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Body-Builders |
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Issue 5 from |
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In this issue · Feedback For new subscribers: · Introducing “Artios Ministries” |
Welcome to Body-Builders! This is a new series of teaching articles intended to
bless and build the Body of Christ. I trust you enjoy this fifth issue, and I welcome your
feedback. Every blessing, George Alexander For Artios Ministries |
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The
new software mentioned in News and Update
means that we now have a one-click subscribe, update, subscribe a friend, or
unsubscribe. To
subscribe to Body-Builders, click here. To
subscribe a friend (and please do!), click here. To
update your information or to unsubscribe, see the links at the end. |
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THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH |
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We said last month that God has a purpose, that
God’s purpose is in Christ, that God is working out His purpose, and
that God includes us in His purpose.
It’s in the purpose of God that the Church finds its purpose; and it’s
in the purpose of the Church that we as individuals find our purpose. So we started with the purpose of God, and
saw it in Ephesians 1:10 “… to bring all things in heaven and on earth
together under one head, even Christ.”
In the light of this, we concluded that our part, that is, the
purpose of the church, is three-fold: 1.
To be under the Head ourselves 2.
To be together as a people under one Head 3.
To seek to promote the Lordship of Christ, the Kingdom of God, the
Headship of Jesus so that more and more people—and more and more of
people—would be brought together under the Head. This month, we’ll look at these three points in
more detail. To be a people personally under one Head
Years ago Len Magee sang, If you want God to do
something, then what’s He supposed to do? Don’t you know to end it
all, He’ll have to start with you? Many are quick to say, “The Church should be more committed!”
— or more friendly, or more encouraging, or more passionate. But if I’m taking responsibility (rather
than simply complaining), it has to start with me. I have to be more committed, friendly, encouraging or
passionate. I have to be more “under
the Head”. We typically receive Jesus on board our train,
honour Him as our valued guest, show Him to His compartment and say, “rule
there”. And in doing so, we miss the
point. “For you died, and your life
is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Col 3:3). It’s not that we take Him into our life, but that we
lose our life in Him — now we’re summed up in Christ. Rather than being “Lord of our spiritual
compartment”, He wants to fill the whole train and direct the engine! Rather than living compartmentalised
lives, He wants us to flow in life out of the central place of who we are in
Him. We say, “Jesus is Lord!” But how much is He Lord?
Perhaps He is Lord of our “spiritual aspects”. Is He Lord of our job, our family, our
marriage, our finances, and our entertainment? Is He Lord of our conversation, our time, our decision-making,
our private thoughts, our actions, and our reactions? Is He 20%, or 50%, or 80% Lord? If so, He’s not Lord. Is He 99% Lord? If so, He’s still not Lord!
Why? Because we choose
the 1% that is off-limits to Him. It’s not that we must start out with 100%
perfection or nothing. But we make a
commitment to obey now, with all our imperfections, and to respond in
obedience when He gives further revelation or correction or conviction. It’s an on-going commitment as we continue
to live up to the light we have. To be a people together under one Head
We are the Body of Christ. We are members of Him and therefore
members of one another. We’re
connected to and flowing in life that comes from the Head; and yet at the
same time we’re released and functioning in fruitful ministry — the
many-membered Body growing to maturity. The goal is to be other-centred, as opposed to being
self-centred (see 1 Cor 10:24). Thus
the focus is off “what’s in it for me?”, and on to bigger issues; not
evaluating on the basis of personal taste and personal benefit, but seeking
the common good and the plan of God for us together. We’re called on to be like-minded, one in spirit
and purpose, to consider others better than ourselves, to look out for the
interests of others (Phil 2:1-4).
We’re now to be the showcase Church (Eph 3:10), modelling a
righteous alternative in the world. To be together and in it together is one
thing. But there’s also the aspect of
being under one Head. When we
as members of the Body operate in independence, “doing our own thing” —
either inappropriate activity or activity at inappropriate times — we weaken
and dilute the effectiveness of the Body.
