Ernest & Carmen

Because we are all fallen, sinful beings, any human church structure will have strengths and weaknesses. The Alliance church is no different.

I spent over an hour last night typing up an email addressing one particular issue. I've posted it here (with minor editing to obscure identities) and I'd like to know what you think about it: (If you know who the email was addressed to, please keep it confidential)

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From: Ernest Chiang
To: *****
Subject: Club 5

Hey *****,

How are you going mate? Have you thought much about coming to Club 5 with
me? It'd be great to have you along.

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From: *****
To: Ernest Chiang
Subject: RE: Club 5

Hey Ernest,

[we] have talked about club 5 and we're still very unsure about going. i dont even know if i can go to the Alliance camp? so many things have come up but i will tell you this. if i could go to either then i would support the Alliance first. no offence to club 5, i believe it can offer me a lot but i want to offer myself to the Alliance first and foremost. Alliance is so small so i want to support anyway i can.
but i havent made a decision yet. guess i need to pray about it more. i think i have too much Alliance pride so maybe God can break down that wall of pirde to attend club 5?

God bless
*****

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From: Ernest Chiang
To: *****
Subject: RE: Allegiance vs. Alliance


Hi *****,

Sorry about this late reply. It's been rather hectic over here...

Not sure if you've made a decision about Club 5 or AYA camp...

...

It was refreshing to meet someone like you who is serious about serving God and has thought about some short and long term ideas on how to do that. But I think you need to get clear in your head that as a Christian, you allegiance is always first and foremost the gospel and the glory of Christ. In all your thoughts and decision making, you need to be thinking about how you can be serving the gospel most effectively and glorifying God in the best possible way. Your allegiance is NOT to the Alliance denomination, nor to the Asians, nor to the youths or the young adults. As the apostle Paul says in Romans 1:14-16, he is obligated to everyone to preach the gospel to them because the gospel is for them all. You should be offering yourself to the gospel first and foremost, not to the Alliance.

Afterall, the body of Christ is made up of all believers from all history, all denominations, all countries, all nationalities everywhere. We are all part of ONE universal church - not each in our own little denominations serving God in our own little world. And so our allegiance is to this one church! From the Bible's point of view, how absurd - and perhaps even almost heretic! - is it to make such distinctions in how you serve? Remember in 1Corinthians 1:10-13 how Paul rebukes them for following different leaders in the church - much like how we follow different church denominations.

I hope you understand that I am in no way trying to sound superior over you, but I mean this in the most loving and humble way possible. I myself come from a different denomination at first, but I did not let that restrict my decision to come to this church in Rockdale. If I was merely loyal to my own church, then I'd never leave and would not have had the benefit of fellowship with all these other brothers and sisters. But in my decisions, I had to think about how I can be most effective for the gospel - both in terms of how I serve, and also how I am being trained to be better equipped...

...

...But this email is not really about which conference you go to - that is inconsequential. But this is about your attitude to ministry.

I truly apologise if any of this email has offended you in any way. I am merely perplexed how someone so keen for God can be so limited in his thinking. If it was someone else I may not have bothered. But I want to be able to serve along side with you someday in partnership and unity of the gospel. But that they will not come as long as you remain in your own little corner. I understand that perhaps you want to start with the Alliance first and strengthen it before branching out. But I tell you from experience that it has to be a dual process. As we strengthen bonds within the Alliance, we need to strengthen bonds outside of Alliance at the same time. I too have grand visions of uniting various Alliance churches, but that does not stop me from taking up other opportunities that God has provided here and now.

I'm currently/will be involved in several projects which I hope you and your church will be part of. By now you would've received an email about the Alliance Mission Convention. You have already heard about the gospel work of Saltlight Productions. There is an amalgamation of Chinese churches called Sydney Chinese Evangelical Association (SCEA) which provides training days for Asians church, and I'm working with them to try and organise a training day in the Sydney South region. I will be organising leadership conferences for Jan. Perhaps a Christmas outreach event. And I'm hoping to have a combine camp for Asian Alliance youths next year. I'm liasing with Baptist churches, Anglican churches, Presbyterian churches, Alliance churches, and independent churches for many of these. These, and many other events are things I'm involved with not because they belong to any particular groups, but because they are doing the work of the gospel and glorifying God.

Let me echo Paul's words in Colossians 1:28-29: "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labour, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me."

Paul's allegiance was to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. So is mine. I hope yours is too.

Your humble servant and brother,
Ernest
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So...comments and thoughts please? :/ ??