NAIROBI, Kenya – Representatives of worldwide evangelical and ecumenical movements have gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, this week to pave the way for closer collaboration.
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(Photo: WCC / Juan Michel)The Nairobi Girls Chorale help the Global Christian Forum to kick off in an atmosphere of joyful celebration.
The Global Christian Forum has brought together international Christian leaders from a broad spectrum of denominations and traditions, including Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, International Director of the World Evangelical Alliance, and the Rev. Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC).
On Wednesday, the two leaders agreed that there was a need to continue the forum process, which provides an open space for serious dialogue and conversation around issues of global Christianity.
This open space also provides the opportunity to create greater understanding, dispel stereotypes and to provide an understanding of areas of common concern, they acknowledged.
“I’m delighted that many of our evangelical leaders from around the world are participating in this global forum,” said Tunnicliffe, whose alliance represents more than 420 million evangelical Christians worldwide. “We believe that this new neutral table is providing an unprecedented opportunity for us to engage with the broader church that will promote greater understanding as well as a commitment to religious liberty.”
Kobia, meanwhile, hailed the gathering of so many different Christian traditions at the forum as “unprecedented.”
“The future is very promising,” he said.
The ecumenical leader welcomed the presence of Pentecostals and Evangelicals at the forum, saying that it had helped to overcome some of the prejudices that existed among them, and although he appealed to both to “clarify where they are on issues of social engagement,” he welcomed their growing involvement with such issues.
Joint social engagement in climate change and poverty offered Pentecostals, Evangelicals and ecumenical bodies like the WCC the opportunity to overcome the “scandal” of disunity by increasing mutual understanding through closer collaboration, he added.
“As we continue now to understand each other, we will achieve greater trust and confidence to the extent that we can make a statement on how Christians view an issue like climate change, for example,” Kobia told U.K.- based Christian Today.
“That would be very powerful if we were to speak together as Christians and use the Bible and our traditions as the basis on which we address certain issues. That would be tremendous.”
At an informal fringe meeting, Evangelicals at the GCF raised concerns about issues of language, particularly the use of the term “mission,” but remained largely positive about the prospects for ever closer unity within the global body of Christ.
Katei Kirby, head of the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance in the United Kingdom, spoke of a “genuineness of wanting to reach God together,” while Godfrey Yogarajah of the Evangelical Fellowship of Asia said it was necessary for evangelicals and ecumenicists to tackle the “real issues of what still divides us.”
“Otherwise our relationships will just remain superficial,” he said.
Tunnicliffe concluded: “This forum couldn’t have happened 25 years ago, so we have made progress. The fact that Evangelicals are being treated as equals signals a new day.”
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say this as tactfully, and as lovingly as I can to all who side with Rick Warren in this ecumenical drive to unite the worlds religeons. Be warned, for this is what the Bible says: God is gracious and merciful, and will forgive those who turn to Him thru Jesus Christ with a repentant heart, and choose to fllow Him. However, He is the Righteous God, and He will judge those who deliberately turned their backs on Him and His Son - Jesus Christ because of their obstinate rebellion and continual rejection of His Son. Read the Bible in context, and then comment on it. We cannot, and should not have felowship with those who claim to be Christians yet don't obey His Word, and HIs Salvation Message. The post modern liberal Emergent church, and it's seeker sensitive counterparts want people to believe that if we all save the environment, and save the whales, the events of the Book of Revelation will not happen, and we can actually prevent it from happening. This similar social gospel which claims that we should make the world a better place, and usher in peace prior to Jesus' second coming, as well as unite with all people of faiths has been adopted by Rick Warren, and has caused whole splits in the Southern Baptist Convention, because he has gone down the Purpose Driven P.E.A.C.E Plan agenda, which by the way is a false doctrine my friends. These movements which align themselves with Bono from U2 and the whole COEXIST crowd have more in common with humanism, one world religeon, and the new age than what the Bible says will transpire. The problem today is that we have so many "Bible teachers" who are more motivational speakers than true shepherd's of the flock of God. No wonder the Body of Christ is split. The Bible talks of a great falling away in the end times. Men will naturally gravitate towards what their "itching ears" want to hear. What more itching do you need than what you hear on TBN, and the like: "find success", "you are the controller of your own destiny" "God will prosper you if you just have faith [and send me your money]". They take Scripture out of context to suit their own desires, and fleece the flock of God for their own matierial gain. OPEN YOUR EYES and STUDY the WORD IN CONTEXT; for Christ will return soon.
According to scripture the true church is the body of believers. Col. 2:10-13 tells us that Jesus is bringing many sons to glory, as He is the captain of our salvation through his sufferings. He is the Sanctifier and we are the sanctified; we are all one through Him. Christ declares all believers (and receivers of Himself) brothers and saints in the body of the true church.
But those believers must follow the Word of God and not deviate from God's teachings. If a "church's" instructions stray from God's doctrine even a little, then it is false teaching and not to be tolerated.
Actually there should be only ONE church. Sectarianism is of the flesh/ carnal says St. Paul in 1Cor. 3:1-4. The 4 marks of the church are: ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC and APOSTOLIC.
This was true until 1054 AD when the first split occurred then the other unfortunate incident of 1517.
So, why shouldn't the Church be united once again? I'm not supporting the Emergent Church Movement for various reasons, but they are not the enemy. The enemy is humanism and the false idea of secularism. You're either for God or against Him, there is no neutral territory.
God Bless You!
As long as it's unity for truth's sake, underpinned by a belief in the plenary inspiration of scripture, and not unity for unity's sake, the go for it.
This is leading us in the direction of the one world church spoken of during the 7 year tribulation period as described in Revelation. The emerging church movement, which is a part of this grand scheme, is helping to lead the unsuspecting down the wide path to destruction. And many of us know who the real "leader" of this plan is.....satan! Christians, pray that the Holy Spirit gives you discernment in this matter.