Iglesia ni Cristo

History

During the American colonial era of the Philippines, there were a variety of rural anti-colonial movements, often with religious undertones, and American Protestant missionaries introduced several alternatives to the Catholic Church, the predominant church during the Spanish colonial period.

Felix Manalo

Main article: Felix Manalo

Felix Y. Manalo, born on May 10, 1886 as Felix Ysagun to Mariano Ysagun y Villanueva and Bonifacia Manalo y Cruz, in Taguig, Philippines, was baptized into the Catholic Church. Manalo's baptismal record, however, cannot be found as records of his parish went back to only as early as June 1886. Manalo became dissatisfied with Catholic theology in his teenage years. At the age of seven, Manalo was said to have attended classes under a certain "Maestro Cario" in Manila. However, his studies were interrupted by the Philippine Revolution in 1896, prompting him not to pursue further formal education, and turn to farming and hatmaking instead. According to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the establishment of the Philippine Independent Church (also called the Aglipayan Church), one of the enduring results of the Revolution, was his major turning point. Still, Manalo remained uninterested since its doctrines were mainly Catholic, although at the time he found himself aligned with colorumism, a syncretism of Christian and animist beliefs popular among Filipinos. In 1904, he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, entered the Methodist Florence Nicholson Seminary, and became a lay preacher for the Methodist Mission. He also explored various Christian denominations, including the Presbyterian Church (where he studied in the Ellinwood Bible School), Iglesia ni Cristo 1901 (Christian Mission), and finally the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1911, where he served as a lay preacher. After being antagonized by fellow Adventists for his colorum past, and being reprimanded for his elopement with his future wife (they were married in a different church), Manalo left Adventism in 1913, and associated himself with atheist and agnostic peers.

In November 1913, Manalo secluded himself with religious literature and unused notebooks in a friend's house in Pasay, instructing everyone in the home not to disturb him. He emerged from seclusion three days later with his new-found doctrines. Manalo, together with his wife, went to Punta, Santa Ana, Manila, in November 1913 and started preaching. He also returned to his hometown Taguig to evangelize, where he was ridiculed and stoned at his evangelistic meetings with locals. He later baptized a few converts, including some of his persecutors, along the Pasig River on December 25, 1913. They formed the first members of the church. He eventually attracted more followers. Among those he invited to become ministers of his new church would be Bishop Nicolas Zamora of IEMELIF, who was then leading an 11,000-member Methodist church (Zamora refused the offer). Prompted by concerns that his evangelism and propagation efforts for the new church might be illegal, Manalo later registered his new church as the Iglesia ni Kristo (INK; English: Church of Christ; Spanish: Iglesia de Cristo) on July 27, 1914, at the Bureau of Commerce as a corporation sole, with himself as the first executive minister. Expansion followed as INC started building congregations in the provinces in 1916, with Pasig (then in Rizal Province) having two locales established. On December 25, 1918, coinciding with the fifth (5th) anniversary celebration of the church, Manalo was ordained as a minister by the following bishops and pastors: Alejandro Reyes (IEMELIF), Victoriano Mariano (IEMELIF), Gil Domingo (Iglesia de los Cristianos Filipinos), Guillermo Zarco (Presbyterian Church), Emiliano Quijano (Iglesia ni Cristo 1901), Nicolas Fajardo (Evangelical Church), Roque Bautista (Evangelical Church). The first three ministers of the INC were ordained thereafter, in May 1919, namely Justino Casanova (pangulo ng lupon), Federico Inocencio (kagawad ng lupon), and Teodoro Santiago (kalihim ng lupon). Before leaving for the United States in August 1919, he visited the INC congregations and left the newly-ordained ministers in charge of the church until his return to the Philippines in 1921. Manalo went twice to the United States to study religion in Protestant-managed schools, first in 1919, and later in 1938. Early church members were said to be mostly uneducated, illiterate, and coming from the lower socioeconomic classes, the ministers included.

In response to the separation of congregations led by INC ministers Teofilo Ora, Januario Ponce, and Basilio Santiago, which schism severely divided the emerging church primarily in the provinces such as Bulacan and Nueva Ecija, Manalo's title as the Sugo () was introduced to church doctrine in 1922, after interpreting that Manalo is the "angel from the East" mentioned in . Ora and the ministers who went with him clashed with Manalo in terms of doctrine, such as the decreasing relevance of Jesus Christ in the INC preaching (paksa), and how the church was run, particularly in light of reported abuses and immorality. Other changes by this time included the eventual rejection of cassock (sutana) as clothing for ministers. Manalo's authority over the church was so pervasive that outsiders termed the church as the Iglesia ni Manalo () and its adherents "Manalistas" for their "fanatical" obedience to the church administration. By 1924, INC had about 3,000 to 5,000 adherents in 43 or 45 congregations in Manila and six nearby provinces. Church growth, however, came with more troubles. In 1928, INC Minister Nicolas Perez of Bulacan led another significant split across church ranks. Perez protested against abuses of the church, the changing doctrine on vices and jewelry, and the controlling nature of the church administration that discourages open-mindedness and critical thinking among its members. According to Teodoro Santiago, the third INC Minister to be ordained in the church, Manalo began to openly reject the deity of Christ around the year 1932, but still maintained that Jesus is Lord (Panginoong Hesukristo). By 1936, INC had 85,000 members. This figure grew to 200,000 by 1954. A Cebu congregation was built in 1937—the first to be established outside of Luzon, and the first in the Visayas. By 1938, Manalo threatened the INC brethren that he would leave the church and start anew, prompting a circular issued by Teodoro Santiago to submit their respective explanations (salaysay) to keep the church united. During World War II, Manalo was offered by the Japanese to lead the all-Filipino Evangelical Church of the Philippines (福音教会). His refusal led to Japanese suspicion and surveillance, to the point that Manalo acceded to the Japanese demand to have Prudencio Vasquez, division minister of Nueva Ecija and later of Bicol, as the Executive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo. This was formalized through a circular issued on June 29, 1942. Manalo resumed to be the Executive Minister after the war. The first mission to Mindanao was commissioned in 1946. On March 15, 1948, the church was formally reconstituted through amendments to its Articles of Incorporation as the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), with a twofold name (Iglesia Ni Cristo and Church of Christ) used in English-speaking countries. Meanwhile, its first concrete chapel was built in Sampaloc, Manila also in 1948. Adherents fleeing for the provinces away from Manila, where the Japanese forces were concentrated during World War II, were used for evangelization. By 1950, Manalo himself claimed that the INC had 2 million members. The 1960 Census in the Philippines, however, showed adherents totaling to 270,104. By 1955, the overall educational attainment of INC members had also improved, with an estimated 35 percent of its total membership being considered literate. This is, however, lower than the national literacy rate of 75 percent in the same year. As Manalo's health began to fail in the 1950s, his son Eraño began taking leadership of the church. Manalo died on April 12, 1963.

International expansion

Main article: Eraño Manalo

While Felix Manalo during his lifetime was convinced on keeping the INC as exclusively Filipino, a reinterpretation and change in doctrine regarding Isaiah 43:5 prompted the INC to expand to the Western world, or what INC doctrine called the "Far West" (Malayong Kanluran). However, it must also be noted that this region geographically speaking would have been farther east of the Philippines instead of west. Still, the global expansion pushed through. It would be on July 27, 1968 when Eraño Manalo officiated the inaugural worship service of the church in Ewa Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii—the first mission of the INC outside the Philippines. The following month, INC established the San Francisco congregation. INC reached Europe through the United Kingdom in 1971 and Canada in 1973. INC established its first congregation in South Africa in 1978. INC established congregations in Rome, Italy, on July 27, 1994; Jerusalem, Israel, on March 31, 1996; and Athens, Greece, on May 10, 1997. In 1998, INC has established 543 congregations and missions in 74 countries outside the Philippines.

