Mike Guglielmucci News - A Response

The news that Mike Guglielmucci (see previous post below) has recently confessed to faking his terminal sickness is a shock to everyone. Like myself, most people who talk to me are in disbelief and bewilderment. Lots of questions are flying around ... "How did this happen? What are we supposed to think and feel about this? Where do we go from here?"

There are a variety of responses to any situation such as this, all of them appropriate:

1. ANGER. It is totally normal to feel very angry about this. People have been lied to, betrayed, deceived, and they feel ripped off. Leadership is a gift from God, as is influence, and when anyone uses that platform for personal gain it is an abuse. When you have prayed for someone, supported someone, and even given financially to help them in their time of need, it's natural to feel very upset when you find out that they have been a fraud. Yes, we are to look to God rather than leaders but church leaders are representatives of God and when they fail to do so in an honorable way, even God himself is angry. Lying is a serious sin (read Acts 5 if you don't believe me).

2. COMPASSION. You can't help but feel some pity for Mike and his situation. You feel sympathy for what must be going on in his inner world and the unmet needs that have driven him to this life of deception. He has shattered his personal reputation, endangered his future, and embarrassed not only himself, but his family and friends. The guilt and shame must be incredible.

3. FEAR OF GOD. Moments such as this remind us all that personal integrity is one of the most important qualities to develop. Integrity means that there is an integration between what people see on the outside (when everyone is looking) and who you really are on the inside (when no one is looking). When we fail to live in integrity, God usually gives us some space or time to repent (see Revelation 2:20-22). If we abuse God's grace during this time, there will be an inevitable exposure of our duplicity (see Proverbs 28:13). What we build with our charisma (the gifts and talents God has given us) we can destroy in an instant through lack of character. The sobering thing is that we are all vulnerable to deception and have the potential for great evil inside of us. How desperately we need to live in the fear of the Lord, which is the awareness that he is always with us, and which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). We reap what we sow - not immediately but eventually.

4. DISAPPOINTMENT. We live in a generation that longs for heroes and that needs models - people who walk the talk and who live lives worth following. Mike was a role model - a voice to this generation, an incredible talent. What potential and what a platform of influence he had. His fall is a loss for everyone. Yes, we all have feet of clay but, even so, it's very disappointing.

5. PRAYER. I hope your heart cries out like mine does. We need to turn afresh to God and pray ... for ourselves (that we will walk in the light, living in authenticity and truth), for Mike (that he will experience genuine repentance, deep heart change, and restoration), for his family (for healing grace and consolation), for church leaders world wide (they we will avoid the pursuit of superstar status, an intoxicating state, that we will walk in truth, and that we will build the appropriate accountability processes around us that we all need), and the watching world (that they will see God in our humble repentance and broken hearts).

Maybe you identify with one or more of these responses. As I said, all of them are appropriate. I pray that you will be able to process your thoughts and feelings with some safe friends. It's not time for gossip but it is a good time to debrief this situation so that we all can learn from it.

 

How will this incident affect the Christian church? Only time will tell. Thankfully, we have the testimony of the church in the first century who battled through challenges such as false doctrine, fraudulent leaders, and intense persecution. With God's grace and wisdom, we can do the same.  

Maybe you identify with one or more of these responses. As I said, all of them are appropriate. I pray that you will be able to process your thoughts and feelings with some safe friends. It's not time for gossip but it is a good time to debrief this situation so that we all can learn from it.

 

How will this incident affect the Christian church? Only time will tell. Thankfully, we have the testimony of the church in the first century who battled through challenges such as false doctrine, fraudulent leaders, and intense persecution. With God's grace and wisdom, we can do the same.  

Comments

[shaun]

we really better start praying that our church stays focused. it is so disheartening to hear and certainly i feel so much for russel and sam evans and the church as they go through this and also for his family. this is happening too often with pastors nowadays and we need to make this change. is it due to the ministry of the holy spirit that people feel they can abuse and use Gods name for personal gain? dangerous but probably true. we need to be careful about what we call discernment too. i think the answer is really individuals turning back to god

[Martin]

We all fall and fail, lets not let this upset us but lets continue to pray for Michael and his family.

