Introduction to INC.

Q: So, you do not know yet what is the Iglesia ni Cristo?
A: The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) also known by its English name as Church of Christ (of Felix Y. Manalo) is a membership religious organization registered as a sole corporation in July 27, 1914, in the Philippines. Members are controlled tightly by its Manalo leader. The corporation's sole owner is Felix Y. Manalo.
Currently, it has 223 fully established congregations scattered outside the Philippines which include 134 in the U.S., 11 in Canada, 13 in Japan, 10 in Australia, and congregations in major cities of the world such as Tel-Aviv, Vienna, Brussels, Paris, Hamburg, Rome, Madrid, Athens, Geneva, Auckland, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok, and Hongkong.

Q: Who is Felix Y. Manalo?
A: He is the founder and organizer of the Iglesia ni Cristo. He claims to be the angel and Messenger of God in these last days using Revelation 7:2-3 and Revelation 14:9-11. He died in April 12, 1963. Before he died, he installed his son, Erano, to be his successor. Erano G. Manalo (EGM), the current leader, has himself installed his son, Eduardo (EVM) to be the future head of the Iglesia ni Cristo.

Q: What is the religious background of Felix Y. Manalo?
A: According to their official publication, God's Message, Felix Y. Manalo was born as a Catholic in May 10, 1886 in Taguig, Rizal (now part of Metro Manila), in the Philippines. In his boyhood, he lived with his uncle Catholic priest in the latter's parish in Sampaloc, Manila. It was there where he discovered a hidden bible which he began reading against the advise of his uncle priest. To his consternation, he found out that the biblical passages reject most of Catholic teachings. As a result, he embarked in a religious odyssey. He converted to the Methodist Episcopal Church. From the Methodist church, he joined the Presbyterian Church and became one of its pastors. Next, he became attracted and converted to another Protestant group called the Christian Missionary Alliance (Disciples of Christ), because of its baptism by immersion. At age 25, continuing his religious oddyssey, he joined the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) and became one of its outstanding evangelist. Because the SDA failed to to respond to his query why observance of Sabbath is on Saturdays, he left the SDA in 1913. (Source: God's Message magazine, Jul-Sep 1994, p.10-11).

Q: How did Felix Y. Manalo became a Messenger of God?
A: The following is an excerpt from their magazine God's Message:
"Devine Revelation
In November 1913, Brother Felix locked himself in his dimly-lit room and began poring over all the religious literature he had accumulated. For three days and tree nights, he immersed himself in an intensive study and reflection of the doctrines of various churches and compared their beliefs with the Bible. His exhaustive study of religions and the Bible led him to the conclusion that none of the existing churches then remained faithful with the biblical truth. Therefore, none of them is the true religion. His meditations assured him that God was commissioning him to preach the true Church of Christ." (God's Message, Jul-Sep 1994, p.11-12).

Q: What is the life of an Iglesia ni Cristo member?
A: The life of an Iglesia ni Cristo member revolves around these four obligations:
1. To attend without failure the Thursdays and Sundays worship services and the weekly committee prayer meetings;
2. To bear fruits, i.e., be instrumental in converting people to become Iglesia ni Cristo members for as long as one lives;
3) To obey the church administration always. The church administration is Erano G. Manalo and his ministers sent to lead the established congregations.
4) To contribute to the many offerings:
a) Thursdays and Sundays offerings;
b) Weekly local fund offerings;
c) Weekly EGM offerings;
d) Weekly deposits for the year end thanksgivings;
c) Monthly District offerings;
d) Monthly God's Message offerings;
e) Special Worship offerings;
f) July Anniversary offerings;
g) Additional cash to supplement the deposited
thanksgiving offerings.

