I newly bought a box of cigarettes then but I crushed it and threw it straight into the trash can April 17, 2009

I felt the presence of peacefulness, sincerity and truth in things wherein everything is based on the bible. That is the style of preaching in the Church of God.

By Kathleen Mae Malinao

It was the 10th of January 2005 when I had a chance to attend one of the Church services of the Church of God – the Prayer Meeting at the locale of Ortigas in Metro-Manila. After a long period of trying, I finally was able to be a part of the service which was introduced to me by my cousin who is also my sister-in-faith now.

I felt the presence of peacefulness, sincerity and truth in things wherein everything is based on the bible. That is the style of preaching in the Church of God. Not long after, I was really intrigued and curious enough until I planned to attend the next mass indoctrination held in a locale of Cubao, Metro-Manila.

At first I was ashamed, and then full of regrets, remorseful as the days seemed to darken while listening to the doctrines. Unknowingly, from listening night after night, what sank into my heart and soul were the words of God in the bible. I will never forget I-Corinthians 3:16 that held me to put all vices out of my system.

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

I newly bought a box of cigarettes then but I crushed it and threw it straight into the trash can. I couldn’t believe I’ve done it. In the middle of the indoctrination sessions I did this. I was a smoker then.

How I thanked God for guiding me, sustaining me, as the last of the doctrines were being discussed and as I got cleansed. I was left alone listening to the taped discussions as the others dropped off. As I was alone going to the locale, I began to wonder if I was doing the right thing. But I knew accepting and doing Christ teachings is a fulfilling cause. The time came when I got baptized.

In the Christian journey, I was taught to be self-disciplined in attending Church services, to be going to the church locale and to mingle with other brethren. I was able to understand the value of life, appreciating it by everyday listening to the gospel of our Lord through Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel.

I feel now that I am in the right path though I cannot fully explain. Many circumstances prove that God is with us in this Church; many indescribable events have happened to show that God is helping us.

Through the trials and the pains that Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel undergo, we can make a difference. The truth is in the bible and it is written in our heart as we believe.

To God be the Glory!

After all, he is worth listening to, even if you hate him April 13, 2009

It is hard to explain, but the more I listened to this man’s preaching, the more I got enlightened. Then I realized that I did not even know what my real religion was.

By Maria Etheleen P. Barcellano

As I looked back fifteen years ago, the first time I heard Bro. Eliseo Soriano was on IBC Channel 13. I was a TV addict then, therefore watching anything as long as the television is turned on was my joy!

I didn’t know why I was hooked in watching Ang Dating Daan, the religious TV program hosted by Bro. Eli, while I hated the preacher. When my mother got the chance to hear him on TV, she didn’t say any negative word about him. Rather she told me, “Get the good out of what he’s saying and throw away the bad.” I agreed with my mom so I kept on listening to Bro. Eli. After all, he is worth listening to, even if you hate him.

At one point, the topic to be discussed was “The official name of the true Church established by Jesus Christ.” I hurriedly stood up to secure a pen and paper and wrote down as much as I could absorb from the preaching.

It is hard to explain, but the more I listened to this man’s preaching, the more I got enlightened. Then I realized that I did not even know what my real religion was. What was it indeed?

In fact, I didn’t even know why the religious organization I got affiliated with was called “Christian JHAISON” and I was called a “JHAISONITE.”

After three months of listening to Bro. Eli’s Bible expositions on TV, I just found myself addicted to it. There was “spiritual elixir” that I could not explain. I even woke up every 5:00 in the morning (which I didn’t usually do) only to listen to his teachings. It gave me so much joy. Thus, I came to know the truth.

On February of 1995, IBC Channel 13 was suddenly off-the-air and no Ang Dating Daan TV programs were being aired at all. Later on, we found out that employees of IBC were on strike, demanding higher pay and other workers’ rights. Since my favorite program was gone, it made a strong impact on my spiritual life.

I was no longer attending the regular worship services of our Christian JHAISON church and this called the family’s attention. There was even a point when my father almost hit me because he was tired of hearing my excuses. I hated going with them for Sunday worship service. Shifting to a different religion was a big deal for the family.

I was known to be a rebel in the family. I pursued the burning desire to become a member of the Church of God. I even influenced my mother to seek for ways how one can be a part of that organization that Bro. Eli preached.

No one had invited us to their church. We’ve known no one from that Church. It was because of the teachings we heard from Bro. Eli that made my mother (Sis Juliet now) and me to decide to get affiliated.

We had attended the live Bible expositions held in Locale of Sucat, Paranaque in Metro-Manila. We also attended Thanksgiving services and all the other Church gatherings that we could attend in that church. From the truth that we heard, we had ourselves baptized on September 15, 1995.

Thanks be to God!

My father died without having the opportunity to be with us in the Church of God April 9, 2009

By Emil Mendoza

My mother was a protestant before and my father died as a catholic. My brother and I used to go to the church or simbahan every Sunday when we were just kids. We grew up together doing just that with the consent of my parents.

One day, while we were watching television, my mother switched the channel to Channel 13 and there we saw Bro. Eliseo Soriano preaching. If I’m not mistaken, he was attacking a certain pastor where he used words that seemed to be foul in the ears of the listeners. But it was the truth he was uttering. He was not afraid to tell the truth.

More people are used to hearing from their pastors kind words; the pastor is very soft spoken and cannot be heard shouting. But by the way of Bro. Eli was preaching, we got interested of what he was saying. From there, we watched his TV program, Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path) regularly.

After five years of listening, my mother took a step in seeking a chapter of the Members Church of God International where she can be indoctrinated. How I thanked God that she was baptized on May 11, 2002.

My father got angry with us when we joined the Church of God especially with my mother. There came a point when they decided to part ways. My father died without having the opportunity to be with us in the Church of God. He believed that we were brainwashed by Bro. Eli and we felt sorry for him.

