Healer - exposed or misunderstood?

I don't normally buy into scandalous stories that come out of failure's of the Christian church, but this one has caused quite a stir not only in the media but among my friends and colleagues. I've even had a friend from new york email me wondering if i can confirm the rumors they are hearing in the USA about Michael Guglielmucci.

In responding to this story I am aware that I have as much trust in the integrity of the media to report a true story as much as I do trust in the integrity of the mega church culture in Australia. I am suspicious of both and their practises concern me.

For the story and the video Hillsong apparently don't want you to see, click on this link

So is the story true? (this was the question posed by my friend in USA). I can only assume at this stage that it is given the stir among my friends. It's interesting that when you go to YouTube to take a look at this infamous video of Michael Guglielmucci singing the song 'Healer' at Hillsong Church in Sydney, with an oxygen tube strapped under his nose, you get this message:

"This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Hillsong Publishing"

I have friends and acquaintances who like to bag Hillsong at every opportunity but I don't think they need any help this time. So why have they taken it off air? What don't Hillsong want you to see? Are they trying to protect their faithful believers from being misled or hurt? Most will have seen the video already so why rip it off? Why is it so hard for the Christian church (in general) to let their 'dirty laundry' air, show that yes we too can have egg on our face, we're prepared to be held accountable for it and yes we will journey with the untidiness, uncomfortable exposure and hurt together. It's all just a bit much to ask I guess. As the story allegedly exposes, we Christians like to create our own alter realities that we can control. We don't really want to deal with the cold hard facts. It becomes a political game of avoiding truth and we construct our own version of it.

Even tough I don't live far from Edge South Church and I have friends who attend the church so deeply affected by this controversy I really don't know much about the whole situation. All i knew was that Danny's son Micheal was very sick and it was hard on the family and now this story comes out in today's paper. I guess more truth will be shed on the issue when Michael himself gives a statement to the media tomorrow.

However here is my reflection regardless of the outcome. The damage is done. not only does this story damage the reputation of the church, and it's ability to operate with integrity and transparency, but Michael's family must really be struggling right now as is his church. I agree with the spokesperson, Michael and the church really need our prayers. But I would broaden that out to the Church in general. It will take so much longer to restore trust in those who have been hurt by misleading claims and even harder for all christian communities to gain the trust of those who sit on the fringes a criticise. Yes it's easy to criticise the Church particularly those who have built themselves up on a culturally acceptable model of raising pastors and musicians into celebrities and making promises about the impossible them seemingly making it happen. And the critics will show no mercy now that the media has exposed one as (allegedly) lacking in integrity and falling from the pedestal on which one has constructed and the church around them has allowed them to construct.

My sadness extends far beyond this single story and towards the greater issue of the belief among some Christian Churches that they must build their own kingdoms and draw hordes of people towards it by any means possible. I've heard stories from friends who have been involved in some of the more well known mega churches that make me shiver and my skin crawl. Stories about method and theological reason behind some bizarre practises that seem to be counter Gospel.

The Jesus movement to me seems to be counter cultural as I read in my bible, yet there are Christian communities who seem to be confused and in doing everything to be 'relevant' and attract the crowds, they lose integrity in the message.

Last I checked, when a couple of disciples said to Jesus they wanted to have celebrity status and power he shut them down and said that if they want to be great they must be humble, they must be transparent in their motives, they must serve as a servant not be served, because the first will be last and the last will be first.

We have a lot to learn still about getting it right. It's not about making up dramatic stories to attract the sympathy of the masses, it's not even about getting people to come to 'church' (I have a whole other reflection about the church so stay tuned). And the foolishness of the Gospel is this; that we have integrity in presence and relationship with others, that our lives be transparent so that those who look at us with judgemental and criticising eyes will see ordinary broken people just like them, struggling along but at least struggling honestly, together. It's to not conform to the ways of the world but to live counter culturally as a transformed expression of the Spirit of God.

Shalom
Mark