Religious sentiments are simmering God's own country Kerala. The Episcopal churches and the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam of the backward Ezhava community in the state are crying foul, claiming that the new generation Pentecostal churches are poaching their believers.
Vellapally Natesan, general secretary of the SNDP Yogam, told rediff.com, "There is a trend to try and lure the believers of the Ezhava community into the new generation churches. Other churches never attempt such things."
The new generation church is a renewal movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Pentecostals generally adhere to the doctrine of biblical inerrancy, believing that the Bible has definitive authority in matters of faith and adopt a literalist approach to its interpretation.
Natesan alleged that money was being pumped into Pentecostal churches, aimed at converting members of the backward community.
The Mar Thoma Church too shares his view.
Mar Thoma church office bearer Professor Abraham Joseph told rediff.com that the new generation churches were deviating from the very essence of the Holy Bible and forming new theories, which were not good in faith.
He claimed that those behind new generation churches were not properly following the ethos and ethics for which Christ had lived and what Christianity was preaching. He also alleged the only motive of these churches was to make money and nothing else.
Dr Abraham, who is the regional head of an Episcopal church of Thiruvananthapuram, alleged: "The new generation churches are here for money; they are trying to excruciate the poor faithful into parting their hard earned money into the coffers of these churches, which does not have any system of audit or accountability".
However, Pastor Mathew, founder of the City Revival Church, begs to differ.
He said: "Why are these traditional churches worried at the so-called new generation churches? We are not into any poaching; we are giving a clear biblical interpretation and there are lots and lots of material available in the net and in the market for the faithful to see and believe. I don't feel that the people who lives in cities can be fooled."
Pastor Mathew also said that the mindset of traditional churches has to change and those at the top of these churches have to be more inclusive.
Meanwhile, Kerala has been witnessing rampant publicity by several orders of new generation churches. Police officers are of the opinion that in Thiruvananthapuram city alone there are around 15 programmes a day organised by various Pentecoastal groups.