Newly Baptized Testimonials: June 21, 2013

Read short testimonies of faith from some of MCGI’s youngest brethren baptized on June 21, 2013 at the ADD Convention Center in Apalit, Pampanga, Philippines.

Bro. Reynaldo Lapuz, 40, Former Catholic, Bulacan Province

On Being Baptized
I was able to listen through UNTV in 2006. I sought out to find the Church of God International until I found the Locale of Sta. Maria in Poblacion, Bulacan. It feels good.

On MCGI Leaders
I hope he’ll have more life so that he will be able to help and save many more souls because the teaching that comes through him is very important. It’s really different; I can’t explain it.

Of the many programs I watched, this is where though the explanation is brief, it is really done so well. It’s what the Bible says and that’s what really caught my heart, so I decided to be baptized after indoctrination.

~o~

Bro. Gilbert De Chavez, 23, Former Catholic, Quezon City

On Being Baptized
All I can say is that I owe my life to the Lord and I’m thankful for the teachings, which I feel we should never have second thoughts on.

I’m truly thankful that I became a brother in faith. It’s been almost three years that I’ve been listening and attending Bible Expositions.

On MCGI Leaders
Bro. Eli, Bro. Daniel, thanks be to God because you served as a way for our minds to be enlightened. We received the Spirit to keep us away from faults and that we may walk in the right path towards eternal life that was given to us.

~o~

Bro. Romeo Ocbina, 34, Former Catholic, NCR

On Being Baptized
I feel light; I really feel light now. There’s happiness that I feel in my heart. I feel changed, like my former sins have been cleansed. I feel that I’ve been forgiven. I want to make my life straight with God’s help.

I was able to watch Ang Dating Daan [The Old Path] on TV and Internet. I was always with a sister in faith also; she and her parents are members already. Sometimes, I also get to listen as they do, and I see the change in them. So I said to myself, “Why don’t I try it?”

Then, that’s it. With God’s mercy, I changed little by little. I actually didn’t expect to get baptized because I said I would just listen. Then, I couldn’t understand it but I already wanted to. So I went on with it because I was yearning for the word. So whenever I come home I always turn on the television and listen, even if it’s late already. That’ how I got to listen to the teachings.

On MCGI Leaders
I’m thankful for people like them who tirelessly preach the Word of God. I hope that their stay on earth will be longer, that they may be able to lead and help many more.

~o~

Bro. Rainard Beroin, 28, Former Catholic, Manila

On Being Baptized
I’m happy about my baptism because I voluntarily accepted the teachings and doctrines that Bro. Eli preached to me.  I learned about goodness in the heart, love for fellows, and that baptism will remove the evil acts that you made when you didn’t know yet the doctrines that were preached to you.

The things I didn’t know before, I learned in the Church of God. I really, really feel happy about joining this brotherhood. I’m very glad that I became a member of the Church of God.

I’ve been investigating The Old Path for four years now not only on TV but also on the Internet. I watched it all, including Bro. Eli’s debates. I like them all as I learned the truth from the Bible.

I learned that for you to be able to prove that your religion you belong to is true, everything should be based on the Bible. That’s what I found out and that everything that the Bible says, I understand from the preaching of Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel.

On MCGI Leaders
My message to Bro. Eli is that I’m thankful because if it weren’t for his preaching, my mind wouldn’t have been enlightened. In my four years of investigation, it’s only now that I proved that what he preaches is the truth. To Bro. Daniel, I’m thankful that he’s there to help the brethren. He doesn’t fail to neglect them.

~o~

Bro. Winston Relayson, 31, Former Born Again, Manila

On Being Baptized
There’s nothing like it. I can’t explain it. It’s beyond words, and I’m truly happy that I was taken away from beliefs that are only the opinions of pastors. Actually, I’ve already memorized their one-year’s worth of preaching, because they always taught the same thing.

I joined the Born Again for ten years. I served as a musician there. But I saw that they [the pastors] spent members’ contributions for their own [things] like gas for their cars. They didn’t help the poor members of our faith before.

I finally realized things when I got sick. I sought for their help because I didn’t have any money to buy medicine then. They had three cars and just finished building their Php3M-house. But I didn’t receive anything, not even just Php200. So with God’s help and mercy, my mind was enlightened after a long time. I’m really thankful to the Almighty God for everything and to the Lord Jesus Christ that I was able to be free. It’s a rare experience.

On MCGI Leaders
For Bro. Eli, I’ll include him in my prayers that he’ll live longer that many more minds will be enlightened. He’s able to help many people, also with Bro. Daniel. Please keep up the good work. I pray that they’ll have good health so that they may continue the work [of salvation].

~o~

Sis. Les Capistrano, 30, Former Catholic, Manila

On Being Baptized
For the first time, I’m happy and I’m crying while I was being baptized and there were tears of joy. After that, I have this feeling that I have this new life, new plans, and new path to tread in, and that I have someone to help me now.

I was a Catholic before, but I never went to mass even when I was a kid. My father was a sort of atheist, and also passed as a Buddhist and Taoist, and also believed in the supernatural. A brother-in-faith lead me here and I feel so happy and it’s as if my sight is bright and I feel light. It’s different.

On MCGI Leaders
For Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel, I’m amazed at what they are doing. What they do really isn’t for their selves. I’ve also attended Born Again [gatherings] and I see the difference in the teaching of God’s doctrines. In the Born Again group, they choose the [doctrines to be taught], unlike here. From the manner of dressing to speech to everything, they teach all. I hope that they’ll have more life. I pray that their health will be well.

~o~

Sis. Mary Jane Tabuñar, 34, Former Catholic, NCR

On Being Baptized
It’s like a new start and a new life. I’m not worried anymore about my problems. It’s like I can face anything, because I know that anytime he’s there to help me. I really, really feel light now, like I don’t want to sin anymore.

While on vacation from work, my sister gave me a CD [of The Old Path program] and told me to listen to it when I have the time. While I was organizing my things, I found it and that time, I couldn’t understand what I was feeling; it’s as if I was so sad. I don’t know why, but I found that CD at that exact time. From then on, my listening to Bro. Eli went on.

I immediately bought an iPod and downloaded the UNTV app, so even in the office while I worked, I listened to it. From the X-Man to the KNC show, I watched it. When I get home, I still listened to Bro. Eli.

I then realized that I had many things to do, that there’s something lacking in me, and why I was always sad: because I was incomplete.

I called up my sister and told her that I will be coming home to the Philippines. “It’s now or never,” I really needed to go home. I couldn’t bear it anymore; I needed it ASAP. I told my sister, “Sis, I’m going home and I’m going to get baptized.”

On MCGI Leaders
Many, many thanks to him because if it weren’t for him, I mean, in my father alone there were many changes. I didn’t believe him before, but I also saw change in my siblings.

Sometimes, I thought that money brought people happiness. But I realized that you have to live and know what He wants, and I wouldn’t have known that if it weren’t for Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel.