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Dear Christian Believer,
Greetings and GOD Bless you in the name of Jesus Christ.
Welcome to 2007! I remember when I was in the fifth grade my teacher, Mr. Blanke wrote the number 2007 on the blackboard and then said, "In the year 2007 this class will be eligible to draw Social Security benefits from our government. Then went on the explain our Social Security system, and how we would all pay into it for the next fifty-four years. I remember thinking, that is way too far for me to think about. Yet here it is 2007. I believe that's the way Christians sometime think of the "hope," of Christ's return for his saints. It seems far off and distant, yet one day it s?all be here just as 2007 came. We have a space of time to live, a time to have an impact as the commissioned of Christ. Everyone of our lives are important to GOD and to others. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave gave every believer a mission. We are to. "... Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:13); "Go ye therefore, and teach (disciple) the nations..." (Matthew 28:!9a). Acts 1:8 says we are to be witnesses of Christ to the uttermost parts of the world.
Christian Family Fellowship Ministry has always sold on church in the home. What better way to live the Word of GOD than for it to live within the home and families. What better place to preach the gospel, what better place to teach and make disciples of the people in your family, in the neighborhoods, and communities. And what better place to minister healing and deliverance. The bigger church meetings also have their place, but many become showplaces with big productions to attract people to come and join their church do "it" can become bigger and bigger. Bigger buildings, bigger productions, bigger TV programs, and bigger church memberships. In the Mega churches, many members can get lost in the multitude, people come to be fed and fed and fed. But when and where do they get to contribute, other than the collection box. Recently I received s magazine REV! published by Reviving Up Ministry. There was an interesting article in Rev! called, "When Is a Church Really a Church?" written by Bill Easum. In his opening paragraph Easum writes; "A growing conversation is happening today between those Christian leaders who believe the church should be totally incarnational, and those who believe it's fine for the church to be attractional." What is incarnational and attractional? The attractional church evangelizes by attracting people to it's institution of worship. The incarnational church is missional in that it sends people out to spread the seeds of Christianity , (to spread the gospel of Christ, to disciple people to Christ, to the way of Christ). Another way of stating it is, one brings people to the church, while the other brings the church to the people. We love it when new people are brought to the church on Sunday, but we are even more blessed to know they are going to a home fellowship (church) and are having the opportunity to grow and contribute in the home church. Then when they come to the bigger meetings, they can add to the fellowship by their excitement for the Word and willingness to inspire others to rise up to the calling of Christ. Another observation Easum makes is that, The New Testament church prior to Constantine 325AD was nothing like what we see today. Western Christianity is nowhere near what Jesus had in mind when he sent his disciples into the world. Jesus took church to the people. He churched at a well with one person, he met at the seashore, the plains, in the mountains, and in houses. After the ascension, and The Day of Pentecost, the first century church started in the temple, and quickly moved to the houses, the homes. They followed the example of Jesus Christ and went to the people, and out of their homes, ministries were developed, and they worked and believed together with one accord, and with one mind they reached the world of their day and time with GOD'S Word. Through the power of GOD and HIS Word, and by manifesting GOD'S gift of holy spirit, they were doing the mission Christ gave to them and to us all. It declares in Acts 19:20; "So mightily grew the Word and prevailed." I'm blessed to know that other Christian believers and leadership have been awakened to the truth regarding the mission of the Church of he Body. 2007 is another year for us to work the mission we've been given. Let's work together as if Christ's return was coming today.
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