This article is written in love because of the rumors that are being spread by certain individuals concerning Wangsa Maju’s appearance in the Star on 23 December 2007. This article supports the work that God has given us at Wangsa and hopes to encourage new Christians in their faith and to awaken the older ones.

Oh Carol (ers)…I am but a fool!

This oldie comes to mind especially with recent news of the Wangsa Maju ‘Carolers’. What was for God’s glory is now the devil’s footstool to cause division, arouse suspicion and sow the seed of doubt in God’s work in Wangsa Maju among the brotherhood. You do not need to study theology to know that this is the classic signature of Satan. He started with Eve in

Perhaps as the song title suggests, we may be fools. But, isn’t this what we want to become? ‘Fools to the world, but wise for God’ (1 Cor 1:20-24). There are many amongst us who are old in spiritual age, but lack the maturity to discern what is right and what is wrong. The veil of jealousy, ignorance, pride, arrogance and self-righteousness seems to cover the face of certain individuals who gossip about the “Blue Dolphins Carolers” behind our back, but yet do not have the Christian courage or Christian love to approach the church on the matter (Matt 18:15-17).

These people seem to say that caroling is wrong, but gossiping is right! In sermons, in conversations, and on a blog, the gossipers spread lies about the church at Wangsa. They are not ashamed to spread rumors of God’s church! Paul’s advice to Timothy comes to mind when he wrote in 2 Timothy 4:3, “they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear”. People love gossip and evidently this seems to be so true within our own brotherhood.

As of writing this article, there has not been one member or church within our brotherhood that has written to us at Wangsa to seek clarification on the newspaper article, which appeared on the front page of The Star on Sunday, December 23, 2007. The praise and glory that was due to God was snatched away by the work of the devil. Snatched away like the birds that ate the seed that fell on the way-side (Matt. 13). Our Lord Jesus explains that parable well to the bewildered disciples. He says very fittingly…

” You will be ever hearing but never understanding;you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.For this people’s heart has become calloused;they hardly hear with their ears,and they have closed their eyes.Otherwise they might see with their eyes,hear with their ears,understand with their heartsand turn, and I would heal them.”

Those who claim to know the scripture well, like the Pharisees, are blinded with arrogance and self-righteousness. They knew the scriptures and the law, but were determined not to understand them. Unfortunately, we still have Pharisees today. These are the ones who make up their minds on gossips and rumors. These are the people who refuse to see or ask for the truth. These are the ones who accuse without knowledge; these are the ones who judge without evidence. These are the people who did not praise God for the work in Wangsa Maju. They were the ones who mocked behind our back to see which ‘camp’ we associated with. These are the people who sit by the sidelines watching and waiting for God’s work to fail. These are the people who look for the speck in the eye, but are blinded to the beam (Matt. 7:3).

All is not lost! We at Wangsa Maju know what we did and we rejoice in God’s blessings. The establishment of the church was not the result of men, but the work of the Holy Spirit. As the wise Gameliel once said, “For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But, if it is from God you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” (Acts 5:38-39). As for us at Wangsa, we are vessels to be used for God’s glory. This was clearly evident when the Blue Dolphin choir sang for children, with heart diseases, at IJN. This was evident when children (youth) of Wangsa went from bed to bed of each child to pray for their health. For parents who were longing to hear comforting words of encouragement, the visit was heaven sent. Malays, Chinese and Indian families saw what God can do with a small congregation of 40 members, of which half are children. God’s love was evident on that day when He used us to bring hope to each child and parent.

But again, this is between God and His church. What the gossipers and rumormongers could see was only a clown, a hat and carolers! It doesn’t matter that Wangsa did not have a say on the article. It doesn’t matter that a journalist, trained by the media to generalize choir groups as carolers, did so on his own judgment. Nor does it seem to matter that the very group that invited the press were left out of the write-up but instead God’s work was highlighted. None of these occurrences seem to matter because all they could see was a clown, a hat and carolers. But, we are imitators of Christ because we have put on Christ. Like Paul, who was an imitator of Christ, we will also become all things to all men so that by all possible means we might save some (1 Cor 9:22). If by donning a red hat and being called a caroler identifies us with Christ to the unbeliever, let God be praised. If by doing so and dressing so, allows us to share the gospel, let God be praised. We are not trying to win the approval of men but of God (Galatians 1:10). For those who do not see it this way, we will forgive and forget. We forgive because they know not what they do. We will forget because our Lord has forgotten all our sins. But, we will pray. We will pray as your leadership, we will pray as a congregation and we will pray personally for the Lord to open the eyes of these people, just like He did to Elisha’s servant, Gerhazi, to see God’s power work in all circumstances (2 Kings 6:16-18). We will pray that as they mature, they may see things differently, that God will make clear to them (Philippians 3:15).

I would like to thank the brotherhood of those who could see past the clown, the hat and carolers, who praised God for this event. Never in the history of the churches of Christ in

RMS