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Stewardship... Implement plans, coordinate and strengthen the quality of life of our members, by ministering to their spiritual, cultural, educational and economic needs. In a broader perspective, this ministry exists to embrace the kingdom of God on earth through our witness, work and the proclamation of the Word. To provide each member with an opportunity to serve and share their gifts, skills and talents to help build the church and develop successful and strong relationships within the body of Christ.

Hospital Visits... see that sick members and other individuals are visited both as clergy and laity. Thie ministry cares enough to take the time to make visits to dialogue, pray with and show individuals that God and the church care.

Nursing Homes...spread the Word so that those who are unsaved may be inspired to come to Jesus and those who have met Him will grow in their faith, through twice a month visits.

Jail Ministry... arranges for visits to the jails for worship services and programs such as Bible Study in Oakland and Wayne Counties.

Youth Ministry... a group of youth and adult leaders whose sole purpose is to learn, share the Word and to love the Lord. This ministry energizes equips and enables our youth to be the best that they can be and to glorify God in all that they do. The ministry trains young people to have the mind of Christ, to gain knowledge of the Word and to grow in the wisdom of the Lord. Grow with us!

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Our Christian Perspective




Just Between Us: What I Think People Believe About God


By Brother James

"Not to know is bad. Not to wish to know is worse"---African proverb

As the son of a Southern Baptist Preacher, I have borne witness to numerous conversations where Christian folks related to me what they believe about Almighty God. These folks could easily be divided into two distinct groups. The first group would consist of those believers who make an attempt to study the Word of God on a regular basis. The second group feels that their salvation and entry into heaven is solely the responsibility of their respective Pastor. This first group would follow the Biblical tenet found in II Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew (show) thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

The second group would feel as long as they attend church services on a regular or irregular basis, hear a dynamic sermon, and put a few dollars into the collection plate they would be granted a "free" pass into heaven. The first group would be like the Bereans mentioned in Acts 17:11, where it reads, "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." The first group would also keep notes on the message from their Pastor's sermon to validate what he or she said was true.

The first group would also engage in some Biblical studies in their homes and would have regular attendance in either Sunday School or weekly Bible Study or both. The second group would only open their Bible on Sunday, neglecting it during the week and again opt to believe without question everything their Pastor espoused during his or her sermon. This first group then is that small percentage of believers who make a concerted effort to know God better by using all educational avenues open to them while the second group is content to be what I constantly refer to as "spoon-fed Christians."

The first group, a group I refer to as the New Bereans have what I believe to be the proper view of God and see God as the ultimate loving father. A father who provides his children with the proper guidance to live a righteous life. A father who provides for their needs first and in some circumstances their wants second. These folks see God as a Spiritual father who cares for them deeply and watches over them day in and day out. This positive view of God as father is demonstrated by these believers by their attempting to raise their children in a Godly home. By encouraging their offspring to attend church regularly and to have a righteous way of living no matter where they are, such as in school, the streets and in any other venues they might be in the public eye.

These new Bereans believe that Almighty God has decreed that they have "free will" but at the same time He/God is in complete and total control of all that happens in their lives. The New Bereans are prayer warriors and thank God dally first for the multitude of blessings He has bestowed upon them and then ask God, their father, to address their needs. The New Bereans live by the tenet expressed by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:11-13 where he said, "11. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

The New Bereans know the true meaning of being content in what God has provided to them and at the same time realize God will give them comfort but not necessarily make them comfortable! They understand that being a Christian will not necessarily make them rich or popular or remove any pain and suffering. They realize that being a Christian will often make them the object of ridicule by envious and wicked people who are the minions of Satan. They realize that emotional hardships and extremely difficult test might be the rule of the day as Satan will try to hurt them in any way he can because he is not happy with their faithfulness to the Lord. They also live by the adage of the great Negro League baseball player Satchel Paige who often quipped, "Don't pray when it is raining if you can't pray when the sun is shining!"

The New Bereans also know that it is okay to question God just as the prophet Jeremiah and his contemporary Habakkuk did. Given all the socio-economic turmoil, decline of Christian values and morals, and widespread mass murders in the world today these believers might ask "Why God?" yet understand that all the negative circumstances are part of God's ultimate Divine "Master Plan."

The spoon-fed Christians see God as either, an equal, a buddy and or a Santa Claus like persona who they treat accordingly based upon their misguided beliefs. They believe that if they do unrighteous things during the week all they need do is go to church on Sunday and God will forgive them of their sins no matter how egregious and repetitive. These spoon-fed Christians believe that the mere possession of a Bible, no matter the quality or lack thereof, and this Bible that they rarely use and is as new in its condition as the day they bought it will get them into heaven. They also believe that they have the unalienable right to pray for forgiveness for their repetitive sins and expect no rebuke because no matter what, God will forgive them. They believe these sins, while they knowingly continue to sin will eventually go unnoticed by God and their prayers of forgiveness will get them into heaven at the head of the same line as the New Bereans. These spoon-fed Christians believe that God should be a generous and cheerful giving God and address all their material wants even though they drive fine, dress fine and live in fine homes while only making meager contributions (the proverbial Baptist dollar) to the House of God of which they are members.

Spoon-fed Christians believe again that the onus, the burden of their salvation rest totally on their Pastor whose God ordained job is to get them into heaven, no matter how negligent they/spoon-fed Christians are in terms of working in God's vineyard. These spoon-fed Christians believe in the Word of Faith based or "Name it and Claim it Gospel" and they love the Prosperity Gospel not realizing there is only one true Gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ! They also believe that their ticket on the transport to heaven is already punched because they have blessed God by praying only when they are in need of something; have purchased an inexpensive Bible and attend church as regular as they can as long as their church going does not interfere with their partying and other social desires. They feel that whatever they do for God is doing Him a "Big Favor!" Spoon-fed Christians are idol worshippers as they worship the little gods of materialism, money, status, power and influence. Spoon-fed Christians know, not think, they are going to heaven because they believe God does not expect much from them especially spending any significant time studying His Word. They can tell you everything and more about the cast of their favorite reality shows but would be hard pressed to tell you what are the synoptic Gospels or what the first five books of the Old Testament are called. But in their mind they are good Christians.

Spoon-fed Christians will commit various incessant sins and believe they will be forgiven because whatever their sins are God will understand that it was just, "human nature." Once saved always saved is their mantra!" Spoon-fed Christians believe they should be just as blessed by God as the New Bereans by virtue of their being baptized and being a member of a church albeit their infrequent attendance and miniscule financial support to their House of God.

I believe that both groups since they confessed their belief in God, belief in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior will get to heaven, but the question I have is, will God treat the spoon-fed and New Berean Christians equally? Just a thought. God's word does not suggest in my mind that He has to be fair (remember the Complaints of Jeremiah 12 and Habakkuk 1 and 2) but He does promise us everlasting life if we believe in Him and His Son. The question now arises are you striving through your walk of Faith to be content to just be a "Churchgoer, a nominal Christian" or are you striving to be an extraordinary Christian; one who is studying God's Word to show themselves approved? What say you?Unpublished Materials Copyright © 2013 Henry James

Unpublished Materials Copyright © 2013 Henry James



Resurrection Mission Baptist Church
Meeting at Restoration Ministries
1728 Stanford Road, Berkley, MI 48072-3060
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Sunday Worship 11:00 AM
Cell: (248) 225-3876
Residence: (248) 356-2537

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