The Journey 198: Church is not an event (Rev. Dr. Joe Joseph Kuruvilla)
Read: Acts 8: 26-40
Two interesting news items caught my attention. Both were related to tow different church's and both the news were in contrast. The first news was written by Jay Akasie in the Wall Street Journal titled " What ails the Episcopalians". It was very interesting article in the light of the last week, 77th triennial General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Episcopal church has one of the largest legislative entities, with more than 1,000 members, just like the Sabha Prathinidhi Mandalam of the Marthoma Church which also has more than 1000 members. What has come for stringent criticism is not only about the money spent in hosting the convention like cocktail parties and steakhouses, but more stringent criticism has come for its faith issues and also dismantling many of the democratic process in the church. This is at a time when the church has announced that is having huge financial crisis and the Church headquarters at Manhattan which includes a penthouse apartment for the Bishop is for sale. The writer says that topics that was debated was whether a funeral rite for the dogs and cats is needed or not, whether the church should condemn genetically modified goods and so on. There was some bold decision also like allowing ordination to transgender people. But the most controversial issue that is causing lot of confusion among the faithful was the approval of the liturgy for the blessing of the union of same sex relationship. In fact even as the convention was going on, the entire delegation from South Carolina walked out of the convention upset at some of the decisions taken at the convention. The second news item that caught my attention was in CBN news that as the church in Indonesia is being persecuted, there is also a huge growth in the number of believers. According to a local Pastor Billy Njotorahardjo in Jakarta, God is opening the hearts of people, and thus the members of his congregation has increased from 400 to more than 6,000 members in just four years. What is interesting about this church and its pastor is that "We don't have the best program, we don't have the best methods. What attracts them is the presence of God," is what the explanation of Pastor Njotorahardjo. One church struggling to get going, the other church even in times of persecution is adding faithful to the church.
This week we are meditating on the theme “ Transformation in my church’. The portion that we shall use for our meditation is from Acts 8: 26-40. Here is one the most wonderful passages of how God leads people to do His mission. Philip is directed by the angel of the Lord to go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. He does not know why he is given the strange command, till he sees a Eunuch reading the book of Isaiah. Here is the eunuch who needs help to understand the scripture, but there is no one to explain to him prophetic message. It is then Philip understands God’s will and mission and explains to the eunuch the passage of the scripture, which in turn bring repentance in him and he is baptized. Thus a eunuch becomes a believer and a member of the church. What is remarkable of Philip, the Eunuch and the early church was the way they consciously submitted to the power of the Holy Spirit. The agenda of mission has to be set by the Holy Spirit and when that is done church moves forward in its mission. What is needed for the church today is a mission agenda’s that is set by believers praying together submitting to the power of the Holy Spirit, not setting certain agenda and programmes from the last year programme and budget. Both the Episcopal Church and the Church in Indonesia teaches us some valuable lessons on mission.
Two interesting news items caught my attention. Both were related to tow different church's and both the news were in contrast. The first news was written by Jay Akasie in the Wall Street Journal titled " What ails the Episcopalians". It was very interesting article in the light of the last week, 77th triennial General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Episcopal church has one of the largest legislative entities, with more than 1,000 members, just like the Sabha Prathinidhi Mandalam of the Marthoma Church which also has more than 1000 members. What has come for stringent criticism is not only about the money spent in hosting the convention like cocktail parties and steakhouses, but more stringent criticism has come for its faith issues and also dismantling many of the democratic process in the church. This is at a time when the church has announced that is having huge financial crisis and the Church headquarters at Manhattan which includes a penthouse apartment for the Bishop is for sale. The writer says that topics that was debated was whether a funeral rite for the dogs and cats is needed or not, whether the church should condemn genetically modified goods and so on. There was some bold decision also like allowing ordination to transgender people. But the most controversial issue that is causing lot of confusion among the faithful was the approval of the liturgy for the blessing of the union of same sex relationship. In fact even as the convention was going on, the entire delegation from South Carolina walked out of the convention upset at some of the decisions taken at the convention. The second news item that caught my attention was in CBN news that as the church in Indonesia is being persecuted, there is also a huge growth in the number of believers. According to a local Pastor Billy Njotorahardjo in Jakarta, God is opening the hearts of people, and thus the members of his congregation has increased from 400 to more than 6,000 members in just four years. What is interesting about this church and its pastor is that "We don't have the best program, we don't have the best methods. What attracts them is the presence of God," is what the explanation of Pastor Njotorahardjo. One church struggling to get going, the other church even in times of persecution is adding faithful to the church.
This week we are meditating on the theme “ Transformation in my church’. The portion that we shall use for our meditation is from Acts 8: 26-40. Here is one the most wonderful passages of how God leads people to do His mission. Philip is directed by the angel of the Lord to go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. He does not know why he is given the strange command, till he sees a Eunuch reading the book of Isaiah. Here is the eunuch who needs help to understand the scripture, but there is no one to explain to him prophetic message. It is then Philip understands God’s will and mission and explains to the eunuch the passage of the scripture, which in turn bring repentance in him and he is baptized. Thus a eunuch becomes a believer and a member of the church. What is remarkable of Philip, the Eunuch and the early church was the way they consciously submitted to the power of the Holy Spirit. The agenda of mission has to be set by the Holy Spirit and when that is done church moves forward in its mission. What is needed for the church today is a mission agenda’s that is set by believers praying together submitting to the power of the Holy Spirit, not setting certain agenda and programmes from the last year programme and budget. Both the Episcopal Church and the Church in Indonesia teaches us some valuable lessons on mission.