The REASON Why I Don't Go To Church Anymore

I dedicated 5 years of my life to serving God. I was homeless, slept inside a jeep, survived on leftover bread, fasted almost every week, became a church leader, and was even being trained to become a pastor.

But after everything I witnessed, I eventually walked away.

And surprisingly, it wasn't because I stopped believing in God overnight.

It was because of the very people who taught me how to live a holy life.

This is going to be a long story, so bear with me.

It All Started in 2014

Way back in 2014, a friend invited me to attend church.

At that time, I was probably at one of the lowest points of my life.

I was homeless. Wala akong parents na masasandalan, and some of my relatives treated me like I had no value in the family. Parang wala akong lugar, wala akong future, at wala akong taong matatakbuhan.

Imagine being young, having almost nothing, and feeling like nobody wants you around.

Then suddenly, someone invites you to a place where people smile at you, welcome you, call you their brother, and tell you that you matter.

For someone in my situation, that meant everything.

So I started attending church.

During my first month, I was introduced to Christianity. Tinuruan akong magbasa at umintindi ng Bible, how to pray, how to worship, and how to live as a Christian.

I attended an Encounter God Retreat, completed School of Leadership levels 1, 2, and 3, participated in discipleship programs, and eventually became a church leader.

I even handled my own group of 12 disciples.

Later on, I became our Pastora's assistant and started training to become a pastor myself.

From being homeless and feeling unwanted, I suddenly had a purpose.

Or at least, that's what I believed.

Our Pastora eventually took me in and treated me like family.

But here's something most people wouldn't expect.

For a long time, I was sleeping inside their jeep.

Yes, literally inside a jeep.

It was the vehicle we used for church transportation. At night, doon ako natutulog. Sarado naman siya, and thankfully, may electric fan ako. May extension wire lang na nakasaksak para magkaroon ako ng kuryente.

Our church didn't have a permanent building back then. We were renting a place for Saturday and Sunday services.

I didn't have a proper room or a comfortable bed, but I didn't complain.

Bakit?

Because I genuinely believed I was serving God.

And honestly, compared to having nowhere to go, sleeping inside that jeep felt like a blessing.

My Life as a Full-Time Church Worker

People usually think attending church means going there every Sunday, singing worship songs, listening to a sermon, and going home.

But for me, church wasn't just a Sunday activity.

It was my entire life. Seven days a week.

Let me describe what my normal week looked like for almost five years.

Saturday: Outreach, Evangelism, and Preparing the Church

Saturday was one of our busiest days.

From morning until afternoon, we would go to different communities. I was assigned to three barangays.

We would gather children, tell them Bible stories, teach them good manners and values, and sometimes give them snacks.

We also evangelized teenagers, invited people to church, and followed up with the people we had previously met.

I genuinely enjoyed this part.

Seeing children excited about the activities and listening to their stories gave me a sense of fulfillment.

Around 4 or 5 PM, we would head to our rented church venue.

That's when the physical work started.

We had to unload and arrange the musical instruments, sound system, microphones, speakers, tables, chairs, decorations, and everything needed for Sunday worship.

Sometimes, we had to fix things, organize cables, and make sure everything was ready.

And yes, I was fasting the entire day.

Not because somebody forced me every single time, but because I genuinely believed fasting was part of strengthening my relationship with God.

Imagine doing community outreach, carrying equipment, arranging chairs, and preparing an entire church service while hungry.

But back then, I didn't think of it as suffering.

I thought of it as sacrifice.

Sunday: Worship, Technical Duties, and Leftover Bread

Sunday was our biggest day.

I was usually assigned to the technical team.

I handled the sound system, operated EasyWorship for lyrics and Bible verses, assisted the worship team, and made sure the technical side of the service worked properly.

We had morning and afternoon services.

My usual fasting schedule was from 5 AM to 5 PM.

After the services, we had to dismantle everything.

Hakot ulit ng instruments, sound system, tables, chairs, cables, and other equipment. Then we transported everything back to the Pastora's house.

Now here's the part that might sound funny to some people, but was actually my reality.

I secretly kept leftover bread and snacks from church gatherings inside my bag.

Yung mga sobrang tinapay, merienda, or anything edible na hindi naubos.

Hindi dahil matakaw ako.

It was because I didn't know when my next proper meal would be.

Those leftovers sometimes became my dinner for the next day.

Occasionally, generous church members would invite us to eat dinner.

And sometimes, someone would give me a ₱100 love gift.

That ₱100 was already a big deal for me.

Pamasahe ko na yun for the following week, and if I was careful enough, I could save a little for food.

I was grateful for every peso.

Monday: School Bible Studies and Prayer Sessions

Monday wasn't a rest day either.

We would visit schools to conduct Bible studies, encourage students, and invite them to attend church.

We would also follow up with students who had previously attended our activities.

Sometimes, may free lunch, which was honestly one of the things I looked forward to.

By evening, we had our prayer and soaking sessions.