[Savannah]

thank you for acknowledging anger as an emotion that is legitimate. I am so tired of the religious, hyper-reality, victorian-era, understanding or rather mis-understanding of anger.And the bizarre understanding of grace that has been painted by some speakers. Maybe people are reading a different Bible - but this sort of deliberate deception is serious and makes God angry. Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, is a lovely song - but quite removed from the radical character of the Gospels. And just read the book of Galatians if you want a whiff of apostolic anger. Not to legitamise anger and from that move to grace and forgiveness is not permitting people to thoroughly move through stages of grief that this sort of situation brings about. I suspect the Christ community would be in a far healthier position if people began to really understand that anger has a legitimate role in processing!

[lisa]

hi. mike was our pastor and i am very very discouraged about all that has happened and by the deception to me and my friends. we entrusted our lives to god and him as our pastor and i feel cheated. several of my friends have been in tears all days and we are trying to survive this hurt. i dont know if we will ever get through this as it is devastating and our lives revolved around these people. i know i am definitely leaving the church and i dont know if i ever will return. all of you can talk about love but the wounds dont belong to you and the betrayal is a lot to bear

[john]

absolutely disgusting. we want no involvement in the church where deception is much more than in the outside world. no difference in and out. our youth is breaking down and many not consolable and will be damaged for some time

[Harry James Potter]

it just goes to show that just because someone is charismatic and has gifts does not equate to anything. power is a terrible thing in the wrong hands. in the words of the brilliant theologian j.k. rowling. "perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it". in a world of shiny lights, fake breasts and huge egos, people place men like mike on pedastals and expect this perfection. the masses are succumb to their every whim and word. jesus called the pharisees white-washed tombs, nice and pretty on the outside but dead on the inside. the anger for one is not so much cast upon mike as a person, but on the lives that are left shattered in the wake. too lisa i can barely imagine the betrayal you are feeling. one can only hope that people like lisa will realise that one mans actions do not reflect the jesus of the bible. to the leaders one would hope this would be a humbling time. pride is the worst of sins, to think one is above god is a scary place to be. to the masses one would say, do not be duped. charisma does not equate to inner fruit. i would much rather call myself the worst of sinners and be found a saint, then to call myself a hero and a saint, and be found a sinner. Mark 9:42 "If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea."

[Alison]

Mark, thanks for your wisdom on this - as an inside/outside observer (a Christian from different circles) it's shatteringly hard to comprehend.

I thank God you're actively on the web - it will be days before a lot of pastors will be able to communicate a response to their communities. An honest response from anyone in authority sooner rather than later really helped reduce the stress of the situation for me and I'm sure for others, too.

[Colette]

I am not at all associated with Planetshakers and learnt of Mike's deception via the google news page!! I would just implore those who are in such deep pain over their betrayal to not abandon God, He is the only perfect one in the whole universe the One who'll never let you down, Humans will fail us but He will never, cling onto Him in your time of deep hurt. Please don't turn away from God because of one man's silly choices.
I am so sad for Mike and especially for those he hurt that were entrusted into his care. No one is infalliable or unreachable to temptation.

[matty]

this is so hard. i feel like sinking into the deepest sea. how could he do this to us? how could he? after we trusted him and prayed for him.

[Marija Thornton]

I'm in agreement with you Mark. My prayer is that all the lives that Mike influenced will not depart from God nor lose their faith in Jesus. May we all keep in mind who we are following. Not any man but Jesus! Let us forgive these fallen men (Mike & Todd) and pray for their restoration, (even as God through Christ has forgiven us!), and get on with running our race well to serve our community to the glory of God.

Psalm 118:8,9 says, It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

Proverbs 3:7 says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; FEAR the LORD and DEPART from EVIL. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones” (NKJV). The Bible has a lot to say about living healthy lives, but not many people — even some Christians — are paying attention to these life-saving principles. We need to pray for one another more than ever, as we see the day of the LORD draw nearer.

[Penelope]

It's interesting that just yesterday I was speaking with a group of people about the life of Saul and recalling the shocking way in which God's anointed leader turned his back on all that he knew to be truth, even though he had lived in privilege, position and authority. (1 Sam 15) There are, unfortunately, many similarities here. History has a way of repeating itself and once again, it becomes abundantly clear, that having power, popularity and reputation amongst God's people does not guarantee God's approval or safeguard someone from making selfish decisions that grieve the Holy Spirit and hurt those who follow Christ. The celebrity-based' cultures of many of our churches provides fertile ground for men and women to develop huge egos which lead them to believe that their notoriety and position somehow excuses them from living by the same moral standards as everyone else. They begin to believe their own publicity and, like Saul, they think that the 'rules' no longer apply to them. "I'm special"..."I'm important"..."I'm anointed"... "I'm not like everyone else"... And all the while, we sit back and cheer them on and feed their addiction. Our hero-worship and misplaced adoration has actually helped to create the very horrors from which we now seek to escape.

