Nothing Catches God by Surprise

Saturday, 30th August 2008

Several days ago, I received an email from an LCEC member who also happens to be a ROOTSS subscriber (or should that be "a ROOTSS subscriber who also happens to be an LCEC member"?)

Anyways, the email was entitled "This may interest you" and was a forwarded article written by Kim Wheatley about Mike G, the writer of the song "Healer".

Pastor Michael Guglielmucci spun gospel of lies
By Kim Wheatley August 21, 2008

Pastor told congregation he had cancer
Recorded hit song Healer to inspire people
He's a fraud - but he's getting help

Not quite terminal ... Michael Guglielmucci, who preached about his battle against deadly cancer, is getting professional help after being exposed as a fraud.

HE preached to thousands about his terminal illness and tugged at hearts with a hit song.

The problem is the pastor wasn't dying at all

Michael Guglielmucci, who inspired hundreds of thousands of young Christians with his terminal cancer "battle", has been exposed as a fraud.

Guglielmucci, whose parents established Edge Church International, an Assemblies of God church at O'Halloran Hill in Adelaide's southern suburbs, now is seeking professional help.

Earlier this year, Mr Guglielmucci released a hit song, Healer , which was featured on Sydney church Hillsong's latest album.

The song debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA charts.

It since has become an anthem of faith for believers, many of whom are suffering their own illness and were praying for a miracle for Mr Guglielmucci, who has claimed for two years to be terminally ill.

In one church performance that has attracted 300,000 hits on YouTube, he performs his hit song with an oxygen tube in his nose.

It appears Mr Guglielmucci, who was a pastor with one of Australia's biggest youth churches, Planetshakers, may even have deceived his own family.

"This news has come as a great shock to everyone including, it seems, his own wife and family," Hillsong general manager George Aghajanian said in an email to his congregation yesterday.

"Michael has confirmed that he is not suffering with a terminal illness and is seeking professional help in Adelaide with the support of his family. We are asking our church to pray for the Guglielmucci family during this difficult time."

The Advertiser was told last night Mr Guglielmucci may release a statement on the situation.

The Australian Christian Church said Mr Guglielmucci's credentials immediately were suspended once he told the national executive that his cancer claims were "untrue".

"The national executive is taking this matter very seriously and is awaiting the results of medical tests before determining the full extent of the discipline that will be imposed upon him," vice president Alun Davies said.

"We are very concerned for the many people who have been or will be hurt by Michael's actions.

"We encourage all of our churches to pray for all those affected."


This was my email response to that LCEC member / ROOTSS subscriber...

Hi XXXXXX XXXXX

Yup, I read about it, and it upset me because I claimed those words for my son, and sobbed uncontrollably when Ps Reuben first showed the video of that song in church.

In fact, it was because of that song that made me go and buy the album!

Then, I sat back and tried to think how Jesus would have reacted, and realised that it did not come as a surprise to Him -- just like it came as no surprise to Him when Adam ate of the fruit in the garden, or when Jacob cheated Isaac into thinking that he was the firstborn, or when Abram lied about his wife, or when David committed adultery with Bathsheba, etc etc. In fact, he paid the full price for every single one of those sins, including Mike G’s.

So if this does not surprise or stumble Jesus, why should I allow it to surprise or stumble me? Even though man’s intentions may have been bad, God can still make something good out of it. Even though Joseph’s brothers meant harm when they sold him as a slave, God raised him up so that he could provide for his family when there was a famine. Even though man invented the cross to inflict the most slow and excruciating form of dying, God used that same instrument to bring about His greatest victory over the devil. Closer to home, even though PIC did not mean good when he gave my name to the police which could have jeopardised my career, God not only protected me but has caused me to prosper superabundantly. The list goes on and on…

So in this case, Mike G may have sought to deceive when he pretended he had cancer. Yes, it was a horrible sin, and I do not make light of that. But after a time of struggling with “why did he do it?” and how this incident has brought hurt, shame and embarrassment to the body of Christ, maybe we can start looking forward to how God can still somehow turn things around.

I am reminded of a song, “Something beautiful. Something good. All my confusion He understood. All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife, but He made something beautiful of my life”.

In closing, this blog entry may be of interest to you..

Why Do Ministers Fall?