by Bishop Jeston & Rev. Charity Katebe
www.royalglobalchurch.org
The Necessity
The second part of Migration and Christian Living article was to share the principles that have been helpful in maintaining fervency in our faith, but after the responses to part one, it is necessary to address some concerns. The question that arises concerning our faith and attending Church while away from Zambia is; Is it necessary?
Attending Church is not the ultimate goal for our lives and Church can be a waste of time if we don’t do first things first. Most of the Zambians that we know have attended Church since they were young. Church has been a part of the Zambian life for decades and as a result it has become a tradition that most of us do without thinking about why we do it. For most, if asked why go to Church? Answer: “we have always gone to Church.” or Why not? Others say Christianity is a “white man’s religion.”
Many Africans who have migrated to developed countries have been disappointed with Church. Even though there are genuine churches, some are like businesses. Not many nationals are interested in attending and somehow feel disappointed that the people who introduced us to it are not interested today. They feel cheated.
Firstly, lets look at the statement that some of us used to believe and confessed often; ‘Christianity is a white man’s religion.’ Wait a minute, Christianity has its roots in the Jewish nation and as far as we know, Jews are not white, so this notion is incorrect. The white man brought it to Africa, some in obedience to what the Lord Jesus told His Jewish followers in Matthew 28: 18-20 and others as a tool to accomplish selfish motives. We shouldn’t throw the genuine because we encountered the fake. The fact that the white people introduced Christianity to us and now on the average are not interested in it does not make it wrong. It is like a lot of Zambians who were introduced to traveling to places like Dubai, Hong Kong, etc for business, some of the ones who started it no longer go for some reason or another, but for some who were introduced to it, it has worked out to be profitable and still travel. The thing is not about the one who introduced it but is it real to you?
Why attend Church?’ Hebrews 10:25 encourages us ‘not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together … ’ The main reason is for fellowship and teaching. Church life must begin with having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:20, Ephesians 3:17-19) and that’s what will make us guard our faith jealously and Church will be meaningful.
Awe kwena chishinka ichi chena bashimapepo ala ukulongana chikankala sana.Amen
“Many Africans who have migrated to developed countries have been disappointed with Church. Even though there are genuine churches, some are like businesses”.
I totally disagree with this statement and one would have thought it was the other way round. Up until the 80s we had established churches in Zambia. The economy started dwindling and churches turned out to be a way out for people who did not have have good GCSE results, yes, because of the respect we have for God. A lot of people with poor results ended up at theology colleges because becoming a pastor was an easy route to having a better life. This is reason we started seeing churches from all sorts of angles. I have to say I was disappointed with the preaching that followed in most of these new churches because it was…
contd. I have to say I was disappointed with the preaching that followed in most of these new churches because it was centred on tything and offering-now that is business.
Most of these same pastors, reverends or bishops as they like to be called have ended up migrating to the west. The kind our church leader calls people in pink suits. It`s reason the church have become corrupt and we get to see pastors, revs bishops and the likes doing all sorts of things. This is reason we have heard about some being sent to jail, others ending up becoming politicians. It`s an easy route and yes it`s business in Africa.
Have churches become business entities? Is it In the west or in Africa where they are so? Are there genuine churches where the truth of God is preached? There are so many questions one can ask about the church today. To elaborate a bit, both the west and Africa have turned the church into business. We have seen the Basungus migrating from the west to set churches in Africa in the same vein the Blacks are also seting churrches in the west. The motives behind are mixed, some is to propagate the Gospel of Christ in thruth whereas others is a means of sucking the poor souls in Africa and the rich souls in the west. I thank God that this time people have come to know that their GOSPEL OF PROSPERITY was a psychological one to swidle unsuspecting-overbudened people out of money.
Sparker jays and Kambongolo unfortunately there is some truth to what you are saying.Some preachers are indeed crooks but that shouldn’t discourage us from following the Truth.The concept of tithing started with Abraham in the bible not that pink suited school drop out preacher of the 1980s! I’ve read also how High priests of the olden biblical times would burden(crook) the Jewish people with demands on the sacrifices they would take to the temple.The heart of man is desperately wicked. I don’t agree of subscribe to hero worshipping certain preachers.I believe God will not share His glory. Test whatever anyone says with Gods word.If your preacher is a crook take your tithe elsewhere.I’m not sure but can one take their tithe to feed the poor and clothe the homeless instead?
Bwalya I was only trying to emphasise a point. I remember a certain pastor preaching about offering and tithe for months and months.
