CHRISTIAN EMANCIPATION

Essay 4 FEBRUARY 2008

ESCAPE.
Sadly I waited too many years worshiping in routine and ritual services before making changes which eventually led to revelation.

FREE CHURCHES
Reformed Churches were founded when some brave preachers rejected the rigid dogmas and rituals of Rome and offered alternatives.
Their worship is more relevant to daily life. Prayers are sincere and relevant to the real issues affecting the congregation. They are spoken and not preached or read from a service book. Thod was real.

WHY DO I GO TO CHURCH?
I expect that, like myself, many other worshipers live very busy active lives for six days a week. I go to church to recharge spiritually for my dealings with people in the next week.
I go to repent and ask forgiveness for my shortcomings and pray for strength in the future.
To join the congregation in prayer and worship.
To give thanks for many blessings.
To ask for help in meeting challenges or overcoming setbacks, both of which are inevitable in our lives.
To pray for help for those in trouble.
To, hopefully, get some inspiration from the sermon. Often they have obviously been carefully prepared and have literary merit. A sermon should carry a clear message to help the congregation in their lives from Monday to Saturday. They should be to the point.
Many of the Free church services achieve these aims.
Conclusion. This worship in Free Churches was a major breakthrough which was new, relevant and sincere.

CHRISTIAN FULFILLMENT
There are two stages in Christianity.
FIRST an independent physical person accepts the need, to obey the authority and way of life of a non-physical spiritual power, who he cannot see or comprehend. This conversion is a major change of direction from his past life.
Acquiring Faith is achieved in many ways. It may be individually from parents, friends or preachers. These same people are usually still there to help sustain and develop their new found faith.
Charismatic evangelists, such as Billy Graham or Benny Hin have called millions to believe and commit themselves to God.
These missions travel to major gatherings to spread faith. Then they move on.
SECOND Those who declare faith at evangelist missions, may have difficulty sustaining it after they leave. Their new faith requires a new direction and purpose in their lives to serve a God who is new to many of them. They declared their faith among an emotional crowd. Their intentions were sincere. Many then return to all the mundane problems at home.

Accepting the sovereignty of God is only the first step. This must lead to a completely new direction in their living with the rest of humanity. To achieve this they need a thorough knowledge of Christ’s Teaching in the Gospels. They need to find a church where help in their new life is available.

If they do not persist in finding a church that helps them in building and sustaining their new faith, they may lapse back to their old life.
After conversion, Christians need to sustain and develop their new faith. This is achieved from the ministry of preachers and fellowship with other Christians. Living as Christian is not as easy as it appears. New Christians have a great deal to learn how all Christ’s Teaching in the Gospels should guide their everyday living. Testimonies about the real help from the Holy Spirit available to ordinary Christians is a vital new dimension which they need to be made aware of.

A problem is the enormous variety of humans and what suits each individual. Our tastes vary enormously. Music, entertainment and sport are examples. It is vital for Christians to find a ministry that fulfils and sustains their faith. They can choose from many ministries which offer different forms of worship,
As in the parable of the sower, the seed of their new faith must fall on fertile soil if it is grow out and bear fruit.

NEW MINISTRIES
There has been a proliferation of new ministries. Their support comes from conscious choices of ordinary people. They differ from established churches whose support often comes from old traditions or out of habit. They survive and get support by satisfying the needs of their members.
This great variety of current forms of worship is now available on the religious channels on TV to world wide audiences.
Forms of worship, which some find difficult, may reinforce the faith of others. That is excellent.
Those, who shop around will find worship that is real to them and support their faith. It may take time, but it is essential, if their faith is to be sustained.

THE CHOICE OF MINISTRIES

FALSE PROPHETS
Jesus warned that many false prophets would arise in His name and would deceive many. Presumably false preachers are those who, in the name of God, offer aims or rewards which distract attention from the Jesus’ real Messages.
THE TRUE VALUE of the many TV Ministries depends on how they inspire listeners to live according to Christ’s Teaching. Some appear to seek other goals. Instead of loving others, they promise selfish personal rewards, salvation or protection from adversity.
SALVATIONISM Some preachers promise salvation to those who join them in declaring their faith and praising God. These may be negative self serving beliefs which are expected to secure their place in Heaven.
God is not served by adulation and formal ceremonies, but by the actions of forgiving and loving our neighbours. Jesus promised care after death to those who lived by faith in Him.
THE SECOND COMING of Jesus was foretold in Mathew’s Gospel. Also mainly in Revelations, written nearly 100 years later. It is now the cornerstone of some of these sects. They believe that His return is imminent. Their worship aims to secure their place in Heaven when it happens.
This seems to pursue personal salvation, rather than for selfless service to our fellow man, as urged by Jesus.
The destruction of the world sometime is certainly possible, given man’s power over the atom.
It has not happened yet after two thousand years. There is no reason to assume that this is certain or imminent.
What is certain is that we will all die, and we know not when. That is a reason to live each day as if it were our last
It is how we live now that is important to us and to God.
EXCLUSIVITY in some sects allege that theirs is the only way to worship and that others are misguided and excluded.
It is inconceivable that a loving Creator, having sent his Son to die for us, would then allow subsequent manmade rules and practices to exclude those who did not accept them.
EMOTIONISM is a feature of some TV services led by eloquent and emotional preachers. They condemn Satan and praise God. They also get excited, shout and sing loud gospel music. This obviously makes these congregations feel good. The only question is whether it helps them to live as Christians for the rest of the week.

