joy chembakaseri (November 13, 2013)
to a.s.m-- i am not blaming you for the comment,but that we have right under our nose which needs a fixing,before we turn to others and also this is something that struck my spiritual feelings long time ago and that you just alerted me now! god is asking--- "aenikkum ninakkum thammil madhyasthan aarr" which means- god doesn't like us to have an intermediary,he doesn't like us keeping a distance with him. god has given us the privilege to go closer to him to have a direct communion with him! we doesn't need an intermediary for a blessing! by saying that i am no disputing the fact that god can work through a second person,but to walk around to find a market to sell spiritual-blessings is definitely wrong! beware-- these are end-times and unrighteous prophets will rise,and they are out there, use diligence !!!

a. s. mathew (November 12, 2013)
contd:3 now, michael is running the business. buddy told to many people about this, and i felt that i have a prophetic spirit, so did some prophecy as my own making and made a big fool out of me. when god speaks through us, it will be fulfilled, else it will not be fulfilled.

a. s. mathew (November 12, 2013)
contd:2 in his brother's place. the family took me every week end and entertained me, gave me financial help in emergencies. i had nothing to give them back, but prayed very sincerely for some blessings in their life. they had three daughters and dr. thomas monroe told barbara, she can't have any more children. in the hot summer season of 1972, after the work came home-starving for indian food-no air conditioning, and barely had a good sleep. one day around 6 am, somebody spoke to me " call buddy and tell them they are going to have a son". i thought that i was losing my mind due to the hardship of life. closed the eyes, again this message came. i called them and told this, and they started laughing and told me what the dr. tom told them. i simply said " if you have a son, that is from god". the doctor said " the child is going to be girl". buddy called me to be with him at the hospital, and as promised by god, they got a son and named "michael".

a. s. mathew (November 12, 2013)
brother joy chembakaseri: i do apologize if i have created a misunderstanding in my comment. this prophecy spirit is now going out of hand. some of the missionaries in india, i used to help them in my humble capacity before the economic crisis. some of them began to e-mail me " uncle, on this day next month, god is going to do this and that". i told them, if that is your wish, simply pray and don't tell me the day of fulfillment. if that is a specific prophecy, it must be fulfilled exactly on that day or before. the end result was quite funny. many of the recent self-made prophets are boldly telling their good wish for us to be blessed. is it prophecy? when i came to the u.s. in 1971, since i had no return ticket, i couldn't leave the country; but cried for a week straight due to homesickness. very close to the seminary campus, god brought a catholic charismatic who had a shoe shop. his elder brother died in an auto accident and god inspired him to take me

joy chembakaseri (November 12, 2013)
to a.s.m-- why we blame the converts? how about the ones who are christians for generations and some of them walking around,trying to sell their god-given-blessings by way of prophecy n prayers-we all know 'money-collection' is the key factor in this! these ones come from as far as india,just to walk around,selling prophecies n prayers--- their intention is collecting money by making an impression on some ignorant and innocent believers,trying to capitalize on their faith!some woman-believers are an easy prey to them!

don't you see something wrong there-- selling-spiritual-blessings ? if they come on somebodies invitation that's fine,but why walk around looking for market to sell their product-- spiritual blessings? some christians are in a confusion whether to encourage this or not!

these ones get on the stage and make a vibrant-fire cracking speech and that's their advertisement. but when they get of the stage, they are after a hunt for their financial need !!! contd

a. s. mathew (November 10, 2013)
aswathy: there is nobody better and stronger than you to reach-out your own family-friends and neighbours for the kingdom of god. who can challenge your transformed life through jesus christ? i know personally a muslim convert in mumbai, another sindhi friend in rajastan; they are reaching out more people of their former background than anybody could count. jesus is real and the only hope of the world. the number of people coming to follow jesus from hinduism-islam and other religions are by the millions all over the world every year. i have watched some people came from other faiths, all on a sudden jumping into prophetic and healing ministry etc. if they are really have the anointing to do those things, they must do so; and the prophecies must be fulfilled. personal witnessing and prophecies are entirely two things.

believer (November 9, 2013)
if u have any doubt about real.you ask to god,he will reveal the truth ;jesus ,son of god.in my childhood i had many questions in my mind because i was in a hindohu family.i asked to god in my mind,too many gods in hindhu,who is real god. few years later god revealed to me his only begotten son,JESUS my saviour and my all.now iam feeling happy and peace in my mind.so dont judge other believers .god is love .jesus is love.....

aswathy (November 9, 2013)
i am a jesus believer came from hindhu family. i have many experience in jesus.this is real.nobody can understand it if they didn,t know jesus.so please dont judge these belivers without knowing the truth.jesus is real......jesus is alive..................

a. s. mathew (October 13, 2012)
a christian: your genuine and honest comment, not to criticize or judgmental about those people who are coming to the christain faith from other religion is 100% correct. a great percentage of these new converts are honest, but there are some fake actors among them. if they are put to the stage and treat them like vip's in the kingdom of god, we are making serious mistakes. thousands of people are coming to the christian faith from hinduism-islam faith-sikh faith etc. the vast majority of them want to keep a low profile but enjoy the newly found salvation through jesus christ. but, a few of them want to shine in front of the world. if they are called by god to move forward in a hurry to reach the world, we shouldn't barricade them. in god's name, a lot of business are being conducted now to make money and popularity; simply watch that spirit in some people we come across.

