|
Pro 28:6 Better
is the poor man who walks in his integrity than he who willfully goes in
double and wrong ways, though he is rich.
It was albums not
enough at the mega church. Members buying multiple copies of secular CD
of their pastor as giftaways, church buy back as gifts to other churches
or at events, large marketing expenses to improve the dance chart
ratings. It was desperately losing and they knew it but
still maintain a cover of 4 million albums being sold in Pastor Kong's
Shallow Wholesome blog entry.
Ironically,
Sun Ho's singing was actually quite good. It was just she tried to be
someone she was not. She was not a slanged Jamaican reggae singer
drinking chinese wine. She was a great gospel singer.
The poor man in Pro
28 remained poor but kept his integrity. In City Harvest previously, my
cell group friends never stopped complaining about me, no car, no house,
no vision, and not rich! But better to live simply than to fake being
rich. Being gay is not a lifestyle, it is who we are. Faking being rich
and successful is a chosen lifestyle.
In Christianity, you
speak words of faith into the circumstances as though they were true
even though non existing just as God telling Abraham that his
descendents were to fill the night sky like the stars. Perhaps that was
what the 4 million album was!
The largest mega
church in court for the last 4 years, judged by the courts of men
when the church was so used to
pronouced judgement of God in the end of days. What happened? Was it
worth covering a struggling career of China Wine.
It started even
before the Roland Poon affair in 2003 who claimed that the church
supported Sun Ho's secular singing career. Denied vehemently, this was
exactly what the church did wholesale in the next 8 years perhaps
discreetly. It started with their hearts being corrupted by wealth and
power because of a law based theology as opposed to God's unmerited
grace and mercy. Law is self centered whilst grace is Jesus centered.
Their self
righteousness feeding the law based theology was fed by their anti-gay
theology where Sy Rogers was invited by City Harvest to peddle their
anti-gay aggenda. When you look at the sins of others, you tend
to let lawlessness reign in hidden white tombs. The church will be known
for her hypocrisy and this tag looks permanent.
In a law based
Christianity, lawlessness is hiding our sins and blaming others eg gays
for being greater sinners. When they wore white at Love Singapore to
declare their stance against the Pink Dot, they risk sin being hidden.
When we declare our own righteousness instead of Christ', we will fall
well short and end up hiding our sin.
The trial of
City Harvest church gained
much exitement when Sun Ho the co-founder and ex-cross over pop star was
asked to testify by her once close friend Chew Eng Han who is now
fighting for his life.
We are reminded that
Pastor Kong has asked the congregation to be patient to wait for the
court proceedings where they will tell all. Sun Ho now at the dock seems
to know not much outwardly, not even how many album sales. These are
highly intelligent people who had changed the Christian scene in
Singapore now claiming ignorance.
Not knowing the
album sales whilst collecting millions in allowances and not asking
where the money is from, makes it a very tall tale by the church
leaders. It only invites others to mock the Christian faith. Alas, where
is the National Council of Churches?
It is like a
billionaire stating that he doesn't know much money he has, and
depending on unverifiable newspaper reports as the guide. Either the
billionaire has not much wealth or has a lot of money. When a person has
a lot of money, he is seldom
hesitant to declare his great wealth.
The court case has
now become a circus of amazing responses contrary to facts. The more
that is said, the greater harm to the integrity of Christianity.
The drama series of intrigue has gone on too long, whilst in the
background their Love Singapore supporters claiming gays as the greatest
sinners.
Why boast of album
sales? to get into the US market and to justify the investment spent
based on potential returns. The truth was that
the records at Xtron revealed a figure of not more than 60,000 albums,
far less than the 4 million hitherto claimed on various linked
sites.
The US album was
destined to be a failure unless God had intervened. They more they tried
to be worldly like China Wine, the deeper hole they dug. They could have
made it big in the US Gospel market with so much bulding funds to build
a spiritual kingdom.
The problem had
always been not enough public album sales for the secular album which were driven largely
by church members buying multiple copies, and buy back by the churches
themselves. The mega churches have a lot of money and so it was a scheme
to channel money as investment to revive a failing singing career
instead of relying on miraculous faith for potentil returns.
An image was
potrayed of a successful mega pop star from a mega church impacting
millions in the market place, when they were struggling and needed
constant blood transfusion of a sickly patient.
If indeed there were
4 million album sales or 80 million in sales, there would be no need of
a cross over of charity funds to the business venture.
The Rev AR Barnard,
attempting to defend the church far away from New York described this as
a religious right issue. It is more aptly called an abuse of religious
freedom much as the Pharisees were abusing their position for self
interest and acting with deep hypocrisy and lawlessness whilst wearing
white.
Some
mega churches constantly used the name of God to obtain the funds, and
to spend the funds as they chose to call it investment if you may. But at
the end, it was done in the name of Jesus.
Jesus the Son of God
had nowhere to lay His head, yet our make believe mega stars lived in
30,000 a month luxury with the money not earned but paid for as a
Christian Ministry.
We
can't really blame the mega church pastors, for who would admit that
they have failed in life.
It is not easy
living with not much. No house, no car, not much belogings. I live out
of a suitecase. Simplicity is difficult. I am too gentle and too
innocent with no evil skillsets. It is not my integrity or
righteousness, it is Christ. I have got nothing because Jesus is my
righteousness. But in having nothing, I have got everything, perhaps not
in this life but in heaven above.
|