Feb
02
What do we believe?
I love the diversity in Christianity. I have friends from many different churches and christian traditions. The vastness of personal and corporate expression of Christian faith boggles the mind. What hold us together? That has been the concern of Christian leaders throughout Christianities 2,000 year history. So from time to time christian leaders get together and develop a “Creed”. A “Creed” is a statement of what we believe that ties us all together in Christianity. I like this creed developed in Africa around 1960.
MASAI CREED
1. We believe in the one High God, who out of love created the beautiful world and everything good in it. He created man and wanted man to be happy in the world. God loves the world and every nation and tribe on the earth. We have known this High God in the darkness, and now we know him in the light. God promised in the book of his word, the Bible, that he would save the world and all the nations and tribes.
2. We believe that God made good his promise by sending his son, Jesus Christ, a man in the flesh, a Jew by tribe, born poor in a little village, who left his home and was always on safari doing good, curing people by the power of God, teaching about God and man, showing that the meaning of religion is love. He was rejected by his people, tortured and nailed hands and feet to a cross, and died. He lay buried in the grave, but the hyenas did not touch him, and on the third day, he rose from the grave. He ascended to the skies. He is the Lord.
3. We believe that all our sins are forgiven through him. All who have faith in him must be sorry for their sins, be baptized in the Holy Spirit of God, live the rules of love, and share the bread together in love, to announce the good news to others until Jesus comes again. We are waiting for him. He is alive. He lives. This we believe. Amen.
Previous Comments
#1 from on April 04, 2010
I like what you wrote here P Dave. I especially liked the Good Friday Contemplation Stations you set up on Friday. I have never been to such a moving experience as that. So many emotions running through me and Christ so much closer. I grew up Catholic. Even though there are many prayers I had to learn in 1st grade after a while it was too ritualistic and my brain felt on autopilot. I loved it for the faith is deep and many self-discipline to learn in my young walk with the Lord.
Since I have been involved in a bible study for several years through Living Hope, I can really appreciate what you are saying. Over the years the Holy Spirit has been helping me go through my spiritual closet and throw out the myths, preconceptions, and stereotypes that was counterproductive to bearing any fruit. The H.S. also has been pointing out how to integrate those things I learned when young into my daily walk and and striving be a light to others I meet.