[Alister Cameron // Blogologist]

To lisa who posted above...

I just wanted you to know that you have every right to feel the betrayal and pain that you feel. The Lord is not angry with you or judgmental of you for this. These are very very natural things to feel and they won't go away in a hurry. You need to know that the Lord shares your grief AND anger. Of course he is capable of directing his anger in precisely the right way! Much harder for us, as I am sure you can testify.

If this helps I would encourage you to consider what Jesus is doing RIGHT NOW... think about that for a moment. The Word says he is at the right hand of the Father, interceding for you and me and Mike and... all of us.

Can you imagine the weight of that?! He sees all sides of the issue... all the black, hairy, ugliness of the sin of one and the pain of the other, and he is able to turn this into perfect intercession before the Father.

You CAN pile your emotions on him. You can exhaust your grief and hurt on him. He can handle it. In fact... make sure you DO take it to him, because that's the right person to take it to. And in his perfect time and way, he will turn your mourning into dancing.

Fight through this, sister. It's worth it. He will take you through it. And allow him to minister to you through others... he will surprise you with his kindness in other people!

-Alister

[rockstar]

I was involved in church for most of my life up until about 18 months ago...

The big problem that i have personally encountered is that there are to many people both pastors and members of the congregation that have this 'rockstar' image for different leadership figures within the church. Mike Goog' was not a rockstar, a god, nor a savior. He was a normal everyday dude with a need for attention. If we as human beings let this get us down there is something wrong.. God has not failed you.

lets not cry over spilled milk.

[Sam]

It's time that the Church at large woke up to the fact that we blindly follow the pop culture of this world... somehow we mistake true worship with just the quality of music and showmanship on the platform. Stage managed ministry is destroying the effectiveness of true preaching. Preachers and pastors, stop mimicking the entertaining world... we don't need celebrities, we need true
servants! Or, we will get more of this type of "wolves in sheep skin".

[Sam]

to Penelope, I couldnt agree with you more, so much in this world people highlight so called "heros" snd in doing so glorifying normal people. Depending on another human being is a recipe for disaster as they are bound to fail. I also believe that the devil uses more of his resources focused on leaders and causing havoc with them is a good strategic choice. I honestly believe that leaders are more subject to sin than anyone else for this reason, crazy idea I know but it makes sense to me.

This obviously doesnt justify this guys actions, I think hes a total loser and it does beg the question as asked earlier how could he of pulled this off for so long?

[nigel]

hi mark. thanks for your insightful and balanced response to this unfortunate situation. we often forget how easy it is for us as humans to slip into sin. and for mike it was no different. except for the fact that he was in a place of leadership and influence.

as with the other comments on this post, this event only serves to remind us why we put our faith in God our Heavenly Father and not earthly men.

for the rest of my fellow citylifers reading this, lets not forget how important it is to keep our leaders in constant prayer. no one is immune. and as such we should always lift mark, nicole and the rest of the leadership team in constant prayer for protection and covering by the Holy Spirit.

God Bless you all.

[Jenny Midori]

I wish to say that I have 3 teenagers who have been heavily involved in Planetshakers for the last 4 years. No matter what Mike has been found to have done, if it wasn't for Mike, his love, God speaking through him, I don't believe I would have my Sons today. Their lives were literally rescued and turned completely around for Jesus. Our whole family was saved from disaster. God has worked through him into thousands of peoples lives.
My eldest son came home last night more upset than I have ever seen him after hearing the news. He looked to me and said, Mike was there for me Mum & now I am there for him. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. That is something that we all need to do. We need to look to God & Him alone.
When we think of the mess this is right now, let us pray for him and all those who are so hurting.

Jenny

[Neil]

Fantastic Jenny. That's exactly my thoughts. I was just speaking to a friend who I found out became a Christian under the preaching of Mike. He is now a mature Christian and is very worried for those who are not so mature in their faith. We should not disregard the 10 or more years of good work this man has done, just because he is sick.

I am hoping that people this reminds people that you DO NOT go to church to hear the speaker or the worship band but go to HEAR the ONE who is speaking through the person and WORSHIP the ONE who died for you, not the singer. All people are imperfect!

