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THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH - THE BODY OF CHRIST
"FOR YOU HAVE BEEN GRANTED THE PRIVILEGE, NOT ONLY OF BELIEVING IN CHRIST, BUT ALSO OF SHARING IN HIS SUFFERINGS"
Hi! Please let us introduce ourselves as members in fellowship with Modbury (a suburb of Adelaide, Australia) Churches of Christ. Now we hope that does not "put you off"! We are not those whom you might call "religious". Mere "religion", particularly of the fundamentalist types of all religions, has caused more tension and even wars, than any other single factor in the history of the human race. Our God does not live in "outer space", as some sort of etherial deity, far removed from the human scene with all its heartache, pain and suffering. Our Faith is based on Jesus Christ who was very much in empathy with the human scene of his day and, through his followers down through the centuries, is still concerned for the "under-dog" and those less fortunate than ourselves. We gain tremendous joy and satisfaction in our association with men and women who choose to follow him and His Way, which is the way of the Cross. It does mean that we are Christians because we are of Anglo-Saxon stock. If we could find another, of any race, who would qualify to be our Mentor, we would go for him or her. It just so happens that, apart from Jesus, we cannot find a person, in all history, with the moral fortitude and integrity so necessary to direct us along the path which leads to the most viable and satisfying qualify of life. Incidently, if anything of which we write troubles you, or is difficult to understand, please do not hesitate to email us for clarification at our email address below.
These issues are of vital concern in relation to the Church and its future role in "Missions", particularly in these days of international tensions involving "Missionaries and the Missionary Movement" - ( here's just a sample ).. Following the tragic burning to death of missionary Graham Staines and his two small sons, in Orissa, considerable discussion has arisen in relation to the activity of missionaries in India. You may like to contribute, through discussion, to "The Present Role of Missionaries in Indian Society"
WHAT IS THE CHURCH? DOES IT HAVE ANY RELEVANCE IN MODERN SOCIETY?
Our Faith (in) is not male-dominated as is much of religion in general. If we see people through the eyes of Jesus, we do not see male and female; nor do we see ethnic and cultural difference of colour, creed, customs, traditions etc.. When we allow the Spirit of Jesus to take control of our lives, which is what Faith is all about, we tend to see the similarities rather than the differences that determine, race, culture ethnicity and nationhood. Also, through Faith, there evolves a moral component in our relationship with others - all types of people - which makes us totally non-judgemental because Jesus, our Mentor, was totally non-judgemental. And it is Jesus who determines our concepts of the one we call "God". That may seem contradictory to the general concept we gain of God from the Old Testament. Strict discipline, however "justly" it may have been administered at the time and in that particular situation, was exercised by Yahweh (the name the Jews gave to God) who may even have been thought to be a Warrior God.
It was not until Jesus came that we gained a proper insight as to the real nature of God. And, of course, God was always considered to be a male when, in fact He/She is neither male nor female. Scripture informs us that in heaven there is neither male nor female, neither marriage nor giving in marriage. That raises another question - where/what is "heaven" ? Considerable misunderstanding has arisen because, in Jewish society, there was no other way of referring to God, other than as "Father". In the Hebrew language of the Jews, activity implies maleness while passivity implies femaleness. Jewish linguists and grammarians all were males! Their God, "Yahweh" was considered to be Actively Righteous / Just, Loving and Supportive and, as such, "He" had to be a male! However, in God the "Father" we also see many "Motherly" attributes. Unfortunately, male chauvinist theologians and clerics within many sections of the Christian Church, have taken advantage of this to prevent women reaching their full potential in Ministry. Happily, for many of us, our Faith has grown beyond those immature practices, such as forced marriages, slavery, corporal punishments and execution which were accepted as the norm, even in early Christian society. Sadly, in many areas within the Church today, women still are treated as inferior and subordinate to males, being deprived of their call to Christian "Ministry" in every aspect of that word. The Church, if it is to Grow spiritually, must learn to respect women just as Jesus did. The Christian Church still has a long way to go to come to fruition.
Perhaps, because the Way of Jesus is a difficult and painful path to take - the Way of the Cross - we take the easy way out and tend to etherialise, religionise, sacramentalise and symbolise those aspects of Faith which are central to our Christian worship and celebration. Take "worship" for example; generally, when we think of that word, we call to mind a religious observance which takes place, at a specific time - generally once a week - in a chapel, church building or sanctuary when, in fact, true worship is a continuous, positive activity of adoration - of mind and will , directed towards God and humankind. It is the same with "Prayer"; we are exhorted to "pray without ceasing". We have tried to express these concepts in our book on the Internet -
"AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM"
Another illustration can be seen in "baptism" which, invariably, reminds us of the watery experience by which we were initiated into the Church, when, in fact, true Baptism has nothing to do with water in which the Reality of Baptism is expressed. What we traditionally call "Baptism" is but the symbol. Unless it means being immersed with Christ in His Ministry of Caring and Suffering in the human dilemna, it has no saving efficacy. As, by Faith, we are immersed in the water, we are expressing, symbolically, our "death to self" and union (empathy) with Christ in the "Bloody Stream of Human Suffering", because it is there that we come into contact with the Saving Blood of Jesus. Our Faith is all tied up with Human Relationships.
