False Teachers

False Teachers

Recently, there seems to be an emphasis on calling out the names of false teachers, false prophets and churches in relation to these.

In the first place, I wonder why there is such a need when the goal of a believer should be the Great Commission. There are some who even built their so-called ministries on exposing false teachers. If we don't major on the major, we will spend our time and focus wrongly on the minor.

At the end of the day, God is not going to ask you, "How many false teachers have you caught in your life? How many false doctrines have you corrected in your life?"

He is going to ask, "Have you fulfilled My Great Commission? Have you loved people? Have you discipled My sheep?"

That said... I'm not undermining the importance of sound doctrines, because I am pretty sticky with the Word. But I extremely dislike people to go around calling out the names of false teachers and churches just because they disagree with their doctrines.

I am afraid that many have misunderstood the term "false teachers." Just because someone or a church over-emphasizes on certain doctrines do not make them false churches or false teachers. Well, denominations began because of different emphasis on Scriptures. Does it mean they are false churches?

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. - 2 Peter 2:1-2

The context of these false teachers/prophets in 2 Peter 2 was about those who 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐢𝐧.

When Jesus Himself talked about false prophets in Matthew 7:15, He was referring to those 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐢𝐦 (v21). These people do not bear fruit in their lives because they were not good trees to begin with.

Read also Matthew 7:15-20; Matt 24:24; Mark 13:22; 1 John 4:1.

There are many Christian figures who have been labeled as false teachers, just because they are not perfect in theology and that they preach stuff that differs from mainstream doctrines. However, they are bearing fruit, such as walking in love and compassion, reaching out to the lost, sharing about Christ as much as they know how, etc.

I'm not sure why we want to label them as false teachers/prophets/churches, when we don't even know them personally. It's absurd when you yourself are not even anywhere near when it comes to bearing fruit or having perfect theology.

It's even more ironic that we don't even understand what the term "false teachers" really means, yet we keep using them.

Let's stop this and go after Jesus, His Word and His Works. Period.

P.S: It is absolutely fine to correct wrong teachings without bringing up the person's name and church. But that has nothing do with labeling them as false teachers/prophets. Paul called out some names in the Bible because he knew what was happening when his flocks were led astray from Christ.

Jesus Is Not The Way To Heaven

Jesus Is Not The Way To Heaven

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to h̶e̶a̶v̶e̶n̶ the Father except through Me. - John 14:6

And this is eternal life, that they may s̶a̶y̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶i̶n̶n̶e̶r̶'̶s̶ ̶p̶r̶a̶y̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶g̶o̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶v̶e̶n̶  know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. - John 17:3

The Bible doesn't say that Jesus is the Way to heaven. It says that He is the Way to the Father. In other words, it's about a relationship.

If you are not adopted into His family relationally, then you are still an outsider no matter how many times you pray the salvation/sinner's prayer.

The Father doesn't want you to go to heaven. He wants the heaven to come to you (Matt 6:10). Jesus is the Way to the Father, so that heaven has the Way to come to you.

Healing Ministers —- Simply Sons & Daughters

There were many prominent healing ministers in the 19th-20th century. John Ale Dowie, John G Lake, Smith Wigglesworth, Maria Woodworth-Etter, William Branham, Charles Parham, etc to name a few.

If there’s one thing we can learn from all these late ministers, it is the fact that they were in love with the Word of God (not sermons, not books, not conferences, not seminars, not the pulpit, not ministry methods, etc) —— simply the Bible.

They went after no man of God but the God of men by His very words —- the Bible. The more they read the Word and believed in the Word, the more they walked in that fullness of power to heal the sick and raise the dead.

What’s the main point?

It’s not about whatever impartation, nor whatever gifts, nor pursuing whatever men of God to lay hands on your head (and some try to push you down as though it’s God 🤣), nor whatever healing ministries, nor whatever healing ministers, and the list keeps going on.

It’s about whether we read the Word (Bible) on our own, with the illumination (personal revelation) of the Holy Spirit within us, so that we can illustrate the life of Christ through our lives.

