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WHO IS JESUS ?
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In the "Web Ring" above, visit Disciples of Christ and other Churches who supported us
during our 31 years of service in India and Bangladesh -
ENJOY AND SCROLL DOWN.
GLOBAL MISSION PARTNERS - CHURCHES OF CHRIST AUSTRALIA
PLEASE VISIT OUR HOME CHURCH AT MODBURY (ADELAIDE) AUSTRALIA.
START YOUR DAY WITH JESUS -
SHARE IN DEVOTIONS
HERE
THE GOSPEL IS SO SIMPLE - EVEN A CHILD CAN UNDERSTAND - LOVE (VIDEO)
CHRISTIAN WORLD NEWS BY VIDEO - YES, JESUS IS ALIVE
"THE LEPROSY MISSION THROUGH WHICH WE WORKED IN INDIA AND BANGLADESH -
A GREAT AVENUE FOR SERVICE.
THE "HOLY" KORAN / HADITH IS THE MODUS OPERANDI OF TERRORISTS - VIEW THIS VIDEO
CHECK OUT "THE AUSTRALIAN CHRISTIAN" - OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF
CHURCHES OF CHRIST
IN AUSTRALIA
VIDEO - ISLAM - COMING SOON TO EUROPE - BE PREPARED
THE "RESTORATION MOVEMENT",
as conceived by Thomas and Alexander Campbell, expressed in the scholarly and thought provoking document
"DECLARATION AND ADDRESS",
and championed by Barton Stone and others desirous of Christian Unity, still has relevance.
We believe that, subject to a few modifications, our "Plea" still has a very valid Message for the churches because there is more that unites us than divides. At this site, we shall try to keep you posted with info. on the "Restoration Movement within the Restoration Movement"(new site) !!
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE AUSTRALIAN RESTORATION MOVEMENT SITE WITH LOTS OF RESEARCH MATERIAL
RESTORATION MOVEMENT TEXTS
ISLAM'S PLAN FOR TOTAL WORLD CONQUEST IN THE NAME OF IMAGINARY ALLAH - DOES THE CHURCH HAVE THE SPIRITUAL RESOURCES
TO FACE THIS CHALLENGE ?
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE WEB-SITE OF WORLD CONVENTION OF
CHRISTIAN CHURCHES / DISCIPLES OF CHRIST / CHURCHES OF CHRIST FAMILY
"FREEDOM'S RING"
Cecil Hook, in "Freedom's Ring", is a real mediator with a passion to achieve reconciliation between the various factions that have sprung out of "THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT" . Paradoxically, while the Movement was intended to achieve One-ness in Christ, in actual fact, because of a misunderstanding of the "Plea", or an imbalanced emphasis on certain doctrinal concepts emphasised in "Declaration and Address", there exists today a division within Churches of Christ / Disciples of Christ/ Christian Churches that causes nothing but pain and anguish to the heart of God. It is hoped that through those like Cecil Hook and others, who still cherish the Principles that called us into being, as a separate "fellowship" ( the Movement did not seek to form another "denomination") Real Unity may be achieved in the Body of Christ. It may seem strange to say it, but I firmly believe that both extreme groups - the "liberals" and the "conservatives" - need each other - desperately - because the emphases they make are complimentary, and Ruth and I try to make this clear in Chapter 16 of our book:-
"AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM".
THE MINISTRY :- Yes, the Principles of the "Restoration Movement", as first propounded by Thomas / Alexander Campbell, Barton Stone etc. and now championed by Churches of Christ / Disciples of Christ / Christian Churches, with their "Plea" for Christian Unity, based on a return to New Testament principles, is still valid, BUT, there needs to be a upgrading
We have maintained that the Ministry is that of Christ himself and we humans called "Ministers" constitute the WHOLE Body of Believers - the Body of Christ. This contemporary Body - the Church - is the embodiment of the very same Christ (Col. 1:27) who, 2000 years ago, dwelt in the physical body of Jesus of Nazareth. In his present embodiment, he is called "The Holy Spirit" and is still performing (Col. 1:24) the very same Ministry as he did when here physically on earth. . The only difference between the ancient Jesus and the present Head of the Church is that he has a different Body (2 Cor.4: 10) , comprising every brother and sister who has taken the Life of Jesus Christ into his / her heart, through what is called "Faith", or a total commitment to the way Jesus lived in human relationships.
"Ministers" were once thought to be only those who had graduated from a theological college, and, for sure, it can be a great help to know the Scriptures theologically BUT, that does not mean to say that a "Reverend" , even one with a D.D., knows any more about the Person of Jesus in an intimate experience, than does the most humble Believer (1 Cor.1: 27) who has not had the opportunity of a academic education. There is a "Knowledge" (Philippians 3: 10) that far exceeds all that we may learn from books. It is a "knowledge" - gained in human relationships when we apply the principles of Jesus to the interactions we have with others. It is a spirit of wisdom and revelation that far surpasses academic understanding. It is the attainment of the very Secret to Life Itself.
