The Persuaders
Everybody wants a piece of you . Companies are prepared to pay millions to try and influence what you wear, what you drink, what you eat, where you go on holiday, what bank you draw loans from etc.
Is Christianity just another of the competing, manipulative ideologies in our world? Yet another FREE OFFER which isn't as good as it sounds? Or does it rightly claim to be true, to be a faith to live by, providing genuine and lasting satisfaction to its followers?
I would want to see these conditions fulfilled in any faith claiming my allegiance for today:
1) It must be true. In the long run people will not be satisfied by a fraud or a lie. Jesus Christ claimed to show the truth about God and humanity; indeed, to be the truth. Down the ages His claim has worn well.
2) It must be relevant. If it makes no difference to the daily lives of ordinary people, it is no good. It has got to enrich the quality of life. Again, Jesus made precisely that claim, “I have come that you may have life - life in all its fullness” (John 10v10).
3) It must be big enough to meet many needs. It must not be petty or individualistic, but wide enough in its scope and influence to transform national and international relations, to affect science, medicine, education, ecology, peace and industrial relations. Any study of history will show that Christianity has been hugely influential in all these areas.
4) It must have universal appeal. If a faith appeals to one segment of society alone, or one race alone, then it is too small and too narrow for me. But Jesus has drawn to Himself blacks and whites, rich and poor, clever and simple, Eskimos and Arabs, young and old from all over the world. Despite all the failures of churches and individual Christians, the impetus of Christianity has been towards unity, love and peace.
5) It must be big enough to embrace death. A faith to live by is a poor thing if it is not also a faith to die by. Jesus is the only world leader who claims to have conquered death.
I would encourage you to carefully consider the claims of Christianity, amid all the other claims that are thrown at you.
Four things you should know about hell (mp3)
Four things you should know about heaven (mp3)
What do you think of Westfields?
Details of 2008 houseparty:
23rd - 30th August 2008
Stanbridge Earls School,
Romsey, Hampshire
Mums and Tots
Friday morning 9.30am
At the church