God, Marriage, Country

John Calvin a reformer in his own right once said, "Whatever a person may be like, we must still love them because we love God."

Recently, I've been wondering to myself if the Christians of today model the Pharisees of old rather than the Early Church. The reason I ask myself this is because of how we as Christians exemplify love to others. We have a select group of people that we model our love to, and we have conditions for our love, but Christ said to love like He loved. This is by far my most controversial post yet. I try to stay away from topics like this, but I've been experiencing a lot of personal growth, and I feel that it is my duty to post this.

First and foremost, let me begin by stating that my personal view of marriage is that it is between a man and a woman. Based on my personal beliefs, opinions, and my spiritual convictions, I cannot support gay marriage, but I ask that you read on.

About a year ago, I was doing my practical training. (Can you believe it? This blog is almost a year old!) Towards the latter end of my stay in New York, I attended a Junior Senior Conference in New Jersey. During the rec time of the conference, two of my friends and I decided to go to one of their houses. On the drive, we engaged in some conversation regarding controversial/political debate. We argued the topic of gay marriage. At that time, I was strictly against gay marriage. He told me something that really resonated with me.

Then, this past Spring semester, I took three counseling classes for my major. One of which I had a homosexual instructor whom I had great respect for, and he played a huge role in getting me to think about the LGBT community. Then, I made a bunch of friends in those classes that were also homosexual, but they were some awesome friends. They had a deep personal desire to counsel others, and they had grown so much from the pain they had suffered, and they wished to use that to help others. The instructor that I had was in seminary before he dropped out, and then he came out, and now he is a licensed counselor. One of the things he said in class really hit close to home for me. I am paraphrasing what he said, despite your personal viewpoints, as counselors model your life like Jesus Christ who loved and sat with the sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes. Bam. When I heard that, I sat back in my chair, and I felt my whole head just twirl, because I began to realize that as a Christian believer, I was not loving the way Christ did.

In today's time and age, there are quite a few people that are homosexual. As Christians, we have taken it upon ourselves to seemingly wage a war against homosexuals. Christians condemn them and make it seem like Christians are not sinners, or that being gay is a worse sin than any other sin. Let me be the first to tell you if you have not heard this yet. In God's eyes, EVERY sin is equal. It doesn't matter if you killed a person, or if you shoplifted. It doesn't matter if you lusted after a married woman and committed adultery with her in your heart or if you were a rapist. These are ALL sins, and God hates all of them. He doesn't say that He will accept some of these sins because they are less severe than others. The only reason that you and I are accepted in His sight is because His sinless Son took our place of punishment. Then, how is it that Christians condemn those that identify as homosexuals?

Does this mean that we should allow homosexuals to get married? Well, let's take a look at some hard facts.

Many people profess that this is a "Christian" nation, so that is why gay marriage should not be allowed. Actually, this country is no longer a Christian nation. We may have been founded on Christian principles, but let me be honest with you, I do not think this is a Christian nation any longer. This was what my friend pointed out to me in our car ride that resonated with me. First of all, this nation is so diverse, and there are people with so many various viewpoints that our government cannot run simply on religion alone. Second of all, so many people do so many things that are wrong, so then where is the Christ-likeness that we profess to have? No, I don't believe this country is a Christian country. I believe this is a secular nation founded on Christian morals and principles, and we have long forgotten them.

Another argument that is used is the Bible. Now, that is a great place to look for an argument. Yes, the Bible does speak against homosexuality, but to apply it in a nation that is largely secular cannot happen. We don't look to the Bible to solve the economical problems, nor do we look to the Bible on how to take care of the environment. Believe it or not, these are all in the Bible, but we don't look to the Bible for that, so then how can you look to the Bible for this one topic. You are doing God a great injustice, and you're lying to yourself.

Lastly, many people say that the sanctity of marriage is between a man and a woman which is what the Bible states, and which is what I agree with. BUT, take a look at how people view marriage today. Divorce is at an all-time high. One in two marriages end in divorce. That's 50%! Is that preserving the sanctity of marriage? How about when Hollywood celebrities jump in and out of marriage like it's a fad? Is that preserving the sanctity of marriage. I'm sorry, but heterosexual couples have defiled the sanctity of marriage, so to say that the homosexual community is ruining the sanctity of marriage is a lie, because it's already been ruined by heterosexuals. Now, to those that are living a long, happy, married life without divorce, I wish you all the best, and way to work hard in preserving the sanctity of marriage in your lives. I only pray that your children see, learn, and grow in that way.

Outside of the Bible, is there a legitimate reason that gay marriage should not be allowed? It would seem not. Whether they be Democrats or Republicans, both parties exploit this topic of gay marriage for their own selfish gains. Democrats are for it, so as to gain the LGBT community's votes, not because they genuinely care for them. Republicans are against it, and they use the Bible as a perverse way to get their way and the votes of the Christian community. I believe the politicians are what drove a wedge in between these two communities.

