Modern Models of Church (Inter-Church) Unity

1. Mission-field Unity. Mission-field unity is seen where mission boards agree to divide geographic or ethnographic mission fields to work in harmony and not in competition with each other. For instance, in North-East India, Baptist and Presbyterian mission boards divided areas of operation to effectively do missions. Thus, while we have the Garo Baptist Churches, we have the Khasi-Jaintia Presbyterian Churches in Meghalaya, because while the Baptist...

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Globalization and Its Effects on the Youth

Forthcoming in Revive GLOBALIZATION has no easy definition. The term has been used variously and has come to mean various things to various people. Consequently, what it means in politics may differ from what it means in economics, and what it means in literature may differ from what it means in culture. Simply described, globalization is the easing of interconnectivity between communities, cultures, countries, currencies, commodities, concepts,...

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The Modern Local Church

There can be two different approaches to Ecclesiology; one from below, the other from above. The former is inductive and studies the phenomena of churches to decide on an answer. The latter is deductive and proceeds from principles clearly articulated in Scriptures. Here we approach ecclesiology from above.1. The Holy Spirit will not appoint two different churches in the same location; He doesn't divide, He unites. Either one of them is from God and the other not or both of them are not from God. God is not the author of confusion. 2. Structure...

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God-Centered Gospel - Zac Poonen (Excerpts)

Christians are generally speaking, categorized into two groups as follows:(1) "Roman Catholics" and "Protestants" - depending on birth;(2) "Episcopal" (conformist) and "Free church" (non-conformist) - depending on church-pattern;(3) "Born again Christians" and "Nominal Christians" - depending on an "experience";(4) "Evangelicals" and "Liberals" - depending on doctrine;(5) "Charismatics" and "Non-charismatics" - depending on "speaking in tongues";(6) "Full-time Christian workers" and "Secular workers" - depending on profession.There could be other...

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Grace Above Law

One important thing that we must remember about God's grace is that the Grace of God in Jesus Christ has not nullified the Law of God. Grace is not against God's Law. In fact, Jesus said that He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it (Matt.5:17). The commandments of Grace are tougher and more demanding than the commandments of the Law. The Bible tells us that the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came with Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Jesus ushered in the era of Grace. Not that grace was absent in the Old Testament; but that...

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Christ the Mediator Between The Believer and All Things

The mediatorship of Christ, as we saw earlier, is not only between man and God but also between man and man. He comes in between every relationship. He is the Lord of all. In Him, relationships find true meaning and purpose. He comes between parent and child, sibling and sibling, friend and friend, wife and husband and we only relate to each other through Him.The same applies to our relationship with things, treasures, situations in life, and time....

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Atheism in India

Atheism is disbelief in a personal God. It is not very popular in India, despite the various ploys of inroad it has attempted throughout history.There are various kinds of atheisms in India. Some of these are dead, as far as systems are concerned; others live in compliant modes. For instance, charvaka atheism died away as a system, but yoga, samkhya, and Vedanta took accommodative modes.The six heterodox schools (Charvaka, Jainism, and 4 schools of Buddhism) were labelled nastik or non-believing because they rejected the Vedas. However, these also...

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Civil Disobedience, Law, and Justice

CIVIL OBEDIENCE obligatorily relates to Justice. Civil obedience is mandatory when the laws are just. However, civil obedience is not mandatory when laws are unjust. In fact, civil disobedience is obligatory when laws are unjust. The officers and judges during Hitler's reign might have argued that they were obeying their laws; however, since those laws were not just; therefore, they were guilty of crimes against humanity. Similarly, we find...

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ISIS against IESOUS: Eradication of Christians in Iraq?

The UN headquarters building in Baghdad after the Canal Hotel bombing, on 22 August 2003 (Wikipedia)News ExcerptsISIS on Christians: 'There is nothing to give them but the sword'Catholic Online, August 8, 2014 (Warning: This page contains graphic images!)The Islamic State has warned Christians, possibly for the last time, saying "there is nothing to give them but the sword." Across Northern Iraq, Christians are huddled in refugee camps, trapped in...

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Happy Independence Day 2014!

India today celebrates its 68th Independence Day. Many of us weren't there when tears of joy streamed through the eyes of our fathers who witnessed the first flag hoisting of Independent India. It was a freedom they fought for and obtained with a price. Freedom became possible because a few stepped forward to voluntary sacrifice their lives so that the others will enjoy the fruits of their struggle. The Independence Struggle was not about kings fighting...

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Growing Up

1. Growing up in Grace (2Pet.3:18; Eph.1:7; 2:7; 2Cor.8:9; 2Cor.15:10; Eph.4:29; Acts 11:23)2. Growing up in Knowledge (Eph.4:15; Col.3:16; Eph.3:17)3. Growing up in Faith (Jude 20; Col.2:7; Luke 7:5)4. Growing up in Spiritual Gifts (Jn.4:10; 1Cor.12:31; 1Cor.1:7; 1Tim.4:14; 2Tim.1:6; 1Pet.4:...

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