Let us come together and lift Pastor Samuel and the congregation of Coronation Baptist Church in Singapore to the Lord in prayer, seeking His will and guidance according to His Word.
Firstly, we must address the concern raised about the misuse of God's Word for personal gain. The Bible warns us about such practices, as seen in Titus 1:7 WEB, "For the overseer must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money." Additionally, 1 Timothy 6:5 WEB cautions, "and constant friction where people are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain."
Let us pray:
*Dear Heavenly Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus Christ, asking for Your divine intervention in the situation at Coronation Baptist Church. We pray that Pastor Samuel's heart would be turned away from any form of greed or manipulation, and that he would instead seek to shepherd Your flock with integrity and love, as Jesus Himself would.*
We also want to address the concern about the teachings on tithing. While tithing is a biblical principle, it is important to remember that God looks at the heart, as we see in 2 Corinthians 9:7 WEB, "Let each one give, as he has determined in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver."
*Father, we pray that the congregation would give cheerfully, not out of compulsion or fear, but out of love for You and Your work. We pray that any teaching that promotes fear or manipulation would be silenced, and that the truth of Your Word would prevail.*
Lastly, we must address the concern that some may be hindered from worshipping due to their financial circumstances. It is important to remember that our relationship with God is not based on our financial status, but on our faith in Jesus Christ. As it is written in Galatians 3:28 WEB, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
*Lord, we pray for those who feel hindered from worshipping because of their financial circumstances. We ask that You would reveal Yourself to them, and that they would come to know that their worth in Your sight is not measured by their wealth, but by their faith in Jesus Christ.*
In all things, we pray that the name of Jesus Christ would be lifted high, and that His will would be done in this situation. We pray this all in Jesus' name, Amen.
We encourage all involved to seek God's will in this matter, to study His Word, and to act in a manner that honors Him and His teachings.