapter 4:12 Norlie’s Simplified New Testament]
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: So no matter how much one would claim that they’re Christian, if they don’t carry the name of Christ, or belong to the true Church Of Christ, they’re not a true Christian in the eyes of our Almighty God. If one is a Christian, they have to be called by the name of Christ, and those called by the name of Christ are found only in His church.
Brother Bob Pellien: Brothers, in light of that truth, let’s relate to those joining us and watching this program. Anyway, you are all in different parts of the world Brother Rod there on the east coast of Canada. You’re in Jacksonville down in Southeastern Seaboard, Brother Reuel, my Brother Dexter, you’re there in Washington, DC. You’re all in various places of the world. Tell us tell our viewers some of the various activities in your place that well, have to do with introducing the Church Of Christ or the Iglesia Ni Cristo.
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Bob Pellien: Those that are in true Christian service to God in various places of the world. What are some of the things that the Church Of Christ in your particular area are doing to reach out to those who may or may still be within the clutches of these religious organizations that not only do not have true doctrine, but don’t even have the true biblical name, Brother Rod up there in the Toronto in the eastern part of Canada, what’s going on up there in the Church Of Christ?
Brother Rod Bruno: We’re really trying to invite a lot of people to come to the chapels, the places of worship, to hear the teachings that we teach, for example, this one here, so that people can know and understand that, for example, our message today, ‘What’s in name?’
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Today’s Topic: What’s In A Name?
Brother Rod Bruno: A lot of people never give it any thought, like you mentioned in your introduction. They might even find this whole topic strange, because they never thought that the name of their religion wasn’t important. But now hopefully, they can see and that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to introduce our fellow man up here in the eastern part of Canada through evangelical missions, worship services to come and listen. And we hope that this program will help them to see that there is another side of what they thought all of their life. There is another side, that’s the truth.
Brother Bob Pellien: In your area up there in Toronto Brother Rod have there been any large venues wherein you know, the members of the Church up there you know, gathered together brought their neighbors brought their guests and introduced to them maybe with an a various outreach kind of programs or sometimes even a family oriented programs or even sports activities? Our viewers that may not yet know all about the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church Of Christ, where there’s some programs that you launched up there in the eastern Canada, part of the world that really reached out to those that might still be in some of these are strangely named religious organizations that couldn’t possibly be encouraging them to join with us in the Church Of Christ.
Brother Rod Bruno: Well, Brother Bob, the month of August has been incredible here in the district of eastern Canada from August 1, which is equal to I believe, July, is it equal to July 4th. It’s a big holiday here in Canada, and thousands of brethren, we just got together at a picnic, and we brought all our friends and we had all kinds of fun activities. And we use those activities also to inspire our friends and loved ones. Maybe they would like to know more about the Church. How is it that the Brotherhood is so strong? How is it that the brethren are so united?
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To learn more about the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), log onto iglesianicristo.net and incmedia.org
Brother Bob Pellien: No doubt they noticed Brother Rod the kind of unity like you say that we have inside the Church Of Christ. And we also have the incmedia.org, our website where they could see all of these kinds of outreach programs and all the kinds of activities that the members of the Church Of Christ are conducting all over the world. How about down in Florida, Brother Reuel, you have some events like that going on down there?
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: Yes, we do Brother Bob, and we just had one recently in Louisiana, where we had an outreach program for communities that were affected by the floods that happened recently there. Wherein we gave some material goods to the people around the place of worship in Louisiana. And in those bags of goods, we had invitations that we shared with all the neighbors there. And with God’s help and God’s blessing, many of them came to the Evangelical Missions. Many of them came to the worship services, and have expressed interest in learning more about the Church Of Christ.
Brother Bob Pellien: You know, it was done in your place there because you had a calamity there in Baton Rouge, not not too far from where you’re at. And I noticed as we see the news around the world, from congregations of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church Of Christ, it’s not only in your place, Brother Reuel, but that seems to be the response of congregations of the Church Of Christ all over the world.
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To learn more about the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), log onto iglesianicristo.net and incmedia.org
Brother Bob Pellien: When there’s a calamity like there was nearby you if there’s an earthquake or if there’s a typhoon, hurricane, or whatever other kind of fire, whatever other kinds of calamity, it seems that members of the Church kind of mobilized like that and really unite together to have an impact and contribute to helping people get their lives back together. It was that kind of result down there in Baton Rouge. When you had that, that event down there?