Our time and communion spent in the Word of God (Bible) should be more than any other resources combined together. That’s my pursuit.

You can be the next John G Lake or Smith Wigglesworth, (but still uniquely you) if you read and believe the Word, because these late healing ministers were not more anointed than anyone of you. It’s the same anointing. It’s the same Holy Spirit. The same Christ in you. The only difference is that they immersed in the Word and believed it more than anyone of us at this point in our generation.

Let’s go after knowing Him found in the Word (Bible).

Covid-19 Healed

Received a report from a guy from U.K: Healed of Covid-19... simply by healing truths. Jesus paid for it.

Faith Beyond The Intangible

Faith Beyond The Intangible

Been studying on the subject of money from the Bible. I have studied on many other topics but not really on money. Cos you only get breakthrough for what you know. It's time to know deeper on this subject. There is nowhere that teaches more than the Bible (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) when it comes to money.

There are so many nuggets in Luke 19 The Parable of the Minas. One of them is about having faith as a response to having the right revelation of who God is.

All the 10 servants were given 1 mina each. They were supposed to steward what they were given. Kingdom stewardship is not about keeping what you have. It's about growing what you have. The servant was considered to be unfaithful for putting his mina in the bank.

Why? He feared the Master.

For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ - Luke 19:21

A wrong view of God results in fear. Fear always cripples stewardship. It applies to every area, whether spiritual (intangible such as healing) or natural (tangible such as money). When there is fear, there is no confidence in taking risk (a step of faith).

On the other hand, the right view of God results in faith. If we trust that He is good and He provides, we gain confidence to take a step of faith (also spelt as risk).

The servant who stewarded his one mina and grew it into 10 minas were rewarded for his faithfulness (faith). He was given 10 cities to oversee, for whoever can be entrusted with little (minas) can be entrusted with much (reward). 

The servant who did not steward his mina (kept in the bank) had his mina taken away ------ not that God took it away, but the enemy, for the servant did not have a revelation of who his Master God is (because the foundation to the interpretation of all parables is the Parable of The Sower, Mark 4:13-14).

Having met so many believers in the marketplace, many do not have faith for the tangible, especially money. It is interesting that we have faith for the intangible and it stops there, but when it comes to the tangible, we become practical like the world.

Just cut off the income of a believer who has a family with kids and his security/identity is also cut off. Many believers with families in Singapore probably haven't experienced a zero in their bank account balance, so there is no deep revelation of God as The Provider.

I have experienced zero before marriage, after marriage and after having a kid, not knowing when the next income will come in. Not ashamed because of the choices I made in response to His call. By His grace, I had to grow in knowing Him as My Provider. In fact, the journey only began after I no longer have a salary. 6 years of preaching Him full-time as My Provider were only pure head knowledge. Wouldn’t trade this journey for anything else.

Some believers talk about saving money as though there is no God. They call it God's wisdom and practicality. Nudge deeper and you will know it's called insecurity. The true test of knowing Him as a Provider is when you are put into a situation where you have to make a decision based on faith in Him or faith in your bank account balance.

The kingdom stewardship operates in a consistent way. We all need to grow in that, including me. And there's much more for me to know and grow into.

Let's go deeper.

The Voice Of God Requires Intimacy For Interpretation

The Voice Of God Requires Intimacy For Interpretation

Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had THUNDERED. Others said, “AN ANGEL has spoken to Him.” - John 12:28-29 (emphasis added)

Jesus heard the Father speaking to Him. So did two other groups of people. Jesus heard the clear words from His Father, while the other two groups heard 'thunder' and 'an angel speaking'.

For the voice of God requires interpretation based on intimacy. This is why out of so many prophecies (including what we hear from God), we can discern what is really from God.

Intimacy is parallel to abiding in Him. For we bear fruit as a by-product of intimacy.

