The global Christian church is not about buildings and religion.
It is about a group of people who recognise who God the Father is and who his Son, Jesus Christ is and make a conscious decision to be personal followers of Jesus Christ.
Jesus told his initial disciples, “If anyone wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24 NLT).
So, in the simplest of terms, to be a disciple is to decide to give up living for self and to decide to live in the way Jesus teaches us to.
It’s the best decision I ever made.
The four gospels are written from eyewitness accounts of the life of Jesus on this Earth and give us clear teachings from Jesus.
If you want to know how to follow Jesus, read the gospels!
When Jesus was preparing his disciples for what was going to happen to him, he said, “So now I am giving you a new commandment. Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35).
This is a great challenge to the church - to be a group of people known for their love!
The world offers ‘temporary highs’, Jesus offers ‘eternal joy’.
The world says ‘it’s all about you’, Jesus says ‘do to others whatever you would like them to do to you’.
The world says there are many ways to get to God, Jesus says “I am the way the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me”.
~ Contributed by Terry Hargreaves of Ignite Life Church, Deniliquin on behalf of the Combined Churches of Denilqiuin.
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