The following
are inspiring stories of Iglesia ni Cristo converts from
around the world. Many of these true to life
stories are from many years back but their stories are still
relevant, most particularly, to those who are presently studying the
Iglesia ni Cristo. We hope that by reading
their stories people may come to understand
the workings on "how
God calls people", that is, how God move, draw and
give people the desire to study His words written in the Holy
Bible; and that by these convert stories other people may also be inspired to continue their search for the true Church
of Christ.
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| "ASIA" |
| Story Title |
Name |
Locale |
Former Religion |
Convert Story Highlight |
| "God has
definitely touched my life" |
Tomio Horie |
Kawasaki, Japan |
Buddhist |
Former Religion:
I was
raised by my parents believing that freeing oneself from
material desires, a practicing Buddhist can attain nirvana or
spiritual peace. Once a Buddhist has attained nirvana, he will
then be able to use his time to improve the world. I had no idea
about God then. My idea of divinity was the statue of Buddha
with his arms folded on his lap and a beatific smile on his
face.
Iglesia ni Cristo:
The teaching that had the
biggest impact on me was the existence of the one true God, the
Father. . . . . I came from a place where most people do
not believe in God, but because of His overflowing love for me,
He called me to His Church and gave me the chance to serve Him.
I am truly fortunate because the words of God guided me to
become a member of the true Church of Christ. Now I am certain
of salvation.
Convert Story-11
Click
here to read full story |
| "I was called
and chosen" |
Amit Ranjan |
India |
Hindu |
Former
Religion:
I am an Indian national. I was raised in India,
the country known as the cradle of Hinduism, and
never did it occur to me that one day I'll change my religion. .
. . The religion I grew up to was completely different . . . . I
grew up celebrating grand Hindu festivals, prayed to all Hindu
gods (feeling then that my prayers were also heard and
answered), followed Hindu traditions, and so on.
Iglesia ni Cristo:
I attended the worship services on my own but in
all those times, I still kept asking myself what I was doing
there. I was far from being comfortable. I didn't know
anybody. I felt that I was
like a stranger surrounded by strangers
with a strange faith being preached to me. What I didn't
perceive at that time was that God was calling me and He guided
my steps to the place of worship on the scheduled
time to keep attending the worship services. . . . After several months of continuous attendance in
the worship services, I felt there must be something I needed to
discover and so, I prayed to God to show me the reason why I should
believe in this Church, when all other religions around the globe
also claim that they are of God. I communed with God in prayers,
asking Him that if He is true and this faith is true, that He make
me feel His presence. By then, I had already learned to say a
heartfelt prayer and sing the hymns during the worship services as
well. . . . . Today, I am no longer the stranger I used
to be but an active member of the true Church. I make sure to
participate in all Church activities and no matter how tight my
work schedule is, I try hard not to miss any of the worship
services because it is where I feel most at peace with God and
with myself.
Convert Story-16
Click
here to read full story |
| "God
accepts men from every nation who heed His call" |
Ja-Hoon Ku,
Hae-Eun Cheong, and Vincent Boram Son |
South Korea |
Korean Christian Church,
a Protestant, and a Catholic respectively |
THERE ARE THINGS in life that take
place in a straightforward manner but,
undeniably, certain surprising twists do bring to the fore
God's plan. Such is what happened to Brothers Ja-Hoon Ku, Hae-Eu Cheong, and Vincent
Boram Son. From their homeland Korea, they came to the Philippines without any inkling that one day they would be called by God to the
true Church and that they would, indeed, listen to His call.
Mr. Ku, a civil engineer and
a housing and condominium developer,
decided to build the core of his business in the Philippines. .
. With him in his venture was Mr. Cheong, a mechanical
engineer, who has been working for him for 20 years now. They
then needed someone fluent in the Korean, English, and Filipino
languages to serve as their interpreter. Like pieces in a puzzle
falling into place, they met Mr. Son. . . .
The language barrier did not hinder
Brothers Ku and Cheong from joining the Church. With Brother Son
acting as the group's official translator, and Brothers Ku and
Cheong bringing their own Bibles written in the Korean language,
the biblical instructions went underway.
A typical lesson took almost two hours to complete, primarily
because of the translation needed for Brothers Ku and Cheong
to
fully grasp the lessons taught. Still,
they managed to go through all the lessons. The three of them
were eager to ask their questions which Brother Roldan A. Gavino,
a minister of the gospel, answered by reading verses
written in the Bible.
Convert Story-19-
Click
here to read full story |
| I was once in
darkness |
Yusuki Fukuzumi |
Yokohama, Japan |
Buddhist |
Former Religion:
DESCENDING from a Samurai family that
existed some twelve generations ago. I was born in Yokohama,
Japan on July 29, 1928. From birth, I was a Buddhist . . . . . .
