Monthly Archives: May 2018

Baptist

The BUV and Ashburton Baptist in Mission Partnership

Ros Otzen’s new book on the history of the Ashburton Baptist Church in Melbourne, Australia, is a remarkable story of partnership in mission between the Baptist Union and the local church. In the 1920s, Ashburton was a suburb of orchards, forest and farms. Cows mooed around Warrigal Road and the land around Gardiner’s Creek was a place for fox hunts. The 1930s was the period of the Great Depression but some crazy Baptists, who despite their cupboards being bare and their wallets empty, had a great vision to establish a new church. From the beginnings in 1934, it has been a vigorous partnership with the Baptist Union of Victoria, which has extended for over eight decades.

                                                                    Ros Otzen & Geoff Pound

Thanks to churches such Armadale, Camberwell and East Malvern, for sending out people to establish the fledging church in the young suburb of Ashburton.

Thanks to the Baptist Union of Victoria, through its Home Mission arm, for purchasing land on Marquis Street, for arranging architectural drawings, organizing volunteers from other churches to erect the building in one day (it took longer!), granting financial loans, helping the church to get pastors through the Advisory Board and subsidizing pastor’s stipends for several years.

We were indebted to our union of churches, so when we could support ourselves the Ashburton Baptist Church began to give generously to help new churches like Syndal. Over the years the Ashburton church has given finance and contributed people to serve on the Baptist Union’s Executive Council, the Finance Committee, the Whitley College Board and teaching staff, to Baptcare and its staff workers, the Baptist schools, the Baptist Union of Australia, the WellSpring Ecumenical Spirituality Centre, the Advisory Board, the Victorian Baptist Historical Society, the Baptist Union of Australia and some of its members have gone to various countries to serve with ABMS-Global Interaction and other mission organisations. ABC has given significant architectural advice and assistance to churches doing renovations and putting up new buildings. It has contributed several people to be Baptist Union Presidents and Officers.

The new book, So Great a Cloud of Witnesses, tells of this wonderful story of partnership and service together as a Baptist Union and a local church. The Ashburton Baptist Church is a community that knows its story well so it values participation, it supports the mission beyond its local community and it seeks to build on the legacy that it has been given. A church that doesn’t know its story is like a mule with no pride of ancestry and no hope of posterity.


When asked about her approach to writing the story of ABC, author Ros Otzen said, that in contrast to many other local church histories, which are organized around the pastors who came and went, she has attempted to record the names and stories of the women and men, and boys and girls that have made up and built the church community. “This approach,” she said, “is in keeping with the people-centred church that the Ashburton Baptist Church has been and continues to be and it is in line with the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ of which the writer to the Hebrews has written.” Ros drew attention to the ‘resurrection banner’ hanging on the wall behind her, a photo of which is on the cover of the book. The banner was designed by Rhonda Edmonds and the resurrection picture of the empty cross radiating many different colours and various shades is made up of a large number of patches contributed by ABC people. The banner symbolizes life, participation, colour and partnership.

Before offering a prayer of blessing for the book, senior pastor, Geoff Pound, told this story:

Mike Krzyzewski, better known as Coach K at Duke University is one of the most successful coaches in US college basketball. And this is one of his secrets.

Before their 2015 tournament, Coach K and his players and coaches wrote on a basketball the names of people who had helped them. The coach told the team, “We are going to have this ball with us on our way throughout this entire tournament, and we would like for you to write on the ball the names of people who have made it possible for you to be here. Write down the people who have encouraged you and those who mean something to you.”

Coach K said that the players took the ball everywhere. Players started carrying the ball around—to team meals, on the plane, at practices and in the locker room. Some of the guys even slept with it—they had it right there with them in their rooms.

After the team won the championship, everyone with a name on the ball received a note saying, “Thanks. You were with us every step of the way.” The ball kept gratitude at the centre of their game. And it helped to give them the winning edge.

Geoff Pound said, “I believe that this new book will serve a similar purpose. For in it are scores of names of people who have served this church over these 85 years. This is a book of gratitude for them. It’s aptly entitled ‘So Great a Cloud of Witnesses’. So many have passed on. Many there are who are still in our midst and they all warm our hearts and cheer us on. As the writer to the Hebrews reminds us, they urge us to press on and persevere in the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”

“May God bless this book, its author and all those who read it.

May this book keep us forever grateful for all those who have gone before.

May this book inspire us as we continue to be the church in this place in the years ahead.”

 

This article is adapted from statements made on 6 May 2018 at the launch of the new book, ‘So Great a Cloud of Witnesses: Ashburton Baptist Church 1934-2014’. The 345-page book was written by author, Dr. Rosalind Otzen and was published by Monique Lisbon through her company Mono Unlimited. The book sells for $25 and is available from the Ashburton Baptist Church, P.O. Box 300, Ashburton, 3147. Email: info@ashburtonbaptist.org.au

Source: BUV News

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Culture War Terminology I: Culture War Part 06

