“Are you a confident Christian?” Islamist leader inquires
Posted by D Anderson in apologetics, christianity, evangelism, worldview on February 18th, 2012
UK Government Minister Slams ‘Militant Secularism’
LONDON (AP) — When it comes to religion, British politicians tend to heed the famous advice of Tony Blair’s spin doctor, Alastair Campbell — “We don’t do God.” In contrast to the United States, the deity is rarely invoked on the campaign trail or in political speeches.
But a Muslim Cabinet minister has become the latest member of Prime Minister David Cameron’s government to urge the country to embrace its Christian heritage. Sayeeda Warsi also said that “militant” secularism poses a threat to Europe, a comment that has angered atheists and highlighted the divisive political potential of religion.
Her views will strike a chord with some religious Britons who feel threatened by growing secularization and by recent anti-discrimination cases, including one that saw Christian hoteliers fined for refusing to allow a gay couple to stay in a double room.
In an article published Tuesday in the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Warsi urged Europe “to become more confident in its Christianity.”
“You cannot and should not extract (the) Christian foundations from the evolution of our nations any more than you can or should erase the spires from our landscapes,” she wrote.
“My fear today is that a militant secularization is taking hold of our societies,” she added, accusing some atheists of having the same intolerant instincts as authoritarian regimes.
Warsi, a prominent member of Cameron’s Conservative Party, is leading a delegation of British government ministers to the Vatican, where they are due to meet Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday.
In a speech in Rome, Warsi said that “too often there is a suspicion of faith in our continent.” She said in Britain religion has been “sidelined, marginalized and downgraded” and “faith is looked down on as the hobby of ‘oddities, foreigners and minorities.’”
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=146853587
It’s Been Bad Before, Y’all
Posted by D Anderson in christianity, church, last days on November 27th, 2011
It’s been really bad before, y’all. Going way back hundreds of years prior to the days of Jesus:
Jeremiah 2:8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit
And even after Jesus and the apostles showed us the true way:
Revelation 2:1-5 To the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know your works, and your labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hasve found them liars: And have borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against you, because you have left your first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove your candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Brothers and sisters, let us not be weary in well doing. Rather, let us exalt and obey our King in everything.
The darker the hour, the brighter the Light shines.
Traditions Can Be Good or Evil
Posted by D Anderson in christianity, church, house church on November 20th, 2011
Church traditions are often lumped together and denounced. I don’t think it’s quite that simple. Paul, in fact, wrote in favor of keeping certain traditions:
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. 2 Thess. 3:6
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 2 Thess. 2:15
So, we must ask: Are these merely traditions of men, traditions of the elders, or did they originate with the Almighty? If the latter, we need not fear them but rather enjoy them to His glory.
For a small fee…
Posted by D Anderson in church, church planting, house church on November 20th, 2011
You, yes you, for a small fee can franchise a house church network…
If the mega-church is a failed model, then what is a better option? Recently the house church network (not affiliated with housechurch.org, thank you) has become the new solution. Small groups trained on discipleship which are loosely connected into a church network are cropping up all over America. Ministries like the British company 3DM will virtually franchise you a house church network for around $10,000. Boasting high success rates, coaching, and curriculum, 3DM will teach you everything you need to know about how to start your own house church network. However, undergirding the house church movement are the very same assumptions which fund the mega-church model — only this time it isn’t Applebees, but the boutique restaurant which they are peddling. The house church network is the boutique mega-church model.
http://huffingtonpost.com/tim-suttle/the-failure-of-the-megachurch_b_954482.html
A Londoner Laments
Posted by D Anderson in christianity, evangelism, house church, worldview on November 17th, 2011
One in three young people in England have become heavy drinkers. Surely this fact factors into the recent riots across the United Kingdom.
Just how do we reach these? Surely we can pray. Surely we can support those who are holding up Christ among them already. And just who might that be, btw? Any contacts known to you? Might alternative churches have a role where the institutional churches are so mired down?
The problems among American youth are just as serious, we freely acknowledge.
A commentator writes on the site of a major UK newspaper:
It’s not just Labour’s relaxed attitude to alcohol that is the problem, it is the entire culture that Labour creates: a lack of responsibility, a lack of morality, a lack of dignity, a lack of discipline and a lack of reality. The fact is there must be a lot of miserable people inhabiting this country to create so many alcoholics. Where is pride and respect? How awful to lead a country into this mire… we used to be so proud. People used to have manners, they used to have loyalty, they used to have values – they used to feel shame when they behaved badly. This shows a sad deterioration of society and the individual; a sense of loss and a growing feeling of self-loathing. An unhappy country. How can we get people to acknowledge and recognise that this isn’t what they want? How can we bring them back to be the wonderful, happy, caring and loving individuals they should be? How can we rekindle that sense of self-worth and motivate them to act responsibly and kindly?
- Ollie, London, UK, 23/10/2006 15:41
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23371748-only-irish-women-binge-drink-more-than-the-english.do
Destiny of Those Who Reject the Rescuer
Posted by D Anderson in church, emergent church, theology on November 17th, 2011
On the cover of a recent edition of Time magazine the following words were emblazoned: What if there’s no Hell? The truth be told, most Christians no longer believe in a literal hell. Some surveys put the ratio at 4 to 1. And no, I do not regard all those who reject a literal hell as not Christians but I just seriously disagree…
As for those who have never heard, I am confident that the holy and loving God Who Really Is will deal with them fairly.
But instead of writing endless articles and books against the the eternal destination of the lost why not use that same effort to direct these to Jesus Christ, the Savior?
If a place of torment is what we Christians were actually delivered from, how thankful and motivated we should be!
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; 2 Cor. 5:11.
China – Not Your Daddy’s House Church
Posted by D Anderson in christianity, church planting, persecuted church on November 17th, 2011
Is it not fascinating to see what now passes for a “house church” according to this short CNN video?
Such a thing doesn’t disturb me though as I am not of the “house church only” school of thought.
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism. The one Lord is more interested in hearts than in locations, I do believe.
Can you believe that I once lived in the same town as Franklin Graham? But I don’t remember much about Montreat as we moved from Western NC when I was about 3 years old.
Large Churches Looking to Small Groups
Posted by D Anderson in church, church planting, ecclesiology, house church on November 17th, 2011
Traditional churches have taken note of the growing desire for more simple ways to worship.
“Every large church I know is looking for ways to get small, to provide intimacy that may be missing,” says Kevin DeYoung, senior pastor at the 500-member University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Mich., and co-author of Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion.
Many of these small groups are actually called house churches, btw. I have a feeling that as much small grouping is happening among them as us. And yes, I may be wrong. God knows.
Regardless of the name, number, or terminology, let every man, woman, and child in every place join in prayer and in praise to the name of our Lord Jesus, the Christ.
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