How do we deal with this!

// August 21st, 2008 // Leadership

I’ve really wondered how to write this blog post as since yesterday the blogosphere has been fast building up with a million comments on what has happened in Australia with Mike Gugglielmucci. If you’re not aware then confirmed reports are coming out that Mike has admitted to making up his entire illness – for what gain or why no-one yet knows.

I found out yesterday and to be honest my brain didn’t believe it for about half an hour as the whole thing just seems so unreal. But the truth is out and we have to deal with it as leaders and people who have been moved and challenged by the ‘testimony’ of Mike. I was even inspired by his song and the ‘testimony’ recorded on the Hillsong DVD to preach on healing the other week in church – showing a 3min clip of Mike talking about his ordeal. It all just seems unreal…

So how do we deal with this? I found this article from Mal Fletcher really helpful because I know Mal as a senior global leader who also knows Mike personally and his family.

Mal writes:

I have known Michael since he was a little boy and have always loved him – I still do. Our hearts, of course, go out to those closest to him.

Though Michael’s is not a household name, his music gift and speaking talent, along with his very charismatic personality, have made a major impact on many young lives, in a number of nations.

I write about this here, with some discomfort, because some regular readers of this editorial will know Michael and will be trying to understand the situation.

I write also because the issues here are bigger than this individual case. From time to time, Christian ministers and leaders will fall. People of faith must be able to face the inevitable question: ‘How can this happen – and how should we respond?’

I think Mal’s comments and direction are the best comments I can find at this time because here is someone who carries the respect of tried and tested leadership mixed with the emotion of personal involvement.

Read the full article here – in the meantime – let’s be praying for Mike and his family – that God’s grace will move and turn all things for good and the Glory of His name!

4 Responses to “How do we deal with this!”

  1. leigh says:
    August 21, 2008 at 12:36 pm

    flippin heck, thats unbelievable…..I’m shocked.

  2. Don’t Throw That Stone « the leadership tests says:
    August 23, 2008 at 6:53 pm

    [...] Chris Denham asks how should we deal with this [...]

  3. Simon Warner-Hodgkin says:
    August 27, 2008 at 7:00 pm

    When I first heard about this as someone who’s had cancer I was quite offended, however as Christians I think its important at the wider impact this could have rather than just how it affects us individually. Australia perhaps more than any other nation has become the closet thing there is to a Christian nation, with a number of Churches that not only impact other churches all over the world but also has substantial political influence in Australia. Healer got to number 2 in the Australian chart, not the Christian charts the national chart. This whole issue has made the front pages of Australia’s national press.

    1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to test everything, while Paul doesn’t set out specific tests he is clear that every teaching must be tested. In my mind some of the most important qualities in church are good stewardship and followship, ultimately we’re following Jesus but we also submit to the guidance of the leaders in our church. As a church both individual local church and the wider church it’s good to have strong leaders with good a good grounding in sound theology as well as a heart for Christ. While we are told to Test everything I like that we have organisations like Planetshakers, Hillsong and Australian Christian Churches that we know we can trust, it would be a shame if because of his affiliation to any of these organisations they were to be less trusted.

    Some are saying that the salvations and healings that have come about as a result of worship to Healer are somehow less valid, that nothing good could come from this lie. As Christians we must have a realisation as Chris said that God can turn anything and any situation regardless of it’s origin for good. Philippians 1:17-19 tells us that regardless of the motive of the preacher we should rejoice, it wasn’t the song that lead those people to salvation or healing it was the atmosphere of faith that the worshippers created.

    The only way we can approach this is prayerfully, praying for Mike and his family (His parents have been faithful servants of the church for 30 years) but also Planetshakers, Hillsong, and anyone else that may have been touched by this situation.

    Apparently the YouTube clip of Healer had 300,000 hits, I would think quite a few of those where church leaders downloading the clip to show in their church. Sadly I think a song that was being played a lot won’t be played much anymore but for some people it’s still the song that lead to a change in their life. I’d love to hear of a courageous church leader that got the worship band to play the song now and encourage their congregation to pray into this situation and for our Christian brothers and sisters affected by the situation.

  4. Chris Denham says:
    August 27, 2008 at 10:48 pm

    Thanks for your thoughts Simon… the question of whether or not to play the song again in church – which by its own merit is a song of great truth – is one that I’ve been running over and over in my mind.

    One blogger whose comments I read said something that stirred me in that the song is probably more real to Mike G than it ever has been… he certainly needs the healing touch of His Saviour, not for just 2 years of illness but 16 years of addiction.

    I watched the interview of him on Australia’s Today Tonight and after watching it couldn’t help sense the incredible need now for God to move in a young man’s life (only 28) whose been caught up in a terrible cycle covering many years.

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