Rev. Dr. Stephen Tong - The Power of Faith
Joint Choir
The work of Holy Spirit!The three-night evangelistic rally took off the ground tonight. Before we left for Sibu Town Square, the venue where the rally is held, we noted that the sky had turned dark and there were drops of rain coming down. Seeing the dismal condition, we prayed to God to drive the raining clouds away.
We arrived half an hour before the scheduled time. The site was still sparse. As you all know, Sibuians are habitual late-comers. It was only at 7:30pm that the place started to get filled up. By a rough estimate, the participants came up to more than 5,000. Praise Lord for that!
The rally tonight had a pretty smooth running. Praise goes to our God for the guidance. The blessings of God came in giving fine weather and peaceful surroundings. It was marvellous that only moments ago the sky was still gloomy and in the blink of an eye, the sky turned clear.
In his gospel message, Rev. Dr. Stephen Tong made no blurry terms about the grants to the Methodist churches in the recent campaigning for P212 Sibu by-election. In his usual straightforward manner, Rev. Stephen Tong spoke out sternly, basing on biblical teachings, the practice of this nature. There is really much for us to reflect upon.
A few hundred participants were moved by Holy Spirit and they responded to the speaker's call to join him in prayer. Praise God for the work of Holy Spirit!
Please continue to pray for the evangelistic rally as it moves on to the second night. Tomorrow night there shall be one hour and half of Q&A starting at 6:00pm prior to the rally proper. You are most welcome to partake of it.
Photo source: Steven Wong
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6 comments:
Often we need an outsider to speak what we feels but difficult to express due to local factors. Thanks Stephen Tong for his message regarding recent grant to Methodist churches during by-election. Years ago my home church Wesley Church declined government grant which was offered during GE. I salute the LCEC/Pastors of Wesley.
Dr. Heart, thank you for sharing.
The Pastors / Deacons of En Tao Methodist Church, Tien Tao Methodist Church , Sing Ang Tong and Hwai Ang Tong Methodist Church should have not taken the money at the moment.Of course, we are not sure whether they have applied for the financial grant earlier for that amount but seemed unlikely. Even the people of Rejang Park proved to the rest of Malaysia that they cannot be bribed but in this incident, the Methodist Pastors and Deacons have shown bad example of being in a compromised position. I think whosoever made the decision to receive should resign and for dignity sake we should return the money. Or else in future, the believers from the Temple will say that Christians are corrupt because they recieved money during election.
Dave is right. Immediate action is the only way for the Methodist Church to redeem itself.
Key decision makers involved must step down immediately. If full time workers, send for retraining.
Return the money.
Adopt clear policies and guidelines for church workers and leaders on governance, fund-raising, all interactions with government, politicians, community leaders, businessmen, etc. Where is the "line in the sand" that Christians should not and would not cross, irrespective of the temptations and earthly benefits?
Ensure proper training on these policies and guidelines for all workers and leaders.
Ensure that these policies and guidelines are integrated fully into the teaching, sermons, and pastoral care towards church members and attendees.
It's about time the churches "stand up and be counted on" all the sleazy and corrupt practices that permeates every aspect and every level of Sarawak's society and government.
Sibu being what it is, many office holders, workers and leaders of political parties are prominent church members and leaders. Can the churches clarify their expectations of the behaviours and actions of these members when they step away from the churches to the political parties? I am very confused by what I heard from some of these self-proclaimed Christians durign the recent election campaigns.
I would question the credibility of any Christian who associate what they are given with the acts of men. No doubt it is a faint line. God's blessings. Men who say I bless you with this and this and this. Men who give because of ulterior motives. Traditions say if someone gives you something, take it because it is rude not to take it. So one has to question oneself and one in her or his quiet time, should search his or her own soul and ask God if he or she has done something that is pleasing to Him or not pleasing. People tend to forget that at times they fool God. Therefore they should repent everytime not in front of men but rather in a quiet corner and God knows if the repentance is for real. Too often we hear and read of men and women of God, powerfully used by God, yet eventually fall into sin. We can judge so and so and so, forgetting that it is exactly for the reason of sins that Jesus Christ died for us, rose again and that is why we believe in Him. Christians can be terrible people. Rude. Strange. Believe in other things while believing in God. Involve in immorality while wearing the cross. But God still loves us.
For those who don't read Malaysia Today,I would like to reproduce part of the article here:
Robbers dressed up as men of God
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
by Raja Petra Kamarudin
Thou shalt not steal, says the Good Book, all the Good Books. But Malaysians of Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, etc., persuasion, steal like crazy. They steal the elections. They steal the government. They are robbing Malaysians of their right to a legitimately elected government.
This Friday, look at those Muslims marching to the mosques. This Sunday, look at those Christians going to church. Study their faces. Look into their eyes. Then ask yourself: how many of these people pretending to do piety are actually robbers who steal from us --- steal our right to a fair election and a legitimately elected government?
They may look pious. They may appear like they are going to the church, mosque or temple to worship God. But these are not God’s people. These are people who break God’s Commandment: thou shalt not steal.
God has given these people a name. These people are called munafiqs or hypocrites. You find these munafiqs in the Election Commission. You find them in the Royal Malaysian Police. You find them in Barisan Nasional. These are people who bribe, lie, cheat and steal to win the elections. And these are people condemned by God. And these are people whom we must also condemn because God has condemned them.
And if you know of any church that has received a bribe during the election then boycott that church. That is not a House of God. That is a House of Sin. That church is built on dirty money. Stay home this Sunday and do not defile your religion by going to a church that was built on corrupt money.
If you know of a mosque or temple that also received bribes during the election then boycott those mosques and temples as well. Those are not Houses of God. These buildings were built on dirty money. So these are dirty buildings. You will not find God in these places. The devil has made its home in these places.
Woe to Malaysians when mosques, churches and temples can be bribed. Woe to Malaysians when the so-called Houses of God are built on corrupt money. And those bishops,trustees, imams, priests and others who condone corruption are not men of God. They only pretend to be men of God. They are actually disciples of the devil. You must not follow these people because these people will lead you to hell.
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