”Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:6

Our world today is looking for men and women with integrity, for communicators who back up their Ministry with their lives. Our preaching emerges of what we are. - Billy Graham.

Go to any evangelical Church or a renewal centre and the buzz word is revival and the call is anointing. But how can revival happen if we are unrepentant?

We need to discern on the thoughts of the invisible mind of God. In doing so, we would have a renewing of the evangelical mind.  Sometimes we bend down to pick up something and we forget what we bent down for. In the same way, when we bow down in adoration, we sometimes forget the Glory and Majesty of our Creator.

Thank God for the various spiritual movements within the Christo-centric framework that has reached the masses. However, while receiving the fire of the Holy Spirit, somewhere down the line, we have become lukewarm. We speak of global warming but are still cold hearted. Unfortunately, instead of reformation, there is sometimes turmoil within the Body of Christ. There is constant mayhem within the Body about issues from denomination to abomination. Provocation is one of the chief deadly sins in the Body today. Denominations provoking denominations, prayer groups provoking prayer groups and individuals provoking individuals. The Church has fallen divided instead of standing united.

William Wilberforce stated “though I am an Episcopalian by birth, I yet feel such a oneness and sympathy with the cause of God at large, that nothing would be more delightful than consuming once a year with every Church that holds the Head, even Christ.”

Indeed, we need to come together as one Body. We stand in need of relationship reformation and this will happen only if we are committed to doing so. Os Guinness said that commitment to our corporate calling means remembering the need for ongoing reformation and even for the reformation of reformation. … the Carthusian monastic movement was proud of its motto, “Never reformed because never been deformed.” But in a fallen world the Reformation maxim Semper Reformanda (“always reforming”) is nearer the mark.

Throughout much of Christian history, the impulse toward reformation has been carried by the voluntary principle and the voluntary movement – whether earlier Catholic movements such as the Benedictine and the Franciscan orders or more recent Protestant movements such as missionary societies and some parachurch organizations. These special kinds of reforming voluntary associations were the ecclesiola in ecclesia (“the little Church in the large Church”) this was a corporate reformation, but what about the Christos Dokeemay’ or the ‘Character of Christ’ that is personal?

Having been in Ministry for just a few years, I’m still an infant in the calling. My life is not necessarily impacted by eloquent preachers, by men and women who are living holy lives, pleasing unto God. Their godly life style, challenges me.

Having seen how some senior ministers and ministries have handled issues and behaved scandalously, many new disciples followed them and ended up making mistakes. I was a victim of such a plight. The greatest catastrophe is that the novice missionaries are watching the way negligent Church leaders are handling Ministry and issues, and they follow the same method and cause greater scandals to the Body of Christ. What happened to the mentors of the Church?

Some Christians see how far to the edge of their sins they can go without getting caught. There is a story of a medieval King who wanted to find out who was the best-qualified man to be his chariot driver. Three men were chosen as the best in the realm, so he took them up to a high cliff and asked them to drive along the rugged road with a sheer drop of more than a thousand feet. The first two drivers drove as fast as they could and as close to the edge as they could, showing how skilfully they could maneuver the chariots even though they were close to the edge. The third driver drove fast, but he drove many yards away from the edge of the cliff. He was the one who was chosen.

Resist sin, don’t persist in it thinking that you could get away with it. The Word of God says that every dark thing will be brought to light.

Recently in Bangalore, there was a case reported of a youth leader who was repeatedly sexually molested by his mentor who belonged to a prominent Catholic missions’ organisation. This boy had done his discipleship at this missions’ organization. His greatest pain was that the mentor said that he saw nothing wrong in his actions and gave the youth leader a philosophical explanation. The danger is that this mentor will be ordained as a Catholic priest in the next few months. How did this happen? This happened because of the negligent lifestyle and leadership as there is a delinquent pattern with this ministry. This ministry had started off very well and have done great things, but now, the testimony is lost.

Seven out of ten children in India are sexually abused with the clergy contributing to it with most cases gone untold.