Sparker Jays, he was probably broke!
Why do you follow pastors and priests when you have personal access to the messiah? The same search for churches or pastors is unbiblical because the whole premise of the bible is to do away with organised religion in favour of a personal relationship with YHWH. Why would you make your fellow man your shephard and obey mere flesh when you have the option to obey the messiah. These same human pastors you obey will be the reason why hell will be full of deluded christians. The bible was not written for pastors to interpret and twist it to fit their own motives and desires, it was written for PERSONAL ENLIGHTMENT. Where in the bible does it say look for churches and find human pastors to obey
I’m a white missionary from the west and what I can tell you is that most missionaries I know struggle to find a church where they are spiritually fed and have transparent and genuine fellowship with Africans. I think part of the problem is with us, part of the problem is in the African church, and part of the problem is just the cultural divide between us. What I think is needed to help us is a focus on the beauty and glory of Jesus Christ in the gospel, a worshipful content that puts the focus on historic Christianity, not self-help, and a recognition that we need each other. One of the cradles of Christianity for the first five centuries of the church was northern Africa, not Europe or America or Palestine. Let Africa return to it’s roots.
Mixed stuff isnt it slumdog ;;you cannot just wake up and know God unless some one explains to you from the bible then you will know the truth; Cornelious in the bible God sent an engel to send for Peter to come and explain about how he can be saved ;also the Ethopian unurk God sent Philip that is how it works ,, God calls people into ministry not because of their achievements but because they love him you can love God with or without sound education what matters is how you love him; cont..
Papa which roots should africa return to – ancestral worship? I think the reason you struggle with african churches is the same reason we struggle with white churches abroad.Its the cultural divide. When we beat drums and riggle our waists in church you guys get confused,same way we get confused with your rock n roll style music etc. Frankly I think the Zambian church embraces many cultures you will find them singing Rhumba, south african songs,swahili songs, black gospel by kirk franklin, Hillsong songs from Australia etc Lets just accept God made us different and leave room for each other to express our selves.There must have been a divine reason He made different races and cultures
Serving God can rearly be painfull because noone will fully understand you; because you seem to be out of the way. because of what people expect of you is not what you are doing, not because you want to gain anything but you just love what most people donnt love;; rearly you become an outsider but those who want to gain something from Gods work you will also know them by their deeds..
#10 tell me where the bible says you need someone to explain it to you? The bible is the simplest book in the world if uneducated hebrew fishermen could understand it what excuse does an educated person like yourself . The unbilical idea of needing someone to interpret a simple book is the most dangerous idealogy in christianity. Why is it one simple book with one meaning but 1000’s of denominations that span over three abrahmic religions that don’t even agree with each other .Cornelius and peters meeting wasn’t about reading and explaining the scriptures. If these church pastors were sent by YHWH to interpret tell me why the perpetuate erroneaus doctrines that are not even biblical?
Thanks read Acts chapter 10 verses1 to 48 you will learn more things here also read Acts;;8 verses 26 to 39 that is how God works also luke ;16 ;;29 to 31
Theres no divine order to need anyone to explain scripture, if these pastors had a divine order to interpret scripture why are the all in error? Does YHWH send angels for pastors to teach false unbiblical, YHWH is not the author of error and erroneaous doctrines. PINCHAS or philip as you people call him wasn’t a pastor or priest when explaining to the eunuch he was just a mere independent jew that didn’t belong to a church . Taking averse of where pichas is explaining to one eunuch is no way justification for People to claim they need to interpret for the masses wrong. Christian biblical interpretation is just bible misreading that has no respect for the original prophetic writings
“2 Kepha(peter 19-And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Ruach Kodesh
Scripture warns againt man made interpretations. Take the bible as it was written not by how some pastor who is under orders from his denominational sect to interpret according to their rules
Did you know that you can now find Zambian Music on itunes like Northmead Sanctuary Choir, Stan Chipuma, Jojo Mwangaza, Agape Voices, Potipher Mpundu, Zambian Gospel Hits, African gospel Rhythms, Nana Margaret Tandoh, Akaman and Ngosa.
