Believe the Bible, not detractors, Iglesia leader exhorts members

BOCAUE, Bulacan—Iglesia ni Cristo executive minister Eduardo Manalo has urged church members not to believe allegations against the INC, saying that it is the Bible, not other people, that speaks the truth.

Addressing INC members in an evangelical mission at the church-owned Ciudad de Victoria complex on Saturday, Manalo said accusations putting the 101-year-old church in a bad light should be spurned by its followers.

“If what they say is true, you should not be seeing what is happening now. That is proof that this church has a God, (that) God is with us in this activity,” Manalo said.

Controversy has hounded the INC after some of its officials exposed alleged corruption in the church. The exposé linking some members of the church’s powerful governing council came after Manalo’s mother, Cristina “Tenny” Manalo, and brother, Felix Nathaniel “Angel” Manalo, were expelled.

The church was founded by clan patriarch Felix Manalo in 1914.

Expelled minister Isaias Samson Jr., an expelled minister and former editor of the INC publication Pasugo, sued eight church leaders after he and his family were allegedly held under house arrest. Samson said the INC leaders suspected him of publishing a blog criticizing the church.

Manalo, in his address that was broadcast to other INC venues, said: “If there’s a truth that you should believe in, it is what the Bible says, and not what people say.”

“The INC is the church which has hope … this church will inherit the Kingdom of Christ on the day of judgment because our church has a connection with God,” Manalo said.

“God has been fulfilling His promise to His messenger (‘sugo’) from the start… the Iglesia ni Cristo will be saved, God said it Himself. It came from the Bible, not from me,” Manalo said.

The venues—the 55,000-seat Philippine Arena and the 25,000-seat Philippine Sports Stadium—were filled before the event started at 7 p.m.