The Sheep Talk

I decided to take a break from posting about how to grow the Spiritual Fruits for now. There is a phase when organising is the key and head shepherds should be guiding each herd and make sure everyone can follow especially if Church merging is happening.

I am posting this in sheep’s language. Baa baa baa.

Kidding aside, this means I want to place myself in a sheep form and not in a shepherd form. Do you get that? What I mean is that I am sharing my perspective as a member and not as a leader this time.

Well, maybe it is easy for me because I have sworn my faithfulness to the leadership of my husband because he is an associate pastor. I go where he goes. Baa baa baa.

Here are the things that I suggest to be able to cope up with the church merging:

( Click here to read the rest of the blog entry at RJC website .)

On Being Generous

The Self Introduction

So here we go. I think it’s been a long time since I contributed for an organisation. This reminds me of myself in a college paper and a local church newsletter only that this will be published online. I am the wife of Pastor Teddy, a mum to Vianca and a friend to many. I work as an Administrative and Communications Officer. Writing for me is like a passage of my thoughts, and occasionally, my way to reflect on God’s love in the mundane of life. I hope my contribution will certainly edify and will not create any whirlpool of gossips or whatsoever. Yes, I write candidly but honestly from the bottom of my heart. You might find yourself laughing and crying a little surprisingly by a simple soul. Also, I aspire to edify the Church in obtaining the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Please feel free to leave your comments. Any expression of gratitude is welcomed but a violent feedback may take some weeks for me to reply. To the leadership and staff of RJC Church, thank you for this opportunity.

A Generous Church

I’d like to share something obvious to where the direction of our church is heading. (Click here for the rest of the story at RJC Website).

The Church meets Social Media

No one was prepared before it all became too accessible to everyone. I remember, having an internet at home was a social symbol and renting a computer with a dial-up costed a fortune way back then. We used nicknames to keep our identities safe and one professor advised us to at least give one little lie in our information to keep our identities safe and so no one will determine that it is really us. It does make sense before because now we give every accurate information. We honestly even tell how we feel and what we ate. Now the battle is not to give too much information.

The Church inevitably are using these social media since it is becoming too accessible, too inexpensive, and nowadays, it is frequently used by the 20th century generation. We use the social media effectively for our organisation, businesses and some just use it primarily to stay connected with their family and friends. (I would like to say that the aforementioned are my purposes.)

Now on the other side, some use it inappropriately and simply to vent out. So immature.

Here are some thoughts I gathered from the humble people who studied Communications and have been in the Communication Field, including myself, for quite some time:



(This image is taken from here.)

1) Communication is a Process. The elements includes the Source, the Receiver, the Message, the Channel and the Feedback. So you are the Source and you use the Social Media as the Channel to send Messages and information to your Receivers which are your friends. Your Receivers decodes your message. This is why most of us Communication experts believe that what you tweet or post is who you are. Yes. We judge you by your tweets and posts. Yes. Investigators and Detectives use your social media contents to prove a crime. Yes. There are numerous studies about behaviours based on what you tweet and post.

2) The Social Media provided ways for us to communicate privately by using the Direct or Personal Messaging. Please use it more often to communicate both your gratitude and your anger. Yes. It helps you to be away from the spotlight and intrigue.

3) Back to the Communication Process, Feedback is also an element. So whether you like the feedback or not, it is a feedback. Swallow it down to your immature thought. You can not control it. Those who keep quoting, "Do not judge or you too will be judged" are most of the time are the guilty ones. They are too afraid to be judged so they quote that verse right away to be free from judging. Funny because the book was 'read' that's why it was judged.

4) No Feedback means no Communication. Not all messages gets a feedback. It is either good or bad but it is safe. Actually, there is wisdom in not sending a feedback straight away. The Bible talks about Self-Control and Taming the Tongue. However, positive and well-thought delayed feedback is better than no feedback at all because like I said, in order to complete a Process, all elements must be intact.

5) Imagine yourself on a stage or in television whenever you use a Social Media. Well, if you have 50 to 5000 friends or followers, that's a crowd. So that's why some people use the Social Media for important announcements- you got engaged, married, pregnant, baptised, etc.

BOOM!

Look, I am not saying as a church we are not allowed to be 'real' and pretend to be happy all the time. There are just some instances that we can vent out our hurts, frustrations, disappointments and disgust in a private way. (I am hoping we all know how to cope up because that can be another topic.)

The Split

Speaking from a third generation of Christian in the family, I have witnessed several Church Splits (and Church Merging) already. Can you imagine coping up from a young mind's perspective? Suddenly, you don't see a family you used to see once or twice a week. The Aunty you used to like because of her superb Italian and Japanese cooking suddenly disappears and much worst, said several bad things about you and your family simply because of church politics.

I specially love how Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 to the church in Corinth,

"We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."

The views of the people have their own credits but then the result in every commotion determines if they pleased God or merely themselves. We can say they don't want discipline, they want to be treated right, they want to shine more or be better than any other in the organization and so they bid their goodbyes. People can say whatever they want to say and even to the point of lying just to avoid being in the wrong. Just like Paul said, who cares as long as they do not put a stumbling block in anyone's path. However, if a person caused disunity, then it's a sin. Not that I judge them, only maybe when I see them face to face, they might probably feel I am no longer fascinated with them. Since we all have different paths to take, my perception is to remain in God's calling and mission. Whether they are still walking in the light of God's guidance or not, it won't be my business. After all, after a ministry split, we can determine who are faithful to the call and are not. The most important is and no matter how other people sees our ministry, like Paul, we commend ourselves in every way.

Unity Takes Effort

In Hebrews 12:14, it says to "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."

In my opinion, I can easily determine which side is less likely sinful - the one who gives effort to live in peace. It cringes me when a leader keeps bashing hurtful words. I make a background check like his family, his work, his friends, life style, etc. Not that I am planning a plot to put him or her on a spot, I only move away from them and forgive.

Paul added the following verses to the Corinth church, "We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also."

So to those who left and was left behind, please and I beg you, stop the drama. Open wide your hearts. Amen.