Colombian Christian Mission

COLOMBIAN CHRISTIAN MISSION
Dale and Jeanie Meade
San Jose del Guaviare in Colombia, South America
Volume 4, Issue 5 May, 1976

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The church we are working with, the Jobo Church of Christ, is one of the fastest growing and the largest congregations in the province of Vaupes. But unfortunately, greedy men often take notice of success. Here in Colombia there are many unscrupulous men who make a living off of religion. Their charismatic personality allows them to win the confidence of a simple people then fleece them. They fit well into Paul's description of "ravenous wolves."
While Phil and I were in Bogota, a couple of wolves raided the flock. They were Pentecostals and thus gained an invitation into the home of one member who has pentecostal leanings. This member then invited everyone else to attend a "special service" in his home. He thus neatly avoided all authority in the church.
The meetings got underway almost normally. But the raiders gradually increased the volume of the noise and emotions of the people. By then, all semblance of decency and order has disappeared. Couples were dancing wildly and the volume (aided by recorded noise from other services) permitted neighbors living up to a mile away to hear the rumble. Unbelievers were referring to the meetings as "demon possessed, drunkards, and even as a riot." Within the meeting everyone who didn't scream or dance was accused of having a demon. Crying babies were accused of having devils. When the tape recorder broke down it was said to be a direct intervention by Satan himself to stop the meetings.
Prophesy, and new revelation abounded as did miracles of healing. Several stomach aches, headaches, and sore ankles miraculously disappeared. This proved that God is all powerful. However the ones who came sick and left sick just didn't have enough faith to permit God to work (strange thing, Christ never met any of them).
But it didn't take long for the people to start seeing through the raiders. The attendance at the services began to drop. Finally sound doctrine and reason won out. The services ended abruptly and the raiders left.
Malevolent words were spoken and much resentment still abides. Such a close brush with division leaves bitter memories. People don't appreciate it when they are called demons. Some, carried away by emotional exhilaration staunchly defend all of the new "manifestations of the Holy Spirit," such as adding to the Bible and denying authority. The church did not split, but it was a close call. Attendance has temporarily dropped from 60 to 40.
For Phil and I it was a discouraging and humbling set-back. We thought that they had been well indoctrinated. But we thank God that this experience helped us to see the weakness of our teaching. Since then we have spent three full weeks of intensive study and teaching of the work of the Holy Spirit in the church.
We feel, that with God's help and guidance, we can re-establish the Christian love and unity; and with that will return the phenomenal growth that has characterized this devoted congregation of believers. We thank God for His giving of wisdom to tread lightly in a difficult time. We have learned that out of our weakness and failure that God can bring success. When we have completed the restoration, the Jobo church will know a lot more about love, unity, and forgiveness. It will be better equipped to deal with such raids in the future. It will know thoroughly the Biblical teaching about the work of the Holy Spirit. We never have claimed to be perfect, but this time of testing has taught us anew the importance of relying on God. We praise Him for this opportunity to find areas of deficiency in our teaching and for the assurance that good will triumph over evil in the end.


(PHOTO)

From 8 to 80 in a year and a half: The congregation in El Jobo.