During the 1970s, INC boasted to have around 2,500 congregations. INC started operating a radio station in 1969; its first television program aired in 1983. The Ministerial Institute of Development, renamed as "Iglesia ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) School for Ministers", was founded in 1974 in Quiapo, Manila, and moved in Quezon City in 1978. In 1971, the INC Central Office building was built in Quezon City. In 1984, the 7,000-seat Central Temple was added to the complex. The Tabernacle, a multipurpose tent-like building that can accommodate up to 4,000 people, was finished in 1989. The complex also includes the New Era University, a tertiary education institution run and managed by the INC. Eraño G. Manalo died on August 31, 2009. His son, Eduardo V. Manalo, succeeded him as executive minister upon his death.

21st century

From 2009 to 2024, under the administration of Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo, the INC has reportedly built, renovated, or rededicated 4,083 church edifices or houses of worship (kapilya).

On July 21, 2014, former President Benigno Aquino III and INC Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo led the inauguration of Ciudad de Victoria, a 140-hectare tourism zone in Bocaue and Santa Maria, Bulacan, where the Philippine Arena is also located. The Philippine Arena, a 55,000-seat multi-purpose structure owned by the INC, currently holds the Guinness World Record for the largest mixed-used indoor theater.

The Philippine government declared 2014 the "Iglesia ni Cristo Centennial Year" through Proclamation 815. On July 27 of the same year, the government announced a special non-working holiday to commemorate the 100th founding anniversary of Iglesia ni Cristo.

The INC celebrated its centennial anniversary at Ciudad de Victoria, with the Philippine Arena as the main venue, and in about 1,180 worship buildings worldwide through live video feed. The week-long celebration consisted of pyro-musical displays, a worship service led by Manalo, an oratorio, a musical presentation, a theatrical play, a quiz show, and an evangelical mission. The worship service for the INC centennial secured two Guinness World Records: the largest gospel choir with 4,745 members, and the largest mixed-use indoor theater for the Philippine Arena, which had 51,929 attendees. On July 26, 2015, INC capped its centennial year through activities such as International Unity Games, a worship service led by Manalo, and a Closing Centennial Celebration held in Washington D.C., United States, and the Philippine Arena.

On October 4, 2015, INC, through VIVA Films, conducted the world premiere of Felix Manalo, a film depicting the origin of the INC and the life of its first executive minister, which was held at the Philippine Arena.

According to the resolution passed by the Senate of the Philippines to commemorate INC's 104th anniversary in 2018, the INC had established more than 7,000 congregations in 151 countries and territories worldwide.

On 6 May 2018, INC organized a charity walk in Manila, Philippines, with a recorded participation of 283,171 people, setting a new world record for the largest charity walk/run event. This surpassed their previous record of 175,509 participants set in 2014.

On May 26, 2025, Angelo Eraño V. Manalo, son of Eduardo, was unanimously elected as the deputy executive minister of the INC, which was held at the EVM Convention Center. Manalo later took oath in his office as the deputy executive minister on May 31.

Beliefs and core values

Iglesia ni Cristo believes that it is the true church established by Jesus Christ in the first century, and that its registration in the Philippines after nearly 2,000 years is the fulfillment of biblical prophecies that Christ's church would re-emerge in the Far East (Malayong Silangan) through Felix Manalo. Because of a number of similarities, INC's doctrines have been described as restorationist in outlook and theme.

Bible

The Iglesia ni Cristo believes that the Bible is the only sacred text inspired by God, and thus it is the sole basis of all their beliefs and practices, although notably the INC uses the Protestant Bible with 66 canonical books. As a point of comparison, the Catholic Bible has 73 books, while the Orthodox Tewahedo biblical canon has 81 books. There is no official church explanation why the INC is using a Bible which canon was developed and preserved during the time the church was apostasized, or the period between the Apostles and the reestablishment of the church by Felix Manalo. Only ministers have the authority (may karapatan) to interpret and teach Scripture. However, Felix Manalo himself was stricter on who can preach and teach the truth. According to him, only the Executive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo can truthfully teach the Bible.

God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit

The Iglesia ni Cristo believes that God the Father is the creator deity and the only true God. INC rejects the traditional Christian belief in the Trinity as heresy, adopting a version of unitarianism. They believe that this position is attested by Jesus Christ and the Apostles.

The church believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the mediator between God the Father and humanity, and was created by God the Father. God sanctified him to be without sin, and bestowed upon him the titles "Lord" and "Son of God". The church sees Jesus as God's highest creation, believe that he is a Man and denies the deity of Jesus. Adherents profess Jesus' substitutionary role in the redemption of humankind. He is believed to have been "foreordained before the foundation of the world" and sent by God "to deal with sin". Members "are saved by Christ's blood" who died because of his "self-sacrificing love".

INC believes that the Holy Spirit is the power of God and also not a deity, being sent by God the Father and Jesus Christ to guide God's people. Also according to INC doctrine, there are seven Spirits of God, or seven Holy Spirits, based on the church interpretation of Revelation 5:6.

One true church

The Iglesia ni Cristo believes that it is the one true church (bayang banal) founded by Jesus Christ and was restored by Felix Manalo in the last days (mga huling araw). They believe that the first century church apostasized in that century, or in the 4th century due to false teachings. INC says that this apostate church is the Catholic Church. Despite its own history contradicting this doctrine, the INC also believes no true church would experience schisms, splits, or separations. Meanwhile, its reestablishment is seen as the signal for the end of days.

They believe that the Iglesia ni Cristo is the fulfillment of the Bible verse, Isaiah 43:5, where "far east" (Malayong Silangan) refers to the Philippines where the Church of Christ would be founded. According to the official INC publication Pasugo, however, there is no explicit mention of the Philippines in the Bible, and the term "Philippines" is nowhere to be found in the Bible. The "far east" would include the nations of Asia in general, a region which the Philippines is part of. According to Felix Manalo, however, the INC was established for the "other sheep" (John 10:16) and "those who are far off" (Acts 2:38-39) which Manalo interpreted to be strictly about Filipinos only. Thus, internationalization of the INC never occurred during the lifetime of Felix Manalo, keeping the church as exclusively Filipino. INC teaches that its members constitute the "elect of God". God's grace and faith in Jesus Christ is insufficient to save, but church membership alone can bring salvation, and there is no salvation outside the Iglesia ni Cristo. Following this, marriages and relationships between members and non-members are prohibited by the church. Faith alone is insufficient for salvation. To be saved comes with church membership. However, those who have not been reached by the Gospel prior to the foundation of the INC in 1914 will be judged and saved according to the law that is written in their hearts. As members of one church, members are not allowed to sue each other in court. The Iglesia ni Cristo is also particular about the official name of the true church, which they say is "Church of Christ or Iglesia ni Cristo (in Tagalog)", although historically the church has changed its name from the originally registered Iglesia ni Kristo (INK). The two passages often cited by INC to support this, although none of them referred to the church as a proper noun, are Romans 16:16 "Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you", and the George Lamsa translation of Acts 20:28: "Take heed therefore ... to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood." Despite the aforementioned verses being the alleged basis for their church name, INC members in general do not practice the holy kiss.

Felix Manalo as the founder

According to the INC, although admittedly Manalo's name cannot be found in the Bible (neither in the Old Testament nor the New Testament), the church believes that Manalo is the "angel from the East" mentioned in Revelation 7:1–3 who started preaching about the restored church during the End Times. The verse reads:

:I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads."