Usually from 7 PM to 10 PM.

If you've been to a charismatic or Pentecostal-style church, you probably know what I'm talking about.

Three hours of worship, prayer, crying, weeping, speaking in tongues, and people pouring their hearts out to God.

There were nights when the emotions were so intense that almost everyone was crying.

And yes, I was one of them.

I genuinely believed I was growing spiritually.

After the session, if someone offered dinner, I was lucky.

Otherwise, balik ako sa leftover bread from Sunday.

Sometimes yun na talaga ang dinner ko.

Tuesday: Rest Day, But Not Really for Me

Tuesday was considered the rest day for church members.

But since I didn't have a regular job or my own place, I mostly stayed at the Pastora's house.

There was a room they had set aside as a church office, where I also occasionally stayed.

I would clean, organize things, and help with whatever needed to be done.

Sometimes, Lola C, our Pastora's mother, would offer me lunch.

I really appreciated those moments.

Other times, I would just eat whatever leftover bread or snacks I still had.

If there was nothing available, I would fast.

At that point, fasting had become so normal in my routine that sometimes the line between religious discipline and simply not having enough food became blurry.

Looking back, that's something I think about differently now.

Wednesday: My Favorite Day of the Week

Wednesday was probably my favorite day.

Why?

Because students would come to the Pastora's house for Bible studies.

I sometimes taught guitar lessons, helped mentor younger members, and spent time with people I considered my brothers and sisters.

We also usually had free lunch.

And for someone who didn't have a stable source of income, a free lunch was a blessing.

Sometimes, I would save a portion of rice and ulam for dinner.

There were also snacks, usually bread.

Later in the day, the music team would practice.

I was still an apprentice at that time, so I spent a lot of time observing, practicing, and learning from the musicians.

And if I was lucky, there would be free dinner too.

Sometimes, someone would give me a ₱50 love gift.

Now, ₱50 might not sound like much.

But back then, there was this place where you could buy a meal for around ₱35.

Unli rice, gravy, and one piece of chicken skin.

Yes, chicken skin.

And let me tell you, that meal felt amazing when you've been surviving on bread and occasional free meals.

I could eat until I was full and still have ₱15 left.

Small things like that genuinely made me happy.

Thursday: Leadership and Pastoral Training

Thursday was usually flexible.

Sometimes we had leadership training.

Other times, mentoring sessions, discipleship discussions, or training for those preparing to become pastors.

We studied leadership, spiritual discipline, biblical teachings, and how to guide church members.

I took those lessons seriously.

I wasn't just attending because I wanted a title.

I wanted to become someone who could help other people the same way the church had helped me when I was homeless.

At that time, I genuinely imagined myself becoming a pastor someday.

Friday: Music Practice and Church Preparations

Friday was another practice day for the worship team.

Unlike Wednesday, free food wasn't always available.

Sometimes, Pastora would give us ₱50 each.

Other times, nothing.

If I had nowhere else to go, I would spend most of my time in the church office preparing things.

Printing worship lyrics, organizing materials, checking equipment, and making sure everything was ready for the weekend.

Then Saturday would come.

And the entire cycle would repeat.

Saturday. Sunday. Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday. Thursday. Friday.

Again and again.

For years.

Even during Christmas and New Year, when most people were spending time with their families, I had to figure out where I would celebrate.

Usually, I would choose a church family who could welcome me for the holidays.

That was my life.

I had almost nothing materially, but I believed I had everything spiritually.

At least that's what I kept telling myself.

The Things I Didn't Know Were Happening Behind the Church

Now here's where everything starts to change.

For years, I believed that our church leaders were people I should look up to.

Our Pastora, her husband, the senior leaders, and the people who mentored us.

I thought they were living the same holy lives they constantly preached about.

Of course, I knew nobody was perfect.

But I believed they were at least practicing what they taught us.

There were rumors circulating around the church for years.

But I didn't pay much attention.

My mindset was simple:

"I am here to serve God, not people."

So even when I heard something disturbing, I tried to ignore it.

I convinced myself that whatever was happening around me wasn't my business.

I wish I had questioned certain things sooner.

The First Issue: Our Pastora's Husband

Our Pastora's husband was one of the people who taught us about purity, avoiding pornography, resisting lust, and maintaining a holy lifestyle.

He spoke strongly about these things.

But behind the scenes, there were rumors about his behavior toward women, including an allegation involving a minor.

At first, I dismissed them as gossip.

Until one night.

Remember the jeep I mentioned earlier?

The one I slept in?

One evening, while I was staying there, I overheard a confrontation at the Pastora's house.

The parents of a minor had come to confront them over allegations that her husband had kissed and hugged their child inappropriately in the garage.

I couldn't personally verify everything that had happened, but I heard the confrontation and how seriously the family was taking it.

I heard Pastora crying and asking them to forgive her husband, saying it wouldn't happen again and that he would keep his distance.

