Inauguration Thoughts

I was recently led to start reading the book of Samuel. Unexpectedly I stumbled on scriptures that informed my thoughts about Friday’s Presidential Inauguration.

I should explain that this was part of my regular reading plan, not a deliberate policy. It happened, as they say, by chance.

I had come to the end of the book of Acts and intended to start Luke’s Gospel again, but in the meanwhile I came upon a verse in Samuel and then thought “why don’t I start Samuel instead?”

That was a week or so ago. All of this is to say, I believe I was led to read Samuel because the Presidential Inauguration was coming up on Friday this week (20th January).

What Is The Biblical Church?

We are bible-believers who value above all the instruction of the Lord – right? We reject the ways of the world and use the bible to find out about everything that pertains to our faith and behaviour – right? So, isn’t it rather astounding that in the most basic instruction of all, we completely ignore what the bible says?

I’m talking about Church. There IS a biblical church blueprint, but for the most part we Christians have built something else. In many cases Christians do not even perceive there could be another way! In this brief article I am going to look at some common practises and examine them in light of the bible. They include:

• Leadership
• Ordination and Priests
• Ceremonies and Buildings
• Immaturity and Dependence
• Worship
• Spiritual Gifts and Ministries
• Discipline and Abuses

Please click HERE to continue reading about the ways our churches have missed the mark, and what to do about it.

Christ’s Church Shaken??

Like everybody else, I’m shocked by the events in Christchurch New Zealand. Maybe I should just put it down to random disasters, having no spiritual significance, but somehow I cannot. New Zealand and also Australia seem to be suffering one disaster after another – can we forget the 29 miners who died underground in November last year? [Yet in Chile, 33 were rescued after a long battle to reach them.] This photo of the landmark Christchurch Cathedral in ruins seems to say something to us all – but exactly what?

Many have pointed out the coincidence of the city’s name: Christchurch. Is God finally saying “enough!”  to the goings-on inside many charismatic, pentecostal AND episcopalian churches? I know nothing about the condition of the churches of New Zealand, but I find it hard to believe they are in the right place with God. After all, Christchurch was shaken by an even larger earthquake in September 2010 but nobody was killed and the church buildings survived. Afterwards, Andrew Strom’s ministry tried to organise a public thanksgiving there with worship and praise to God for his mercy but despite the encouragement and support of the local councils, radio stations  and other secular bodies, the churches flatly refused to cooperate.