This is the start of the period, according to INC, being referred to in the Bible as the ends of the earth (cf Is 41:9-10; 43:5-6), the time when the end of the world is near, even at the very doors (cf. Mt. 24:3, 33), which began with the outbreak of a war of global proportions (cf. Mt. 24:6-7) Manalo is from the Philippines, which they say is in the "center" of the Far East. The ‘four winds’ in Revelation 7:1-3, they say refers to World War I and the four angels are the four leaders known as The Big Four (Woodrow Wilson, David Lloyd George, Georges Clemenceau, and Vittorio Orlando) who they say worked on the prevention of the winds of war. Still, INC theology considers Jesus Christ as its founder, the first of God's four messengers of the church era, with Manalo's task being to reestablish the church in the Far East (Malayong Silangan).

Manalo is also portrayed as the fulfillment of several passages in Isaiah and other books of the Bible, including the one Isaiah 46:11 called the "bird of prey" (ibong mandaragit).

As the one who sent by God to restore the INC, Manalo became the first executive minister and spiritual leader of the church. As such, he taught that what is written in the Bible was the ultimate authority in all aspects of the church, and effectively as a messenger of God, Manalo is "the foremost Biblical authority for all humanity and the divinely designated leader of a reestablished Church of Christ in the modern world."

Martin Luther as the predecessor

INC members believe the doctrine that there are four messengers of God in the church era, namely Jesus Christ, Paul the Apostle, Martin Luther, and Felix Manalo, with Manalo being the "Last Messenger." Also according to the INC, German reformist and theologian Martin Luther was the second angel mentioned in Revelation 14:8, which reads as follows.

: And another angel followed, saying, :: “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

Therefore, as Luther was also ordained to be God's messenger by challenging the Catholic Church and becoming a key figure of the Protestant Reformation, he was considered by the church as a predecessor to Manalo, who was also accorded the recognition of being an angel.

Baptism

On September 7, 2019, the INC set the Guinness World Record for most people baptized in a single event through its "Grand Baptism" at the Philippine Arena with 18,272 newly baptized members. Of this number, 94 were non-Filipinos (foreigners).

Expulsion

Members who are not living in accordance with the doctrines taught in the INC are reported (ulat) and admonished, usually by requiring the violating member to explain (salaysay). Those who continue in violation of INC doctrines after being admonished are expelled or excommunicated from the INC (tiwalag), thus losing salvation. Former members have reportedly experienced shunning and ostracism from the faithful INC members. As such, the church does not believe in the perseverance of the saints. Certain violations, such as eating blood, having too long of an absence from church services, drinking alcohol, eloping, or having a relationship (including marriage) with a non-member, may result in mandatory expulsion.

Eschatology and resurrection

INC believes that a person is composed of a body ("vehicle"), soul ("individual"), and spirit ("life" or fuel). Members believe that when a person dies, their body and soul both die, they will become ineligible for salvation, and go into the grave where both will remain until the Second Coming of Christ, whereas the spirit will go back to God. The church does not believe there will be a millennial reign of Christ. Upon Christ's return, all dead servants of God, from the time of the patriarchs up to the last days, would be resurrected to join living faithful and loyal INC members. They will be rewarded by living in the Holy City or New Jerusalem, together with God the Father, and Jesus Christ. At the right time chosen by God, a second resurrection would occur, and non-INC members will experience second death which is the Lake of Fire (Dagát-dagatang Apóy).

The church believes that God set a day where he will judge all people. They believe that this day is also the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

LGBTQ rights

The church believes that God created gender binary. According to INC doctrine, same-sex relationships are prohibited, and being involved in such relationships is sinful.

Membership in organizations and labor unions

The INC does not believe members should join organizations or labor unions which run counter to their doctrines and teachings. The policy comes from an interpretation of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians where members of the church should not join any organization with non-members. Joining social gatherings with non-INC members such as proms and parties are also prohibited by the INC. The legality of a closed shop firing INC members based on their religious convictions reached the Supreme Court in 1974. The court ruled in favour of the INC member, holding that the provision of the law exempting those with religious objections to union membership from closed shop agreements is constitutional.

Christmas and other holidays

The INC does not celebrate Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Valentine's Day, and other holidays the church considers as "pagan" of origin, although it allows the celebration of other occasions also of "pagan" origin such as birthdays. In lieu of these holidays, the INC celebrates Thanksgiving (pasasalamat) during its anniversary celebration in July, and at the end of the year in December. Despite having "pagan" origins, the church also celebrates the New Year. Bringing offerings (lagak) to the church during Thanksgiving events are commanded. The church teaches that the greater the offering (abuloy or handog), the greater is the faith.

Without rejecting the celebration of Christmas, however, Felix Manalo preached that the meaning of Christmas is peace and the good news that Jesus was born to bring salvation. This concept of adopting Christmas in INC doctrine was carried over by other INC writers such as Emiliano Agustin, who wrote "Sa Paskong marilag tanggapin sa puso, Ang Kapayapaang mahigit sa ginto" (Accept this majestic Christmas in your hearts, this Peace which is greater than gold), and Conrado Salonga, who wrote "Tila kailan lang ang dating kahapon, Pasko na naman, narito na ngayon, Kaya naman kahit munting paghahandog, ay aking nilayon" (It seemed like yesterday, it's already Christmas today, so I aim to give, even a little offering). In a 1980s radio interview with Manolo Favis, INC Minister Oni Santiago related how during the lifetime of Felix Manalo, the INC still celebrated Christmas. Santiago observed that it was only a recent phenomenon (that is, reckoning from the time of the interview) that Christmas was prohibited and was replaced by the INC Thanksgiving because, according to him, offerings decreased when members used up their resources for buying Christmas gifts instead of giving them to the church. During World War II, the INC also observed Easter, which it had done so with Evangelical churches in the Philippines.

Practices

Worship and prayer

The church conducts mandatory regular worship services (samba) twice during the week, usually scheduled on Thursdays and Sundays (there are also Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday schedules depending on the locale). The INC also mandates its own strict dress code or proper attire which members should be allowed to wear. The church itself describes the INC prescribed clothing as conservative and "holy array." According to INC Minister Igmidio Zabala, midweek services were introduced in the church by 1922. While Zabala credits the development of midweek worship services to Felix Manalo himself, Teodoro Santiago attributed this to INC Minister Justino Casanova, who during Manalo's trip to the United States (1919-1921) began presiding worship services during Wednesdays. Upon returning to the Philippines, it was Manalo's decision to settle with the Thursday schedule.

These services are conducted in the local languages (providing sign language interpreters and translators in some congregations). It consists of singing of hymns, prayers, studies of the bible, collection of voluntary offerings (abuloy or handog, while the building fund is called tanging handugan), and benediction. Both God the Father and Jesus Christ are worshiped, despite church doctrine denying the divinity of Christ. The ministers of every congregation in a given worship service use the same sermon outline prepared by the executive minister. Deacons (diyakono) and Deaconesses (diyakonesa) guide worshipers to their seats and collect voluntary offerings. The singing of hymns is led by the locale's choir. The first hymnbook, termed Ang Himnario ng Iglesia ni Cristo, which consists of over 300 songs, was published in 1937. To date, the church has over 500 hymns. Children's worship services (Tagalog: Pagsamba ng Kabataan, or PNK) are held every weekend. They use similar lessons as the standard worship services taught using the Socratic method (question and answer). Church attendance is strictly monitored through attendance forms and QR codes provided by the INC. Gadgets and electronic devices such as cellphones and smartwatches are banned from being used during worship services, or even brought inside church premises. As such, church members are required to surrender all their gadgets and electronic devices prior to entering and participating in worship services. Photography, videography, and other recording activities inside the church are also prohibited. Church members are mandated to attend their respective locales or congregations where they are enrolled or registered. If any member will be moving for whatever reason, a transfer to the new locale or congregation must be filed with the church administration. Transfers are valid for 30 days. The church teaches that willfully forsaking the worship service is a grievous sin, usually prompting congregational action such as visits (dalaw), thus members are expected to attend the congregational worship services twice a week without fail.

