Is Jesus Christ Our Lord?

Though The Book of Martha is a fictional story, the idea and belief that one’s actions can bring people together is shown throughout our community. In the short story, The Book of Martha, Martha is tasked with coming up with a solution to make humanity better than they currently are. Her solution to this task is unrealistic yet made possible through the power of God. In our community, we see ways in which people come together and contribute to a cause. I asked Father Jesus de la Tapia what

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." When we have this kind of responsibility in the congregation, it makes a domain where we are all in this walk of life together. We appreciate great circumstances together and express gratitude toward God, yet we likewise stay with each other amid troublesome circumstances. Truth be told, if there are never troublesome circumstances, we would never reach the point of knowing whether we are submitted or not. " The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Dr. Martin Luther King

In the Christian community, every single person plays an important role in making the community as safe and caring as possible. One of the most vital beliefs of a Christian is that we are all equal, so we when we are called to serve and help each other, we should obey. This call, although we may hear it at different times and see it in different ways, the call comes to everyone. We may have different understanding of the call, or we may even conflicting ideas of how to answer this call, but in the end, every single idea is important.

Galindo analyzes that the fundamental “mission” of a congregation is the same as any other congregation that exists in any part of the world. He argues that though every congregation has a mission and a vision, at the same time, it shares a basic common mission. (43) This reminds me of my home church The First Church of Evanston and my Field Site, The Evanston Vineyard Church. Both churches have a common mission of welcoming people to the church, irrespective of their ethnic, cultural, racial, and economic and, gender backgrounds. The mission is to help people be received in the house of God with due and deserved Christian love so that they feel loved and welcomed. Both these churches encourage church attendees to attend the service and receive the Eucharist.

No dog can pull a sled on his own; all must work together to finish the race. Additionally, they must unite in following the master’s directions. If one dog tries to pursue another route, he will only make the race harder for the rest of the pack and the musher will eventually need to pull him out. Similarly, each of us needs other Christians in order to finish the race strong. No one can accomplish the task alone. In Hebrews 10:25, Paul admonished the early church with these words: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” We must unitedly follow the Master’s guidance. Otherwise, we will only make things harder for ourselves and others around

That we continue to pray and reach out to those who are different. That we continue to go beyond religious reconciliation, and we take the umbrella and open it more widely. The umbrella of repentance. Because there can be no reconciliation without repentance. Reconciliation without repentance is fake, but reconciliation with repentance is beautiful gospel

Looking past church’s names and denominations, that usually separate churchgoers on any given Sunday, everyone was on one accord, as all hearts and minds were focused on the one thing each had in common---their love for God and his children.

The message given by Jesus and the apostles is resoundingly clear. Whether our conflicts involve minor irritations or major legal issues, God is eager to display his love and power through us as we strive to maintain peace and unity with those around us. Our dependence on him and obedience to this call will show the power of the gospel and enable me to enjoy the personal peace that God gives to those who faithfully follow him.

Living in Christian community is a necessity for the everyday life of a Christian. Without community, the Christian has no one else to “sharpen” them, no one else to understand the everyday struggle of living in the world, sharing the Gospel, but not partaking in the sinful ways of the world. In “Life Together”, Dietrich Bonhoeffer explores Christian community, and presents not only the benefits of Christian community, but also the toxins that can destroy the community. Living in Christian community brings incomparable joy and community in and through Jesus Christ, but can be easily lost due to humanistic ideals, or “dreams”.

What does Christian community really mean? Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community by Dietrich Bonhoeffer gives insight into what Christians relationships were designed to be like. The main theme Bonhoeffer explores is Christ in the Christian community under the Word of God. Bonhoeffer explains God’s gift of community by arguing the following: “It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brethren” (Bonhoeffer, 1978, p. 20). In addition the author adds, “Christian community is like the Christian’s sanctification. It is a gift of God, which we cannot claim. Only God knows the real state of our fellowship, of our sanctification” (p. 30). Overall Life Together is biblically

In a world that does not know the Gospel anymore, we must indulge in it, and love our fellow community though they may not share similar values, but find balancing in still remaining in our own values. Though many of times we find ourselves in opposition of the majority of the world, we must exude Christ love onto others as He does to us unconditionally. The author addresses ways in which we are able to live out our faith and still find a place within our community though they may not share similar values.

Please lead the church in striving to understand the plight of the black community and ethnic minorities. Confess the roles we have played in their pain and seek their forgiveness. Bring us together by being an example of humility and

When it comes to faith or belief Nash says that inclusivists have a different focus. “Inclusivists believe that an act of faith is necessary for salvation, they insist that this faith need not have Jesus as its direct object” (Nash, 1994, p. 123).

teachings and do whatever it takes to be with God so we can share in

Furthermore, it is vitally crucial for the church leadership to clearly articulate its missional vision, which is to be embraced by the rest of the church’s community. The process of spiritual transformation starts from the invitation and continues through engagement and discipleship. This transformational process embodies the missional vision and the language for 'right now ' and 'here '. Surely, the church’s vision ought to be aligned with the missional attributes of the gospel itself, which are 'the good news is for everyone ' and 'belonging before believing '. Our witness should take place amidst relationship and listening. One principle that I consider to be exceptionally useful in my community is St. Patrick’s idea of Celtic Evangelism: establish community, engage in conversation, and invite commitment (2009, 101).