You may read also Romans 10 ;13 to14
You read romans 11:26, john 4:22 and then ephesians chapter 2:12. see where that takes you
You may read John 1 ;verses 12 to13 and Romans 10 ; 8to11 also read Matthew 28 ;;18 to20
LOL let me guess you have received him in the name LORD GOD, thats not a name thats an interchangeble title from the greek THEOS which if you may or may not know used for ZEUS And apollo??? do you have any idea that thats not actually a name. The name for the children of Israel jews and gentiles alike is YHWH or simply YAHUWEH. We hebrews don’t confess to titles made by King james we confess to YAHUSHUAH BEING THE SON OF YHWH(actual names), we baptise in the sacred name of the father(YAHUWEH) and of the son(YAHUSHUAH) and the holy spirit(RUACH KODESH). hence the term hebrews( correctly IVRIT jews and gentiles that keep the covenant. Have a nice day. Remember YHWH does not change the same one that spoke to moses and required the holy name is the same YHWH today,
for those that are dissapointed with with christian’s conduct there is a remnant church which includes remnant pastors that God has preserved for himself. There is a movie called church mafia which is bringing a lot of healing to christians and people who have been abused in church below are the links for ordering the DVD and some articles you can read on the Church Mafia. www dot urbanchange dot net/products/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=39 and www dot churchmafia dot com/articles.asp
Read Romans;;1 ;;16 also Ephesians 2 ;;15 to 22
HEHE let a hebrew teach you ,Ephesians 2:15 to 2:122 is addressing JEWISH LAW i.e The talmud, mirash, mishnah not the LAW (TORAH) as you christians think. Jewish law was a law created by the PERUSHIM(pharasee’s) during the time of prophet jeremiah, it called Rabbinic law(she-be-`al peh) hence why the messiah abolished it because it trangressed the original law. If you are wondering what the messiah said about the law(torah) Matthew 5:17 quotes the messiahs own words IT SHALL NEVER PASS. This is a typical example of how your pastors supposedly interpret erroneausly and you think they are telling you the truth.
#2 and 3. What have stated may have some truth but that is not a reflection of christianity. The Bible has stated that the way to God is thru Christ. The Bible also says that God is not a respecter of persons, that man born of a woman is sinful, that no one does not sin, that we need to test the spirits, man’s heart is desperately wicked etc. All in all the word of God says is that faith should be in God and not man. To some extent we have lost focus in that we think church is the key to our spiritual growth and yet it is studying the word of God, living the word of God and most importantly prayer. Christ sacrificed His life in many ways including living by example, e.g. studying the word of God, praying, living according to the word (without sinning) and spreading the word.
It is the word of God which is the truth the bible says let God be true and man be a lier read Pauls letter Ephesians 3;;1 to 15 and consider verse 15 more;;; also 3 to 6 if the light of God is upon you will know what Paul was talking about .. I do enjoy talking to Jews and accept the situation they are in today
Believers need fellowship and accounterbility to one another not just reading the bible and prayer the bible says in Hebrews 10 ;;25
First, abusive churches have a control-oriented style of leadership.
Second, the leaders of such churches often use manipulation to gain complete submission from their members.
Third, there is a rigid, legalistic lifestyle involving numerous requirements and minute details for daily life.
Fourth, these churches tend to change their names often, especially once they are exposed by the media.
Fifth, denouncing other churches is common because they see themselves as superior to all other churches.
Sixth, these churches have a persecution complex and view themselves as being persecuted by the world, the media, and other Christian churches.
Seventh, abusive churches specifically target young adults between eighteen and twenty-five years of age.
The eighth and final mark of…
The eighth and final mark of abusive churches is the great difficulty members have in getting out of or leaving these churches, a process often marked by social, psychological, or emotional pain.
Those involved in a church that seems to reflect these characteristics would be wise to evaluate the situation thoroughly and leave the church if it is appropriate. Staying may increase the risks of damaging your family relationships and multiplies the likelihood of losing your perspective.
Members of such churches often develop a distorted view of reality, distrust everyone, and suffer from stress, fear, and depression. Some former members even continue to experience these things after escaping from an abusing church. There are also several documented cases in which associating with an…
There are also several documented cases in which associating with an abusive church has led to the deaths of individuals or their relatives. Some of these groups have networks of many sister churches. In some cases these groups have split off from more mainstream denominations. Occasionally the new groups have even been denounced by the founding denomination. Such groups often disguise themselves by frequently changing the name of their organization, especially following adverse publicity. This practice makes the true nature of these organizations more difficult to determine for the unsuspecting individual. Some abusive churches have college ministries all across the country. On some university campuses such student movements are among the largest groups on their respective campuses…
respective campuses.
It is important that Christians today know the Bible and know how to recognize such churches so as not to fall into their traps. In order to help people become more aware of churches which may be abusing their members, I now want to go through in more detail the eight characteristics I mentioned earlier.