Q: How can one become an Iglesia ni Cristo member?
A: Before one can become a member, he/she must undergo the twenty seven (27) indoctrination lessons of the gospel of Manalo. The Gospel of Manalo is a book of Iglesia doctrines written by Felix Y. Manalo commonly called Fundamental Beliefs of the Iglesia ni Cristo. One lesson per session per day or per week depending upon available time of the indoctrinee. The INC minister is available for twenty four (24) hours a day except on worship service hours.
After undergoing the 12 indoctrination lessons (The INC, due to the bad connotation, now calls the indoctrination as Bible Studies), the successful indoctrinees must pass a trial period of six months of uninterrupted worship service attendance and committee prayers attendance. Indoctrinees secure slips as proofs of attendance.
Having passed the trial period, the prospective convert is baptized in a pool of water by immersion after reciting an oath with raised right hand. Henceforth, the new convert is required to fill up a 201 file (Individual membership record file, assigned a deacon (if male) or deaconess (if female) who becomes his/her overseer/watcher.
The new convert also is provided a tag name in the chapel's hallway tagboard. Every time he/she attends the worship service, he/she must flip his/her name. Unflipped tagname will trigger a visitation by his/her assigned deacon/deaconess to ascertain the cause/s of the absence.

Q: What is the INC mandatory worship service?
A: It is a gospel of Manalo doctrine that compels all members not to be absent from the Thursday and Sunday worship service under pains of being thrown by God into the Lake of Fire. Through the trick of isolation of verses, Felix Y. Manalo is able to change the contexts of many verses such as the isolation of Heb. 10:25 fom its proper paragraph and attaching the verse to the next paragraph that deals with another topic (Willful Sinning). Thus, by combining Heb.10:25 with Heb. 10:26-27, FYM was able to concoct a mandatory worship service.

Q: What is the Iglesia ni Cristo's Law of Increasing responsibilities?
A: This law teaches that in the Iglesia ni Cristo, obligations, duties, and responsibilities of members increase as time passes. During the early days of the INC, there was only once-a-week worship, which is, on Sundays, but, later on, the Thursday worship was added. Previously, there was only one Thanksgiving Day which was on December, but, as time passed thanksgiving obligation became twice a year on December and July. Also, previously, there was only once a month contributions to the Locale Fund, later, it became weekly. Lately, the family weekly prayer obligation was added. So, is the start of a two hour worship service that includes compulsory organization meetings right after worship service.

Q: What is the Committee Prayer?
A: The weekly committee prayer is the gathering of the members that belong to the group of the deacon/deaconess. Usually, the meeting place is the place of residences of the members by rotation. In the gathering, the deacon or deaconess will read the church administration instructions and say prayers for the church generally. Usually, propagation works are discussed as to who has a prospect for conversion. Everybody knows each other in such a small group.

Q: What is the Iglesia ni Cristo compulsory seven days of devotional prayers?
A: It is one of the Gospel of Manalo doctrine that commands all officers to go nightly to the chapel to pray consecutively for seven days for sin cleansing. Usually, the following occasions requires the seven days devotional prayers:

a) Thanksgiving Worship Service on December;
b) Church Anniversary Thanksgiving Worship on July;
c) Holy Supper in April or May;
d) Bible Expositions;
e) Grand Evangelical Missions;
f) Other occasions as may be commanded by EGM

Q: How does an INC congregation rise up?
A: A congregation starts as a committee prayer group of usually two or three members. As the committee group increase in numbers, the INC central office in the Philippines will send a minister to officiate the Thursday and Sunday worship service. Usually, a hall or other convenient place is rented pending the acquisition of a permanent house of worship or chapel. The committee prayer group becomes a congregation upon having its own regular worship service.

Q: How does an INC committee group or congregation start?
A: A committee group or congregation starts in two ways:
1. Member initiative;
2. Central office initiative.
A member initiative is one in which a member goes to another place, city, county, or country, where there is no existing established INC church, starts a committee prayer group in his house or apartment with himself and two or more new acquaintances, or with his family plus family acquaintances. The committee prayer group is like a cell. The cell grows to become a congregation.
A central office initiative is one in which an existing INC congregation is broken up into two or three congregations by instructions from the central administration in the Philippines.

