SHARE | MAGAZINE
Volume 5- Issue 1
Church, what is it really? From my understanding the term traditionally has come to describe the members of the Christian faith universally who believed in and follow Jesus Christ. These remain faithful to His teachings both in word and deed and continue to propagate His teachings across the world. God’ s idea was not to have a global organisation per se but a people that would be His very family, all born of His Spirit where the lost, weary and lonely can come home to. Home, is where the heart finds an unreserved welcome, peace, rest, acceptance, rejuvenation and belonging.
The above definition seemed to suffice for much of the 1st into the 2nd Century but then everything changed. The Romanisation of the Church that created a Supreme world power of Church and State ushered in a new era that changed the definition of Church. This was soon followed by the Reformation where valiant men paid a great price of affliction, imprisonment and death in an effort to restore Church to what it was before. The Church then tottered through the modern era where it seemed to have experienced a sort of adolescent
EDITORIAL
WELCOME HOME TO FAMILY
identity crisis and has now arrived in the postmodern era of Contemporary Christianity. That’ s us now in the 21st Century but can we still be identified as God’ s family?
Where is this Church? The one Jesus founded, His band of brothers, His enlightened and empowered ones who bore His image? Where are they today in the midst of this publicity generated, media hyped, production company that is passing itself off as the body of Jesus Christ?
Consider a seeker of truth / an unbeliever reading the Bible and having been exposed to the compassion and the egalitarian anti-establishment ideas of Jesus Christ found themselves to be impressed by His Superhuman persona; and thought,“ He’ s all right this man; I wonder if there is a Church nearby where I could talk to some of His disciples‘ these Christians?” If they were to successfully find one and happily joined the next convenient meeting; would they leave there having met Jesus Christ through His followers? Or would they quietly slip out the back door bitterly disappointed that there were no more true believers left? What a shame, the Bible sounded so exciting? Well, I’ m not so old, but I have sat in
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SHARE MAGAZINE is a FREE Christian quarterly that deals with challenging Christian topics that have been mostly ignored or left unanswered. The magazine includes written articles, poems and thoughts etc. Read our online version at www. TheShareMagazine. com where you can go to our blog to discuss articles or order a printed version. If you would like to submit articles, join our writers group, or to get involved in any other way kindly email us. SHARE MAGAZINE is produced by Select Arrow, the publishing arm of United In Christ charity number 1140448.
Disclaimer
Throughout this magazine the editor & contributors seek to present a balanced and accurate view of Scripture’ s teaching. We are all on a journey of studying and understanding God’ s Word. Because of this, all we can offer is as balanced an understanding as the Holy Spirit has offered us at this time. The views or opinions represented in this publication are personal to each of our contributors and may not fully represent those of any other contributor or editor.
Scriptures quoted are from the Contemporary English Version( CEV) unless otherwise stated.
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4 | SHARE | MAGAZINE January- March 2017