Ethiocross Blog

whoever you are, the person who post this article, would you please give us some more details about the issue. You just touch the surface and make some of us wonder what was going on.

My understanding is that on her first video she was not acting real. We can call it it was a real music show. As we know Lilly was a singer who always sing in humble way while she was signing back home years ago. The real problem happened when she tried to adjust her self with the majority of people who are a A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing . I remember the so called pastor Habte(former 4 killo Kale Hiwot minister) dancing Esketta. If they are a real Christians I believe they know the truth deep inside their heart. One thing we should know is that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." (Galatians 5:22)

Graceand Peace of Christ to all!
Before we go further in this issue ,it is betterto define the purpose of gospel song according to scripture.Becareful not to be miled by the title gospel as the wicked Elvis priesley also was 'gospel singer"
According to scripture Psalm ,let every breath praise the Lord.
I praise God for Lily/kalkidan Tilahun and others who praise God with wonderful songs.The controversey began with the influence those prosperity preachers.Coming tohershow at Hilton it was sholikng to some she did ESKSTA.This is like the accusation against the reforemr Martin Luther when he first time used the modern instruments contrary to catholics.Dereje Kebede face the same in our history.
In general songs are good and edyfying as faras they glorify God and helps people to repent as Tsfaye Gabisso;s songs.

It is good that Lily appeared again on the stage to serve. Her pastor said she has never stopped service though. I am not sure why he wanted to say that. Was he addressing some people who were thinking otherwise? He knows well what he wanted to say. [As a side note, he prophesied to her on the stage. I wonder its genuinity. Because, the message used the Abrahamic promise as its backcloth. He said, "I will bless those who accept you..." Thank God he did not continue saying, "I will curse those who do not accept you!" Well, one may argue for the contrary. At least, as her pastor, he could have said this back at home! I know that one may not say this is the right time and place for God to speak to her and this is not. However, close reflection on his statement that she has never stopped service followed by the prophecy makes it questionable.] [Another note: I remember the LA youth also made similar "appreciation" or whatever program to her. Why are all these things now? Was it not because she has stopped service somehow and someway?]

It would have been excellent if either Lily, Pastor Hanfere, or Josi (the youth pastor) said something on why she has never been serviing in a wider scale and how they now decided to "encourage" or "aapreciate" her, though it was indicated that the latter was not the case by Josi. This gets my attention: I wonder for how long our pastors live by double standard. They say something here adamantly and say something there without the previous being corrected! It is obvious that either of them were wrong: Lily or those pastors and church leaders who prohibited her from service in their congregations.

The most probing issue is not the point that Lily or any of the concerned leaders declared the situation rather WE ARE TELLING THE YOUTH GENERATION NOT TO REPENT AND CONFESS OF HIS/HER SINS! When divorced ministers remarry, no one says no and, to ones dismay, they will ceremonize the remarriage in the church! When one "plants" a church by "stealing the sheep" from another church, no one stands and says no in stead the ones who were supposed to rebuke the act go and speak in the same churches when inviited to do so.

This is, therefore, a call for all church leaders and pastors: RAISE UP YOUR VOICE AGAINST INIQUITY! REBUKE WHAT NEEDS TO BE REBUKED AND CORRECT THAT NEED CORRECTION! STAND FIRM ON THE WORD AND LET IT BE YOUR PLUMBLINE! Let all of us who read this point take it seriously that our TRUE reward comes not from people rather from the One who knows the heart and the deep gorge of human beings.

This being said, it is, at least, becoming that Lily appeared again. What the people of God dearly wish is her comeback to the stage. And, we got it! Who is pleased in the death of the sinner? Not us, but the evil one. The encouraging thing from her song is that, read from her song, she has determined to live by the will of God, for she sung saying, Menor menor..." Amen, let's all live according to the revealed will of the Lord and condemn this corrupt world by our lives! Let us be holy as our Father in heaven is holy. We will NEVER bring glory by bringing the rugs (the dancing and flamboyant clothes that we change as the Hoolywood actors do) of this world to our sacred circles.

