Price in the hand of the fool!

       

                                                                                                    

King Solomon was a brilliant man, rhetoric in his speech, philosophical in his thoughts, logical in his analogies and raised many questions that demand extensive retrospection. One of it is this question that I thought was just brilliant. It goes like this, Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, Seeing he hath no heart to it? Proverbs 17:16. A serious question to ponder upon!  I was challenged when one of the Pastors in an open forum raised this question by asking, “how is that the many Christian scammers manage to receive funds over and over again, when someone who is honest and consciously careful, struggle to find resource for God’s work?”

The concerns grows when people witness many in Christian leadership positions call themselves as servants of God. They live with zero sense of accountability, fudging accounts, misappropriation of funds, take advantage of people for their benefit and personal amplification. And especially when the same portray as if God’s mission is in their hand, then it raises even more serious questions. If you are one among the groaners who is concerned, then I hear you dear people. I think Solomon when he raised this question had the same concern in mind. The sad thing in all of this is when the Christian world unfortunately assumes, that a person with a consistent fund flow of funds is God’s beloved candidate called to do God’s mission work in this world.

During my association with the international social agency, I used to visit many Churches and Church based organizations to monitor the program impact and fund utilization. Honestly, it would hurt so much. I would think, how one could claim being a servant of God, live so depraved using the name of Jesus, with poor accountability. I say this because the accounts would show so much of misuse, mishandling, and misappropriation of funds. Yet he would be thriving in his ministry. In such cases we are tempted to raise the pointed question of Solomon, “Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a food to get wisdom..” Well, it is not only about wisdom to buy; it can be anything.

In the Bible, we notice it disturbed David too, when he saw the wicked being more wicked, and yet flourishing and he was groaning and lamenting. We find this in Psalms 94:3 where he says, “Lord how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph?” I understand when it comes to the one who don’t know God and whose “god” is money, they have the best share in this world and the means don’t matter to them. But what about the ones who claim to be Christ’s servant yet all they do is mishandle and cheat for money. The sad part is they live under the false belief that God has blessed them and want them to thrive in their mission work. Hence, all the wickedness gets endorsed.

I have heard from several leaders who claim to be the great servants of God making bold claims by saying, God does not have any other alternative besides them. And that I thought was a desperate, pathetic statement I have ever heard. C S Lewis responds to this so beautifully, “God does not need you, the reason He has chosen to need you is because you need to be needed.” Kenner American French Historian said this way, "I have no fear that God's work will be kept undone, I have every fear that it will be done without me.”.

God’s work can grow best without funds too. If brevity of fund is the challenge for ineffective mission work, then technically God must be blamed for the stagnation of the gospel work, not you and me. And since it is not true, which means there is something seriously wrong. Mission work needs bold people who are ready to lay their life for the sake of the gospel. This is what is said about Barnabas and Paul in Acts 15:26, “who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”. Do not worry if you are struggling to manage funds to the bare minimum. It is not always about your accomplishment but it about your faithfulness. It would be a blessing if you don’t always get what you want. Let me end with the quote by Oscar Wilde, “In this world there are only two tragedies, one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it”. For example Solomon had harem twice the size of the temple. Do you have a price in your hand, how are you going to use it?

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Legitimate question!

Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Psalms 115:2. Do we realize we are His ambassadors and witnesses?

 >To reflect the image of God (Genesis 1:27)?

 >Be a carrier of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3),

 >Execute justice and fight against the moral and legal corruption (Amos 5:24; Jeremiah22:3; Luke 4:18), and

 >Lift His name high (Philippians 2:9)

If this is not reality then what on earth are we doing? John Calvin put it so beautifully by stating this, "A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.".  He is not far from the truth. Today, unlike the early Christians, many have learnt to maintain a long silence. I am not sure if they need to be categorized as cowards or are yet to understand His mission clearly. By and large, the so-called Christians including many Pastors/ leaders seriously lack confidence and are unable to muster courage to declare to the dying world that Jesus is Lord and there is no other name given under the heaven beside Jesus by which people can be saved (Acts 4:12). 

What are the Churches and Christians really busy about? Christians and Christian leaders/pastors in many cases are busy in number of non-productive tasks assuming they are doing a great favour to God, leaving millions enter a Christ-less eternity. We are silent in order to protect our dignity and image in the society. By doing so we want to portray that we are just another religious entity like any other in our country. We are busy using His name to increase our bank balances, build luxurious houses, buy high end cars and tag it, "all for God and for God's work.".  There are many who are sleeping and doing nothing as long as they have good fund flow. It is easy for many to manage big numbers, which we use on our favor to impress donors and congregation. The Bible condemns the Shepherds vehemently. In Isaiah 56:10 it says "His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.". I don't want to sound critical and condemning, but there are many facts which are undeniable. There are many who thrive and take credits on the accomplishment of their poor Pastors/ workers doing the ministry in the fields. Visiting so many churches and having worked with Mission organizations the patterns are a proof time and time again that most of them are scamsters, culminating to misappropriation. The Bible warns, “Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” Haggai 1:4 CSB, when it sees a similar situation of peoples’ apathy.

