Ang Iglesia Metodista sa Pilipinas

Last updated
Ang Iglesia Metodista sa Pilipinas
AIM Pilipinas Logo.jpeg
Seal of the Church
Classification Independent, Methodist
OrientationTrinitarian
Governance Congregational, Connexional
LeaderRev Lito Cabacungan Tangonan (Presiding Bishop)
HeadquartersUnit 18, 4/F Pangarap Building, West Avenue corner Baler Street, Quezon City, Philippines
W. A. Jones Street, Calasiao, Pangasinan 2418
OriginDecember 7, 2011 (incorporated with Securities and Exchange Commission)
Separated from United Methodist Church
Branched from Methodism
CongregationsOver 130 missions and local churches
Membersapprox. 2,000
Ministers over 150 including volunteers, deaconesses and lay missionaries
Official website http://aimpilipinas.blogspot.com

Ang Iglesia Metodista sa Pilipinas (Tagalog for The Methodist Church in the Philippines, also known as AIM Pilipinas) is an indigenous autonomous Methodist church in the Philippines. The founders of the church, led by Presiding Bishop Rev. Lito Tangonan officially registered on December 7, 2011 the congregation with the Philippine Government through the Securities and Exchange Commission. [1]

Contents

The group adopted the methods of John Wesley as the father of Methodism. [2] [3] Like the rest of Methodists in the world, it is a Trinitarian, apostolic and mission church which adheres to the deity of Jesus Christ.

History

Consecration of the first bishop of Ang Iglesia Metodista sa Pilipinas held at Iglesia Metodista sa Luakan in Dinalupihan, Bataan, Philippines. AIM Pilipinas First Bishop.jpeg
Consecration of the first bishop of Ang Iglesia Metodista sa Pilipinas held at Iglesia Metodista sa Luakan in Dinalupihan, Bataan, Philippines.
His Excellency, Lito C. Tangonan, the first Bishop of Ang Iglesia Metodista sa Pilipinas wearing his Salakot, a traditional hat common to the country. First AIM Pilipinas Bishop.jpeg
His Excellency, Lito C. Tangonan, the first Bishop of Ang Iglesia Metodista sa Pilipinas wearing his Salakot , a traditional hat common to the country.

Calls for autonomy

From the early 1980s a call for autonomy within The United Methodist Church was discussed at many conferences led mostly by bishop candidates to come up with mutual understanding and a treaty of goodwill although the dream of self-determination started in the 1960s. Most of the requests were rejected that prompted some leaders to make a unilateral decision. And in the middle of 2010 decisive action of members spearheaded by the "Wounded Healers" led to the establishment of the Ang Iglesia Metodista sa Pilipinas, with Methodist groups in Palawan, Bataan, Zambales, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Metro Manila Area, some of Pampanga, and Cavite.[ citation needed ]

Conferences

Each quasi-district held distinct conferences and appointed their leaders, workers and missionaries. Key leaders of the movement were Bishop Lito C. Tangonan, Rev. George O. Buenaventura, Ms. Chita R. Millan and Atty. Joe Frank E. Zuñiga. The Bulacan group [4] was led by Emil C. Macarasig, District Superintendent, who held a separate conference in Guiguinto, parallel to the one held in Plaridel by the United Methodist Church on 20 May 2011.[ citation needed ]

Declaration of Autonomy

The group declared its full autonomy and incorporated legally with Securities and Exchange Commission of the Philippines and was approved on 7 December 2011 with papers held for by present procurators. It now has 126 local churches all over the Philippines. The first general Christmas Youth Assembly [5] with the theme "I AM FREE!" was held in John Wesley Methodist Center at Brgy. Gugo, Samal, Bataan from December 26–29, 2011 with a total of 342 official delegates. Rev. Lito Tangonan became the first bishop of the autonomous church and was consecrated on 17 March 2012. [6]

2012

The first Annual Conferences nationwide were held in each districts as AIM Pilipinas. [7]

