Our brethren in City Harvest

I wanted to be a Sentry

Somehow, seeing the posting of someone (whom I knew) in the FB “CHC Confessions” of the present sad saga in Singapore, I joined in the fray. What developed was unexpected, and rather illuminating, and revealing. I just wanted to chat about issues in terms of principles and precepts from my own perspective, and wandered into the playground involving personalities (and probably Chinese whispers [I just learnt this new phrase]) .

I posted deep within Tan Sin Liang’s input in “CHC Confessions”. He is a prominent, competent and astute lawyer, and presumably also a lay Baptist teacher. The gist of my last posting is as follows:-

A dear brethren sent me a private message not to engage in unproductive banter (with someone else). I listened and this is my last post, after waking up this morning with promptings. Hopefully posting this deep within our dear TSL’s post will be relevant (to those in this particular thread) and not cause unintended collateral damage.

Paul in his pastoral letters admonished Timothy to be faithful as a student, a son, a servant, a steward, a sower, a sportsman, a soldier and a sentry. Having been concerned with our CHC brethren, I jumped in, for wanting to be a good son, I must also be a good brother, not throwing stones in these circumstances as all of us (the rest of believers in Singapore with our common testimony) are in.

And trying to be a sentry, I shared teachings from others who can teach and train and talk so much better than myself. I am convinced that the source is just like what AW Pink (http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Parables/parables_03.htm) and messianic Jew Jacob Prasch (in Youtube, see earlier blog) warned about (the birds of the air) in the prophetic parables of Matthew 13 and from Rev and Zech, the Birds (our enemy), the Basket (doctrines of demons), the Bimbo (the harlot who tempts and taunts the bride of Christ) and Babylon (the seat of false teaching and religion).

We have cautioned against the distortions and deceptions from the pulpits which led to the challenges we now face in Singapore. But somehow, many of us from the pew has joined in to cast doubt, divide, distract (I prefer more light than fireworks). I felt it could be done with more discernment, discretion, (depth, decorum and dignity, a a lot more hugs). God says pray for wisdom to discern and our comments and conclusions, concepts and convictions should be consistent with – Spiritual revelation, not secular reasoning (Mk 8:16, Prov 3:5,6) or worse satanic reckonings coming from the prince and powers of the air (all these three sources of  wisdom are mentioned in James)

We have advocated a return to scriptures which teach us to be pure in our message, motives, ministry and methods – to nourish, nurture and nurse those who are young in the faith (lambs), and to model, mentor and mature those who are older (sheep)  (1 Thess 2). In advocating bible study, the fruit of our study will show in our talk and walk (how we relate and respond with all alike, rather than react). Paul said – no guile, no guise, no manipulation of people, no massaging of message to camouflage words and concepts of evil and lies to displace and replace and displace the Words that are eternal and living, I asked a pastor, if any other disguise as a sheep, will the person in disguise bark, howl or baa. I think the birds of the air will try to baa, quote scriptures and sound Christian. And one could unwittingly missed out on spiritual revelations and wisdom when our convictions stem from secular reasonings and satanic reckonings. We can discern, differentiate and distinguish the talk and the walk . Jesus recognised the momentary disguise of the bird in Peter.  Peter had unknowingly allowed himself to be persuaded by words that did not come from spiritual revelation!

Let us be careful of the birds – watch these YT. It scares me, and I trust it will help us to be aware, awake and alert in these last days.

The Most Important Chapter in the New Testament

Heretic, Lunatic or Fanatic

Two months ago, I shared Jacob Prasch’s sermon on the “Birds of the Air” with a pastor, and showed how these same birds (agents of Satan) returned and resided in the tree mentioned in the parable of the Mustard Seed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SCHAThQVCY

Two weeks ago, the pastor lamented that when he shared this interpretation with his cell-group, the members were incredulous, and said that he borders on being a heretic, lunatic or a fanatic with his views.  The cell members had gone on to refer to commentaries and other resources which have the orthodox teaching of the mustard tree growing big to offer shade and shelter to the needy and helpless.  His teaching has not been too convincing!

The Lord does lead and counsel those who ask for His light.  Following this resistance, somehow, the Lord lead us to the teachings of A W Pink, (The Prophetic Parables of Matthew 13) which I believe strongly ALL pastors and leaders must chew over and deliberate.  In the “Foreward”, Pink wrote

“We purpose giving a series of studies on the thirteenth chapter of Matthew, which, in the writer’s judgment, is, from the standpoint of prophecy, the most important chapter of all the New Testament. There is much in God’s prophetic program which must necessarily remain dark until the parables of this chapter are thoroughly mastered. At present they are much misunderstood and misinterpreted.”

The teaching / interpretation of AW Pink might have hints to the current saga of Christian leaders found guilty of CBT.  All the positive and negative comments in the social media and in the websites of those concerned do highlight the pain and torment the parties experience.  Perhaps, we need to see behind the trees (as in garden of Eden).

http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Parables/index.htm

Extract :-

“Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took, and sowed in His field: Which, indeed, is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof” (vv. 31, 32).

It should be evident to all, that our understanding of this parable hinges upon a correct interpretation of its three central figures: the mustard-seed, the great tree which sprang from it, and the “birds of the air” which came and lodged in its branches. What does each represent ?