The church encourages its members to take up a ministry (tungkulin), attend weekly committee meetings (pulong), and make prayer a part of everyday life (panata). Thus, prayer before various activities, such as taking meals, travelling, and going to sleep, are commonly practiced. Prayers recited in rote repetition are not observed. Instead, INC members believe that prayers are meant to make known their requests to God. Also according to INC doctrine, prayers are answered by God if they are done in faith and in obedience to God's commands. The Executive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo is usually a theme in prayers of INC members.

Besides repetitive prayers, the INC also rejects prayer for the dead. Following this, INC members are prohibited from celebrating All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2), in addition to the holidays they are banned to celebrate. According to INC doctrine, remembering the departed is not allowed because they will not be granted salvation until they experience resurrection and receive eternal life. Regardless of the person being a member of the INC or not, death separates the person from the one true church and does not enjoy the same benefits as the living. Therefore, the dead are ineligible to be saved.

Evangelism

INC members have the responsibility to share their faith to others (who according to INC doctrine are "slaves to corruption"), and are mandated to "bear fruit" by bringing in new prospects (akay), particularly during evangelical missions (stylized as EVangelical Mission, with the letters EVM capitalized), to learn INC doctrines through Bible studies and worship services. Those who do not bear fruit (walang akay) can be considered for expulsion or excommunication (tiwalag).

Since February 1939, the church has been publishing Pasugo (officially translated as God's Message) in both Tagalog and English. Filipino has been the only language used since its inception in 1939 until 1953. Currently, about two-thirds of its pages are devoted to the English-speaking population. Felix Manalo wrote its first editorial where he stated the publication's purpose, including the propagation of the faith. Issues contain articles which detail INC doctrines and refute doctrines which it considers as heresy, such as the Trinity. It also features information on church history, educational programs and missionary achievements, including lists and photographs of newly dedicated chapels. In 2001, it had a monthly circulation of 235,000 copies. For the year 2009, there were more than four million copies of Pasugo distributed worldwide. According to Similarweb, the official website of Pasugo has 7,381 monthly visits as of 2025.

In the Philippines, through the Christian Era Broadcasting Service International Incorporated (CEBSI Incorporated), INC broadcasts programs that discuss Bible teachings over the radio and television. These programs are aired by about 60 other radio stations all over the Philippines (i.e. INC Radio- DZEM 954kHz) and several more in the US and Australia. INCTV 48, which is carried on all cable providers in the Philippines and some channels in the US Direct TV ch 2068, telecast the INC's religious programs. These programs can also be seen in the Internet via one of the organisation's news website.

Although the INC claims that membership numbers does not necessarily make a religion true, and appeal to popularity should not be counted as a binding justification for acceptance, the church nonetheless holds regular religious gatherings called evangelical missions (stylized as EVangelical Mission, with the letters EVM capitalized) which aim to attract more followers. On February 28, 2012, INC held its largest Philippine-wide evangelical missions simultaneously on 19 sites across the country. In Manila site alone, more than 600,000 people attended the event. On April 13, 2013, INC launched Lingap-Pamamahayag under its project Kabayan Ko, Kapatid Ko (English: My Countrymen, My Brethren), which incorporates outreach missions to its evangelical missions. On September 26, 2015, INC held its first worldwide evangelical mission at the Philippine Arena as the main venue and in 2,125 sites throughout the world through video conferencing. It was officiated by INC executive minister, Eduardo Manalo.

Outreach

On November 19, 1981, INC launched the Lingap sa Mamamayan ("Aid To Humanity") Program. The program aims to provide relief goods, health care, and other services to the needy, especially those who are afflicted by calamities and disasters. It also provides seminars for disaster preparedness, first aid, and family planning. Other humanitarian activities such as blood donation and community clean up drives were also conducted in different parts of the world where the Iglesia ni Cristo is established.

Felix Y. Manalo (FYM) Foundation, the INC's arm in executing the Lingap sa Mamamayan and other related programs, was formally registered in the Philippines on February 4, 2011, and in the United States on May 17, 2012. The institution is also recognized in Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Russia.

INC also established the UNLAD International, Inc. Aimed to broaden the reach of the program for livelihood and to help more people, UNLAD was registered to the Philippine government on March 17, 2013.

On July 7, 2012, the INC Lingap sa Mamamayan was conducted in the slums of Parola in Tondo, Manila and was awarded three Guinness world records for breaking records in the most people involved in a dental health check; the most blood pressure readings taken in 8 hours; and the most blood glucose level tests in 8 hours. On April 29, 2016, four more Guinness world records were broken by the INC. These records are the largest collection of clothes for recycle/donation, the most shoes donated to charity in 24 hours, the most medical ultrasound examinations in eight hours, and the most medical risk assessment in eight hours which was also held in Tondo, Manila.

On February 15, 2014, INC received another two Guinness world records when they conducted a worldwide charity walk simultaneously on 135 different sites scattered in 29 countries. INC holds the records for the largest charity walk on a single venue when 175,509 members of the church finished the 1.6 km walk in Manila; and for the largest charity walk in 24 hours (multiple venues) when a total of 519,521 participants finished the charity walk in different parts of the world. The proceeds were used for the housing and livelihood projects of super Typhoon Haiyan survivors. INC also broke the same records on May 6, 2018, for its Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty with 283,171 people in single venue, and 773,136 people in multiple venues for its African missions and outreach.

On February 22, 2014, INC conducted another Lingap sa Mamamayan at its first resettlement project in Barrio Maligaya in Nueva Ecija. Coinciding with the barrio's 49th anniversary, INC bagged another world record after setting the record for the most hunger relief packs distributed within eight hours. A total of 302,311 hunger relief packages were given.

Housing and resettlement projects

The first major housing project (pamayanan) of the INC was developed in 1965 at Barrio Maligaya in Laur, Nueva Ecija. Intended as a haven for persecuted members, Barrio Maligaya also saw the advent of an INC congregation in the area. It was also the setting of the INC film Ang Paglikas (The Exodus), which was released on the occasion of the 100th birth anniversary of Eraño Manalo in 2025. Later housing projects include Bagong Buhay in Palayan, Nueva Ecija, and Tagumpay in Rodriguez, Rizal (Montalban), which also developed INC congregations in their respective areas. Housing for INC ministers and their families were also provided for in Quezon City.

On March 14, 2014, after conducting a worship service in Tacloban, Leyte, INC executive minister Eduardo V. Manalo, led the groundbreaking ceremony of the EVM Self-Sustainable Community Rehabilitation Project in Sitio New Era, a 3000-hectare property of the church in Brgy. Langit, Alang-alang, Leyte. The project, which costs more than one billion pesos, includes at least 1,000 housing units for the survivors of super typhoon Haiyan. Garments and dried fish factories, and eco-farming project are also included to provide livelihood to the community. More than 150,000 hunger relief packages were also given which contains 3 kilos of rice, canned goods and instant noodles aside from the free medical and dental services conducted that day. On January 23, 2015, Manalo inaugurated the livelihood and housing project.

