The Pentecostal Missionary Church of God (4th Watch)
Founder: Rev. Arsenio Tan Ferriol (aka. “Apostle Arsenio T. Ferriol””Apostle in the End Time””Beloved Apostle” “Living Apostle” or “Sugong Apostle”)
Former Christian Church Affiliation
Foursquare Church established by Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944).
Main Headquarters and Bible College
Marikina City, Philippines.
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 257, Marikina City, Philippines 1800.
Worldwide Membership: Estimated at 50,000 – 60,000.
Countries and Cities Penetrated
Some of the countries and cities they have penetrated are as follows: Britain,
Switzerland, Italy, France, Monaco, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, San
Diego (US), Los Angeles, Seattle, Honolulu, Dallas, Guam, Saipan, and Saudi
Arabia.
Source Of Authority
The Holy Bible (Old Tagalog Versions) as interpreted by Mr. Arsenio T.
Ferriol. He is the infallible authority of the Bible.
Extra-Biblical Authorities
The Word Magazine is described by 4th Watchers as:
- The Word Magazine contains the teachings of the apostles of God.
- Reading The Word Magazine is like studying the Bible itself.
- Explanations of The Word Magazine directly comes from God through
the ―Apostle‖ Arsenio Ferriol.
- The Word Magazine gives light, wisdom, and knowledge.
- The Word Magazine is more important than life itself. It gives a 4th
Watcher spiritual strength, doctrines, and revelation.
- The Word Magazine is inspired by God.
TV And Radio Programs
Oras Ng Katotohanan (ONK) seen at SBN21 and NBN 4 and heard at DWWW
774 kHz.
Peculiar Beliefs And Practices
- They believe that Rev. Arsenio T. Ferriol is God’s living apostle for our time.
- They believe that an end-time mystery was revealed only to the Living Apostle. They call that revealed mystery, the fourth watch. Citing Mark 4:11 and 13:35, they say we are now living in the 4th Watch.
- Since they have the living Apostle…
a.They belong to the one true Church, aka, the Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch).
b.They alone preach the gospel that saves; the rest can preach it but they do not have a message that saves.
c.They have the correct and the authoritative teaching and understanding of the Scriptures. In their “authoritative” understanding of the Scriptures they teach…
i. The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God but not a Trinity.
ii. The Personality of the Holy Spirit and the divinity and sinless humanity of Christ but they also teach that during incarnation Christ took off his form of God (kenosis heresy).
iii. Baptism by immersion is one of the prerequisites to salvation or to being born again (baptismal regeneration error) this happens after repentance which, in turn, happens after belief.
iv. The authorized baptism is administered only by the living Apostle or by his ordained ministers called, “mga sugo”.
v. To remain saved, one has to keep good standing with God through various 4th Watch activities.
4.They consider “public offering” as one of the signs of a true Church. In the Philippines they preach in crowded streets and inside the buses while at the same time pass around envelops or collection bag for money.
Peculiar Beliefs and Practices of the 4th Watchers
The Living Apostle
While shepherding in his former church (Four Square), Rev. Arsenio T.
Ferriol claims to have been given the ―Apostleship from God which at first he
just ignored.
He likens his Apostleship to that of Apostle Paul, in fact, in the Brief
History of the Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) we are told
how an accident played a very significant role in this belief:
The Pentecostal Missionary CHURCH of CHRIST (4th Watch) began
when Bro. Arsenio T. Ferriol, then a pastor, received the apostolic calling.At first, he wasn’t able to fully comprehend his divine calling. It overwhelmed Him. So he retreated into the ordinary routine of local church shepherding and working in his growing livestock business in Marikina City, Philippines.
At first, his plans seemed to work out just fine for him and his ministry. But God had other plans for His servant. God wanted Him to speak the Gospel.
One fateful day just at the break of dawn, God once more moved in his servant’s life. This time in a manner that would forever impress upon Bro. Arsenio that God had indeed called him to be His messenger.
