November 08, 2005
Random Thoughts while multiple chatting
I found the online CG! quite an experience and since I was on dial up it was all typing. But nothing beats face to face and I still STRONGLY believe in the face to face encounter!
I was troubled once again today ... because I'm concerned with the paradigms behind some conversations of the pastors I'm hearing these days. I'm interested to talk about theology, perhaps even spirituality and at least humanity .. ok some politics would be ok ... but when things are reduced to buildings, strategies, and formulas of success ... something in me shuts down :-( Lord have mercy 1000 times!
chatting with my new found friend in USA and some others in Cyberjaya ... cool. But then I still miss face to face.
Happy to somehow manage to get Elysia to sleep after some struggle today ... but it was good.
I found myself more at ease at certian points of counseling today ... it requires much focus. And to me loads of grace and discernment and compassion. I'm still learning.
I was asked whether I "regret" leaving my previous church ...:-) I smiled and kept silent. the answer is .. I have no regrets .. in fact, I'm thankful for the journey there and I'm glad where I am now and where I think I'll be heading.. I'd never be where I am now if I didn't leave.
Nice to pass by the places I grew up in today ... especially No. 7 Jalan Terkis. It brings loads of memories back. That's kind of my place of origins! Not just for my previous church (which I think many have forgotten), but also for the seeds of Christian faith in my mom's family starting with my auntie and then grandfather etc.
I'm still upset with how many pastors are "turning" out nowaday ... sorry. I'm complaining .... but I was much angrier in the afternoon. Now some steam has gone.
I feel pretty alone sometimes ... I hope it's not an "Elijah" thing ... it trust God has many hidden somewhere... but I need to get in touch with those who are not "sold out" to consumer Christianity.
Got a long day tomorrow ... a long week actually .. oh a long month ... oh a long year end. ... but looking forward to some fruitfulness in life and ministry.
Posted by sivinkit at November 8, 2005 11:22 PMI know what you mean by feeling alone sometimes, I do too! I think many people in ministry feel the same way at times. How do we avoid not selling out to consumerism?
On a different perspective, it's comforting to know that we are never alone because the Lord is Immanuel - He is with us all the time!
Posted by: Kitty at November 9, 2005 09:44 PMWow, I am glad you brought this up because it is very important that we address the growing issue of 'consumerism' Christianity. I'm not really sure of how this works, but I believe that this brand of Christianity is the one that demotes the good deed of evangelism/evangelisation to a marketing ploy.
That being said, churches are registered now being registered as "Sdn.Bhds", making a-tenth of each congregant's salary a minimum for tithing*, and pastors running their churches like corporations, with the council becoming "the board of Directors" and volunteers reduced to mere "salesmen" and "PR" people.
This is scary.
*Tithing, from what Prince Gunaratnam said, is usually a-tenth of the salary, as stipulated in Old Testament times. However, there is a Gospel story where a woman gives whatever she had. Shouldn't it be the way where people give where they can, with sincerity?
agree with you pastor on the Christianity Consumerism thingy... it's like capitalism in the church as i have mentioned in my blog before.
Posted by: danielkhoo at November 10, 2005 11:53 AMHi Pastor Sivin!
Yes, I completely agree on the consumer-attitude of many churches - an attitude that rides on marketing and charisma possibly dabbling in manipulation with sense-related and self-ish benefits. (which, I suppose is what marketing has evolved to become these days - an exploitative influence on entertain-me consumers).
Such churches do have a reason for their "strategies", which are founded on the basis of speaking the language of the world - colours, architecture, design, lights. Sounds logical, I should say, and something I have been thinking on for some time. Something that nags me, as I have been in such a church environment during my days of study in Perth.
But this caption by Oswald Chambers shed some light into my thinking:
"What a wonderful personality! What a fascinating man! Such marvelous insight! What chance has the Gospel of God through all that? It cannot get through, because the line of attraction is always the line of appeal. If a man attracts by his personality, his appeal is along that line; if he is identified with his Lord's personality, then the appeal si along the line of what Jesus can do.
"The danger is to glory in men; Jesus says we are to lift Him up"
9 Nov, My Utmost for His Highest.
How apt!
If some of us dare to search Scripture (especially 1 Peter 1!!!) and be honest about issues on the suffering of Christ (which we would know nothing of other than through divine revelation at the proper time!), perhaps we would find the real answer to breakthrough for the Church of Jesus Christ!
I have just finished In His Steps by Charles Sheldon. What amazing thoughts about what the church can achieve through Christ's suffering!
Posted by: debbie at November 10, 2005 02:37 PMwow.. Pastor Sivin.. looks like you're not that 'alone' anymore huh? :P
Posted by: kevin at November 10, 2005 04:47 PM