Control-Oriented Leadership
A central feature of an abusive church is control-oriented leadership. The leader in an abusive church is dogmatic, self- confident, arrogant, and the spiritual focal point in the lives of his followers. The leader assumes he is more spiritually in tune with God than anyone else. He claims insight into Scripture that no one else has. Or, he may state that he receives personal revelations from God. Because of such claims, the…
Or, he may state that he receives personal revelations from God. Because of such claims, the leader’s position and beliefs cannot be questioned; his statements are final.
To members of this type of church or group, questioning the leader is the equivalent of questioning God. Although the leader may not come out and state this fact, this attitude is clearly seen by the treatment of those who dare to question or challenge the leader. The leader of the movement often makes personal decisions for his followers. Individual thinking is prohibited; thus the followers become dependent on the leader. In the hierarchy of such a church, the leader is, or tends to be, accountable to no one. Even if there is an elder board, it is usually made up of men who are loyal to, and will never disagree…
Even if there is an elder board, it is usually made up of men who are loyal to, and will never disagree with, the leader.
This style of leadership is not one endorsed in the Bible. According to Scripture all believers have equal access to God and are equal before Him because we are made in His image, and we are all under the authority of the Word of God. In 1 Thessalonians 5:21 believers are directed to measure all teachings against the Word of God. Acts 17:11 states that even the apostle Paul was under the authority of the Bible, and the Bereans were commended because they tested Paul’s teachings with the Scriptures. Leaders and laity alike are to live according to Scripture.
Manipulation of Members
Abusive churches are characterized by the manipulation of their members…
Manipulation is the use of external forces to get others to do what someone else wants them to do. Here manipulation is used to get people to submit to the leadership of the church. The tactics of manipulation include the use of guilt, peer pressure, intimidation, and threats of divine judgment from God for disobedience. Often harsh discipline is carried out publicly to promote ridicule and humiliation.
Another tactic is the “shepherding” philosophy. As practiced in many abusive churches this philosophy requires every member to be personally accountable to another more experienced person. To this person, one must reveal all personal thoughts, feelings, and discuss future decisions. This personal information, is not used to help the member, but to control the member. Another means of…
excerpts from the Church mafia articles
IS YOUR CHURCH FREE FROM CULTIC TENDENCIES?
– A CHECKLIST FOR RESPONSIBLE CHRISTIANS –
Is your pastor fully accountable to a board of elders, presbyters, et cetera? Y / N
Is loyalty to Jesus and to one’s own calling placed before loyalty to pastor and church? Y / N
Does your pastor encourage questions and suggestions? Is he approachable? Y / N
Does your pastor give equal attention to all kinds of people in his congregation? Y / N
Does your pastor readily admit his errors? Y / N
Does your pastor avoid boasting or hinting at a “special anointing?” Y / N
Is your pastor truly humble? Y / N
Are the sermons based on clear Biblical truths, not on “original revelations” or ax-grinding? Y / N
Does your church interact with other churches?…
Does your church staff avoid secrecy? Y / N
Is power shared in your church (rather than preempted by a hierarchy)? Y / N
Does your church see itself as just one organ of the Body of Christ, and not the main one? Y / N
Is your church truly friendly? Y / N
Does your church emphasize ministry to people rather than church “programs?” Y / N
Are especially needy people cared for lovingly in your church? Y / N
Are church members encouraged and loved even when they leave? Y / N
Are relationships with former members encouraged or allowed? Y / N
Do the pastor and congregation avoid attacking, and using as “object lessons,” former members or those who disagree? Y / N
Are families encouraged to stay together and spend time together? Y / N
Does your family worship together in the Sunday…
Does your family worship together in the Sunday service (including children, at least for part of the service)? Y / N
Are you encouraged in your own calling? Y / N
Are pleas for money rare and unemotional? Y / N
Are your children happy to attend church? Y / N
Are you happy to bring unsaved friends to your church? Y / N
Is there a diversity of classes, races, dress styles, ages, and occupations in your church? Y / N
Are people encouraged to hear from God for themselves? Y / N
Is there a single behavior standard for all people in the church? Y / N
Are all types of people considered welcome at your church? Y / N
Is the joy of the Lord present in your church? Y / N
Are you free from fear in your church? Y / N
Do you think more about God and Jesus than you do about your pastor and…
Do you think more about God and Jesus than you do about your pastor and church? Y / N
Does your pastor included (sic) himself in any calls for repentance and forgiveness? Y / N
Are you clear the pastors and elders never exaggerate or lie to make themselves look good? Y / N
Is your group encouraging of each other and free from gossip and rumoring? Y / N
Is there a humility of doctrine that points to the grace of God and His mercy for sinners? Y / N
Are you encouraged to serve in ministries or missions outside the local body? Y / N
Is there ever any pressure put upon members to give or lend money to leaders for their personal or business use (exclusive of church business or projects)? Y / N
Testimonies From: A. Morgan
I just saw your play, The Church Mafia, WOW!! Where was this play 4 or 10 years ago when I was going through mind manipulation. Taking the pastors word as God’s and not considering my husband’s feelings. Going to church 3 days a week and let us not consider the revivals the church had. At revivals they wanted you there every night and also expected you to give every night. My dear husband, how he must have felt back then, Thank God I held on to my relationship with the Him. I thank God for you Mr. Cameron. I truly wish I had this information earlier in my life…Keep on letting Abba Father work through you.
