New Inclusive Christian Community Proposed
2013 JOIN US HTTP://WWW.MEETUP.COM/INCLUSIVE-CHRISTIAN-COMMUNITY/ VICTORIA, BC, CANADA
New Inclusive Christian Community Proposed By Daniel Keeran, MSW Victoria, BC, Canada (Distribute freely. No permission needed.)
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Against the unity prayer of Jesus in the gospel of John chapter 17, divisions among different self-identified Christian groups have been common from the beginning. New steps for inclusiveness are outlined in this report as a foundation for opportunities in local churches and communities. Fundamental to the new inclusive movement are principles and a change in paradigm that give a fresh approach to the ancient problem of divisions among people who identify themselves as followers of Jesus. PRINCIPLES OF UNITY The first principle of the new movement is that no one alive today is inspired or has a direct channel from God to speak or reveal divine truth. The second principle is to extend trust to others, believing everyone sincerely wants to believe and do what is right and true. The third principle is that acceptance can best be achieved within a framework of respectful conversation in which all views are enthusiastically welcomed. The fourth principle, and the new paradigm, is that acceptance must be based upon mutual understanding rather than agreement. We can be together in community when we accept the above principles and are committed to understanding others points of view even if we remain in disagreement on specific teachings. NEW PARADIGM FOR UNITY This new paradigm is community with the shared value and goal of mutual understanding rather than agreement with specific teachings beyond the following fundamental beliefs: the 1
Bible is inspired by God; Jesus is the Christ the Son of God; Jesus died for the sins of the world; and Jesus rose bodily from the dead. BENEFITS OF THE PROCESS The process of working toward inclusive community is a worthwhile end in itself because of the following benefits: 1. Bringing people together from different denominations. 2. Stimulating in-depth scripture study. 3. Encouraging respectful conversation in all relationships. 4. Fostering acceptance of the sincerity of others in their spiritual journey. 5. Attracting others to the Christian message, who may not yet identify as Christians. 6. Providing personal physical interaction as a balance to internet social media. THE FORMAT The process is a grass-roots movement in local churches and meeting places in which a speaker is invited from each identified faith perspective or denomination. The presentation or lesson may be to outline the special contribution(s) of his or her faith group. The presentation is then followed by small group discussions in which participants are encouraged to express agreement or disagreement, with Scripture to support their views as much as possible. A trained moderator in each small group facilitates discussion, reminds members of discussion guidelines as needed, and maintains safety and respect within the small group. Discussion Guidelines: 1. No dominating. Keep comments brief. Over-talking can be interpreted as aggression or a need to control and dominate. 2. No name-calling, negative innuendo, sarcastic put-down’s or threats of any kind. 3. Before responding to passionate views, try sincerely reflecting others views with whom you disagree. 4. Keep your voice volume normal and avoid shouting, yelling, pointing, or pounding your fist. 5. Ask others what they are saying rather than tell them what they are saying. Don’t put words in others mouths. 6. Avoid directing anger toward others, especially those with whom you disagree. The author can be reached for discussion at collegemhc@gmail.com 2
Helping People See Jesus by Daniel Keeran, MSW collegemhc@gmail.com
The following are suggested ways of helping people begin their walk with Jesus. If a person can catch a glimpse of Jesus and bond emotionally to the person of Christ, perhaps they will want to keep walking with Him and seek support from others who share the same desire. Number One uses curiosity while Number Two uses mental imagery to attract people to the message and the Man. Number One: The Influence of a Homeless Man How could a homeless man command such an enormous following today? He was conceived by an unmarried girl. Then he became a refugee pursued by a death squad immediately after his birth in a cave in a remote part of the world. He grew up in a small town, hung out with marginalized people, and was executed like a common criminal although he had committed no crime. He taught care for the poor and love for one’s enemies. The guards who arrested him and held him in custody before his execution, said: "No one ever spoke the way this man does." He did many other signs in the presence of his followers, which are not written down, but the signs we know about are written that we may believe that he is the one chosen by God and that by believing we may have life in his name (from the biography by his follower John, chapter 20, verses 30-31). Today, I follow this homeless man. I wonder if you have thought about learning more about him. Number Two: Suppose You Saw a Man Suppose you saw a man tell a dead person to walk and speak to a violent storm and command it to be calm, and you saw it happen. Would you think: “This person is more than a man”? Would you think: “I want to follow this man wherever he goes and listen to every word he says”? He taught people to love their enemies and to care for the poor. Suppose after hearing his teaching, you saw him killed by his enemies and then you saw him alive again a few days later? What would you think? What would you do? A true and accurate account of what this man did and said, has been written by those who saw and heard him. I have read this account and am convinced he is who he claimed to be: ‘I AM’ (the name of God) and one who existed thousands of years before his physical birth. 3
Today I am his follower and confess my poor ability to fully understand and do all he has taught, yet I can do nothing less than devote my life to him and his teaching, or die trying. Do you also want to be one of his followers? Call me 778-433-1547 or Skype dankeeran in Victoria. I encourage you to be part of a faith community to get the hope and meaning you need to face difficult life challenges and to learn values and beliefs for making healthy choices in life. Video Presentations http://youtu.be/poPeWNiAS1c http://youtu.be/nbdSiJ1EfmM Free Download Book http://app.box.com/lovegod
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