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In the past two weeks, two high profile Christian leaders had their ministries torn apart due to unresolved issues of their inner lives. Amazingly, both championed healing…

One who claimed to have cancer confessed he did not have cancer at all. His song, Healer, is a powerful witness to the healing reality of God and it is not surprising he was able to write this song. He is seriously ill, but not in the way we thought.

From the tender age of 12 he has been addicted to pornography, had hidden this from everyone, and covered his guilt and shame by manufacturing a string of illnesses and subsequent healings.

The other was the key figure in an internationally renowned healing revival. At the same time as he was apparently being used to release many healing miracles, the most significant relationship of his life became dysfunctional to the point that he sought emotional solace with another women, separating from his wife.

Many people in the world right now, have put Christianity further on the backburner because of these two situations. Many Christians I’m certain have turned their back on the ministry of healing and the supernatural as being dangerous and destructive.

As a church seeking to champion healing in our own lives and in the community, what do we do?

The Bible makes it clear that there is nothing more deceitful than the human heart; that while we carry the glory of the image of God we also carry the absolute decay of sin; that we need to come desperately and urgently to the cross of Christ for salvation and healing and to stay there all our lives.

The Bible also warns that there is an incredible temptation to preach the gospel for wrong motive namely personal gain at some level. Whether it is a need for attention, significance, money, power, fame, control, security - all are destructive motives common to us all but particularly destructive when revealed in the life of a public figure.

This is not the time to withdraw from the cry of God’s heart to heal and restore, but to immerse ourselves all the more.

So let us renew our understanding of the God who heals.

Last Thursday my wife noticed a story on Ninemsn that said Mike Guglielmucci's claim to have cancer was a hoax. The story was also being carried by The Australian and was later confirmed by an email sent to all Apostolic Church pastors in Australia from our National Leadership Team.

Although we have no direct link with Mike, the church he pastored with (Planteshakers), or their denomination (Australian Christian Churches), his father Danny spoke at our national conference a couple of years ago and expressed his heartache for his son's condition.

Most of us have seen Mike singing 'Healer' on the latest Hillsong DVD and we had just begun using the song in our Sunday morning worship.

So although this was a very personal lie of which not even his wife or parents were aware, it will deeply impact many thousands of people, many of them teenagers.

The story is hitting Seven's current affairs show tonight and the promo's have been typically sensational and shocking in their descriptions.

It's important that, unlike much 'tabloid' journalism, we stick to the facts. A few points that need clarifying...

Mike confessed this deception and has indicated that he has been faking illnesses since he was 12 when he developed an addiction to pornography. It has become a way of life for him to hide the weight of guilt and shame under hoax illnesses. He is undergoing medical treatment and clearly will need significant help with his 'real' sickness.

He is not part of Hillsong, although when ever there's controversy in the media about some aspect of Christian life, Hillsong seem to get dragged into it.

I doubt he did this for money which seems to be the angle some are taking.l Clearly he has a serious psychological or psyhciatric disorder which doesn't excuse but may help explain his other ways inexplicable behaviour.

There will be many other half truths. slanders and speculations that spin around this story but the core of the issue is that a trusted Christian leader acted dishonestly and immorally and many people have been hurt. And of course, the church and the cause of Christ have been hurt.

In reality, followers of Christ have never been immune from the frailties of the human condition - Jesus had betrayal and decpetion among his closest, hand chosen disciples.

We must remember that Jesus is the only name by which we may be saved (or healed) and that he is always true, always faithful, always loving, always just.

I was really distressed when I heard this news and can't bring myself to listen to Healer... although the words of the song are still true as they look to Jesus.

But my family and I have talked about it, thought through the issues and I encourage you to do the same with family and friends, so that together we can grieve, learn, be humbled and move forward.

For some good comments on this issue, visit Mark Conner's blog. Mark is a leading pastor in Melbourne. 

For Sydneysiders who are non-Catholics, there is a question in our minds about how we respond to World Youth Day and the Papal visit.

Adam Spencer on ABC 702AM this morning commented that he had a big file of emails protesting his calling the event Catholic World Youth Day, because it was open to all youth. He had a similar size file of emails protesting his calling the event World Youth Day, because it was just for Catholics and did not represent all youth.

