Destiny - The Future of Christianity? I hope not!!

I need to put something down in my general blog about the things I think and feel right now about Destiny Church and the current situations.

Firstly I need put out there that on some levels I agree with him in some aspects. Tithing and offerings are biblical laws and doctrines that I follow today. I am a member of a church that believes in making covenants. I believe that discontent with leadership is discouraged but not forbidden, and I have on many times stated my objections to some ideas proposed by local leaders, but have never had a problem falling into line when a decision is made.

I do however have severe objection to his methods. His statements made in the media really upset me in the way that he thinks he has a right to live off the donations of others because he has spent 30 years or so in a ministry. Reminds me of the show I saw on Prime the other night which highlighted the exploits of two Catholic priests in Miami who essentially stole money from Parishioners. They stated the essentially the same thing. We are owed this...I've given this much of my life to the ministry so I'm justified in doing this. Really shows how they felt about serving their people.

The senior leaders of the church I belong to have in some cases spent double that in the service of the church and expect nothing from the church...but do get some support from it not six figure salaries, boats, Audi cars. Modest apartments, if they are asked to go some places, their travel is paid for...accommodation, and personally I have more respect for these leaders because I know they have earned it, rather than expect it.

Most of the senior church leaders I know were extremely successful professionals in their own right before they went into full time church service. Apart from being very astute business individuals, successful people they are spiritually giants and people I admire and respect because not just any schmuck is put in those positions. They are inspired men, working under inspiration.

Destiny has proven to me that they have no clue about covenants. A covenant is between God and man. The Covenant document I have seen reflects the covenant being between man and Man (Tamaki being named). Its not a spiritual covenant therefore, but a mortal one. The only other mortal individual to with I have made a covenant with is my wife. A covenant that I strongly believe if we keep we will be man and wife beyond death. Together with our posterity we will be together. This covenant we made together, to each other and to God. The rest we all make as individuals between God and Man....not Man to man. Certainly don't need a $300 ring to ensure support.

When I sit in the office of our Bishop and he asks me a question about my loyalty, its always referring to a position which anyone can occupy, and the authority that position holds, rather than an individual in that position. But my bishop who I believe has more authority than Tamaki and sits as a representative of the Lord has the right to ask me that kind of question.

Bishops I have known in my life time have been tradesmen, government employees, one was even my geography teacher in high school. Those were their professions. Others I have known were unemployed for a time, one worked for Work and Income, IRD, one was a social worker, others lawyers, one was a scientist. None of them drew any form of income from the church, but I will go into that later.

I recall some time ago, a president of our church coming out and as we do, we want to make a good impression and prepare things for his arrival. He put out a request that nothing elaborate be done, no special dinners, no special receptions and pleaded that no special gifts be given to him. of course he accepted a Greenstone pendant but declined other gifts. I am immensely humbled to be in their presence, their very persons exudes a spirit unlike normal men and women. That makes you stand when they enter the room, respect earned, not expected.

I pay a tithing of my income and the thing is, I know where it goes, and it goes no where near the bank accounts of my bishop. I also pay other offerings that are completely voluntary, not compulsory. Once a month we fast, we go without two meals and we take the relative value of those meals and donate it to the church for use to help those in need. That is asked to be a generous one rather than simply being the value, and I have no problem with that...but its not something I am chided for if I don't.

A few years back on the heels of the Sri Lanka tsunami our church made available an avenue for members to make donations specifically to that fund. On top of the millions of dollars of aid already given much more was donated with no pressure or expectation to do so. There are other offerings we can make if we want too. We could help a missionary...who have to pay their own way. We could make donations to building construction.

I thought about something the other day. Church has two annual conferences where the single centre capacity is 22,000 people. Another 7,000 likely in a one block distance. The conference attendance is free for everyone. But I thought if there was a $10 charge, each session could draw $290,000 and almost $1.5 million in one weekend. Not a bad money spinner. But thats not going to happen.

I love the phrase stated by a wise man some years ago. "Who honours God, God Honours". The thing with Tamaki is that he is all about Brian from what I can see. I recall watching one of his early morning broadcasts some time ago and one thing that I saw immediately was his dress. While it was clean and nice and tidy it screamed LOOK AT ME!!! And the focus for his address was about the way we look. The basic tenant of his speech was that people should, especially the men look to him as a role model of how to dress and to dress like him. How many could really afford it?

I believe when we worship on a Sunday we do the best we can with the resources we have, and when we can, increase those resources. I certainly do not think we need to wear Hugo Boss, Armani or Alligator shoes to our church services.

I was asked recently by a non-church attender (but a believer) how much my leader got paid. He found it hard to believe that he received no income from the church and the church actually forbade its congregational leaders from profiting from ecclesiastical services...weddings, funerals, baptisms and such. Having served along side many Bishops over the years I have seen where certainly a great deal of money could have been made through this for personal gain, but that is not the reason they serve.

I recall one time the family of a member friend who passed suddenly. I was talking with her Bishop about some post funeral arrangements, as she was living alone, a pensioner and he had asked that I oversee the sorting out of her apartment along with the family. The son who was not a member of the church handed the Bishop a big envelope with cash. My estimates it looked close to $1000. Bishop took him aside and asked him if all of the funeral expenses had been paid for. Bishop then informed him that he cannot accept the money, but could make donations to other areas if he wished, but was to take care of the family first. There are other avenues for donations if he really wanted to donate some money then there were way's to do so, but it was not a priority.

I don't know what the family did with the money after that, but I know he was extremely emotional following that meeting. Later, he asked me why Bishop wouldn't take the money. I informed him that our leaders are not there to gain from other peoples situations and it is best if the family used it at this point to take care of the family. It is a part of his service and he receives other blessings for serving as he does.

It is modeled after the Saviour's example of service. The Lord himself didn't bless with one hand and have the other one out expecting payment. That is just stupid. The Lord sent his apostles two by two "without purse nor scrip" doing door by door, preaching by the way. I don't think many people realise that those young missionaries in the world, pay for themselves for the opportunity to do what they do.

I have no respect for Bishop Brian and his empire. I feel sad that others are drawn into the nightmare and are funding Brian's life and life style. Regardless of how many people walked from Brisbane, the fact is people walked because someone was trying to impose unrighteous dominion on others and that we know is wrong. The good that may be being done is being over shadowed by Brian and his way of life.

Anyway, enough said I think.