I think that a blog I read today summed it up well - imagine David of the Bible was a leader in today's Christianity. He murdered a man just to sleep with his wife before he was too caught out!! Do you think that people would have allowed him back in the modern day society? Yet God did (after he repented) and used him mightily.

Finally I agree with all the comments - we do need to pray for him still as (and I am just hypothesising!) that it is probably a serious psychiatric disease called Munchausen Syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munchausen_syndrome). We will continue to pray for his healing and all those affected by this deception.

(Also good comments Collete and Nigel!)

[John]

What is the point of moving in the gifts of the spirit such as prophecy and healing when senior leaders (including Mark Conner) let people like Mike preach and minister in their churches. Are prophetic words truly from God and if so then what are these leaders doing, if not listening to God? And with all the healings, why is it that the man with the headache and backache gets healed but I have yet to see a man who has true physical disabilities receive healing? Perhaps the emotional hype and adrenaline is not enough to help that man from his wheelchair, unlike the man with the headache and backache. Theses are hard questions to answer, and now with Mike's confessions I believe that answers will be even more scarce. Have we lost the plot? Are our minister and leaders really called to lead the 'rock star' life? Is this really what God wants of us? Maybe our Anglican brother and sisters have got something right after all - sound theology and a relationship that is not dependent on their emotional state of being.

[Neil]

oops - that link didn't work! here it is again http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munchausen_syndrome

[Anneliese]

It's sickening. I think everyone just wants the details... how can this have happened for two years? How can his wife say she had no idea and not have sat through hospital visits? We've been denied truth for the last two years and now I just want it all. I want to know how this is possible. I feel like a fool that I didn't discern it. We were all fools and we were all lied to and that is so disturbing! It just hurts me so much to see the devastation this has caused in my friend's lives, especially those who attended planetshakers.

I know we shouldn't make heroes in the church and we shouldn't idolise people, but that's not the main problem here. My problem is the time, prayer, money and emotional energy we have invested into supporting him and believing he would be healed. And the way this was so public... it wasn't a secret life of sin, it was publicly getting up and lying to us all. Lying to our faces. I'm sorry to the writers above, but a mental disorder just doesn't cut it. Nothing cuts it. He has benifited from the money and the fame, and that is so disgusting. This is the worst fall from grace I've ever heard.

[Lizzie]

I'll preface everything I say with the fact that I'm not a church goer but a new believer. It has taken me an awful lot of internal debate to get to this point - I have 27 years of agnosticism under my belt, no religious influence at all growing up save for old stories Dad used to tell me of the nuns at his Catholic school in the fifties. Other than that, zilch. I say this because I feel it is important to take my comments with a grain of salt.

I'm married to an unbeliever and life in the area surrounding the Adelaide South campus of Edge Church (which I believe Mike's parents founded but I gather he himself has since moved on?) I've been building up the courage to attend a service - no mean feat when you're battling your own internal and family issues on the subject - and Edge South was probably going to be my first port of call. Obviously my ears pricked up when I heard 'pastor, terminal illness, fake' on the news update this afternoon. I recalled an acquaintance of mine (who attends this church) telling me months ago about the horrible situation of the pastor's son who was battling a life-threatening illness. Didn't think it could be the right guy until I heard his last name.

When a new believer comes to church for the first time, or is gearing up to attend, the less ripples on the surface the better. We know the pastors are just as flawed as we are but we also expect them to be above reproach. Today has left me more than a little bewildered. I don't know yet whether it has shaken me enough to scare me off church although I suspect not. I think I've got enough common sense to separate one man's sin from the church as a whole. But it does raise a few uneasy questions.

In addition, it's petrol on the fire of Christian misinterpretation. Let me try to explain that. As I have gradually moved through this faith thing, I have done so alone. Wonderful, awesome guy, my true soul mate, but not a Christian and isn't shy about discussing the perceived 'bunkumness' of the church as a whole. This story tonight does NOT help matters. Unfair as it might seem, when a pastor, even a flawed one, falls, unbelievers tend to chalk it up as a 'look at those idiots, I'm better off over here' moment. Harsh, but probably true.

I don't know Mike and clearly I should probably keep my opinions to myself for that very reason but I think I'm still granted a bit of a funk over this issue, right? I watch American pastors on the live stream of the Austraian Christian Channel (no pay TV at my house) and probably 80% of the time shake my head. Megachurches alternatively woo me and scare me. I don't know what I'd least like - a plastic, all-teeth, 'you are MORE than a conqueror!' pastor or a lying, deceitful one.

