Divided, We are Falling

If Naga Christianity is a turbulent voyage, division in Naga churches is sheer shipwreck. This read intends to show how ridiculously we vouch for division in the church.

Denominational Drama
The Baptists reckons CRCs are disorganized, Pentecostals are extreme, Roman Catholics are traditional, and Independent churches are wannabes. The CRCs reckons Baptists are prayer-less, the Pentecostals are ascetic, Roman Catholics are powerless, and Independent churches are improper. The Pentecostals reckons Baptists are lukewarm, CRCs are unsuitable, Roman Catholics are cultic, and Independent churches are juvenile. The Roman Catholics reckons Baptists are stingy, CRCs are illiterate, Pentecostals are misguided, and Independent churches are self-seeking. The Independent churches reckon Baptists are dry, CRCs are out-dated, Pentecostals are monotonous, and Roman Catholics are customary.

Hold for a second. Do the others know the Baptist can administrate as the duck takes to waters? They have zillions of strategies to keep a church straight. Do the others know the CRC can fast and pray with no hint of grump?No kidding, it is their piece of cake,their expertise. Hungry man is no longer an angry man, mind it. Do the others know the Pentecostals can be as holy as the St. Mary of the Roman Catholic?They know how to dress white and keep their lives white. We are not talking of white washed tombs here. Do the others know the Roman Catholics are born with their hands coming out first? Living is giving. Their lungs may forget to breath but their hands won’t forget to give. There is no difference between ‘love’ and ‘charity’ in their dictionary. Both are one and the same. Do the others know the independent churches are descendants of Martin Luther? They breathe reformation and transformation. They think their missing rib is change. They rightly sense the stench of the unwashed socks worn in traditional churches.

For a change, how about the Baptists reckoning we lack in prayer many times and we are lukewarm because of that. We don’t give enough and many of our churches are spiritually dry. The CRCs, Pentecostals, Roman Catholic, Independent churches can follow suit in realizing their loopholes. How about our churches shying from critiquing learn to administrate like the Baptist, pray and fast like the CRC, live as holy as the Pentecostal, educate and give charitably like the Roman Catholics, be as dynamic and ambitious as the Independent churches. Wishful thinking may be. Worth the thought though.

Church Chaos
The Pastor reckons the deacons are demagogic, fathers are irregular, mothers are whining, youths are immature, and the Sunday schools are playful. The deacons reckon pastor is inexperience, fathers are irregular, mothers are disturbing, youths are immoral, and the Sunday schools are inattentive. The fathers reckon pastor is hasty, the deacons are commanding, mothers are ignorant, youths are rebellious, and the Sunday schools just want candy. The mothers reckon pastor is partial, deacons are arrogant, fathers are irregular, youths are crazy, and the Sunday schools are disobedient. The youths reckon the pastor is traditional, the deacons are demonic, the fathers are still irregular, the mothers are overreacting, and the Sunday Schools are nuisance. The Sunday Schools reckon the Pastor is a relative of Jesus, the deacons are descendants of Abraham, fathers are still irregular, mothers are confusing, and the youths are angry at Jesus.

Apparently, the church wants a 30 year old cool Pastor with 25 years of ministry experience. They want a married Pastor who spends no time with his wife and children but works 24 × 7 for the church. They want him to be a Ph.D. holder satisfied with 6000 salary. They want him to lead but only after the deacon board approves it. Hear, Hear! I’ve got one candidate. Superman surrendered but Shaktimaan is interested. I gave him the job description and the qualification. He has seven avatars so he said he can manage. On one condition, keep some Parle-G biscuit for him always.

Now the church wants decent and delightful deacons;who will disciple but not discipline; serve but not speak; administer but not admonish. Gangadar is ready if you want. The church wants fathers to be regular. I do think so. Fathers should come to church regularly (*me grins and chuckles*). Talking of mothers, learn the art called “longsuffering.” Bear them, there is no way out.Want the youths to come to church? Start with buying a good sound system. You will get access to their system then. What about the Sunday school? Let them continue singing, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Do not let them know just yet that the church actually like the disciples stops them to come to Jesus because of their chaos.

For a change, let us listen to Apostle Paul writing to the church, “14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body…. 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”…. 25… there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1Co 12:14-27 NIV).

Need one say more on how one should be in church?Paul nailed it and that’s all about it. The church has diverse members united as one body. If there were three prohibitions in church administration they will be; First, no division; second, no division; third, no division.

Family Frenzy
On Sunday morning, the mother reckons the father is irregular,the children (adult) are depraved, and the kids are sleepy. The father reckons mother is not submissive, children (adult) are adamant, and the kids are innocent. The children (adult) reckon father is irregular, mother is spiritually annoying, and the kids are irritating. The kids reckon father is irregular as always, mother is very close to Jesus, and elder brothers and sisters are probably going to hell.