He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. - John 15:5

Jesus further expounded what intimacy means two verses later. It is not those flaky, so-called 'spirit-led' spontaneous living. Intimacy corresponds to abiding in His Word and His love (15:7; 15:9).

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you... - John 15:7

Since the voice of God requires interpretation based on intimacy (abiding in His Word and His love), we can use these two areas to interpret prophecies.

1) The Word of Truth

2) His Love (also found in the Word)

God speaks in many ways (Job 33:14). We can receive the accurate revelations (His voice) but we still need to have accurate interpretation ------ something we are all still growing, for no one is 100% accurate in interpretation yet.

This is why prophets can receive beautiful visions and revelations, but when they release the prophetic interpretation, you know it has gone off the track by judging those two areas: The Word of truth and His Love.

Jesus had absolute intimacy with the Father. He heard His voice and interpreted accurately. The other two groups also heard God's voice, but misinterpreted as 'thunder' and 'an angel's speaking' because they had no intimacy (Word and Love). Of course, they didn’t have the Holy Spirit at that time too.

Taking an extreme example as follows:

***Vision of a man being taken up to heaven***

- Interpretation 1: God spoke: "He is suffering in great pain due to cancer. Let him return to Me in peace. I will take him to be with Me."

- Interpretation 2: God spoke: "Heal the sick and deliver him. He's giving up and wanting to return to Me. But you minister healing to him."

Which one is God really speaking?

If we want to grow in hearing His voice with sharper interpretation of the visions and revelations He gave, we need to abide in His Word and His love.

How To Empower Believers?

How To Empower Believers?

I really respect what Francis Chan did, to step down from the pulpit and returned to the book of Acts ----- house churches where it is not led by one-man leadership, but the authority of the Scriptures through fellow believers' togetherness and deeper study of the Word through discussion. This results in TRUE empowerment of the New Covenant ----- where believers stop looking to the preacher or the man of God, but they turn to the God of Man and grow in the Word.

Therein lies a difficult question:

How can a non-house church produce the same outcome ----- empowering believers to look to Christ and have the deep hunger to go after truth in the Word?

1) Don't tell me about Christ-centred preaching. I've been attending a Christ-centred preaching church, but though the preacher always said "Look to Jesus alone!", the majority still looks to the preacher as though his preaching is the Word of God.

2) Don't tell me about having a team of preachers and having them in rotation. Because one or two preachers will definitely stand out better than the rest, and the same history will repeat itself.

3) Don't tell me about teaching the people to study the Word on their own, because this has been taught since donkey years, but people will still look to the preacher for the interpretation of the Word.

4) I thought of how preachers can open up for anyone to scrutinize and challenge what is preached by the healthy discussion of the Word, but as good Singaporeans, this can hardly take place because we don't dare to challenge authority.

I know it is easy to just say, "Stop the institutional church and go back to house churches in the book of Acts." But I really wonder how we can do it in a non-house church setting, since God can still use/redeem that.

This is a genuine post, because I have been discussing with others how we can truly empower believers in the New Covenant.

P.S: It is not a house church just because covid-19 is here and a few church members gather at a home (before CB was introduced) to watch a church service with someone preaching. That's not the definition of a true house church, in case some are confused with the term. For I have heard and read that some churches said, "We are returning to the book of Acts' kind of house churches". That is not the same by the way.

P.P.S: I think this is needed because worse events than covid-19 will take place and we need to be ready for what is to come, including persecution.

The Obligation To Heal

The Obligation To Heal

Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬, lest they should 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧, so that 𝐈 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.” These things Isaiah said when 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐢𝐦. - John 12:39-41

Jesus was quoting from the Old Testament in Isaiah 6 when the prophet saw the vision of Jesus (Isa 6:1) and wrote of Him.

"...𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦." It reveals the obligation of God to heal anyone who perceives and understands His heart from his/her heart. To put it more accurately, God has set His heart and purpose to heal.