Q: How does the INC finance its chapel buildings?
A: The central administration only lends the money to the congregation for buying the chapel building. The members of the congregation pay back the loaned central office money through their weekly thanksgiving deposits. The local congregation does not keep the books to show the status of the loaned money. Usually, the loaned money is paid off in three to five years.

Q: What are the techniques employed by the Iglesia ni Cristo in luring anyone to become an indoctrinee?
A: Members get reminded of their sworn duty to bear fruits during the compulsory worship services. Members heeding the reminders will invite their relatives, friends, and acquaintances, to the weekly bible expositions or the monthly grand evangelical missions. As visitors are herded into the Iglesia ni Cristo chapels, it becomes the part of the minister to turn the visitors into converts. The Iglesia ministers are trained for years in the Philippines by Manalo in the art of seducing people to become a member. Subtle scaring is mostly employed at the initial phase. Coupled by the inviters show of friendships (love bombings), the visitors will be sweeped off their feet to undergo their so-called bible studies.

Q: What other techniques are employed by the Iglesia ni Cristo to have a continuous supply of indoctrinees?
A: 1. Use of the Manalo created organizations such as the Buklod, Kadiwa, Binhi, Light of Salvation, Edification, Adult and Junior Choirs, Records, Finance, Area Groups, deacons and deaconess. All officers of these organizations are also officers of the church. Being officers, they are required to have annual oathtaking or annual reaffirmations of their oaths. All these organizations have their respective meetings and agendas. All these officers receive no compensations whatsoever in doing their work for the Iglesia ni Cristo. Usually, more than 50% of the members of the congregation are officers. It is always reminded that being an officer is a virtue that all should strive for. These offficers are being marshalled by the resident minister to work in getting new indoctrinees.

2. Use of devotional prayers - One week before the scheduled bible exposition (B.E.) or grand evangelical mission (G.E.M.), the officers are required to do seven days devotional prayers nightly in the chapel. Attendance is monitored through signing an attendance sheet next to one's officer's name. Ostensibly, the aim of the devotional prayer is to harness the powers of God so that people will heed the invitations.

3. Use of committee prayer groups - The congregation is split into areas. The respective areas are themselves split into groups of seven or less members under the tutelage of a deacon or deaconess. In the committee group meeting, the agenda of the church administration is brought out. These are agendas which could not be brought out in the regular worship service gathering. Members are asked how many visitors he/she is bringing to the bible exposition.

3. Use of the God's Message magazine - Each member buys this magazine ( currently the price is $2.50 each issue). Usually, members buy two. One for self and one for his/her prospective visitor or prospect.

4. Use of television programs, radios, and video productions.

5. Use of social projects such as cleaning of public parks, blood donations, food donations to victims of calamities. The financial aspects of these projects are shouldered by the members themselves. It is believed the INC church does not dole out monies for any of these projects. The INC refuses to divulge the uses of its incomes.

Q: What are the verses being used by the Iglesia ni Cristo to scare people into becoming an indoctrinee?
A: 1. The Judgment Day.......Heb.9:27. 2 Pet.3:7;
2. Two kinds of resurrection..Jn.5:28-29, 1 Thes.4:16; Rev. 10:6-7;
3. All men are sinners...Rom. 5:12; 6:23
4. Penalty for sinners is second death in the lake of fire..Rev. 20:14;
5. Remedy is joining the INC..Rom.8:1 (NKJV); Eph.2:15 (NKJV);Col.1:18 (NKJV; Acts 20:28 Lamsa

Q: What are the Iglesia ni Cristo terms and words of expression and their meanings?
A: The followings words and phrases are commonly used in the Iglesia ni Cristo and their corresponding meanings:

