Church of God Fellowship Manila

This Fellowship, fondly called “The Church of God Fellowship that meets in Shalom” has for its starting members those with various Church of God affiliations (COG 7th Day, RCG, WCG, GCG, CGI) and associations (TPM, COG The Eternal, COGIAA). Mostly families with young children, young adults, and single adults. Many of them had worked for churches and church offices as deacons, deaconesses, choir directors, church pianists, legal officer/ secretary/ receptionist, Board Secretary, Coordinators in Youth, PA System, various activities at summer camps, Feast Days, Feast site preparations, Church social functions, Spokesman and Women’s clubs, employees in Letter Answering Department.

Un-Biblical changes in the Bible-based teachings/ doctrines/ beliefs, and the refusal of church leaders to make necessary adjustments/ corrections of mistakes in their teachings and beliefs, as well as difficulties with church leadership brought them together to look into and study the Bible for what it really and directly says about the truth, e.g., of Passover, Pentecost, church leadership, hierarchy, etc!

And thankfully, around the time this young Fellowship was wholeheartedly into this process of learning direct from Jesus Christ, the Teacher come from God (John 3.2, Matt. 23.10) using the Bible and other Bible helps and literature and discourses of other Church of God ministries, came the Servants’ News of Norman Edwards which has given us invaluable help, motivating us in our establishment as a fellowship and inspiring us more in our resolve to study the Bible, which tells the truth about all these things that truly matter (Psalm 119.160, John 17.17)

Prayerful study of Scripture has enabled us to understand more clearly and deeply such matters as to how church congregations and leadership should operate, and Jesus Christ’s relationship with His Body, the Church, as well as other Biblical understanding.

The Holy Bible being our primary Document of Establishment, Governance, we share and uphold the declarations, teachings, beliefs, mission contained in the Church Bible Teaching Ministry Documents (published in Servants’ News Mar-April 2002) which publishes both the Shelter in the Word and Servants’ News, which magazines we are privileged to help distribute freely in the Philippines.

“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” -Paul’s letter to church in Rome, 11.25

“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh... that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the commonwealth of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. -Ephesians 2.11a,12-13.

“Now therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you are also being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” -Ephesians 2.19-22

“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”- Matthew 18.20

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” –Matthew 16.18

“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” –Ephesians 1.22-23

“I am the good shepherd; and I know my sheep, and am known by my own." –John 10.14

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” –Matthew 11.29

The Pastor and Shepherd works through the Holy Spirit in this congregation with Elders, and in everyone willing to use the talents and gifts given to them by God.

“So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” —Acts 14.23

“Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.” —I Timothy 5.17

“When I was a child, my family used to join various church groups or Bible studies. But this was intermittent. My constant prayer then was that we could find a group to be with regularly. I used to envy young people who grew up with a firm belief. Then I met Honeyleen (Pioquinto). She pointed out right and wrong based on the Bible. I was so happy that all that was in the Bible. I have learned so much in this fellowship. So every time I learn something, I try to apply it immediately.”—Michael Verango

“A beautiful thing about this fellowship is the straight correction. Whenever something is wrong, it is brought out at once. Not concealed. Usually, if it is delayed, a simple issue becomes more complicated.”—Abigail Magat

“My understanding of the Bible improved when I began to have the responsibility to teach. In the past, all we did was listen. Now I myself have to look in the Bible. No human dictates what to believe. What to study. I thought the knowledge I had was deep enough. But really studying the Bible on my own is different! I always discover something new…Too bad there was no Interactive Bible Study in the church before, or Song Service. We sang the same songs over and over that we didn’t appreciate it anymore. Also, even in the same congregation, people didn’t really know each other.”—Rey Coria (The Corias left the Fellowship in the middle of 2003, but he really said this!)

“The first time I came here with [my husband] Gilbert, I felt that everyone knew far more and much more than I did, and that I was embarrassed to ask any questions. But I found out that I could ask about anything!” —Ann Ocampo-Deboma

“I’m really thankful for God’s truth. I can’t exchange it for anything. Whatever difficulties I go through, the knowledge of the truth gives me joy. So there is always joy in serving the Lord.”—Servillano Miguel

“If it wasn’t for the fellowship, I wouldn’t know how to believe in God.” –Kristine Flores, 10

“What I learn most from the fellowship is the wisdom. As my aunt Gina reminds us, we are given the commandments so we know what sin is. If it wasn’t for that, we wouldn’t know anything!” –Paola Flores, 15

“If I didn’t grow up in the fellowship, I would have become rebellious and miserable.”—Justine Mencias, 16

“Before, we used to give in to pressures. There were times we didn't keep the Feasts. And we saw that we really fell behind. Now we're determined to follow what is right and true. Regarding the brethren with whom we have gaps, we used to just let it be, even if we were being hurt. I found out that it is more unburdening to make the first move to reconcile. It’s hard, but happier.”—Edelmia Perona

“There’s a big difference between WCG and this fellowship. We were also in a small congregation before but we were not close. I don’t know why, but the closeness and love here are different.”—Brenda Coria

“There’s more forbearing in this fellowship. Sometimes, there are wrong things people do, who have been long in the church, and I wonder ‘he should know better. Doesn’t he know it’s wrong?’ But after a while, I began to realize that we all have weaknesses and we are all trying to overcome.” –Regina Buendia

“There’s more cooperation and real application here than in church structures before. The application, that’s the big thing here.”—Lita Corpuz

“Of course there are a lot of disheartening times in the fellowship, so we have to stretch our imagination, compassion, understanding. All that comes from God, so what we need is submit to Him. But one thing that’s really good is the growth in spirit. Understanding even more fully that Jesus Christ is the Teacher come from above. Also what Christ said that He could not have done anything, without the Father working it out through Him, through His spirit. So we are directly responsible to Him. Everything we do, we ask “Is this how God works?”—Priscilla Cardona

“And he stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” -Matthew 12.49-50

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another…”
-I John 1.6-7a