The American Catholic Church has paid an estimated US$2 billion in compensation since 1950 to victims of sexual abuse by the clergy. Pope Benedict admitted that he is “deeply ashamed”. Religious leaders from other denominations, religions and philosophies have also caused these scandals. The Anglican Church has a foul practise of ordaining gay priests in contradiction when the word of God says that homosexuals will not enter the kingdom of God. This is grotesque religion

Because of these individual behaviours, we have contributed certain attributes to religion. One Christmas, when I had gone to a store, a Muslim brother asked me this “brother, why are you not drinking and having a good time?” “Why would I do that” I asked him. “you’re a Christian” he replied.” I responded to him with a question “brother, why are you not bombing and terrorizing any places” he was stunned and asked me “why do you ask me that” “you’re a muslim” I replied. Is this how we define religion?

You take Buddha out of Buddhism, Buddhism, will still go on. You take Muhammed out of Islam, Islam will still go on. But if you take Christ out of a Christian, you will only have IAN, and Mr. Ian, cannot help you. It is unless we have Christ in us, only then we would bear fruit. Christianity is a relationship! Why is it that so many Catholic Priests and leaders are turning to Transcendental meditation and New Age Movements? It’s because they are unable to feel the presence of God, they search for it through adulterated means.

C S Lewis said: “The world does not consist of 100% Christians and 100% non-Christians. There are people who are slowly ceasing to be Christians but who still call themselves by that name… there are other people who are slowly becoming Christians though they do not yet call themselves so”

What is the image that we are projecting? How do people perceive Christians today? As Bishop Desmond Tutu said:  “When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land.” Is this the impression we give the non Christian? One of the greatest secular reformations in history was that of Satyagraha, the philosophy of non-violence, led by M K Gandhi which influenced freedom for India. Bertrand Russell, an atheist said this of Mahatma Gandhi, a pantheist. He said that Gandhi “spoke to the conscience of the Christian people” (colonialism) about non-violence. You see, when Gandhi spoke to the Christian conscience, he convicted them of their very purpose… “to set the captives free”

Sometimes, leaders and members are elated and puffed up because they belong to a well known denominational body or are possessed with pontifical privileges. This demigod attitude is destructive. They pontificate and demoralise other upcoming ministries and ministers. This is only insecurity leading to fascism in the Body of Christ. When we are to have security in Christ, why do so many of our young boys and girls go running behind one lover after another in search for love and sometimes yoking with unbelievers? Why do they seek false comfort and compromise on values and morality, ignoring the conscience when it convicts of purity? Why are there equal amounts of divorces in the Church as outside the Church? Why are we not watchful? It’s because we have become complacent and in calling God our friend, we have lost the reverence for His Majesty.

In any situation, a Christian is guilty until proven innocent, that is, if, ever, proven innocent. How much then, should we be careful? It took me a long time to realize this until God permitted me to be whacked and knocked down, until I fell on my knees. “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” Psalm 119:17. He then restored me to much great heights and with a fresh anointing.

The word is reformation and the subject is you.

PARADOX

The Paradox of our times in the Church is that:

We have bigger Churches, but fewer Christians

We have many prayer groups, but are less prayerful

We have beautiful buildings, but ugly builders

We have faithful sheep, but unfaithful shepherds.

Evangelists have more degrees, but less decrees

Missionaries have more machines, but fewer missions

There are more love offerings, but less living sacrifices

We have more information but less knowledge

We have more intelligence but less wisdom

We have more literature but are ignorant.

We eat more and pray less

We have more gods but are less godly

We have more rituals but pray less

We have light but live in darkness

We have hope but live hopelessly.

This is the irony of Christianity today.

Humility in ministry and submission to leaders: If you cannot take direction from your leaders, that has been commissioned to them by the Lord and then onto you, you will never be able to be a fruitful disciple. If you are leading a mission centre or you’re an Evangelist who cannot take leadership direction, then don’t expect people to listen to you when you preach or counsel. The un-teachable spirit is the exact opposite spirit of humility that causes disunity and malice. Remember what the Scripture says about it in Hebrews 13:17? “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

When my Mentor had asked me to stay off public Ministry for six months, I did so in submission. When the six months was over, he allowed me to go on two international missions for a month and then asked me to stay off Ministry for another six months. During that time, I had to forfeit pursuing the prestigious scholarship to Cambridge University, UK, a few paper presentations on Psychology & Sociology, television interviews and cancellation of very important scheduled programmes.

