Philemon: Remove your bias ... Charge it to my account...
16no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
Paul
told Philemon, Onesimus is no longer a slave, but a brother in Christ. Can the
church in Singapore accept someone outside its own racial bias or nationality
worries?
Some
years ago, someone in my church started an outreach effort to the “study mom”
from Mainland China, trying to reach ladies for Christ and to integrate them
into the Chinese service within the church. The idea was to help these ladies
settled into Singapore and then to share the Gospel to them and assimilate them
into the local Chinese Service within the church. Over the course of a few
years, more than 200 of these ‘study mom’ and their children passes through
this outreach effort. In fact more than half has accepted the Lord and even
received water baptism. But this vision did not receive the full support of the Chinese Service congregation, especially among the wives of some of their key leaders. Their main fear with these outreach effort was that their husband may be attracted to these ‘study mom’, also the worries of ‘being taken in for a ride by these Mainland Chinese nationals’ cast a lot of concerns within the congregation.
Although more than 200 of these Chinese nationals passes through our outreach effort, those who accepted the Lord find themselves an ‘outsider’ during the main Chinese Service. They still carry with them the label as ‘mainland Chinese’, not a ‘beloved brother or sister’ in the Lord.
Eventually, this outreach effort failed.
If believers cannot REMOVE their "Ray-Ban" or "Kube Sportsglass" from our eyes, they will continue to struggle with their ‘bias values’. ‘New comers’ will always be
‘outsider’ and the kingdom of heaven will become the kingdom of the earth.
Jesus came to mend broken relationship; beginning with God and man, His disciples must follow Him to mend relationship on earth, beginning within the family of God.
Recently,
I was faced with a major issue in HaNoi. A group of church leaders rise up to
break away from the leadership of the current leader. These leaders
were close childhood friends growing up together, taking drug together,
received salvation together, but now in open disagreement with each other.
This
will affect the "whole house church system" in HaNoi. Though these are all house churches,
they are very well connected and knows each other. I hold a meeting with all the parties and having heard
the feedback, I came to the conclusion that it is a
misunderstanding, which has taken roots well into their hearts and thus to
overcome this will be very difficult. My suggestion: Divide HaNoi City into 2 regions and have 2 key leaders each leading their own house churches in HaNoi City.
I felt that the break away group has "wronged" the current leader; and so I spoke to him, “if the other group did you anything wrong, charge it to my account.” Give the other group a chance to grow and develop in view of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To expend the Kingdom of the Lord in HaNoi City and its surround area.
This happened at the beginning of this year 2016, and today, both groups and grown in terms of their church attendance and ministries. Our combined house churches grow from 33 to 45 between Jan. to Mar. 2016. Their Drug Rehab Ministries grew from 6 centres to 9 centres, ministering to more than 150 drug addicts.
Yes. I can say as Paul, “For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever.” (v. 15) “Perhaps” – “is when God is active in a passive mood” work things out to bring glory to Himself. Today, these 2 regions in HaNoi City works together and yet independently reaching out to the lost and the kingdom of God is growing at a double pace.
Glory to God.
Amen!
With regard to the point on mainland chinese, I agree with you wholeheartedly. A few years back, I was talking to a brother in church and he was talking down on the foreign workers. I wondered to myself also - shouldn't we embrace these people in the kingdom of God as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ?
ReplyDeleteHi, Brother Francis, thank you for sharing the two "dramatic" incidents happened in church. The first one, though it was a failure, is considered good effort. Your church may restart this outreach project of love again. But church leaders must do some preparatory work to spiritually equip the church people until majority sees the same vision from God and is willing to be part of this project. The second one is caused by humans' strong ego, self-centredness, self-pride, and self-righteousness Internal fight and splitting tarnish the name of Jesus Christ. Have you helped the leaders to understand their inner problems (or spiritual diseases)? Do the leaders from both parties need to repent and seek reconciliation for the sake of His holy name? Mould them to be mature leaders for now and for future. Just a few thoughts from me. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Francis, we need godly wisdom when deciding for church matters. Separating the group is a very difficult decision and sometime unsure of the outcome. Thankfully God is faithful and the church is His. He knows what is best for His church. We need to trust Him fully and listen to His voice.
ReplyDeleteHi Francis, I like the way how to share "charge it to my account" in the second incidents.
ReplyDeleteI guessed it is divine for God to call you to study in bible college. Conflicts is an opportunity for the believers to become more mature in relating with each others. It always because of different perspectives. I hope the Hanoi saga will resolve, the people would be mature in handling this conflict.
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ReplyDeleteThanks for your sharing. Many Chinese congregations are seeing the needs to outreach to the mainland Chinese immigrants. It is really not easy to reach out to them, need to cross culture, cross language and all kinds of barriers. Glad that your Hanoi cell groups are growing. God is the divine passive agent in all these doings. Glory be to His name!
ReplyDeleteSeparation was a pragmatic way you have adopted. We had a similar case in Acts 15 between Barnabas and Paul. Though we are supposed to practise mutual submission and maintain unity in Christ, at times there are still differences that is rather hard to resolve. Pride is usually the main culprit. Next step, though may need time to cool things down, I think, is to preach forgiveness and reconciliation. God's grace and glory are evident and are sufficient for your efforts in the ministry of reconciliation.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the 1st incident, I agree with you sometimes church is not prepared to receive people of different background.. There was one case of a church wanting to do outreach to old folks, but there was comment from a leader that 'old folks are of no use'... but later government launched SG50 to show appreciation of their contributions... Christians need to see kingdom of God from God's point of view, and do even greater things than what secular world is doing..
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ReplyDeleteThanks for your honest sharing. In my own life, there are times that I have to tell myself that the other person is none other than my sister/brother in the Lord. And, I hope that the two brothers in Hanoi have reconciled with each other.
ReplyDeleteDear friend, blessed by your sharing.
ReplyDeleteMay the Lord continue to use you mightily wherever you go.