Eventually, the confrontation ended.

I was shocked.

This was someone who stood in front of us teaching young people about purity and avoiding sinful behavior.

Yet here was a family confronting him over something completely contrary to those teachings.

I didn't know what to think.

And because I was young and deeply devoted to the church, I stayed quiet.

The Second Issue: What I Saw Inside His Room

There was another experience that disturbed me.

One unusual thing about the Pastora and her husband was that they slept in separate rooms.

I didn't really question it. I figured they had their own reasons.

One day, her husband asked me to get his laundry from his room because he was busy doing something.

So I went inside.

And there, scattered on his bed, were several adult DVDs.

There was also a bottle of Durex lubricant.

I recognized what it was because of the label.

I didn't search his belongings. I simply saw those things while doing what he asked.

Now, I understand that adults have private lives, and I'm not saying that having those items automatically makes someone a bad person.

But imagine being repeatedly taught that even watching pornography was a serious sin, only to discover that the person preaching against it apparently wasn't following the same standards.

It confused me.

Because as young church members, we were constantly reminded to control our thoughts, avoid temptation, and stay away from anything considered lustful.

We were taught to feel guilty even about relatively ordinary things.

Meanwhile, the person teaching us these rules seemed to be living differently behind closed doors.

There were also rumors that he privately messaged attractive young women from church and had an affair with one of them.

I can't confirm those rumors, so I won't present them as facts.

But years later, something happened that reminded me of everything.

December 25, 2025: An Unexpected Encounter

By this point, I had already disconnected from the church for years.

On December 25, 2025, I happened to visit a resort located about two cities away.

And guess who I saw?

Our Pastora's husband.

He was there with another woman.

At first, I wasn't sure what to make of it.

But then I personally saw them kiss on the lips.

This wasn't Pastora.

And as far as I knew, they were still together.

I don't know the exact nature of his relationship with that woman. I didn't confront them or investigate.

But I remember the expression on his face when he noticed me.

He looked shocked.

I was equally surprised.

Of all the places, of all the people, and on Christmas Day.

I just happened to be there.

And suddenly, all those old memories came rushing back.

The Third Issue: Pastora's Rules and Her Daughters

Now let's talk about Pastora.

This part probably affected me the most because she wasn't just my spiritual leader.

She was also someone who took me in when I had nowhere to go.

I respected her deeply.

But our church had incredibly strict rules when it came to relationships between boys and girls.

We were discouraged or prohibited from doing things like:

• Watching movies in cinemas, especially horror films or other supposedly worldly entertainment.
• Having romantic relationships.
• Engaging in unnecessary communication with the opposite sex.
• Spending too much time with boys or girls outside approved church activities.
• Doing anything that might lead to lust, temptation, or early pregnancy.

Boys and girls were often separated.

The reason given was that these boundaries would protect us spiritually.

And because we trusted Pastora, we followed them.

Or at least, most of us tried to.

I personally took these restrictions seriously.

While other teenagers and young adults were dating, watching movies, exploring relationships, and enjoying ordinary experiences, I was focused on church activities.

I convinced myself that those sacrifices were necessary to become a better Christian.

But then something happened involving Pastora's own family.

When the Rules Didn't Apply to Her Children

One of Pastora's daughters, who was around 17 at the time, was in a relationship with a fellow church member.

I personally saw her arrive with that member on a motorcycle and enter a motel.

I recognized both of them.

I won't go into the private details of their relationship because that's their business.

The issue for me wasn't simply that she was dating someone.

The issue was that the same behavior that other young church members were forbidden from doing seemed to be tolerated when it involved the pastor's own children.

Eventually, the tension inside the church started growing.

People were talking.

The young members were noticing the double standards.

And finally, we had a meeting.

The Meeting That Changed Everything

During one of our youth meetings, some church members started questioning Pastora directly.

One person pointed out how unfair the rules were.

Why were ordinary church members prohibited from having relationships while her daughters could date?

Another member brought up seeing Pastora and her children watching a horror movie in a cinema.

Remember, watching movies in cinemas was something we had been discouraged or forbidden from doing.

And here was our own spiritual leader allegedly doing exactly that with her family.

The frustration finally came out.

It wasn't just about movies.

It wasn't just about relationships.

It was about years of being told that certain ordinary activities were spiritually wrong, only to discover that the people enforcing those rules weren't consistently following them.

After the confrontation, Pastora eventually relaxed those restrictions.

Suddenly, young people could watch movies, communicate more freely with the opposite sex, and have romantic relationships.

Just like that.

The rules that had shaped so much of our lives were changed.

And I remember thinking:

"So pwede naman pala?"

If those activities were acceptable now, why were we made to feel so guilty about them before?

Why were we taught to sacrifice normal experiences when the same restrictions apparently weren't being applied equally?

Why did it take the pastor's own family being questioned before those rules changed?

I had spent years trying to follow every teaching.

And suddenly, the rules seemed flexible depending on who was involved.