In understanding the ‘culture war,’ it is important to know key terminology. Semantics, or the use of words, matters. In fact, it is the left-wing progressive side who are changing the culture by creating a new vocabulary. In all honesty, some of the terminology can be misleading, but it has be utilised to great effectiveness to bring massive cultural changes that would have been unthinkable a few decades ago. The following is a partial list of some of the key terms. Once you understand the language, you will be better equipped to engage with the culture and win – with God’s help, of course.
ALT-RIGHT/ALT-LEFT
The ‘alt-right’ are found in the conservative movement who allegedly support ‘extreme right-wing’ political positions. These can be highly nationalistic and racist, like anti-black, anti-Jewish positions. Those who hold extreme left-wing views are called ‘alt-left.’
ANTIFASCIST
Fascism is considered to be an authoritarian, in some cases, totalitarian system that suppresses dissent, controls private business, and is strongly nationalistic, oppressive and intolerant. While some call fascism ‘extreme right-wing,’ that point is debatable. Hitler’s Nazis were called ‘National Socialists,’ which are more akin to the Left (socialism) than Right. ‘Antifascist’ opposes ‘fascism’ and their name has been shortened to ‘antifa.’ If they believe a speaker is ‘fascist’ and thus ‘harmful,’ they are ready to use vandalism and violence to physically close down a meeting to stop that person from speaking in public.
FREE SPEECH
A fundamental human-right, free speech has been a bedrock of modern western civilisation. Sometimes called ‘freedom of expression,’ free speech is recognised in Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Essentially, it means the right for a person or community to share their ideas and opinions without fear, censorship or sanction. Not all speech is ‘free:’ Defamation, vilification, and perjury are condemned and in some cases punishable by law. However, the progressives have introduced a new term: ‘Hate Speech,’ and they argue that it must be stopped, no matter what.
HATE SPEECH
It is described as speech which attacks individuals or communities on the basis race, creed, gender, nationality, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, with the purpose to humiliate, vilify, or incite violence. Some countries have hate speech laws, others do not recognise it legally, and the United States constitutionally protects ‘hate speech.’ While the notion of viciously attacking people is repugnant, the concern is of a low-bar or elastic interpretation of what constitutes hate speech: e.g. criticism of the political agenda of a certain group has been loosely called ‘hate speech.’ Wrongly handled, hate speech laws can extinguish free speech protections. If freedom of speech goes, so do all other freedoms.
IDENTITY POLITICS
Where a particular ethnic, religious, social group, professional, civil rights and/or cultural group joins in an exclusive  political alliance for the purpose of advocating their cause, or highlighting their grievances. This is done at the expense of normal, inclusive major party politics, or they join in coalition with such a party. Identity politics exempts the individual from being responsible for their actions, since until recently their minority status made them victims of oppression.
MARGINALIZE
To marginalise means to take an individual or group and sideline them, or keep them in the periphery, so as to render them powerless. Racial, gender, and sexual minorities have been marginalised in the past and even though there have been great strides in civil and human rights, some of these same groups still claim to be disadvantaged by marginalisation.
MICROAGRESSION
These are perceived indignities in word or physical actions between various cultures, races, genders, or theologies that are interpreted as negative, hostile, or insulting aggressions, whether they are intended to be or not. These things are usually ‘small-scale’ (hence ‘micro’) interactions.
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
Based on the fear of theoretically offending a marginalised group, political correctness controls speech by enforcing a new vocabulary that neutralises offence or refuses to label people altogether. While considered a product of postmodernism, there is a case to say that it began long before in-between the two world wars. The cultural Marxists of the Frankfurt school are credited with promoting political correctness. Failure to conform to political correctness can result in censure, ostracism, a torrent of abuse, or force attendance to ‘sensitivity classes.’
PRIVILEGE
This speaks of a special status given to certain people like males, whites, and Christians, often done at the expense of non-whites and non-males and non-Christians.
PRONOUNS
These are normally the words like ‘You,’ ‘Me,’ ‘He,’ and ‘She,’ instead of the noun of a proper name. In the transgender movement, it is expected to use the pronoun the person wants, rather than to assume they are a ‘he’ or ‘she’ due to their looks or name.
RAPE CULTURE
Sexual assault and rape, which are two heinous crimes, are said to be sanitised, normalised, or trivialised with an attitude of blaming the victim, denying that rape is an issue, or failure to see the harm done by rape. These views are said to be facilitated by the ‘rape culture.’
SAFE SPACE
‘Safe space’ is like a refuge where (once) embattled racial and sexual minorities can go and be protected from harm. Also known as positive space, ‘safe space’ is found on university campuses. The ‘harm’ people are protected from includes things like harassment, discrimination, unfair criticism or anything else that would cause physical or emotional stress. ‘Safe space’ can also simply mean shielding people from hearing ideas they don’t like, even if there are no insults or injuries intended or levied. Offering this at university level hinders the educational process by failing to expose students to a variety of positions.
SNOWFLAKE
A pejorative term used to describe a person who is thin-skinned, hypersensitive, emotionally fragile, feels especially unique and has a high sense of entitlement due to their uniqueness.
TRIGGER WARNING
This can be related to literary text or videos, where a warning is given that the content may offend some individuals, especially if they have experienced such an event. Or, it simply means someone who reacts, sometimes excessively, even to the most mild of stimuli.
WESTERN CIVILISATION
Birthed in Europe, Western Civilisation is based on the twin pillars of 1) Greco-Roman heritage and culture and 2) Judea-Christian ethics and theology. The combination of these two pillars brought to the world the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, the Industrial and scientific revolutions, and the institution of liberal democracy and human rights. While these things should be celebrated, secular progressives often castigate western civilisation as being dominated by ‘white, male Christians’ at the expense of women, non-white races, and sexual minorities.
Our next article will explore more terminology involving the culture war. Stay tuned.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Culture War Terminology I: Culture War Part 06

