Court Of Appeal Decision

The appeal by the 7 Plaintiffs (concerned church members) and the cross appeal by the Respondents (Pastor Prince and the Board of Deacons) on the matter of the Interlocutory Injunction was heard before the Court of Appeal this morning.

After hearing the submissions from both the Plaintiffs and Respondents’ lawyers, the Court dismissed both the appeal of the Plaintiffs and cross appeal of the Respondents.

The Court commented that these interlocutory proceedings and actions were unnecessary and ordered both parties to return to the High Court and seek an early trial for the Originating Summons.

In dismissing the appeal by the Plaintiffs for the reinstatement of the 400 terminated or reclassified church members, the Court stated that this issue should not be part of this proceeding as the termination or reclassification of the 400 members occurred after the Originating Summons was filed. This issue should be pursued as a separate court action.

The Court rejected the cross appeal by the Respondents against the reinstatement of the 7 Plaintiffs by the High Court. The church membership of the 7 Plaintiffs, therefore, remain reinstated.

The most interesting statement made by the Court in summing up their decision was that the AGM is the supreme authority in any organization. In simple terms, this means that the members in an AGM has full authority over everything else including the Board of Directors or Deacons, in our case.

To recap, an Originating Summons was on filed on 12 November by the Plaintiffs against the Respondents to seek the High Court’s ruling for the following:-

i. that the AGM held on 19th and 20th June 2009 be declared null and void;

ii. that the committee members appointed during the AGM held on 19th and 20th June 2009 be annulled and be declared void;

iii. that the Defendants convene an EGM within 30days from the date of the Court Order for the tabling of the resolutions which had been submitted by the Plaintiffs;

iv. that the removal of Dr. Lum Siew Heng as a member of Calvary Church on 20th March 2009 be annulled and to be declared void.

The Originating Summons is currently fixed for mention on 23 September 2010. At this mention, both parties will be seeking an early date for trial.

Please continue to uphold the matter in prayer.

Hearing of Appeal fixed on 23 August

The Hearing of our Appeal will be held on Monday 23rd August 2010 and it will be an OPEN Court of Appeal hearing (this means that you can sit in to listen to the proceedings).
All our previous court proceedings had always been held in Chambers (i.e. only the lawyers meeting with the judge); thus, this is the 1st time that it is open to you and the interested public.

The details of the Court of Appeal hearing are as follows:

Date                 : Monday 23 August 2010

Time                 : 8.30am

Venue               : Mahkamar Persekutuan Malaysia

                          Presint 3, Istana Kehakiman, 62506 Putrajaya

                          Tel 03 8880 3500

Please remember to pray for the Court Hearing on Monday, and if possible, be there to lend your moral support and to bring the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling is us, into the Court Room.  

Bamboo Conspiracy said...

August 22, 2010 4:42 PM

DECLARE VICTORY BY THE FAITH OF GOD!

Christ spoke such a word as this. He spoke it once to a fig tree: "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again" (Mark 11:14). Next day Peter noted that it had withered, and he commented, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away." Now note what Christ said, in effect: "You go and do the same. I spoke the word of authority with which I am equipped by the indwelling Father [see John 14:10ff]. Now you speak it also." His actual words were, "HAVE THE FAITH OF GOD. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea; ... he shall have whatsoever he says" (Mark 11:23).

Thus Christ said, "Say unto this mountain." "SAY," not "pray." The word is most significant. The thought is not that all prayer should be omitted (for the Word counsels us to pray) but that prayer should not be from an attitude of feeling that one has not and therefore has needs.

Saying the word of faith is the attitude of one who has and dispenses what he has. Such is the "throne life". A throne is occupied by a king. A king is a possessor and dispenser of gifts. This is why we who are believers and joined to Christ -- He the head, we the members of one Body, physically on earth, spiritually enthroned -- are told that we are "kings ... unto God" and "seated in the heavenlies."

THE PRINCIPLE INVOLVED CANNOT BE APPLIED ARBITRARILY TO JUST ANY NEED IN THE WHOLE WORLD, BUT RATHER TO THE SPHERE FOR WHICH GOD IN HIS GRACE HAS MADE YOU INDIVIDUALLY RESPONSIBLE.

Then, according to the needs of your calling and sphere of life and service, speak forth the word of faith. Call the things that be not as though they were. Carry out Mark 11:24: "Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."

