HUMBLE
BEGINNINGS
OF JIL
Bro. Eddie’s raging passion, fire and zeal for activism soon became a consuming passion for God, fire for the Gospel and zeal for evangelism. Out of the overflow of his spiritual turning point, he began to share Jesus with family members and friends, then in Bible studies and church gatherings. It was evident from the start that God’s special touch was upon this man, who, for years, was deeply immersed in Marxist dialectics, Leninist revolutionary tactics and thoughts of Mao Tse Tung.
As professor of Economics and Finance at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), his Alma Mater (where he now sits as a member of the Board of Regents), he seized every opportunity to proclaim the Gospel to his students, who in turn, responded with much fervor. Their lives were so touched that they urged their professor to teach them more about the Bible. Thus, the Jesus is Lord Church, popularly called JIL, was born. It was 1978. From a Bible study of 15 PUP students, it has exploded to a phenomenal constituency of over a million. It is considered the biggest in the Philippines today and one of the largest in the world. Today, Bro. Eddie’s ministry is also touching many millions more through his TV, radio, literature, audio-tape and video ministries, the JIL Christian Schools/JIL Colleges Foundation, Inc. and through the JIL worldwide ministries.
Bro. Eddie’s vision is to reach out to all Filipinos with the Gospel wherever they are – in the Philippines or in other countries- and to all nationalities in the four-corners of the earth. To pursue this vision, JIL has established chapters in Europe, US, Canada, Middle East, Northern Africa and neighboring Asian countries, reaching out mostly to expatriate Filipinos. Recently, God instructed Bro. Eddie to launch a massive evangelization campaign aimed at touching the major cities of the world with the transforming power of Jesus.​
Our Declaration of Faith
consists of biblically founded doctrines and beliefs that the JILCW is more than willing to live and die for. These are the major doctrines that serve as the foundation of the distinctives of the Church. Furthermore, these doctrines are the bases of all spiritual and theological principles that guide all operations, activities, policies and programs of the Church. The Jesus Is Lord Church (Worldwide) believes on the following major doctrines:
Organizational Structure
Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus Is Lord ministry born from the heart of God
Bishop Eduardo "Eddie" Cruz Villanueva
President and Spiritual Director of the Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide
Rev. Edelisha "Jovi" Villanueva-Binalla
Vice President and Executive Director of the Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide
Rev. Alex Garcia
OIC Executive Director for International Affairs of the Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide
Mayor Jonjon Villanueva
Executive Director for National Affairs of the Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide
Rev. Benedicto "Benny" Alcantara
Operation Director for the Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide Southern and Eastern Europe operations
Who We Are, Where We Came From, and Where We’re Headed
It all started back in 1978 with a university professor named Bro. Eddie Villanueva and just fifteen students in the University of PUP in the Philippines. They didn’t have much, but they had this radical belief in the salvation of every Filipino. That small spark turned into a wildfire that couldn't be contained, it traveled all the way to the United Kingdom, which became a gateway for the ministry in Europe, and eventually, that flame reached Italy.
​
It’s amazing to think that it actually began in southern Italy, in Naples, with just a handful of people meeting for a simple Life Group in their houses(Bible study). Those few believers planted the seeds that eventually reached Rome and then moved upward to Milan(JIL Church opening year 1992). It was there in Milan that the people truly felt a deep hunger for leadership. They began to pray and cry out for a missionary pastor to be sent from the parent church. They prayed through the waiting and the longing until finally, the Lord answered and a pastor arrived. Once that happened, a great evangelization took place that caused the church to expand into every single corner of Milan.
​
However, rapid growth brought with it a unique set of demanding and often painful struggles. For years, the burgeoning congregation endured an existence as a spiritual family without a permanent dwelling. They were forced into a continual, exhausting cycle of moving from one rented venue to another. This perpetual displacement was often a result of external resistance, as local residents would lodge complaints about the sound of their passionate, unreserved praise and worship. The sacrifice demanded of the members was immense. Many of the temporary venues were utterly unsuitable—acting like an unbearable oven in the scorching summer months and offering freezing cold conditions in the depth of winter. Sometimes the rented place wasn't available to use for Sunday without prior notice, so they did Sunday service in the park. As the ministry’s reputation grew and more and more people streamed in, seeking a profound touch from God, the physical limitations became agonizingly apparent; there was simply not enough space for the crowds to even comfortably sit down.
​
They were desperate for a place of their own, but on paper, a miracle seemed out of reach. They didn't have a massive budget, no insurance, and no big capital to secure a loan. But the Lord really hears the prayers of His people. Against all odds, they found a building at Via Bisceglie 91/5. Even without the financial requirements the world says you need, God opened the doors. Today, that building has become the "Mega Worship Center" of JIL Milan(year 2006). It is finally a place with a roof of it's own where the worship never has to stop, and that same fire that started with fifteen people in Manila now burns stronger than ever in the heart of the Jesus Is Lord Church Milan congregation.