Let’s not conclude and justify our demands from the congregation and well-wishers to build a Church building, and call it a Church. Your Church building is not a Church. Your pulpit is not a sanctuary like the temple of God. Don't create a false sense of holiness about the church building to impress the people so that they can sustain you. This is totally unbiblical. God does not dwell in any of our Church buildings. There is one largest Church in Chennai collecting building funds for more than 20 years and still the building mission remains unaccomplished.  Solomon’s temple was the last building where God dwelt. He no more dwells in building made by hands. He dwells in human hearts (Acts 7:48; 17:24).  You may need a Church, but you don't need a building to be a Church.

Today, we want to heighten the importance of Church buildings over Church movements. Technically, Jesus had supporters from all over, and He could have easily erected a Church building to start weekly service and settled in. And for real it would been the largest Church facility with huge sum of offering flowing in. But no, that was never His goal and it should never be the goal for us, even today. For that matter the apostles could have also done the same. But they were concentrated on the gospel and became the mobile church. Coming to the theme verse, why should the nations say, "where is their God?”.  If we are struggling to come out of superficialities, struggling to be His real ambassadors, then the nations would continue to grope in the dark for a true God and we will remain to be failures to present the Savior to the world.  What is your answer to this legitimate question? - "where is their God?” 

You may want to check the previous blog: Click HERE

 

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Where is the revival Oh God?

 

The word revival has become such a common term today that it is casually used in our preaching, singing, playing music, and in every other Christian setting without any serious implications. I hope we are really aware of the actual meaning to the context of the early Church history and Missionary movements. They were not talking about raising children, building happy marriages, being a member in the Church and so on but rather emphasized on sending, which is the mandate in Christ’s mission. These are the people who like Peter on behalf of all the disciples said in Matthew 19:27 “See we have left everything and followed you. So what will there be for us”. The reward Jesus articulated in this context was not assured happiness, prosperity & happy marriages on this earth but rather emphasized their place and their position in eternity. Today many preach, God is going to shower His abundant blessing on those who are serving Him, and there will be no lack, they will be prosperous and full always. Absolutely contradicting what Christ intends, when it comes to mission. It’s good to think about this, in the light of Christ’s mission and His mandate.

The problem today is, we are looking for comforts in Christian life and luxury in Christian service and name it blessing. We all are aware that the twelve disciples left everything including their families and scattered to different parts of the world and died as martyrs, including most of the missionaries. There were sacrifices involved in their commitment to follow Christ. But sadly, today we strive to find a comfortable position here on this earth and in the Churches.  

Christianity has been limited only to buildings, structures and sanctuaries taking the priority and successfully replaced the mission. You may fail to accept it, but that’s the truth. If this is not the case with your Church, praise God! People sit in the Church and pray for a revival and go home happy, thereafter. The question ‘who will go for me?’’ remains a paradox in this new era.

One of the challenging books by Leonard Ravenhill “Why Revival Tarries?” is a must-read book for all of us.  Leonard points out, “We have millions of Bibles, scores of thousands of churches, endless preachers-and yet what sin!” . “Going out” is being commercialised, today. How could we expect a revival in such a scenario? Leonard, in one of the many explanations says this to the response to ‘why revival tarries?’, “The answer is simple enough-because evangelism is so highly commercialized. The tithes of widows and of the poor are spent in luxury-living by many evangelists. The great crowds, great lines of seekers, great appreciation by the mayor, etc., are shouted to high heaven. All get publicity--except the love-offering! The poor dupes who give "think they do God service," while all they are doing is keeping a big-reputationed, small-hearted preacher living in Hollywood style.”.  What a tragedy!”.

Paul Rees remarks, “Revival and evangelism, although closely linked, are not to be confounded. Revival is an experience in the Church, evangelism is and expression of the Church”. Today most of the people think the failure to evangelism work is due to the lack of resources, which is untrue. We forget we have an unutilized resource; the Congregation members. Unfortunately, they are looked upon more only as our funders and donors. They are used for only one purpose and that is to invest in the church through their offerings and tithes and go home happy believing they have done a big service for God. Unless we are willing to break this myth and release them out, revival will remain a jargon. If your congregation members are resembling dry bones, it is probably because we have sucked them dry. It is time to revive the dry bones as we see in Ezekiel 37. Do we have enough tears to wail and do something about the millions who are going to Christless eternity?

