RELIGIONS IN EUROPE continue to experience a steady decline in membership. However, the exact opposite is happening with the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ).

Over the last 50 years in Europe, the Church has steadily grown from its humble beginnings at 32 Latchmere Road in Battersea, London to nine ecclesiastical districts comprising hundreds of local congregations and group worship services spanning the entire continent.

As the Church Of Christ in Europe celebrates its 50th anniversary, attendees from multiple generations and diverse backgrounds, each facing unique challenges, have been united by their unwavering faith in God’s love and teachings. It is, therefore, unsurprising that for 50 years, guided by the Church Administration, the Church Of Christ has been filled with victories in all its endeavours, as fulfilment of God’s promises to His nation in these last days.

At the OVO Arena Wembley in London, United Kingdom, this historic milestone of the Church began in the morning with a worship service officiated by the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo. In the sacred gathering, Brother Glenn R. Gomez led the opening prayer and Brother Romer D. Galang led the prayer after the homily. Afterwards, 32 ministerial workers were ordained by the Executive Minister, prior to which Brother Angelo Eraño V. Manalo administered their oath-taking and that of the ministerial students who graduated from the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) School For Ministers, who were gathered at the Iglesia Ni Cristo Central Temple in Quezon City, Philippines which was linked via livestreaming. The prayer after the laying on of hands by the Executive Minister was led by Brother Pepito Y. Acuesta.

During Brother Eduardo Manalo’s Bible-based homily, he encouraged the Church members to protect and maintain the divine election they received from God until the very end. They were reminded of the dangers of conforming to the values of this world, and to remain consistent in applying God’s commands throughout their lives, whether they are young or old.

Reflecting on these reminders, Sister Melody Jay, a choir member, said, “The younger generation, in the United Kingdom and around the world, has a big challenge when it comes to not being conformed to this world—myself included. One of the reasons is due to the digital age we live in. Social media influence is the strongest it has ever been. Everywhere, you will find someone on a digital device. Social media greatly influences us, as it is constantly feeding the opinions and actions of people of this world into our daily lives.”

Narrating how she managed this challenge while living away from home to attend university, Sister Melody explained, “I used social media to stay in contact with my family and friends back home. I also followed the Church’s social media pages to keep up with the activities in the USA and here in the UK. Social media doesn’t have to be negative if we use it sensibly. So, while I was away, it was very much an advantage for me.”

The celebration continued in the afternoon at the OVO Arena Wembley with the premiere in Europe of two Oratorios—The Church Of Christ in These Last Days and Felix Y. Manalo: The Messenger of God in These Last Days led by conductor and composer Brother Rod Y. Ramos.

In the evening, the celebration culminated with a concert consisting of over 20 musical and dance numbers showcasing the story of the Church Of Christ in Europe. Amongst these performances, inspiring stories from pioneer members who witnessed the Church’s humble beginnings in Europe were shared through documentaries specifically compiled for the occasion.

Remembering when he was first introduced to the Church 35 years ago, Brother Ken Noel contemplates on his experiences and describes the differences between then and now. He said, “I was introduced to the Iglesia Ni Cristo back when the Church members were worshiping at the chapel in 32 Latchmere Road. The growth since then has been miraculous despite the difficulties and challenges the Church and its members have faced. I have no doubt that our membership and holding on to God’s teachings taught in the worship services have helped us through.”

The concert concluded with stories and performances expressing the promise of the current generation of children and adults to maintain their divine election to the very end, as taught by the Executive Minister during the worship service.

Keeping this promise has its challenges, given that many of the brethren live in cultures and societies that increasingly reject Christian principles and values. Brother Paul Barnett describes this challenge and the importance of trusting in God and being constantly prayerful.

“Trusting in God and growing strong enough through prayer in my conviction has led me to gaining the respect of my colleagues who accept that I do not participate in the kind of behaviour that goes against my Christian principles. It is the principle of being the ‘salt and light of the earth,’ as taught to us by the Church Administration. My lifestyle is accepted and understood. What I learned from this is that we must stick to our faith, internalise it, and rely on what God can do. There are times when temptations arise, but we must be resolute in prayer and trust God for the outcome. He will give us the strength to face the challenge.”

Brother Paul went on to describe the importance of constant self-reflection and self-evaluation to help one grow towards spiritual maturity, as taught by the Executive Minister. “Always reviewing one’s position against the values one holds high [in our case, Christian values]. Entrusting pain and sadness to God and remembering that it is He Whom we worship, and our salvation depends on Him, not on our environment.”

Whilst challenges to the true faith are on the increase, so are the advantages for members of the Church Of Christ. As a result of the growth and spread of the Church worldwide, it is now far easier for them to connect with other members wherever they are, especially through the Christian Family Organizations.

Sister Melody explains how having a support system guided by the same Christian values and principles helps her safeguard her divine election. “Having a strong support system wherever I went, filled with loving friends and family that also have strong faith meant that my actions would be inspired and consistent with their actions. Our day-to-day activities would be attending Church events and preparing for other Church obligations. When we would socialize, it would be fun in a way that is not against Church doctrines. A great example of this was our preparation for the 50th anniversary of the Iglesia Ni Cristo in Europe. Focusing on this event meant that our minds were busy and our social calendar was filled. We had no time for the distractions of this world.”

And whilst the brethren celebrate the victories of the Church in Europe over the last 50 years, they are reassured that current and future generations from different backgrounds will continue to be united by the same teachings, as taught to them by the Church Administration. As written in the lyrics of one of the songs performed during the concert— “We’re different, we’re all different but the same, we have one true God, one faith.”

By Darwin Buyson