News from The Kingdom

Pra. Dayse, a friend from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, asked me what my point of view about Christiany today, mostly Christianity in the Great Brittany is. It is a difficul subject. The way I see the Christianity today is a bit controversial. As I see it, British Christianity is well on its way to becoming a minority religion. Several years ago it was reported that more people attended mosques weekly than attended the Church of England, showing that Muslims had already overtaken Anglicans in attendance. Soon, it appears, they will overtake all churchgoers. (more…)

The central Church activities that are most emphasized and consume the most time and resources to make happen and tend to become the “thing” church participants focus on as to what church is about and a paradigm for many church participants.

For a lot of churches, that focus is the weekend worship service(s). That focus, for some, is a matter of theology. Certain activities and meetings, particularly the weekend worship, is viewed as essential to our connection with God. For others, if not essential, specific meetings and activities are at least a long and strong tradition and heritage. (more…)

We understand that it is the right of every child to have a happy and stable home environment, and the freedom and support to grow up to be the person God intended. In 1989, the United Nations General Assembly recognized the fundamental importance of children by voting the “Convention on the Rights of the Child.” In harmony with many of these lofty principles, and considering the value Jesus placed on children when He said, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt 19:14) (more…)

Traditional Church leaders have tried to find ways of convincing themselves and their flocks that Christians are not required observing the Sabbath and holy days. “Feasts and the worship day are not important,” I’ve heard yesterday from someone who spends a considerable part of his days on studying the Bible: “it is nailled on the cross!”. One of their favourite scriptural targets in this quest is Colossians 2:16-17. Some teach that a heretical group of “Judaizers” in the Colossian church was trying to enforce obedience to Jewish practices such as the laws of clean and unclean meats and of observing the holy days, “just as the Theocratics are traying to do today”. (more…)

koinonia, according to the  New Testament, assumes and requires face-to-face communication. Three things marked New Testament Christian community: It was centered in Jesus Christ (believers met together as Jesus’ followers, constituting his body); this fellowship was a gift of the Holy Spirit; and the community was missional. That is, the New Testament community was directed toward a purpose outside itself—actually being a living witness to Christ and the gospel’s power in the world. (more…)