The word 'heal' used here is 'iaomai', which usually refers to physical healing (includes spiritual too). By the way, some think that 'iaomai' means miraculous healing while 'therapeuó' means cure or progressive healing. I have shared before that both are interchangeable (Luke 9:42; Matt 17:18). Others said that 'iaomai' is used in reference to the Person healing, while 'therapeuó' is used in reference to the person receiving healing. Again, it is untrue because both are interchangeable (Matt 14:14; Matt 8:13).

God has set His heart and purpose to heal. He revealed that to Isaiah through the coming of Jesus. This is both established by the ministry of Jesus (Acts 10:38), and then by His stripes (Isa 53:4-5; Matt 8:16-17; 1 Peter 2:24). 

Jesus paid for us to be healed.

God is not at fault when someone is not healed. He already made the provision through the Body and the Blood of Christ. This is the same as the salvation of our spirit. God is not at fault when someone is not saved. He already gave His Son to forgive our sins.

If someone is not saved, we don't say, "Well, God is not saving him." Similarly, if someone is not healed, we don't say, "Well, God is not healing him." The responsibility does not lie with God. He has already done a perfect work on the Cross. Now it is our responsibility to receive (or minister healing to others).

It has to do with our perceiving (Matt 17:20) and understanding of His heart ---- the finished works of Christ.

If we see and perceive, if we hear and understand (John 12:39-40), we will receive what Christ already paid for (1 Peter 2:24; Matt 8:17), because everything in the Kingdom is received by grace through faith (Eph 2:8).

My job is not to look around me and question why some men and women of faith are not healed. My job is to steward my own life and go after everything that is in the Word and what Christ has paid for. He is the standard and the benchmark.

We were never told to fix our eyes on people or men of God. 𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐱 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬, the Author and the Finisher of faith (Heb 12:2). We cannot afford to look away from Him or we will sink like Peter did (Matt 14:30).

At the end of the day, even your life and my life are not the measure of truth. The Word is. He is the only Constant. For He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).

𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝟖𝐩𝐦 (SG Time).

http://tiny.cc/onlinehealingrooms

http://tiny.cc/onlinehealingrooms

P.S: We are not perfect yet in perceiving and understanding. However, we are firmly believing for your wholeness as you come with the expectation to receive His goodness!

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit

His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. - John 12:16

The disciples understood the Word and remembered what Jesus said, only after Jesus was glorified. Why? Because the Holy Spirit was only given after Jesus was glorified (John 7:39).

The Holy Spirit, Who is the Spirit of Truth, came to bring understanding ---- to teach us all things and to bring to our remembrance everything Jesus said in the Word.

The key to understanding the Word is not the seminary, bible classes, research, etc -------- those stuff are not necessarily bad, unless you allow them to become your primary understanding of the Word. I was halfway through my MDiv and realised how my seminary lecturers put God into a box.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭.

Contrary to those who think that intimacy with the Holy Spirit will lead to "the so-called Spirit-led, spontaneous, unpredictable and flaky living", the more we fellowship with the Holy Spirit, the more we understand and become grounded in the Word. The more we are Spirit-led, the more we follow the Word.

Since Scriptures are the most accurate prophecy (2 Peter 1:20), you are only as prophetic as you know the Word. Otherwise, it's just pathetic prediction. Unfortunately, many prophetic people simply are not grounded in the Word. Not all, but many.

The Holy Spirit and the Word are one (John 16:13-15) since the Word and Jesus are one (John 4:24). You don't separate them and call it prophetic.

1) Confirm a prophecy if it is based on the Word 

2) If it is outside of the Word, do not discard yet (1 Thes 5:20-21). Wait and see if it comes to pass.

- If you have to pray or do something for it to come to pass, then perhaps it's your own belief / action that produces the outcome, not the prophecy.

3) Reject the prophecy if it is contrary to the Word

4) Allow a community outside of one particular church to evaluate the prophetic Word

We need to trust the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Truth) in us, than to trust a prophetic person who is not grounded in the Word. #trueempowerment #HolySpirit

Testimonies from Online Healing Rooms

Testimonies from Online Healing Rooms ❤️❤️

Sharing the good report from a team of normal believers who are also working in the marketplace full-time. I love the fact that all of them are volunteers from different churches living out NORMAL CHRISTIANITY!!!