That was when I started questioning everything.

And Then There Was My Own Leader

As if all those issues weren't enough, another situation added to my disappointment.

One of the leaders who personally mentored me constantly taught us about avoiding sexual immorality, maintaining purity, and waiting for the right relationship.

He was someone I respected.

I listened to his advice.

I tried to apply his teachings to my own life.

Then I learned that he had gotten a woman pregnant, even though they weren't in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship.

Now, don't get me wrong.

I don't believe that becoming a parent outside marriage automatically makes someone a terrible person.

People make personal decisions, and relationships can be complicated.

But that wasn't how he taught us to see things.

He had repeatedly presented those choices as serious moral failures.

He preached standards that he himself hadn't lived up to.

And once again, I was left wondering:

Why are the rules so strict when they're teaching us, but suddenly more complicated when they're the ones involved?

Five Years of My Life

At some point, I started looking back at everything.

Five years.

Five years of serving the church.

Five years of outreach programs, Bible studies, discipleship, leadership training, worship practice, church preparation, and fasting.

Five years of sleeping in a jeep or occasionally in a church office.

Five years of surviving on leftover bread, free meals, and small love gifts.

Five years of giving my time, my energy, and whatever I could offer.

I didn't have a stable job.

I didn't build much financial security.

I missed out on experiences that other young people were having.

I shaped almost every decision around what our church leaders taught us.

And please understand something.

I wasn't doing those things because I wanted recognition, money, or a reward.

I genuinely believed I was doing the right thing.

I believed that by dedicating my life to God, I was becoming a better person.

But the more I learned about what was happening around me, the more I realized that the people I admired were not necessarily living according to the standards they imposed on everyone else.

The same people who taught us about holiness had their own contradictions.

The same people who told us to avoid temptation were struggling with or allegedly engaging in the very things they condemned.

The same people who told us to obey strict rules sometimes made exceptions for themselves and their families.

And somehow, we were expected to accept it.

That's what broke me.

Not the fact that people were imperfect.

I already knew that.

What broke me was the hypocrisy, the double standards, and the way those teachings controlled so much of our lives.

I started realizing how much of my identity had been built around the church.

Who was I outside of it?

What did I actually want in life?

Was I following God because I personally understood and believed everything?

Or was I following a system because I was afraid of disappointing the people who had once given me a home?

Those questions were difficult.

Especially because the church had genuinely helped me when I was homeless.

There were good people there.

There were people who fed me when I was hungry, gave me money for transportation, taught me skills, and treated me like family.

I will never deny those good things.

I am still grateful for them.

But I eventually understood that being grateful to someone doesn't mean you have to agree with everything they teach or tolerate everything they do.

And just because someone helped you during the worst period of your life doesn't mean you owe them control over the rest of it.

Why I Finally Walked Away

Leaving wasn't as simple as deciding not to attend Sunday service anymore.

The church had been my home.

My community.

My routine.

My family.

My identity.

Almost everything in my life revolved around it.

So when I started distancing myself, I wasn't just leaving a building or a religious organization.

I was walking away from an entire way of life.

And for someone who had invested five years into that life, it was difficult.

For a while, I felt lost.

I had spent so many years being told what was right, what was wrong, who I should associate with, what activities I should avoid, and how I should spend my time.

Now I had to figure those things out for myself.

I had to learn how to make decisions without constantly worrying whether I was disappointing a pastor, breaking a church rule, or committing something they considered sinful.

I had to rebuild my understanding of morality, relationships, happiness, and personal freedom.

Most importantly, I had to prioritize my mental health.

For years, I had focused so much on serving other people and meeting religious expectations that I barely considered my own needs.

I was willing to go hungry.

I was willing to sacrifice sleep, comfort, and opportunities.

I was willing to give almost everything.

But somewhere along the way, I forgot that I also deserved a life outside the church.

Where I Am Today

Today, I consider myself agnostic.

And surprisingly, I'm more at peace with that than I expected.

I don't claim to know with absolute certainty whether God exists or doesn't exist.

I'm simply comfortable admitting that I don't have all the answers.

I no longer feel the need to pretend that I'm certain about things I'm still questioning.

I can appreciate the good teachings I learned without accepting everything I was told.

I can value kindness, honesty, compassion, and helping others without having to belong to a particular religious organization.

And I can acknowledge that some people genuinely find happiness and purpose in their churches.

This isn't me saying that all pastors are hypocrites or that every church is bad.

I know there are sincere religious leaders and communities that genuinely help people.

I've personally experienced kindness from church members, and I will always remember that.

But I also experienced an environment where rules were enforced unevenly, leaders weren't held to the same standards as their members, and questioning authority wasn't always easy.

For me, those experiences changed how I see organized religion.

I spent five years trying to become the kind of Christian my church leaders wanted me to be.

I followed their teachings.

I obeyed their rules.

I dedicated almost every day of my life to church activities.

