Great Struggle

Great Struggle Bishop’s Story By Dinesh K. Agarwal Author’s ID 702938 The Great Struggle is the story of Methodist Bishop whom God raised to Bishopric from nowhere. The author wrote his story in the background of Wesleyan holiness of life or social holiness. He ascended formidable position in the church, dared to do unbelievable things for church growth sacrificially and devotion, cared for poor and needy, supported politically feeble and weak ones to get them justice against wishes of politically heavy weight church leaders and stood with them when he recognized they were victim of revenge and intolerance. Then by the turn of event, he himself became the victim of their organized conspiracy; the force of power ambition and intolerance to his prophetic voice tormented him and truth and justice were thrust in the back yard of the church. However he struggled to overcome falsehood and get justice, which turned out to be awful experience. The author gives a condensed account of the beginning and spread of the church, as well historical background for the rise to the Protestant Church. 1856 was a significant year, as first American Methodist missionary came to North India and in the following year, the first sermon, ‘Fear not my little flock,’ preached, and within ten minutes of the close of the sermon, the first war of independence broke out. The little flock was scattered like autumn leaves and many of them were killed, however soon the church began to grow and spread out of the seed of martyrs all over India and in 1858 first Methodist church was built in Nanital. Author says 1981 was turning point in the life and ministry of the church, which opted for affiliated autonomous to the United Methodist Church that opened up new positions. Not long after, the church leaders bent and broke rules of the church to actualize their power ambition that seemed to have shifted the holiness of life. The author perceive a kind of typology as to what happened in the church or can happen in an organization when power handed over to new leaders without raising them to committed leadership. The author narrates and analyses the events of beginning of his ministry, which were difficult, risky and challenging though not devoid of opportunity to contribute to the life and ministry of the church. He writes about his pioneering pastoral ministry in Mumbai and unforgettable experiences. He says after his unexpected academic pursuits, he was in ambivalence about appointment and elected posts, however preferred to work in church related agencies. Daystar University, Nairobi was great disappointment; the loss of his hope and future, however he says in that too, there was Divine purpose. The author gives the vivid experience of his service to poor and needy. He says his unwavering commitment, stringent scrutiny of project proposals and its implementation in the midst of complex web of social and political relation backfired on him and earned him political potential enemies. He takes readers to his Episcopal election race. He raises doubt about the effectiveness of the eligibility criteria for the election that undermines calling and the clean service report card. He says active Bishops were keen to elect new Bishops in their own image and the forces of political opportunism, social group and regionalism (language) impinged the free flow of democratic process. The author gives the account of challenges and risks he dared to face in his ministry in the midst of discouraging tendencies like sons of the soil ideology and little community affinity within imagined Christian community. He says despite obstacles, he could venture where others felt unwise to swim in trouble waters; doing more in less time was challenge and the source of jealousy that scorched him. The author writes about his unwavering support to Bishops and others in crises, but unbelievably political situationism gave rise to collective lawlessness, defied the rule of law, exploited the church’s ochlocracy to perpetuated their dominion and reduced the church Judiciary to non-cognizable and ineffective entity; it was rude shock and a black spot on the social holiness. The author writes how Bishops were drawn by revenge that seemed to have threatened their ambition to remain in power beyond superannuation. Thus they conspired against him and although he was innocent, yet made him scapegoat, alleged him of trivial; every rule of law and reason violated, reconciliatory process recognized yet paralyzed and made virtue out of villainess. In travesty and mockery of justice, Bishops acted as judges to their own cause and even the church Judiciary could not help him; some juries were tamed, others had no courage to face the second round of confrontation; they seemed to have acted like defeated justice warriors. The author says, he was shattered by the unexpected shock of unrighteous indignation of the Bishops of the church that created the situation of wilderness for him; 230 days were of intense agony, and at times, tears rolled on his cheeks and nearly all who once surrounded him deserted, to save their job and pursue personal ambition. However by God’s grace, he was determined to do whatever it took him to overcome. There was no way than the judiciary of the land, as the church judiciary was infringed by the political pressure and intimidation and the spirit of reconciliation was missing, but that too, turned out to be a big nightmare and disappointment. The author felt it was easier to carry the yoke of injustice than to take a long walk to justice without any end in sight. The author writes how power obsession leads to the fall of the curb of the holiness of life in the spiritual graph of the church. The author says, in such spiritual milieu to get justice in the church was like chasing wind. Regardless, he is waiting eagerly for the paradigm to return--- the second wind of the strangely warm heart to feel the presence of the holiness of life in the church and to get justice.