SPEAKIG AND PREACHING are two different ways of conveying a message. Jesus spoke in normal tones and language to give his teachings.
I feel uncomfortable when addresses are preached in emotional stentorian tones. They assume their own authority and talk down to their listeners. Nobody else conveys their message to me like that. Some audiences clearly accept it.
SUPPLICATION is implied in a recitation in some services “we are not worthy to gather up the crumbs under thy table”. Surely this serves no useful purpose. Our Creator knows that we are weak fallible sinners. He sent his Son with the message of repentance and forgiveness for our failings.
PERSONALISING worship is natural for humans. It may make us feel good. Surely emotional proclamations of praise and glorification
serve little purpose? Our Creator is concerned with deeds not words.
DECLARATIONS OF FAITH in God are often called for. Surely anyone who gets up on a Sunday morning and goes to worship a God he has never seen, already has faith. There is no need to proclaim it. What they need is help and forgiveness in serving God.
THEOLOGY. Some ministers are naturally interested in all aspects of the Bible. One claimed to have spent 9 000 hours in this study. Many issues arise from, different interpretations of early Greek and Roman texts, to the origins of original sin. These issues are often the basis of their sermons. They do not fill the spiritual needs of busy pragmatic laymen. What they do need are the Messages from Christ’s teaching in simple parables about how to live, these are simple principles which need no scholarly interpretation.
Conclusion, The variations in worship serve the different needs of diverse people. Their value depends on how listeners love the rest of mankind after their worship. The deceptions which Jesus warned against are those additions which distract attention from His messages on how to live. They may promise material prosperity or protection to the listeners but they are distractions nevertheless.
We worship God when we pray for strength and faith, but we serve Him when follow His two commandments brought by Jesus.

CHRISTIAN LIVING
My journey came to fulfilment when I found ministries which concentrate on Christ’s simple teachings on how we should live every day. This means accepting God’s presence, purpose and help in all your waking life. This is precisely what Jesus taught. It is a long way from worshipping God merely by going to church once a week to reach God through a human preacher. It is free from the manmade additions which distracted my worship for too many years.
The leaders of these ministries share their faith and experience. They don’t preach down, to their listeners. Rather they relate the power of faith in their own and other peoples lives. They often report testimonies from people who had futility in their lives and turned to God. This is real.
Several TV programmes teach the real daily issues of Christian living. Among them:
JOYCE MYER’S Programme “Joyful Everyday Living”, to me is pre-eminent. I watch five times a week. She extols the joys of Christian living by praying and bringing God in to every aspect of life. She contrasts this with her previous worship of going to church once a week. She warns of the need to look for God’s help when times are tough.
She is a very smart, articulate and entertaining lady. She had a rough, tough and negative early life but has converted to a real positive living faith in God.
Her organisation has a staff of over 500 and publishes a monthly magazine, pamphlets, books an recorded teaching.( Weekdays at 900pm and 900am on channel 77, Sundays 8.30 am channel 78)
Joel Olsteen talks straight about real life issues. He emphasises not to dwell on past setbacks or insults, but to work with God for a better future.
He used to maintain his late father’s church. After his father’s death, he found himself in the hot seat. He was terrified but had Faith.
He now leads one of the largest churches in the USA. (Sometimes 10 am on channel 54 on Sundays. Also at 6pm on Mondays on 77.)
The Hour of Power by Dr. Robert. A. Schuller senior, he merely calls it Positive Christianity. His sermons concern real everyday living. Services are simple and joyful with a variety of great music and fun. It is a living contrast to the formal worship that I grew up with.
This church was started at a drive in cinema which was free on Sunday mornings. 50 years later it is now centred at a magnificent glass and steel Crystal Cathedral near Los Angeles.
These broadcasts started 35 years ago.
There is always Testimony, often from celebrities, which recall eventual triumph in overcoming challenges or adversity through faith. This is meaningful. (channel 77 at 6 pm. on Saturdays and at noon on Sundays channel 54)
The 700 Club reports numerous verified miracles of healing and the triumphs of those who were in trouble and then turned to God.(weekdays at 12noon on CBN)
Several others also speak sincerely about living every day in terms of God’s will and with His help. These include, Baylis Conway, Chad Everest, Greg Laurie, Ed Young, Rod Luce and others. Their styles vary but anyone seeking a teacher to sustain their faith should find some that suit them.
They are not part of any denomination. All these missions have earned support from fulfilling people’s need for how Jesus’ teaching should be applied in everyday life.