In understanding the ‘culture war,’ it is important to know key terminology. Semantics, or the use of words, matters. In fact, it is the left-wing progressive side who are changing the culture by creating a new vocabulary. In all honesty, some of the terminology can be misleading, but it has be utilised to great effectiveness to bring massive cultural changes that would have been unthinkable a few decades ago. The following is a partial list of some of the key terms. Once you understand the language, you will be better equipped to engage with the culture and win – with God’s help, of course.
ALT-RIGHT/ALT-LEFT
The ‘alt-right’ are found in the conservative movement who allegedly support ‘extreme right-wing’ political positions. These can be highly nationalistic and racist, like anti-black, anti-Jewish positions. Those who hold extreme left-wing views are called ‘alt-left.’
ANTIFASCIST
Fascism is considered to be an authoritarian, in some cases, totalitarian system that suppresses dissent, controls private business, and is strongly nationalistic, oppressive and intolerant. While some call fascism ‘extreme right-wing,’ that point is debatable. Hitler’s Nazis were called ‘National Socialists,’ which are more akin to the Left (socialism) than Right. ‘Antifascist’ opposes ‘fascism’ and their name has been shortened to ‘antifa.’ If they believe a speaker is ‘fascist’ and thus ‘harmful,’ they are ready to use vandalism and violence to physically close down a meeting to stop that person from speaking in public.
FREE SPEECH
A fundamental human-right, free speech has been a bedrock of modern western civilisation. Sometimes called ‘freedom of expression,’ free speech is recognised in Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Essentially, it means the right for a person or community to share their ideas and opinions without fear, censorship or sanction. Not all speech is ‘free:’ Defamation, vilification, and perjury are condemned and in some cases punishable by law. However, the progressives have introduced a new term: ‘Hate Speech,’ and they argue that it must be stopped, no matter what.
HATE SPEECH
It is described as speech which attacks individuals or communities on the basis race, creed, gender, nationality, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, with the purpose to humiliate, vilify, or incite violence. Some countries have hate speech laws, others do not recognise it legally, and the United States constitutionally protects ‘hate speech.’ While the notion of viciously attacking people is repugnant, the concern is of a low-bar or elastic interpretation of what constitutes hate speech: e.g. criticism of the political agenda of a certain group has been loosely called ‘hate speech.’ Wrongly handled, hate speech laws can extinguish free speech protections. If freedom of speech goes, so do all other freedoms.
IDENTITY POLITICS
Where a particular ethnic, religious, social group, professional, civil rights and/or cultural group joins in an exclusive  political alliance for the purpose of advocating their cause, or highlighting their grievances. This is done at the expense of normal, inclusive major party politics, or they join in coalition with such a party. Identity politics exempts the individual from being responsible for their actions, since until recently their minority status made them victims of oppression.
MARGINALIZE
To marginalise means to take an individual or group and sideline them, or keep them in the periphery, so as to render them powerless. Racial, gender, and sexual minorities have been marginalised in the past and even though there have been great strides in civil and human rights, some of these same groups still claim to be disadvantaged by marginalisation.
MICROAGRESSION
These are perceived indignities in word or physical actions between various cultures, races, genders, or theologies that are interpreted as negative, hostile, or insulting aggressions, whether they are intended to be or not. These things are usually ‘small-scale’ (hence ‘micro’) interactions.
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
Based on the fear of theoretically offending a marginalised group, political correctness controls speech by enforcing a new vocabulary that neutralises offence or refuses to label people altogether. While considered a product of postmodernism, there is a case to say that it began long before in-between the two world wars. The cultural Marxists of the Frankfurt school are credited with promoting political correctness. Failure to conform to political correctness can result in censure, ostracism, a torrent of abuse, or force attendance to ‘sensitivity classes.’
PRIVILEGE
This speaks of a special status given to certain people like males, whites, and Christians, often done at the expense of non-whites and non-males and non-Christians.
PRONOUNS
These are normally the words like ‘You,’ ‘Me,’ ‘He,’ and ‘She,’ instead of the noun of a proper name. In the transgender movement, it is expected to use the pronoun the person wants, rather than to assume they are a ‘he’ or ‘she’ due to their looks or name.
RAPE CULTURE
Sexual assault and rape, which are two heinous crimes, are said to be sanitised, normalised, or trivialised with an attitude of blaming the victim, denying that rape is an issue, or failure to see the harm done by rape. These views are said to be facilitated by the ‘rape culture.’
SAFE SPACE
‘Safe space’ is like a refuge where (once) embattled racial and sexual minorities can go and be protected from harm. Also known as positive space, ‘safe space’ is found on university campuses. The ‘harm’ people are protected from includes things like harassment, discrimination, unfair criticism or anything else that would cause physical or emotional stress. ‘Safe space’ can also simply mean shielding people from hearing ideas they don’t like, even if there are no insults or injuries intended or levied. Offering this at university level hinders the educational process by failing to expose students to a variety of positions.
SNOWFLAKE
A pejorative term used to describe a person who is thin-skinned, hypersensitive, emotionally fragile, feels especially unique and has a high sense of entitlement due to their uniqueness.
TRIGGER WARNING
This can be related to literary text or videos, where a warning is given that the content may offend some individuals, especially if they have experienced such an event. Or, it simply means someone who reacts, sometimes excessively, even to the most mild of stimuli.
WESTERN CIVILISATION
Birthed in Europe, Western Civilisation is based on the twin pillars of 1) Greco-Roman heritage and culture and 2) Judea-Christian ethics and theology. The combination of these two pillars brought to the world the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, the Industrial and scientific revolutions, and the institution of liberal democracy and human rights. While these things should be celebrated, secular progressives often castigate western civilisation as being dominated by ‘white, male Christians’ at the expense of women, non-white races, and sexual minorities.
Our next article will explore more terminology involving the culture war. Stay tuned.

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

I Am My Beloved’s: Why Study the Song of Solomon?

