Bro. Eli to Serve in International Caucus Focused on Consultation and MCGI History

The Members Church of God International (MCGI) will hold a one-day International Caucus on March 30. While Church pioneers will share the various chapters of the history of MCGI, Bro. Eli Soriano will address the concerns of members with biblical advice.

Instead of a regular topic discussion after the offering of thanksgiving songs, the program will shift to accommodating questions from members around the world.

Members who need guidance in dealing with problems will hear answers straight from the Bible through Bro. Eli Soriano and Bro. Daniel Razon, the Overall Servant and Assistant to the Overall Servant, respectively.

Translations will be available in several languages.

The International Caucus – What to Expect

The International Caucus will serve as a form of spiritual preparation for the members of the Church. Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel expressed that the caucus is one way to help members get ready for the three-day International Thanksgiving on April 5 to 7.

The Overall Servants hope that each member will be spiritually prepared and relieved of their problems before offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving to God.

The format of the consultation portion of the International Caucus is similar to Ang Dating Daan’s (ADD) program segment Itanong Mo Kay Soriano, Biblia Ang Sasagot (Ask Soriano, The Bible Will Answer).

But unlike the Ang Dating Daan program segment which is a biblical consultation for religious freelancers, truth seekers, and people of varied faiths, the International Caucus focuses purely on the concerns of MCGI members.

The Caucus and Its Biblical Roots

The consultation in MCGI had its beginnings in the mid-90s, although it was not held as frequently as the current practice. The present setup includes the consultation as part of the regular International Thanksgiving and is allotted with two hours at most.

The International Caucus will begin in the morning and end in the evening of the same day, a first for MCGI.

The Bible highly encourages listening to and following God’s counsel through his prophets in all matters of life. There are many verses and stories that support this, like the one in the Book of Psalms 55:14, which reads:

“We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.”

Moses in his time sat to judge the children of Israel who went to him for counsel. In Exodus 18:13-26, it can be read that Moses heard the people’s causes from morning until the evening.

Upon his father-in-law’s advice, Jethro, Moses chose able men out of Israel to rule over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens to judge over small matters. The hard causes they brought forth to Moses to judge.

In the reign of King Saul, when a person would like to know the will of God, he invites company and goes to an overseer, as it is written in 1 Samuel 9:9, which states:

“(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, ‘Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)”

The same idea is recorded in Haggai 2:11 that says:

“Ask now the priests concerning the law…”

In the New Testament, specifically during the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, people asked him on matters of the law. Multitudes of people came unto him to hear his teachings and inquire on the law, even if some were only testing him, especially the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Even St. Paul, an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, desired to know the condition of the brethren in every city where he preached. In the Book of Acts 15:36, 41 it is stated:

“And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do…And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.”

Aside from the consultation with Bro. Eli and his answers from the Bible, a portion of the International Caucus will feature MCGI’s pioneers who will share their experiences during the early years of the Church’s existence.

This activity will be for the benefit of the new members in the Church who are yet to learn the extensive history of MCGI from the viewpoint of the first fruits of the evangelization efforts.