A repeated cry of David Livingstone was, ‘‘Lord, when will the wounds of this world’s sin be healed?’’ But are we grief stricken in prayer? is a million-dollar question. Do we soak our pillows, as John Welch did, in our soul’s travail? The scholarly Andrew Bonar lay on his bed on a Saturday night in Scotland, and as people below tramped the streets from the taverns and shows, he used to call from his tortured heart: ‘‘Oh! they perish, they perish!’’ Alas, brethren, we have not so learned Christ. Many of us know only a slick, tearless, passionless, soulless round of preaching, which passes for the minister’s office these days. I urge you to do retrospection in the light of this blog.

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Unending spiritual pandemic!

The recent pandemic, Covid-19 swept the entire nations. The symptoms and effects were the same irrespective of the geographical location. Symptoms of the first and the second waves were almost similar for people across the world. Any particular disease for that matter, its symptoms and severity remain same irrespective of wherever people are situated. Similarly, in this blog, I want to point out a spiritual pandemic sweeping the Churches today and that is 'spiritual complacency'.

The urgency of the gospel still remains ineffective. You can disagree with me, but the facts and statistics don't lie. We are constantly focusing on crowd control, crowd retention and financial stability in Churches. As I always comment, we measure the success of the Churches by the “ABC method” i.e., Attendance, Building and Cash. As long as this is satisfying, leaders are happy. If you refer to the 2011 Christian census in India, the Christian population was 2.3% and now it is said the Christian population is 4.9%. However, the percentage also includes Catholics who need salvation. Their percentage is approximately 2%, which means we are still close to only 3%. I am not just focusing on the increase of percentage, but my problem is growing spiritual complacency.

What are we doing with the crowd, who come week after week and go back home comfortably? Rather I would say, we make them comfortable with spiritual activities without sensitizing on Christ’s Mission. Psalmist remarks, "The horse is prepared for the day of the battle...", Psalms 21:31. What are we preparing for, with the congregation who are with us? Don't tell me it is to get them to heaven. I understand spiritual maturity, spiritual carefulness is necessary, but the moment one finds the Savior and becomes a disciple the Holy Spirit takes control of the person (Acts 1:8) and the anointing leads, teaches and guides him/her through the way as said in 1 John 2:20,27. He already qualifies to inherit the kingdom of God. But the goal of the Church is to go out, reach out and win the perishing souls. But is it still done with all urgency? Leslie Newbigin states, "the church is not meant to call men and women out of the world into a safe religious enclave, but to call them out in order to send them back as agents of God's kingship.".

Jesus called people not to just follow Him like the three jokers. He is not interested in people who want to follow Him without owning a responsibility (Luke 9:57-62). Jesus was not excited because He got people who can be added as a follower. Jesus was always emphasizing to go and tell the goodness of the Lord and not to sit and be a worshipper without following the mission. This is the purpose of the Church in all its priority. F. Lincicome states, “God never intended His Church to be a refrigerator in which to preserve perishable piety. He intended it to be an incubator in which to hatch out converts.”.

Do not forget many who were healed by Jesus urged to follow Christ and recorded in the New testament, but  Jesus, emphasized and ensured to send them back. One example is the demons possessed man in Mark 5 :18. It says, 'As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged him earnestly that he might remain with him.'  but mark Jesus' response in verse 19 "Jesus did not let him but told him, “Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.”.  And are you aware of the outcome dear people? It is recorded in verse 20,  "the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.".  Would you say an Amen for it? How many of us have guds to send people out? Many are careful to hold him/her to be a kindergarten student of their Church /fellowship all their life. Would you want to treat this serious disease? It is time we abandon the selfishness and start revolutionizing people God has given in our hand.

In case you missed the last article you may chose to read from here Who is your audience?

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Who is your Audience?

 

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We want our reach to be extensive, saturating and our voices heard nationally and internationally. We classify this deep desire under the category, Mission. After Covid-19, Most of the pastors, preachers and self-appointed Christian leaders have started a YouTube channel. Great progress! All the Church services and events are uploaded in the digital platforms. Allow me to pose this question, Who is your audience? It is worth pondering on few more questions listed below:

· How do we understand Missions, in such context?

·      Who do we want as our audience?

·       What are we actually expecting?

·      What are we tracking day in and day out?

·   Would you take a moment to seriously ponder on the above questions and clarify your views and motives?