From: L. D.
I just came home from seeing Church Mafia this evening 11/17/07. It was absolutely outstanding. I cried a lot tonight. It touch my heart and my life because I have seen church and leadership abuse and control all my life and my family members and I have experienced several of those demonstrations shown in the play. I was often told I was being rebellious by not agreeing with leaders who often acted ungodly. For years, and years I cried a lot for myself and many other family members I saw going through almost everything you shared in your play. I always ask God about authority figures, why are some where they are, and do the things they do. I seem to have run into much crooked so called Christian authority all my life. Thank you so much, thank you for letting God use you…
This is phenomenal and it will bring an uproar, but a good one to rattle things, because there are too, too many people who are hurting and severely wounded from the church. I am going to cry a little bit more.
This play confirmed everything I always deeply felt in my spirit that we have a relationship with Jesus Christ and he is our leader and not man. My pain led me to backslide and half serve God for many years in and out of churches, searching for something different, only to find the same thing over and over again. Though I live in AA County, I do have a car and have been seeking where to go. I will be visiting your church again because I believe the truth and the light of God’s word in great illumination is there and I need to be totally healed and delivered from many years of…
and delivered from many years of pain.
I was too embarrassed to stand up tonight. I just kept my head down. But, when I got to my car, boy did I cry. I go to church now and then, when I feel like it and I have been like that for the last 10 years. I often wondered about people who are truly anointed and have been greatly wounded and have left the church forever. We have many, many true souls to reach that have great gifts and talents and that love the Lord but because of church abuse and disenchantment with the church development, people are wounded by the wayside. Please pray for me, I do need it. The icing on the cake was the stuffed person who was drained to nothing and I have felt like that for a long time. Thanks so much again and may God truly bless you above and beyond what you…
to order the dvd and read more articles please visit the websites mentioned in post # 22. God is faithful he has preserved a remnant church with remnant leaders all over the world who are doers of the word Ephesians 4:11. Jesus Christ is coming back for a holy and blameless church.
True, fellowship is important for believers but unfortunately we have put it as the main key to out righteousness. Which, to me, has made us lose focus. For example, Christ commissioned us to go out and spread the word but churches generally aim at having a huge number of people attending services and that is deemed as a successful church or minstry. We spend too much money beautifying our churches at the expense of spreading the truth. Shocking enough a good number of christians follow the head of the church and/or ministry and not God. This partly explains why some people fall when the one at the helm falls or why christianity is judged by its leaders. God is the key and not man or the church. If we seek his face he will connect us with the true believers or worshippers.
#10, God has different ways of making Himself known to people as His ways are not our ways. He does not use people because they love Him but because He chooses to and when. Read on Moses, Jonah, Joshua, Jeremiah, Paul, Gideon, Mary, Peter the list is long. In fact most did not want to carry the commission from God and some even doubted. He can use anything in any way He chooses for He is God, the Most High, Rock eternal.
What is happenning now is found in 2 Tim 4:3-5
“3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” Pretence, umimaginable sin will be found in people but God is righteous. We are supposed to preach the word of God at all times. Man’s wisdom empties the power of the cross 1 Cor 1:17 “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel-not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power…
you can also watch excerpts of the Church Mafia DVD on youtube.