As I mentioned before, based on my personal convictions, and my desire to live my life according to the Bible, I cannot support gay marriage, but I'm just one man. Statistics show that the public opinion about gay marriage has changed drastically. Now, there are a lot more people that support it, gay or straight. If there was a way to appease both groups, then that would be ideal. Perhaps, allow them to enter into a civil union. I don't know, but this is how I see it. If the nation's people are more and more for it, then there is no choice. Eventually, I believe that gays will be allowed to marry all over the nation. In any case, don't pervert the Bible and simply use it to attack the homosexual community.

When you take a look at Christ's ministry, what did He do while He officially conducted His ministry for approximately three to three and a half years? He ate with sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes. He went into the house of Zacchaeus. He allowed a prostitute to pour perfume on His legs and wipe it with her hair. He forgave the thief on the cross. He hung out with twelve guys that had their own issues. Yet, He still loved them. Does that mean He changed His viewpoints? Not at all! Take a look at Matthew 5, and read how He provides even more detail to the Ten Commandments. That was Christ's ministry. That is how we are supposed to be. We should be loving everyone with Christ's love, while keeping our principles.

To summarize, don't condemn or hate those that identify as homosexual. Love them! They are humans too! If we can come to a middle ground on the topic of gay marriage, then hooray! If we can't, then think to yourselves. In a country where we don't even allow prayer in schools, should we use the Bible as a measuring rod for this topic alone? If we can't use the Bible as a way to govern this country for everything, then we shouldn't use it at all. Find a common middle ground. Otherwise, enable them to marry. Why not? It'll happen eventually. Make it sooner than later, and stop wasting all this time on arguing.

On a personal note, to all that reads this, please know that I love you as Christ loves me and expects me to love others. It doesn't matter to me what sins you have, because I have my fair share. The only thing is, Christ is asking you to repent and turn to Him. Let Him come into your heart. He is the only One that can satisfy the missing piece in your heart, the hurt, and whatever else that is going on in your life.

I leave you with one instance of Christ's ministry that many seemingly overlook. When I was young, for some really weird reason or another, this passage stood out to me more than most of the common ones. It's John 8:1-11. In this passage, you see the Pharisees throwing a woman in front of Jesus and telling Him that she is an adulteress, and that based on the laws of Moses, she should be stoned to death. (Interesting on how the man she slept with isn't being held accountable, isn't it?) Christ does something that I never expected, and I don't think the Pharisees expected. I think that the reason this passage stuck out to me as a child was because of what Jesus did. He knelt down, and He began writing on the ground with His finger. The Pharisees were annoyed, and they kept badgering him on what to do, so He tells them, "If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (Bam! They just got Jesused.) Upon this remark, one by one the Pharisees all left Jesus with the adulteress. What Christ says to her is the verse I will leave you with below. Jesus did not condemn her. He is without sin, yet He didn't cast a single stone! Then, how much more should we who are sinful not be casting stones at those around us? Christ didn't condemn her. He loved her. He forgave her. I encourage you all to go out there and love on everyone. Accept each and everyone, because we all have our flaws. If we were truly able to accept each other despite our flaws, then the problems that we come across would have an easy solution. Model Christ's love to the lease of these.

"Jesus straightened up and asked her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' 'No one, sir,' she said. 'Then neither do I condemn you,' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin.'"

-John 8:10-11 (NIV 1984)

"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father;  take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes, and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" 

-Matthew 25:34-40 (NIV 1984) 

Pastor and Pastoral Care in the Context of the New Generation Marthomites

Below, you will find my article which I submitted for the Mar Thoma Messenger, a couple of weeks back. Thirumeni asked for an article, and so I typed this up. Anyways, this is a vital topic in the Mar Thoma community today. As folks in the new generation, ask yourselves how you view your Ministers. Then, strive to work with any Achen to bring spiritual growth in the church.

In the Mar Thoma Church, we are greatly blessed with ministers that are handpicked by God. These are individuals that strive to be used as an instrument by God to touch the hearts of many, so that the many may experience Christ’s unfailing love and turn to Him. Within the new generation, many of us believe that these Achens probably do not understand us or cannot relate with us. We seemingly put them on a pedestal, but in reality, they are like us. They have gone through struggles, just like us. They have grown, just like us. They have dealt with temptation, just like us. Where their ministry and their life are right now is because that is where God has guided them to be a transformative mark upon the lives that they come across. That is why I believe that our Achens care so much. That is why every time an Achen leaves our church after spending approximately three years with us, we cannot help but shed a tear or wish they never had to leave. I often think of Christ’s ministry when an Achen is being transferred. Christ spent approximately three and a half years ministering here. After those three and a half years, were all the blind granted vision? Were all the deaf able to hear? Did all the dead rise up? No, but Christ led such an impactful ministry that changed the lives of His Apostles, and they in turn continued that ministry. Now, more than two thousand years later, the Gospel is still being spread. Similarly, an Achen’s ministry cannot simply flourish in one area, but rather be given an opportunity to be experienced elsewhere. That way, they can continue to spread the Gospel to every place that they are sent. Just as the Israelites were led by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, so too are these ministers led until they can enter the Promised Land, which is Heaven.

