Tuesday, April 27, 2010

No Real Victory

There is no real victory when the body of Christ is so badly injured. We are all guilty of crucifying Christ again on the cross – for the past two three years, we have done it again and again and again.

We have become Pharisees-tical in our ideologies and theologies. We have boxed God and taught others to do the same. We claim to be better Christians than others who disagree with us and we claim to know God better.

We have been guilty of spreading anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, and our choice of words are full of malice and evil intention – and we did them all in the name of Christ.

We have published our faults for the world to see. We tried garnering as much support as we can and get the world to pity us and talk about us – in a very unChrist-like manner. And we claim that what we do is approved by God.

The TTG came to visit Calvary Church last Friday, thinking they could make a difference perhaps? When the offering bag was passed around, some people were making a mockery out of it.

Didn’t Christ said in Matthew 5:23-24 says, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. FIRST go and BE RECONCILED to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

How is it that some can come with long sulky papaya faces? The TTG seems to have ignored that there is a group of people who do not welcome the damages they have done to the church. TTG, if you are reading this, can you just stop whatever you are doing?

To the pastors and leaders of Calvary Church, you did a great job by making personal calls to all your members last week. They all came and attended the prayer meeting – it showed that they are still giving you their support. But did you hear how the church situation is damaging all the ministries across the church?

Some ministries have to be disbanded because there were not enough supporters already by now. The members have left. Some ministries have dwindled so much that it is discouraging everyone in the church. Church members are demoralized. Their support is thinning. At one point or another, the thought crossed their minds, “what am I still doing in this church? Where is my church leaders bringing me to? Shall I stay or shall I leave?”

And they are leaving. Before you know it, an event or an incident would trigger an exodus of people leaving. The pews are emptying at a fast rate. If this goes on for another year, what would happen to us in one year’s time?

Dear leaders, please do something fast. Please care for your declining attendance. Please care for your people. Please do something more spiritually solid. Trying to solve the problem with your secular and management ways have proven to bring you half-baked results. Please consult God and do the right thing. Come on, bang heaven with prayers and fasting. No, not TV-fasting or Internet-fasting, or MSN-fasting. We meant fasting from food! The ones mentioned throughout the Bible – from Genesis to Revelation. Don’t convenient the people so much that you have to dilute God’s teaching in such superficial way. It is quite shallow we felt.

Dear TTG, please, some of us would like you out of the picture. We will deal with our senior pastors our way. We do not need you to bring your new cult into our church. This church is not your home church anymore. Please go away – and stay away. We do not need you to fight for us, in fact, we did not request you to fight for us. You did not get the majority’s vote to fight for us.

Dear TTG, please do not teach others your new ideologies on forgiveness. Forgiveness comes with no condition. Jesus did not teach that at all. It is not in the Bible. If forgiveness comes with some terms and conditions, looks like I do not qualify for God’s gift of salvation either. Based on the comments that you approved, looks like the disciples and apostles would not qualify either. Hey, just a reminder though, Peter denied Jesus 3 times and Saul persecuted the Christian church zealously!

Dear regular worshippers who are still in Calvary Church and you are not happy with our church, please spend more time praying for our pastors and for the deacons as well as for the church. We do not want any bad things to happen to anyone – whether in TTG or in Calvary.

We just want healing and reconciliation.

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