- Inflamed lump disappeared!

- Neurological problem healed!

- Pain & numbness left various parts of the body!

- Movement in kidneys!

- Heat in liver!

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

The OHR team is waiting for more reports from medical reviews. Praise God!

The team of 30 over volunteers from various churches are coming together to minister daily at 8pm (Timezone: GMT+8) via online healing rooms. Come expected to receive the goodness of God!

We want to reach those who are sick, especially those suffering from COVID-19. Anyone from any country is welcome to receive ministry. 

Session is free but registration is required: http://tiny.cc/onlinehealingrooms

Help us to share the word through your social media by clicking the SHARE button or using ‘COPY & PASTE’ to your feeds. 😊😊

How To Strengthen Your Immune System By 35-40% —— Speak In Tongues

How To Strengthen Your Immune System By 35-40% —— Speak In Tongues

Tongues are proven medically to strengthen your immune system.

1 Cor 14:4 - He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself...

The word ‘edify’ in Greek means to ‘build up’. The Bible does not say that only your spirit is built up. It uses the word ‘himself’. We are 3-in-1: spirit, soul and body.

Praying in tongues builds up your spirit, soul and body.

Below is an excerpt of a medical research conducted by Dr. Carl Peterson, a brain specialist at Oral Roberts University.

EFFECTS OF EXTENDED VERBAL PRAYER

“I have had a number of inquiries concerning the efficacy of praying in the spirit (speaking in tongues) and its benefit to the human immune system, i.e., immunity enhanced by chemicals released from a part of the brain. I am attempting to clarify some information I have shared with a number of ministers. This is information that may be deduced from what we know about the way the brain functions. We do know the part of the brain affected most noticeably by extended prayer represents a significant portion of the brain and its metabolic activity. Therefore, voluntary speech during extended vocal prayer causes a major stimulation in these parts of the brain (mainly the hypothalamus).

The hypothalamus has direct regulation of four major systems of the body, mainly: a) the pituitary gland and all target endocrine glands;

b) the total immune system;

c) the entire autonomic system; and

d) the production of brain hormones called endorphins and enkephalons, which are chemicals the body produces and are 100-200 times more powerful than morphine.

In summary, a very significant percentage of the central nervous system is directly and indirectly activated in the process of extended verbal and musical prayer over a period of time. This results in a significant release of brain hormones which, in turn, increases the body’s general immunity. It is further enhanced through joyful laughter with increased respirations and oxygen intake to the brain, diaphragm and other muscles. This same phenomenon is seen in physical activity in general, i.e., running, etc.

We know from the Word of God that there is a true joy that builds and sustains. Nehemiah tells us the joy of the Lord is our strength. There is joy in the presence of Jehovah. We, as believers having entered into that wonderful presence of our Lord, know this to be true. What we must continue to remember is that the joy of the Lord spoken of in the Word is so much more than any manifestation. We can truly have that unspeakable joy in the face of any trials we may encounter, if our joy is grounded in a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I hope the above information helps to clarify the report you received regarding my statement in the area of the physical effects of speaking in tongues and joyful laughter for extended periods of time. Truly, we all benefit — body, soul, and spirit — from obedience and yielding to the Spirit of God in every area of our lives.” - Carl R. Peterson, M.D.

This excerpt is extracted in verbatim.

Be Offensive In The Kingdom

In the Old Covenant, we had divine protection. But we didn’t have authority and power.

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In the New Covenant, we have both. It’s time to learn to walk out Luke 10:19 than to stay at Psalm 91. #crushcovid19

Unity In The Faith ----- Coronavirus

Unity In The Faith ----- Coronavirus

As a normal believer who has seen thousands of individual healings, including my own healing from an incurable disease, I saw two schools of thought among the churches around the world, as I have been reading widely about the responses of churches.

