Emanuel Jieng Parish under massive invasion from Lucifer
By Manyang David Mayar, Juba, South Sudan
May 30, 2016 (SSB) — There was another drama on Sunday at Emanuel Parish, a church formerly known as Emanuel Jieng. It happened that a small group of unforgiving Christians who were not happy with Riek Machar visitation last Sunday chose to express their anger in the church. They were in black clothes and carrying posters with names of prominent Dinka Bor leaders who were killed during the December 2013 war. Authorities of the church didn’t like this.
Ushers were told to force the protesters out of the building and the whole process led into a fight. Someone among the congregation might have informed the police. And police forces rushed in to help calm the confused church find some peace. Sunday morning service was halted for a while and later continued without the presence of Holy Spirit, I believe. Many other things continued to happen including the resignation of the church’s Pastor in Charge and a long weeping closing prayer from retired Bishop Nathaniel Garang Anyieth.
When I visualized this incident, I saw a sign of Lucifer, arch-Satan on a massive wave of attack on Emanuel Parish. I presume Christians in this church were not ready to welcome Jesus, the prince of peace into their hearts and that gave a way for Satan to take control of their thoughts and decisions. How did that happen?
Church versus politics
The whole thing started around the worshipping of politicians by the church leaders. So long as we have been told that politics is a dirty game full of liars and deception, our brothers leading Anglican Church in the name of Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan and particularly the Dinka Bor congregation have not put a clear distinction between politics and church.
For years, politicians have been using the church as a campaign ground to pass out their thoughts and influence members of the public. And for that matter, I used to go to one of the ECSSS churches not really to pray or hear a word of God for my spiritual growth but to gather news from politicians who every Sunday take over the alter to preach politics. The church became a weekly press briefing venue to me.
When people go to church and what they hear is not about how they can grow in spirit, it is very difficult for them to learn Christian’s core values of love and forgiveness. Like seeds planted on a rocky area, they will not stand strong during trouble like what happened last Sunday with Riek visit. So as the church will blame the protesters for their decision, I think the church that trained such Christians can also be held accountable.
Someone may deny that Mading Ngor and his group are non-congregants of Emanuel Parish but the truth is that they have ECSSS DNA in their blood following traditional procedures of how being fathered by an ECSSS father, can automatically make one become a Christian in ECSSS church which is always followed by young age baptism. To avoid further coups like this in the church, I think it is wise for the leaders in these churches to revisit their teaching and try to separate the church from politics. And when politicians come to pray, they come in as mere Christians and when they get a chance to greet the congregation it should be only greetings and giving thanks to God on what He has done in their lives. Full Stop.
Christianity versus community
While the church leaders have failed to differentiate the Church from Politics, Christians have become confused of what it means to be a follower of Christ and being a member of a certain earthly community. We think we are Christians but we also act in the calling of our different tribes and communities. We still carry the slogan of how we as a so and so tribe cannot be joked with. We still believe in ‘we are and they are’ despite the fact that God created mankind equal. And all that comes as a result of not knowing who we are as Christians.
When I got trained as a journalist, I was trained not to take side. I was told that I am non-partisan. I don’t belong to any side. Even if it is my biological tribe that went and raided cattle from the other tribe, I have to tell the truth. In the same way, Christians belong to the family of Christ, a non-partisan, non-tribal and non-racial family where love and forgiveness are taken seriously; a completely new and different family from that we actually belong.
The bible says love your enemies. When you love only those who love you, you are not better off than a pagan. I think the young angry guys protesting the visit of Riek Machar and the rest who had the same thinking perhaps did not have a chance to absorb this great teaching from our Lord Jesus Christ into their hearts or perhaps not taught about it.
Believing in Jesus Christ make us live here on earth in peace with one another. And when our lives come to an end, we sit with God in eternal life in paradise. That is what going to church means. Not just about putting a white cloth on Sunday morning and putting it off in the afternoon. Being a Christian is an everyday, every hour, every minute and every second identity. But if we think of being Christians on Sunday morning and become wen e ngek ku nyan e ngek (son of Mr. X and daughter of Mr. X) or this community and that community in the afternoon, it is very shameful to say we are Christians.
Way forward
In the light of my vision in seeing Lucifer on a massive attack on Emanuel Parish, I suggest the Church administration (pastors and other leaders) to hold a powerful week (perhaps months) of fasting in repenting their sins and cleansing their hearts from what had happened to cast out the presence of Satan in this great Church that has introduce many people to Christianity.
With that done, and Satan is gone, there should be a revisiting of the church teachings. A new foundation has to be laid. And that is by evaluating first what is in existence. If the result is always fighting, hate, adultery, deceitfulness, divorces, robberies (of property and money) and witchcrafts among Christians, the truth has to be told. I know there has been a long history of not preaching the truth for fear that members may leave the church and when they leave their money goes with them. That thinking has to be changed and the church has to be a bible based church.
Sunday school, youths, Jol-wo-liech and youth mama ministries have to be changed into role models of Gospels teaching rather than being just fundraising groups. They need a new foundation in the gospels first before praising God in songs. You can’t praise a God you don’t identify with in His values. That only makes you a liar. Stop videos shooting and start immersing your selves first into a deep biblical understanding. Then teach the rest understand how to lives like Christ and then, we will have good churches full of God’s loves and peace.
The author can be reached at manyang.davidmayar@gmail.com
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