Dear Pastor,

Greetings to you in Jesus' name. I am writing to ask you for your prayer and advice concerning an incident that occurred in May of this year. I used to be a head usher at a church I attended in Kingston.

One Sunday, I was standing at the door doing my duties and a man rode up on a bicycle and asked to speak to me. I invited him into the church but he didn't want to come in, so I made myself available for him to talk to me outside. He told me the name of the church he attends.

He said he was at church one Sunday and his wife came on the compound and took her son and went through the gate. He is not living with his wife now. He said his wife has a lot of children but none for him. He said he helped to raise the children but some left the house and got married and they don't remember him. The man went further to say that his wife is living with some of her children's father, and she cooks and takes food to him.

I told him that I was happy that he stepped in just in time and didn't kill himself. He thanked me for talking to him and rode off. I invited him to church the following Sunday and he came. I shared the testimony of how God is good because He steps in just in time when we need Him.

One week after I shared the testimony, the bishop's son saw the gentleman passing by riding his bicycle, so he stopped him and asked him why he told the usher that he wanted to kill himself instead of telling his father, the bishop. The man told him that he already spoke to me. They didn't want him to say anything to me because they said they knew him a long time and they fed him before.

I didn't know that they took it so seriously. The following Tuesday night, which was supposed to be night service, the bishop called an emergency meeting and 14 of us attended. The bishop told his son what I told him. I raised my hands and asked to say something. The bishop gave me the go-ahead. When I started talking, the bishop interrupted and asked me if I took him for a liar. After that, he and his two sons came over to me and all three of them started to run my family and myself out of the church.

I write this letter to you because I really don't understand how a bishop who is supposed to be a shepherd deal with things. I don't attend the church anymore but my son sings on the choir. I don't stop him from going to the church.

Unfortunately, one Sunday the bishop called him before some other bishops in his office and told him that they were going to disfellowship him because his presence reminds him of what his father has done. He told him that his father is responsible for the death of his wife. He went further to say that my son should make sure that he tells me that the same way that he is mourning is the same way I am going to mourn.

Pastor, I would like you to tell me if this is a threat. I reported it to the police. Wisdom told me that I have done the right thing by reporting it to the police. Please give me your advice.

E.G.

Dear E.G.,

This is a mixed-up story. I try my best not to speak ill of anybody's church. When I speak I speak on doctrinal matters when it comes to a church. However, it seems to me that this church is lacking in proper administration and knows little or nothing at all about church discipline, love and pastoral care, etc.

If what you have said is true, something is radically wrong in this church. No church should run members out, unless such members are disruptive, rude and their conduct is ungodly.

I wish I could hear from your bishop. It is difficult to understand why he would threaten you. I repeat, this is a mixed-up story.

Pastor