I dream of an Annual General Meeting where the accent is on affirming and encouraging the work of leaders: both pastors and layleaders. Taking some time to celebrate what God has done, instead of a time to grill leaders, place blame or gripe over what happened or didn’t happen.
Church pastors and leaders do not need policing. If we elect leaders or appoint pastors, then we need to trust them, encourage them and pray for them. If you don’t trust them and have to police them, why appoint them in the first place?
When things are not doing well, leaders feel bad enough as it is. They don’t need more “awareness”, condemnation and discouragement piled on them.
Otherwise, we are no different from the world system: silent when things are fine; but a deafening, draining cacophony when things aren’t.
There are enough check and balances in any organization under the Charities Act.
God is the biggest check and balance and nothing escapes His eyes and He will balance all accounts on that Day, if not earlier.
I dream of AGMs where the silent majority who appreciates what the leaders are doing will speak up and not be silent. Its been too long that the floor is dominated by a vocal minority. The angels will be on tiptoe to listen in when such a choir of faith-full and hope-full voices is heard.
Some say that God is grieved when he sees the way AGMs are conducted. Others say God stopped attending AGMs long long ago because they are so far from what the church was meant to be. They say He has better things to do, and many young people feel the same way He does.
Business has to be done. The AGM is a requirement. I know, and let’s do it.
I just dream that it can be infused with a spirit of love. That there will be a display not of fireworks but of honor for the office of the leaders who serve the church.
I dream of a day when members realize the way they treat pastors reflect how they treat Jesus, and Father God. Jesus had said, “He who welcomes you, welcomes me, and he who welcomes me, welcomes Him who sent me”. Yes, its that simple.
May the spirit of Caleb and Joshua lead the way when it comes to approving the budget. After all, the soundest logic, the most thoroughgoing financial prudence, is the one that factors in the greatness of God. This was what stumbled the ten tribal leaders that Moses sent to spy the land: GOD’S PROMISES were not factored into their calculators.
Many a young man’s dream of being a pastor have probably sunk on the shoals of rocky AGMs. Young people are smart and they figure, “This is not the way to do the church, and this is not worth giving up my life for”.
And one day in the same AGM we will be talking about why many talented, smart young Christian people would rather be lawyers, doctors, and accountants, rather than be pastors.
Yes I dare dream of a day when unpleasant AGMs are a thing of the past, and the church has AGMs where members enjoy( not endure) attending, and are safe for young people under 18 to attend.
“Wake up, wake up.”
“It’s 8 already, better get up and go to work”.
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Paul the missionary “so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them”(Acts 19:12). Large parts of the city’s ruins remain well-preserved. As I walked the streets of stones, tested the natural acoustics in the auditoriums, and peered into halls, homes, libraries and gyms and toilets, I imagined Paul and his work in that thriving city. This was my second visit but found it astounding and eye-opeing.
A group of us went to visit our friend, Stephen Tay, who had lived in Turkey for 15 years. He was homeward bound. We were there to visit him and carry some of his barang-barang back.