Page 4 - Good News December 2008 paper

Does Working Together Dink Hierdie Kersfees
Really Make a Difference?
When we ask "Why partnership?" a number of answers come to mind:
The relational benefits alone are enormous. ?
Efficiency and effectiveness are often increased. ?
It makes sense in the current world climate. ?
Most notably, though, partnership is strongly supported in
Scripture, and it really works.
The Biblical Basis for Partnership
Scripture is clear in its call for believers to work together in unity.
Christians usually agree in theory, but have had a difficult time in
practice. Organizational pride, personal egos, finances and
independent agendas often keep Christians from working with others
outside their own church or organization. In addition, concepts of unity
without a Scriptural basis in Christ have made some believers
suspicious. In fact, the Scriptures have much to say about the calling to
a life of partnership.
Disciples of Jesus rejoice when they experience the global church:
Collaborating, not Competing…
Discussing, not Dividing…
Supplementing, not Supplanting…
Relating, not Retaliating…
Reconciling, not Retreating!
The Biblical
Basis for Partnership
There are several Scriptures referring to partnership, for example:
Ephesians 4:1 - 6, 11 - 16; 1 Corinthians 12 & 14, etc.
In John 17:20 - 23, Jesus prays twice in four verses that His followers
may be one, in order that the world may believe and know that God the
Father has sent Jesus. Except for the Great Commission itself in Matt.
28, this is one of the strongest statements Jesus made on missions. He
hinged the credibility of our message on our oneness in Him.
A key passage for us as we investigate how the Bible speaks about unity
is 1 Corinthians 12:12 - 27, especially verse 25: "There should be no
division in the Body, but its parts should have equal concern for one
another." We all know that there is division in the Body, and that
different parts often don't have much concern for one another. Yet God
tells us that there should be no division!
We are the Body of Christ - and we actually need each other if the Body is
to work as effectively and efficiently as it should. Sometimes we have a
tendency to pull others down - to criticize them. God's desire though is
that we should "transform our thinking". That means that rather than
pulling others down, we should be building them up! We are members of
the same Body - of the same family. And we need to relate to one another
in a positive and encouraging way.
“Die Woord het mens geword en onder ons kom woon. Ons
het Sy heerlikheid gesien, die heerlikheid wat Hy as die enigste
Seun van die Vader het, vol genade en waarheid” (Joh. 1:14).
“God het van Sy enigste Seun
'n Sendeling gemaak” - David Livingstone
Hierdie bladsy se inhoud is voorsien en geborg deur die NG Kerk Miederpark, Potchefstroom
Hierdie bladsy se inhoud is voorsien en geborg deur die NG Kerk Miederpark, Potchefstroom
Aan Christene Wat Nie
Saam Fees Kan Vier Nie!
anneer jy hierdie Kersfees saam met jou familie aan
die Kerstafel sit en daardie heerlike Kersmaal geniet,
Wwil ek jou vra om ook 'n gebed te doen vir die
Christene in bykans sestig volke waar daar geen gods-
diensvryheid is nie. Waar gelowiges wat Jesus Christus as
Verlosser aanvaar het, deur hul families en die samelewing
verwerp word!
Net om enkele voorbeelde te noem: Terwyl jy hier lees, is daar
ongeveer 2 000 Christene in die tronk in Eritrea. Nog 'n
voorbeeld is Indië waar 4 500 huise en kerke van Christene
oor die laaste drie maande vernietig is. In die Orissa-provinsie
van Indië is meer as dertig Christene wreed vermoor. In die
Kandhamal-distrik is meer as 500 mense vermoor waarvan
die meeste Christene is. Duisende Christene is verjaag en hul
huise is afgebrand en verwoes. Meer as 100 miljoen Christene
oor die wêreld word tans geteister deur disinformasie,
vervolging en diskriminasie. Nog lande waar Christene weens
godsdienstige onverdraagsaamheid erge vervolging ervaar,
is Noord-Korea, Saoedi-Arabië, Iran, Maledive, Bhoetan en
Jemen.
In die suide van Laos het die hoof van 'n dorpie gedurende
September 'n vergadering met die inwoners gehou. Christene
is nie op die vergadering toegelaat nie. Die inwoners het
besluit om die 55 Christen-inwoners van die dorpie te verwerp
en uit die dorpie te verjaag!
Dank die Here vir Suid-Afrika, 'n land met godsdiensvryheid.
Kom ons bid vir Christene in lande waar nie godsdiens-
vryheid is nie. Daardie Christene moet bittere lyding verduur
net omdat hulle Jesus as Verlosser aangeneem het! Bid dat
die regerings van die lande waar nie godsdiensvryheid is nie,
se oë sal oopgaan en dat die regerings die wette sal wysig!
Bid dat die Christene deur hierdie beproewing net sterker en
meer vasberade in hul geloof sal staan.
As jy hierdie jaar 'n Bybel as Kersgeskenk aan die Christene
in die lande waar geen godsdiensvryheid is nie, wil stuur, kan
dit hulle bemoedig! Dit maak nie saak of die geskenk hulle ná
Kersfees bereik nie! Dit sal hulle steeds bemoedig. Ons
onderneem om jou bydrae vanjaar na Christene in die
geteisterde provinsies van Indië te stuur. (Skenk enige bedrag
wat die Here op jou hart lê.) U kan dit direk inbetaal aan:
Miederpark Sending, Rek. 405 041 9146, ABSA, takkode 632
005. Skryf as verwysing: Bybels, gevolg deur u van. Faks die
inbetalingstrokie na 018 294 3900 (of e-pos aan:
sending@ngkmiederpark.co.za) tesame met u adres. Ons sal
u graag in 2009 wil inlig oor die afloop van hierdie Projek.
Geseënde Kersfees! - Miederpark Sending