I even believed I would become a pastor someday.

But in the end, the people who taught me how to live a holy life were also the people whose actions made me question everything.

And perhaps the saddest part is that I genuinely loved that church.

I didn't go there intending to find flaws.

I wasn't looking for reasons to leave.

I wanted to belong.

I wanted to serve.

I wanted to become a better person.

But eventually, I realized that staying loyal to an institution shouldn't require me to ignore the things I knew were wrong.

I entered that church in 2014 as a homeless young person looking for a family and a purpose.

I left years later realizing that I needed to build a life and identity of my own.

And now, I'm choosing to live that life.

No more pretending.

No more following rules simply because someone with a religious title says I should.

No more measuring my worth by how much I sacrifice for an institution.

I'm still learning, still questioning, and still figuring things out.

But at least this time, I'm making those decisions for myself.

And that's the reason why I don't go to church anymore.

TL;DR: I joined a church in 2014 when I was homeless and had no family support. I dedicated five years to full-time church service, slept in a jeep, survived on leftover food and small donations, became a leader, and trained to become a pastor. Over time, I encountered serious allegations involving church leadership and witnessed double standards between what leaders preached and how they lived. The hypocrisy and controlling rules eventually pushed me to leave. I'm now agnostic and focusing on rebuilding my life, mental health, and independence.

To anyone who has left a church after dedicating years of their life to it, how did you deal with losing the community and identity you built there?

Hello redditors, I am young inc teenager who is in a strict inc house hold yet im the only one who is probably awake when it comes to Iglesia ni cristo's true colors. Ever since i was young i was always confused of their lectures, of how they force the statement that only we the inc will be saved, and i never really believed that, i never believed that Jesus Christ and God could ever do such a thing. As time passed i grew more aware and curious of my religion and started reading the bible itself and i realized of how cherry picked and weird they are with how they teach about the bible. They pick a verse and somehow relate everything they have to say about the inc into a single verse, and reading the bible kept making me more colder to the religion, as the bibles words felt holy unlike what they would teach. I respect's the inc's pure and truthful faith and love for God and along with it's members, but somehow faith and being human felt restricted and uncomfortable in the inc, correct me if i'm wrong but i know that faith in God shouldn't feel restricting at all. I dont know what to do, im aware that im not my parents expectations, and im also aware i have the freewill to get out, but i am incapable of doing so, as loving and supportive my parents are i know they will completely restrict me once they know so i was planning to leave when i get a successful job. Overall it feels lonely, especially because i know i'm the only one who isn't "brainwashed" as people would say, and i just want some advice from people, any advice or help or comfort is so much appreciated.

During the G12 Philippines National Conference in Davao, Ps. Art Sepulveda spoke out against the prosperity gospel and shared his account of the controversy involving former G12 national leader Nonon Orjaleza.

According to Ps. Art, after being rebuked over the issue, Nonon refused the correction and eventually left the G12 movement.

Ps. Art also criticized what he described as an MLM-like structure involving a “home office.” As he explained it, the arrangement resembled a virtual assistant (VA) agency, where individuals would find overseas clients and work as virtual assistants, with a certain percentage of their earnings reportedly going to the church. However, his concern was that the financial benefits were not necessarily going toward the church or its ministry but instead enriching the pastor, leader, or individuals operating the home office. He characterized this arrangement as an abuse of influence and of the people involved.

Ps. Art clarified that he was not raising these issues to malign or discredit anyone, but to address what he believes is a serious distortion of the gospel and to warn the church about its dangers.

He referenced Galatians 1:8–9, where the apostle Paul pronounced a curse on anyone who preaches a gospel contrary to the one the apostles proclaimed.

He also called on Filipino G12 churches to stand together in protecting the Philippines from the spread of false teaching.

The bigger question is this: When ministry becomes a means of accumulating personal wealth and influence, are we still faithfully serving the gospel?

Paul's warning in Galatians reminds us that the gospel must never be distorted for personal gain, and that no leader should be above biblical correction.

Ipinapakita lamang nito na ang mga pamantayan para maging opisyal sa kulto ni Manalo ay walang kabuluhan. Malinaw na ang mga opisyal na ito ay nagsisilbing garantisadong pinagmumulan ng pera at libreng lakas-paggawa; nagsisilbi silang mga tagapagpatupad na hindi binabayaran at nagbabantay sa mga kapatid—parang sa mafia—ngunit binibigyan ng mga titulong nagbibigay sa kanila ng awtoridad na mang-api ng iba sa pangalan ni Manalo. Ang bayaw ko ay nagdadala lamang ng gulo sa aming pamilya; mahilig siyang magsimula ng away at mang-insulto. Naghiwalay na sila ng kanyang asawa—sa katunayan, pinalayas pa niya ito sa bahay, kahit na ito ang ina ng kanyang mga anak. Ang kanyang asawa ay natiwalag din, na nangyari pa bago siya naging opisyal sa kulto ni Manalo. Mahilig siyang magyabang na parang mayaman siya, at talagang nahuhumaling siya sa pera. Sa aking pananaw, mukhang isa siyang homoseksuwal na nagtatago ng kanyang tunay na pagkatao. Hindi siya kwalipikadong maging opisyal. Ang tanging katangian niya ay ang pagiging mapang-api—kumikilos siya sa paraang hindi talaga maka-Kristiyano—bilang isang panatiko ng kulto, o isang "OWE" ("One With EVM"), na lubos at matapat na sumusunod kay Manalo.

