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| (this is copy pasted from my facebook)
The Monday following this past Father's Day, I had a chance to sit down and talk to my dad, an ordained united methodist pastor, about ministry and some of the highs and lows of spending my last 5 years in the charismatic movement. I shared with him about how I was blessed by my "spirit filled" pastors in many ways and how i got to see a bigger picture of the body of Christ. I also openly shared with my dad specific instances in which I thought the usage of the pulpit and the "prophetic word" was seemingly abused as a means to an end.
His response to the latter was awesome.
I love my dad.
He didn't even have a reaction. He listened as though it were a common story that he had repeatedly heard throughout his 20+ years of serving the church.
He simply told me that there are two things to consider when evaluating the actions of a spiritual leader.
1. Is it in TRUTH?
and
2. Is it in LOVE?
He expanded:
A pastor's actions must be rooted in truth. Not a self-seeking man made truth, but the Word of God. Many spiritual leaders are great orators and can present things in a well constructed manner, so that at the very least those that have a close emotional tie to them will purchase their words without examining it with scripture. But we must evaluate all teaching from a pulpit with the Word.
Furthermore, this truth must be spoken (or acted out) with a spirit of love. This is the characteristic of a true leader in the kingdom of God. He humbles himself to serve those that are under his care, like Christ washed the feet of his disciples including Judas.
I am blessed to have a father with such great wisdom and emotional solidarity. You should see my dad's book shelves. They are a library unto themselves. If I could have half his wisdom and pastoral heart, I would be a miracle for the body of Christ.
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While typing this, I was reminded of a book or article I read from Rick Joyner. I don't fully agree with everything he writes, but some of his writings have produced great fruit in my life.
Anyway, Joyner says that when Satan speaks to the church, he speaks truth, but speaks it without love. Satan destroys believers by speaking the outright truth (just like Christ) but with an accusational heart. Satan's tactic is to manipulate your mind to think that God would speak to you truth without love. However, the mature can distinguish between good and evil (Hebrews 5:13).
Jesus leaves the 99, to seek out the rebellious 1.
Written 16 hours ago · Comment · Like
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Danny Hwang at 4:12pm July 7
This reminds me of the millions of people who watch Joel Osteen on tv or read his books. It angers me that one man can manipulate so many to steer in the wrong direction.
Our eyes, ears and minds need to be opened up and awakened.
Steven Lee at 4:31pm July 7
count this the only facebook note ive read all summer
Benton Bakke at 7:38pm July 7
Your dad sounds pretty sweet. I'm jealous.
It seems that we're both independently becoming conscientious dissenters of the abuses common to charismatic churches.
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| i have been writing blog entries on my facebook.
to read these go to
facebook.com/mikewhang
and look for the NOTES section on the bar to the left.
life is good at the moment.
i left tcc towards the end of december and have been committed at korean central umc and wilshire umc.
i have an awesome girlfriend in lisa kwon.
i am continuing to make music with the nehemiah band
we've been doing shows and we're currently hoping to put out this album by the end of the summer.
i still kick it with jaeson ma frequently. his next cd is going to change the world, i promise.
i reunited with my childhood friends recently. we now kick it like nothing ever changed.
i have one more year before i finish up my undergraduate studies at usc.
i am praying about what to do after school. | | |
| this is for the souls that are so numb to the taste/
in the prison of pleasantries, and ordinary plates/
accustomed to the politics, to question is to hate/
tryin to impress one man, so he can soon assimilate/
you for you, you're not free, when you're not who you are/
would it be that big a shame to not get so very far/
in those eyes that criticize and label how you're doing/
"you're not singing loud enough, your passion must be ruined"/
but when it really comes down, and you leave life's troubles/
will it really matter how they viewed you in your christian bubble?/
cuz we fight too hard to cover up our stains/
but the rum ain't on your breath, it's running in your veins/
and the detox process was never measured by your frame/
no one's black or white, we're sanctified through the gray/
so let go of the pressure that your circle is pouring/
you don't need to prove yourself when you know where you're going
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| after class, i drove over to kum ran kumc for acoustic inspire. i was blessed, and had a great time.
esther, ak, and susan park were all really good. eray did some poetry too, which was a gammat of emotions, including hilarious and profoundly sad.
my set:
rice kimchi and eggs w/ oh-deng bridge
awaken the dawn w/ spontaneous worship towards the end
champion (tcc girl's appreciation song)
to do it my way
it was the most fun i had performing in a long time.
after the event, we went out to get the grub, and i ended the night having a long and teary good friday service with lisa. i am so grateful for the cross of Jesus Christ. i love to worship. let's greatly praise our God this Resurrection Sunday. He is greatly to be praised.
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| xanga has slowly become a ghost town amongst my circle of friends and social connections. i remember the day i first began blogging during the 11th grade. myspace was a little known site amongst the asian race, facebook was nonexistant, and twitter wasn't on anyone's radar. life was a simpler time back then. we were more introspective than we are today.
anyhow. yesterday was a day of change.
i purchased a new set of eyeglasses that are the antithesis of the frameless pair i've worn since high school.
my mother and i had $300 worth of insurance money to spend on spectacles and so i let her, having seniority, get a nice brand name pair for a little over $200. this limited my choices, and so i selected these at the bargain of $69.
it took a minute for me to get over the change. but now its grown on me.
i'm doin a solo performance friday night at kumran umc.
i think i'll sing 'champion' 'awaken' and 'to do it my way.'
i love acoustic sets, they give me some additional freedom; it keeps me raw and passionate.
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