As Achens come to a church, some have high aspirations for the new generation. They will fully support them and push them for great goals. Then, there are some Achens that come unsure of how to interact with the upcoming generation, but are too comfortable with the parents and elders of the church. Before their ministry finishes though, every Achen will have a deep fire for the youths, and they push us to great heights. They strive to get us involved, so that we can bring fresh ideas to the table. They realize that we are not simply the future of the church, but rather, the present. They pray for us unceasingly, so that we may take the reins of what our forefathers have built thus far. Ministry is not simply something that an Achen takes on, but rather, it is something that we as the people of God work together to achieve. As youths, we are not called to be passive but to be proactive under the direction of our Achens, thereby making a transformation in our lives, families, church, and community for the glory of God.

Hope you liked what you read. I encourage everyone to step up in any and every available facet with the resources given to you to bring a change within the church. We as parishioners are called to work with our ministers to bring the expansion of the Kingdom of God. We aren't called to keep Christ confined within the walls of the church, but the church is meant to go out into the world. I will leave you with a verse.

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

-Mark 10:45  (ESV)

Psalm 23:4

John Chrysostom once said, "No matter how just your words may be, you ruin everything when you speak with anger." I have to admit. God has given surmountable wisdom to these forefathers of Christianity. You just don't find people saying things like this anymore. My prayers are that it changes, and that the leaders of the Church will have words of powerful wisdom granted by the Spirit to guide the Church in the right direction.

In any case, this post is going to be a lot of venting. I know I shouldn't allow my anger to get the best of me, but I feel like there's been so much bottled up, and typing might just enable me to organize my thoughts and feelings properly.

Since my last post was in 2011, I feel it would only be right as to consider all the wonderful blessings that my God has provided me with in the past three months of this new year.

Well, the semester ended well for me, and Christmas break wasn't off to the best start, because I was really sick, but by God's grace, I was well enough in time for New Year Revival which was another spiritual uproar by the Holy Spirit. During that time, it was also my birthday, and although Revival kind of overshadowed my birthday, I wouldn't have had it any other way. Experiencing the Spirit of God was good enough for me! Another thing that happened on New Year's Eve was that we had a Diocesan Youth Fellowship General Body Conference Call in which I was elected as the new DYF Treasurer, because the previous treasurer was unable to complete her term. In one sense, I was excited to take this position, because it meant working with two guys that I saw not only as dear friends and mentors, but also as spiritual brothers, and our relationships continue to grow even to this day.

After Revival, I was busy packing for my road trip to Florida for the Diocesan Youth Fellowship Leadership Conference which was hosted by St. Mark's Mar Thoma Church in Tampa Bay, Florida. Justin, Patrick, and I drove down there. Ohh man! What a conference! If I have ever been crammed with Biblical teachings before, it does not compare to all that I learned at this conference which I praise God for. It was powerful, and I learned a lot. Not only that, I stayed with an amazing family, and I had some fantastic roommates with whom my conference growth continued even unto the night at the house. I also enjoyed meeting some great new people and reconnecting with several old and dear friends. Along with that, I also enjoyed my share of being bullied and bullying our youth chaplains. I don't think there are many others that I have a deeper sense of respect for as I do for these youth chaplains, but at the same time, I enjoy every waking moment I get making fun of them. It's kind of how my relationship with each of them really is.

The new semester began, and I enjoy all my classes! I have three counseling classes, and the lessons I've learned in there will continue with me forever! I mean, I don't think I have ever learned more life application lessons in school than I have in these three classes. I still work, and I have even begun volunteering at this elementary school twice a week. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I go to this elementary school in Denton and volunteer with America Reads which is an awesome organization. I enjoy spending two hours with these little kids after school, helping them with homework, playing games, and just spending time with them. It really is the highlight of my weeks.

On Friday, February 17, 2012, my second sister and her husband was given the privilege to bring forth my beautiful princess niece named Chloe Thomas. Every weekend when I come home, I go by their apartment and spend some time with her. I love her so much! She is the most precious baby, and I really see the love of God through this gift that He has given us. My only prayer is that she continues to grow in the Lord, and that even though I can't always protect her, that He watch over her and enable her to realize the depth of our love for her and the depth of His love which is far greater.

Friday, March 9 to Sunday, March 11, 2012, St. Paul's Mar Thoma Church conducted our first family and youth retreat. It was such an amazing experience. It was a small group, but I saw the Spirit of God moving, and I experienced that familial feeling that I used to feel a long time ago. It was simply beautiful.

I guess, after recounting all my blessings I really don't have much to vent. It's funny how we think that all our troubles just seem to pile on, but we forget to stop and smell the roses, and realize God's loving guidance in our lives. All I know is, I'll always face criticism. I'll always experience being put down, disrespected, and hurt by people, not only in the church but outside. All I can say is, at the end of the day, I have faith that my God isn't going to simply question and hound me for the small mistakes, but He appreciates all that I have done in His name. I can't take credit for it though. I know that all glory goes to Him, because it was His hand working in me. I'm simply an instrument being used by Him in the proper manner.