This is one of the unusual books of the Bible. There is no mention of Almighty God, its spiritual content appears to be non-existent, and its language is highly sensuous. How could such a book have a welcome place in the the Word of God?
This book is part of the Bible’s wisdom literature. Though Christian theologians have mixed opinions – some say it is figurative and allegorical, others question its place in the canon – apparently the Jewish sages have a high opinion of it. While the Greeks deemed physical things as bad and invisible spiritual things as good, the Hebrews had a different, more practical perspective. The Hebrews said that God made both physical and spiritual realms and everything He creates is good. This includes male and female, falling in love, marriage, and becoming husband and wife. What’s more, sex is God’s idea and it is good, too. But like electricity, divinely-ordained sexuality is most powerful and must be handled with care. When left in the context of a committed, monogamous heterosexual marriage, it is declared ‘good.’ When done outside or in-between marriage, it is can have devastating consequences. Sex outside God’s design has a price-tag: unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and divine condemnation (Revelation 21:8; 22:15).
While some want to find spiritual meaning within the sensuous imagery, it is best to take it at face value: this book is about marital love. It is good to take it on your honeymoon!
So why should we read the Song of Solomon? God is love (I John 4:8), and Christianity is based on God’s love towards us and our reciprocating his love in return. We also understand how God feels when love is not returned. The story of Hosea and his adulterous wife Gomer – and the frustration the prophet feels at his wife’s infidelity, mirrors what God feels when His people become lukewarm and two-timing. It also helps us gain the Godly perspective that human sexuality is the Lord’s idea and that He heartily endorses it under the divinely-designed boundaries. Finally, Song of Solomon is Scripture, meaning it is divinely inspired and profitable for doctrine, correction, reproof, and instruction in righteousness.
HEBREW NAME
Hebrew: Shir-HaShirim, ‘Song of Songs. In the Greek Septuagint (LXX), it is Asthma Asmaton. In the Latin Vulgate, it is Canticum Canticorum, where we get the alternate name called ‘Canticles.’
AUTHORS OF THE SONG OF SOLOMON
Solomon wrote 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs (I Kings 4:32) and he is the author of the Song of Solomon. He also wrote Ecclesiastes.
PORTRAIT OF CHRIST IN SONG OF SOLOMON
Jesus Christ is the ‘leaping, skipping voice of the beloved’ (2:8), ’the bridegroom’ (the word is used 24 times in Scripture and 16 times in the New Testament, of which 15 of the 16 are in the words of Jesus).
THEME OF SONG OF SOLOMON
This book is God and love: God is love, God’s love for His people; God’s solid endorsement of marital love. It is also about marital love from a human perspective with a strong Middle Eastern flavour.
KEY VERSES IN SONG OF SOLOMON
I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me — Song of Solomon 7:10
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned — Song of Solomon 8:7
SUMMARY OF SONG OF SOLOMON
The main personalities are Solomon, the Shulamite, and the daughters of Jerusalem. The king has a country estate in Ephraim, Samaria, called Baalhamon. The Shulamite is a Cinderella type character where she, the daughter of the tenant farmer, works so much in the vineyard that she turns ‘black’ in the hot sun. There she meets a man in the vineyard, they talk regularly, and then fall in love. He proposes to her and they plan to marry.
However, her fiancé has to go back south for business and will be gone for awhile. The Shulamite has nightmares because she is afraid he will never return.
Finally, her man does return to get her. He is not just any man … he is Solomon himself. She is engaged to marry the king. One small detail: he already has 60 wives and eventually will have 700, plus 300 concubines. He takes her south to Jerusalem to live in the palace. A banquet is given in her honour. She feels strange in the presence of the other 60 wives. In fact, she is only the ‘rose of Sharon’ and the ‘lily of the valley.’ Really? Solomon sees her as the ’lily among the thorns. It says in Song of Solomon 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
OUTLINE OF SONG OF SOLOMON
I.         Love commences (1-2)
II.      Pain of Separation (3)
III.    The beloved described from the North (4)
IV.   Love grows (5-8)

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

I Am My Beloved’s: Why Study the Song of Solomon?

This is one of the unusual books of the Bible. There is no mention of Almighty God, its spiritual content appears to be non-existent, and its language is highly sensuous. How could such a book have a welcome place in the the Word of God?
This book is part of the Bible’s wisdom literature. Though Christian theologians have mixed opinions – some say it is figurative and allegorical, others question its place in the canon – apparently the Jewish sages have a high opinion of it. While the Greeks deemed physical things as bad and invisible spiritual things as good, the Hebrews had a different, more practical perspective. The Hebrews said that God made both physical and spiritual realms and everything He creates is good. This includes male and female, falling in love, marriage, and becoming husband and wife. What’s more, sex is God’s idea and it is good, too. But like electricity, divinely-ordained sexuality is most powerful and must be handled with care. When left in the context of a committed, monogamous heterosexual marriage, it is declared ‘good.’ When done outside or in-between marriage, it is can have devastating consequences. Sex outside God’s design has a price-tag: unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and divine condemnation (Revelation 21:8; 22:15).
While some want to find spiritual meaning within the sensuous imagery, it is best to take it at face value: this book is about marital love. It is good to take it on your honeymoon!
So why should we read the Song of Solomon? God is love (I John 4:8), and Christianity is based on God’s love towards us and our reciprocating his love in return. We also understand how God feels when love is not returned. The story of Hosea and his adulterous wife Gomer – and the frustration the prophet feels at his wife’s infidelity, mirrors what God feels when His people become lukewarm and two-timing. It also helps us gain the Godly perspective that human sexuality is the Lord’s idea and that He heartily endorses it under the divinely-designed boundaries. Finally, Song of Solomon is Scripture, meaning it is divinely inspired and profitable for doctrine, correction, reproof, and instruction in righteousness.
HEBREW NAME
Hebrew: Shir-HaShirim, ‘Song of Songs. In the Greek Septuagint (LXX), it is Asthma Asmaton. In the Latin Vulgate, it is Canticum Canticorum, where we get the alternate name called ‘Canticles.’
AUTHORS OF THE SONG OF SOLOMON
Solomon wrote 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs (I Kings 4:32) and he is the author of the Song of Solomon. He also wrote Ecclesiastes.
PORTRAIT OF CHRIST IN SONG OF SOLOMON
Jesus Christ is the ‘leaping, skipping voice of the beloved’ (2:8), ’the bridegroom’ (the word is used 24 times in Scripture and 16 times in the New Testament, of which 15 of the 16 are in the words of Jesus).
THEME OF SONG OF SOLOMON
This book is God and love: God is love, God’s love for His people; God’s solid endorsement of marital love. It is also about marital love from a human perspective with a strong Middle Eastern flavour.
KEY VERSES IN SONG OF SOLOMON
I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me — Song of Solomon 7:10
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned — Song of Solomon 8:7
SUMMARY OF SONG OF SOLOMON
The main personalities are Solomon, the Shulamite, and the daughters of Jerusalem. The king has a country estate in Ephraim, Samaria, called Baalhamon. The Shulamite is a Cinderella type character where she, the daughter of the tenant farmer, works so much in the vineyard that she turns ‘black’ in the hot sun. There she meets a man in the vineyard, they talk regularly, and then fall in love. He proposes to her and they plan to marry.
However, her fiancé has to go back south for business and will be gone for awhile. The Shulamite has nightmares because she is afraid he will never return.
Finally, her man does return to get her. He is not just any man … he is Solomon himself. She is engaged to marry the king. One small detail: he already has 60 wives and eventually will have 700, plus 300 concubines. He takes her south to Jerusalem to live in the palace. A banquet is given in her honour. She feels strange in the presence of the other 60 wives. In fact, she is only the ‘rose of Sharon’ and the ‘lily of the valley.’ Really? Solomon sees her as the ’lily among the thorns. It says in Song of Solomon 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
OUTLINE OF SONG OF SOLOMON
I.         Love commences (1-2)
II.      Pain of Separation (3)
III.    The beloved described from the North (4)
IV.   Love grows (5-8)

