Click on each category to read more about it
WHY DO WE…?
Attending a service at a vibrant Church for the first time can be a bit daunting and even confusing, so this article seeks to explain the way we hold our church services and why and how we worship God, and some things we typically say.
FOUNDATIONS
Introduction to Foundations
Laying a Foundation. Teaching the Bible is one of the essential 5-fold ministries. (Ephesians 4:11-13). What would the Lord say to us if we fail in this? Would it be ‘well done good and faithful servant’ or a reprimand along the lines of 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 & Hebrews 5:I1-12?
Salvation
What does salvation mean to each of us – our state before and after salvation? The only way to God is by faith. Our relationship with Him, spiritual position and growth, and what God wants us to do now.
Why should we study the Bible?
We could just say that the Bible is God’s ‘instruction manual’ to us on how to live our lives, so, of course, we should study it! But here are several more reasons – and all for our benefit. God really loves us and the Bible has many promises, and some warnings, all motivated by this love.
Understanding the Bible
The Bible is God’s instruction manual for our lives, so we really need to be able to correctly understand what we are reading, and how to apply it to our lives. We might like to think we do and base our views and actions on this, but maybe we need to look deeper into various factors that will lead to a far more clear and accurate understanding of the different books in the Bible, and everything in them.
The Church
The church (ecclesia) refers to the universal (total) body of believers whom God calls out from the world and into His eternal kingdom. What does, or should, the church consist of? Let’s take a look, using the picture of a dove.
FOUNDATIONS (Hebrews 6:1-2)
Repentance from evil deeds
‘Repenting from evil deeds’ is listed as the first ‘basic teaching about Christ’. Salvation from the judgement and the consequence of spending eternity in hell is by repentance for our sins and by accepting and committing our lives to follow Jesus as both our Lord and our Saviour.
Faith in God
Our faith is our belief in God, and our confidence in His loving character. We are all called to live by this faith, which involves believing what the Bible says and all the promises that have been given to us, and to live accordingly.
Baptisms
God wants us all, as Christians (followers of Jesus) to be baptised into the body of Christ, to be baptised in water, and to be baptised in the Holy Spirit.
Laying on of hands
The laying on of hands (typically by touching a person’s shoulder while praying for such person) is a symbolic act that has several applications, including for healing, to confer a blessing, or for ordination to a church office.
Resurrection of the dead
When we die, as believers in Christ, our spirits go straight to Jesus, but our bodies will only be resurrected (brought back to life) at a later date. This is called the ‘resurrection’. The Bible tells us that we will all be ‘raptures’ or caught up to join Him in heaven. There will also be a great tribulation (period of suffering) brought on all those on earth at such time.
Eternal judgment
We will all face judgment after we die, with Jesus as our Judge. For believers, it will be a judgment to determine rewards – since Jesus suffered the punishment we deserved for us, but for the lost, it will be to determine their punishment.
MOVING ON
Introduction to Moving On
Our spiritual life as Christians is not meant to be static – spiritual growth is a life-long process. Having completed the ‘Foundations’ Bible Study to learn the essential of our faith, we now need to ‘move on’. As we are told in Hebrews 6:3 we should not be content to remain where we are, but realise that we all need to ‘move forward to further understanding – so that we can be strong and unmovable in our faith, and not swayed by any false teachings or doctrines.
To be able to effectively minister to people with different beliefs, an understanding of what they believe and how this differs from our beliefs can only be highly beneficial.
The Covenants
We talk about covenants, and often being a ‘covenant church’, so let’s see what a biblical ‘covenant’ is, and what the 5 main covenants in the Bible are.
The New Covenant
What is the difference between the New Testament and the New Covenant? When did they each start and what does it matter? Actually, there is a big difference, and it is important for us all to understand the differences.
Heresies and Cults
False beliefs that deviate from accepted Christian beliefs arose in the early church and had to be countered, and are mentioned in both Acts and Revelation. Many more heresies have arisen since then, and several are discussed. Cults – religious groups that may claim to be Christian but are deemed theologically deviant, and are often dangerous. See the examples, and the warning signs.
What do we believe?
What do we really believe, and on what are our beliefs based, and how did they evolve? What the Bible says about the importance of teaching sound doctrine, and why leaders and members stray. The meaning of Pentecostal, Charismatic and New Covenant Theology are discussed. The importance of knowing what we believe, and what NCMI believes follows.