Out of Paul's thirteen letters accounted for in the Bible, Philippians has some very powerful verses that really comes to my mind a lot. In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul says, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." These three verses really resonate with me, and as I sit here typing, I realize that I shouldn't hold onto what people have said, but rather move forward in the faith that Christ has called me to have.

On the other hand, it's what Building 429 sings in their song, "Where I Belong." They sing, "All I know is I'm not home yet. This is not where I belong. Take this world and give me Jesus. This is not where I belong." That's what my heart resorts to feeling whenever things are tough or I feel the burden of the world on my shoulders, but at the same time, I pray the same prayer Christ had prayed for His disciples. "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." I don't pray to be taken away from the harsh reality of this world, but that He holds my hand walking alongside me through this reality.

I really do feel better now. I really can move forward with a much lighter heart.

 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

-Psalm 23:4 (NIV 1984) 

Prison Break

Oswald J. Chambers, the author of the widely-read devotional My Utmost for His Highest wrote, "I have to get to the point of the absolute and unquestionable relationship that takes everything exactly as it comes from Him. God never guides us at some time in the future, but always here and now. Realize that the Lord is here now, and the freedom you receive is immediate."

Two weeks after the SWRYF Conference came to an end, I realized what to write. The SWRYF Conference happened from Friday, October 28 - Sunday, October 30, 2011. We held it at Camp Copass in Denton, TX. The theme was, "Prison Break: Breaking the Chains of Sin." The theme verse is below. Our speaker was Rev. Alan Hitt, a well known Methodist Minister. Many people told me how amazing the conference was, and how they had a blessed time. They felt the speaker really hit the topic on the spot, and the theme itself was a great theme which people really needed to hear about. I contemplated on the weekend the following week, and I realized how true what the people said were. Rev. Hitt was truly led by the Holy Spirit in the words he spoke. I don't think it was him that spoke, but it was the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, there would be no other way the youths would feel a sense of conviction. As I mentioned in my previous post, the Praise & Worship team was amazing! The vocalists were probably the youngest to ever sing for a regional conference, and yet, they stepped up to the plate. How could that have happened if it wasn't for God? I absolutely loved my small group. I had the youngest group of middle school to tenth grade guys, and initially, it seemed like they were a little reserved in sharing, but in our second session, I could tell those boys really learned a lot, and they were excited to share. I heard that the gender breakout was very powerful. Both guys and girls alike told me that there were some really impacting things talked about in there. Dedication was unbelievable. People came before broken and repentant sharing personal stories of their lives. To those people, I pray that you find the peace that surpasses all understanding in Christ Jesus, and that the joy of the Lord be your strength. Everything in between flowed very well. During the open forum, there was a very striking question that was asked. "Why can't women go into the altar? What are women's roles in the church?" (I guess that was two, but whatever.) The Achens addressed this very well. It's not that women aren't allowed Biblically or even according to Marthomite teachings, but rather, it is something that our culture has yet to break free from (pun intended). Due to this, I asked for permission from our vicar Rev. A.P. Noble as well as Rev. Jaisen Thomas and Rev. Shibi Abraham, our two youth chaplains. They, then contacted our Bishop and got official permission from him. On Sunday, we had myself, another guy, and two girls that assisted in the Holy Qurbana, a first in the South West Region. It was awesome! I felt that there was a lack of knowledge about this, and I believed it had to be addressed, because this question seems to arise in every open forum I've taken part of. Now, we need to take it back to our churches. It's time to end this cultural norm. I do not hate the Indian culture, and I don't take everything away from the American culture, but there should be a balance. We are 21st century Indian Americans, so therefore, there should be a blend of both cultures, not a complete shutdown of one or the other. In this case, I don't think women should be banned from assisting in the Holy Qurbana. Now to reel back a little bit. Overall, this conference went well by the grace of God, and all glory goes back to Him. I know there were many in the planning committee that worked unbelievably hard, so that everything in the conference went well, and I know just as much that God's favor was on us, so that it would be a reality. To be honest, I don't think I, as the regional secretary or as one of the members of the planning committee of the host church can ever take credit for it. I don't think the regional committee or St. Paul's YF would ever be able to take credit for it. It was all because of God. I mean, credit is definitely due to St. Paul's YF for sure, because we came together as a YF and worked really hard, and we also had the faith that we can do all things through Christ, but what we coordinated and what we put together could just as easily have been a failure if God's hand wasn't with us, and if He didn't bless us. We as a YF went through a lot of obstacles this past year in planning for this conference. The devil wouldn't stop trying his hardest to keep this conference from being a success. He even went as far as bringing divisions within our own YF. Yet, our Lord God always prevails. Despite all the obstacles, this conference came together splendidly, and many youths were forever changed and enriched by it. Now, my prayer is that we all that attended may continue in that growth and as YFs, we may go back and foster that spiritual growth.