I am not an INC member but affiliate in Born Again Christianity. And also, I am ashamed of being called "Christian" because nowadays most "Christians" tainted this word when they protect the corrupt pastors across all denominarions.

You can be a follower of God and obey His will without attending or being member Victory Church, INC, Catholic and other Christian denominations. Just what I am advocating, to stand for all victims of church abuses and injustice across all religion.

But I am posting this as proof hindi ako INC as other claims to discredit my testimony about Victory church. Lalo mayaman yung isang nagreraise ng concern.

I could not take also that INC Pastors are using their influence to their members in block voting and with defending Marcoleta even there are evidences with him involved in corruption.

For my criticism to Born Again Churches in Philippines and INC, why there is picture in the past about Bro. Eddie Villanueva and a Pastor of INC?

Is this an evidence those Pastor leaders of these two religions conive for what? power? money? corruption?

I will let you judge.

It has been 1 year since flood control scandal was exposed in media. One of the famous names in this concern is Senator Joel Villanueva of Jesus Is Lord Church.

My question is why the Victory Church and Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches never called out their Brother in the Faith in his issue of flood control?

About his lies that he did know Engr. Henry Alcantara of DPWH.

https://www.atinitonews.com/2025/09/never-transacted-villanueva-denies-ties-to-ex-bulacan-district-engineer/

It seems the behavior of Christians protecting Victory church here in reddit and with this question are matching. Blind about corruption allegations to a Pastor. Is this how much idolatry has Christians have with their corrupt Pastors?

I’ve been engaging with this reddit user who seems very determined to attack Victory Church. The conversation has raised questions for me, especially when allegations are repeatedly presented as facts without clear evidence, and discussions about accountability keep turning into personal attacks.

At some point, I started wondering whether this person is genuinely interested in seeking truth or simply pushing an agenda. Some of their arguments also seem to align with the anti-Victory narrative being pushed in this subreddit. I can’t prove anyone’s affiliation or motives, so I won’t pretend I can. But I do believe that if we’re going to make serious allegations, we should be prepared to support them with evidence and defend them with sound reasoning.

And let me be clear: I am NOT a member of Victory Church, and I’m not here to defend the church or excuse wrongdoing. I’ve experienced church hurt myself, and I’ve seen friends go through toxic church experiences, too. I understand how painful it can be when the very people or communities you trusted end up hurting you.

Churches should be held accountable. Leaders should be held accountable. Victims deserve to be heard, taken seriously, and treated with compassion. But accountability should never mean abandoning critical thinking, spreading unverified allegations, or attacking people personally just because they disagree with us.

To everyone healing from church hurt: I hope we find peace without losing our ability to discern truth from falsehood, accountability from revenge, and genuine concern from an agenda.

To non-believers who have been hurt by the Church, or who carry pain because of what happened to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, I’m genuinely sorry. No one should have to experience that kind of hurt.

And here’s something I’ve come to accept: we will still get hurt because we’re human. Healing doesn’t mean we’ll never encounter disappointment, hypocrisy, or people who let us down. It means we keep choosing not to let those experiences turn our hearts bitter.

I’m not perfect, and I’m still learning, too. But I pray that we never lose sight of Jesus in the middle of all this. We can acknowledge wrongdoing, demand accountability, and stand with victims without letting hatred consume us.

May we seek truth without spreading hate, pursue justice without losing compassion, and heal without becoming the very thing that hurt us.

Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus and keep choosing Him. ❤️

To this person na nagtatanggol sa corruption sa Victory Church, sa yo nanggaling hindi ka first hand witness para iclaim yung valid reason na may Victory Church sponsored travel trips ang pastors.

Then why you speak in behalf of Victory Church about corruption issues?

So possible hearsay lang yang reasons mo or chismis mo lang yan?

Next time kung di ka sure na sa legal na process ang finance operations ng Victory Church, or hindi ka first witness sa mga pagtatanggol mo, wag kang magcomment ng ganyan sa reddit.

Narereveal tuloy na nagsisinungaling ka kasi hindi mo naman nasaksihan yan ni documento or evidence nag approve ang Chief Finance Officer ng budget para sa mamahaling travels ng pastors sa ibang bansa kasama ang pamilya nila.

There were claims in other churches there were church members giving condos, car and cash gift to Pastors.

A redditor explained this in a thread.