Articles, Discipleship, Education, Evangelism, Mission, Prophecy, Teaching

What is the Church Part 04: Its Mission

In this important series, we have been exploring the nature of the Christian Church. More than any other ideology or religion, Christianity strongly depends on its founder, Jesus Christ. Not only does it derive its identity from Him, He is alive, well, and highly interactive with His people. We also learned the key activities of the church based on Acts 2:42-47: teaching doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. To this we add acts of power, community, praise and worship, pastoral care, obedience, and discipleship. When the church functions properly, in enjoys community favour while God adds to the congregation more and more saved people.
Now we will explore the church’s mission. What ‘on earth’ is it meant to do?
One – Glory: The church is called to give glory to the Lord (Romans 15:6,9; Ephesians 1:5f, 12, 14, 18; 3:21; II Thessalonians 1:12; I Peter 4:11). We accomplish this through holy living (John 15:8), praise and worship. Though the Psalms are replete with exhortations to ‘praise God,’ the New Testament expects no less. Hebrews 13:15 Tell us to offer a ‘sacrifice of praise’ continually, which is the fruit of our lips. Eternity is not long enough to thank Jesus for such a great salvation.
Two – Edification: Our purpose is to ‘build up’ the church. This is the meaning of the word edification (Ephesians 4:12-16; Colossians 2:7; I Corinthians 14:26). It is like an athlete going to the gym and doing weight-training in order to build up muscle. Nasty, carnal people are adept at tearing down but those who are born again and spiritual are able to edify in a way that lasts forever. Our modern-day Barnabas’s spend much time encouraging others in the faith; this is one of the great aspects of edification. May their tribe increase.
Three – Holiness: Like so many wonderful doctrines like repentance, regeneration, justification, and sanctification, holiness is most necessary but it is also neglected. Our world is getting darker and without holiness even church people will be cast into the shadows. Holiness is to be separated for God’s purposes. It is to live a life without reproach, blemish, defilement, or corruption. Holiness is heavenly purity. It is also indispensable, because without holiness a person will not see the Lord (Hebrews 12:24). It is impossible to give glory to God, in the manner He deserves, if holiness is missing. It is time to return to ‘first things first’ (Ephesians 5:26; Matthew 18:17; Acts 5:11; Romans 16:17; I Corinthians 5:6-8, 13; I Peter 1:22).
Four – Evangelism: This means to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. ‘Gospel’ means good news (Matthew 28:19; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8). It is wonderfully summarised in I Corinthians 15:3-5: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures. When you repent, believe, and receive, you have the gift of the new birth, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. No amount of money could ever purchase this great salvation; it came via the highest price, namely, the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. Evangelism is to the church what children are to marriage: it grows and perpetuates.
Five – Discipleship: This is the main objective of the church and evangelism. Evangelism leads the person to faith and discipleship establishes them in the faith. One way to describe discipleship is ‘to follow Jesus with all of your heart, all of the time.’ Following Jesus with some of your heart all of the time, or all of your heart some of the time, is to fail in the call of discipleship. A disciple will become like the Master, but this will be a process, not an event. Discipleship is not an option; it is a divine command (Ephesians 4:12; Matthew 28:20; II Timothy 2:2; Philippians 4:8). When a person is properly discipled, they will live a normal, Biblical, Spirit-empowered Christian life to the glory of God. Failure to disciple means the person may remain no more than an old wineskin, ready to burst asunder when the new wine comes. To ‘make disciples’ in Matthew 28:19 (Greek: matheteusate) is a command, even an imperative. It is of the highest priority to the Lord and thus should be to the church as well.
Six – Mission: This is merely an extension of four and five: to proactively and globally evangelise and disciple people. God is calling the (Gentile) nations to be His people (Acts 15:14). One person aptly said that a person with Christ in their heart is a ‘missionary’ and a person without Christ in their heart is a ‘mission field.’ Whether we go around the block or around the world, we need to put mission as our highest priority until the ‘fullness of the Gentiles’ comes in (Romans 11:25). Mission is another name for ‘the Great Commission,’ to go and make disciples of all nations. The Great Commission is found in all four gospels and in Acts (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-49; John 20:21-22; Acts 1:8). The Great Commission is the only mission Christ gave His church;
Next Time: How to Fulfil the Mission of the Church