I think we who stand for TTG and called to intercede for Calvary Church should declare ‘VICTORY' no matter what the outcome tomorrow and go forth knowing that He will accomplish what we have declared by authoritative faith for this is why His SON died and shed His blood for - TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF SATAN.

Is not present events at Calvary Church "A WORK OF SATAN"? Yet, ordained by the Lord for His purposes. Satan is only His tool, and we the righteous sons/daughters of God should shout Victory. We cannot accept defeat - no matter what the Court declares.

What if the declaration does not happen? What if the court rules against us? My friends understand what AUTHORITATIVE FAITH IS!

"Have the faith of God" is the literal meaning in the margin of the Authorized KJV and this conveys the vital meaning more clearly than just "have faith in God," as in the KJV text. For to "have faith IN God" means just a reliance on the ability of God in His heaven and a leaving it to Him to do it. But to "have the faith OF God" means to recognize an indwelling God, i.e. to realize that we have His mind, and that by the inspiration of His Spirit we speak forth with our human lips the word of believing faith, of authority!

We are not operating by OUR faith but HIS faith and hence the responsibility for the outcome of our declaration is HIS! He is responsible to RESOLVE THE PRESENT CRISIS IN CALVARY CHURCH. If we believe God has already destroyed satan at Calvary, all the negatives we see in the natural world are just ILLUSIONS! In the Spiritual world satan is already defeated. Calvary Church is already a victorious church etc. So satan may win battles but we have already won the war!

LORD WE "SAY" YOU MOVE THE MIND OF MEN AND COURSE THE COURT TO RULE IN OUR FAVOUR TOMORROW (Monday 23th August 2010).

This is what I have learned from Norman Grubb and hence I declare victory no matter what the court declares. I will continue to declare Calvary Church as a victorious church and the present crisis resolved.

Vijay

****************************************

On a different note but addressing a relevant issue which was brought up by a reader who identified himself/herself as Scott J. We thank our gracious God and the quick response from our dear Brother in Christ, Vijay for a simple yet direct answer.

We now extract these two comments which were posted in the previous article here because we believe that the questions and concerns raised by Scott J may be issues that many of you as Christians grapple with within yourselves.

Scott J said...

I have been following your plight over the happenings in Calvary Church, and in the face of ‘apparent’ injustice with all the evidence that is presented on this site, it is hard to dispute the findings. I believe that your motives in seeking justice are justified, but amidst your frustrations, we have to ask ourselves what has happened to our faith in God to bring about justice? I know that you initially did what was stated in Matthew 18: 15-17, and you may have tried that but have not succeeded, but to put your plight on the internet and the newspapers, it goes beyond the confines of the church. Even with the hard evidence that is presented, many of us have failed and have fallen into the trap of “judging” in our hearts through what we see with our own eyes through this site. 

Just spare a heart’s thought about these: 

a) Have we forgotten about our faith in God to bring about justice?

b) Even if we have, have we, to a certain extent through this site, taken matters into our own hands? 

c) Is what is being done here on the internet bringing glory to God or tearing down the church, not just yours, but to others as well? 

d) Many others, particularly unbelievers, are observing the happenings within Calvary and there is a generalized sentiment that Christians behave in this manner, could this be a factor to build up a barrier of distrust toward those who are out there working to shine forth God’s light to the unbelievers? 

Before continuing, we have to ask ourselves with a heart’s thought: With your plight being aired out here on the internet and the ‘bickering’ (forgive my usage of this term due to the lack of a better word), “How does God feel about this?” our lack of faith in His timing and His purposes? As to the rest of us, let us seek God and ask God how He feels about us being a spectator and potential contributors to add fuel to the flames.

August 18, 2010 11:15 AM

Bamboo Conspiracy said...

THE BIBLE TELLS IT ALL.

I sometimes think, we Christians impose more stringent standards than even what God imposes in what we may communicate.

The Bible is still the number one CONTENT presented in multimedia (audio, visual and paper). If God sees fit to tell to the whole world in MULTIMEDIA the SINS of HIS CHILDREN (David a murderer and adulterer, Moses a murder, etc), I find insufficient grounds to stop people in sharing the real happenings in the Christian world!