1) Cold - One who seldom attends the worship services. Applies also to anyone who seldom attends the organizational meetings.
2) Fruit - A convert to the Iglesia ni Cristo faith. It could also apply to a newly recruited church officer;
3) Sheep - Every member is a sheep being tended by his or her respective deacon/deaconess;
4) Branch -Every member of the INC is a branch (of the vine). The vine here is understood to be the Iglesia ni Cristo. It is said that when a member does not bear fruit, or does not remain member of the INC church, he/she is cast as a branch, is withered, and gathered to be thrown into the lake of fire;
5) Gift - The office or position or duty that a member is recruited to possess or occupy. It is said that when a member is recruited to an officer position, that is a gift given by God. Since it is God who has given the gift, the member has no right to terminate or resign from such position. It is only God who can terminate or gets back the gift.
6) Citizens of heaven - All members of the Iglesia ni Cristo are citizens of heaven. As citizens of heaven, their allegiance is to the messenger of God of heaven which is no other than Felix Y. Manalo and his duly appointed successor.
7) Body - the word "body" whereever it could be found in the Bible refers to the Iglesia ni Cristo or Church of Christ (of FYM).
8) Church - the word "church" (not capitalized) whereever it could be found in the Bible refers to the Church of Christ (of FYM) or Iglesia ni Cristo.
9) Saints - Refers to all members of the Iglesia ni Cristo.
10) Angel (or "sugo") - Refers to Felix Y. Manalo, the founder of the Iglesia ni Cristo church.
11) Drawing back - Refers to the act of any member who starts to miss the worship service on Thursday or Sunday. Refers also to those who are leaving the Iglesia ni Cristo faith and going back to their original faiths as Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, etc. It is always reminded in the worship service that anyone who draws back will not please God and will subject the transgressor to punishment in the lake of fire. As it is said, one who draws back is like a dog who goes to its own vomit, or a pig who goes to wallow in the mud after being cleaned. Also, one who goes back to their former religion will result in the worsest condition because the evil inside the Ex-INC will invite seven more evils to inhabit the traitor. Drawing back also applies to any officer who does not fulfill his sworn duties. Drawing back can also be incurred if your money thanksgivings for the year has decreased from that what you have offered last year.
12) Share - This word if found in the Bible (particularly Heb. 13:16 or 1 Tim.6:18) means sharing the Iglesia ni Cristo faith. It also means sharing your monies to the church for its many projects.
13) Third group - Refers to the Iglesia ni Cristo group that has the promise of salvation as provided in Act 2:39 NKJV). Accordingly, the first group are the Jews, the second group are the Gentiles. According to Felix Y. Manalo, the first two groups (Jews and Gentiles) were no longer the people of God because both have departed from the true faith- the Jews became idolatrous, while the Gentiles (first century Christians) listened to doctrines of demons and converted to Catholicism & Protestantism.
14) Lake of fire - This is the second death punishment for sinners who do not want to become Iglesia ni Cristo members. This punishment is also given to Iglesia members who had left the Iglesia ni Cristo faith. Missing alone one worship service will incur this punishment for any erring Iglesia member.
15) In the flesh - Refers to members who indulge in sinful lives. It is always reminded in the worship service that members renew their sinful lives, otherwise, they too, will be consigned into the lake of fire. Having a non member boyfriend or girlfriend is considered as being in the flesh. Too much love for money is also a sin in the flesh.
16) Annual December Thanksgiving - This is one of the delicate worship service. As such, it requires the seven day devotional prayers by members. In this worship service, each one, adult, youth, and babies, must have his/her envelope stuffed with monies. Members are required to have one year preparation accomplished by making weekly Sunday deposits starting from the first Sunday of January through the second Sunday of December. A token check for the total amount deposited is given to the member depositor in exchange for the surrendering of the deposit booklet. The token check will be placed in the thanksgiving envelope. Since the Thanksgiving Day is the third Sunday of December, the deficiency of the deposits will covered up by adding cash, money orders, or bank checks. Personal checks are discouraged unless the brother/sister is sure of sufficiency of funds in the bank. The members must thank God for calling them to become members of the Church of Christ. According to Manalo, the members must thank God for many things such as: Most important of all is for remaining as members inside the Iglesia ni Cristo, for being alive, for being freed from mishaps, sickness, and other calamities, for receiving many blessings such as the jobs, the possessions, and properties they own..
17) July Anniversary Thanksgiving- This is another delicate worship service to commemorate the founding of the Iglesia ni Cristo by Felix Y. Manalo. It is also the commemoration and praise of Felix Y. Manalo, whose commissioning by God lead to the rebirth of the first century church established by Jesus Christ. The members must have the envelope stuffed with monies to thank God for the progress of the Church.
18) Holy Supper - Is another delicate worship service that demands seven days nightly devotional prayers. The highlights of this service besides the parading of the choir members and the eating of the tiny (1/2 inch diameter) toasted bread, the drinking of the one tablespoon of grape juice, is the raising of the right hand in an oath to proclaim the Lord's death. Proclaiming the Lord's death (1 Cor.11:26 NKJV) means doing propagation works or getting new converts.
19) Block voting - Refers to the practice of selecting for the members the names whom to vote during election time. Political candidates usually troop to the Iglesia ni Cristo mansion to gain the support of Erano G. Manalo. Candidates are queried what can they do for the Iglesia ni Cristo. Successful candidates are written in a sample ballot paper to be distributed in the Committee prayer meetings of Iglesia ni Cristo groups. The sample ballot is secretly brought by the member to be copied into the official ballot inside the voting booth. Members who don't unify with the chosen candidates are warned of expulsion from the church.