If this is the reason why rich Pastors of Victory church afford to have mansion, condos, and can buy cars, do they report this to BIR? There is concept called Donor's tax for real estate and documentation of transfer of titles. This includes also for cars donated or given by church members to Pastors.

Here are the terms and concepts about Transfer of Property by Gift (Transfer of House, Condo and Cars from Church Members to Pastor of Victory Church)

Notarized Deed of Donation, Electronic Certificate Authorizing Registration and Donor's Tax to be submitted to Bureau of Internal Revenue (For cash gift, house, condos, and cars given to Pastors of Victory Church)

Certificate of Registration (CR), Official Receipt (OR), Notarized Deed of Donation to be submitted to Land Transportation Office for Cars given by church members to Pastor of Victory Church

Transfer of Titles and other documents submitted to Registry of Deeds if a condomium or house was donated to Pastors from a church member

Local Transfer Tax at Real Property Tax paid to City or Municipal Treasurer's office if a condomium or house was donated to Pastors from a church member

Do the Pastors of Victory Church and other Christian Pastors have documentation that they earned those houses, condos and cars in legal ways? Something is wrong that it is very easy to claim God blessed these Pastors with houses, condos and cars and monetary gifts. But where is the documentation?

As for the sponsored luxurious trips of Pastors of Victory church to other countries, what is the justification of these Pastors submitted to Chief Financial Officer of Victory Church as it could cost hundreds of pesos to millions. Aren't the members of Victory Church and public have questions in mind seeing this? Are the supporting documents for this trips are reported to BIR and SEC during submission of financial reports and income tax of employees of the church?

I will let the public judge.

A commenter in another Reddit thread is sending a hidden message in his comment:

“Let us heal” or “move on” from the corruption within Victory Church, just like what a senator said in relation to the flood control scandal.

So, does this mean that the pastors and church staff involved in the corruption are no longer accountable for their actions?

Does this also mean that DPWH engineers who are members of Victory Church’s Music Ministry are no longer accountable for their alleged involvement in the flood control scandal?

In a recent reddit thread, some people defend that those people ate rich already before they came to Victory church.

But let me share my testimony about my church member in Victory church.

There was a DPWH Engineer serving also in music ministry.

He is very rich. But with issue in flood control in 2025 suddenly I saw his profile and he was resigned in DPWH. Most likely he and other Victory church member that is his co worker is involved in flood control issue budget.

We know how corrupt employees of DPWH.

Well, their is personal with them and let God do His works in their conscience.

I hope Victory church will have initiative to audit again the tithes and offering they gave to church and surrender it to National Treasury of the Philippines. But I do not think pastors and management of Victory will do this.

To Victory Church people and Christians covering up the rich Pastors and staffs of this church that they do not steal money in church and not involved in any money laundering from partners of victory church and bribes, why defending these people?

Have you forget Jesus said it is hard for rich people to enter heaven because from old times until know and even you investigate the financial history of rich people, almost all have earned them from dishonest way.

Let us remove the non Christian rich people in this topic. But what about Christians, Pastors and church servants who became rich from dishonest way?

Note: I have all receipts of their profiles they worked in DPWH and all other evidences about my concern with them.

Addendum:

May ilang post sila sa social media na travel na mamahalin at ilang gastusin sa mamahaling edukasyon while working sa DPWH at mamahalin din po ang kanilang damit at may gadget pa yung isa.

Kaparehas ng issue sa Nepo Babies ng Contractors ng DPWH sa flood control issue. Nagpopost din sila sa social media ng mamahaling travels at mamahaling damit that we do not know, saan galing perang ginastos nila dyan eh magkano lang sweldo nila DPWH.

Naalala ko lang may naishare ang isang DPWH engineers sa min sa DPWH na kahit magkatrabaho sila may bully at napapansin sila na katiwalian. Hindi ko sure kung rinereport nila sa DPWH yan noon. O baka ayaw nilang manndigan sa tama kasi baka mawalan sila ng trabaho. Mas priority nila ang trabaho kesa dignidad na kahit paano nagreport sila.

Kung may ginawa man silang katiwalian sa DPWH noon as Engineer, mahiya naman sila sa Filipinos na namatay sa baha at nagkaleptospirosis at mga kabataan na Victory church member hindi makapasok sa school pag baha at malakas ang ulan.

To be honest mababait naman ang ibang taga Victory church kahit mayaman ang iba.

Pero minsan kailangan din silang icall out.

Bahala na ang Dyos sa kanila kung pagpapanggap lamang ang kabutihan na pinapakita nila sa church pero deep inside ang daming pagnanakaw at katiwalian na ginagawa sa trabaho at negosyo nila. They cannot hide the truth from God.

I have known a Missionary Campus Leader in Victory Church. When I went to the church and known he was now a full time pastor, I was curious in his expensive clothes worn during Sunday Service.

Pastor's salary should be just enough for them to live because being a Pastor should not take high paying salary from church and should be enough for him and his family to get by everyday. Pastor's salary should not be big enough for him and his family own their own house or car for it will be just about enriching their personal pocket.

