Showing posts with label Baptists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baptists. Show all posts

Friday 10 April 2020

the Just Gospel conference

At the beginning of last month, before Coronavirus lockdowns, a sizable and impressive conference took place at Garrett Kell’s Del Rey Baptist, in the Washington, D.C. area.

It was not bad that those Americans dared to look at the issues of politics and the church and touched on issues from poverty to immigration as well. In what will be a volatile election year with many evangelicals involved in Christian nationalism the Just Gospel looked like a healthy and solid event.

The Del Rey Baptist church is a daughter church of Capital Hill Baptist.

The Just Gospel described itself as following:

No one saw the 2016 presidential election coming. No one predicted the effect the election would have on the country — and the Church.
To some extent, our tribalism has been exposed and perhaps deepened. Unity has become more fragile.

In all likelihood, the Church will face the same stark choices and the same potential for misunderstanding, disunity and tribal politics. This time, however, we have an opportunity to approach politics and the election differently… like Christians… like the pilgrims and aliens we are in the world.
The goal of Just Gospel 2020 is NOT to engage in partisan debate or endorse any party’s platform. Nor is our goal to bind the consciences of attendees to a particular policy prescription the Bible does not require. We will not recommend or even comment on any candidate.
The Just Gospel 2020 conference goal is to help Christians think biblically and deeply about being Christians and taking our Christian identity and perspective into our political lives.
The organisers of the conference in any case had good intentions/
We hope to aid each other in our discipleship. We are “strangers and exiles on the earth” who “desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Heb. 11:13, 16).
We hope to model how Christians who differ in secondary and political matters can nevertheless do so charitably and in a way that preserves both unity and freedom of conscience. We hope to make a difference — for the Church and the country.
We need and want healing conversations that serve the Church We need pilgrim politics that bear witness to Christ and Kingdom to which we are headed. Join us!
 
The Neo-Calvinist movement addresses the situation of racism or even hate groups. Traditional evangelicals and Trinitarian Baptists have failed substantially on this issue and have ignored, downplayed or just haven’t really spoken to this topic. Garrett Kell in his ministry has been consistent on pushing back against those in the Southern Baptist Convention who embrace Christian nationalism and marry faith and politics. When the Southern Baptists had their regular meeting in Dallas, Texas in 2018 it was Garrett Kell who tried to replace Vice President Mike Pence speaking to the Convention with a time of prayer.

The conference was well balanced and covered a large number of issues form immigration, to poverty,  to politics and the church. What surprised me is that there were more outsiders than the traditional 9 Marks church circuit speakers. That made this conference well needed and necessary.

Thursday 19 June 2014

Uprooted Baptists their new idea of baptism

End 1970ies it looked like the Southern Baptitst Union was going to bring too many changes the followers of the original Anabaptists and Baptists could not accept.

From the 1980 onwards lots of disturbance was felt and in the 1990ies many Baptists became very disturbed by the image the public was getting from the Baptist they could see on the small television screen.  The screen at that time still might have been small but the impact was big.

The trinitarian Baptist gained more and more terrain in Europe and wanted to have theri American way of thinking imposed on us Europeans. For many years I resisted to leave the Baptists, because I wanted to honour those who had lost their life for our faith in the Only One God. At the end I only could follow thousands of my brothers and sisters by leaving the changes in the Baptist community for what they had become, with fear for what they still might become.

Our fear was totally founded. those who left the community had sound reasons, because the church gliding to main protestant church-denominations who believed in a three-une God and would if they were not carefull soon be taken over by other false teachings of those churches.

Today those Baptists are closer to the other protestant and Catholic denominations where it is not necessary to have a sound mind to decide to follow Jesus.

Once a church takes over the Trintiy to get more power and find more people to join them everything can happen to continue in the pagan traditions and to go further away from biblical teachings.

The Southern Baptists could see their churches following their union rules growing in amount. Like many other churches they do have to face the problem not many people are interested in God. Though they do know people do like a lot traditions and festivals. Feast for children having their first year in the lower school or for becoming of age are very popular. A special day for celebrating the by is also very much liked by people.
The Baptist Church also is aware of such events which could attract more people in their church. Like all other churches they saw their number of baptisms going way down.  Converts, new members, and the Millennial generation are unwilling today to commit themselves or to feel bounded by one or the other church denomination. To be baptised as an adult in front of others does not appeal to them. Certainly not going under water in front of so many people, at their age.

It is incredible but it seems that one demographic of Baptists is getting baptised in greater and greater numbers. Normally the rule for baptism was that the person should really know what he or she was choosing for. He should be of age. But the contemporary Baptists do not seem to find that important any more. For them children five and under can also be baptised.