Beliefs

Methodism

AIM-Pilipinas embraces the doctrines introduced by John Wesley [8] and adheres to his method that was later called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral: four sources of beliefs, i.e. Scripture, Reason, Tradition and Experience. [9] The group believes that the church should be free to follow the Holy Bible as the sole reference of faith and discipline in the church or prima scriptura. [10] It has suspended the use of the United Methodist Church's Book of Discipline. The group tolerates diversity in styles of worship services as it encourages autonomy to all congregations.[ citation needed ]

Christ-Centered Faith

Belief in Jesus Christ as a Son of God and a Messiah is the central tenet of the church's faith. The acceptance of the death and resurrection of Jesus, sinful humans can be reconciled to God and thereby are offered salvation and the promise of eternal life. [11]

Trinity

Trinitarianism is taught as one of the basic doctrines believed for by the members of the church. Members believe the doctrine of the Trinity that defines God as one in three Divine Persons: [12] The Father, The Son Christ and the Holy Spirit. [13]

The logo was a collaborative efforts of inspired member-artists of AIM Pilipinas from AIMP Graphics group from the concept initiated in Metodistang Pilipino logo-making contest. Samuel T. Antonio initiated drawing the concept which was generally accepted and developed as a meaningful work of art. Rev. Eleazar Bote and an anonymous artist helped design the text placement, mask orders, borders and the whole form. They also designed the logos of different categories and organization inside the church.

Clergy

AIM Pilipinas adopted the model from Holy Bible on how the apostles run the church. Although most of the hierarchical positions are maintained the group believes in the equality for all. [18] All clergies must originate from the local churches and they must be members of them. The bishop is a member of the church and the locale that he/she resides as well as the District Supervisors, Elders and local pastors. As suggested during the conference coinciding the Christmas Youth Assembly in December 2011 at Samal, Bataan, a bishop should be elected by all members of the church with which he/she will represent as a presiding head although presently Bishop Tangonan was nominated during May 2011 conferences.

Membership and laity

Membership in the church is free and equal.[ citation needed ] The infants must be presented to the church before being baptized on the right age. The right age of baptism is when the child understands the basic doctrines in the Holy Bible. Converts are also encouraged baptism in the water as the first step of membership and must adhere to the salvation of the souls and accepting the grace from God through Jesus Christ at the same time submitting to the mission that John Wesley taught. [19]

Church council

The local church council is the basic unit of church governance composed of council person, assistant, secretary, treasurer, auditors, youth representation, young adults, church men and women and board of trustees. As elders of the local church they collect opinions and decisions for any changes they will make. They decide who they would send as pastor to the district or to their own. This idea was taken from Acts of the Apostles with which elders are appointed in every church. [20]

Ministry

The group aims to equip themselves of the words from the Holy Bible and the understanding and basic Doctrines, salvation and grace given by God through Jesus Christ before imparting them to the non-believers and to finally guide them to the doorstep of the church. Some outreach programs such as medical missions, feeding program, tree planting and other civic activities are being conducted as a social concern for the fulfillment of church's mission.

John Wesley Theological Seminary

The church established this seminary at Brgy. Gugo, Samal Bataan. It aims to produce proactive pastors who will bring about church's core values.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free Methodist Church</span> Christian denomination

The Free Methodist Church (FMC) is a Methodist Christian denomination within the holiness movement, based in the United States. It is evangelical in nature and is Wesleyan–Arminian in theology.

Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother Charles Wesley were also significant early leaders in the movement. They were named Methodists for "the methodical way in which they carried out their Christian faith". Methodism originated as a revival movement in the Church of England in the 18th century and became a separate denomination after Wesley's death. The movement spread throughout the British Empire, the United States, and beyond because of vigorous missionary work, and today has about 80 million adherents worldwide.

