Iglesia Ni Cristo

The Iglesia ni Cristo started in early 1914 when Felix Manalo began preaching the Church of Christ in a place called the Sitio de Punta in Sta. Ana, Manila.  There, he started with four or five listeners in a small room at the workers’ quarters of Atlantic Gulf and Pacific Company of Manila Incorporated.  As the listeners began to grow in number, the lightly religious meetings were held in public.  Soon, the first converts were baptized in the nearby Pasig River.  They formed the first local congregation of the Iglesia ni Cristo in the Philippines.

In the same year, Manalo, working with Atty. Juan Natividad, filed the Article of Incorporation of the Church with the government. The church was officially registered in the Philippine government on July 27, 1947. As of the year 1970, the number of Iglesia ni Cristo members reached 475,407 (NCSO).

Iglesia ni Cristo followers believe in one God, the Father who created the universe.  They believe that the Lord jesus Christ, who is the son of the God, is himself not a God but a man.

The members also believe that the word of God is written  in the Bible.  They say that they recognized no other basis and authority in serving God except the bible.  For them, the tasks of  understanding and teaching the Bible are given to the messengers of God, and that Felix Manalo wa sGod’s last messenger. They also believe that man can only be saved by becoming a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo.

Yearly, the Iglesia ni Cristo members commemorate the Last or Holy Supper of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Their baptism is done by immersion.

Iglesia ni Cristo observes the worship service which is characterized by psalm and hymn singing, prayers, studies on the word of God, revelation, and offerings.  Regularly, the Iglesia ni Cristo holds worship service every Thursday and Sunday.  Occassionaly, the worship service is held on any other day of the week.

The Iglesia ni Cristo forbids its members from forsaking their congregational worship service.  Furthermore they cannot feed on blood under the pain of excommunication. Mixed marriages are also prohibited in the Iglesia ni Cristo.

Followers of the Iglesia ni Cristo consider their church polity as centralized. Their executive Ministed whom they call Bro. Eraño G. manalo is the Church administrator.  Iglesia ni Cristo in the Philippines has a General Secretary, a General Evangelist, a General Auditor, and a General Treasurer.  There are also Division Ministers in each province, which in turn, have Resident Minister in each locale.

Source:

Readings on the Iglesia ni Cristo School of Evangelical Ministry, new Era College. This is the Iglesia ni Cristo, “Church of Christ” Iglesia ni Cristo.