Just my 2 cents and I hope you don't mind me barging in here :)

Cheers,
Lizzie (bewildered once again at 'The Church')

[Jeremy]

i was shocked. like WAT!?, totally man. Butta we humans are all not perfect. Yea as the guy above me (who commented, not God ;D) said, we shouldn't idolise people. let the people be a shining light for God. butta theres times where crap happens. Personally, with all due respect, I don't anticipate or engage in miracle healing (it's not part of my church thing). I believe if God wants to heal you, it'll be natural, not during a miracle service. He might have fooled us all, but in the end, he didnt fool God n i believe he himself from the start knows that. we might be angry with him for lying big time (especially when hes a pastor), but again, a lie is a lie, which is a sin, no matter how big. kill, lie or hate, it's all about sins. n also if we're against him, doesnt tat makes us enemies with 1 another? I hope we can really pray for him despite the lie he has told us. Take things easy and calm my bros n sis n christ. Let this setback make us more united and stronger in the spirit of Christ!

[Brian Becker]

we just showed the video of "Healer" with Mike's "story" last week in our service...and now this comes out...ugh.

[scott]

everytime i made a mistake, my leaders stood by me, encouraged me and helped me through. this is what leaders do.

Mike has made a mistake, and we as Christians have no right to do anything other then this. His leaders should stick by him, help him, be there for him and encourage him.
NONE of us are perfect, we all sin. No 1 sin is worse then another.
If any one of us was put on a platform of importance and our sins were shown to everyone, we may be feeling how Mike is now.
I personally am waiting for Mike's story as i think this will clear a lot of the questions that are currently in everyones thoughts.

At this time people need to get behind him, be there, show support, this is what i believe a Christ like person should do. pray people.

[Jackson RImbo]

Apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:18 (NLT): But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.

We don't really know the whole story of Mike, but the reality is, reading from so many comments, there are (young) people who are actually influenced by Mike, and because of that, they've become fervent followers of Jesus Christ.

As our pastor Mark wrote, people will react differently to this issue, but regardless, he wrote a great song called 'Healer', and there is truth in that song that Jesus IS our Healer, not Mike.

Like the old hymns we sing, 'Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.'

[Mindi]

Pastor Mark,

I appreciate your godly attitude toward all of this, but I disagree with you on one point. I am an American, and I have never heard of Pastor Mike until you mentioned him in your blog, so my comments have really nothing to do with him as a person.

My experience in church with pastors was always positive until a few years ago when I was in a very abusive church. The pastor turned out to be a sociopath who literally felt no guilt over any of the lives that he had run roughshod over.

For someone to perpetrate the kind of deception over time which you have described, I think that this is a definite possibility.

I would bet that you honestly have trouble even trying to relate to the kind of deception which we are talking about, and it leaves you kind of shocked.

I would recommend the following book: The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout, pH.d. It is a very insightful book about sociopathic behavior which details how to recognize a sociopath, and how to deal with them in your life.

Jesus said that the sons of this world are wiser in their own generation than the sons of light. This is a secular book, but I think she has wisdom that the church needs to hear.

One parable refers to the birds who nest in the trees of the kingdom of God. The birds steal the word of God, and yet, some of them are in the church in high places. Yes, Jesus acknowledges this to be the case. We need to learn to deal with them.

I am sorry for the grief and betrayal that has happened in the church, and for this man and his family.

[Warrick Zedi]

This is really churchy stuff man.

A big stink when someone does something wrong.

We should try an experiment and post a salvation or healing testimony and see how many comments we get giving glory and praise to God. Nothing dramatic. Just a one liner, something - "Hi, my name's Joe. Yesterday I met Jesus."

How many comments would we get?

The church is dead without Jesus. It's not alive because we are all good people doing good things. We are all sinners and all desperately need Jesus.

This is the same as the Todd Bentley thing. He's been caught in sin and he will pay the price. People that are not directly involved should stay out of it.

Why do people in the world say the church is full of hypocrites? Not because of guys like Todd and Mike, but because of people in the church being so "shocked" at how "sinful" another person can be and then going around telling everyone else how shocked and disappointed they are.

That's just back biting and has no life in it.

Unless you have some responsibility for Todd or for Mike and God has given you work to do in their lives - PUT A SOCK IN IT!

