What Made Every ‘Iglesia ni Cristo’ Chapels a Stand-out Landmark?

I know that you have dropped by in this site for some other reasons than reading post about 'faith' but it may satisfy your curiosity if you will glance on this article plus links on pertinent Youtube videos.

Literally everywhere in the Philippines, INC chapels have always been a familiar sight.  Every corner even at the most inaccessible places – you will just be surprised how these chapels had been built (how are the materials transported) considering the difficulty of transportation brought about by topography. It has all been the work of our almighty God- he made these things possible with his help and guidance.

Many people are wondering what made the chapels sturdy and looking great all the time. The secret lies beyond its construction and planning as well as unceasing maintenance. Before every chapel is erected, various testing were done in all aspects – the soil and the calamity faults are studied (whether the place is prone to windy storms/earthquake fault etc.) to adopt the construction of each chapel to the unpredictable environment. Every chapel has a new and own approach in matters of planning and architecture same goes with the actual construction. Rip-rapping is done for erosion prone grounds. The roofing are fortified for those chapels built in stormy places.  No paint can last a lifetime that is why re-paintings are done almost yearly and there are quality inspection team sent from the Central Office to check on the status of the chapel (inside and the building itself), the compound and the improvements inside- they recommend fixings and some cleaning needs to maintain each chapel – no chapel is exempted even the pastoral houses and offices.

Every chapel was built with the INC members being the construction workers, engineers and architects – we have this regularly employed laborers to do the job from masonry, engineering to architecture. A daily prayer is held for the protection of each worker as well as the rightful and guided performance of duties. Despite being paid to do the job, each worker considers their work as a noble ‘duty’ to our Lord God – that is why they see to it that they do not waste any time nor material in doing their tasks.  And some of the workers have special duties (choir member, deacon etc.), they still perform their duties in the Worship Service everywhere they are assigned. The ordinary workers -members never miss a worship service.

Pundasyon Episode

The Church Administration has shown the value of erecting chapels by setting-up an edifice where the centralized planning and dispatch is happening the ‘Engineering and Construction Dept.’ of the Iglesia ni Cristo.  There are also sites where the church pews, built-in furniture/fixtures (cabinets/doors, wooden sculptures) and roof structure, metal frames are being fabricated. Because every chapel glorifies our Lord God despite the falling economy of the world, INC maintains its conviction of continuous and fervent desire to build chapels in every corner of the world – budgeting while not sacrificing quality. A meeting is also held (national level) from time to time to discuss problems encountered in every project – to find a better solution and to expose the situation to others to avoid a ‘repeat’ of that occurrence and in order for the others to be aware of the MOST fitted solution to face it.  Brother Bien Manalo, Head of Engineering and Construction Dept.- sees to it the department is updated with the modern technology and presents a video to educate all foremen and key construction officers to abreast with the simplified but enhanced methods discovered worldwide. 

Pundasyon:Support Facilities and Chapel Construction

Here in the Philippines, the concept of the ‘barangay chapel’ has been introduced by the Church Administration to bring the worship place closer to the brethrens – for us to easily access the chapel whenever we want to do our prayers in times of troubles and pains or to give thanks for blessings God has given us any moment of the day.  Most of the pioneer recipients of the project are the locales that have brethrens walking hours or those that need to cross sea and dangerous paths just to reach the chapel especially during Worship Services.  The Church Administration sees and feels the hardship and perseverance of every member wanting to serve our Lord God eagerly despite the huge setbacks of danger (storms met sea-crossing brethrens just to reach the nearest chapel).

 Paninindigan: Iloilo Part 1

Paninindigan: Iloilo Part II

The work of salvation is up and running – the spreading of God’s words is an epidemic that embraces the church members. The members are ever-growing and all these chapels are advance preparation of the forecasting done by the Church Administration to accommodate even the NEW members.

A chapel costs millions to build. A barangay chapel is a more simple, temporary and cheaper ad fastest alternative to locales where there are still few members.  

This is how a Barangay Chapel looks like...

The construction of superb chapels are not stopped in the emergence of the ‘barangay chapels’ – locales where the members (many schedule of Worship Service is set to accommodate brethrens) had doubled are demolished to make way for larger and modern chapels. They are built simultaneously – every month hundreds of chapels are built without delay and finished on expected ‘offering date’.

This is where the offerings we give are spent. The proof is everywhere, we maybe smaller in member’s count but the finances are well-spent and accounted for and the chapel buildings dominate other bigger religions in quantity and quality.

Every coin a member offers every Worship Service is helping build a church anywhere in the world that is why we do not stop giving offers even we have our own chapel at this very moment. This church is one and we do not leave other members alone and that unity shows, just look around and you will see an  ‘Iglesia ni Cristo’ chapel standing before your eyes.
For further informatio, please visit:

www.incmedia.org

http://iglesianicristo.net/#1