In my previous post, many people agreed with me in what I stated, but I fear that some people think I hate nondenominational churches, and I was bashing them. That was in fact, NOT what I was doing. I respect them, but I also believe that shouldn't deter us from our teachings. Theodore Beza put it best when he said, "In essentials unity, non-essentials liberty, and in all things charity [love]." Two reasons I have a lot of respect for the nondenominational churches is: One, whether or not you're a covenant member, you are able to attend any of their events, and two, they do not just try to get people saved and become satisfied with that. They also have events catered to provide spiritual growth for all age groups. At Watermark Community Church, they have the Porch every Tuesday nights for young adults. In these meetings, they have Praise & Worship and a sermon from JP. This helps to foster growth for folks that are young adults. There are things for men, women, children, and all kinds of things at Watermark. I believe that the Mar Thoma Church has different organizations, but they need to work harder in fostering that growth. From what I've heard, and especially from what I've seen at my own church, our Bible Study attendance is around five. On a good day, we might get ten. There is hardly any attendance, and Bible Studies have become simply a gathering. These Bible Studies are meant to foster spiritual growth in youths every week. What they get from New Year Revival or Regional Conference or any retreat for that matter should be growing within them during these sessions, and it shouldn't five to ten people showing up. There should be many eager and willing to fill their hunger for Christ. If we as Christians refuse to grow spiritually, then what happens to Christianity as a whole? This is something we must examine for ourselves and strive towards resolving.

In the morning, when I was walking to the UNT Library, I saw the leaves falling from the trees and how many of the leaves have begun changing colors. No, I am not oblivious to the fact that we are in the season known as Autumn or Fall. It was really just a moment I took to be in awe of how amazing God is. There are four seasons, and each season, something different occurs to the trees. In Spring, we see the flowers blossom and leaves start to grow on trees. In Summer, we see the leaves as thick as can be and fully grown. In Autumn, we see the leaves begin to change colors and fall off trees. Finally, in Winter, we see the leaves completely gone from the trees. Of course, this does not happen to all trees, but it does to many trees. I find it amazing how it is such a systemic process that God had designed so well, and this morning, it took my breath away. For some reason, I just stopped and soaked it in instead of taking it for granted, like I usually do. It also brought back childhood memories whenever I would rake the leaves and then jump in them. I know that folks before my time had some memorable times outside with friends and such, but even during my time, that was still pretty prevalent. In today's time, kids have such vivid and graphic video games and other technology which they would rather spend time with. Now, I know I'm old. When you start criticizing the kids today, that's when you confirm that you're old.

In other news, my friend Abigail Nakhro is an amazingly talented singer, songwriter, and dancer. She has released her EP Album, and she has officially left to India and South Asia for her tour! I'm really proud of her. Not many people chase after their dreams due to various reasons. She is definitely not one of those people. I know she will do great. Abby, you have been blessed with incredible talent. Never let go of those talents or the One that has given those talents to you. Wishing you a safe journey! I can officially say that I know a famous singer!

I will close with one last story. I am finally an employed member of society! Slightly over a month ago, I had an interview, and on Thursday, I was confirmed for the job. Today, I just filled out the paperwork and got all my work assignments. I work in the UNT Library Technology And Computer Operations sector (LIB-TACO) (yes, that is what they call it). My job position is a multimedia technician. This was another way of God showing me His gracious love. I had been searching for a job for quite some time now, and I finally got one. Praise the Lord! Thank you to all those that prayed for me. God has listened to those prayers! :)

"But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe."

-Galatians 3:22 (NIV 1984)  

Limitless

Does God only work when there are big, rockin' bands and powerful nondenominational speakers, or are we limiting His power to work even when things don't seem extravagant?

The reason I decided to write this post was because I've been bottling up some anger, and I feel I need to let it out in a socially acceptable manner. This is known as sublimation (Sucesss! I'm learning something in school).