Different Denominations
The Reformation led to the founding of the Protestant movement, and from this to the proliferation of many denominations, each with their own different theologies. This article looks at some of the major denominations, their key beliefs, and and what they stand for.
Other Religions
There are a vast number of theological beliefs and systems, some which are more philosophical and aim at promoting ethical lifestyles – especially the earlier ones, while the majority are based on the worship of one or more deity. Religions like Hinduism have evolved over centurions, while many of the later religions are based on the Bible, to a greater of lesser extent, and are based on a different and unorthodox interpretation of the Bible, or even on a heavenly revelation
Catholics and Protestants
What are the differences between what the Catholics and Protestants believe? There are several fundamental differences, and an understanding of what they are, and on what each theology is based and how it arose, will greatly assist in ministering to anyone from the Catholic faith. As will be seen, the their faith is founded on the belief that the popes and the Catholic church leadership are the successors of the apostles and exercise divine authority, which is of equal or greater authority than the Bible, while the Protestants accept the divine inspiration and authority of the Bible, and hold the doctrines of the church as subservient and fallible.
Islam
Islam is the fastest growing religion worldwide, and its effects on the countries and areas in which it is practised is profound. Hence this article looks at what it is, how it arose, what its fundamental doctrines are, their beliefs concerning Jesus, other Christian figures and the Bible, and finally is it really a religion of peace.
Freemasons
Who they are, their religious affiliation and their relationship with the Catholic Church. Who is really their ‘god’ and can a Christian in all good conscience be a Freemason. Various beliefs and practices of Freemasonry that are contrary to the Christian faith. A prayer to break Freemasonry curses.
MINISTRY TEAM EQUIPPING
Introduction to Ministry Team Equipping
This series of teachings is designed to assist in the equipping of both the leaders and the members of each church to be able to more effectively minister to their congregations and to the visitors to their churches, and to anyone else, whether on the mission field or anywhere else.
Cleaning your ‘House’
‘Cleaning your house’ is used metaphorically as an illustration of the need to rid both our physical and spiritual environments of all possible demonic strongholds or areas that may serve as ‘open doors’ to attacks by the enemy. Both are discussed here.
How to Hear the Voice of God
God speaks to us in several ways, and He wants us all to be able to hear from Him. Let’s look at the different ways and how each of us can begin to hear from God, and at the typical obstacles that may be preventing us from hearing the voice of God and how to overcome them.
Led by the Holy Spirit
The Bible says in Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Let’s look at who the Holy Spirit is, what it means to be led by the Holy Spirit, and how we can all be led by the Holy Spirit.
Presentation Skills
Hove you ever felt that your public presentation did not go down well, or listened to a speaker or presenter and just wished that they would take some tips on public speaking? No-one is born a polished speaker – we all have much to learn, and practice, with constructive feed-back, helps tremendously. This note is intended to assist everyone to become more effective in delivering public presentations, whether to an audience of a few or to many, with some pointers on the two key elements: what we have to say, and how we say it.
Prophetic Protocol
This article is intended to assist both all who prophesy and church leaders in understanding the IF, the HOW and the WHEN prophetic words can best be given, particularly in formal meetings, such as in Sunday services. The if, the when, and the how we say things can be as important as the what is prophesied.
ARTICLES
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a free gift and is meant to be received by all, and the church needs to teach about it to everyone. Isn’t it time we all accepted the reality that the gospel is not merely a matter of words, but of power – and that we still need it? So if you or your church needs some help in teaching about the baptism in the Holy Spirit and on speaking in tongues, then please read this article.
Generous Giving
We serve a generous God who has done so much for us – what can we do for Him? What does the Lord ask of us under the New Covenant, and who should we be giving to? In each case, giving must be from the heart, and not under any legalistic compulsion.
The Curse of Perfectionism
God has made us perfect in His sight through the forgiveness of our sins, but what we do will never be ‘perfect’ – stop expecting perfection from yourself or anyone else.
For the Lonely
Who has never felt lonely and abandoned, or never been through a period of intense loneliness? If we have Jesus, we will never need to feel all alone again. We may be alone, for a time, but we will never have to feel lonely again.
