Transcript of AR Bernard preaching on 21st Sept 2013

The following is the transcript of Dr AR Bernard message preached on 21st September 2013:

Let me uh, speak to you apostolically and from the position of a spiritual advisor [to] Pst Kong, Sun and CHC. This past week, on Monday evening, I had a meeting here in Singapore that was requested by several individuals. I was approached in the spirit of reconciliation, in the spirit of concern for the health and future of CHC. I listened, and I expressed the fact that I too am concerned about the health and future of CHC. I also expressed that I understood where they were coming from in the things that they shared. That meeting was in confidence, and the purpose of the meeting, as it was presented to me, was to follow the pattern of Matthew chapter 18, where it says that if you have an offence with a brother, that you go to them. It was told to me that that first step was taken. And the next step was to bring a witness. So it presented to me for the purpose of, and the spirit of, reconciliation.

I expressed to these individuals that I met with, that 1) I will not be used or manipulated by anyone to further their agenda. At the end of the meeting I also expressed and warned that they should abstain from slander, that they should abstain from gossip, because if they engage in it, then as far as I’m concerned, they destroy their credibility in my eyes, and the credibility of anything that they have to say.

I want you to know that just because I sat down and listened to what they had to say, and told them that I will pray about it and get back to them with next steps, it does not mean in any way that I endorse their agenda, endorse their position, or endorse anything that they’re trying to accomplish.

I listened, as a statesman, and my next step was to sit down and have a wonderful conversation with Pst Kong and Pst Sun.

So. There is a process in place for individuals who really don’t like the way things are going at CHC. And see, I’m from New York, so we’re very confrontational and in your face, so when you come to me, be prepared to put the cards on the table and deal with it. But that’s me.

So I’m telling you what took place this week. And if these individuals are sincere and legitimate, then they will take a next step to arrange a good sit-down meeting in the spirit of reconciliation, and really honour the leadership of this house, Pst Kong and Sun.

So I’ll be back some time at the beginning of next year, and I will have a follow-up announcement, and I will let you know how this all turns out.

*crowd applauds*

When you have an issue with someone, especially with those at leadership, don’t go and talk to other people. Go to the person that you have a problem with. Thank you, I appreciate the three men I got.  I’m serious, if you have a problem, you go and talk to them. You don’t go to other people, and, and in the disguise of, well, could you join me and pray. Because sometimes when we share things to be prayed about, it’s actually gossip in disguise. Turn to your neighbour and say he’s talking about somebody you know.

Scripture is very clear on how issues are supposed to be dealt with in the house of God. And there is an honour and a respect that should come for the leadership who is anointed by God. And even David understood this. In spite of the conflict that he had with Saul, he understood that the man, Saul, was anointed king and he had to respect that and let God take His course in dealing with whatever issues are present.

Let me share a verse of scripture with you. I never walk on this, is this safe?

Let me share a passage of scripture with you. So you’re gonna get 2 sermons tonight. This is the 1st one.

In the book of James chapter 3, verse 1. And I’m reading from the amplified bible and I hope you can put it up on the screen, the amplified bible, because if you don’t have this particular translation, I really want you to see it and get the flavor of it.

It’s a wonderful passage; it speaks about the responsibility of those that would teach others. But the way that it is expressed in the amplified bible is even more specific to the original Greek language and it’s implications. So let’s read it in verse 1.

“Not many of you should become teachers.” And I love the deeper shade of meaning here. “(Self constituted censures and reprovers of others), my brethren, for you know that we teachers will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity than other people. Thus, we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation.” By what we do.

V2 “For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature.”

Let us go to verse 17. Verse 17 speaks of the tone and spirit that one should have when engaged in reconciliation, when engaged in dealing with any issues that occur between brothers and sisters in the Lord.

It says this: “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure (undefiled); then it is peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle). [It is willing to] yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits; it is wholehearted and straightforward, impartial and unfeigned (free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity).”

Now, I present those verses to you because that is the spirit in which we resolve any issues between brothers and sisters, between leadership at any level, within the church of Jesus Christ.

You are in a very, very – I’d like to say interesting, but – but you’re in a very interesting place.
Because God did not raise up CHC or bring you this far to leave you. He has a reason, a purpose for your existence, and He raised up an individual, infused that individual with a vision. They became the visionary, and of course, they became the fuel, the energy behind the vision. And when God called Pst Kong and Sun, I have a strong feeling He knew all about them. He knew their strengths, He knew their weaknesses. He knew, over the years, where this ministry would come to. And unlike people, God remains faithful. God is good even when things are bad. God is faithful even when we are unfaithful and make mistakes. So if anyone comes to you and has anything to say about this leadership, or about this ministry, you test to make sure that it is in the spirit of Godly wisdom that has been expressed in the scripture, and that they understand the responsibility that they take upon themselves, and they determine to reprove. Especially those that are in leadership.

God sets boundaries for order. And God is not the author of confusion. He is a God of order. Amen?
 
Now, is that ok that I express this with you guys? Up in the balcony, way up there, are we ok with this? Alright, I have a low tolerance for foolishness, and maybe it’s because I’m getting older, I don’t know. But the bottom-line is issues are to be dealt with upfront, on the table, in the open, and not behind closed doors.