Though I have always believed in one God who is the creator of
things, I had never before given
much attention to any formal religion.
I did not even know how to distinguish any religion before.
I thought all religions were the same.
Iglesia ni Cristo:
The first thing I noticed when we entered the Iglesia ni
Cristo house of worship in Quiapo was the sitting arrangement
separating the male from the female. When the choir
sang, I was deeply touched. Later, I also noticed that
the members were meditating on the sermon being delivered by the
minister. That morning moved me so deeply that I felt as if God
Himself was talking to me. . . . . . So on our first
meeting, I asked Brother Flores many questions about
religion all of which he answered directly from the Holy Bible.
In fact, even before I could shoot a question he would read verses
from the Bible amazingly anticipating what was in my
mind.. . . . Before we parted, Brother Flores led a
prayer, and while we were praying I felt a strange sensation taking
hold of me which I could not explain.
Convert Story-22-
Click
here to read full story |
| "I
found God at last" |
Elaine Garcia Manipol |
Bangkok, Thailand |
Catholic |
Former Religion:
MY PARENTS ARE Filipinos but I was born
and raised in
Bangkok,
Thailand.
. . . . I was born a
Catholic. I attended a Seventh-day Adventist school in
Bangkok,
and finished high school from the
Holy
Family
Catholic
School
in Baguio City,
Philippines.
. . . I was sent to
Saint Louis
University
in
Baguio City for my
college education. It was during my third year in BS Architecture
when I experienced extreme difficulties and trials in life..
. .
Along with my heartache and loneliness
due to the absence of my parents, I was longing for a true friend,
Jesus Christ. I started my days by waking up early, watching
religious television shows, listening to religious radio programs,
and reading the Bible and “Bread of Life” handbooks. I often went to
various cathedrals to join other religious groups in their
gatherings and I prayed more than I usually did. I needed to hear
the words of God to enlighten me spiritually and morally. In spite
of these, I still felt an emptiness in my heart.
Iglesia ni Cristo:
I will never forget how I was
introduced to the
Church
of Christ.
A classmate of mine and now my best friend, Nathalie Venson, played
a great role in my life. God gave me a friend who exemplified a life
of virtue and righteousness. She showed me her devotion as an
officer and choir member in the Church that kept her steadfast in
her faith despite all problems. The first time she invited me to
attend their worship service, I did not refuse. In fact, I was very
eager to go with her.
During the worship service, I was
really inspired by the lyrics of the hymns. The lesson was even
related to my needs—on the importance of praying in the face of
trials. An inspiring phrase that opened my heart was Psalms 91:14-16
which says that God will protect and save those who love Him and
those who acknowledge His name. In tears, I poured out my burdens
during the prayer. I realized I found God at last. He was with me
and still comforting me even after the worship service.
Convert Story-28-
Click
here to read full story
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"A
turning point in my life" |
Shinji Fuji |
Tokyo,
Japan
|
No religious
affiliation |
I spent my boyhood
amidst Japan’s
high economic growth period when young people were exposed to fierce
competition for good educational and employment opportunities. What
I valued most in my life at that time was the pursuit of material
prosperity, an enhanced standard of living, and a higher rung in the
social ladder. Thus, I would get up early in the morning, work until
late at night, come home for a nap, and leave home for work again
the next morning. This was my daily routine.
What changed my daily routine was the
death of my mother. At the turn of 1995, her health declined and,
three months later, she died. . . .
The painful loss of my mother drove me
to drink much—wandering about town every night. I lost the will to
live and I had no direction in life—like a kite without a string.
Iglesia
ni Cristo:
I was nervous at first and I felt
uneasy. But, as I continued to listen and attend the Bible study
sessions, the lessons I heard began to form an integral part of my
life. I did not know where the sense of fulfillment I felt at that time
came from. I anxiously and enthusiastically attended all the Bible
study sessions. I discovered many wonderful and inspiring truths
such as, “Persevere to the end”, “Do your best in any circumstance”.
“Abandon your vices and completely renew your life”; and “Walk in
the righteous path according to God’s will.” What I learned in the
Bible studies and in the worship services touched my soul. The words
of God moved me, encouraged me, and restored me during a low point
in my life.
I was baptized on
September 13,
1997 in Atsugi
Base, Japan.
The moment of my body was in the water, I felt reborn. I finally
found what I had been looking for, and I found it in the
Church of
Christ.
Convert Story-29-
Click
here to read full story
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Note: This section is under construction. More
Inspiring Covert Story will be added from time to time. |
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