| Original Message |
Esther Mombo (no login)
Posted Jun 21, 2004 3:22 PM
1. HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT EVANGELISM IS TO A NON BELIEVER.
As a Christian I believe the Bible contains information which is history and also good news about salvation. As a believer am obliged to share the good news by evangelising or telling others and not proselytising, and or converting anyone to any sect or religion. But as a Christian I believe in two fundamental truths first that God can change anyone whom He/She likes to change and two everyone has the freedom to change if he feels God wants to change him /her.
2. HOW WOULE YOU EXPLAIN WHAT EVANGELISM IS TO SOMEONE WHO IS ALREADY A CHRISTIAN BUT NOT A THEOLOGIAN.
The Bible tells us that God loves us. God has made it possible for us to change our nature so that not only are we saved from punishment of sin but can even stop committing sins. This is good news and this good news should be spread among all people. The good news was brought to us by Jesus christ who mirrors to us who God is. It is through Jesus Christ that we know God's love, forgiveness, holiness and other ideals.
3. CENTRALITY OF CHRIST AND ISSUES OF ETHICS.
In the context in which I have been brought up as a Friend, the beginning point is the centrality of Christ. Ethical issues come after the stress and or knowledge of the centrality of Christ. My context is saturated with evangelism and campaigns about knowing Christ as Lord and Saviour. This has coloured people's understanding of the Christian faith. The way people deal with ethical issues depend on the position held of the centrality of Christ. It is clear that most Quakers in my meeting have been evangelised either through preaching or from a family tradition, being brought up in 'Quaker family and or Christian family. Most of the time if you have been brought up in a Quaker family, it is assumed that the family was Christian.
In Quaker yearly meetings, there is a week of bible exposition, at the end of each one of these there is an altar call which is intended to challenge people to choose to follow Christ if they have not or to re-commit themselves to Christ if their faith has been weak. Very few times do I see ethical issues being dealt with using Quaker testimonies. In fact the only Quaker Testimony you hear being spoken about is the peace testimony, but this again is varied the way it is used. I can confess that the Quaker s of my part of world has not been the best examples on Quaker ideals leave alone the peace testimony. I can argue that most of the Quaker s are influenced by their cultural background more than anything else..
4. THE POSITION OF EARLIEST FRIENDS IN MY YEARLY MEETING.
Quakers was introduced to Kenya by Friends who had been converted or experienced revival in the USA. This influenced the way they dealt with ethical issues. It was first the knowledge of Christ and how that influenced one's decisions and choices. Most of us Friends are second or third generation Christians and we still have hang ups of missionary teaching and the struggle with ethical issues are an ongoing struggle. With the introduction of Quakerism, the issue was seen as a move from traditional culture to European Culture which was then equated to Christianity. This shift caused confusion on ethical issues and still lingers with people today. As noted above the African culture is the one that most Quakers will use to deal with their ethical issues rather than Quaker testimonies and/or the Bible. |
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