The Church’s intensive propagation in the second year of the pandemic
Compiled by RONNIE H. MUTYA
Date Posted: December 30, 2021
SINCE THE START of this year and up to this writing, as the year 2021 comes to a close, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) has sustained its intensive efforts in the work of propagating God’s words. Despite the continuing pandemic and all its ill effects, the Church members continuously participate in the missionary activities launched by the Church Administration. As a result, more and more people of different races and socio-economic backgrounds from various parts of the world joined the one true Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in these last days.
Let us take a look on some of the highlights on how the members of the Church Of Christ enthusiastically shared the Good News of salvation to all and sundry.
Through Pasugo drive
By distributing copies of the Pasugo: God’s Message, brethren introduced their neighbors and fellow citizens to the Church Of Christ and the biblical teachings it upholds through the religious articles contained in the official magazine of the Church. They also sent links of the religious articles published on pasugo.com.ph to their loved ones and friends.
Undeterred by the inclement weather, the Church members from the Local Congregation of Claveria, Ecclesiastical District of Cagayan West, handed out Pasugo: God’s Message magazines on January 9, 2021.
The Christian youth from the Micronesia Ecclesiastical District conducted a simultaneous online Pasugo drive, March 14, 2021.
A pair of Church members from the Ecclesiastical District of Macau distributed religious pamphlets in a bus station in Macau in preparation for the weeklong online evangelical mission slated April 12-16, 2021.
Christian Society for the Deaf members and would-be members from the Iloilo City Congregation, Iloilo South District, led by Brother Orlando Ordan, CSD district director (front, center) posed for a photo before their missionary activity, May 17, 2021.
Off from work or school, KADIWA members from the Local Congregation of Saint-Laurent, Quebec in the Ottawa, Canada Ecclesiastical District such as this sister took the opportunity to share their faith to others, July 10, 2021.
One with his fellow KADIWA members, a Novo Ecijano from the Ecclesiastical District of Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, sent to his friends links of religious articles published on pasugo.com.ph, the official website of the Pasugo: God’s Message, July 16, 2021.
A sister from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on November 7, 2021 gave a coworker free copy of the Pasugo, proven to be an effective tool in introducing to other people the Church Of Christ and God’s teachings it upholds.
In Japan, a member of the Church Of Christ briefly introduced the Church and the special edition of Pasugo magazine in Nihongo before giving it to a potential missionary guest, November 20, 2021.
Proclaiming God’s words in evangelical missions
As Covid-19 restrictions gradually eased, the brethren took the opportunity to invite guests to attend in-person evangelical missions for the proclamation of the pure gospel of salvation held in the house of worship.
Choir members from the Auckland Local Congregation, New Zealand District on May 24, 2021 spearheaded the inviting of guests to listen to the words of God in an evangelical mission.
On October 5, 2021, brethren from the Local Congregation of Dau Ville Extension, Ecclesiastical District of Pampanga North brought their friends and loved ones to their house of worship to listen to the preaching of God’s words by Brother Spencer Quillayen, resident minister.
Brethren from the Local Congregation of Antwerp, Belgium gladly accompanied their friends and loved ones who accepted their invitation to listen to the words of God in the evangelical mission held in the congregation on October 17, 2021.
Brother Nolito Mamato, resident minister, taught a Bible-based lesson proving that membership in the Church Of Christ is the sole means to receive salvation during an evangelical mission held by the Local Congregation of Concepcion, Ecclesiastical District of Metro Manila East, November 30, 2021.
Christian Employees Association (CEA) members from the Local Congregation of Borongan, Eastern Samar District led the brethren in inviting guests in an evangelical mission on December 4, 2021.
Integrating music and Sign Language in sharing the truth
The brethren from various districts strove to reach a wider audience and pique their interest to examine the biblical teachings upheld by the Church Of Christ by taking part in more novel ways of spreading the gospel such as integrating music and Sign Language interpretation to evangelical missions.