Hehe nshilubemba quoting anyhow won’t solidify your misconceptions like where you tried to play it off as if JEWISH LAW is similar to YHWH’s. By the way We hebrews do meet up, on sabbaths, high sabbaths during the jubilee year, unlike christians who meet on pagan easter, pagan christmas and pagan sunday. I wonder if you know of the warnings of keeping false appointed feasts from Isaiah 1:14 and amos 5:24 of what will happen to those that keep them. Remember his people shall know his name(isaiah 52:6) not title. Am glad you enjoy talking to jews I wonder if you know that Christ and all his disciples were jews that kept the law and came to convert gentiles to Law to make them hebrews
A call to Holiness, Your checklist is useless. It should just ask does your church drink from the cup of demons( celebrate xmas, easter, meet on sunday, avoids sacred names for useless made up names, meets in a building) then it is pagan. That accounts for 99.999% of all teh churches out there
Jesus said he had come to save sinners not the selfrighteous;; it is not the day you keep or the food you eat but your personnal relationship with the Lord ,, a rich young man came to Jesus boasting that he had all the requirements to enter the kngdom of God ;; Jesus advised him to go and sell all his riches and give to the poor.. he became sad and went away just see ..it is not your deeds that can save
Sorry to say Levi went just as the bible says it is appointed unto men to die;; thats all no man knows what will happen tomorrow had CHILUBA known he wouldnt have given that throne to LEVI ,,but just see what happened
So obeying him and keeping his way like he told us to won’t save you and is self righteous LOL what will pastors and churches that teach pagan doctrines. YAHUSHUAH stressed!!! explicitly in following in his example of worship, keeping his way is not self righteosness. Faith alone will never save you DEEDS IN THE WAY YAHUSHUAH KEPT ARE IMPORTANT, the whole chapter 2 of the book of james addresses that. YAHUSHUAH came to teach us to keep his way which is JEWISH he never came to teach pagan demonic doctrines like xmas and easter. READ James 2:14-26
Mr holliness when did you become pure ?
Am sorry where did you think I was pure, re you sure you want to fabricate things about me and go down the false witness route. Just because I refuse to blasphem in pagan doctrines which you attribute to Heaven when they are from the pits of hell doesn’t make me pure.
No demon created any day nor did Satan create a day all days where created by the Lord;so donnot worry what ever people do on any day ; if only you can have a personnal relationship with Jesus if Jesus be be your saviour you wil respect what he did for you on the cross
hehe unbiblical reasoning when the bible clearly warns against false day worship. It seems christianity is full of feel good reasons that go against the bible. Unlike you I obey the word and the word clearly states in keeping the high sabbath feasts, so if you don’t want to keep them do that for yourself but don’t blasphem that it’s condoned in the bible. By the way YAHUSHUAH died on a TREE not cross (check the oldest new testament bible CODEX SINAITICUS) it states he died on STAUROS(tree). The word cross itself is wrong. So before you proclaim you respect the messiah look at yourself
number 45 I will ask you dont be so quick to answer;; God doesnt force any one to serve him if you feel he has forced you then think again:: Moses earlier in egypt wanted to deliver Israeli by killing that egyptian : Paul was apharisae when hes killing believers :JONAH was aprophet of God when he refused to go to ninive: Joshua was one of the 12spies Moses sent : if you carefully study the lives of these people you have listed you will find they had connections with serving God
The bible says there is no remission of sin without the sheding of blood ;Jesus shed his blood to wash away mans sins including yours if accept him as your saviour
hehe you are really a funny character what makes you think I never accepted him. Just because I have accepted in the TRUE AND ONLY way thats foreign to the indoctrination laid upon you by your churches you think I haven’t. Maybe me using the name YAHUSHUAH is confusing yoiu because you are used to jesus a name thats was never even his. HEHEHE you are funny.
#57 please read your Bible on those people again and you will understand what I was referring to. I did not say God forces but God uses whoever He wants and whenever. Read again on those people listed in #45 and you will know some ways of God’s calling.
Slumdog you have been blowing you own trumpet thru and thru. The fact that you read from the ‘original mauscript’ does not make you any better or righteous. It is your heart that God searches and knows. People call God and Jesus by many names depending on their tribe, language, experiences etc but that does not make them worshiping a false God and/or are pagans or wrong. Obviously when interpretting from one language to another the true meaning might be lost or watered down or might sound different but all we should know is that God reveals all to His true children. Wait upon the LORD God Almight and not true books. I do agree with you on people observing Xmas, Easter, wrong Sabbath etc.
This article lacks depth. On the whites introducing Christianity to Africa, the AUTHORS have not been specific ie which Africa, is it the whole of Africa? or Sub Sahara Africa. If this couple are real theological scholars would have noted that Jews had introduced Christianity to Africa; to be specific Alexandria Egypt and Ethiopia. The only places where Christianity failed to reach were the inaccessible thick forested parts.