On November 9, 2015, Manalo inaugurated a community project for Kabihug tribe, an indigenous group in Camarines Norte. The project is situated in a 100-hectare land which includes 300 housing units, calamansi orchard, ecological farm, dried fish factory, garments factory, clinic, learning center, and an INC worship building. After 6 months, another housing and eco-farming community project was inaugurated by the church on May 27, 2016, for the B'laan tribe in Bgy. Danlag, Tampakan South, South Cotabato in southern Philippines.

Administration and organization

Iglesia ni Cristo has had three Executive Ministers () who lead the Church Administration in overseeing the faith and directing the daily lives of the church members. Eduardo V. Manalo, as the current Executive Minister, serves as the church's leader, and, in this capacity, manages the administration of the church. Along with other senior ministers which comprises the Church Economic Council (), the Executive Minister forms the Central Administration of Iglesia ni Cristo.

The Central Office in Quezon City, built in 1971, is Iglesia ni Cristo's headquarters. The Central Office is one of several structures inside the INC Central Office Complex. It houses the permanent offices of the central administration and some of the church's departments. It is here where about a thousand INC professionals and volunteers hold office. It was located in Manila during its early years, then in San Juan, and later in Makati, before moving to its present site. INC also has three main offices outside the Philippines; in Burlingame, California; Washington D.C.; and in Heathrow, London.

Administration and ministerial work are delegated into ecclesiastical districts (termed divisions until 1990) which are led by District Supervising Ministers (O1, formerly division ministers or ministrong regular) and Assistant District Supervising Ministers (O2, formerly regular evangelist). They are assisted by deacons (diyakono), deaconesses (diyakonesa), secretaries (kalihim), treasurers (ingat-yaman), and workers (manggagawa). Ecclesiastical districts usually comprise 30 congregations (referred to as locales) on average, if excluding house churches, group worship services (GWS), and church extensions. All locales were directly managed by Felix Y. Manalo until 1924 when the first ecclesiastical district was organized in Pampanga.

Members are also organized into Christian Family Organizations (CFOs), which cater to groups depending on their respective life stages. Buklod (formerly Buklod ng Gintong Layunin) is for married members. KADIWA (Kabataang May Diwang Wagas, formerly Kapisanang Maligayang Pagtatagumpay) is for single members 18 years old and above. Binhi is for baptized members aged 12 to 17. Pagsamba ng Kabataan (PNK) is for members' children aged 4 to 11. There are also CFOs aimed for different settings, such as the Society of Communicators and Networkers International (SCAN). Platforms critical of the church such as the satirical page 2ph4u (also known as 2philippines4u in other social media channels) reportedly received serious attention from the SCAN for alleged "defamation and dissemination of harmful falsehoods" concerning the INC. On Facebook alone, 2ph4u has over 83,000 followers.

Architecture

Iglesia ni Cristo church buildings (kapilya) primarily serve as places of worship but are also used for other religious functions. These are described by Culture and Customs of the Philippines, a book published by Greenwood Publishing Group, as structures "which employ exterior neo-Gothic vertical support columns with tall narrow windows between, interlocking trapezoids, and rosette motifs, as well as tower and spires." According to Architect Carlos A. Santos-Viola, in designing INC edifices, he had to create a style that "cannot be mistaken for any other sect except Iglesia." He also related how Manalo considered the Gothic architecture as the "most religious type of architecture" for its verticality, which was interpreted as "pointing towards heaven." There are multiple entrances leading to the main sanctuary, where males and females sit on either side of the aisle facing a dais where sermons are made. The choir loft is located behind the dais, and in larger churches, a baptistry with pools for immersion baptism is located at the back of the church. Meanwhile, Fernando Nakpil-Zialcita, an anthropologist from Ateneo de Manila University, said that INC churches can be uniquely identified for "its exuberant use of fanciful forms and ornaments [and a] brilliant white facade whose silhouette is a cusped Gothic arch or a flattened Saracenic (Muslim) arch." The distinctive spires represent "the reaching out of the faithful to God." Prominent architects, such as Juan Nakpil (a National Artist of the Philippines for architecture) and Carlos A. Santos-Viola, had been involved in designing INC churches while the Engineering and Construction Department of INC, established in 1971 and headed by Felix Manalo's youngest son Bienvenido, oversees the uniformity in design of church buildings.

The first chapel was built on Gabriela Street in Tondo, Manila in 1918, fashioned out of sawali (woven leaf panels), nipa and wood, typified the style and materials of the early chapels. After World War II, INC began to build concrete chapels, the first of these in Washington (Maceda), Sampaloc, Manila completed in 1948. Next came the chapel and former official residence of the executive minister in San Juan, Rizal (now San Juan City, part of Metropolitan Manila), designed by Juan Nakpil. The Central Temple, which opened on July 27, 1984, can accommodate up to 7,000 persons, and was designed by Carlos A. Santos-Viola. It features octagonal spires, "fine latticework" and ribbed windows. Recent buildings are variations on the designs of the Central Temple. These are designed to accommodate 250 to 1,000 persons while larger churches in Metro Manila and provincial capitals can accommodate up to 3,000 persons.

Although the church regards "decent" and "well-constructed" chapels and houses of worship as holy and the only fitting place to conduct worship services, INC churches outside the Philippines which were acquired from different religions were converted and underwent intensive renovations to meet the standard of INC worship services.

Political influence in the Philippines

The Iglesia ni Cristo is close to fundamentalist style and supports conservative politicians. Since the days of Felix Manalo at the helm, the church is known for its practice of bloc voting during elections. During the 2016 presidential election, INC communities in Agusan del Sur, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Dasmariñas, and Quezon City delivered 98% to 100% of the total votes to the endorsed candidates. The church supported the candidacy of Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III during the 2010 presidential elections, and also voted for Rodrigo Duterte in the 2016 presidential elections. In the 2022 elections, Iglesia ni Cristo endorsed the candidacies of Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte for president and vice president respectively. In the 2025 senatorial elections, the church supported the senatorial candidacy of INC member Rodante Marcoleta.

In the 1935 Philippine presidential election, Senate President Manuel L. Quezon reportedly cultivated the support of the INC, to the point of calling Felix Manalo a bishop (whereas there is no such title in the INC hierarchy).}}, Quezon's courage to stand up to the predominant religious institution in the Philippines earned him points to Manalo and his church, which as of 1936 had reported having 85,000 members across 500 congregations, all of which were in Luzon at the time.

In the 1961 Philippine presidential election, the INC opposed the campaign of Diosdado Macapagal, who would eventually win the polls and make him the first Filipino vice president to defeat an incumbent president. At this time, the INC is seen by the media as "the bogey of Philippine politics." For the vice presidency, the INC supported the Independent candidate Sergio Osmeña, Jr., who lost to Macapagal's running mate Emmanuel Pelaez, in a three-way race that saw Osmeña taking second place with nearly 2.2 million votes. According to Filipino journalist and publisher Max Soliven, more moderate estimates of the bloc voting power of the "militant and politically-minded" INC at the time totaled to 250,000 votes, contrary to Felix Manalo's claim of having 2 million members.

In the 1965 Philippine presidential election, support from Eraño Manalo and the INC was one of the attributed reasons behind the victory of Ferdinand Marcos over the incumbent Macapagal.