Q: What is the Gospel of Manalo?
A: The Gospel of Manalo is the book of doctrines conceived and written by Felix Y. Manalo as revised by his son Erano G. Manalo which serves as the basis of faith in the Iglesia ni Cristo. This book commonly called Fundamental Beliefs of the Iglesia ni Cristo delineates the twenty seven (27) doctrines or lessons comprising the Manalo gospel which must be accepted, believed, and sworn for their obedience, before anyone can become an Iglesia ni Cristo member. The Iglesia ni Cristo now calls this preaching of these Manalo gospel doctrines as bible studies.

Q: Why is the Gospel of Manalo able to control people?
A: The Gospel of Manalo uses the technique called Classical Conditioning. In classical conditioning, you can condition , train, or control anyone to do what you want, provided you feed your victim with an accessory bait and provided that such teaching and accessory bait have been given to your victim repeatedly for an extended period of time. When the worship service of the Iglesia ni Cristo is of the same topic preached repeatedly, it is in line with the repetition principle of classical conditioning.

Psychology Book Example of Classical Conditioning:

Mind conditioner................Pavlov
Animal to be conditioned........A dog
What Pavloc wants the dog to do? To salivate (detected by use of inserted instrument)
Two things needed to condition the dog: 1) Bell 2) Meat powder as a bait.

Application:
Every time Pavlov rings the bell, the bell is accompanied by giving the dog the meat powder. Pavlov does this repeatedly to train or condition the dog. After several ringing and dispensing of the meat powder, the dog is now trained (or conditioned). Pavlov rings the bell but without the accessory meat powder. Result: The dog salivates upon hearing the bell even without the meat powder. Conclusion: The dog is already conditioned to accept that the bell means meat powder.

The INC Application of Classical Conditioning:

Mind Conditioner............Felix Manalo (or INC minister);
Animal to be trained........Visitor or Prospect;
What FYM or INC minister wants the visitor to do: To enroll in the INC free bible study;
Two things needed to condition the visitor....1) Gospel of Manalo, and 2) The Bible (as bait).

Application:

In the bible exposition, every time the INC minister teaches the gospel of Manalo, it is accompanied by reading the Bible. In the entire session, the two things (Manalo gospel plus Bible bait) is being repeated again and again. At the end of the session, the visitor is impressed that the Iglesia ni Cristo is a Bible based church. Conclusion: The visitor is already conditioned to become a Bible student or indoctrinee.

The Iglesia ni Cristo's technique of classical conditioning (brain washing in modern parlance) is being applied notoriously in the Iglesia mandatory worship services on Thursdays and Sundays. FYM can't afford that members miss the brainwashing session or else he will lose them. For every whims that Manalo desires, he pushes the members through the use of a bait. The mind is susceptible to be trained and to be conditioned to accept and do anything if pushed by a bait and if done regularly and repeatedly.


God Bless You

rey anthony gatela