After my aunt heard Bro. Eli teaching scriptures from the Bible, she stopped attending the Catholic mass April 7, 2009

By Kimberly Sharmane Dionisio

When I was a kid, I had a hard time writing my name, Kimberly Sharmane Dionisio, a name given by my parents. My mother gave birth to me on August 14, 1988. My grandmother and aunt in my father’s side took care of me since then. I acted very much spoiled to my grandmother. She gave me everything that I wanted. And when she died, I was deeply hurt because she was a mother to me.

After her burial, I went back to my parents. My father would give me what I wanted as what my grandmother used to do. My father went to work abroad later on, leaving my mother to take care of me and my brother. One year later, my father came back. Living with them in two years was so hard because my parents always had arguments to the point that they had to decide to separate.

With an annulment, they made an agreement – a written agreement. I lived with my father while my brother lived with my mother. After that, I lived with my aunt who took care of me together with my grandma. I began living with my aunt when she was yet single. But now, she has her own family. Despite this, she acted as my mother.

My aunt is a religious person. She would always attend church services with her family and me. As time went by, one of her friends told her to watch Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path) TV program in SBN 21 hosted by a Bro. Eliseo Soriano. After my aunt heard Bro. Eli teaching scriptures from the Bible, she stopped attending the catholic mass. My aunt and her husband decided to join the Members Church of God International.

I was nine years of age when my cousins and I used to attend Kawan ng Cordero (KNC or Flock of the Lamb) every prayer meeting and worship service. It’s fun to be a kid. I joined KNC competitions and other activities of KNC. I also went to school. In fact, when I was in grade 3, I joined a newspaper club in our school. I wrote essays and news writings to our journals. I joined news writing competitions when I was in grade 5 but I only got third place. After my grade school years, I stopped writing. But every time I write essays in my high school days, my teachers would always told me that I have potentials to be a writer. I ignored them, however, because I focused on some other things.

In the Church of God, my KNC years have passed when I was thirteen years old. Teatro Kristiano (Christian theatre) caught my attention and I joined that group too. When I became a TK member, even though I was not yet baptized that time, I learned how to give importance to my duty from the examples that Bro. Eli is showing. He never stops working day and night. Through this, I decided to be a member of the Church even when I was only fourteen years old. I understood what he was preaching.

I took up Mass Communication Technology in LA Verdad Christian College and in my own little way, I write articles in the KKTK website and kaanib.net. Having two departments in the Church is very hard while you are studying. But this is not enough service God. You must give your life to your duty. And you don’t need to have any doubts to have commitments because the essence of life is to serve God. As what Bro. Eli said, “We are nothing without God.”

I believe that this Church is the true Church and Bro. Eli is a preacher given by God. This is attested to by the teachings of God that he preaches from time to time in many different topics. These topics are so deep that they are called mysteries.

Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? April 1, 2009

If God hadn’t led me to listen to Bro. Eli, I would have wasted my life and ended up in perdition. I know God changed my life from wicked ways even though I am not worthy of it.

By Ronjie Abot

I am 24 yrs old and I was born in area D, Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite to Mr. and Mrs. Francisco Araneta Abot on December 28, 1984. I was a young country boy who grew up experiencing a hard life. I have started working when I was 10 years old by doing some kind of labor work. At age 11, I worked with my mother in Marawi City as a delivery boy who delivered snacks.

During my teenage years, I had barkadas (gangsters) who did such things that are not right, such as riots, petty gang wars and other mischief in our place. It was because of this barkada, too, that I joined in a feeding ministry handled by a certain born again group when I turned 13. Perhaps fate decided that this interest should lead me to read the Holy Scriptures, to become aware of some verses and to watch a religious program on television. Still, there was something that was missing in my life.

One afternoon, I saw on TV a religious program titled “ANG DATING DAAN”, hosted by the most sensible preacher I have ever heard. This caught my meticulous attention. Since that day, I had always watched this most informative religious program. After one year and eleven months of seeking for the truth, I left the Born-Again feeding ministry after learning from Preacher Soriano that the doctrines of the Born-Again movement were not biblical.

Even though I was busy in my school days, my life started to change with the help and mercy of God. By His grace and power, through Bro. Eli Soriano, I turned back from my wicked barkadas. Now, I thank God for his unspeakable gifts and for all His blessings and kindness. If God hadn’t led me to listen to Bro. Eli, I would have wasted my life and ended up in perdition. I know God changed my life from wicked ways even though I am not worthy of it. It was through His mercy that He sent His messengers Bro. Eli Soriano and Bro. Daniel Razon so that I may know and follow His commandments. They are the instruments of God in renewing my life and I thank Him for this.

There are people, especially the ministers of Iglesia Ni Cristo of Mr. Eraño Manalo, who say that Bro. Eli is a wicked person. Of course I do not believe them, because I know that all of the things they say against Bro. Eli are mere accusations to malign his person. Bro. Eli speaks the truth from the Bible, and that is why the enemies of truth rise against him, just as the apostle Paul experienced in Gal.4:16- “Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” I know Bro. Eli’s way of life. He is a God-fearing preacher; his hardships show his faithful desire to serve God for the salvation of his countrymen and of all who will believe in what he is preaching.

So, even if they speak things against our Bro. Eli, all I can say is that he is the instrument of God in renewing my mind. I would say this, just as the blind said this to the accusers of Jesus our Lord: “Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” John 9:25.

I am very thankful to the Lord for making Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel as instruments so that my mind be renewed and opened and I may turn away from doing the wrong things that I used to before. I am thankful to the Lord for His grace and I believe that through His help and mercy, I may finish my race. So help me God. To God be the glory!

Greetings from Iligan City!