We are to stand together in unity and restore the one caught in sin gently. One day you might be in the sasme boat angry one.

[Rose]

James 3:1 "1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

I think there is an epidemic at Christian churches at the moment. that is, no longer do we look for wisdom and true discipleship to Jesus when granting a position of leadership but we look for star power. we look at the outside not at the heart ( Like Jesus would have done). I come from a church where people that i know are not ready to be leaders ( including myself) have been asked to lead randomly in a casual conversation by youth pastors!.. without prayer, without truly knowing whether that person is truly prepared or gifted. It seems that numbers.. numbers is all that matters. i am so disappointed.

yes i feel angry at Mike and disillusioned by what he did. but he is only a product of the society from which he comes. we christians fill our mouth saying we have been saved, God is great etc etc. it is just words! we don't walk that talk, we don't even give Jesus a second thought sometimes, our youth is suffering the consequences of this rockstar culture! wake up! no matter how many fancy events your church organises, how great your leaders dress or talk or do their hair , that is not going to help your youth when Jesus comes back to earth and trully judge them for their heart... this is quite disjointed i am very sorry but i am just sick and tired of this plasticity and multiplicity and pretending... argh if i wanted that i would have just gone to a party every weekend...

[Kay]

I live in Newcastle and our pastor knew Mike personally and he visited our church on numerous occasions. When news like this breaks it is devestating on all levels.

As a counsellor I see this happen often - it is called grief. There will be a period of this and emotions will range from shock, disbelief, anger, depression and they will come as waves over time. Also during this time you may question your faith and what you believe.

These are all valid responses.Try not to isolate yourself from those around you but find a trustworthy person who can help you through this difficult time.

[Lucas]

It's really sad to hear about what has happened with Mike, it's obvious that he has made a massive mistake here - that will effect a lot of people's lives, not to mention the publics perception of pentecostal Christianity.

I think that this is a humble reminder that we all need to remain in Jesus, as the image of the vine and the branches suggests, and not substitute the people of God for God Himself in our lives. It's very easy to idolise or simply think too highly of church leaders, and this is something that will hopefully be rethought in light of what has happened with Mike.

It is all fine and good to respect our church leaders, but i believe that this can sometimes go too far, in that we can set up some of our church leaders to be "above the law", if you like...all Christians are accountable to God, and leaders even more so, but sometimes out of respect to our leaders, we fail to question, and sometimes the most loving thing we can do is to question.

I wonder what would have been the response to a person who questioned Mike's credability before the truth about his deception came out? Would there have been a serious discussion about it, or would it have been dismissed as gossip etc..?

In saying that - i don't blame Planetshakers for this at all - in fact my heart goes out to Pastor Russell and Sam and to all of the people who Mike influenced who are struggling at the moment. I pray that God will strengthen Planetshakers through this rough time!

God Bless!

[Wayne van Spaendonck]

OUR FAITH IS IN JESUS CHRIST, NOT MAN, SO PEOPLE LEAVING THE CHURCH & TURNING THEIR BACKS ON GOD BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS AN INDICATION THEY NEVER REALLY HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS TO BEGIN WITH.

I AM SORRY THAT THIS SOUNDS HARSH, JUST GIVING MY OPINION ON THE MATTER. ONCE YOU ENCOUNTER JESUS NO MAN, WOMEN, CHILD, DEMON, CIRCUMSTANCE, FALSE PROPHET, DECEPTION ETC CAN "STEAL" THAT FROM YOU. JESUS NEVER HAS & CANNOT LET YOU DOWN SO PUT YOUR TRUST IN HIM.

STOP JUDGING & START SEEKING JESUS & THESE THINGS WILL BE LESS IMPACTING ON US. MAN IS ALWAYS GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES. ONLY GOD IS PERFECT. LOOK TO GOD, NOT MAN.

PRAISE GOD FOR ALL THE GOOD FRUIT THAT MIKE PRODUCED THAT WILL HAVE AN EVERLASTING IMPACT!!!!!

[Bec]

Who God is has not changed. God's plans and purposes have not changed. I think this should cause us to get our eyes off of leadership and onto Jesus. I think this should cause us to realise again how much we ALL need the grace of God. I think it should prompt us all to remember how much we all have sinned, none are perfect, and all are in need of a Saviour. And therefore how good and gracious God is to have provided that Saviour in Jesus. This is actually making my spirit sing in love and adoration of our gracious Lord who died also for this.