Eight Signs Your Church May Be Lukewarm
Are we ‘on fire’ for the Lord, as we read about the believers in Acts 5:12-16, or lukewarm, as we read of the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:14, or somewhere in between?
(This article was published in Charisma, USA).
Catholicism
A deeper look at The (Roman) Catholic Church, its origins, beliefs and doctrines, and how these differ from Protestant theology.
Waiting
What do the words ‘wait’ and hope’, as used in the Bible, really mean? Are we waiting for God, or is He waiting for us? What can we learn in these times or seasons of waiting and trusting – what to do, and what not to do.
Trusting and Planning
The Bible tells us to place our trust in God, and not in idols, in another god, or even in ourselves, and to commit all our ways, or important decisions, to the Lord. But the Bible also tells us to plan carefully and to work hard – how do we reconcile these two concepts? Let’s look at how biblical leaders were led by God, and at 5 principles in decision making that we can follow today.
Your Identity
Do you know and are you confident of your identity in Christ? Let’s look at some instances in the Bible where various people did not, or did indeed, have a secure identity “in Christ”, and how we can develop our own identity in Christ, and live accordingly.
My Calling
I believe that we are all called to identify and to fulfil our function in our own unique way. In this article I take a look at how I came to identify my calling, and my part in the Great Commission.
TRACTS
Knowing God
God wants us all to have a personal relationship with Him – how does God see us, and how can we draw near to him and receive our salvation?
Growing in Christ
Salvation is just the start of a completely new life. God wants us to have, to know, and to do certain things, as we grow in faith, in Him. Let’s take a look at the first steps.
MAINLY FOR CHURCH LEADERS
What Shall I Call You?
In some churches, the leaders like to be called by a special title, such as ‘Pastor Someone’, but is this biblically correct, in terms of both what the scriptures say and the examples set by leaders in the Bible?
The Church – Vision and Mission
Does your church have a guiding vision and mission – a statement of what it believes its calling is, and how it intends to accomplish this? What does the Great Commission of Mathew 28:19-20 teach us in this regard?
Shepherds and their Flocks
There are several references in the Bible to the Lord being our ultimate shepherd, and us being His sheep who He takes care of. In the New Testament the leaders are instructed to “feed His sheep”.
Let’s take a look how this metaphor applies in the church – what are the responsibilities of pastors and elders in this regard?
The Captain of the Ship
What are your primary duties as the captain of your ship? Here is a hint: David took a group of misfits and mal-contents (1 Samuel 22:2) and turned them into a mighty army that never lost a battle, and was victorious wherever he went (2 Samuel 8:14). Let’s see if there is a lesson to be learned here, for all of us today. I once attended a church that applied these principles, and I have never since seen a church of such strong members.
The Problem with Manna
The Israelites ate manna for 40 years, and got very tired of it, and complained. Was the problem with the manna, or human nature? A note to pastors and leaders; we all need a change in diet, which no single person can supply.
Preaching and Teaching
Both preaching and teaching are essential for the growth and maturity of the church. While preaching announces the Gospel, teaching ensures that believers understand and apply its transformative power. Preaching is to inspire people to accept and to live by the gospel; teaching educates the believers on how to live in accordance with the gospel. Preaching is inspirational, teaching is educational. We all need both. Believers need to be taught both what is in the Word, what it means and how to apply it, and to be encouraged to live their lives by the Word. Jesus spelt this out very clearly in the Great Commission by saying; ‘teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.’
The Parable of the Talents
What if this parable From Matthew 25 not only applies individually to those who fail to make use of the ‘talents’ God has given them, but also to leaders who fail to make use of the ‘talents’ – the people – whom they have been given to also serve in their ministries, and each of whom have their own talents and gifts?
The Apocrypha
Which books constitute The Apocrypha, why they were accepted by the Catholic Church but rejected by the Jews and today also rejected by most of the Protestant churches, and on what grounds.
Parable of the Talents
We probably all know the parable of the talents, how Jesus compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a man entrusting three of his servants with ‘talents’, represent spiritual gifts, skills and abilities to be invested, and how two invested wisely and were rewarded, while the third did nothing and was harshly judged. In this article I consider the implications of extending if this parable is extended.
Christian Articles
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