In the 1969 Philippine vice presidential election, the INC supported the losing bid of Genaro Magsaysay, running mate of presidential candidate Sergio Osmeña, Jr., in a split ticket (that is, Marcos-Magsaysay). Incumbent Vice President Fernando Lopez, the first Filipino to be elected to the vice presidency thrice and later Chairman of ABS-CBN Corporation, believed he has "debunked Iglesia political power with the help of responsible voters." In victory, Lopez remarked that he would rather lose the election than "surrender" to the INC. Lopez (with 62.7 percent vote share) also polled higher than his running mate, President Ferdinand Marcos (with 62.2 percent vote share).

On September 23, 1972, when President Ferdinand Marcos announced placing Martial law in the Philippines, MetroCom troops led by General Fidel Ramos stormed the INC Central Office to close down the church's media arm Eagle Broadcasting Corporation. However, having no orders from the Executive Minister to allow government forces to enter in their compound, the INC guards armed with Thompson submachine guns opened fire to defend the place, and killed one Philippine Constabulary in the process. By the time Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile arrived in the area, MetroCom troops have already retaliated to the church defiance and killed at least 12 INC guards. After discussions with the church administration, government forces were successful in shutting down the INC media. Enrile called the battle as "the only violent incident" of the day, while Media Czar Primitivo Mijares dubbed it as the "only armed resistance to the military efforts to enforce martial law."

On February 14, 1975, as response to the imprisonment of INC members, some 50,000 church members turned up in a rally against human rights abuses during Martial law in the Philippines.

In the 1986 Philippine presidential election, while the church administration supported the reelection bid of President Ferdinand Marcos, Filipino investigative journalist Malou Mangahas wrote that the decision "came close to seriously dividing its flock" as errant members voted for the opposition candidate Corazon Aquino. This prompted a house-to-house campaign by INC ministers to determine who voted against the church administration's choice (tagubilin). However, instead of being used as grounds for expulsion (tiwalag), erring members were instead compelled to write their explanations (salaysay).

A rally against inflation, particularly the rising prices of petroleum, was scheduled by the INC on July 22, 1991. Days before the event, the rally was called off. While the church administration claimed there was "no political agenda" in the planned rally, later recollections of the aborted rally would postulate that the government of President Corazon Aquino was allegedly "threatened" by the prospect of having 2 million INC members joining the demonstrations. According to the 1990 Philippine census, adherents of the INC at the time were around 1.4 million.

From April 25 to May 1, 2001, the INC formed the backbone of protesters who joined EDSA III, which supported the cause of Former President Joseph Estrada.

On June 12, 2009, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9645, declaring July 27 as "Iglesia ni Cristo Day", a special national working holiday. On February 13, 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte appointed INC's executive minister, Eduardo Manalo, as special envoy for overseas Filipino concerns. Manalo was again reappointed by President Bongbong Marcos as Special Envoy for Overseas Filipino Concerns; Manalo's tenure lasted from September 2, 2023 to September 1, 2024. On October 31, 2024, President Bongbong Marcos issued Proclamation No. 729, declaring July 27, 2025 as "Iglesia ni Cristo Day," a special non-working holiday.

On February 28, 2012, some 600,000 INC members gathered for a "prayer rally" and "Grand Evangelical Mission" at the Quirino Grandstand and 19 other sites. While claimed to be part of the church's campaign to "propagate God's words", it was also perceived as a show of force against the Impeachment of Renato Corona, who was then Chief Justice of the Philippines. Corona himself, while invited to the event, did not accept the invitation to avoid being accused of "being there for a political purpose."

The 2015 INC protests were a series of marches which occurred between August 27–31, 2015. Supporters of the Iglesia ni Cristo protested against the Department of Justice for allegedly meddling in internal church affairs by taking action on an illegal detention case filed by expelled minister Isaias Samson, Jr. Samson alleged that he was illegally detained by the church and has accused the church of corruption. Some 20,000 INC members reportedly participated in the protests.

National Rally for Peace successfully conducted]]

The INC on December 4, 2024 has announced that it plans to hold a rally to oppose the impeachment efforts concurring with President Marcos' stance in November 2024 that efforts to remove Vice President Sara Duterte from office is unconstructive. On January 13, 2025, more than 1.5 million INC members went to the "National Rally for Peace" at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila; 12 other sites also staged the rally across the country. In the lead-up to the National Rally for Peace, Filipino Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Manuel Mogato observed that "INC’s threat should not matter. The political landscape has changed. INC’s political endorsement is a myth." Moreover, Mogato noted that despite their attempts at political maneuvering throughout their church history, "INC chooses to endorse not based on moral values or the character of a candidate based on INC’s religious beliefs. INC would endorse a candidate based on his or her chances of winning."

From November 16 to November 18, 2025, the INC planned to hold the "Peaceful Rally for Transparency" with the theme Transparency for a Better Democracy along EDSA, with the demonstrations centering at the People Power Monument, and Rizal Park (Luneta). A turnout of 300,000 rallyists per day were expected. The INC Rally for Transparency and a Better Democracy eventually centered its efforts at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, reaching a peak attendance of 650,000 on the first day (November 16) before settling to around 120,000 at the start of the second day (November 17). The INC prematurely ended the rally on the second day, citing that the people were "tired" and "exhausted," while justifying the early end of the protests with the supposed achievement of its goals of calling for "justice, accountability, transparency, and peace." There were concerns that the INC rally in November 2025 was a destabilization campaign at heart, prompting the deployment of over 16,000 police officers (compared to the 5,000 police officers deployed for the earlier National Rally for Peace in January 2025). Some INC members, however, regarded the rally more as a vacation than a call to action with INC members taking their time off from work and/or school to participate in their church undertaking. The Manila City Local Government Unit (LGU) spearheaded and conducted clean-up efforts after the INC rally.

2015 Iglesia ni Cristo leadership controversy

A dispute between senior members of the INC in the Philippines occurred in July 2015. It was reported that the INC had expelled some of its ministers, along with high-profile members Felix Nathaniel "Angel" Manalo and Cristina "Tenny" Villanueva Manalo, the brother and mother of current INC Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo, respectively.

The INC administration released a statement claiming that Eduardo had agreed to the expulsion of his brother and mother from the INC, as decided upon by its overall leadership.

Former INC ministers Roel Rosal and Isaias Samson, Jr., claimed that the Sanggunián (the highest administrative council of the INC) had unlawfully abducted and detained ministers, along with members of the Manalo family, to cover up corruption surrounding the chief auditor, Glicerio "Jun" Santos, Jr. On July 24, 2015, the INC, represented by Glicerio B. Santos IV, head counsel and son of Santos, Jr., filed a libel complaint against Samson. Detained INC Evangelical Worker Lowell Menorca stated that he was forcibly detained by the INC administration, and was kidnapped at gunpoint by police officers in the employ of INC leaders and was forced to deny his captivity under duress. Menorca later fled to Canada and filed for refugee status, which was granted in 2018, with the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada stating: "When the panel considers the links between the INC and the law enforcement authorities in the Philippines, the general climate of impunity that pervades Philippines law enforcement, particularly with respect to the issue of extrajudicial killing, and the level of corruption that exists in the Philippines government and law enforcement apparatus, the panel is satisfied Menorca would be unable to avail himself of state protection, from the risks that he fears in that country..."

Felix Y. Manalo Foundation

The Felix Y. Manalo (FYM) Foundation is the humanitarian outreach arm of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) church. It manages INC’s international aid programs providing free medical and dental clinics, educational assistance, disaster relief and other essential goods to needy communities.

In August 2022, the FYM Foundation, in partnership with Iglesia ni Cristo congregations in Canada, distributed 2,000 grocery bags and donated funds to local charities during a Care for Humanity event in Red Deer. In 2022, FYM Foundation received the 2021 Presidential Award for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO) under the "Banaag" category.