a christian : (October 12, 2012)
It is not our duty to judge peolple. If somebody is coming newly to the Cristian family, we should start praying and motivating them instead of judging them. You cannot say that Smt Latha Nair will be the same as Nazeela and Nagma. Traditional So called Christians, new converts & ex-prisoners, etc who are more cruel than her are being lifted high and still on big stages, why are we ignoring them and just behind Smt. Latha Nair. Lets pray for her complete repentance. Lets not only talk, but also work for lost souls to gain them back because if there is no witnesses then how would the commandment of Christ be fulfilled !!!

mathappan (October 10, 2012)
End times , end is nigh

a. s. mathew (October 10, 2012)
faith, mavelikara: thank you for your kind response. another arrogant mentality i have watched from many people who came from the hindu faith, a vast majority of them try to put an heavy weight on themselves " i am from a brahmin family-my father was so and so". even though st. paul was highly educated than the rest, roman citizen etc, he never tried to boast about his educational and social background, but fully glorified at the cross only. did god create four class system of the hinduism? the brahmins created that to explit the weaker sections of the society and exploited the other voiceless people. untouchability was created by the brahmins, is that from god? if somebody coming from the hindu faith try to boast about their age old "brahmin" superiority, we will have to instruct them in love and humility; to simply give thanks to god for specially calling them as god's children through the blood of jesus christ.

s.p.kumbanad (October 10, 2012)
If you are giving chance for a new believer to testimony in a public meeting, make sure that person is well equipped in the Word and Spirit. Please don't give more publicity, then you are spoiling that person. Work for their spiritual growth in long run. Donot spoil that person with fame and money.

faith, mavelikara (October 10, 2012)
I agree with u a. s mathew. Innaddition, when we give them more reverence than what they are they would rate us and our belief very low.

achayan original (October 10, 2012)
@doctor abe, there is one exception, Kanam Achan

doctor abe (2) (October 10, 2012)
Another annoying fact about the handling of these converts is doctrinal. Many of the converts who were working against the established doctrines of Bible will become preachers or pastors and even teachers immediately after they get converted. The reverends of other episcopal churches who used to fight with teeth and nails are becoming the advocates of the doctrines to which they were enemies until the day before. They too are given warm welcome by our leaders. I agree that there is no harm in extending such welcome. But the inherent danger is beyond anybody's imagination. Our pentecostal veteran leaders who once refused to share common stage with these reverends, will compete with each other to give ordinations to these ex-reverends without undergoing any discipleship or doctrinal training. They are simply 'white-washed' and labelled as pentecostal scholars and teachers etc. without changing themselves fully according to the accepted principles. What comments do you have to offer?

doctor abe (October 10, 2012)
Totally agree with BJ. Apart from their disguise, many of these converts become spoilt very fast by the red-carpet welcome from the pentecostal community. I remember a guy who came to a bible college late one evening about 35 yrs ago where some of the present day famous pastors were studying. He said he was going to commit suicide by jumping in front of the train in Tiruvalla. Since the train was late, he chose to visit the town. On the way because of rains he entered the bible college building. He was not afraid to die but was afraid of common cold !. After being found and questioned by the inmates, they shared the gospel with him which he has accepted gladly. He took water baptism subsequently.From the very next week after his conversion, he was given opportunity to give testimony on convention stages. At one place a sister from Bangalore came to him after his testimony. She said he took water baptism from her pastor brother two years ago and she came to enquire about his well-being!

a. s. mathew (October 9, 2012)
as believers in christ, we get double excited to hear the testimony of a person who came from a non-christian relgious background; and to a certain extent, we have been easily fooled by many. i am not ashamed to say that i have taken extra sacrifice to entertain those people who came to christian faith from other religions, but felt that i was somewhat fooled by some of them. we must encourage them to grow spiritually, but whenever we give them undue reverence and elevated posititions without having reached proper spiritual maturity, we are making serious mistakes.

s.p. kumbanad (October 9, 2012)
Latha Nair may be surprised seeing her old customers on our stages.

innocent (October 9, 2012)
alla thankal aaraa niyamangal vaykkan,oruthi manasantharappettaal ningalude chattangal anusarichu mathrame pokavu ennundo?Daivam paapam kshamichalum kshamikkatha kore mattavanmar.........

savedbygrace (October 9, 2012)
Well said BJ. Totally agree with believers comments as well. Its high time we need to give credit and stages to the men of God who lived a holy and sacrificial life throughout. Where is Nagma and Nazeela now????? They have made enough money and went back to their old lifestyle. Same thing is going to happen with Latha Nair too. As believers it is our responsibility to uplift and support the real men/women of God.

believer (October 9, 2012)
I totally agree with BJ. It is becoming a trend that all the people who were living a terrible life, as thieves, murderer's, molesters, abusers, addicts, drunkards, etc etc who made foolish decision in life gets more credit, stages, and money than people who lived and stood for truth and righteousness. Who suffered for the sake of living for Christ. Some how this trend has to change among our malayalee pentecostal. Help those pastors, evangelist, believers who are giving a price for living a holy life. Let them repent of their sins and grow in the Lord by being disciplined under a spiritual mentor before taking off to make money with their ugliness.