HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-06-28, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 2000.
From the Minister’s Study
What makes a Christian, asks minister
By Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest
Blyth Christian Reformed
Church
What makes one a Christian ? That
question will probably draw a vari
ety of answers. But technically, a
Christian is one wfyo believes in
Jesus Christ, as he is revealed to us
in the Bible. That makes Christians
“the people of the Book."
Christians draw their knowledge
of God and their principles for life
from the Bible. It is from the Bible
that they learn what their relation
ship is with this God. There they dis
cover how sin has separated them
from God and how through Jesus
Christ they may be reconciled again
to God and receive eternal life.
That's what we call ’'salvation.”
The Bible makes it very clear that
Jesus is the only way through which
sinners can get back into God's good
graces. Jesus himself said: "I am the
way and the truth and the life. No
one comes to the Father except
through me." (John 14:6).
The apostle Peter, one of Jesus' 12
disciples, openly proclaimed before
the leaders of the Jewish people:
Salvation is found in no one else, for
there is no other name under heaven
given to men by which we must be
saved." (Acts 4:12). There is only
one way.
That may sound arrogant, but it
has been taught by God from the
beginning. The whole Old Testament
kept pounding it into people that
there was only one God and that this
God was to be served on his terms.
Every time that the Israelites took
liberties with this message they got
into trouble. The only way they
could have salvation was to stick to
this one God and to serve him with
their whole heart.
Then Jesus came. And the Bible
says: "He is the image of the invisi
ble God.” (Colossians 1:15). And it
goes on to say: “God was pleased to
have all his fullness dwell in him
(Jesus), and through him to reconcile
all things to himself, whether things
on earth or things in heaven, by mak
ing peace through his blood, shed on
the cross.” (Colossians l: 19,20).
That makes it disturbing when
leaders in the Christian church take
liberties with this message today. An
archbishop who was recently
installed as head of a national church
wrote in an Easter article that
Buddha and Mohammed offer salva
tion equal to Christ. That may sound
politically correct, but it contradicts
the Bible.
This archbishop has a man-made
religion. That kind of religion may
always have been popular, but that
doesn't make it good. Man-made
religion is what got Old Testament
Jews repeatedly in deep trouble, and
that’s what still plagues the church of
today.
To be saved, we have to live by the
truth. And truth comes from God -
most specifically in the person of the
eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ. He
is the truth that sets us free. And
those who call themselves Christians
must be followers of the truth in
Jesus Christ. It is the only way, the
Bible says.
Choral Kids wrap up Millennium Tour at Blyth UC
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Worshiping with the Brussels United Church
at the United Church for the month of July.
We welcome you to come and worship with us.
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
Young voices
join u,& (m uiM&hip, Sunday
Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m.
Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
Romans 12:12
Members of the Choral Kids wrapped up a tour of area churches this past Sunday at a serv
ice at Blyth United Church. (Vicky Bremner photo)
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen staff
Blyth’s Choral Kids wrapped up
their Millennium Tour Sunday at the
Blyth United Church service.
The Kids are a musical ensemble
of 28 youths between the ages of
eight and 14. Led by Annie Sparling,
with assistance from Anne Elliott
and Lisa Kelly and accompanied by
Sabrina Buffinga, they kicked off
their tour of area churches with
World Day of Prayer performance,
March 3 at Blyth Christian Reformed
Church.
Since then they have delighted
congregations with their talent at St.
Michael's Roman Catholic, Trinity
Anglican, Blyth Community Church
of God, Hope Chapel Evangelical
Missionary and Wingham
Pentecostal.
They also performed for the resi
dents at Huronlea County Home for
the Aged outside Brussels.
The idea for the tour came about
after the group’s musical in
December. Sparling said she and her
husband David were discussing the
fact that the Kids represented many
different denominations. “We
thought then that a tour would be a
neat way for them to see the other
services,” she said.
The Kids perform contemporary
and traditional inspirational music.
Their most recent addition to the
repertoire is from the film Prince of
Egypt. Bev Walker worked with
them on the pronunciation of the
Hebrew verse in the song entitled.
When You Believe.
At the wrap-up this past Sunday
the Choral Kids were each given a t-
shirt, with the popular CK this time
representing not the famous designer
Calvin Klein, but rather the group’s
name. The tour schedule is printed
on the back.
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Joan Golden - Supply Minister
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca
July 2
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.
All are welcome to come and worship with us
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL
MISSIONARY CHURCH
Auburn - 526-7555
PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-9017
School Picnic at Wawanosh Park
Sunday, July 2 9:30 a.m.■ Family Bible Hour
10:30 a.m.- Morning Worship Service
Guest Speaker: Mr. Don Vair
7:30 p.m.• Evening Service
Wednesday 7 :30 p.m.• Family Night
Friday 7:30 p.m.- Youth '
Sunday, July 9 10:30 a.m.- Outdoor Worship Service and Sunday
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
i Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest
A Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
Wheelchair accessible
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Ijcu wte welcome this. Sunday
JULY 2 - PENTECOST 3
HOLY EUCHARIST
Trinity, Blyth St. John's,
9:30 a.m. Brussels
Wheelchair accessible 11:15a.m.
Rev. Nancy Beale - Rector - 887-9273
Cornerstone
Bible
Fellowship
Ethel
Communion - 9:45 - 10:30
Family Bible Hour and Sunday School
11:00 - 12:00
Prayer & Bible Study
Tuesday 8 p.m.
John 14:6 - Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no
one comes to the Father, but through Me."
Everyone Welcome
For more information call 887-6665
Brussels Mennonite
Fellowship
9:30 a.m. Worship Service
10:45 a.m. Christian
Education
Everyone Welcome
Pastor Ben Wiebe
887-6388
"...but I have called
you friends."
John 15:15
Blyth United Church
A special welcome to our guests, The Blyth
Church of God, for the month of July
Minister ~ Rev. Ernest Dow
ALL ARE WELCOME
v . 523-4224
me Worship The Lord With Us
Sundays - 11:00 a.m.
Worship Service
July 2 & 9 - Guest Minister
Rev. Cecil Wittich
The congregations of the
Blyth Community Church
of God and the Blyth United
Church will meet together for
the month of July at the
Blyth United Church
Morning Worship Service
Sunday at 11 a.m.
Please join us for worship