If the Head says, “walk”, but the left hand decides to swim,
the walking may be less effective, particularly through narrow doorways! A human body in which a specific part did
what the brain had not told it to do, or what the brain had told it not
to do, would generally be considered to have a disability. We must not act in such as way as to
disable the Body of Christ — we must be together under one Head. To promote and proclaim the Lordship of
Christ, the Kingdom of God, the Headship of Jesus so that more and more
people—and more and more of people—will be brought together under one
Head This starts with evangelism. Looked at from any angle, it’s why we’re
here. For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 God our Saviour … wants
all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim 2:3,4 The Lord is … not wanting
anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Pet 3:9 And this gospel of the
kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations Mt 24:14 We
need to preach the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus (Acts 8:12; 28:31). But if we want to be Biblical, we should not be content
with words alone — in addition we need “Kingdom demonstration” (see for
example 1 Cor 2:4). We should
proclaim with accompanying signs, in a wide understanding. This would include healings and miracles
and signs and wonders, but also gifts of the Spirit (Heb 2:4), acts of love
and kindness, and lives that model Kingdom truth (1 Jn 3:18). It starts with evangelism, but it’s not just
evangelism. It’s not just the first
response of the lost, but also the continuing response of
believers. Not all that calls itself
“the church” in fact is the church.
But much of it is — and we must have a concern for the whole
Church. Some of that Church is well
taught and must be called to obedience!
Some of it is so mistaught or untaught that it doesn’t know any
better. We need to get the Word out
to the Church as well as to the lost.
We need the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). We must therefore teach, train, provoke,
challenge, exhort. We must increase
our response to the Lord’s Headship qualitatively as well as
quantitatively. We proclaim him,
admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present
everyone perfect in Christ. Col 1:28 In the light of this, next month we’ll look at
“Pointers to Personal Purpose”. George Alexander March 2004 Note: All Bible
quotations are NIV unless otherwise stated. |
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There’s exciting news in this issue of the new Artios School of Theology, which is
soon to begin. Brochures are
available on request. We’re continuing to refine the method of writing and distributing. This issue is being sent more directly using
some clever software. It should help
the e-mails get through, as well as making subscribing and unsubscribing more
straightforward. I continue to receive more requests to subscribe to Body-Builders. If you have received this e-mail
second-hand and would like to be subscribed, please click here. If you’d like to subscribe a friend,
please click here.
(The friend will first receive an e-mail offering the chance to
subscribe.) If you have difficulty opening these e-mails or if the text looks weird
and you suspect it’s not showing as it was intended to, please let me know
and I’ll try to solve the problem. This issue, I’m continuing a short series of articles on “Living to
Purpose”, which I trust will build one on another. All feedback appreciated. More news and developments soon …. Return to top
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Artios School of Theology |
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This is a modular
course leading to a Diploma in Theology from Artios Ministries. The course is based on one evening a week
and should take three years to complete.
There are 20 modules and each module is 20 hours of classroom teaching
or its deemed equivalent. Fifteen of
the modules will be “taught”, the other five being selected from a list of
“supervised” modules tailored to the individual concerned. There will be three subject divisions,
namely Bible, Theology and Practical Ministry. Modules can also be taken individually. The sessions will be held in Dunfermline,
beginning on April 19th 2004 with a module entitled “Old Testament
Survey”. At present, the course
cannot be offered by extension (distance learning), but it is hoped to make
this available in the future. For a brochure to be
e-mailed (.pdf format), please click here. For a
brochure to be mailed conventionally, please click here. (For
the conventional mailing, don’t forget to include your address!) |
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Introducing Artios Ministries
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Artios
Ministries is a new ministry launched officially in October 2003. The Founder
and Director is George Alexander. For 12 years, George pastored Liberty
Church in Dunfermline, Scotland, before being released in 1997 to a wider
teaching ministry. The
aims of Artios Ministries are:
Artios
Ministries is a charitable trust recognised in Scotland as Scottish Charity
number SC 034194. |
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“Artios” is
a Greek word occurring in the New Testament. It means, “complete,
fitted, completely qualified, with all its needed parts”. It
occurs, together with another word derived from it, in 2 Timothy
3:16,17 “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for
every good work.” RSV |
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Contact Information |
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Difficulties or
Comments? Just click here and let us know. |
Artios Ministries 13 Whinhill Dunfermline Fife KY11 4YZ U.K. |
01383-739537 (+44-1383-739537) |
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