Anyways, back to the topic. Our South West Regional Youth Fellowship Conference is literally a week away from when I'm posting. We have a decent amount of people registered, and I'm very ecstatic for this conference. We are hosting it, and I honestly, from the depths of my heart, believe that God will work astounding miracles, and the Holy Spirit will be very tangible. Yet, there are those that decide to make excuses and lie about why they aren't coming. Also, there are others that complain that we're not having a band, or that JP from Watermark Community Church isn't preaching. This is why I asked the question to begin this post. To those of you that state that we don't have a band or that JP isn't speaking, do you honestly believe that is a good enough reason not to come? I can honestly attest to the fact that our Praise & Worship team is an amazing group of talented individuals coming together for the glory of God. They are not doing this for themselves, or so that you guys can drool over them. I understand that Sehion had a band last year, and those guys were great, but Sehion also has limited resources. I appreciate Sehion for doing such an awesome job with what they had. Why should St. Paul's who has more people do the same thing? Also, when those guys were singing, how many of the girls were worshiping? I heard comments that the girls thought those guys were hot, and all that jazz. This is how you know that it is more of a performance than it is a worship. When did worship become about the band or the people and not about God? Matt Redman and many others sing this beautiful song that puts it best. "When the music fades and all is stripped away, and I simply come. Longing just to bring, something that's of worth, that will bless your heart...I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about You. All about You, Jesus. I'm sorry Lord for the thing I made it. When it's all about You, it's all about You, Jesus." Heart of Worship is a song that we sing so many times in church, and sometimes we don't pay attention to the words and the immense meaning behind it. Look at that though. "It's all about You Jesus." Can we REALLY say that it's all about Him when we come for Worship, or is it about the speaker, the band, the folks around us, and the million thoughts that are flying through our head? Another issue people claim is that the speaker isn't JP from Watermark Community Church. Believe me, I've heard his sermons. They are something else! He is very down to earth, and he is engaging. The only problem is, many of his teachings are different from our Mar Thoma teachings. People claim that the Mar Thoma Church is way too strict in this regard. Perhaps we are, but that's the same in all churches. People within the Mar Thoma Church knows more about the Mar Thoma Church, because they are a part of it, but they don't know half of what goes on in the background of the other churches. Nondenominational Churches have their own teachings, and they won't let a Mar Thoma Achen or a Baptist Pastor come preach at their churches. To be honest, the Mar Thoma Church is more lenient than some of these other churches in whom they allow to speak. Our speaker is Rev. Alan Hitt from the Methodist Church, and I met with the guy. He is very engaging, and I am sure that the Holy Spirit will speak powerful messages through him. We, as a community of believers really need to stop limiting our Lord. If we truly knew Him for who He is, then His power should not cease to amaze us. To know that He does all of this for us is another mind blower. I am in awe of His grace, mercy, and love for humanity. Yet, I myself have mentally limited Him on several occasions. For that, I seek His forgiveness. Honestly, I believe we all need to examine ourselves and how well we know our Lord if we're going to limit Him to nondenominational preachers and outside bands. Please note that they are also a Praise & Worship team, even though they call themselves a band. Majority of these "bands" are really Praise & Worship teams, because they haven't signed a record deal with anyone or released albums. I'm not here criticizing or labeling anybody. I'm merely stating my opinion on what we as humans (including myself) do on a regular basis.

Another thing I found out was that some people lied about why they won't be coming to Regional Conference. Listen, I can understand if you simply just don't want to come, so you say you don't, but don't take out the effort to lie about something like this. If you don't want to come, please just say that. Don't make up a million excuses or lies about why you can't come. If you feel that you shouldn't come because you won't be there for the right reasons, come anyway! That again is limiting God, because even if we come with our mentality set on worldly things and not on heavenly things, God can easily change that. Chris Tomlin sings, "How great is our God, sing with me, how great is our God, and will see how great is our God." He who created the universe and all that is within it will not hesitate to do anything for us. Just don't limit Him.

This year, I wanted to do something different. We will be having Prayer Warriors and Intercessors. You may ask what the difference is between the two. Well, the Prayer Warriors will be there praying for the people whenever the people need prayer. Intercessors will meet early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday praying for this conference. This is the basic definition of Prayer Warriors and Intercessors. I'm really looking forward for this. No matter what, I ask that you all keep this in your prayers.

By the way, this post was not meant to try to garner more people into coming to Regional Conference or to put anyone down. It was merely sublimation, so that I could get some of this tension out of me without being a jerk. If you would like to register, please note that it is $85/person and that you can register until Monday, October 24, 2011 at 11:59 PM on www.prisonbreak2k11.com.

"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"

-Romans 8:32 (NIV 1984)

"Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit."

-Psalm 147:5 (NIV 1984) 

Call of Duty: Chosen for Action

Arthur Penrhyn Stanley also known as Dean Stanley once said, "The true calling of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way."

This is completely brilliant in my opinion. When we really examine ourselves as Christians, how many of us would pick up a piece of trash over taking a leadership position? Not many. We believe there are others that will do the small menial tasks, and that we are to do the big things. Now, this doesn't mean we're not meant to explore our tasks within the church. There are many people in the church that take a back seat to what goes on in the church and expects the select few to take care of everything. How much better and efficiently would the church function if everyone pitched in! The church is the body of Christ, and each person is vital in different ways. Not everyone can become part of the Praise & Worship team, but they can help out by being on the Audio/Visual team. In that sense, we should put in effort to find out what we are to do in the church, and when we do, we can excel in that manner. Then, the church would function as a family and not as a business. There are a lot of similarities between the two, but the difference is that there is a lot more love in the family.

Wow, it's been two months since I posted on this blog?! In my previous post, I mentioned I wouldn't post as much, but I didn't realize I would cut down this much! I've had some friends tell me to continue on with my blog, so I will definitely strive to post more often.

This past weekend, I was privileged to attend Sehion Mar Thoma Church's Family/Youth Retreat. I was so blessed to be there, and I loved the time I spent with the Sehion youths. The structure of their retreat really grabbed my attention. They started off the weekend together for Praise & Worship and theme presentation on Friday, and then the only time there was association with the parents was during the meals throughout Saturday, and everyone was together on Sunday for Holy Qurbana. It was unique, cost-efficient, and simply a blessing, in my opinion.