By Lutherans and other protestants such child baptisms also can be found more frequently. In a few years perhaps we shall see also a 'first communion' and a 'holy or second communion' like in the Catholic church, where people, though they do not go to mass regularly, can have a celebration for their kids where they can treat it with many presents and give a great feast for many guests, showing off with bouncy castles, electronic games, firework and exuberant meals for 60, 80- 150 guests, like mini-weddings and their sons and daughters dressed like little princes and princesses or brides.
Credobaptist traditions like the SBC usually baptize children at the “age of accountability” or “age of reason.” The Baptist Faith and Message asserts that children are not morally accountable until they are “capable of moral action.” Based on the coming-of-age celebration in Jewish culture (bar mitzvahs for boys and bat mitzvahs for girls), some place the age of accountability around ages 12 and 13. However, since children develop at different rates, there is latitude on pinpointing personal spiritual maturity. Still, Southern Baptist churches have traditionally said children cannot make a legitimate profession of faith until preadolescence. Thus, baptism is typically reserved for prepubescents on up. . .
Alvin Reid, evangelism professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and task force member, said he suspects the main reason for the increase is
 “well-meaning parents so want their children to follow Jesus that pastors have been pressured and have not taught well biblical conversion and discipleship.”
+++
National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Sav...
National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the U.S.A. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thursday 20 June 2013

Learn how to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom

Charles Spurgeon said:
If you read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the word of God, the qualities of that word will be displayed in you.
By the non-trinitarian Baptists Spurgeon was a treasured guide. His words, from the time when he saw the only One God could bring the congregation to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the word of God, so that the qualities of that word would be displayed in the congregation.

He taught  the sin-pardoning God in Christ Jesus. For Spurgeon it was clear that we should come to the knowledge that Jesus was the man send by God to save us by a gift of grace.
Saint George Preca has been likened as a succe...
Saint George Preca has been likened as a successor to Saint Paul's evangelical work on the island of Malta. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This is grace upon grace. Observe that if we climb on high, the position may be dangerous; but if the Lord sets us there it is safe.
He may raise us to great usefulness, to eminent experience, to success in service, to leadership among workers, to a father’s place among the little ones.
If He does not do this, He may set us on high by near fellowship, clear insight, holy triumph, and gracious anticipation of eternal glory.
For the non-trinitarian baptist as the same for us Christadelphians we learned from Spurgeon how to go out into the world and give enough attention onto the preaching of the Gospel.

We should feel the same as the apostle Paul who felt it a great privilege to be allowed to preach the gospel. For us it is a privilege to be long to the chosen ones, to be a child of God but also a worker for God.

The Apostle Paul did not look upon his calling as a drudgery, but he entered upon it with intense delight. Yet while Paul was thus thankful for his office, his success in it greatly humbled him. The fuller a vessel becomes, the deeper it sinks in the water.

Today we still can use many of Spurgeons teachings to inspire us and remember his works:
If you seek humility, try hard work; if you would know your nothingness, attempt some great thing for Jesus. If you would feel how utterly powerless you are apart from the living God, attempt especially the great work of proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Christ, and you will know, as you never knew before, what a weak unworthy thing you are.
Although the apostle thus knew and confessed his weakness, he was never perplexed as to the subject of his ministry. We should find an example in the apostle Paul, who always wanted to do the work for the Only One god, first as Saul, thinking the followers of Christ where worng, but than after he got more insigth given him by Christ, he became a speaker for Christ. We too should be such an ardent speaker in the name of Christ, and show the world that Jesus did not preach an other Gospel than the many prophets before him. Jesus was that fulfilment of the words of the prophets and the fulfilment of the Word of God having become into the flesh (John 1:1)

Jesus was not another one who claimed to be God. No he clearly indicated the Father was grater than him and that he could not do anything without his Father, the Only One God. We too, can not do anything without God the Father, who is in heaven. Like Jesus and the apostle Paul we should know that and be thankfull that God has drawn us near to Him and does allow us to work for HIm.

From his first sermon to his last, Paul preached Christ, and nothing but Christ. He lifted up the cross, and extolled the Son of God who bled thereon. Follow his example in all your personal efforts to spread the glad tidings of salvation, and let “Christ and Him crucified” be your ever recurring theme. . .

Only because God wanted to accept the Peace offering of Christ we can be saved for ever. By the acceptance of the Ransom we have no debts any-more and can trust the Good News of the coming Kingdom. This marvellous Good News we should proclaim all over the world, with gladness and full of grace.

