It is hard to imagine a world in which we didn't have access to the Bible in our own language and the ability to read it for ourselves. But that is the reality for many people around the world to this day.
It wasn't until the Protestant Reformation in the 16th Century that the average Christian began to have the Bible in their own language along with the education to be able to read it for themselves.
"Where's your heart at with the Lord?"
You know those questions that go deep straight away? I love those questions. Sometimes I find small talk really hard coz I just wanna get to those deeper questions. This one was shared with me recently as a question their old pastor used to ask his flock. It's a brilliant question.
Recently, in the lead up to our Annual General Meeting I invited a bunch of people to become formal members of our church. Many are new to our church since last AGM, others have been part of our church for ages but for whatever reason have never gone through that process. We were encouraged to see the Admin Team approve dozens of new members prior to the AGM this year.
A big thank you to all those who were able to make it to our Annual General Meeting last Sunday. It was great to gather together to hear of what God has been doing in our church and pray for what he might continue to do in the future.
Also special thanks goes to Ros van Rij for taking the minutes of the meeting!
In August we will be starting a sermon series looking at the many images the Bible uses for 'the church'. Some include the gathering, the body, the flock, the building and the bride. But it is the image of 'the family' that expresses the closeness of the relationships we ought to experience in the church.
The church isn't a business, a corporation or even just a community organisation. We're brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus is our older brother, and we are all children of our Heavenly Father.