Friday, September 30, 2011, I came with my brothers Justin and Asish to the retreat. Asish was asked if he could play djembe for the retreat. He basically needed us for transportation, so we kinda tagged along. We arrive there, and we're talking to the Praise & Worship team about what was going on and the plans for the weekend. They asked if I could help them out with sound, and lo and behold, I am put to work! To be honest though, I did not mind a single bit to run sound for them. That was an awesome Praise & Worship team with beautiful voices, so it wasn't hard at all. I just hope they liked it as much as I did. The Praise & Worship team consisted of Stacy Varghese (vocalist/guitarist), Jincy Mathew (vocalist), Ashley Mathew (guitarist), and of course, Asish Mathew (djembeist). Throughout the whole weekend, they did an off the top job of maintaining a great spiritual environment with their Praise & Worship. Friday, we were also introduced to the theme. The theme was Call of Duty: Chosen for Action (the title of my post) and the verse was from II Peter 1:10-11 (posted below). Personally, I loved the theme. I had a similar theme in mind for the regional men's retreat that we're planning for next year. Ehh, oh well, we'll figure something out. Then, we played Family Feud by splitting into two teams of guys vs. girls, and I'm sure the kids had a lot of fun in that. Then, it was chill and hit the hay for the night.

Saturday, October 1, 2011, all the guys had set their alarms for 6:00 AM for yoga workout. We were pumped and excited for it! Then, our alarms rung, and we turned them off and went back to sleep. The younger guys, on the other hand, woke up, got dressed, and they left. I don't know what they ended up doing, but they weren't tired at all. Even after missing yoga, we almost missed breakfast because we were lazying out of bed. We got dressed, and we hit the mess hall. I would stand to say Midlothian had one of the best meals if not the best out of all the retreats I've been to. Trust me, I've been to quite a few. IHOP would have competition with Camp Hoblitzelle's breakfast. After breakfast, we split and the parents were in one hall, and we were in the rec hall. The rec hall has such a nice structure. They had a big projector screen in the middle, 32 channel mixer board, more than enough space to seat everyone, and in the adjacent room, they had two billiards tables, an air hockey table, a fooseball table, and a ping pong table. We kicked off with Praise & Worship, and then we got into the main talk. The speaker for this retreat was none other than Mr. Jojy Koshy! His talks were really great, and it really helped me examine what my call of duty to Christ is. Then, there was the team building activities, lunch, and after lunch was the fun part. In the schedule, it was known as Operation Zion, commonly known as paintball. Man, that really made me the happiest man at that moment! Justin and I seemed to be the paintball veterans as most of those kids hadn't played ever. The girls kept asking us if it would be painful or if they should play. I encouraged them to play and that it wouldn't hurt...much. Of course, after we finished with paintball, all the girls yelled at me for falsifying information. We played about a total of seven games. After paintball, all the guys decided to play some football real quick before dinner. I only went in a couple of times, but largely I sat out. I had met a friend named Steven at this retreat, and he had a broken arm, so he couldn't play, so I chilled with him for a while. After dinner, we had an open mic night session where the parents busted out with their mad talents. Seriously, they should be on Comedy Central with their antics. I loved it! There was a skit that was done which incorporated a Thirumeni, an Achen, the Vice-President of the church, and the Sevika Sangham Secretary. I couldn't stop laughing! Then, we took some group pictures, and afterwards, we had another main talk and small group session. This led us into dedication, in which some of those kids really shared their testimonies and as a collective group, rededicated ourselves to Christ. Then, we closed off the night by hanging out, roasting and eating some s'mores by the fire place and chilling before heading to bed. At this time, I was asked if I would like to assist in the Holy Qurbana. I was so blessed to be simply asked to assist. Sometimes, we take it for granted to be up there and assist, but it's really a privilege given by God that we can never take for granted. It is a high duty and calling with great responsibility.

Sunday, October 2, 2011, we had Holy Qurbana at 8:00 AM. I set my alarm for 6:00 AM to wake up and get ready, so I could go help set up the thronos at 7:00 AM, but what a fail, I woke up at 6:45 AM, and so I had to rush to get dressed. By the time, I got there it was 7:30 AM, and they were all set and ready to go. I verified the sound system was all systems go, and then at 8:00 AM, we began the Holy Qurbana service. After it ended, there was one more main talk by Jojy to the combined group, and then we had the vote of thanks, and we closed off. The three of us packed, and we departed just as everyone else did. It was a great closing to an amazing weekend. Even though I had to run sound, this was a definitely a retreat for me. I was able to relax, have fun, and most of all, get spiritually enriched. I also got a chance to spend some time with my cousins that attend Sehion Mar Thoma Church. To be honest, I've never really been at a church or church event where I could tell people, "That's my cousins over there" or to hang out with my cousins, so this was really refreshing. Gotta love family!

Besides this past weekend, I've been keeping busy with school and church things. This weekend is the National Yuvajana Sakhyam Conference hosted by St. Paul's. I'm going to definitely be busy with that. I think it'll be a great program, and it will go well. Theodosius Thirumeni will be there, so that's going to be great! I haven't seen him ever since I left New York, and he tends to grow on a fellow. If I haven't mentioned this before, I have respect for him. His devotion to ministry is unlike any I've ever really seen before.

"Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

-II Peter 1:10-11 (NIV 1984) 

From the Mouths of Infants

Pastor Rick Warren in his book The Purpose Driven Life writes, "Worship is far more than praising, singing, and praying to God. Worship is a lifestyle of enjoying God, loving him, and giving ourselves to be used for his purposes."

I've been reading The Purpose Driven Life for the past few days now. I've really been learning a lot from the book, and just how we live a life for God. It's such an interesting book, and his teachings are practical that we should apply in our lives. This sentence really made me think. We think that whatever your religious teachings are influence your style of worship. If you're like me, then your style of worship is liturgical or you may have the sermon, songs, and prayer style of worship. What Pastor Warren says here is that it's FAR more than any of those things. Worship is a lifestyle. Our whole life is supposed to be worship. Why is it that we do not live in such a way? We call songs "Praise & Worship" (also discussed in his book), or fast songs as praise and slow songs as worship. Worship is not about music, because it predates it. Worship is you living your life for God.

Thursday, July 28, 2011 through Saturday, July 30, 2011, I went to Austin with Jaisen Achen, Kochamma, and two of my friends. Another two of my friends met us there. We went down to lead VBS at the church there. There is a Mar Thoma Church in Austin, but it's really small, so they had Jaisen Achen come lead VBS for the past four years, and the past two years, I've been able to attend. I love this VBS, because the age group is much younger, and it's on a much smaller scale so the meaning of VBS remains there. We led songs session, taught classes, coordinated team building activities and review games. I taught the preteen class which were kids from the ages of 10-12. Man, these kids were ADD to the max, but I still love them. They learned a lot, and I was really proud of them. I taught with Kochamma and an aunty from that church. Due to Rev. Alex Kolath's ordination being on Saturday, July 30, 2011, Jaisen Achen and Kochamma left on Friday along with the three people that came. Myself and my other friend stayed there, and we coordinated the Saturday events.

Saturday, July 30, 2011, we began the day with Holy Qurbana in English led by Rev. John N. Abraham (Vicar of Austin MTC), and I gave the sermon during the Qurbana. After this, we began the VBS closing day program. We had a small song session, and then we broke into the final classes. After this, we led dedication. We gave the kids an opportunity to come up, talk about what they learned, share their experiences, and rededicate their lives to Christ. After this, we led in "I Surrender All," and once the song was over, I led them in a small prayer in which they repeated after me. Then, Achen closed off with a word of prayer. Then, they began the programs by each class, and during that time, I went outside and began setting up for the last team building activity. I came up with this one, and I really went wild on it. It was a scavenger hunt which I based off of Mission Impossible in honor of the fourth which is coming out in December 2011. I called it Mission With HimPossible. (Get it? I thought it was pretty funny.) It was wonderfully organized, and I should have just gone with what I had said, but I decided to do some last minute improvising. Initially, it was just us volunteers that were going to attack with water balloons members of both teams, but then I thought to allow them as well, and then a bunch of those kids lost focus of the mission and started running around. Fortunately, few of the members of the second team continued with the mission, and they succeeded. I must admit though, as long as they had fun, it didn't matter to me if they didn't worry about the mission. Once the mission was over, we allowed them to all go crazy in a water fight. I was getting attacked left and right. I got a bunch of them though. It was mad fun! Then, we went to the house of these three girls that go to that church. The VBS was held in a community center across their house. We played fooseball, and I will admit, that I lost to girls, but next year, I'll come back to win. It was a team game, and I didn't have my partner. Next time, he will be there. After all was said and done, we left the VBS and we left Austin. I was kind of bummed out, but I know I'll go back.

I really admire these kids and I love them a lot. The parents too. The parents shower so much love on us, and they took care of us, fed us, and really did everything for us. I have never seen a church where all these parents work so hard to take care of us. It really made me feel loved. They consider me as one of their members, and that makes all the difference in the ministry. The kids are super intelligent. All of them are so bright and hard-working, so I know they will go far in life. I just pray that God helps them to grow in Him as well. There is a six year old boy there that I love. I see all of them as my little brothers, but this kid really made me feel like an achachen. The thing about this boy is, that he is just so smart. At the age of six, he knows the capital of EVERY country in the world. He knows history more than I do! He knows the political parties of today and of the past! On top of all that, he is a cute little munchkin that I'm sure can get the girls in an instant. I just hope he doesn't. They all have potential, and I see them making good use of the talents God has blessed them with. I know they will grow into great citizens and children of God.

Now, that my practical training for this summer has completed, I don't know if I will post as often on here, but please check on it every once in a while. I hope to keep it going. You the reader have had the chance to see how much God has blessed me with, and how He really worked in my life. I pray that this will help you to continue to grow in Him as well. Please continue to pray for me as I go down this path that He has called me to. I really appreciate you all. I will update as much as I can! God bless.

"From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise."

-Matthew 21:16 (NIV) (quoted from Psalm 8:2 NIV)

"I said, 'You are my servant'; I have chosen you and not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

-Isaiah 41:9b-10 (NIV)