If there is anyone who should be opposed to strife and bloodshed it is the man that names the name of Christ. Spurgeon considered the spirit of war to be absolutely foreign to the spirit of Christianity….
Modern conservative, fundamentalist, and evangelical Christians, all of whom might claim him as one of their own, have much to learn from Spurgeon, not only for his example of an uncompromising and successful Christian minister, but also for his consistent opposition to war and Christian war fever.--Laurence M. Vance [extended quotes and citations]
Spurgeon near the end of his life.
Spurgeon near the end of his life. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Our kingdom is not of this world; else would God’s servants fight with sword and spear. Ours is a spiritual kingdom, and the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual, and mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds.

We as Christians should bring the message of peace, which Jesus brought into the world, and should let others know the Word of God, without forcing it on them with violence but with the word of love, the arrow of the cupid. Our war should be a continuous war of bringing peacefully the message Jesus proclaimed. We should display the work of God's Word in us. We should have become transformed so much by the Word of God that we can attract others with our righteousness.

We should not hesitate and wait until tomorrow but stand up in a hurry, before the End Times will surprise many, so that more people shall recognise when Jesus will return to the earth, and find us worthy followers of him, worthy to enter the Kingdom of God.
+

Please do read also:

  1. Self-development, self-control, meditation, beliefs and spirituality
  2. Church sent into the world 
  3. If we, in our prosperity, neglect religious instruction and authority 
  4. Are Christadelphians so Old Fashioned? 
  5. Our relationship with God, Jesus and eachother 
  6. God’s design in the creation of the world 
  7. God’s reward 
  8. God’s promises 
  9. God is one 
  10. God of gods 
  11. God’s salvation 
  12. Creator and Blogger God 3 Lesson and solution
  13. Creator and Blogger God 4 Expounding voice
  14. Creator and Blogger God 5 Things to tell
  15. Statutes given unto us
  16. Bible in the first place #2/3
  17. Missional hermeneutics 1/5
  18. Missional hermeneutics 3/5
  19. Missional hermeneutics 4/5
  20. Missional hermeneutics 5/5
  21. Breathing to teach
  22. Blogging for Jesus...

+++
Enhanced by Zemanta

Wednesday 3 April 2013

Not all christians are followers of a Greco-Roman culture

On Fossilized customs some Messianic Christians take all the Christians to be followers of a Greco-Roman culture of names, terms, and festivals, all adopted intact from Pagan sources, yet adapted or mixed carefully with ideas and people from the Hebrew Scriptures.

 We do agree that the majority of Christendom has gone far away from the teachings of Jeshua or Yahush(u)a, the Nazarene who is know better known as Christ Jesus, and of his Jewish beliefs and the first apostles their beliefs. There are even Christians who do not want to recognise that Jesus was a Jew.

 Though at first the Jesus movement was a restricted Jewish cult. After the death and resurrection of Christ on Pentecost many new Jews entered the community. Later were there discussions about non-Jews wanting to join the community, if they had to become Jews and have to be circumcised or not. The apostles tried to keep to the teachings of their master rabbi Jeshua (Jesus), but soon other teachers mixed the teachings of the 'new hype' with traditional teachings of other groups or philosophies. It became so bad the apostles warned their community to be careful for the false teachers. Like any new movement it had real followers and copycats.

The Natsarim were identified as the original followers of Yahusha or Jeshua at Acts 24:5, and with all those who wanted to join the Christ movement 'The Way', were persecuted, despised, and suppressed by the early Christian "church fathers", who were quite different.

 Soon there were people who did find some interesting things in those teachings, but did not like to loose the popularity of the folks. So to keep it interesting and agreeable for everyone they did not want to go against the attitudes and traditions of the people they did want to win for them. Therefore those teachers mixed together practices and beliefs of other systems and not to go against the men in power took on lots of heathen Roman and Greek teachings. They created a system of syncretism. These heresies began through the teachings of Simon Magus, and eventually became the institution known as Roman Catholicism.
Holy Trinity by Fridolin Leiber (1853–1912)
Holy Trinity by Fridolin Leiber (1853–1912) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


With Constantine the Holy Trinity was the solution for many teachers to be able to assure their power and to create their own rich empires of a so called Christian belief. The balance of power brought several schisms, like the Eastern Orthodox Catholicism, and later the Reformation in the 16th century further fragmented the movement; but much error remained from the adherence to the early "church fathers" and their writings.

 These "church fathers" persecuted and despised the first followers of Jeshua or Yahusha, the Natsarim or the sect which was called 'The Way'. They considered the Natsarim or real followers of Christ "heretics" because they obeyed the Torah.