Articles, Discipleship, Education, Evangelism, Mission, Prophecy, Teaching

What is the Church Part 04: Its Mission

In this important series, we have been exploring the nature of the Christian Church. More than any other ideology or religion, Christianity strongly depends on its founder, Jesus Christ. Not only does it derive its identity from Him, He is alive, well, and highly interactive with His people. We also learned the key activities of the church based on Acts 2:42-47: teaching doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. To this we add acts of power, community, praise and worship, pastoral care, obedience, and discipleship. When the church functions properly, in enjoys community favour while God adds to the congregation more and more saved people.
Now we will explore the church’s mission. What ‘on earth’ is it meant to do?
One – Glory: The church is called to give glory to the Lord (Romans 15:6,9; Ephesians 1:5f, 12, 14, 18; 3:21; II Thessalonians 1:12; I Peter 4:11). We accomplish this through holy living (John 15:8), praise and worship. Though the Psalms are replete with exhortations to ‘praise God,’ the New Testament expects no less. Hebrews 13:15 Tell us to offer a ‘sacrifice of praise’ continually, which is the fruit of our lips. Eternity is not long enough to thank Jesus for such a great salvation.
Two – Edification: Our purpose is to ‘build up’ the church. This is the meaning of the word edification (Ephesians 4:12-16; Colossians 2:7; I Corinthians 14:26). It is like an athlete going to the gym and doing weight-training in order to build up muscle. Nasty, carnal people are adept at tearing down but those who are born again and spiritual are able to edify in a way that lasts forever. Our modern-day Barnabas’s spend much time encouraging others in the faith; this is one of the great aspects of edification. May their tribe increase.
Three – Holiness: Like so many wonderful doctrines like repentance, regeneration, justification, and sanctification, holiness is most necessary but it is also neglected. Our world is getting darker and without holiness even church people will be cast into the shadows. Holiness is to be separated for God’s purposes. It is to live a life without reproach, blemish, defilement, or corruption. Holiness is heavenly purity. It is also indispensable, because without holiness a person will not see the Lord (Hebrews 12:24). It is impossible to give glory to God, in the manner He deserves, if holiness is missing. It is time to return to ‘first things first’ (Ephesians 5:26; Matthew 18:17; Acts 5:11; Romans 16:17; I Corinthians 5:6-8, 13; I Peter 1:22).
Four – Evangelism: This means to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. ‘Gospel’ means good news (Matthew 28:19; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8). It is wonderfully summarised in I Corinthians 15:3-5: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures. When you repent, believe, and receive, you have the gift of the new birth, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. No amount of money could ever purchase this great salvation; it came via the highest price, namely, the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. Evangelism is to the church what children are to marriage: it grows and perpetuates.
Five – Discipleship: This is the main objective of the church and evangelism. Evangelism leads the person to faith and discipleship establishes them in the faith. One way to describe discipleship is ‘to follow Jesus with all of your heart, all of the time.’ Following Jesus with some of your heart all of the time, or all of your heart some of the time, is to fail in the call of discipleship. A disciple will become like the Master, but this will be a process, not an event. Discipleship is not an option; it is a divine command (Ephesians 4:12; Matthew 28:20; II Timothy 2:2; Philippians 4:8). When a person is properly discipled, they will live a normal, Biblical, Spirit-empowered Christian life to the glory of God. Failure to disciple means the person may remain no more than an old wineskin, ready to burst asunder when the new wine comes. To ‘make disciples’ in Matthew 28:19 (Greek: matheteusate) is a command, even an imperative. It is of the highest priority to the Lord and thus should be to the church as well.
Six – Mission: This is merely an extension of four and five: to proactively and globally evangelise and disciple people. God is calling the (Gentile) nations to be His people (Acts 15:14). One person aptly said that a person with Christ in their heart is a ‘missionary’ and a person without Christ in their heart is a ‘mission field.’ Whether we go around the block or around the world, we need to put mission as our highest priority until the ‘fullness of the Gentiles’ comes in (Romans 11:25). Mission is another name for ‘the Great Commission,’ to go and make disciples of all nations. The Great Commission is found in all four gospels and in Acts (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-49; John 20:21-22; Acts 1:8). The Great Commission is the only mission Christ gave His church;
Next Time: How to Fulfil the Mission of the Church

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Christianity & the Birth of the West

While growing up in the United States during the Cold War, I had certain fanciful, even romantic ideas when it came to the continent of Europe:
•    A castle on every hill;
•    A cathedral on every street corner;
•    Art museums in every suburb;
•    Horse-drawn carriages travelling on cobbled streets to the sound of classical music;
•    A semi-aristocratic lifestyle, where people elegantly sip fine coffee and eat cake, while never being in a hurry;
•    A highly-intelligent population who can speak 3-5 languages each.
There is some truth to this idealised picture, but it is also true that this resembles a past glory. To understand this great continent, we need to go back into history. What makes Europe, ‘Europe.’ After all, it is part of the same land mass as Asia and even Africa (via the Suez Canal and Straits of Gibraltar). In theory, you could drive from Oslo to Singapore or Cape Town to Helsinki.
So what set Europe apart from the other continents and made it a world leader in its heyday?
Europe is the birthplace of western civilisation. From its soil was spawned the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, industrial and scientific revolutions, and the concept of liberal democracy, individual freedom, and human rights. These things have reached out and blessed the world.
However, they did not come in a vacuum. For the foundations of western civilisation rest on two pillars:
1.       Greco-Roman philosophy, culture, and heritage (also known as Hellenism);
2.       Judeo – Christian theology, ethics, and morality.
These two pillars are what make Europe, and the western world, what they are. In this article, we will look at Christianity and Europe. Indeed, we argue that without Christianity, Europe would not have the identity that it enjoys today.
The Gospel Comes to Europe
The spread of the Christian gospel occurred very rapidly. From its birthplace in Jerusalem, the good news of Christ went eastward towards India (doubting Thomas was reputed to have ministered in Chennai), southwards to Africa thanks to Mark, who gave us the second gospel. It went westward to Spain, perhaps by the Apostle Paul himself. Then northward and westward into Europe. So within time North Africa, the Middle East, and the southern part of Europe became Christian.
The Jewish people in Biblical times were agrarian in nature and had little experience or interest in maritime activities. Which means they had little to do with the Mediterranean world, especially the northern shore which is Europe. With Rome as their imperial masters, they only dealt with Europe when they had to. Paradoxically, it was in the very direction that the Jews avoided which became the most fertile and resilient ground for spread of Christianity, especially after North Africa and the Middle East came under Islamic rule in the 7th Century AD.
Paul the apostle is given much credit for bringing the gospel to Europe. Indeed, his efforts are worthy of celebration, but he was not the only one. For example, neither Paul nor Peter founded the church of Rome. In fact, when Paul wrote the Epistle to Romans, he had not yet visited the church or city. In the catalogue of nations present at the Day of Pentecost, only the ‘strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes’ were from Europe. The churches Paul planted on European soil included Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth. All of these are in modern Greece. As mentioned, there was a church (or series of house churches) in the imperial capital of Rome, and the good news spread elsewhere. Aristobulous was sent by the church in Tyre, Phoenicia, to Britain in around AD 37 and within half a millennium there were over 100 bishops. Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as its religion in 301 AD and the gospel continued to spread elsewhere.
From Illegal to Legal
For the first three centuries, the Christian church was considered to be a ‘religio illicita,’ in contrast to the Jewish religion which was deemed ‘religio licita.’ The Jews were given relative tolerance and autonomy, and Christianity, when it was still considered a Jewish sect, from under its covering. Yet, when the separation and divorce between Judaism and Christianity finally occurred, the Church was subject to periodic bouts of severe persecution. Even the Roman Emperor Nero used the the fire of Rome in AD 64 as a pretext for punishing Christians, who he blamed for the flames.
Then something amazing happened. First, the church grew miraculously, despite the persecution. Estimates say that 10% of the population of the empire was Christian. Second, the emperor of the Roman Empire converted to the very faith that his predecessors sought to destroy. Constantine saw a cross in the sky and heard the words ‘By this sign you will have victory.’ He went on to win the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 AD. He then issued the ‘Edict of Milan,’ granting official tolerance to the Christian Church. Next, he personally convened the Council at Nicaea in 325 AD, where the Arians were condemned. This council brought civil recognition to Christianity. By the end of the fourth century, Christianity had been ‘legalised’ and ‘imperialised.’ The legalisation was symbolised by the destruction of the pagan temple in Alexandria in AD 391. Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire..
An interesting note: Constantine sent his mother Helena to Palestine to discover places associated with the life of Jesus. As a result of her visit, two churches were established that are still with us to this day: the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, commemorating Christ’s birth, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, on the traditional sites of Calvary and the tomb.
The fall of Rome in the fifth century AD left a vacuum filled by the Bishop of Rome, popularly called ‘the Pope.’Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD.  The Christianisation of Europe continued. The Vikings were Christianised in 911 AD. King Charles the Simple of France invited them to settle, on the condition that they convert to Christianity. These Vikings became known as the Normans, who went on to conquer England.
The Russian ruler wanted to be associated with Europe. He listen to a Jew, Catholic, and Orthodox explained their religions. So in 950 AD Olga converted Russia into Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
Massive changes occurred since then, with the Middle Ages (which spawned the great universities), the launch of the Crusades, the Reformation, Thirty Years War (1618-1648), and the like. There were also the Muslim invasions, either by the Arabs in the eighth century, or the Ottoman Turks from the sixteenth & seventeenth century. Yet in all these things, looking at the universities, cathedrals, place names, legal system, all prove that Christianity and European identity have been greatly tied together.
TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Christianity & the Birth of the West

