The head of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches called on the North American Christian family to “engage in some house cleaning” as divisions within the Church and lack of collaboration for God’s mission continue to plague the Body of Christ.
WARC general secretary Setri Nyomi said that when Reformed churches heal divisions in their own families and commit themselves to engage in mission in unity with other Christians, they are fulfilling an essential Reformed call.
"It is a shame that there are so many divisions within the Christian family - especially within the Reformed family,” he added in a presentation Friday marking the 150th anniversary of the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) in North America. “This shameful tendency calls us as Reformed Christians to engage in some house cleaning within our own family."
The Dutch Reformed churches in the Netherlands, where the CRC traces its roots to, have a long history of mergers and schisms, and the CRC has not escaped these. The CRC split from the Reformed Church in America in an 1857 Secession, which was in part the result of a theological dispute that originated in the Netherlands. Some other denominations later merged with the CRC, most notably the True Protestant Dutch Reformed Church in 1890. Other churches later split from the CRC, including the Protestant Reformed Church in the mid 1920s, the Orthodox Christian Reformed Church in 1988, and the United Reformed Churches in North America in 1996.
Today, the CRC is a denomination that has about 300,000 members in 1,000 congregations across the United States and Canada.
In his presentation Friday, Nyomi reminded delegates from the United States and Canada attending the Sesquicentennial Conference that churches around the world are called to engage in God's mission – together. They are called to work for the transformation of the world – together.
"Our vocation includes mission and making a difference in the world. The Church is therefore called upon to bring the good news to all in our own communities as well as in lands beyond our communities," Nyomi said, according to WARC’s communications office.
And part of that mission is clearly being fulfilled.
"In many parts of the world Reformed churches are at the heart of health care delivery, education, advocacy for justice, peace, good governance and eradication of poverty. We understand these to be part of our calling,” the WARC general secretary noted.
However, Nyomi said there is today a “blind spot” in the Church’s mission engagement – that is “how we do mission in disunited ways.”
“There are countries in which there may be five or six Reformed churches which are not collaborating. This is not a good witness," he said.
Meanwhile churches with more resources are able to control the way mission partnership is undertaken and there are cases where host and immigrant churches are not working together. A true sense of partnership needs to be developed, the WARC leader added.
After congratulating the church on marking 150 years of mission and ministry, Nyomi reminded delegates of their calling to be “prophetic in advocacy, challenging the forces of evil and death and speaking in places where the victims of oppression, injustice and suffering do not have a voice or presence.”
Reformed faith at its core means being critics of structures in church and society which contradict the life-giving message of Jesus Christ, he added.
"It is part of the Reformed ethos to be agents of transformation in this way - reforming, criticizing and changing whatever contradicts the fullness of life for which Jesus came," Nyomi said.
"After all, we are the ones who from the 16th century have held that we are 'ecclesia reformata sed semper reformanda.' As the Reformed church, we continue to be reforming."
Over the course of three days, CRC held its 150th anniversary conference on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. The denominational event, which concluded Saturday, featured both plenary and break-out group presentations on various aspects of the historical heritage of the CRC and the challenges of the present and future of the denomination’s ministry.
RSS
Why would you want to go into the mission field to give the heathen the “Christian” gospel when you cannot express the basic concept of “Christian” salvation? World missionary outreach should be abandoned until you can determine how a man is saved. You have nothing to offer these people but your own confusion. Here’s a quiz with one question:
The way for man to be made “right” with God is:
A. Be a nice person.
B. Turn from sin and make Jesus the Lord of his life.
C. Seek atonement by the divine lineage of Joseph Smith.
D. God has already predestined who will (and won’t) be saved.
E. God loves everybody so nothing is required of him.
F. Attain atonement by a blessing from the priest.
G. Rely entirely upon Jesus’ sacrifice and righteousness.
H. Assure his “good” deeds outnumber his “bad” deeds.
F. There is no trinity so he must appease “Jesus only.”
G. Keep the law of Moses.
H. Keep only some of the law of Moses. (water baptism, tithe and repent often)
I. Keep the law of Moses omitting all but the 10 Commandments.
J. Ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit (he will begin speaking in an “unknown” language).
K. Pray to the saints to intercede for him to be accepted by God.
L. Ask for forgiveness, be water baptized and sealed by the Holy Spirit.
M. Ask for forgiveness, be water baptized and strive earnestly to live the “Christian Life” that he doesn’t fall from grace.
N. Ask for forgiveness, be water baptized and strive earnestly to live the “Christian Life” seeking that he might receive the “2nd Work of Grace to become perfect.
O. Pray the “Prayer of Faith” that whatsoever he asks in the name of Jesus be granted.
P. Follow his conscience and attend church regularly.
Q. Follow his conscience and express remorse for any transgressions.
R. Find a professional “holy man” to guide him into righteousness with God.
S. Come forward at a Billy Graham (or similar) crusade and receive prayer.
T. Express remorse and ask Jesus to come into his heart.
U. Work out his salvation with God by making a “deal” that is mutually acceptable.
V. Follow his conscience, do good deeds and hope that it was enough in the end.
W. Attend church on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas and don’t kill anybody.
X. Attend “church” by placing hands on his TV and asking to be blessed.
Y. Ask at least 3 “Christians” to lay hands on him and ask God to receive him.
Z. (He can place his own salvation requirements here _______________)
Instructions: Pick one (or any combination) of the requirements listed above.
Now, just enjoy peace, knowing God is satisfied with your selection and will honor it.
What could be simpler?
Seriously speaking, God isn’t so lenient as the “Christian” preachers. He has a specific requirement and He tells us the way is narrow. Few will find it. You cannot rely on the “professional holy men” to give you guidance because their motivation is power, numbers, money and prestige.
Less Christians, More Disciples - Article
http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewarticle.asp?AuthorID=44353&id=28964
-Pete
Grasso for President Committee
Restoring FAITH in America
http://www.GrassoForPresident.com
The real problem is that we need less "Christians" and more "Disciples" who are willing to "Deny themselves, pick up the cross, and follow after Jesus". Today we have too many who are willing to follow after Jesus without turning from their sin. Hence, the church is compromised by Apostate teachings and secular views that are contrary to the teachings of Jesus.
Ephesians 5:11 “Have nothing to do with the doers of iniquity but rather EXPOSE them”.
It is time for a change and I could use your help. Volunteer today to be part of the solution at: http://www.GrassoForPresident.com
-Pete
Grasso for President Committee
Restoring FAITH in America