Why I'm Still in Calvary

The past year plus, we have seen a big exodus of Calvarites leaving the church and going to other churches. The recent membership update shows that many who left asked for transfer of membership elsewhere. Other churches in KL and PJ are recording increase of members! This is so uncool because it’s not an actual increase of people coming to the Lord...

What about Calvary Church? From the membership update, it is just so clear to me that the sheep have been scattered. The bible says that happens when the shepherd has been struck (Matthew 26: 31). The update is not about a witch hunt like some people say...it’s a factual description of the sad things that have been going on in our church for too long.

Last Sunday, we noticed how empty the pews were during service. Some people said it was because many families had gone home for Ching Ming. Well...is it only this year that people go back to hometown for Ching Ming? How come it’s this year that we noted the empty seats?
People have asked me: “Why are you still in this terrible church? When are you going to leave?” I get so mad when they do this! If they want to leave, they should leave, but please, don’t go round encouraging others as well! I tell them that this church may be going through tough times, but it is still the Body of Christ! And as members of the church, I am not going to desert anyone by running off elsewhere! When Calvary Church was doing well, I was part of the Body. Now that it is not doing so well, I am still part of the Body. Now I’m not judging anyone for their actions...all I’m saying is this: through thick or thin, I’m here to stay! The only way I’ll leave is when I hear God telling me straight that I have to go...and not when people ask me annoying questions, not when people tell me nasty things about the leaders...I’m in Calvary Church because it is important for me, ordinary member, to show that I can be faithful like Jesus was faithful. I don’t want to be a fair weather friend, and I don’t want to give up on my leaders just because they aren’t perfect.

Now we come to this perfect-imperfect part. I know for a fact that the pastors in Calvary Church are totally imperfect. That’s because they are human. Sometimes, they really annoy me you know...but sometimes, I annoy them too! But just because they are human, I’m not going to accuse them of all kinds of rotten things. No way. I want to remember that when I was sick, they prayed for me, visited me. When I didn’t go for life group, they asked me how come. (Ok, they bugged me about it...) When I stayed away from prayer meeting, they reminded me about prayer. And when my family members passed away, they turned up in full force to see me through bereavement. I know they only have two hands and one head each. They can’t do everything for me. But I guess I understand that, and I’m grateful for what they can do for me. They got a high model to live up to: Jesus is the One and Only Perfect Shepherd. When my pastors disappoint me, I pray that God will remind them of Jesus, the Great Shepherd. That’s all. I won’t write nasty things about them on some blog, and I won’t be talking to any newspaper reporter about them...I will just pray for them...

Perfect-imperfect also applies to the BOD. Hey, these guys aren’t anywhere near perfect. Sometimes, I don’t understand them...I may not always agree with their decisions...but I know some of them, and I can tell you, NO WAY are they liars or vindictive! I pray for them because I sympathise with them. Before one problem is solved, Bang! another problem comes their way. Hey, they have work and family commitments too. You think it’s easy for them to just sit and take all the things thrown at them and not reply in anger? Then walk in their shoes for one day...you will change your mind real quick, friend.

Now...perfect-imperfect members. The silent majority have not spoken for a long time...that’s because we got this silly resolution that says no blogging about church. But I can’t take it anymore. Somebody has to say something to put the picture straight! Hey, there are many of us that want the church to move on and just stop fighting! So very sorry to church resolution...but this imperfect member got to say something on the blog, ok?
Next time, I will write something else. Today, I just want to say why I am still in Calvary Church. I want the leaders to know that I will walk with them. I will not desert them (even when I don’t understand them). I will not badmouth them to anyone. Most of all, I want God to look down from heaven to see that even a small-time, unimportant, imperfect, very ordinary member like me, can show the same faithfulness to my hurting church that Jesus showed to me. This is my service to Him!