While growing up in the United States during the Cold War, I had certain fanciful, even romantic ideas when it came to the continent of Europe:
•    A castle on every hill;
•    A cathedral on every street corner;
•    Art museums in every suburb;
•    Horse-drawn carriages travelling on cobbled streets to the sound of classical music;
•    A semi-aristocratic lifestyle, where people elegantly sip fine coffee and eat cake, while never being in a hurry;
•    A highly-intelligent population who can speak 3-5 languages each.
There is some truth to this idealised picture, but it is also true that this resembles a past glory. To understand this great continent, we need to go back into history. What makes Europe, ‘Europe.’ After all, it is part of the same land mass as Asia and even Africa (via the Suez Canal and Straits of Gibraltar). In theory, you could drive from Oslo to Singapore or Cape Town to Helsinki.
So what set Europe apart from the other continents and made it a world leader in its heyday?
Europe is the birthplace of western civilisation. From its soil was spawned the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, industrial and scientific revolutions, and the concept of liberal democracy, individual freedom, and human rights. These things have reached out and blessed the world.
However, they did not come in a vacuum. For the foundations of western civilisation rest on two pillars:
1.       Greco-Roman philosophy, culture, and heritage (also known as Hellenism);
2.       Judeo – Christian theology, ethics, and morality.
These two pillars are what make Europe, and the western world, what they are. In this article, we will look at Christianity and Europe. Indeed, we argue that without Christianity, Europe would not have the identity that it enjoys today.
The Gospel Comes to Europe
The spread of the Christian gospel occurred very rapidly. From its birthplace in Jerusalem, the good news of Christ went eastward towards India (doubting Thomas was reputed to have ministered in Chennai), southwards to Africa thanks to Mark, who gave us the second gospel. It went westward to Spain, perhaps by the Apostle Paul himself. Then northward and westward into Europe. So within time North Africa, the Middle East, and the southern part of Europe became Christian.
The Jewish people in Biblical times were agrarian in nature and had little experience or interest in maritime activities. Which means they had little to do with the Mediterranean world, especially the northern shore which is Europe. With Rome as their imperial masters, they only dealt with Europe when they had to. Paradoxically, it was in the very direction that the Jews avoided which became the most fertile and resilient ground for spread of Christianity, especially after North Africa and the Middle East came under Islamic rule in the 7th Century AD.
Paul the apostle is given much credit for bringing the gospel to Europe. Indeed, his efforts are worthy of celebration, but he was not the only one. For example, neither Paul nor Peter founded the church of Rome. In fact, when Paul wrote the Epistle to Romans, he had not yet visited the church or city. In the catalogue of nations present at the Day of Pentecost, only the ‘strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes’ were from Europe. The churches Paul planted on European soil included Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth. All of these are in modern Greece. As mentioned, there was a church (or series of house churches) in the imperial capital of Rome, and the good news spread elsewhere. Aristobulous was sent by the church in Tyre, Phoenicia, to Britain in around AD 37 and within half a millennium there were over 100 bishops. Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as its religion in 301 AD and the gospel continued to spread elsewhere.
From Illegal to Legal
For the first three centuries, the Christian church was considered to be a ‘religio illicita,’ in contrast to the Jewish religion which was deemed ‘religio licita.’ The Jews were given relative tolerance and autonomy, and Christianity, when it was still considered a Jewish sect, from under its covering. Yet, when the separation and divorce between Judaism and Christianity finally occurred, the Church was subject to periodic bouts of severe persecution. Even the Roman Emperor Nero used the the fire of Rome in AD 64 as a pretext for punishing Christians, who he blamed for the flames.
Then something amazing happened. First, the church grew miraculously, despite the persecution. Estimates say that 10% of the population of the empire was Christian. Second, the emperor of the Roman Empire converted to the very faith that his predecessors sought to destroy. Constantine saw a cross in the sky and heard the words ‘By this sign you will have victory.’ He went on to win the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 AD. He then issued the ‘Edict of Milan,’ granting official tolerance to the Christian Church. Next, he personally convened the Council at Nicaea in 325 AD, where the Arians were condemned. This council brought civil recognition to Christianity. By the end of the fourth century, Christianity had been ‘legalised’ and ‘imperialised.’ The legalisation was symbolised by the destruction of the pagan temple in Alexandria in AD 391. Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire..
An interesting note: Constantine sent his mother Helena to Palestine to discover places associated with the life of Jesus. As a result of her visit, two churches were established that are still with us to this day: the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, commemorating Christ’s birth, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, on the traditional sites of Calvary and the tomb.
The fall of Rome in the fifth century AD left a vacuum filled by the Bishop of Rome, popularly called ‘the Pope.’Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD.  The Christianisation of Europe continued. The Vikings were Christianised in 911 AD. King Charles the Simple of France invited them to settle, on the condition that they convert to Christianity. These Vikings became known as the Normans, who went on to conquer England.
The Russian ruler wanted to be associated with Europe. He listen to a Jew, Catholic, and Orthodox explained their religions. So in 950 AD Olga converted Russia into Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
Massive changes occurred since then, with the Middle Ages (which spawned the great universities), the launch of the Crusades, the Reformation, Thirty Years War (1618-1648), and the like. There were also the Muslim invasions, either by the Arabs in the eighth century, or the Ottoman Turks from the sixteenth & seventeenth century. Yet in all these things, looking at the universities, cathedrals, place names, legal system, all prove that Christianity and European identity have been greatly tied together.
TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Jerusalem: Magnet for Christian Visits Part 01