Brother Reuel Del Rosario: Yes, it was Brother Bob, and the breadwinner, despite having to drive 5, 10, even up to 15 hours. When they arrived in the venues, they were full of energy, because that was their opportunity not just to help our friends and neighbors materially, but to help them spiritually, by inviting them to the true Church Of Christ. And many of them express their willingness to know more about the church.
Brother Bob Pellien: Well, we congratulate all the efforts that you were doing down there and all the continued efforts are going forward to help those in such calamitous areas as the place they’re in Baton Rouge. How about their Brother Dexter in the Washington, D.C. area, a little more prominent area of the country yet nevertheless, I’m sure you still have some outreach programs or maybe some other kinds of programs that really show to the world, the kind of unity, the kind of spirit that members of the true Church Of Christ have in all places of the world. What’s going on in the Washington, D.C,. area?
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: Yes, you’re correct, Brother Bob, we recently had INC Giving activities to help out people.
Brother Bob Pellien: When you say INC Giving activity, Brother Dexter, what are you referring to? It sounds like it’s an actual program of events that is… Can you tell our viewers a little bit more about that INC Giving project you’re referring to?
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: Of course, INC Giving activities or INC Giving are some programs that we have done in the past and continue to do inside the Church Of Christ, to help out those people who are in need, or maybe victims of calamity. That’s one aspect of INC Giving. Another aspect of INC Giving is also to show appreciation to those people, or have a positive influence in our communities like teachers, firefighters, police, so that we as church members could also be have a good relationship with those in our communities, and also have a positive impact on the communities where the Church is where the church is established. That’s what INC Giving is all about. But it leads to what is more important to us, introducing to them the Church Of Christ or Iglesia Ni Cristo, and thereby introducing to them also the word of our Lord God. That’s why one of the mainstay activities of not only our district here in mid-Atlantic, but districts and congregations all over the world are free Bible studies that we offer to anyone who is interested in listening to the teachings of the Church that we uphold. We also have as our central activity, for members of the Church of Christ, our worship services, where anyone is welcome. They’re interested in knowing about the truth. We invite them to go to their nearest congregation close to their residence, and ask if they could attend the worship services. As for the schedule of Bible studies, we’re more than willing to share with them like what we’ve done in this program the truth, not only when it comes to the name of the church, but also when it comes to who God is, who our Lord Jesus Christ is the path that one needs to take in order to be saved on the Day of Judgment.
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To learn more about the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), log onto iglesianicristo.net and incmedia.org
Brother Bob Pellien: They can also find Brother Dexter on the incmedia.org, all of these schedules and locations of worship services again, incmedia.org.
Brother Bob Pellien: Brothers we thank you so much for joining with us and our discussion like to thank you, Brother Reuel Del Rosario down there in Jacksonville, Florida, Brother Dexter Manglicmot in Washington DC, as well as Brother Rod Bruno, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for giving us Bible-based answers so that as the Apostle Peter said to the members of the Church, you will be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are. That’s First Peter 3:15.
Brother Bob Pellien: Well, that does it for us here on the Iglesia Ni Cristo International Edition. We hope you’ll join us again next time. This is Brother Bob Pellien. Thanks for watching. Before we go, let’s please all join together for a short prayer.
Brother Dexter Manglicmot: Our dear and Most Merciful, God in heaven. We thank you so much for your blessings upon us. In this program, we were able to benefit from your holy words. May it be that all those who are able to watch this program, receive the knowledge of your truth and have a submissive heart Dear Lord, so that they may continue to search for the truth that will lead them to their salvation. May you please continue to bless all the programs of Your Holy Church so that many more people may come to know who you are. And in that way, they may be saved on the Day of Judgment. Our Lord, our Savior, Jesus Christ, thank you for your many blessings upon your servants. May you please continue to mediate our prayers unto our Father, also linked us to the administration inside your Holy Church, so that we may always be united unto you, and most of all, unto our Father in heaven. I mean, we are confident now dear God, you have listened to our prayer. We pray all of these things in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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