CHRISTIAN LIFE
Living by God’s purpose will have temporal rewards, in addition to his promises of His help and spiritual salvation. Those who live according to His purpose, will benefit in other ways.
STRESS is widely believed to be one cause of ill-health. Remember that prayer “Give us the strength O Lord to change the things we can change, the serenity to endure what we cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference.” That serenity, derived from faith, is the alternative to stress.
Hatred is another cause of stress which has no place in Christian life.
WHAT OTHERS THINK The opinion of others can be a major constraint on behaviour. Christians should not care about the approval of men but instead what is right to God.
Escaping this tyranny has been one of the major breakthroughs in my life. I have tried to replace what is considered socially correct, with what I believe is right. That is real freedom.
Faith can be a vital strength, in even the lowest levels of public office, to do what we believe is right, not what is popular. This is integrity.
A variation is trying to keep up with the Joneses. Too often we acquire possessions more lavish than we need, merely to impress our peers. Christians do not need to do that.

SOCIAL HARMONY. A major factor in human welfare is the ability to live in peace with each other at social or international levels. This is only possible if faith teaches respect and tolerance for those who are different. The parable of the Good Samaritan illustrated that God loves all people.
The future of mankind depends on tolerance and respect for the rest of humanity. Without the belief in God’s love, societies naturally become hostile to outsiders. There are those who hate other groups who are defined as infidels and enemies.
Tribal hatreds between ethnic groups constantly lead to civil wars, especially in Africa.(Iraq) Christianity ought to provide this tolerance.
Sadly hostility exists even between Christian churches. This is contrary to Christ’s teaching.
There will never be peace on earth until mankind learn to love or at least respect one another.

Conclusion Our Creator gave us our lives and sent Jesus to tell us how to live. It is natural to expect that this will lead to a better quality of life, in addition to the spiritual rewards He promised.

REVELATIONS
Three simple Revelations were found in the messages of these ministries.
CHRISTIAN DAILY LIVIMG. These ministries concentrate simply on Christ’s Messages applied to all aspects of daily life. They lead their listeners by speaking of the day to day issues and how faith in God should guide us in all our decisions. This was His purpose for our lives.
He is always with us as a loving caring Father to help us to live His way. Every decision in life should be guided by faith in His Messages.
Adversity and disappointments are part of life. We should not complain and ask “why me ?” Rather we should ask for help and strength for the future. Help usually comes, but not always in the way it was expected.
This reality of His constant presence in the lives of the faithful is a real recipe for Christian Living.
This has replaced the practice of going once a week to some sombre holy place for a reverent preacher to call down the help of a remote Holy Lord.

ALL MEN ARE EQUAL to God. This may sound to be obvious. However our society is stratified according to the abilities and achievements of members. Leaders emerge in all fields, such as business, politics or sport. They are admired and respected for their prowess.
Conversely those who only achieve humble positions may be regarded, and even regard themselves, as inferior.
The revelation is that they are just as important to our Creator as of any human leader.
The message is that God created us all with different talents and that He has a purpose for each of us to fulfil. We need to pray to find this purpose, and for strength to achieve it. With His help, we can each succeed to achieve His plan for us.
As one preacher said, “the janitor is just as important to God as the company chairman.”
This was new to me, but it makes sense.
We all need, and can get, help in living the Christian life, no matter how humble our station. We deal with people all the time, at work, at home and in our communities. This is where we can serve God when we love our neighbours and our enemies.
This has meaning for everyone, no matter how humble their abilities.

THE HOLY SPIRIT has been shown to play a very real part in the lives of anyone who has faith to ask for help. There have been many many testimonies of God’s help to ordinary people, who turn to Him when they have had setbacks or lost their way.
This gives relevance to the injunction “Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened to you.”
This is a central theme of some of these ministries. It is real.
It contrasts with what was meaningless singing about “three in one and one in three”, which I was brought up with.
The awesome reality is that He is available to each of us here and now. We do not need to go through any human intermediary in a holy temple to get to Him or get help from Him.

To sum up. These ministries rejoice in the blessings and pleasures in our wonderful world
These forms of worship bring the simple messages of how to live a Christian life.
God has a purpose for each one of us, and the Holy Spirit is there to help us all to achieve it. Surely this is what Christ came to teach us ?
It depends only on our own faith in God and is reinforced by God’s enlightened ministries who help us to sustain our own faith.

Conclusion Now I have found ministries who teach the real Will of Jesus for our living. My faith is now much deeper and more real. It is peaceful and simple. God has a purpose for me too and will help me to achieve it. He is my loving and forgiving Boss and friend. I have now found a new peace and fulfilment.

LIVING FAITH AT LAST
This journey has taken most of my life. I have now found dedicated and sincere preachers who actually do pray in ordinary language for strength to follow Jesus’ teachings.
This replaced the concept of a critical authoritarian power waiting to condemn sinners and worshipped by sombre manmade rituals and doctrines in formalised churches.
I Thank God for leading me here.