Throughout the ages Natsarin continued their teachings and where the witnesses came new members found truth in the Torah teachings.Disciples from the talmidim educated new teachers who continued to go out in the world to proclaim the Good News. More and more people became baptised by the different 'Christian' groups. Though the trinitarians won ground and conquered many regions, small communities tried to keep the proper teachings of the apostles clean.

When bookprinting brought the possibility to bring the Holy Scriptures in the language of the people to many, several Christians their eyes became opened when they saw what was written in those Holy books and what the Church had told them what was in Scriptures. The Church could not hide the truth any more and more people became to see and understand what was really written in the Sacred Books.

All through Europe small communities of people studying the Bible made that many movements came into existence which had their first priority to follow the teachings of the Word of God, the Holy Bible and not any more the teachings of a indoctrinating Church.

Many believers became aware what was the importance of been properly baptised and formed in the tradition of the first century Christians. Anabaptists and Baptists who worshipped only One God tried to get more people to the Word of God by witnessing all over the world. But also the Baptist movement got burdened by the American Baptist Church Unions who wanted the Trinitarian teaching their main belief. In the 80ies and 90ies of the previous century many Baptists did not want to adhere the trinitarian teachings and looked for refuge by other non-trinitarian denominations.

One of the many small groups, may be a very tiny denomination, but that does not mean they are afraid to be lost in oblivion. As brethren and sisters in Christ they keep following the teachings of the Master Rabbi Jeshua, and take the Word of God as the most important teacher of all. For them every answer can be found in the Holy Scripture and it is God who pulls people into His World. Under the guidance of the teachings of Christ and in the faith that God accepted the ransom of this Nazarene man, the Christadelphians love Jesus, love their family and love their neighbours, believing or not believing people, respecting them as part of God His Creation.

Having celebrated the death of Christ, those brethren in Christ want to share with others the Good News of the Kingdom of God and look forward with other people all over the world to the return of the resurrected son of God.

In case you want to know more of those very small communities, which can be found all over the world, and who not want to commit themselves to human traditions, but prefer to live according to the Law of God, you are welcome to contact them in your region, or if you do not know where to find them, you may contact us so that we can bring you in contact with a Christadelphian community nearby.

We advise you to take up the Bible and read the words of it like they come to you, stripped from all the denominational and doctrinal teachings, remembering that God wanted everybody to hear and understand His Word. He did not create a difficult Zigzaw puzzle too difficult for uneducated people to decipher. No Gods Word is simple and can be understood by every one, when they are willing to open their ears and eyes.

Dare to start the quest and find others who are wiling to study the Bible with you.

We are here to help you if you want.
Good luck.


In a Christadelphian community you may perhaps not find loads of people, no mega churches, no exuberant pop-songs or loud sounding modern music and pin-up girls dancing around.
In the small communities you might find loving people who are concerned about others and who are prepared to jump in for somebody else. The good works we do are not installed in media adverts or made known with a loud voice. The actions we undertake do not instantly produce large crowds, but the effect we might hope, shall lasts longer and in the end there will be coming more people. But naturally everything begins small. We are like a mustard seed, which you are able to plant in your own garden.

In our churches you probably would not see many miracles happening. But you might hear particular stories  and also hear about miracles. Miracles done all the time lose their drawing power. Do know that love done all the time increases its drawing power.

We do hope you shall come to find out that the Brethren in Christ, or Christadelphians are people who do love the truth of the Bible and feel blessed by the blessing of God which they want to share with others in love. The Christadelphian community is not concerned about figures, quantity, and  the ego, but about quality and care about others.

Please do find also to read:

  1. Bible Word of God, inspired and infallible
  2. Fear of God reason to return to Holy Scriptures
  3. Christadelphian People
Read also:

Christadelphians or Messianic Christians or Messianic Jews


+++


Enhanced by Zemanta

Wednesday 14 September 2011

Jehovah's Witnesses not only group that preach the good news

Are Jehovah's Witnesses the only group that preach the good news? If that was the case what accounts for the growth of other religions and Christianity becoming the largest religious group globally?

The Christadelphians try to let others know about the Kingdom of God. They are not with many. But Baptists have the most missionaries of any religion. In 2004 there were 7 million Baptists out side of America, 600,000 baptisms and 21,000 new churches. In 2004 Witnesses baptised only 200,000 globally. Interesting information on the significant efforts of Baptist missionaries can be viewed at internationalministries.org and namb.net. The Gideons International is placing and distributing more than 63,000,000 Scriptures worldwide.

Read more in: Are Jehovah's Witnesses the only ones that Preach?