At present,
the Church Of Christ reached 139 countries and territories
with a membership consisting of 133 races of people.
People who after leaving behind their former false belief and works
have embraced the true faith and upheld the rightful manner of worship and service to our Lord God.
Parallel to the Church Of Christ's rapid growth and expansion all over the world
is the increase of its need for additional ministers and ministerial workers.
These new graduates
have been able to all the more strengthen
the faith of our fellow brethren.
These new graduates
have been able to
make the unity of the brethren with the Church Administration
more solid
and because of this
these new graduates
have now been able to encourage the fine young men
inside the Church Of Christ to also study in the School For Ministers.
The number of would-be ministers who graduate every year
is God's answer
to the prayers of the Church Of Christ members to send workers in his field or harvest.
"...therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." Luke 10:2 NKJV
The Executive Minister of the Church, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo
is the leading proponent in encouraging qualified men to join the Ministry.
Hopefully, even more young men will get interested in studying in the Ministry
because the Church Of Christ is not getting smaller.
It's getting larger.
Consider what was accomplished by our "My Countrymen, My Brethren" project:
the number of people who were able to listen to the preaching of God's words reached nearly 50 million,
not only there in the Philippines but also in many parts of the world.
That's because the activities we have conducted to share our faith have been large-scale.
And now, in the villages and smaller neighborhoods in the Philippines,
that is also what we are doing.
We are really combing through every part of the world.
What is the reason? Because this is our Lord God's work.
But what do we need?
Many ministerial workers to assist not only in spreading God's words
but also in strengthening our brethren in the faith.
Many young men were moved to respond to the call of the Church Administration.
At present, there are 5,844 students in the holy Ministry.
This is opposite of what is happening to other religions.
As the number of their church-goers nose-dives,
so is the diminishing number of those who become priests or pastors.
The religious recession happening in the religions of the world cannot be denied.
Another proof of the victorious work concerning the increase in number
of the Church Of Christ's ministerial students
is the establishment of the School's extensions.
In Baliwag, Bulacan
Imus, Cavite
Taytay, Rizal
San Fernando, Pampanga
and Calamba, Laguna
During the administration of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo,
The school also established extensions overseas.
Five in Luzon
two in the Visayas region
and two in the Mindanao region.
The school also established extensions overseas.
In Sacramento, California
Washington D.C., USA
Toronto, Canada
London, United Kingdom
Rome, Italy
and Ladybrand, South Africa.
I look at these development
of many extensions of the School For Ministers
not just here in the West coast but in the East coast and many other places of the world
as another proof of God's help to the Administration and to the Church as a whole.
Another so-called success that you may count
that God had fulfilled His promises to the Messenger and to the present Administration.
It can only be good as many as it would be establish more
can only be good for the Church that many more young members of the Church could be molded
to be of help to the Administration
in the on-going growth of the Church
and propagation of gospel prior to salvation.
We are aware that there is no school on earth
Like the School For Ministers in the Church Of Christ
because the alumni, the product of this school are ministers of God.
Where on earth can we find such school?
As we're of this, we promise to the Church Administration and most of all to God that
will give it everything we have got
We'll spend the last beat of our heart
last ounce of our strength
to help the Administration produce men that will help the Church Administration
take care of the Church and spread God's work of salvation in these last days.
The separation of the School For Ministers from the New Era University
is a manifestation of the school's progress and development.
This is no longer monitored by the Commission on Higher Education
like the other colleges under their supervision.
Like the College of Education,
College of Nursing,
College of Law, and others.
Instead this will be under the category theological school.
That is why the School Administration has the freedom to re-organize its curriculum
and CHED is not that strict in overseeing it
because this is not a course being offered in other universities.
Another reason is, because of the number of students that we have
at the School For Ministers, so the Church Administration
deemed it wise and necessary that we be separated totally from New Era University.
The number of professionals from different countries who join the holy ministry is also noticeable.
Well, indeed it's God's answer to all our prayer
and to the call of the Church Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo
and that is for the vast field of the Lord especially now that we are closing in to our nearing salvation.