Controversies

Loans

Despite the strict instructions of the previous leaders of the church namely Brothers Felix Y. Manalo and Erano G. Manalo against church-initiated loans and against pawning of church properties, the Iglesia ni Cristo in 2014 under the administration of Eduardo Manalo obtained billions of loans from two Philippine banks, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company and from Asia United Bank. According to loan documents, the loans were meant to partially fund the construction and completion of Philippine Arena, this despite the initial pronouncements of church leaders that the project was fully funded by INC members’ offerings. In order to secure the loans, the church mortgaged its properties located in Metro Manila, Cavite, Nueva Ecija and Baguio. The church also used 317 residential units of its LIG Condominium, a housing for church ministers and church workers that is based beside the church headquarters in Barangay Central, Quezon City as part of the loan collaterals.

Leadership controversy

Main article: [2015 Iglesia ni Cristo leadership controversy}}During mid 2015, [2015 Iglesia ni Cristo leadership controversy, [internal conflicts]] challenged the century-old church. Felix Nathaniel "Angel" Manalo, the brother of current executive minister, [[Eduardo V. Manalo]], as well as their mother, Cristina "Tenny" Manalo, the widow of former executive minister [Eraño Manalo, [Eraño G. Manalo]], uploaded a video to [[YouTube]] alleging that the INC administration had threatened their lives and that there has been a mass kidnapping of ministers. The INC, however, denied the claims of kidnapping. On July 23, 2015, Eduardo expelled his two brothers, one of three sisters, and mother, for allegedly trying to create a [[schism]] in the church and take over the church's leadership.{{cite web](erano-g-manalo-uploaded-a-video-to-youtube-alleging-that-the-inc-administration-had-threatened-their-lives-and-that-there-has-been-a-mass-kidnapping-of-ministers-the-inc-however-denied-the-claims-of-kidnapping-on-july-23-2015-eduardo-expelled-his-two-brothers-one-of-three-sisters-and-mother-for-allegedly-trying-to-create-a-schism-in-the-church-and-take-over-the-church-s-leadership-ref-cite-web)

Former INC ministerial worker Lowell Menorca II stated that his life and that of his family were threatened by the INC administration, leading the Canadian government to grant him asylum: "When the panel considers the links between the INC and the law enforcement authorities in the Philippines…[t]he panel is satisfied Menorca would be unable to avail himself of state protection, from the risks that he fears in that country." The Immigration and Refugee Board has found that the Philippines-based church "is motivated by a vendetta" and has "both the means and the motivation to seriously harm or kill" him, should he return to the Philippines.

In response to these issues, the Church Administration launched the program “Tunay Na Defenders Of The Faith” (The True Defenders Of The Faith) on March 31, 2018, on YouTube and Facebook, dismissing allegations made by the expelled.

Suppression of critics

Rovic Gloria Canono was arrested in November 2016 over a case allegedly filed under the direction of INC leaders and INC Legal Department. Canono was allegedly behind the critical Facebook page "Sher Lock” and blog "Silent No More" which accuses corruption within the church's ranks. Canono fled the Philippines after being charged with various cases by church members, including a libel case by the church's top leader Eduardo V. Manalo. Canono arrived and applied for asylum in Canada in December 2016. In a hearing in February 2017, his claim was accepted by the Immigration and Refugee Board on the basis of religious persecution as mandated by the United Nations Convention on Refugees of 1951. Like Menorca, Canono is now a resident of Canada. Rotary Philippines now gives an award named after Canono, known as "The Rovic Canono Human Rights Award", in honor of Canono's work as an advocate of human rights.

Death of Lito Fruto

Another figure in the 2015 church crisis was a U.S. citizen living in the Philippines. American Lito Fruto was expelled from the INC in the early part of 2015 because of his critical statements against the church leadership, which had been rocked by corruption scandals and allegations of abductions supposedly perpetrated by top INC officials. He was initially under the witness protection program by the Philippine government in April 2015, as he claimed to have received threats due to his allegations against the INC leadership. In November 2015, he filed a complaint against members of the INC's top administrative body, the Sanggunian, accusing them of coercion, harassment, threats, and arbitrary detention. Fruto said that he had been forcibly taken at gunpoint from his Caloocan residence based on a complaint of alleged rape against him, which he said was fabricated by INC. Fruto believed that they were held by the INC against their will because of their supposed exposes against the church. He also said the judge in the rape case, who also issued Fruto a hold departure order, was a member of the INC.

Fruto was shot several times by an unidentified gunman as he was driving along Cavitex Exit in Barangay Marulas, Kawit, Cavite, around 1:30 am on May 24, 2017. Several excommunicated INC members allege that the killing may have been perpetrated by church officials, whom Fruto has publicly spoken out against.

Abductions and murders

A few days after Danilo Patungan was abducted, Felix Villocino disappeared as well. Villocino had long been delivering food supplies to the Manalo residence in Tandang Sora, Quezon City. Several former members of the church believed that these disappearances were a repeat of the suspected abductions, allegedly committed by the church against its own ministers in 2015 when the feud between the current INC leader Eduardo V. Manalo and his siblings Angel V. Manalo and Lottie Manalo-Hemedez became public knowledge. Villocino was expelled after he openly supported Angel Manalo by delivering food supplies for the besieged Manalo siblings. Villocino's bullet-riddled body was found the following day in a grassy portion of Barangay Malamig, Bustos, Bulacan.

''The Fifth Estate'' coverage

On November 11, 2018, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's The Fifth Estate, hosted by Bob McKeown, featured INC on an episode entitled "The Church of Secrets," which followed the story of a widow of a murder victim allegedly killed by INC members after a series of verbal altercations, as well as the story of excommunicated ministerial worker Lowell Menorca II, who sought refugee status in Canada. The news crew also attempted to land an interview with Eduardo V. Manalo after an event in Sacramento but were denied. During their attempt to land the interview, their vehicle's tires were slashed, which McKeown suspected was an act of intimidation by INC. An INC member denied the allegation. In February 2019, the CBC and The Fifth Estate were sued by INC for defamation, with officials calling the show "slanderous" and "without evidence". CBC News responded by stating they stand behind the story. The case was dimissed in April 2025 due to repeated non compliance with the court requirements, with INC having to pay Canadian Broadcasting Corporation its legal fees and disbursements.--

Reception from other religions and denominations

Hukbalahap leader and Christian democratic socialist Luis Taruc wrote in his book Born of the People (1949, 1953) that during World War II, Filipino landlords and the Japanese used members of the INC as civilian guards, with signs labeled as I am Iglesia seen as guarantee of protection.

Reverend Joseph Kavanagh, SJ, Professor at the San Jose Seminary, observed in 1955 that many of the doctrinal attacks of the INC, particularly against the Catholic Church, were unoriginal and had been answered before. He also noted that Manalo's anti-Catholicism essentially makes him a Protestant, and the church doctrines were more of a "potpourri of borrowings from several different creeds, the fruit, undoubtedly, of Mr. Manalo's spiritual wanderings."

Since 1980, there have been conflicts between the INC and the Members Church of God International (MCGI), when MCGI Overall Servant Eliseo Soriano started his radio program Ang Dating Daan (ADD). Through his program, he discussed biblical issues and "exposed" what he believes to be wrong doctrines of other religious groups, including those of INC. In 2001, after 20 years of reticence, the INC launched its own program, Ang Tamang Daan, then hosted by INC Ministers Maximo Bularan, Michael Sandoval, and Ramil Parba, as a direct response for the first time to Ang Dating Daan, featuring video footages and recordings of ADD hosts (besides Soriano himself, this roster included Josel Mallari and Willy Santiago) as issues were tackled and their format likened to a "running debate." Over time, the animosity between the two groups has intensified and the relationship has been severely strained.

