BRIEF HISTORICAL OUTLINE:

THE HERITAGE OF OUR CHURCH OF CHRIST (DISCIPLES) FAITH IN THE PHILIPPINES

By Darren C. Cariño

This timeline chronicles the Church of Christ (Disciples) in the Philippines that can be
traced back to the Foreign Christian Missionary Society (FCMS) who sent American
missionaries to begin preaching about the Church of Christ and New Testament
Restorationism in the Philippines in 1901.

Note: Mission churches established by FCMS (and later United Christian Missionary Society)
included the words "CHRISTIAN CHURCH" (e.g., Bangued Christian Church) or "CHURCH OF
CHRIST" (Nagsangalan Church of Christ) in their congregational name.

0033: The CHURCH OF CHRIST was founded by Jesus Christ in Jerusalem (Matthew 16:18)
and members were known as DISCIPLES AND CHRISTIANS (Acts 11: 26).

1801: The CANE RIDGE REVIVAL marks the beginning of the "Stone-Campbell Movement."

1804: Presbyterian minister Barton Stone and several followers broke their denominational
ties to enter into unity with "the Body of Christ at large".

1811: A group led by Presbyterian minister Thomas Campbell and his son, Alexander, began
meeting independently in western Pennsylvania, saying the Church of Christ was one, open
to all.

1832: The two (2) groups of Stone and Campbell united. The Lord’s table became a major
emphasis, as did adult ’s or believer’s baptism. Both agreed to use the name Church of
Christ, Christian Church, and Disciples of Christ.

It is to be noted that the Campbells, though, definitely believed that Jesus was God,
and their understanding of the doctrine of God was Trinitarian, though they avoided the
word “Trinity”. Stone, however, flatly rejected the doctrine of the Trinity, and denied that
Jesus was God.

1898: Arrival in the Philippines of Hermon P. Williams as chaplain of the USA (Ohio) 51 st
Infantry Brigade. Eventually he saw that the Filipinos need the Word of God instead of
bullets. He requested the Foreign Christian Missionary Society in USA to send missionaries.
It will take three more years before this came to fruition.

1901: August 3 – THE CHURCH OF CHRIST (DISCIPLES) BEGINNING IN THE PHILIPPINES.

The US Foreign Christian Missionary Society of the Church of Christ (Disciples) sent William
H. Hanna and his wife to the Philippines.

December 27 – The US Foreign Christian Missionary Society sent Hermon P. Williams

with his wife and their child back to the Philippines to propagate the Gospel.

1
1906: The Churches of Christ (Disciples) in the United States was divided into two groups,
the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Church of Christ. The Churches of Christ
resisted the formation of church-related institutions and generally rejected instrumental
worship. These Churches of Christ themselves are subdivided over such issues as whether
only one cup or many cups should be used in communion.

The Philippine Mission was not yet divided but continued the debate over the matter
and they were generally known in English as the CHURCH OF CHRIST (Disciples) or in the
Tagalog and Ilocano regions as IGLESIA NI CRISTO (DISCIPULOS) or MISYON KRISTIANA. To
this day, some of the members still call their congregations as IGLESIA NI CRISTO.

1907: The US Foreign Christian Missionary Society sent Leslie Wolfe and his wife (Carrie) to
the Philippines to assist in the missionary work.

1909 Felix Manalo joined the Church of Christ (Disciples) Philippine Mission, he is baptized
by Bruce Kershner and became an evangelist. He is credited for helping build the Cruzada
Church of Christ in Quiapo, Manila and Singalong Church of Christ in Paco, Manila.

1913: December 25, Felix Manalo started the independent Iglesia Ni Kristo and was
registered on July 27, 1914, which consisted of members from the Church of Christ
(Disciples) in Santa Ana, Manila. They have a very good relationship and cooperation
between the Church of Christ (Disciples) and their original teachings conformed to
traditional evangelical beliefs. Like Stone, Manalo explicitly rejected the Trinity.

1918: December 25, Ministers of the Church of Christ (Disciples) Philippine Mission and
several Protestant churches performed a laying of hands upon Felix Manalo and honored
him as an outstanding evangelist during the 5 th Anniversary of the Iglesia Ni Kristo in Tondo,
Manila. Leslie Wolfe was one of those who performed the laying on of hands. Leslie Wolfe
has had general oversight of the evangelistic work of the Iglesia Ni Kristo and has traveled
some among the Iglesia Ni Kristo, preaching and teaching.

1926: Leslie Wolfe and some Churches of Christ separated from the Church of Christ
(Disciples) Philippine Mission over a disagreement opposing denominationalism and
ecumenism and was committed to baptism by immersion and known today as the
Philippine Mission Churches of Christ with the words "Church of Christ" in their
congregational name.

1938: Felix Manalo’s had his second trip to the US in cooperation with the Church of Christ
(Disciples). It was after this trip that Felix Manalo would cut ties with the Church of Christ
(Disciples) and all its association with the Stone-Campbell Movement and to Protestantism.

1946: Iglesia Ni Kristo (Manalo) was re-spelled Iglesia Ni Cristo, a fact that caused
confusion, forcing the Church of Christ (Disciples) and the independent Christian Churches
and Churches of Christ to use the name IGLESIA NI KRISTO or the English name CHURCH OF
CHRIST.

2
1948: The merger of the Evangelical Church in the Philippines (composed of The
Convention of the Churches of Christ of Northern Luzon, Church of the United Brethren in
Christ, and independent congregations), the United Evangelical Church (composed of the
Presbyterian Church and Congregational Church) and the Philippine Methodist Church
known today as the UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST IN THE PHILIPPINES. The Convention of the
Churches of Christ of Northern Luzon became the Northwest Luzon Annual Conference
(NWLC).