Bro. Arsenio’s truck overturned violently on the highway. He was pinned and dragged by the vehicle for several meters before it finally stopped. The tragic accident nearly cost him his life. At the hospital, whilst in deep pain and emotional anguish, Bro. Arsenio vowed to heed God’s calling.
Since then, God has never failed to demonstrate to him his apostolic calling. In 1972, the Pentecostal Missionary CHURCH of CHRIST (4th Watch) was founded in the Philippines.
From a handful of faithful believers under his anointed leadership, the PMCC (4th Watch) grew and increased both in stature and membership in the Philippines and across the globe.
Because of this claim Rev. Ferriol and the 4th Watch may have just fulfilled
2 Corinthians 11:12-15:
But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
The 4th Watch
They say that one of the principal proofs of Rev. Ferriol’s divinely appointed office is a mystery about the last days that God revealed only to him. They even say that this mystery was never even revealed to the early Apostles, 4th Watch Pastor Osie Quillao wrote,
The fourth watch is a mystery. This will not be revealed by God to those who are not his Apostles (Ephesians 3:3-5). God told Daniel that the revelation to know the season will be given by only to those who will be in the end of time (Daniel 12:4). Not even the apostles of the first Church knew, because the revelation of season and its division will be made known to the apostle of God in the end of time, the fourth watch. Just like when the mystery about Christ was revealed only when Christ came.
(The Word, Vol. 9, Issn. 67, 1998, p. 27)As an apostle of Jesus Christ, Bro. Arsenio T. Ferriol received a revelation that clearly defines where we are now in God’s timetable prior to the second coming of Christ. This is the doctrine that clearly sets apart the PMCC (4th Watch). But this is not the only defining mark of the church. Bro. Arsenio T. Ferriol has also espoused the significance of the perfection of the saints, the complete operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the church, the work of global evangelization as well as other essential doctrines and practices of the early apostolic church.
(Brief History of the Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch)
One True Church?
For having the living apostle, they claim that the Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) is the one true Church. Do they say they are the only true Church? Please take note that most of them will be quick to deny they are saying this. But when you ask them to name one or two other true churches aside from PMCC churches they cannot even identify just one.
Once again The Word magazine,
In the calling of the apostles lies the calling of those who were taught. That is why they have one calling, called through the Apostles who were called by Christ (Ephesians 4:4). And those who were not called in the same manner are clearly not the body of the Lord. Others teach that they will simply become part. They cannot become part if they are not called because those who are part of the Church will be called first. If they are not taught with the apostle, they were not called by God.(The Word, Vol. 9, Issue No. 68, 1988, p.27).
Kenosis Heresy
They believe that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. They also believe in the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as in the Personality of the Holy Spirit. However, they seem to be espousing the heresy of kenosis.
What then is the form of Christ before He has taken the form of man? In Philippians 2:6 it is stated that He took off the form of God. And when he took the form of man He was born of Mary and Joseph.
(The Word, Vol.9. No. 65, p.13).
Kenosis theory came out of the Reformation period. One of those who taught this theory was a Lutheran named Gottfried Thomasius. This theory suggests that part or all of the divine attributes of Christ were taken off, given up, or emptied at the incarnation.
This doctrine must be rejected for its inconsistent with Colossians 2:9 which says, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
Baptismal Regeneration
Baptism by immersion is one of PMCC (4th Watch) prerequisites to salvation. To be born again you must believe, repent, and undergo 4th Watch water baptism.
New converts must be baptized either by Rev. Ferriol or one of the 4th Watch pastors (―mga sugo‖). They claim only they can confer valid water baptism.
The scripture says one calling – called through the apostles (Romans 1:5-6), one faith – teachings of the apostles (Romans 18:8; Acts 2:42), one baptism – baptism of the Apostles.
(The Word, Vol. 9, Issue No. 68, 1988, p.27).
In order to be genuinely saved, they say that man must enter into this eternal covenant or agreement with God and he must remain in good standing with God through various 4th Watch activities. This way he maintains his salvation.
This teaching concerning salvation is very much unlike the Gospel of the Apostle Paul.