Though it is not explicitly contended, both schools of thought are actually condemning each other.

School 1: Continue to trust God and meet together as a church. We believe in divine healing and we are not afraid.

School 2: Practise wisdom and stop meeting together. Do online teaching and gather in small groups. We are not afraid. We just want to be careful and submit to the local government.

School 1 will condemn School 2 for a lack of faith and not living out the Word of God. On the other hand, School 2 will condemn School 1 for a lack of wisdom and social responsibility.

Who is right and who is wrong? Well, the one who is wrong is the one who condemns the other.

I count myself pretty radical when it comes to divine healing. I wrote a book on it. I live it out as much as I can. I take risk with my own life many times because I have to walk the talk. My wife knows I'm pretty extreme in this area and she gets upset with me occasionally because of her love and concern for me.

You probably know which school I belong to. However, there shouldn't be condemnation against one another, for we are the same Body ----- growing in the Unity of the Faith.

By trying to justify why your church is not meeting together or why your church is continuing with the meeting is to reveal a lack of identity and confidence in who you are before Him. A lot of pastors struggle with identity because they have a lot of people looking up to them to lead, and it's not easy to make decisions in times like this.

Personally, I believe that the decision should go hand in hand with your conscience and conviction because neither school of thought is wrong. If we shipwreck our conscience, we shipwreck our faith (1 Timothy 1:19).

If our conscience and conviction are to stop gathering, then should we decide to gather because of other external pressures, the church will be in trouble. Without faith, you cannot be protected from the fiery darts of the evil one (Eph 6:16).

If our conscience and conviction are to continue gathering, then should we decide to back off because of other external pressures, the church will fail to be the light and the supernatural force as a living testimony to the world, because we are supposed to be the answer and the hope of glory.

Whichever you choose, don't shipwreck your conscience and faith. Don't slam one church over the other. And don't preach at the pulpit as though one school is right, because that's condemning the other.

P.S: I especially dislike people using Scriptures to justify their preference. We have become too religious that we are trying to bend the Scriptures to justify our actions.

P.P.S: In Singapore, we can't gather above 250 pax as it is the law of the government and it is right to submit to the authorities (Romans 13:1-3). But it is a good time to re-think church. We can certainly gather in 10 groups of 25, or 25 groups of 10.

Pulpit VS Transformation

Pulpit VS Transformation

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by t̶h̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶n̶e̶w̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶m̶i̶n̶d̶  hearing more anointed preaching, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. - Romans 12:2 (Today's Charismatic Translation)

But we all, with unveiled face, b̶e̶h̶o̶l̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶a̶ ̶m̶i̶r̶r̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶g̶l̶o̶r̶y̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶L̶o̶r̶d̶  beholding the men of God and their anointed preaching, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. - 2 Cor 3:18 (Today's Charismatic Translation)

“If you abide in M̶y̶ ̶w̶o̶r̶d̶  prominent public figure's pulpit preaching, especially anointed type of preaching, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” - John 8:31-32 (Today's Charismatic Translation)

Over the years, I have seen a number of pitfalls on pulpit preaching. In my personal outlook, while there is a place for pulpit preaching, it hardly transforms many believers' lives.

Note: It works more effectively for non-believers because the Gospel can be presented to many from the pulpit. Look at Jesus, Peter and Paul. Their preaching led many to believe in Christ, but not many disciples. The disciples were not multiplied by their preaching; they were multiplied as they gathered in communities, devoted themselves to the Word, communion and modelling the Way of life. By the way, there were no New Testament Scriptures in those days ---- so they had to hear the apostles. Now we have the complete Bible to devote ourselves to.

While I only preached for a few years at the pulpit, which is not a long span of time, I realised that life transformation and discipleship don't really take place because of pulpit preaching. 