Those six months were the most trying and testing of my Evangelical walk. I was persecuted, tormented, accused, abused, beat up among other trials. God broke me in such a way, that even if I want to be proud, I cannot. I have nothing to boast about. Last October while I was in Dubai just before the six months wilderness experience, I sat in my friend’s garage and wept profusely, asking God to take away the suffering. Let me tell you this, if you’re not broken, God cannot enter. God broke me and then, entered!

Through all this, I joyfully sat before the Lord in submission without a speck of resentment. At the end of six months, what God had blessed me with, I will never be able to express enough. During those six months, I had written a book on Christo-Centric living that has been highly regarded and endorsed by Bishops and International leaders. I grew in favour with God and with man, and Ministry has grown exponentially with a fresh anointing. Remember that song? “He’s still working on me. It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. He’s still working on me”

We need to allow God, time to work on us if we want to have a Christ centred character or a Christ centred Ministry.

My greatest fear is that I should never be a bad example to the next generation servants of Christ. That me being a Mentor to so many, that I should never be a scandal to my Protégé’s. Christ, in His mercy has restored me, lifted me up and taught many things that develop the character of a Christian worker. I am Work In Progress. Are you?

MANIFESTO

… each one is tempted when, by his own desire, he is dragged away and enticed. James 1:14.

Billy Graham, the world greatest and most respected Evangelist once said “I wake up every morning with the fear that I might let down my Lord”

How predictable are you in times of temptations? It’s a great challenge for every human being, especially the Christian that chooses to live according to their conscience where it always convicts of right and wrong.

While I was on an international mission, right after preaching at a congregation, a businessman who was touched during my session, came to me, shook my hand and put a large amount of money in it and walked away. I immediately took the money, went to the leader of the congregation and told him about the love offering. This leader was surprised at my accountability. Since then, he has entrusted me with greater things and said this “Dom, you are one of the very rare Evangelists who are so honest and one of the very few who build God’s kingdom and not his own” Getting an edification from an international leader and having passed this test, I pray that my Lord will say this to me “Well done my good and faithful servant”

In our Ministry, we have a manifesto that draws boundaries to keep us safe from temptations. It not only keeps us safe from sensual temptations, but also from temptations of silver and gold and spices which is mammon.

The manifesto includes the character definition of our personal lives behind closed doors. The leaders of our Ministry thought over the manifesto, fasted and prayed and only then came together seeking God for a manifesto. The manifesto is intrinsic and cannot change based on a situation or a person. Here is the Manifesto.

1.      To first love Jesus and be committed to daily prayer, devotions and regular fasting and to be faithful in tithing and love offerings.

2.      To honour the Call to Evangelism.

3.      To be accountable to the Ministry and leadership in the areas of Ministering & developing the Character of Christ.

4.      Not to be with the opposite gender in isolated places unless it is our own spouse.

5.      As an individual, not to solicit donations. As a Ministry to be financially accountable with funds duly audited by a certified professional.

6.      Not to promote self but strive to promote Christ and not promote or exaggerate self and Ministry achievements.

7.      To develop and maintain godly relationships within Ministry, with other Ministries and society and to proactively reconcile in the event of a conflict.

We need to thaw our desensitized hearts and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

May we Christians never be counted as a group that inflicts Pathos on every Ethos that we step upon. Instead, may we influence Christ in every domain. Be Christ like and live Christ like.

Dearly beloved, if today, you have done anything against the Body of Christ, go down on bended knees, repent and reconcile with man and with God. How can we bring reformation in this evil world if we are evil? We stand in need of personal reformation. The reformation is a personal thing between you and the Lord and between you and the Lord’s worker. It’s merely an individual CALL, but yet, a corporate CALLING. Don’t let the enemy steal your testimony!

Lord, may You dip us in the kerosene of Thy Spirit and set us on FIRE!

During the historic international conference for Itinerant Evangelists in Amsterdam led by Dr. Billy Graham, world leaders were present in the presence of God. This affirmation was made. I, challenge you this affirmation.

AFFIRMATION

We acknowledge our obligation, as servants of God, to lead lives of holiness and moral purity, knowing that we exemplify Christ to the Church and to the world.

Your Response: I AFFIRM