The fact of the matter is that the digital media has grown significantly after Covid-19, but the Church attendance has dropped drastically and the reach to non-Christians has become stagnant. Most of the Christian leaders are settling down and focusing on Christians who are less than 4% in India and less than 20% globally, excluding Catholics. With this approach, we are expecting a mighty revival. If you carefully analyze from all the digital platforms, what people in most cases want is to see the flow of funds grow cumulatively through all the digital platforms. Reaching soul is made a platform and a bridge to find personal security and gratification. I risk myself to be looked upon as a stupid critic and dismiss this blog as irrelevant. But truth and facts can always be too demanding. In fact, in the Bible we find many unfollowed Jesus as they found His teachings hard (John 6:66).

How would non-Christians understand the Church service and follow Christ? Why would a non-Christian even open the Church service from your channel and watch? Do you have anything designed that can be a take - away for people of any faith and find the truth about Jesus? When Jesus was physical, He spent most of the time with sinners and was tagged as "friend of sinners" (Luke 7:34) and today in the absence of physical Jesus we want to be tagged as "friend of Christians" and want huge Christian followers who would sustain us and through whom we can accumulate riches.

Let me quote a fascinating passage in Luke 17 where Jesus heals the 10 Lepers. And out of 10 only one returns. Immediately, Jesus poses a strong question to the one who returned by asking "where are the nine?" Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Luke 17:17 CSB.  Jesus was not just excited about the one who returned and ensured to follow Him and be part of the team, but challenged him by asking why the nine have not returned with Him. In Christ’s Mission, it is not always about the one who is with us but the nine who are outside the fold. The rate of non-Christians is so high in number, yet it isn’t unsettling for us. We are willing to spend all our time within the four walls, equipping and reequipping without getting them out to the task and Mission, God has designed for us all. Why do we fail to see something is drastically wrong on the way we focus on the priorities?

Focusing on the crowd outside is not just doing a prayer walk, intercessory prayers and having seminars on Missions but to plan every single initiative and intervention to reach people for Christ. Some of the suggestion can be, to plan a channel addressing common life changing topics that can attract people to follow Christ. Write periodic articles exclusively designed for general public. In case you want to know how it is written, you may check my blogs for non-Christians. Equip every believer to share their faith and lead at least one person to Christ every month. Stop getting excited with Church activities and musical programs. I am sure if you think in this direction, you would be in a position to design many such practical ideas to reaching out to the larger crowd. Set your audience right for a greater harvest.

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Beware of yourself!

 

My previous blog emphasized the difference between Real Mission and Shadow Mission (You can click HERE to read it). Today, it is indeed difficult to differentiate between real servants of God /Pastors/ Leaders, from the ones who follow the shadow mission. They attract and lead many to destruction with no realization of the same. The biggest false indicator of our times are the self-gratifying ones; having big money, big influence and mega crowd. Everything is big time compared to the ones who are serving God with little or no resources most of the time. With a miniscule size crowd, it is interpreted as having no impact.

Let me give below the categories of a man of God according to world:

1. The faithful workers who follow the vision and their mission will know what the priorities are. The success of the ministry may not be in big numbers but they are constantly influencing the people with the Gospel and attracting people to Christ. These people maybe poor according to “worldly standards” and are in need always. Their poverty dictates their level of common sense as they relentlessly work for God. But these people do not lose track due to the vision they are convinced about.

2. The second category of people are the ones who have big ministry, big Church and a big crowd. Everywhere they turn money, luxury, comforts and a crowd to follow them. Most of the time what they speak becomes theology and the interpretation of scriptures is seen as authentic. They are seen as the city movers with a great influence. Sometimes, under this banner most of the follies and heresies are covered, any contradictions are overlooked because they are spiritually exalted. We believe the rich and the powerful with loads of money are immensely blessed and used by God.  Ray Ortlund cautions the pastors with these words, "When our churches succeed because they are really well-run businesses, and the pastor is, in reality, a prop on the stage, then it isn’t ministry anymore; it’s brilliantly packaged crowd control. And judgment is not far off.".

3. The third category of people are the ones who are supported through international funds and have their ministry internationally affiliated and has an international brand. These are super giants who change the words of a famous Sunday school song "He's got the whole world in His hands" to "I've got the whole world in my hands". Many surround them always, to receive money thrown at them occasionally. Most of the work may not be structured, with outcome and impact far from their dictionary. All they have are big events and great activities to show as accomplishments.

Jesus cautioned again and again about people who can be seen as walking in the front and doing great works and still not qualify. Would you take time to honestly ponder on these verses cautioned by Jesus?