Another aspect of our Faith about which there is much misunderstanding, a controversy which has caused much division within the Church, is the Holy Communion or what some prefer to call, The Lord's Supper, The Eucharist or the Ordinance of Breaking of Bread. It never was meant to be only a memorial to remind us of what went on way back there on Calvary, although we certainly do remember the Supreme Sacrifice Jesus paid. We need to go "Beyond the Table/Altar", for the Church has now become the"Bread" - Bread to be Broken in Service, because the Church, as the contemporary "Body of Christ" - the incarnate expression of God's "Agape" Love - is now being exercised in our bodies (in fellowship) in the same way as Jesus ministered when physically here on earth. We have tried to express these thoughts in chapter seven of our book -
THE SECRET OF LIFE
Basically, these are the concepts of Faith that empower those of us who are in fellowship with Churches of Christ. As for the "Ministry", we believe in the "Priesthood of All Believers" - men and women of any race, colour, ethnic group or social status, bound together in self-sacrificing Love and motivated by the One whom we call "The Holy Spirit" which is only another Name for that Ultimate Spiritual Source of All Life.
We believe that, as we give of ourselves, with pure motives and in a totally non-judgemental way, we draw upon that Life and "Grow in Grace, Knowledge and Wisdom". Truly, it is "More Blessed to Give than to Receive".
BASIC to the development of our Faith is a Sharing (Communion) of Christ's Ministry of CARING for others. It is as simple as all that! It's to love others - ALL People - as we love ourselves, and more
THE MISSION AND MESSAGE OF CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN THE 21st. CENTURY basically, our plea is for a return to the simple principles of the early church, free from all the religious trimmings and trappings that have hidden the Person of Jesus from our eyes.
THE CHURCH JESUS WOULD LIKE TO RESTORE the basic Biblical Principles that bind us together in FELLOWSHIP. This site is helpful to women who often are downgraded and denegraded as second-class, by a power-hungry, male-dominated section of the church. Here you will get a taste of Grace-centred New Testament Christianity and find release from ritualistic legalism.
SHARE IN OUR LOVE OF FINE MUSIC - SPECIALLY THE VIOLIN PLAYED BY ANDRE RIEU
MORE THOUGHTS ON THE PERSON OF JESUS - showing that the Life of Jesus is the perfect role-model for us today.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH - THE BODY OF CHRIST - there are some helpful devotional thoughts here.
THE SKILLICORN FAMILY WEB-SITE - check out some of the Family Values that have enabled us to stay together for over sixty years !
OUR FORUM ON LEPROSY lOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CURABLE DISEASE.
GET A TASTE OF THE INDIAN CHURCH WITH GOSPEL AUDIO MESSAGES / SONG IN ENGLISH AND HINDI
FOR ALL THINGS INDIAN, THIS SITE IS FOR YOU It has a very full directory and an Indian Search Machine.
CHECK OUT GOSHEN'S UP-TO-DATE-NEWS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH WORLD-WIDE.
"CHRISTIANITY TODAY" quite a lot of Christian resource material of the conservative variety.
OUR AUSSIE CHRISTIAN RESOURCES SITE - LOTS OF LINKS - helping you raise funds to support your Charities.
THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT AND THE PLEA FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
CLICK ON THE CHRISTIAN SEARCH NET ICON BELOW FOR LOTS OF INFORMATION
CLICK HERE TO RELAX AND ENJOY SOME CHRISTIAN MUSIC - YOU DESERVE IT
Australian Christian Links
CLICK HERE FOR A CONTINUATION OF THIS SITE
CLICK HERE TO EMAIL US
ONE OF THE CHURCH'S GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES
CARING FOR LEPROSY SUFFERERS, WIDOWS AND ORPHANS IN INDIA
INDIA - THE LAND OF OUR ADOPTION
RUTH'S DRUG AWARENESS SITE
INDEX OF ALL OUR PERSONAL WEB-SITES
Send E-Mail to: keithskilli@ozemail.com.au
Copyright © 2007 Keith Skillicorn. All Rights Reserved