Look at the birds" (Mt 6:26 NIV) and let us encourage one another

Ever wonder why geese in the Fall fly in a "V" formation and not just randomly? Remember that old United Airlines ad, "Fly the friendly skies of united’? Geese know that to complete the long trip south, they have to fly united. Scientists tell us that flying in formation increases their flight range by 71 percent. Air waves created each time a bird flaps its wings provide uplift for the next one in formation, supporting it, decreasing its work load and conserving its energy. A solo goose could never complete the trip, but in formation the youngest, the oldest, and even the weakest get there. In other words, they do collectively what they could never do alone.

When God said, "Let not give up meeting together, some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another," He was saying, "stay information children! Enjoy the uplift” You weren't designed to fly solo no matter what your rank, calling, gifting, or maturity level. You're a part of the body of Christ, created to function in concert with all the other parts. "? The eye cannot say to the hand, I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, I don't need you!" Occasionally a goose, disoriented or overconfident, goes on autopilot and finds it self adrift. Soon, however; its wings become heavy from exhaustion and it loses altitude. It begins to feel the drag of increasing wind resistance, and it pulls its weakened body back into formation alongside its feathered fellow pilgrims. Jesus said, "Look at the birds" (Mt 6:26 NIV). So get back in formation (and fellowship) and stay there!

It's been many years since I saw Lily in person. I have had some opportunities to be served by as well as serve alongside her back home. I think Lily is a very gifted and God-loving singer. We should praise the Lord for her.

Having said this, the controversy that engulfed Lilly, in my view, has a personal as well as cultural dimension. On the personal front, as some of you have noted, Lilly is a very humble and trusting person allowing people to influence her beliefs and practices. While she should be commended for her humble spirit, she needs to grow up so that she will have her own position and be able to discriminate falsehood from truth be it in doctrine or experience. Of course that comes with age, learning and nurture.

On the cultural front, Ethiopian evangelicalism has been liberated from missionary dominance of various degrees of the past century. Theologically, however, it doesn't yet have developed it's own distinctive. What seems acceptable to one group is abhorring to the others depending on our view of the Orthodox tradition as an expression of Ethiopian culture or not and our exposure to the Western ways of life.

Lilly, unfortunately, took upon herself a task that was far complicated than her simple mind and much bigger than the resources available to her.

In the circumstances, what she needed was support, protection and critical appreciation rather than a stick as her aim, albeit naive, was not to offend anyone as it was to honor God, promote his Kingdom and enhance evangelism by dressing the culturally naked Ethiopian evangelicalism with our national dress.

I think the work of the Ethiopianization of the Ethiopian evangelical Churches, both at home and diaspora, has begun in earnest over the last 20 years or so. It imperative that it should be carried out and in as long as cultures change, the task is never ending. Mistakes will be made in the process, some serious; some minors. Rejection engenders fear and hampers growth. We need to be mature and patient Christians who don't throw the baby with the water if Ethiopian Christianity is to survive the next century and live upto its potential for the glory of the Truine God.

In the name of Father ,Son and Holy Spirit,Amen.
Dear Yoseph,what a balanced scriptural comments you are giving us.May God almighty bless you abuandantly that you inspire us all at this forum.I also blessed and serve Lily since I met her and listned her songs at our college fellowships,LELE park at sidst Kilo in early 1990s.ZEMENAT was my first somg I listened Lily and her other song,AMREH DEMKEH was the one that blessed those guests at my weeding in 1998.I am now blessed by her brother singer Dagi I met him at Chcago Ethiopian festival 2009 and the other singer and Dr Laele is bleesed us at midwest.Praise God for this family whom God uses abuandantly.
As you said let us pray for Lily and all singers that they communicate JESUS in their respective culture and audience.
Meskelu
May all we say be for the glory of God in Jesus.

Lily is fine. She is not a politician; you did not vote for her to be where she is; therefore, she doesn't have to answer or say a thing to the controlling freaks out there. Those of you who don't like what she does or how she does, just forget about her, erase her from your judgmental mind forever, and seek peace in your tiny cave.

Sam, Kukdos! U spoke my mind. I concur.

Thanks for your share.I Love herve leger he actually designs clothes in mind for those who wear them-women, not tennage boys ! if every model said I’m not going under my healthy BMI the fashion world would have to start using healthy models. Like a strike to eat instead!