Certain churches in Sydney have developed courses and programs to teach people the distinctions between Catholicism and reformed faith and St Barnabas is having a talk this week titled, Why I am catholic but can never be Roman.

From my observations, secular interest is dominated by two points. The media and activists are looking to see what the Pope says about social issues such as climate change, reconciliation and sexual abuse. And the general public have no doubt been enchanted by the disarmingly joyful and united scenes of young and old pilgrims, laughing, smiling, dancing and singing their way through Sydney streets.

I saw two commentaries on World Youth Day (SMH website video and The Glebe comment) before the event doubting that many pilgrims would come and that they would have much impact on the city. These two must be eating their cynical words now because everywhere I go I see pilgrims and their positive influence. And I can feel it in the spiritual atmosphere as well, not that I would expect media commentators to have even an inkling of such things.

I only hope that the protestant Christians of Sydney try as hard to find points of contact with the Pope and World Youth Day as some are trying to emphasise points of difference.

You don't have to look far to find comments that could be heartily welcomed by any Christian. In his welcome speech in Sydney this morning (17/7/08),  the Pope explained that the reasons pilgrims come from across the world was to "deepen their faith in Christ" and return home with hope of building a better world.

Further, he explained that the theme of World Youth Day was Acts 1:8 which he read out (broadcast on national television) - "But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and tell people about me everywhere..." He then began to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the pilgrims but also on our nation.

During this prayer I could only join with him and felt this was a prophetic moment for the Great Southland of the Holy Spirit. Send your Spirit, Lord!

The Eternity Blog is back in action after a brief sabbatical. Keep watching for regular thoughtful updates.

This week yours trly got a bit fired up about the SMH coverage of Mercy Ministries. It is sensationalism at its worse and uses the misery of some very troubled young women as a pawn in the game of trying todiscredit Hillsong.

I wrote a fiery letter to the editor which was publsihed on March 19 (in part) alongside one from friend Dr Barry Chant from Wesley Mission.

The full text of my letter is below... as you can see I was bit cranky - but it was 1pm in the morning when I wrote it...

Dear Editor,

Once again SMH journalism shows itself unable to resist its anti-Hillsong bias in its one-sided, ignorant article on Mercy Ministries. Your poor scribes must be mighty infuriated by the success of Hillsong to become so petulant. (I have no connection with Hillsong).

But please get over it because real issues of faith, recovery, and life change are being trashed by your belligerence. Where were was the interview with Mercy graduates who have benefited from this ministry? Where was the open and honest attempt to learn more about the process they use? And why use inaccurate, inflammatory words like ‘exorcism? Billions of Christians ask God to ‘deliver them from evil’ in the Lord’s Prayer every day.  Are they conducting exorcisms too?

What mental health, rehabilitation or recovery organisation does not have its own group of disgruntled former residents or patients? It is an extremely difficult area, and the people working in this field understand they will often get the blame for the difficulties their patients or clients face.

I’m ready for challenging debate and dialogue over these kind of issues but SMH has disqualified itself from involvement because of its anti-intellectual witch-hunt of Hillsong.

Grow up!

... Anyway, hopefully we can all move beyond trying to tear each other to shreds and re-focus on the real issue - the desperate need for facilities to heal damaged lives.

Eternity is an iconic word for Sydney. Chalked by Arthur Stace in undulating copperplate for more than 30 years across the city streetscape, it has been the inspiration for poetry, art, films and fireworks.

Arthur's eternity was a way of interposing here and now with forever, of steering rushed minds to timeless matters, of using here-today-gone-tomorrow chalk dust to communicate the beyond-change-and-time of God.

Eternity Chrisitan Church has drawn upon this legacy for our name and purpose. We want to genuinely and creatively meet our city with the echo of eternity that God has placed in all our hearts.

We claim no special right to do this, other than a willingness to care, to be honest, to be inspired and to be available to share our hope of eternity.

Arthur was inspired (more, re-made) by One greater who also wrote in the dust on the ground. He carried the eternal nature of God in the fleeting flesh of a man. Jesus. We too are inspired, forgiven, delivered and restored by this One and hope you will find a stirring in your soul - questions, and maybe even a few answers - as you visit Chalk Dust Eternity from time to time.