So we will see, maybe folks will get mad at me tonight because of what I just said. Maybe I’ll be attacked.

Maybe I’ll become famous and on the blogs. *crowd laughs* I don’t care. Simple as that. That’s the freedom, the authority that I walk in, in Christ. I don’t claim to be perfect. I have made my mistakes along the way, and if I could do some things differently, oh boy, would I. And if you wanna know the details of my mistakes, ask my wife, but I don’t want you to ask her. But we understand what it is to be committed, to be covenanted, and God is a God of covenant.  Whether it’s between Him and people, or between people and people in the context of serving Him. Amen?

Now, Pst Kong, let me ask you a question. Come, come up here.

*crowd claps as Pst Kong goes on stage*
 
I hope you’ll invite me back to preach after all this, (inaudible).

You’ve been through a lot, and I know that for reasons of the trial, you have to be careful what you say. You have to be careful what you can respond to, what you can’t respond to.

Erm, because it can undermine what the attorneys of the church and the attorneys of all the individuals are trying to accomplish. And I think they’re trying to get you exonerated. I mean, I wouldn’t pay them if they weren’t trying to do that.

But I wanna make sure, because I’m here, I come and go. But I wanna make sure, so I’m asking you this publicly. You’ve had time to reflect. You’ve had time to look back. I know you’re not perfect, so you don’t have to tell me. I know that already. Sun told me already. *crowd laughs*

Don’t worry about it, we have covenant, you won’t get any information from her.

But as you look back, on hindsight, would you say that – I don’t know any other way to put this, so I’ll try to be as nice as I can – would you say that you made some dumb mistakes?

PK: Dumb mistakes? Absolutely.

ARB: Stupid?

PK: Stupid. Doctor Cole would say asinine.

ARB: Asinine, I like that even better. Thanks for reminding me.

Would you say that there were some areas of weakness in leadership, and the decision-making that you made, over time?

PK: Yes, doctor, ya.

ARB: So you’re not pretending to be innocent of being human. You’re not pretending to be innocent of making mistakes and unwise judgments along the way as all leaders (points to himself) do?

PK: Absolutely not.

ARB: I just wanna make sure because I don’t want anyone to, you know, have the impression because you stand up here and share the Word of God continuously – which is really hard to do given circumstances that you’re in, to be consistent with it –  erm, how have you worked those mistakes out in your relationship with the Lord?

PK: Well, doctor I, I, the only way I know how to do it is bring all my problems, my mistakes, my oversight, my sins, in prayer, in repentance, and say Jesus, forgive me, cleanse me, help me never to commit those same mistakes ever again.

ARB: Have you done that?

PK: Doctor, all the time.

ARB: Again and again?

PK: Again and again. Not because I’m guilt conscious in any way, but… yeah, 3 years is a long time to reflect on 20 over years of ministry.

ARB: Yeah, it is. It really is. Now, he is nervous right now because he has no idea what I’m going to ask him.

So I’m gonna leave it there, alright? Because these people love you, they support you. They don’t think you’re perfect, Sun told them too. But when you embrace a leader, you embrace not only his spirituality; you embrace his humanity. They come together in 1 package. And there will always be something you may disagree with, not feel good about. But your commitment to God’s vision, and your love for that person, transcends those weaknesses, those faults. I love you. *hugs Pst Kong for a long time*

*Pst Kong leaves the stage*

Come on, give your pastor a round of applause. *crowd gives standing ovation*

Come on, you can do better than that.

Thank you. You see the big smile on his face when he did that? It’s great when you have people that just love doing what they do for God. Amen?

Some of those times in our church, when the Spirit of God moves in a very specific and special way, I’m careful not to try to compete with that. So what is true at home, is true here. And as I sat there and observed for the first time, as you, the video, I felt that it would be unwise for me to try to build on that by giving you another preaching. I think that inherent in what we shared was a very deep and profound message about unity, about the body of Christ, about the spirit of reconciliation, and how things should be done.

Jesus loves us. And that may seem like a very light and even (some word 29:18) statement, but it is the very basis of our salvation. And the reason why Jesus is going to return to scoop us out of this world in which we live, is not because we’ve been so good. Not because we worship. Not because we prayed. Not because we’ve done anything to deserve His return. What’s going to bring Him back is the same love that brought Him the first time. And it’s that love, that great love, with which He loves us.

Let’s all stand right now, and you need to appreciate the leadership of this house, Pastor Kong Hee and his lovely wife, Sun. *another standing ovation* *Pst Kong and Sun clasp their hands and bow their heads*

Hallelujah!

(blogger's note: my favourite part coming up)
And here’s what I tell people in New York: if you are in a church that you don’t like, and that you have a problem with the church and its leadership, your continued attendance becomes a testimony to your stupidity. 

Because why in the world would you continue to reside in an environment that is deemed by you to be contrary to your spiritual growth and development? Here is a clue for you: Pray and ask God for another church. So you can go to that church *crowd applauds*. So that you can be an asset and not a liability. So that you can flourish in an environment that you’re comfortable with, not an environment that you’re contrary with.

That’s just common sense. And unfortunately, if common sense were so common, more people would have it.