The Holiness movement is a Christian movement that emerged chiefly within 19th-century Methodism, and to a lesser extent other traditions such as Quakerism, Anabaptism, and Restorationism. The movement is historically distinguished by its emphasis on the doctrine of a second work of grace, generally called entire sanctification or Christian perfection and by the belief that the Christian life should be free of sin. For the Holiness movement, "the term 'perfection' signifies completeness of Christian character; its freedom from all sin, and possession of all the graces of the Spirit, complete in kind." A number of evangelical Christian denominations, parachurch organizations, and movements emphasize those beliefs as central doctrine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iglesia ni Cristo</span> Christian church that originated in the Philippines

Iglesia ni Cristo is an independent Nontrinitarian Christian church, founded in 1913 and registered by Felix Y. Manalo in 1914 as a unipersonal religious corporation to the Insular Government of the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evangelical United Brethren Church</span>

The Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB) was a North American Protestant denomination from 1946 to 1968 with Arminian theology, roots in the Mennonite and German Reformed, and communities, and close ties to Methodism. It was formed by the merger of the Evangelical Church and the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. The United Brethren and the Evangelical Association had considered merging off and on since the early 19th century because of their common emphasis on holiness and evangelism and their common German heritage. In 1968, the United States section of the EUB merged with the Methodist Church to form the United Methodist Church, while the Canadian section joined the United Church of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Luzon</span> Administrative region of the Philippines

Central Luzon, designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines, primarily serving to organize the 7 provinces of the vast central plains of the island of Luzon, for administrative convenience. The region contains the largest plain in the country and produces most of the country's rice supply, earning itself the nickname "Rice Granary of the Philippines". Its provinces are: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales. Pangasinan was formerly a province of Central Luzon before President Marcos signed Presidential Decree No. 1, 1972, incorporating it into Ilocos Region. Additionally, the province of Aurora was part of the defunct political region Southern Tagalog when the region was divided into Calabarzon and Mimaropa, upon the issuance of Executive Order No. 103, dated May 17, 2002, by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, which transferred Aurora to Central Luzon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religion in the Philippines</span> Religious demographics in the Philippines

Christianity is the largest religion in the Philippines. At least 88% of the population is Christian; about 79% belong to the Catholic Church while about 9% belong to Protestantism, Orthodoxy, Restorationist and Independent Catholicism and other denominations such as Iglesia Filipina Independiente, Iglesia ni Cristo, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Apostolic Catholic Church, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Members Church of God International (MCGI) and Pentecostals. Officially, the Philippines is a secular nation, with the Constitution guaranteeing separation of church and state, and requiring the government to respect all religious beliefs equally.

The Wesleyan Church, also known as the Wesleyan Methodist Church and Wesleyan Holiness Church depending on the region, is a Methodist Christian denomination in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Indonesia, and Australia. The church is aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement and has roots in the teachings of John Wesley. It adheres to Wesleyan-Arminian doctrine and is a member of the World Methodist Council.

The Kapampangan people, Pampangueños or Pampangos, are the sixth largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, numbering about 2,784,526 in 2010. They live mainly in the provinces of Pampanga, Bataan and Tarlac, as well as Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Zambales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protestantism in the Philippines</span> Overview of the role of Protestantism in the Philippines

Protestant denominations arrived in the Philippines in 1898, after the United States took control of the Philippines from Spain, first with United States Army chaplains and then within months civilian missionaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eucharistic theology</span> Branch of Christian theology

Eucharistic theology is a branch of Christian theology which treats doctrines concerning the Holy Eucharist, also commonly known as the Lord's Supper. It exists exclusively in Christianity and related religions, as others generally do not contain a Eucharistic ceremony.