To Apostle Paul it’s not water baptism that saves rather; it is the preaching of the cross:
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
(1 Corinthians 1:17-18).
Public Offering As A Sign of the True Church
It’s not wrong to ask for financial help. It is also not wrong to give out of a generous heart. The problem is peddling God’s Word for a profit. The Apostle Paul wrote:
Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God” (2 Corinthians 2:17, NIV).
So why do the 4th Watchers preach and collect money in the streets and in the buses? The answer lies in their concept of the true Church. They believe that public offering is one of the sings of a true Church. 4th Watcher Pastor Dodoy Ferriol wrote,
Therefore, it is clear that the sign of the true preacher is the “Public Offering.” Because the true preachers have apostolic calling like that of Christ.
(The Word, Vol. 9, Issn. 94, 1998, p. 26)The “public offering” is a sign of the true Church, because the first Church as they were led by the apostles followed Christ. They taught in market places. Even Paul was found preaching daily in market places (Acts 17:17).
(Ibid., p. 27)
Clearly they are confusing “public offering” with the “public proclamation” of the Gospel. They read their assumptions into Acts 17:17. Assuming that since the early apostles preached the Gospel in public places it follows that they also collected money.
But that’s not true, even Dodoy Ferriol admitted that Acts 17:17 does not really say Paul collected money while preaching in public, they just presupposed it.
Again, The Word magazine,
Other say that Paul did not collect money. But the truth is, Paul was in market places collecting public offerings. If we can’t find that in Acts 17:17, it doesn’t follow that he did not do this. Because the Bible is not composed of one verse but of many verses.
Remember it was Dodoy Ferriol who used Acts 17:17 to justify public offering but take note of how he refuted himself. What are those other verses? They cite Psalms 68:18.
Again 4th Watcher Pastor Dodoy Ferriol,
That’s why the prophecy according to Acts 68:18, that he ascended and received gifts from men is a type of ministry. Because to receive an offering is a type of Christ’s ministry. He sets captives free, and they receive offering in the midst of the people. And how He ascended. He also sets captives free]
(Ibid., p. 24)
Psalm 68:18 does not say anything about a public offering. 4th Watcher, Norvie Gavino, wrote,
These offerings are given to the disciples of Christ as they are sent to preach the Word of God, but they had nothing… (Luke 10:3-4). Their food comes from those who receive their message in every city they go to (Luke 10:8).
By the way 2 Corinthians 2:17a is translated differently in the KJV,
“For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God.“
As you can see, both translations are violated by PMCC (4th Watch). Let me explain. They violate the NIV translation because they peddle the word of God for profit. They violate the KJV translation because they corrupt the word of God just to rationalise their peddling.
Luke 10:3-4 does not mention anything about money. In fact, the disciples were not told to bring a purse,
3″Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. 4Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.”
(Luke 10:3-4)
They were not told to bring a purse. Ironically, the rare occasions we see PMCC (4th Watch) peddling the word of God for profit without a purse is when they preach in buses and ask people to put money inside brown envelopes instead.
Did the early disciples collect money from the public and then use their collection money to buy food? No! They were invited to people’s homes and were they fed there.
No money was involved; remember they were told to not bring purses. Remember also that they were not told to eat from house to house,
And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house,” (Luke 10:7)
In stark contrast, the PMCC (4th Watch) spares no man in the public:
Receiving gifts from all men is a sign of a true preacher or believer. This is also the sign of the true Church. (The Word, Vol. 9, Issn. 94, 1998, p.24)
Finally, since they believe that public offering is a sign of the true Church what do you suppose they think of non-PMCC (4th Watch) churches that do not preach and collect money in the streets?
Again Dodoy Ferriol,
Today many claim to be Christians, but make ridicule “public offering.” Can they be called true disciples when instead of imitating the early believers they even ridicule [our] offering?
(The Word, Vol. 9, Issn. 64, 1998, p.26)Therefore the group or assembly that rejects public offering is not true Church of Christ.
(Ibid.p.27)
Journal of a Confessing Church 