Just like in the country of India, in the District of Qatar
there are about 37 prospective Indian nationals, who will be in the ministry
if they get to be approved for admissions
they will pass the stringent admission requirements just like any other prospective student
they will be here in the School For Ministers in the main campus
and the proliferation of the foreign students in the School For Ministers
of course we firmly believe that is God's answer
to our prayer and to the call of our Executive Minister
and that is for the Church in general.
The Iglesia Ni Cristo School For Ministers
not only administers the increase in number of ministerial students
but also in teaching and molding them.
The role of the school is really so great
yes it is quite difficult but with God's help
with God's help
and through the guidance of the Church Administration
under the stewardship of Brother Eduardo V. Manalo
we are confident
that we can carry it out
we're confident that it will come into fruition
that ministers in the Church Of Christ are really fitted
fitted to be God's soldiers in these last days.
In order for the ministers and ministerial workers to cope with the fast growth of the Church and modernization of the times,
the Church Administration organized a comprehensive program for the ministerial students.
Here in the School For Ministers
we are training our students to speak various languages
so that they may be able to preach the gospel to various peoples of the world
They are also taught how to write.
They are also taught how to socialize.
They are also taught with leadership and management.
Would you believe that we also train our students photography?
because they need that also in making reports, recording, chronicling
because they also need that in the performance of their duties.
There are more,
there will be more programs that the school is implementing.
Comprehensive program which is embedded in our curriculum
so that our ministers would be able to cope with the demands all the time.
The Church Administration strives that the knowledge equipped to ministerial students
will prepare them in all kinds of challenges that they will encounter in their future place of assignments.
Although there are many different social problems that we could mention
like, drug addiction, alcoholism, teenage pregnancy, abortion
and many more are experienced not only in a single place in the world, not only in a single country but
those are problems not only in one country but in almost every part of the world.
And we know that these problems are what the concerned agencies are focusing on.
Above that, in those problems, there is a far greater problem.
The problem of gradual loss of man's belief in God especially among children.
Their lack of regard to religion.
That they treat religion as thing that will be a burden in their lives.
The thinking that worldly knowledge is much more important, the wisdom of men
than the teachings of the Holy Scriptures.
The youth's thinking that they are free to do what they want
and that they are not bounded by the regulations of the commandments of the scriptures.
Those are greater problems.
Now those are the things that our students at the School For Ministers
are being prepared to deal with because those are the dangers
that they would face whenever we send them or rather after their graduation.
So wether you are in a culture different from one country to another
but the culture that we have in the Church which is doctrinally based
and which is the culture that is instructed to us
recorded in the Bible that is the culture that we have to submit to.
And that is what we instill our students.
Wherever they may be, they will be teaching the same teachings that we have received.
And whatever culture they may be send to
they will be instructing the same teachings through and through.
Despite the development in the methodology of teaching and training of would-be ministers,
one thing remains and does not change
the mission of the school to instill in its students
the qualities taught by the Messenger of God in these last days.
All kinds of knowledge and skills they will acquire will become worthless if they will not become loyal.
If they will not become faithful.
If integrity is not in them.
If they will not be molded to be obedient and submissive.
All their qualities will be put to waste if they did not possess a high regard
to the authority of the Executive Minister,
if they do not recognize the commissioning of God to His Messenger, and this Church's election.
That is why it is always emphasized to the students of this school.
Now we see to it
that although we apply modern techniques in teaching our students.
But then, we will never deviate
Never, never deviate from inculcating those values unto our students.
Bacause those are the values that one need in order for him
to be accepted by God and to be worthy of our Lord Christ Jesus
as a minister in the Church Of Christ.
They are the young men who willingly offered themselves
without objections from their parents for this great and holy calling of God.
Before entering the holy ministry,
we graduated a Bachelor of Laws and International Studies at the University of Adelaide in Australia.
We passed our licensure exams which is the equivalent of the bar exams here in late 2015.
In the first year and a half, we worked at the Attorney General's Department as an associate.
After we passed our licensure exams,
we ended up working as a corporate lawyer
at Herbert's Smith Free Hills, a private law firm in Australia.
When I was still young, my dream was to be an engineer.
And with God's help and mercy,
I finished the course Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering.
