By Peter Biggs

THERE are churches – and then there are movements.

The story of Filipino Christian leader Eddie Villanueva defies rational analysis.

He has gone from being an atheistic communist to recognition as one of today’s most powerful preachers of God’s word; the one-time radical activist is founder-pastor of one of the largest Christ-centred, Bible-based, full-gospel churches in the world.

BCCN met with him  last month, during his visit to Canadian churches.

Villanueva, a humble, soft-spoken man, now leads a Philippines-based movement whose sheer numbers speak to the vibrancy of Christianity beyond North America.

The Jesus Is Lord church (JIL) began in 1978 with a Bible study of 15 students conducted by Villanueva, then professor of economics and finance at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

Today, JIL is considered the largest  Protestant church in the Philippines. The number of members is estimated at up to three million, now spread across 36 countries – including 42 JIL churches in Canada. Of the latter, 11 have full time pastors; 10 are in B.C.

“We have 10,000 churches. Many are house churches pastored by non professionals,” Villanueva told BCCN.

The Philippines – the world’s 12th most populous country, at about 90 million people – has 11 percent of its population living oversees. Recent years have seen political and social instability, with many allegations of governmental corruption. There is also an ongoing insurgency. The often controversial Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is the current president of the Philippines; Villanueva ran against her in the 2004 election.

Clearly, Bro Eddie (as he is often called) has considerable influence in his home country, and has been courted for political office by the president  for a role in combating corruption in government. He said the conditions he offered for accepting such a role, which would involve sweeping changes, were not accepted.

“The only hope” for the Philippines, he said, “is divine intervention and the people of God. The body of Christ is a sleeping giant. I believe the country will be changed, and become a sending centre for the global gospel.”

New presidential elections are slated for 2010, and Villanueva is seriously considering running again.

“SInce 2007, people have been encouraging me. I need to see a genuine ‘machinery’ in place – down to the village level – so the votes of the people will be guarded.”

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There are other pressing considerations. “The temptation for me is to not leave my comfort zone, and to continue to plant churches all over the world,” he said, adding: “If the deplorable conditions [in the Philippines] do not stop, I cannot resist God’s mandate.”

Villanueva noted that he had survived a number of assassination attempts. “Satan will allow you to do anything you want to do,” he maintained, except for one thing: “He will not allow you to take political power. Satan has injected lies that Christians should only be concerned about heavenly things.”

Asked about factors that have contributed to the astounding growth of JIL as a movement, he immediately spoke about integrity in leaders.

“I emphasize the humility of Jesus, genuine compassion for others. The anointing will follow. Without the anointing we will not experience the blessing of the Lord. Never be tempted to look for money in the ministry – if you want money, go into business! If you are looking for power . . . well, the ‘least of these,’ Jesus highlighted. Do not look for the applause of men. Servant leadership is key.”

Villanueva also commented on the role of persecution and poverty in church life. He confirmed the presence of both in JIL’s history; indeed, when his church was 30,000 strong, “we were driven from once place to another.”

He also highlighted the role that healings, signs and wonders have played, referring to John 6:2: “And a great crowd of people followed him, because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick.”

Villanueva feels the Philippines is poised on the edge of something momentous: it will either spiral down into more instability, or indeed become a global centre sending out missionaries. In 2004, he said, “the first week after rigged elections, four typhoons hit the country.”

Commenting again on whether he will stand for election to president in 2010, he concluded: “My background and knowledge of the problems I cannot ignore. I could be assassinated; but I have faith – I have been protected. What is important is that I do not disobey my God. I am a political candidate that is not beholden to any political power.”

February 2009