1. Jesus cautioning the super “so-called” spiritual giants / hero.

Jesus denying to accept the super spiritual giants with all the deeds and work, yet with a missing key element. In Matthew 7:23 Jesus uses the stronger words; “I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’ Matthew 7:21-23 CSB. You can have the manifestation of the spirit in words, deeds and sign, yet be rejected at all cost. Again, in the book of Luke, it is recorded like this, "‘I don’t know you or where you’re from.’ Luke 13:25 CSB. This passage does not indicate the non-Christians, mind it!

2. Going through the broader gate.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 CSB

There are many who would want to provide a blanket approval to all that is done by them because there are no barriers in their road and they assume, they are led by God. They fail to notice where Jesus emphasizes, that few will find the narrow gate and be willing to walk through it without making any compromises. Note the word "few".

3. Finally the ones who are at the forefront gets the warning too.

“So the last will be first, and the first last.” Matthew 20:16 CSB. What should describe our journey is not our swiftness or being there in the frontline, but our faithfulness and lack of love of money. Remember this, the ones who left everything are the ones who turned the world upside down and they were rewarded by being martyrs for Christ. "Then Peter responded to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you. So what will there be for us?” Matthew 19:27 CSB.

Let me end this blog by the warning given by Paul to all of us, "So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.". 1 Corinthians 10:12 CSB.  Beware of yourself!

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SHADOW MISSION Vs REAL MISSION!

 

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I have had the privilege to hear from many speakers and know from books about people who have strayed from the calling and did contradictory things to the mission articulated by Christ. It was usually about people who renounced their faith, similar to an anti-Christian or having a mission resembling a cult. With my 25 years of association with innumerable Churches from varied denominations, Pastors and leaders from all over the states in India, I found many who are doing great work, having a big Church, highly recognized and esteemed, but unfortunately, following a Shadow Mission.

The fact is, if we don't embrace our true mission we all have what is called Shadow Mission. We all soon adapt what satisfies us and our ego. A Shadow Mission is an authentic mission that has derailed, often in unnoticeable ways. Part of what makes the Shadow Mission so tempting is that it’s usually so closely related to our gifts and passions. It’s not 180 degrees off track; it is just few degrees off track. Today, you find Churches, ministries, and Christian Organizations gaining popularity, increasing revenues, publishing interesting Ministry reports and articles but the true numbers are manipulated to gain personal popularity than to actually reach out to the unreached. The knowledge of the problems that impede the mission work is familiar to all the Christian leaders, yet most of the Churches and Christian leaders are addressing those that gives them personal security and happiness instead of Christ’s mandate.

The book of Esther is often referred to, when addressing the Shadow Mission. Book of Esther refers to people of Israel who lived captive in Persia around 470 BC and Ahasuerus ruled 127 provinces between India to Cush. He had immense power and he wanted to show his power to all. But he was weak inside, he needed people to continue to look for mutual submission, mutual admiration, mutual challenge and mutual love. He wanted to show the beauty of Vashti to all the dignitaries and officials who were drunk, lustful and sinful (Esther1:11). We all know the story where Vashti refuses (Esther 1:12). But he had his flattering officials quickly help him to fulfil his Shadow Mission. They helped the edict being spread throughout the land. How deplorable the king turned out to be as you continue to read the story in the book of Esther.

Genesis 1:27-28 talks about God’s first mission statement to reflect His image, His nature and be responsible human being, but sadly man adapted his own Shadow Mission to be like God and be in full control of himself, to satisfy his ego. Man quickly forgot that his mission is to care for all that God created and flourish working together with God. We find so many characters from the Bible who wanted to fulfil their Shadow Mission. For example, Solomon pleasure, Jonah’s escape, Pharisees attitude, of holier than anybody else, Pilate washing his hands and escaping responsibility, Simon’s sorcery to have a spectacular ministry, were the characters Shadow Missions. There are many such characters we can quote from the Bible. However, the urgent question that needs a desperate answer is, is your mission without corruption? Is it free from not serving the Shadow Mission?!

When talking about the Shadow Mission, F. F. Bruce quotes, ‘Time and again the temptation came to Jesus from so many directions to choose less costly way of fulfilling that calling than the way of suffering and death but he resisted it to the end and set his face steadfastly to accomplish the purpose for which he had come into the world’. Do you remember that in the desert Satan tempts Jesus to achieve the mission without having to be in hunger, without pain and to have the Kingdom for Himself? He refuses them all!

You and I were created to have a mission in life. We were made to make a difference but if we do not pursue the mission for which God has designed and gifted to us then most likely we will find a substitute mission. If we live in the absence of purpose without an authentic mission, we will be tempted to drift into autopilot mode to let our lives centre around something unworthy, something selfish, something dark - a Shadow Mission.

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