Inspired by faith and love for God, choir members from the Ecclesiastical District of United Kingdom led their fellow brethren in sharing their faith through an online musical evangelical mission on January 24, 2021, the first of its kind in their district.
The Church members from the General Santos City, South Cotabato Ecclesiastical District, such as family members in this photo, invited their loved ones and friends who are deaf to an evangelical mission intended for them through Sign Language interpretation on February 22, 2021.
Immediately after receiving the Internet links of the video streaming room for the online evangelical mission, the brethren from the Ecclesiastical District of Mountain States in turn shared this to their guests that they could listen to the preaching of God’s truths from the confines of their homes on February 28, 2021.
Culminating on May 31, 2021, the month-long series of online musical evangelical missions held by the Ecclesiastical District of Manitoba, in Canada drew many guests and new doctrinal instructees joining the Church Of Christ.
In all the sites of the evangelical mission held by the Local Congregation of Punta, Ecclesiastical District of Manila on June 15, 2021, the guests witnessed a video presentation about the inspiring convert stories of some of the newly baptized brethren.
Church members in the Hong Kong Ecclesiastical District brought many guests to an evangelical mission and musical presentation on September 22, 2021.
Reaping abundant fruits of evangelistic efforts
As baptisms of new Church members were periodically held in various parts of the world as early as January, the brethren thus reaped the fruits of their collective evangelistic efforts. As a result, every congregation, in particular, and the Church in general increased in membership, thus, more faithful serve as “lights of the world” by spreading the words of God.
Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) members in Papua New Guinea continues to rise as baptism was held in the house of worship of the Port Moresby Local Congregation on January 31, 2021.
The much-awaited day of baptism of those whom the brethren from the Capiz Ecclesiastical District caringly walked through the whole process of joining the Church finally came on February 5, 2021 held at the Roxas City Congregation’s house of worship.
Eager for the most awaited day in their lives, candidates for baptism travelled and arrived early to the house of worship of the Local Congregation of Nagoya, Ecclesiastical District of Nagoya, Japan to receive their baptism on April 30, 2021.
Church Of Christ membership in Lisbon continues to grow as its group worship service in Portugal’s capital conducted another holy baptism on May 22, 2021.
On May 28, 2021, the candidates for baptism gathered at the house of worship of Mintal Congregation to receive baptism officiated by the Davao City District supervising minister, Brother Bedan Ubaldo.
On July 17, 2021, from the house of worship of the Local Congregation of Orlando, Florida, which served as the host site for the baptismal service, the preaching of the district supervising minister, Brother Marlone Balason, was livestreamed to various local congregations in the Florida District where other baptismal candidates also gathered.
Prospective members in the Southern Africa Ecclesiastical District took their oath of membership before receiving their actual baptism held on July 28, 2021, a day after the 107th anniversary of the Church Of Christ.
The newly baptized members from the Espiritu Santo GWS, Ecclesiastical District of Australia East posed for a souvenir photo after they received their baptism at the Awa’s pool in Luganville, Vanuatu on July 30, 2021.
The baptism held on September 26, 2021 at the baptismal pool in the house of worship of the Local Congregation of Rome came as a result of the continuous efforts of the brethren from the Italy South Ecclesiastical District in sharing the true gospel to others these past few months.
New Church members who were fruits of the evangelistic efforts of the Church’s district in the Mediterranean region received baptism at the historic Jordan River, Israel on November 27, 2021.
The Church’s evangelization efforts continue
No matter what the circumstances are and how challenging it can be in the years to come, faithful Church Of Christ members will continue to obey the teachings of God. They understand and have faith when they bear abundant fruits, one of which is leading people into the true service of God by sharing the true Christian faith, God is truly pleased and glorified:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains with me and I with him, will bear abundant fruit … In this the Father will be glorified, that you bear abundant fruit, and be my disciples.” (John 15:5, 8 Lamsa)