We are all familiar with the 1967 Six Day War in Jerusalem and what transpired. Jerusalem was partitioned between Israel and Jordan after the 1948 War. Then came the Six Day War and Israel captured the Jordanian sector. This included the historic and sacred walled Old City and the Mount of Olives. Many of the Biblical sites are located in these places. At the end of June 1967 Israeli law was applied to eastern Jerusalem, meaning it was annexed to the Jewish state. Then in 1980, the Basic Law of Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of Israel was passed by the parliament, the Knesset.
All of this is well known.
Yet, what is overlooked is that there was a gradual change in a age-old phenomena called Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Like a flowing river, foreign Christians have been coming to the holy city almost from the very beginning of the church age. After 1967, the demographics and numbers of pilgrims would change, slowly but surely.
The first bona fide known Christian visitor who left a record of his journey was Melito of Sardis in the second century AD. Then the Christianisation of the Roman Empire and of Jerusalem caused a spike in visits, starting in the 4th Century AD. At that time Jerusalem went from being a heathen city called Aelia Capitolina to a Christian holy city. Famous pilgrims of that period included Egeria and the anonymous pilgrim of Bordeaux.
Throughout the later centuries the ‘river of Christian pilgrimage’ continued to flow, regardless of who was in charge at the time and despite the risks. . Since the fall of the second temple in AD 70, Jerusalem has been occupied by the Romans, Byzantines, Persians, Arabs, Fatimids (Egypt), Seljuk Turks, Christian Crusaders, Ayyubids, Mamluks (Egypt), Ottomans (Turkey), British, and Jordanians. Since Israel took firm control of Jerusalem, what happened to the ‘river?’ This series will address that question.
Long before the advent of modern international ‘mass tourism,’ religious pilgrimage has been one of the prime motives for travel. This is especially true of the Middle East and the Bible lands, which are at the historic centre of monotheism.
By international standards, tourist arrivals to Israel are still modest, for example, 2.9 million arrivals in 2016, contrasted with 8.3 million in ‘far-away Australia,’ 30.3 million to Turkey, and a whopping 82.6 million to France (the USA had 75.6 million arrivals). Yet, there is evidence that numbers will continue to grow for Israel and the neighbouring countries, in part because of the thriving tourist industry working in tandem with a growing global spiritual awakening.
Some issues we want to explore is in this series of articles include: how have Christian visits to Jerusalem changed since the 1967 war? What do we mean by ‘pilgrim’ and ‘pilgrimage,’ especially contrasting it with ‘tourism?’ And are Christian visitors to Jerusalem and Israel ‘pilgrims’ or ‘tourists’ or both?
Why Do Christians Visit Jerusalem?
Christians have been interested in visiting Jerusalem since the First Century AD. This is somewhat remarkable considering the apparent trend towards ‘de-territorialisation’ found in the New Testament and patristic writings. In the Old Testament, the men of Israel were commanded to appear before the LORD three times a year for the pilgrimage feasts of Passover (Feast of Unleavened Bread), Pentecost (Feast of Weeks), and Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:16).
Yet, Jesus Christ in the New Testament says:
…the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the      Father…God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:21,24, KJV)
In other words,Now, the Lord says it does not matter where you worship God, only how.
Unlike Old Testament Judaism or Islam, there are no divine or apostolic commands that Christians must visit Jerusalem or holy sites. Like the patriarchs, Christians look for another city, a heavenly one (Hebrews 11:16). The earthly Jerusalem is in bondage to her children but the heavenly Jerusalem is free and mother of us all (Galatians 4 :25-26). Historically Christian rule over Jerusalem constituted less than 17% of the city’s history since the time of Christ two thousand years ago.
Despite these factors, many Christians are interested in visiting Jerusalem and the Holy Land (of all Christians who visit Israel, especially on a first visit, 99% will visit Jerusalem)? Why do a growing number of modern Christians travel to the Middle East  –  considered a war zone – and visit the city many consider the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict?
Theology provides the most important reason. Jerusalem is the stage for redemption in Christ, where His suffering and death took place (Luke 18:31-33). The major events of Christ’s passion occurred here. Biblical eschatology plays a significant role in the attitude of many Christians toward Jerusalem. There are great similarities between classic Jewish eschatology and Christian eschatology, except that the Christian sees the coming of the Messiah as the Second Coming of Christ, with Jerusalem as the ultimate destination. For Christians the Holy City serves as the setting for the foundational events of the faith and the intersection of heaven and earth, temporal and eternal, carnal and spiritual.
Add to this the fact that there is 2,000 year old historical association between the Church and the Holy City. This is not to suggest that every Christian has a burning passion to visit Jerusalem, but the many who do visit come from a variety of denominational and theological perspectives. To be continued.
Kameel Majdali is Director of Teach All Nations (tan.org.au), an international Bible teacher, and has led 35 holy land tours. His PhD from Melbourne University was about this very topic. He has written 11 books, including: Melbourne to Jerusalem: A Pilgrim’s Progress in the 21st Century. His 4th annual Australia-Wide ‘Understanding the Times’ Tour with Vision Christian Radio is from 19 August to 29 October 2018. See vision.org.au for more details.