If we believe the gospel then nothing fundamentally has changed. Leaders fail all the time, check out the OT, Samson, David, Solomon to name a few. What about what Paul says in Romans 7 about his struggle against his flesh?

We are ALL depraved by nature and cannot save ourselves. We will all sin against God and each other throughout our lives. That understanding is core to the gospel--as Christians we shouldn't be surprised when we see people act in sinful ways! Leaders need Jesus to save them as much as the rest of us!

God bless, I really pray that those who are hurt will seperate their anger at Mike from their feelings about God. He's still good, He still loves them, and He will still be there for them every moment of every day wanting to take them in His arms and comfort them through this time. They are precious to Him.

[brewster]

Great post.

[v]

Definitely the news was a shock, and yeah there was a little anger in the emotions, but now I'm not sure which i find sadder, What Michael did, or the response of other people.

it breaks my heart to see people responding with

‘i know i am definitely leaving the church and i don't know if i ever will return’

‘absolutely disgusting. we want no involvement in the church where deception is much more than in the outside world’

because in the end its only going to hurt them, Michael was just a man, he isn't God, he let the church down, God never has and never will. Personally I'm more likely to agree with the following responses.

'My eldest son came home last night more upset than I have ever seen him after hearing the news. He looked to me and said, Mike was there for me Mum & now I am there for him. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.'

from a new Christian - 'Today has left me more than a little bewildered. I don't know yet whether it has shaken me enough to scare me off church although I suspect not. I think I've got enough common sense to separate one man's sin from the church as a whole. But it does raise a few uneasy questions.'

[L.Gill]

I am sad to read how ANGRY people are about Mike G. I understand bewilderment and confusion, but to feel personal anger I feel is a little misplaced. It's not about you. I understand that many young people placed a lot of faith in Mike, however I pray that Mike's situation doesn't interfere with their personal relationship with Jesus, as their relationship with Jesus should be independant of their relationship with Mike. Mike made a terrible mistake, that may have gotten so out of hand that it may have been out of his hands to control. However, he has confessed and we should pray for his faith and health to be restored through Jesus. Remember, Jesus is our Healer and our Portion and he is Mikes too. Please take some time in prayer to find forgiveness in your heart for Mike. Remember some of the greats of the old testament fell over a lot, yet we still hold them in high esteem for their commitment to God. Mike is human and needs our love and forgiveness not our hostility and anger. ...Still praying for Mike Guglielmucci....

[Savannah]

Mike did not confess. He was found out.

[Harry James Potter]

in response to the the angry comments against those being angry i think it is important to point out the following...the anger felt is not against the sinner, but the sin. of course we recognise that we are all fallen beings. we have all sinned and fallen far short of God's glory. it is only by the grace of God that any of us are saved. yet this grace does not condone sin, this grace does not condone going against the way of God. in the case of mike, the anger is certaintly not against him as a person. rather the anger lies towards the sin, the numerous people duped, deceived and lied too. if there was a burgular who stole numerous possessions from different people was caught; whether he was a christian or not does not justify what he has done. the people wronged need to be righted and the necessary steps need to be take so this does not happen again. in this case the people who have given thousands of dollars nned to be re-imbursed, the cancer patients whose hope has been smashed need at the very least some kind of apology. jesus in regards to the woman caught in adultery, did not condemn her, but he did call her to sin no more. he did not condone the actions. when jesus arrived at the temple and saw that it had become a 'den of thieves' filled with marketting gimmicks and what-not, he did not say we should show grace to these people, cos all people sin. no he threw the tables on the ground, for his house is a house of prayer. sometimes we get so lost in cheapening grace that we forget that we serve a god of mercy AND justice. while we must forgive mike and pray for him, we must also take a stand against what has been done. our prayers must go out to the lives left shattered at the hearing of this news. let there be mery, let there be grace, let there be justice.

[Leslie from the USA]

Pastor Mark, wow thanks so much for your comments on this issue. I just found out about this from my Aussie friend who goes to Citylife and I was just in disbelief that something like this could happen. But I think it also brings back the fact that we put some people on these pedestals especially worship leaders! and forget that they're human too. Definitely shocked, but really appreciated your comments on the issue.

PS. I miss Citylife Church so much now that I'm back in the US, things aren't the same and I've been podcasting!!! :)

[Savannah]

I'm with Harry Potter!

[Ron Weasley]

Harry. Dumbledore told you never to write on blogs again. The muggles will find out what we are doing at hogwarts.