In fact, I believe the Lord wants the world to know what is really happening so that WHEN HE ACTS - ALL WILL KNOW THE CHRISTIAN GOD IS A JUST AND FAITHFUL GOD. Then they will worship Him.

Just imagine if there was no CT or TTG or no reports in the Newspapers etc. - the world will not hear the TRUTH and they will not know that there is a LIVING GOD who ANSWERS THE PRAYERS OF HIS CHILDREN.

Let us have spiritual discernment and not muzzle the voice of His Children!

Vijay

(Of course - any unkind words or personal attacks should be edited out!)

August 18, 2010 11:13 PM

As the Administrators of CT, we have tried our best to remind those who post comments to do so with consideration and to refrain from making personal attacks, name calling and unkind words. We have withheld releasing many comments made by both TTG sympathizers and pro-PG readers because we cannot "edit out" comments as this function is not provided for by Blogger.

We noticed that this function may have been added in since this week but we have yet to try it out. However, we will still maintain that we will not release any comment that we deem is not appropriate or relevant to our cause.

On yet another note, we are always in awe of how God has led us and is still leading us step by step here in CT. You may or may not be aware that CT was first created as a communication tool to keep the concerned members of Calvary Church abreast with what is happening behind the whole facade of Calvary Church and the TTG brothers and sisters' pursuit of Truth, Transparency and Good Governance in the administration of the Church.

God has been with us and He has constantly provided us with relevant materials useful for that particular moment to be published as updates to our fellow Calvary Church members who are in "diaspora" seeking "religious asylum" in various churches in and around Kuala Lumpur. Here's a word of encouragement for us to ponder on.

Bamboo Conspiracy said...

SEE GOD IN EVERYTHING!

I know the pain many are going through because of events at Calvary Church. I have been there and I too had my own share of waiting when there were leadership problems in churches. It is always natural; the first reaction is "TO DO SOMETHING!" As so did I! But the Lord also wanted me to trust Him after having done all that I could! Part of spiritual maturity is knowing when to grow from 'DOING' to 'BEING'!

We will suffer as we wait and the only way out of the suffering is to see GOD ONLY in all things. Spiritual maturity is required to understand this faith principle.

When we arrive at this place of faith, we stop asking questions why Calvary Church and the congregation is suffering through this crisis. We boldly accept by faith that the Lord has WILLED present events at Calvary!

(NOTE I said WILLED - NOT PERMITTED i.e. GOD HAD PURPOSED IT! - now this is a difficult principle to accept and I know there will be some who may not agree with me but it is OK as I am writing this just as the Lord had directed me and leave the consequences in His hands.)

The Bible says:
"Though HE were a Son, yet learned HE obedience by the things which HE suffered" (Hebrews 5:8)

"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?" (Hebrews 12:6,7).

God "tested" Abraham in the realm of self-love, self-will and trust in self. He wanted to know whether Abraham had total faith in God!

This present trial at Calvary is not really about the misdeeds of the leadership but about HIS FAITHFUL SONS AND DAUGHTERS - WILL YOU TRUST HIM. He will deal with the rogue leaders but before He does that HE wants to know whether HIS CHILDREN WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE FAITH IN HIM. That is what GOD IS AFTER - YOUR FAITH IN HIM!.

It was God who DIRECTED Joseph to prison. His brothers and others were just the Lord's tools to accomplish His purposes – to eventually bring them back to the Promised Land. Paul, Moses, David, etc were all DIRECTED by God into the wilderness – and so will we.

And so today. The faithful ones in Calvary are His remnants and the rogue leaders and people associated with these are just HIS TOOLS. Read you Bible and you will notice after God had used them to accomplish His purposes, He destroyed them!

I believe God had purposed to raise a new band of Christians in Malaysia because those presently in power do not have the leadership quality He needs to raise the spiritual barometer in Malaysia. HE NEEDS FRESH SONS & DAUGHTERS!

(I have been accused of being too hash with the “enemies” of God but friends – I have seen what the Lord has done with MY 'enemies' and believe me – IT IS A TERRIBLE THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD. I PITY THEM BECAUSE SOMETIMES HE EVEN CALLS THEM HOME BEFORE THEIR TIME!)

Those who speak of God’s love don’t really understand that God’s LOVE also means HE MUST BE JUST!

Vijay

August 18, 2010 10:34 PM

God is Good All the Time!