The Evangelical Church of North America (ECNA) is a Wesleyan-Holiness, Protestant Christian denomination headquartered in Clackamas, Oregon. As of 2000, the Church had 12,475 members in 133 local churches. The Church sponsors missionaries in seven countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippines Central Conference (United Methodist Church)</span>

The Philippines Central Conference of the United Methodist Church is a collection of annual conferences of the United Methodist Church in the Philippines that are organised much like jurisdictional conferences in the United States. The Philippines Central Conference is considered a member church of the World Methodist Council, and a "Central Conference" of the world-wide United Methodist Church. It is also a member of the Christian Conference of Asia and the National Council of Churches in the Philippines as The United Methodist Church in the Philippines, representing the denomination as its Philippine counterpart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wesleyan theology</span> Protestant Christian theological tradition

Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan–Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charles Wesley. More broadly it refers to the theological system inferred from the various sermons, theological treatises, letters, journals, diaries, hymns, and other spiritual writings of the Wesleys and their contemporary coadjutors such as John William Fletcher.

Methodism has historically followed the Protestant tradition of referring to sanctified members of the universal church as saints. However, as a title, Saint is typically prefixed to the names of biblical figures, and pre-Reformation Christians, especially martyrs of the faith. While most Methodist churches place little emphasis on the veneration of saints, they often admire, honor, and remember the saints of Christendom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Church of Christ in the Philippines</span>

The United Church of Christ in the Philippines is a Christian denomination in the Philippines. Established in its present form in Malate, Manila, it resulted from the merger of the Evangelical Church of the Philippines, the Philippine Methodist Church, the Disciples of Christ, the United Evangelical Church and several independent congregations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evangelical Methodist Church in the Philippine Islands</span> Church in Manila, Philippines

The Evangelical Methodist Church in the Philippine Islands is a Methodist Christian denomination. Founded on 28 February 1909 by Bishop Nicolás Zamora, it is recognised in the Philippines as the first indigenous Evangelical Protestant denomination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Theological Seminary (Philippines)</span> Protestant seminary in the Philippines

Union Theological Seminary is the oldest Protestant seminary in the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolás Zamora</span>

Nicolás Villegas Zamora was a Methodist minister who is credited with the foundation of the first indigenous evangelical church in the Philippines, known as the Iglesia Evangelica Metodista en las Islas Filipinas. Zamora is also recognized as the first Filipino Protestant minister in the Philippines.

References

  1. SEC Philippine Government webpage Archived 2012-04-26 at the Wayback Machine ; accessed 26 August 2015.
  2. John Wesley biography Archived April 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine , gbgm-umc.org; accessed 26 August 2015.
  3. Rev 22:18–19
  4. "AIM Pilipinas Blogsite: Conference at Iral". AIM Pilipinas. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  5. "AIM Pilipinas site". AIM Pilipinas. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  6. "AIM Pilipinas Blogsite". AIM Pilipinas. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  7. "AIM Pilipinas Site: Bishop Online". AIM Pilipinas. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  8. "Wesleyanism". Longhenry. Archived from the original on 25 July 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  9. Outler, Albert C. (1985). Jason Gingerich (ed.). "The Wesleyan Quadrilateral in John Wesley" (PDF). Wesley Center for Applied Theology. Retrieved 2011-04-18.
  10. "Wesleyan Quadrilateral". The United Methodist Church. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  11. Metzger/Coogan, Oxford Companion to the Bible, pp. 513, 649.
  12. For 'person', see Richard De Smet, A Short History of the Person, available in Brahman and Person: Essays by Richard De Smet, ed. Ivo Coelho (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2010).
  13. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford University Press, 2005; ISBN   978-0-19-280290-3)
  14. Gal 2:20
  15. Gal 5:1
  16. Acts 10:13–17
  17. John 13:34–35
  18. Gal 3:26–28
  19. Models for Christian Higher Education: Strategies for Survival and Success in the Twenty-First Century . William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 1997. p.  290. ISBN   9780802841216 . Retrieved 2007-10-18. Wesleyan institutions, whether hospitals, orphanages, soup kitches, or schools, historically were begun with the spirit to serve all people and to transform society.
  20. Acts 14:23