In a letter it says "For approximately 17 years, Calvary Chapel Auckland has supported the work of Gospel for Asia (GFA) and is now primarily The Believer's Church."

"Originally there was close alignment between Calvary Chapels generally and the work of Gospel for Asia."

But now the Chapel says that it is cutting ties with GFA because their organisational and ecclesiastical direction have radically changed.

GFA is a large Christian missionary NGO founded by K. P. Yohannan in 1978.

Yohannan is also the the self declared Metropolitan Bishop of the closely associated Believer's Church.

The organisation is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex suburb of Carrollton, Texas

Some of the beliefs that Chapel takes issue with are: "transubstantiation, total submission or focus to a man, calling the leader "father," or Priest, taking a vow of total submission to that leader and his successor for life, or crossing oneself in a liturgy."

The letter includes some photos from The Believer's Church Website and Carmel Engineering College which Believers Church own and operates.

"It is said that a picture speaks a thousand words so here are some photos, which visually depict some of the differences, but allude to many of the other contrasts that now exist: the metal image (used in Believers Churches, for all convocations, including countries other than India), the lighting of candles, the wearing of robes, etc.."

There is also concern about financial matters.

Is reported that the organisation has amassed somewhere over $200,000,000.00 (one report says USD$250,000,000.00) US Dollars that are on deposit in Indian>

They own have an Engineering University, own a Hospital, a Rubber Plantation and other businesses that generate from $35,000,000.00 - $70,000,000.00 US Dollars annually.

In October The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) terminated the membership of GFA.

ECFA believes that GFA misled donors, mismanaged resources, has an ineffective board, and failed to live up to its promises as an ECFA member.

It had been investigating GFA since June.

Source

• patheos.com
• wikipedia.org
• christianitytoday.com
• Image: believerschurch.com

Its president says people who have not experienced persecution firsthand "cannot fully understand what it means to receive threats against your life, to have your house destroyed, your own rights violated and your loved ones taken away from you and imprisoned; and all this because of your faith in Jesus Christ".

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