Friends, the word “deinstitutionalization” has forced all of our team into much debate, consideration, research and consultation of dictionaries, a thesaurus and of course Google! And as we all came up with different thoughts and interpretations we decided to help you more readily understand what we mean when we use the word in this and other posts/articles.
The most commonly held definition and meaning of the word, and usage, is “the release of institutionalized individuals from institutional care (as in a psychiatric hospital) to care in the community” (Merriam Webster online dictionary)
The alternative definition and meaning that we (the Dancing on Water team) are using in this article and elsewhere in the website is “the reform or modification of an institution to remove or disguise its institutional character“
Since March, this year, I’ve battled against numerous obstacles to get my body to Western Australia. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of state borders, cancellation of pre-booked flights, and requirement for me to self-quarantine for 14 days at Perth. All of that amounted to water off a duck’s back. There was one additional obstruction, however, that brought me to righteous anger against a high-ranking officer of a well-established church institution. This person, instead of using his experience and position to facilitate the advancement of God’s work, did everything in his power to block me from being where the Lord had appointed. Why? I wasn’t a certificated, theological college-made candidate! My 71-years of life, and 36-years of proven practical service as a God-anointed pastor in Australia and abroad weighed nothing on his scales of approval. Well, while he was busy failing me, God failed him – He didn’t succeed – I am now where God wants me!
The True Church honours the Father by doing His will, which is to care-for and love His people… to honour Him by faith and practice… to ‘be’ salt and light to their community who live hope-less lives in their state of spiritual darkness.
My mission, here at Newman, is very clear… to model Christ to His people before I exercise the right to speak Christ to them. The Traditional church may be able to do a better job than me in speaking Christ but I gladly challenge them to try and out-model my Christ-likeness, in public and privacy.
Vast numbers of people travelled long distances in the days of Jesus just to get a glimpse of Him at work – impacting the lives of the ordinary and downtrodden… those who were not good enough for the attention of the established Traditional religious hierarchy, the Pharisees! This institution used its position and power to block the Lord from doing what He came to do. They discounted His authority, disqualified Him for claiming to be the Son of God, and crucified Him! And, for this, they earned for themselves an avalanche of woes (Matthew 23).
Friends, the situation today is no different than what the Lord encountered during His thirty-three years of life on earth. Satan hasn’t, and will not, give up in undermining the work of God on earth through his sponsorship of the falseness of the Traditional church, used by him to attract ignorant masses by hook or by crook. Through the Traditional church, Satan keeps droves of people from tasting ‘life’ in the True Church through promising Heaven to them, now… but delivering, instead, the world. Eventually, these people leave the Traditional church disappointed, disillusioned and sceptical of the Church at large.
Why am I here at Newman? I’m here to do my best to deinstitutionalise the church where possible, believing the Lord will attract to His Church those He has prepared. And, I am determined not to compromise my mission for any person!
Best wishes,
Bill Joukhadar
Dancing on Water 