Now there are few passages of Scripture which have suffered more at the hands of commentators than the third and fourth parables of Matthew 13. They have been turned completely upside down; that is to say, they have been made to mean the very opposite of what the Lord Jesus taught. The main cause of this erroneous interpretation may be traced back to a wrong understanding of the expression “kingdom of heaven.” Those who have failed in their definition of this term are, necessarily, all at sea, when they come to the details of these parables.

The popular and current explanation of these parables is that they were meant to announce the glorious success of the Gospel. Thus, that of the mustard-seed is regarded as portraying the rapid extension of Christianity and the expansion of the Church of Christ. Beginning insignificantly and obscurely, its proportions have increased immensely, until ultimately it shall cover the earth. Let us first show how untenable and impossible this interpretation is:

First, it must be steadily borne in mind that these seven parables form part of one connected and complete discourse whose teaching must necessarily be consistent and harmonious throughout. Therefore, it is obvious that this third one cannot conflict with the teaching of the first two. In the first parable, instead of drawing a picture of a field in which the good Seed took root and flourished in every part of it, our Lord pointed out that most of its soil was unfavorable, and that only a fractional proportion bore an increase. Moreover, instead of promising that the good-ground section of the field would yield greater and greater returns, He announced that there would be a decreasing harvest—”some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.’’ In the second parable, our Lord revealed the field as over-sown with “tares,” and declared that these should continue until the harvest-time, which He defined as “the end of the age.” This fixes beyond all doubt the evil consequences of the Enemy’s work, and positively forbids the expectation of a world won to Christ during this present dispensation, Christ plainly warned us that the evil effects of the Devil’s labors at the beginning of the age would never be repaired. The crop as a whole is spoiled! Thus this third parable cannot teach that the failure of things in the hands of men will be removed and reversed.

 

P/S.  I have written in the past about the devices of the enemy to cast Doubt on God’s Word, to Distract us from our pilgrimage, to Distort God’s Word, to Deceive we believers, and to Destroy God’s church.  Now, I realise that I missed out on an important truth – Disguise. 

I have hinted on looking behind the trees in trying to understand the sad saga of the Church in Singapore with regards to the guilty verdict of 6 church leaders.  Wonder whether any weight should be given to the following input on the adviser to the church concerned

http://phil-pringle-the-c3-church-satanist.com/

Diploma Mills & Doctorate Dills?

 

It may be interesting to find out about the qualifications and credentials of church leaders, and the institutions they obtained their training :

http://c3churchwatch.com/tag/kevin-dyson/

Extract =

As pointed out in my previous post (here), City Harvest Church’s (CHC) Rev “Dr” Kong Hee and Rev “Dr” Phil Pringle obtained their master’s and doctorates from the grandly named New Covenant International University and Theological Seminary (NCIU), a diploma mill (awarding bogus degrees for money) in Lake Worth, Florida.

NCIU was founded in Auckland, New Zealand in 1978 by a New Zealander “Dr” Kevin Dyson, who has only very recently (September 2010) been appointed to the Advisory Committee of CHC, along with Phil Pringle, to improve CHC’s  structure, governance and accountability  (source).

Kevin Dyson is also on the Board of CMN Ministry, which is affiliated with Phil Pringle’s C3 Church (source)

 

 

Peddlers of God’s Word

Our faith and fellowships (here in Singapore) has been getting much attention this past week – with news of a few of our brethren being found guilty in CBT in the management of funds within a local congregation. The long drawn episode of the trial and conviction elicits much derision and disparagement from unbelievers, self-examination by both believers whether directly associated with the local church or by fellow believers and probably even analysis and assessment by many others. The press and many others revel in developments and flooded the media with their input and postulations (pontifications?) The prompting (temptation?) to insert my thoughts is compelling (see next blog), albeit narrow and different. Meanwhile just to continue where I left off from… before my next blog.

I blogged about Motives and Methods in Ministry (see blog entry on June 2013). It is with the same frame of mind that color my view of this episode. I am beginning to wonder whether I am being too self-righteous or too suspicious. I pray that I will have the right spirit, and reflect the heart and mind of my Lord and Saviour Jesus.

Following the previous blog (Consumer, Customer or Communer – for lack of a definitive word), I had searched about “peddling” God’s word from 2 Cor 2:17 –
“For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”

Googling turned up two noteworthy entries which are worth considering –

http://stevenjcamp.blogspot.sg/2005/07/peddling-word-of-god-for-profitshould.html?m=1

http://www.ukapologetics.net/moneymen.html

While both the above are hard-hitting towards many ministries which involved soliciting for donations, merchandizing and monetizing of teaching or sermon materials, the conviction might be broad-brushed. Nonetheless, as I strongly believe we have to be ever careful to ensure purity in our message, in our motives, in our ministry and in our methods.
One responder to the first article, commented.

Christopher Pavlou22:42
In Greek usage, the word “KAPELEUO” (“corrupt”) denotes the selling of teaching for money, the merchandising of God’s Word for sordid gain (Ac 8:20 and 20:33). What Paul called the corrupting of God’s Word was the offering of the Word of God for money, the selling of it, peddling it, and retailing it. This is distinctly different from the principle of receiving gifts as a result of having sown spiritual things (1Co 9:11 and 13-14).