Also through the mercy and help of God
I was honored to be the topnotcher in the October 2008 board examinations.
After I passed the board exam,
I worked as a network consultant in a telecommunications company for seven years.
Before I joined, I was in a military. The reserves in army reserves.
For eight and a half years,
the air guard for two years, so the total of ten and a half years.
I also was working for Hawaiian electric company in Hawaii
And I attained an Associates Degree in Electrical Station and Maintenance Technology.
They understood that being a minister is the greatest vocation.
Because I am a minister's son,
my parents taught me that this duty as a minister is from the Lord God Himself.
I regard being a minister inside the Church as a huge blessing
because I believe that this is God's calling
for us to help the Church Administration in the works inside the Church.
The duty of a minister is the highest calling in the Church that God can give
The Holy Ministry is the most important.
The most sacred duty that anybody can ever have in this world.
They also know that joining the holy Ministry is accompanied with great responsibility.
Inside the Holy Ministry, it isn't just to preach God's word.
It is instead to show that this Church, the Church Of Christ
is the one and true Church that will be saved on the day of judgment.
Now, I'm not really thinking for myself anymore
There's a bigger goal when you're a minister, it's for the Church Of Christ.
And you no longer belong to your parents, you no longer belong to anyone.
Your soul is property of our Lord God
How can I use myself to help the Church? How can I use what God has given me?
In order to be of benefit to the Church.
Joining the school for ministers, is the best decision that I made in my life.
Because I understand that everything I do here in the School For Ministers
I do for the glory of our Almighty Father
Like we always say, we are soldiers of God, soldiers of Christ.
So, just like in a military, we're not only defending a nation.
But here in the ministry, we're defending our faith, defending the Church and defending the nation of God.
They are the ministerial students inside the Church Of Christ.
They are taught and molded to fulfill the great mission
to help in God's last work of salvation.
I wanted to join the ministry to offer myself to God
not really in exchange for everything good He has done for me because you can't repay that
but rather as a way to say thank you God for everything You've given to me.
That's why I was inspired to join the holy ministry.
I promise that I will completely fulfill my duty in the holy ministry
despite the trials, problems, and temptations.
I will perform my duty wholeheartedly and faithfully.
What inspires me is the Church Administration because I can see
the work that they do, the sacrifices that they do for the brethren around the world.
And I want to be of help to them in taking care of the flock in these last days.
And to propagate God's words so that more people
may listen to the truth and more people may return to our Almighty God.
I promise my loyalty to the Church Administration
and I promise my loyalty to our Father in Heaven.
And I promise that I will obey and adhere to the commandments and the instructions of our Almighty God.
I will put all of my efforts and I will spend all the energy that I have, all the strength that I have,
to do well in my studies to the best that I can
so that I can be an effective instrument for the Church.
I promise to our Almighty God that I will whole-heartedly, bravely face all of the challenges that will come my way.
I know that it would be hard
during the time of trial, during the time of challenges, that's one is the hardest.
But I know that afterwards, after I have been able to overcome the challenge through the help of our Almighty God.
Then, that's when you really see the blessings in your life by our Almighty God.
During those challenges, I promise my loyalty to God
I promise that I will remain faithful to Him.
When you look at the big picture of what the goal of the Administration is for us, the students in the ministry
they want to see a bright future for the Church Of Christ.
They want to see ministers that are capable that can take care of the flock.
That can take care of brethren, that know how to advise, they know how to preach,
they know how to be a good leaders
which is what the Church needs now especially now that we are growing so fast.
We promise our Lord God and the Church Administration that we would devote all of our life in our studies now.
And in whatever tasks that they give us in the future,
we promise that we would remain loyal to the Church Administration.
We would obey all of their instructions and we would do all of the things that they tell us to do.
In terms of our studies and in terms of taking care of the brethren in the future,
we promise that we would remain in the calling that was gifted to us.
We would never betray the calling that was given to us, and most importantly,
we would carry this gift up until the day of judgment or the end of our life.
As the Church continues its journey and battle,
the Church Administration continually guides it
with the help of ministers and ministerial workers in defending and shepherding the brethren
towards perfection and in attaining the promised salvation.
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