Some Churches of Christ (Disciples) in northern Luzon refused to join the union and
remained to be independent Churches of Christ (e.g., Nangas-asan Church of Christ).

1950: March 6, the former Churches of Christ (Disciples) under the fold of the UCCP in
Northern Luzon issued statement in Laoag City declaring that they are still “true and loyal to
every teaching and practice which is dear to all Disciples” and stood for and prayed for the
continuance of the mission work of the Churches of Christ (Disciples) in Northern Luzon thru
the UCCP.

1956: Norwood Tye, a Church of Christ (Disciples) missionary was elected as General
Secretary of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines.

1957: The Church of Christ (noninstitutional) in Kidapawan, Cotabato was started by

Romulo Agduma because of their opposition to church-supported and church-related
institutions.

1962: The Central Luzon Convention of the Churches of Christ (Disciples) joined the United
Church of Christ in the Philippines. Therefore, churches in the Tagalog regions were
renamed as United Church of Christ in the Philippines with the words "Christian Church" or
"Church of Christ Disciples" or “Disciples” in their congregational name. (e.g. UCCP Sabang
Church of Christ Disciples, UCCP Paco Christian Church, UCCP Molino Disciples).

1968: The Churches of Christ (Disciples) in the United States officially adopted a
denominational structure and the name “CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)” was
formally adopted.

1971: Some Christian Churches and Churches of Christ left to remain nondenominational
primarily in reaction to liberalism and denominational structures. They are known
collectively in the US as the SPIRE NETWORK formerly known as the North American
Christian Convention (NACC). Most of their churches included the words "Christian Church"
or "Church of Christ" in their congregational name. In the country, they are known as the
National Convention of the Churches of Christ/Christian Churches in the Philippines. Their
logo bears the name CHURCH OF CHRIST 1901 PHILIPPINES.

1994: The Ilocos-Sur Abra Annual Conference (ISAC) was formed from the Norwest Luzon
Annual Conference (NWLC) of UCCP composed of the former Churches of Christ (Disciples)
in Northern Ilocos Sur and Abra.

3
1999: The former Churches of Christ (Disciples) under the fold of the UCCP in Cavite,
Laguna, Quezon, Bataan, Zambales, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and the NCR made a
covenant to meet once in every 5 years or as often as necessary and called for through a
reunion to provide venue for fellowship and consultation and to revisit and celebrate their
Disciples heritage known today as the CANE RIDGE DISCIPLES REUNION FELLOWSHIP.

2001: March 11, the UCCP - Batac Church of Christ (Disciples) led by Bucalen Saboy
declared independence from the UCCP. Batac CoCD is now part of the National Convention
of the Churches of Christ/Christian Churches in the Philippines.

2002: The 12 churches from Western Cagayan and Ilocos Norte including Northern
Christian College organized themselves into the Ilocos Norte-Cagayan (INOCAG) Christian
Fellowship, United Church of Christ in the Philippines.

2005: October, 6 churches from Ilocos Sur were admitted into the INOCAG Christian
Fellowship in Laoag City. The renewal movement was then renamed as the INOCAG-ISU
Christian Fellowship, United Church of Christ in the Philippines.

2007: July, former members of UCCP Bangued led by Hector Reyes and Julieta Joy Figueras,
granddaughter of the most influential Ilocano Disciples minister Pablo Bringas – formed the
Jesus, Others and You Christian Fellowship with Bangued Christian Hospital as it
evangelizing arm. The split with UCCP Bangued centered on conflicts with the Ilocos Sur
Abra Conference.

2015: INOCAG-ISU Christian Fellowship, UCCP was incorporated and became independent
from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines known today as the CHURCH OF CHRIST
DISCIPLES, INOCAG-ISU CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, INC. Most (but not all) churches included
the words "Church of Christ Disciples" in their congregational name (e.g. Banna Church of
Christ Disciples).

The UCCP Ilocos Sur-Abra Conference (ISAC) was renamed as the UCCP New Abra
Conference (NAC) composed of the former Churches of Christ (Disciples) in Abra.

August 28-29, The former Churches of Christ (Disciples) under the fold of the UCCP in
the Tagalog and Central Luzon celebrated the 115 th anniversary of the CHURCH OF CHRIST
(Disciples) Philippine Mission.

2017: Some of the Churches of Christ Disciples, INOCAG-ISU Christian Fellowship, Inc.
reunited in the UCCP fold thru the Northwest Luzon Conference (eg. UCCP Vigan, UCCP
Barbar, UCCP Cabugao, UCCP Sinait, UCCP Magsingal).

FINAL NOTE: Today most of the branches of the Campbell-Stone (New Testament
Restoration) Movement in the Philippines accepted the Trinity (except for the Iglesia Ni
Cristo) and has undergone dramatic changes in its doctrines over the past several years.

The UCCP is one of the most theologically liberal churches while the independent Churches
of Christ is one of the most theologically conservative churches in the Philippines. Yet,

4
conservative or liberal labels are unnecessarily distracting and dangerously unbiblical as
they serve only to divide the Body of Christ. We are simply Christians. 

Like all evangelical as well as old-line Protestant churches, all branches teaches that
salvation is achieved by God’s grace through faith alone. We see the dramatic changes that
have occurred as God’s continuing efforts to bring renewal and revival for His glory and we
still long to be reunited with all the Churches of Christ, Christian Churches and Disciples of
Christ until the Lord Jesus Christ will come again. Maranatha!

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be
one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17:21