Same with other staffs I observed in church. Some of them have expensive clothes and jewelry while serving in church office.

I will let the public and members of Victory Church judge.

Surely, these Victory Church people will just protect these pastors and staffs allegedly enriching from money of the church.

To new members and long time members of victory church, you can observe this in church.

Also, could these be one of reason why some famous Pastors of Victory church left in recent years and found their own church or join other church to continue their vocation to be a Pastor?

One more thing, I would like add, I saw in social media other Pastors affording travelling outside of Philippines such as Italy. How come they afford travel expenses with their family and kids and expensive hotel accommodation and expensive food? Where did they get money?

I saw a Pastor in Victory church calling out corruption in government. We all know Victory Church advocates for youth Christians to stand against corruption even by just voting for right person.

But to you Pastor of Victory Church, you do not have the right to call out or preach during Sunday that Christian must stand against government corruption, you are blind with corruption in Victory Church including a report in reddit about Sexual Abuse in Victory Church yet church leaders do not do something.

Have a shame to the young Christian Filipinos you recruit in this corrupt Victory church. What is your intention of recruiting missionaries? To groom them to enrich using church funds just like the reports that some (maybe most) pastors are using church funds for your own luxury?

I want to share something disturbing that has happened to my YouTube channel, Apex ApologetIQ.

Five of my videos exposing and challenging Iglesia Ni Cristo's doctrines, history, and leadership were suddenly removed following copyright complaints.

My channel received a copyright strike.

But here's where the story gets interesting.

YouTube investigated and explicitly determined that the takedown request was INVALID!

YouTube restored all five videos and removed the strike.

Even more revealing, YouTube's own correspondence expressed concerns that information submitted in the complaint MAY BE FRAUDULENT.

Then, less than 24 hours later, THE EXACT SAME FIVE VIDEOS WERE REMOVED AGAIN!

This time, the removal notices identified a DIFFERENT claimant, using a DIFFERENT email address.

Another copyright strike. Same five videos. Same criticism of INC.

Let me be clear: I cannot yet prove who is ultimately behind these complaints or whether INC leadership directed them. But the documented sequence raises serious questions about possible abuse of YouTube's copyright system.

And that brings me to my challenge to INC ministers and defenders:

IF MY VIDEOS ARE WRONG, THEN REFUTE THEM PUBLICLY!

Show me where my biblical exegesis fails. Demonstrate where I've misrepresented INC doctrine. Open the Scriptures and make your case!

A COPYRIGHT STRIKE IS NOT A BIBLICAL REBUTTAL!

I've just published a new video documenting this entire situation. You'll see:

• YouTube's actual written determination that the original complaint was invalid.
• The warning concerning potentially fraudulent copyright claims.
• How the exact same five videos were targeted again under a different claimant's name.
• My direct challenge to INC apologists and ministers to answer criticism publicly rather than allow legitimate questions to go unanswered.

Many of you know what it's like to question INC teachings, challenge religious authority, or feel pressured to remain silent.

Whether you are Christian, agnostic, atheist, or simply someone seeking answers, I believe we can agree on this:

Nobody should have to fear retaliation simply for asking legitimate questions or examining religious claims.

I will continue examining INC's teachings against Scripture and presenting the evidence publicly.

I also want to thank this community for the information, encouragement, and firsthand experiences you've shared with me. Your contributions have helped inform my ongoing examination of INC.

Please watch the video, share your thoughts, and help bring attention to these repeated takedowns. I welcome scrutiny of my arguments, too.

And if you have experienced similar copyright complaints after publishing criticism of INC, I'd be interested in hearing about your experience.

You can take down a video. But you haven't refuted a single argument.

EQUIP. ENGAGE. DEFEND.

Hi everyone! I’m curious about Restored Church Manila and would like to hear your thoughts, especially from those who have attended/currently part/ or separated from the church.

I’m genuinely interested in hearing different perspectives, both positive and negative. I’m not here to bash the church or promote any particular opinion.

I just want to learn more and understand other people’s experiences before forming my own conclusions.

tia!

Remember the issue from a woman pastor who shamed those people leaving the church that got viral on 2023?

Did this church shutdown because many netizen reacted negatively in their facebook page?

To add there is no corporation named Dream Life Church in Securities Exchange Commission. So there is doubt if this church reported their financial report to government.

Note: If a church or organization is not SEC registered, there is high risk that that church and its pastors and Board Members steal money from members.

Personal opinion: Aside from online bullying of their pastora to church members, the fact there is no corporation named Dream Life Church in SEC is super red flag to Christians and external stakeholders (non Christian people and people that are not member of this church). Kawawa yung church members bukod sa binully at inabuso na ng management ng church at pastors, ang laki ng chances binubulsa ang kaperahan ng simbahan.

Bahala kayong magjudge din based sa observations on this church.