Category: Kingdom Community

Fellowship and koinonia

congregation unity community

7 Novel Ideas For Becoming A Transforming Community

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Following are some suggestions for helping congregations develop opportunities for members to connect with, or help, each other while at the same time fostering growth. Suggestions for Promoting Growth and Biblical Fellowship in Congregations Find an app that lets a congregation develop a social network just for members so that members can learn about each other and build friendships. Members could post personal information, occupation, hobbies, services they would offer to other members, financial needs, employment needs or opportunities, other assorted life needs, prayer requests, updates on the progress they are making with issues in their lives, and blessings that God has given to them. A ministry to help people break habits. Instead of being a “recovery” ministry, this ministry could teach people how to break all bad habits in their lives. The openness should also help improve bonding between members. Provide an economical way for members to have a Continue Reading →

Garden of Eden

Focusing On The Restoration Of Eden

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The story of our destiny begins in the book of Genesis. There we learn that God originally placed humans in a garden in a land named Eden. In the Garden of Eden God told Adam and Eve “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals” (Gen. 1:28 NLT). He also “put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Gen. 2:15, ESV). Then God gave Adam and Eve to each other so Adam (and obviously Eve) would not be alone (Gen. 2:18); Adam was to “hold fast” to Eve and they would be “one flesh” (2:24) and she was to be his “helper” (2:20). Thus, God gave Adam and Eve eight callings (we count reigning over the animals as one calling.) Adam and Eve were to fulfill these Continue Reading →

love others

What Is The Chief Sign Of Maturity?

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Echoing Jesus, Paul stated that the commandments “are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself”” (Rom. 13:9, NLT). John stated: “And this is His commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.” (1 John 3:23, NLT). James instructs us to “obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”” (James 2:8, NLT). Is God pleased if we have warm affection for him but do not know how to communicate love to others? What are we accomplishing? Remember that God’s grand mission is to bring his community of love to maturity and eventual perfection. This means that we never stop pursuing better ways to love others. And we never stop pursuing purification, knowing that our corruption obscures God’s love and glory from clearly shining through us to others. In Continue Reading →

honest talk with friend

Being A Friend By Being Honest With Others

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With respect to honesty with others, Scripture teaches that we are to “put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor” (Eph. 4:25, NIV). At deacon-level maturity (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1) we should be able to avoid speaking anything that is plainly false. But we should also avoid all forms of deception, including misleading people by omitting information, and misleading people through silence. Honesty is a greater challenge when it comes to pointing out an uncomfortable truth that others are ignoring, which is important for moving towards elder-level maturity. For example, if someone we are close to or have responsibility for is harming others or themselves with attitudes, words or actions then do we not have a duty before God to say something? “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Prov. 27:6, ESV). If someone is turning away from God then we follow the wisdom in James 5:19-20: “If Continue Reading →

racism

Kingdom Attitudes Towards African-Americans.

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American slavery was one of the most dehumanizing brands of slavery in the modern world. English revivalist John Wesley said it was the worst form of slavery that he was aware of after he visited America. This realization eventually generated a strong opposition to slavery by Christians in the northern U.S. After an unbelievably bloody civil war, the slaves were set free and African Americans very quickly became more prosperous in the South and gained positions of influence. Alarmed by this, influential whites in the South began to pass laws to discriminate against African-Americans. These laws came to be known as the Jim Crow laws. They persisted through the 1960’s and their impact is still felt. Obviously, as Christians we are horrified by the way African-Americans have been treated. This has resulted in substantial economic disadvantage. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis provides statistics for this and the Washington Post Continue Reading →