In Christ, there is neither Greek nor Jew (no racial differences), bond nor free (no difference in social status), male nor female (no gender / sexual differences) . In Churches of Christ / Disciples, we have advocated the "Priesthood of ALL believers", BUT, in some of our churches there are still those who denigrate women, excluding them from the Ministry to which they have been Called by the Lord. We need to rid ourselves of any such gender prejudice which is never manifest in the way Jesus related to women.
At the time I am writing this, Colonel Eileen Collins, Commander of NASA's "Columbia" space-craft, has just successfully placed in orbit a huge X-Ray telescope to probe "Black-Holes" etc. in outer space. There was a time when a woman was not allowed to drive even a bus! And there still are male-dominated churches who say that a woman cannot exercise a full Ministry, simply because she is a woman ! Let us no longer dishonour God by maintaining such chauvinistic prejudices.
To see a good study of "Women in the Early Church" and to understand what should be the church's attitude towards women in Ministry / Eldership / Leadership today, please go back to the earlier part of this site where you see "how males have dominated even the Church. Click on this to gain a fresh insight into what should be our attitude towards women today, particularly within the fellowship, of the church. The following URL, on the next line, and referring to "Think-Tank", is also worth accessing in this regard. At that site please feel free to raise questions and / or express your points of view that all of us may benefit. There is a "feed-back" button on which you may click. Yes, Churches of Christ / Disciples of Christ STILL have a valid "Plea", BUT we need to improve upon our concept of "Ministry" by considering women as Jesus did and still does.
To give you an idea of the diversity of theological thought that exists within churches associated with the Restoration Movement, you may like to access the following sites :-
WOMEN
COMMUNION :- One of the Church's disunity problems which resulted in the formation of "The Restoration Movement" arose from a dispute concerning the frequency of celebration of the "Holy Communion" or "Lord's Supper". Some churches observed the sacrament / ordinance bi-weekly, others monthly, and a few, like Anglicans / Catholics - weekly. There also were those, like the Salvation Army, who preferred not to observe the ordinance because alcoholic wine, being a drug, caused many a church member to stumble. In those days, non-alcoholic wines were difficult to obtain. How to unite so many divergent views? The pioneers of the Restoration Movement suggested that a weekly celebration would be acceptable to all because that was the practice / frequency in the first century church. They met on the first day of the week to Break Bread. However, although all the various groups associated with our Movement now practice a weekly celebration of the Lord's Supper, there still is no Unity with real spiritual conviction.
I believe that it is not enough to have the weekly celebration, using non-alcoholic wine, presided over by a priesthood of ALL Believers, including females. We need to go BEYOND the Table. It is all a matter of emphasis. We need to stress that the Bread not only symbolises the broken body of Jesus of Nazareth, but also the brokenness (in Service) of the Lord's contemporary Body - the Church. Our Faith has a moral and social component. It is intensely practical. "Worship" is not just a matter of meeting on a Sunday to sing hymns and perform religious rituals. That is all part of the symbolical aspect of worship and serves the necessary purpose of bringing worshippers together in closer fellowship. Evangelical fundamentalists tend to place less emphasis on the ethical, practical and social aspects of our Faith and more on the etherial "preaching" of the Word, remembering and expounding what took place on Calvary nearly 2000 years ago. Those who lean more towards the Catholic tradition, through the "Sacrament" and "Mass", see Christ, in some mystical sort of way, continuing his own sacrificial ministry in the "Eucharist." Those specially "ordained" (mostly males) to perform such "priestly ministries" are thought to be specially gifted by God , with sacramental powers able to transmit a unique blessing among the Believers. What I am advocating is that, in the Broken Bread and Poured-Out Juice, we may symbolically see not only the Christ of ancient times offering himself in service, but also the present Body of Christ - the Church, CONTINUING that same Ministry initiated by Christ when here on earth. (Colossians 1:24 ) The Christian is privileged not only to "believe" in Christ, but also to SHARE (in service) in his sufferings (Philippians 1:29) which is what the "Communion" (Koinonia - sharing) is all about.
Particularly those of evangelical persuasion, believe that, back on Calvary, Christ endured 100% of his sacrificial sufferings, as it were, and their part in Ministry is to tell stories of what went on back there on Calvary 2000 years ago. However, Fellowship / Sharing (symbolised in the Lord's Supper) in his sufferings means that Christ is STILL suffering today - in his contemporary Body, the Church and we are privileged, in our own Body - the Church - to help him "fill-up that which is behind of his sufferings"(see King James Version) - help him make up the 100% - which are STILL to be endured. (Colossians 1:24) . Ruth and I try to express this truth with more clarity in our book's Chapter 7 - "The Secret of Life". Click on this URL and ENJOY.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD TO YOUR DESKTOP - "AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM" - FOR FREE
- our online book covering 31 exciting years in India and Bangladesh .
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