Love your buddy

Ron.

Ps: Hermione is such a great kisser. woo lovers.

[Wayne van Spaendonck]

One thing I have noticed is how everyone is an expert on every situation involving someone elses sin, yet they have no personal involvement in the situation at all. Only God knows the heart of a man & all the circumstances involved. Only God knows what demonic forces were at work, what strongholds had been established & how difficult a situation someone may have gotten themselves into.

I think if unbelievers read certain blog messages the tone of the message will put them off Christians way more than the fact "a Christian sinned". I am not condoning the sin just making a point.

Imagine if God decided to "expose" our hearts & put us on display.......... Some people, myself included, would be put to shame. Yet we jump at the opportunity to point the finger. Jesus who could judge due to his sinless character chose instead to forgive & walk in love. We can acknowledge sin as sin, correct this behaviour according to the Word of God, yet forgive, forget & move on without judging, gossiping, hurting etc. Yet it often seems the first sign of "spiritual maturity" is being able to point out somebody elses shortcomings, according to the Word of God of course, lol.

As for me I am a sinful man. I struggle with different issues at different times in my life. Some more serious than others. This just reinforces my need for Jesus. I repent get back on track & live fervently for Jesus until I stumble & repeat the process. At least I am involved in the race, evangelising, praying, sowing, believing for the miraculous etc. Playing my part & furthering the Kingdom.

Sometimes those who are supposedly "clean" are those who haven't entered the battle. Arm chair Christians pulling down those who try to step out for Jesus by magnifying their flaws.

If Mark sinned would you all disown him, leave Citylife & forget about Christianity????? I know it wouldn't impact me at all. The church corrects, disciplines, forgives, rebuilds & carries on "Our Father's Business".

Sorry, got carried away. Long post.

[Sam]

Hi Ps Mark, I am a member of Planetshakers and a huge fan of your blog. Just want to thank you for your encouraging words of wisdom concerning this event. Thanks and God bless.

[john citizen]

all this cos someone forgot that good fathers make good pastors

[Mark B]

Thanks for being so quick on this one, Mark Conner. I do not know Mike, nor do I know anyone who does, however the hurt, disappointment and slithers of doubt which follow are still real, I can only imagine how those close to him are feeling.

My God is amazing, and loving, and patient, and He will be Glorified through this, though I have no idea how...

[elaine]

I have just come back from overseas to hear this news.

I am shocked...A few months ago I attended a conference where Mike's Dad Danny was preaching and we cried and prayed along with him as he talked about his son.

Anyhow, we have discussed in our lifegroups at church the topic of challenges, trials and tribulations and brought up the idea that the worse and more dire things get, the greater the opportunity that God has to work and show His glory. Our God can work something beautiful out of the most dire of situations.

This situation shows that no one is perfect except Almighty God.

It also highlights the magnitude of Jesus' love when He died on the cross for all our sins (collective). God already knew this situation with Mike was going to happen just as He knew all the blunders I would make in my life. I am in awe that He already made provision in His Son and will continue to heal and make things right.

God is the Healer of all things, not just sickness.

Let's continue to pray for Mike, his family and all that are affected, and praise God for being perfect in every way. How awesome is it that our God is dependable beyond all degree, will never let us down and is always faithful. People may stumble but our God stands strong.

[Danielle]

I remember Joyce Meyer saying on a podcast something like "It's easier to forgive others when I think about all the stuff He's had to forgive me for."

I've done some horrible stuff, we've all done some horrible stuff. And God has the grace and power to forgive us all, and them some.

[jeffe]

Think of the damage done to non-believers.....what message are they getting about christians..

[Janelle]

Mark thank you for your solid words at a time of upheaval for many. It does help to process things when we can read biblical truths layed out so succinctly. If anyone is interested Mal Fletcher has also provided some great words of wisdom: http://www.nextwaveonline.com/comment.asp?ID=231.

I really do pray for those who are struggling to come to terms with this. We really must look to the God beyond the man and realise that just because Mike has lied about his terminal cancer does not negate God's work through him. After all, God even used people that didn't serve him in the Bible to do His work. 'Healer' is still an amazing and annointed song and Mike needs to sing it now more than ever. He's been sick all this time, just not with what we thought it was.

[john citizen]

...was there grace for ananias and saphira? i guess there mustn't be much of the glory of god in the body of christ. good thing for mike.