“I feel very blessed because this is a great opportunity for me to renew my life and strengthen myself not just mentally but also fortify myself spiritually,” said Russia-born Anatoly Sergeivich Kadakov from the Misawa Group Worship Service, who was born to the Russian Orthodox but “stopped when I was around 12.”

The great opportunity he was referring to was his baptism into the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) that he received on March 24, 2026 at the place of worship of the Local Congregation of Saitama, Ecclesiastical District of Tokyo, Japan.

District supervising minister Brother Amante Rodriguez officiated at the baptismal gathering. Through his preaching, Kadakov and fellow baptismal candidates, including a Japanese, received exhortation through the Bible to uphold their obedience to God’s teachings in their journey towards salvation. Brother Rodriguez explained that this would strengthen their faith, and that they could always pray to God for His help concerning their needs

“I was nervous at first, but I felt lighter after my baptism,” shared another one of the newly baptized, Akio Ota from the Ichikawa Congregation. “From now on, I am fully committing myself to stay dedicated serving God within the Church and attending worship services.”

Meanwhile, Judith Rebose from the Yokohama Local Congregation, expressed, “Now that I’ve finally become a Church member, I feel an overwhelming sense of relief and gratitude for the ministers and brethren who worked so hard to guide me.”

Church officers and brethren welcomed the newly-baptized members and introduced them to their respective Christian Family Organizations—whether Buklod, KADIWA, or Binhi—the activities of which they could enthusiastically join.

“I met the one I invited as a guest because we are in the same group of friends,” recalled finance officer Zyrelle Denisse Ocampo from the Shinagawa Congregation. “We’re in the same hobby; we went hiking with our friends before. I told him about the Church and encouraged him to be a Bible student. … I’m happy that he now received baptism.” — With assistance from Ed Ryan Santiago