In 1983, Christian Reformed Church Minister Johan D. Tangelder called the INC as a pseudo-Christian or quasi-Christian sect. He also noted the "regimented lifestyle" and the "authoritarian organization" of the INC.

Karl Keating, the founder of Catholic Answers, said in 1990 that the INC engages in anti-Catholicism and anti-Protestantism in its God's Message magazine. Keating views the church as being built on a set of anti-Catholic doctrines, and that their lessons, as well as their God's Message magazine are dedicated more to debunking Catholic and Protestant beliefs and doctrines than to explaining their own positions.

In 1992, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) gave an X rating to the church's television program of the same name, Ang Iglesia ni Cristo, for "criticizing different religions, based on their own interpretation of the Bible." The MTRCB also recommended for the program to "delve on explaining their own faith and beliefs and avoid attacks on other faith." Banking on the principle of freedom of religion, the INC appealed the case to the Court of Appeals in 1995, which affirmed the MTRCB's actions, and to the Supreme Court in 1996, which reversed the appellate court's decision. The principle applied in this particular case was also cited in a 2005 case between the MTRCB and Filipino media company ABS-CBN.

Let Us Reason Ministries, an online apologetics research group, has challenged the Iglesia ni Cristo's doctrines that one can only receive salvation if they are a member of the INC, and for saying that the INC has the sole authority from God to interpret and preach the Bible, while other religions do not. They also say that the Iglesia ni Cristo fallaciously misinterprets Biblical passages in order to suit their doctrines.

Ibn Majah, a former INC member who converted to Islam, observed in 2006 that the monotheistic view of the INC "served as a bridge for him to embrace Islam." He also compared his conversion to Islam as "much better" than his experience with the INC. He also commended the Muslim commitment to prayer, which he professed he has not found in the INC.

In his Annual Report in 2016, Adventist Executive Secretary G. T. Ng referred to the INC as a possible source of lessons for the Seventh-day Adventist Church on how to nurture their members. In particular, Ng remarked how the INC considers membership care seriously. Ng also said, "When members come to church, they report their presence. After the service is over, elders and deacons take note of the names of the absentees and visit each one in the afternoon."

James White, of Alpha and Omega Ministries, challenged the theology of the Iglesia ni Cristo in a public debate. White and Jose Ventilacion of the Iglesia ni Cristo met for a debate on April 21, 2017, in Rapid City, South Dakota. White also dispelled later rumors that he was converted into an INC member, saying that it was the INC being in "damage control mode."

Dr. Yuchen Ma of Peking University classified the INC as a new religious movement (NRM), but has emphasized that although the INC claims to be the one true church, their doctrines and practices were clearly influenced by both Philippine Catholic and American Protestant traditions. A unique distinction of the INC was the Manalo claim of being the "last messenger of God." However, Ma also noted that despite having this doctrine, the INC "has experienced two changes in religious leadership within the Manalo family."

Christian platform Apologetics Index pointed out "unbiblical beliefs" of the INC, including opposition to the Trinity, inconsistency with how a creature (which Jesus is claimed to be by the INC) can be worshipped, good works and obedience to the church administration will bring salvation, the fulfillment of prophecy through Manalo, and soul sleep.

Kyle Butt, D.Min. of Apologetics Press commended the growth, the beautiful buildings, and the zealousness for evangelism of the INC. However, it was also observed that the church "veered from Christ’s teachings." He also noted inconsistencies with the church doctrine, particularly with how the Bible is interpreted, and how Jesus can be worshipped despite not being divine for INC members.

A number of former INC members who have left or have been expelled from the church have since formed groups and communities. One of the significant online communities supporting former members would be the Subreddit ex-Iglesia Ni Cristo (r/exIglesiaNiCristo) which has over 50,000 members (or "apostates" as the group calls themselves), more than 3,000 contributions a week, and 1.7 million views a month (on average). While mainly composed of former members, as their name implies, their community which began in 2016 is also open to people of various religious backgrounds, including current INC members. Among the more known INC members who left the church are actresses Kathryn Bernardo, Yasmien Kurdi, and Janice de Belen.

Christ's Commission Fellowship (CCF) member Yvette Espiritu shared in a 2016 testimony how she left the INC despite her family having positions in the church, and how her life changed with CCF as she "experienced a loving God." Espiritu also professed that she has never opened the Bible as an INC member since it was discouraged by the church. According to her, the INC cultivated fear in members like her by instilling the concept of an angry and transactional God who punishes disobedience.

In 2019, Mormon apologist Edward K. Watson criticized the "juvenile level" and "outright lying" of INC doctrine, which taught that Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are not considered God, although the church itself was supposed to be called the "Church of Christ", and the "effortless" switching of Bible translations to support their ideology. He also labeled INC members as "mindless zombies" since the church dictated who to vote, imposed public shunning and humiliation of disciplined or former members, and discouraged its members from conducting independent Bible study. Despite the INC harping the term "magsuri" or analyze/research during its evangelism campaigns, Watson shared how bullying and intimidation became the tactic for INC ministers and members against those who do try to analyze or research their beliefs and values. Notwithstanding the controlling nature of the church and its violation of basic human rights, Watson observed that the INC is particularly successful among Filipinos (but a failure among non-Filipinos) because "it satisfied the Filipino need for cultural pride and their desire for social harmony." According to him, INC members like hearing that they are "special and better than the rest." However, he also noted that financial stability is the top concern of all INC families, making it difficult for them to leave the church, especially those who rely on church subsidies for daily living and economic security, such as INC ministers themselves.

A book-length Catholic treatment of INC history and teachings is: Elesterio, Fernando, The Iglesia Ni Kristo: Its Christology and Ecclesiology, Quezon City, Philippines: Cardinal Bea Studies, Cardinal Bea Institute, Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo de Manila University, 1976.

Notes

References

References

1. [https://archive.org/details/peopleofphilippi0000laub The People of the Philippines Their Religious Progress and Preparation for Spiritual Leadership in the Far East, 1925.]
2. [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001960657 A protestant view of the Iglesia ni Cristo]
3. "Iglesia ni Cristo". Encyclopedia Britannica.
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95. INC quotes Isaiah 43:5 from an inexact paraphrase by Protestant Bible scholar [[James Moffatt]] that reads, "From the far east will I bring your offspring." Citing this translation, one Iglesia work states, "Is it not clear that you can read the words ‘far east’? Clear! Why does not the Tagalog Bible show them? That is not our fault, but that of those who translated the Tagalog Bible from English—the Catholics and Protestants" (Isang Pagbubunyag Sa Iglesia ni Cristo, 1964:131)
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287. [https://www.amazon.com/Iglesia-Ni-Cristo-Under-Microscope/dp/1096338114/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZXgqy1RjtJYWZdy17zWr-HTdjRisX9C3-74KGD6gC6APUaqmPm-TpB7wZpdGYWsi9kN2wtEkrkPUKFRwovZmsHtuLTWrdCVm38d3dVHMTkRBmq3Yn7OAAafewX0r7GeEkt7rK9FM9LhQ3SCSGVXI7Q.bJ7evfFj9lXv9dxfrTQMZbiVmp47r0OIO2HRmmQ220M&dib_tag=se&qid=1761818203&refinements=p_27%3AMr+Edward+K.+Watson&s=books&sr=1-3 The Iglesia Ni Cristo Under a Microscope: Helping INC Members Keep More of Their Money, Survive Shunning, and Discover the Truth About Their Church and God]