Why is that so? In Singapore, there are plenty of teachings everywhere. We are an 'information-overloaded' generation. There are so many preaching sessions/seminars/conferences that we have listened/attended. As a result, there is a rojak understanding of the Word ---- which contains truths, half-truths (they are still lies) and lies. Sometimes, it is so subtle that we don't even know that we are believing in stuff that actually contradicts each other. For lies to be replaced by truths, there needs to be the constant pounding of truths. But before the truths could go deep into the hearts, we are already hearing various teachings that could possibly undo everything, if we are not diligent in self-study of the Word.

Disclaimer: No preacher is perfect. This is why we need to take own responsibility to study the Word on our own like the Bereans did.

This is the usual approach of some believers:

Hear a pulpit preaching -> Go back and check the Word -> Seems to confirm the preaching -> Believe in the preaching

This is my encouragement:

Study the Word on your own (with the Holy Spirit) -> Get a personal understanding, conviction and belief -> Hear a pulpit preaching -> Go back and check the Word -> DISCUSS & CHALLENGE each other on what is preached ----- is it what the Word is really saying?

If there is no place for a healthy evaluation, challenge and discussion, then it is not a healthy culture. There is no point sharing what this preacher or that pastor says if you don't know what the Bible really says. 

If we don't develop a personal understanding of the Word, we will always be tossed around by different doctrines. We will not be able to divide a pulpit preaching and reject what is untrue.We will not be able to sieve out various theologies and stand firm in what we believe (until we stand corrected by the Word). As a result, there is no transformation because there is no revelation of the Word of Life.

There is no shortcut to transformation. Discipleship, first, requires ownership. Disciples are made by abiding in the Word (John 8:32) and modelling after Christ (2 Cor 3:18) and His disciples (1 Cor 4:16). Not by hearing pulpit preaching, which hardly does much transformation.

Pastoral VS Truth

Pastoral VS Truth

Sometimes, in desiring to be pastoral, we compromise truth. But we were never taught to be loving at the expense of truth. Because truth and love are on the same side of the coin, not a different side.

Since Jesus is love (1 John 4:8; Heb 1:3) and He is also Truth (John 14:6), He is the example that we can learn from. Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).

Some say, "Oh... it's because we care, so we try to be abit balance in our sharing, so that we don't hurt people." In doing that, they are willing to compromise truth in order to strike a balance. But since when did Jesus show that compromise to us?

Eph 4:15 says, 'But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ...'

The whole context is on unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son, where doctrines are involved. (Eph 4:11-14)

Let's look at what Jesus said and did in the book of John.

Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a h̶a̶r̶d̶ ̶s̶a̶y̶i̶n̶g̶;̶ ̶w̶h̶o̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶u̶n̶d̶e̶r̶s̶t̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶i̶t̶?̶  pastoral saying; we love it.” - John 6:60 (TPV, Today's Pastoral Version)

When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this o̶f̶f̶e̶n̶d̶  sit well with you? - John 6:61 (TPV, Today's Pastoral Version)

From that time many of His disciples w̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶b̶a̶c̶k̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶w̶a̶l̶k̶e̶d̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶H̶i̶m̶ ̶n̶o̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶  flocked to Him because He told them what they wanted to hear. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “D̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶g̶o̶ ̶a̶w̶a̶y̶ Do you feel good with My words now?” - John 6:66-67 (TPV, Today's Pastoral Version)

Joke aside. Jesus, the very Person of Love & Truth, never compromised in His message. Absolute Love requires Absolute Truth. Human love may come at the expense of truth. But God's Love comes with His Absolute Truth. To be loving without truth is in fact, unloving ---- it's a form of sensuality.

Instead of compromising truth in order to be 'pastoral' or to prevent offending/hurting people, there is another option.

Jesus said in John 16:12-13, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth;"

We should not be fearful of offending believers with truths if our heart intention is love. For love and truth are supposed to be on the same side. 

Disclaimer: To offend them just because we want to be right/heard is a wrong intention though.

However, if we know (by the Spirit) that the person is not able to bear the truths now, it is better not to say it, than to compromise the truths. We can only pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal to them, open their hearts and guide them into all truth.