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By KENNETH A. OUANO
IN HIS SECOND EPISTLE to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul, commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ to be the apostle to the Gentiles, talked about his authority as an administrator in the first-century Church. He reminded them that “he had every right to instruct them in the ways of the Lord concerning conduct and gathering together as a church of Jesus Christ” (bible-history.com). Particularly in Chapter 10 verse 8, he pointed out the great significance of that authority he received from the Lord:
“For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed.” (New King James Version)
As the nation of God in these last days, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) today has an administration with such authority. What is the nature of that authority held by the Administration in the true Church with the Executive Minister at the helm? Why and how is the Church Administration “for edification and not for [our] destruction”?
The administration in the true Church is from the Almighty: “I have become its minister, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known” (Col. 1:25 Holman Christian Standard Bible).
Hence, the man whom God has appointed to serve as Executive Minister of the Church Of Christ received his authority from the Lord. The Church Administration’s authority—which includes the power to direct the affairs of the Church and administer discipline, if necessary—is of divine origin as proven by the Bible.
Clearly, having God-given authority has been the hallmark of stewardship of all those who have led the Iglesia Ni Cristo, from God’s Messenger in these last days, Brother Felix Y. Manalo, who served as the first Executive Minister, to Brother Eraño G. Manalo, and up to the current Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo.
Speaking as one of those to whom God entrusted the administration of the Church when Christ was already in heaven, Apostle Paul wrote: “And I have been made a servant of the church by God, who gave me this task to perform for your good. It is the task of fully proclaiming his message” (Col. 1:25 Good News Bible).
As man was separated from God and destined to suffer eternal punishment because of the sins he committed (Isa. 59:2; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 21:8), the Church Administration is empowered by God to administer the reconciliation to God that man needs. The ministry and the “message of reconciliation” are entrusted to them, for they function as “ambassadors for Christ” (II Cor. 5:18–20 New Revised Standard Version).
The Church Administration continues to preach God’s will to the Church Of Christ members, the ones who were reconciled to God. Brother Eduardo Manalo, besides preaching the words of God in worship services and other gatherings he officiates, also prepares the worship service lessons taught to all local congregations, and writes pastoral letters read to the whole Church. Dedicatedly, he does these to bring the Church, the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the perfection of faith, worthy of attaining the promised eternal life.
The very essence of the Church Administration is to fortify the brethren, not to weaken them. It functions to encourage them to uphold the true faith, holiness, and spiritual maturity for the attainment of salvation, even if it entails removing those that pose as hindrances to the Church’s edification. Its mandate is to strengthen the Church, not tear it down, as others with no divine election apparently do, such as by sowing division in the flock.
Serving his purpose, the present Executive Minister, as did his predecessors, untiringly labors in reaching out to all Church members in various parts of the globe. The Church Administration even utilizes modern means of communication to bridge any distance for the sake of increasing the brethren’s faith for them to hold on to the divine election despite serious problems, fierce persecutions, and various trials.
Uninterruptedly, Brother Eduardo Manalo conducts pastoral visitations to see in person the brethren’s situation and attend to their spiritual needs. At all opportune times, he exhorts them to “fight the good fight for the faith” (I Tim. 6:12 hcsb), live righteously before God as they live amid a permissive world, and “run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize … the life above” (Phil. 3:14 gnb).
Another hallmark of the Church Administration is the willingness to sacrifice for the Church’s welfare, being disposed to suffer anything for its sake. This spirit of not looking for one’s own benefit, but for everyone’s, so that Church members will be saved (I Cor. 10:33 Spoken English New Testament) was demonstrated by the former executive ministers during their lifetime, and now by the current Executive Minister.
The brethren around the world witness how Brother Eduardo Manalo leads the Church with genuine love, zeal, and dedication, not minding the countless sacrifices and hardships he has to face. Hands-on in leadership approach and dedicated to his duties, he labors day and night for their sake, yielding personal comfort and safety, to bring them closer to God and His blessings. In conducting pastoral visitations to brethren even in remote places and far-flung corners of the world, he stands undeterred of the dangers, the rigors of crossing various time zones, and the inclement weather that come along the way during his journeys.
Indeed, true Church leaders are not afraid of enduring for the Church, as Apostle Paul expressed:
“I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God.” (Col. 1:24–25 nkjv)
Dealing with each one of us Church Of Christ members “like a father with his children,” the Church Administration encourages us to “lead a life worthy of God” and of His kingdom and glory (I Thess. 2:11–12 nrsv). So that we may also obtain the promised salvation, they “endure all things for the sake of the elect” (II Tim. 2:10 nkjv), motivated by great love for us:
“We cared so much for you, and you became so dear to us, that we were willing to give our lives for you when we gave you God’s message.” (I Thess. 2:8 Contemporary English Version)
We can show that we appreciate the Executive Minister’s selfless love and concern for our souls by obeying God’s commands that he constantly teaches us: to give God glory as His people (Isa. 42:12); “to live in a way that pleases God … to be holy, not to live impure lives” (I Thess. 4:1, 7 New Living Translation 1996); to be “rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share” (I Tim. 6:18 nkjv) by, among other things, zealously sharing to others our faith and the message of salvation; to complete the race and keep the faith (II Tim. 4:7); and to “make [our] calling and election sure” that we “will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Pet. 1:10–11 New International Version).
On his 17th anniversary as Executive Minister of the Church Of Christ, we reaffirm our oath to submit to and obey Brother Eduardo Manalo, in accordance with God’s will to “obey your leaders and submit to their authority” and to always pray for them (Heb. 13:17–18 niv) inasmuch as we, too, are always in his thoughts and prayers. ❑
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