Easter Encouragement

To my North Central Conference partners in ministry...

You are a child of God, a servant of the Most High King, an ambassador of Christ, the Messiah's messenger. Today you proclaim the good news, the best news... Christ has died, Christ is RISEN, Christ will come again.  

I have been praying for great fruit in your ministry today and have confidence in you and the work of the Holy Spirit through your hard labor and the congregation you lead.  

Remember Paul's words after proclaiming the resurrection truth... Your labor in the Lord is not in vain!

Peace and power in Christ! 

Easter Challenge... Tell Your Story

 

Many Christians who attend church regularly, when asked, would be unable to tell the simple gospel story in a way that explains to an inquirer what they believe.  Most Americans do claim to be Christian while many, if not most, do not have an articulate understanding of what that means.  

What would you say?  If you were on an elevator with a skeptical friend who asked you something like, “Why do you believe in Jesus Christ?” would you be able to share something valuable?  More valuable than, “That’s how I was raised,” or “I feel it in my heart,” or “It’s as good a life philosophy as any other?”

The Bible tells Christians to, “In your hearts, revere Christ as Lord: always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have… with gentleness and respect” (1Peter.3.15).  Maybe you know why you are a Christian, and have good reasons, Biblical answers, evidence-based conclusions, and solid life-style change but just can’t quite put this into words.  Then be challenged this Easter season, to roll the stone away from your lips and take an hour or so this April to write down a paragraph or two, and rehearse it. To be ready. 

If you “revere Christ as Lord” but aren’t quite sure why – you are not alone.  Rest assured that there are ample reasons to believe, and abundant help to be able to put your own doubts to rest, and to be an instrument in helping friends take a well-reasoned leap of faith. Your pastor can help you find good material. This is so important to understand that you cannot wait.  Spend several hours this April, basking in resurrection power, and studying to bring alive in your heart and mind the reasons you are a Christian.  Write them down. Share with a Christian friend and ask if it makes sense.  Walk in the confidence of “being prepared to give an answer.” 

This is an Easter challenge!  Re-discover and tell the good news!  Christ died for our sins, was buried, and on the third day, rose again. It’s the greatest story ever told – and it’s no mere fable. It is the historic and living bedrock of all that we hold dear and all that can restore our broken world.

Lent & Christlife

Christianity is a force in the world today because of the force which exploded the stone from the tomb of a crucified prophet 2000 years ago.  Jesus Christ died, rose from the dead and will come again. No greater proof of the identity of Jesus, the intervention of God in the affairs of  people, and the hope of eternal life can be offered than the resurrection of Jesus.  Proclaim this good news!

Free Methodists understand the significance of Easter, but what of Lent?

The 40 day season of fasting and self-denial which precedes Easter is part of the “Christian Calendar” or “Liturgical Calendar”. Beginning with Advent and Christmas and working through the year into Lent and Easter culminating in Pentecost, this way of reckoning time has a purpose.  The Christian calendar is designed to focus our hearts and minds on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and to annually retell and relive the story of Messiah.  Lent is one way in which we seek to pattern our lives after the life of Jesus

End Slavery

John Wesley’s last written letter was to abolitionist William Wilberforce in an appeal to end slavery in their day:

“Unless the divine power has raised you to be as Athanasius contra mundum [arrayed against the world], I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that execrable villainy which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be fore you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing! Go on, in the name of God and in the power of his might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before it.” (2/24/1791)

Many early Methodists held this to be a sacred calling, and the first American Methodist leaders approached none other than George Washington in an appeal to end the practice as the new America was being forged. They were ignored.  Not long after, Methodists began to compromise their position against slavery.  Free Methodists did not compromise on slavery and were forged in the flame of the abolitionist debates which tore America apart in Civil War, and rebirthed a more just, albeit far from perfect, nation.

Will you, North Central Conference Free Methodists, take up the charge against the monolith of human trafficking – slavery – in our time?  Can we do no less than our forefathers? Can we stand by while more than 20 million people are enslaved (more than any other time in history according to the US State Department).  More than half are children, 80% are women, with sex-trafficking the chief driver and debt bondage keeps whole families enslaved for multiple generations. 

Please, observe Freedom Sunday (February 26). We have encouraged all NCC churches to register for this at freedomsunday.org. Our Bishops encourage every church to take an offering for our abolition movement.  Offerings may be sent to the NCC office designated “Freedom Sunday” and will be used by the FMC to fund International Child Care Ministries intervention work in India, build our abolition leadership team, invest in extra mile projects against human trafficking and support Not for Sale, our strategic partner in the effort to end slavery in our time.  

Filipino Missions... THANKS NCC

Supt. Mark & Kerrie Adams wish to thank the NCC churches for your prayers, positive messages to Filipino leaders and financial support of our trip in January to the Philippines.  

Pictured are Bishop Tuan and Supt. Mark with the graduating seminary students who were trained in part due to your support. 

You also provided books, technology and medications to our Filipino partners.  

Kerrie assisted by teaching health at the Free Methodist college and supporting ICCM and Ahon relief efforts for the families who live in the community garbage dump. 

Your NCC influence is felt around the world. 

End Slavery

John Wesley’s last written letter was to abolitionist William Wilberforce in an appeal to end slavery in their day:

“Unless the divine power has raised you to be as Athanasius contra mundum [arrayed against the world], I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that execrable villainy which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be fore you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing! Go on, in the name of God and in the power of his might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before it.” (2/24/1791)

Many early Methodists held this to be a sacred calling, and the first American Methodist leaders approached none other than George Washington in an appeal to end the practice as the new America was being forged. They were ignored.  Not long after, Methodists began to compromise their position against slavery.  Free Methodists did not compromise on slavery and were forged in the flame of the abolitionist debates which tore America apart in Civil War, and rebirthed a more just, albeit far from perfect, nation.

Will you, North Central Conference Free Methodists, take up the charge against the monolith of human trafficking – slavery – in our time?  Can we do no less than our forefathers? Can we stand by while more than 20 million people are enslaved (more than any other time in history according to the US State Department).  More than half are children, 80% are women, with sex-trafficking the chief driver and debt bondage keeps whole families enslaved for multiple generations. 

Please, observe Freedom Sunday (February 26). We have encouraged all NCC churches to register for this at freedomsunday.org. Our Bishops encourage every church to take an offering for our abolition movement.  Offerings may be sent to the NCC office designated “Freedom Sunday” and will be used by the FMC to fund International Child Care Ministries intervention work in India, build our abolition leadership team, invest in extra mile projects against human trafficking and support Not for Sale, our strategic partner in the effort to end slavery in our time.  

Radiate Peace

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to those on whom his favor rests!” So declared the angels upon the birth of Christ (Luke 2:14). 

Clearly, God wants us to be at peace and to be a peaceful people as we place our faith and trust in Him. Yet, 2000 years after the birth of Jesus, peace seems as elusive as ever. 30 years after Christ died the Romans demolished Jerusalem. Then Barbarian hordes demolished Rome. Then Europeans battled among each other, as tribes and city-states became nations, and Norse and Franks and Celts and Spaniards killed each other with ferocity. Then the new world was discovered, and the Spaniards killed South American Indians while the British killed North American Indians and the French destroyed Europe until the Russians beat the French. And the Germans tried to take over the world - twice. And the Japanese bombed their benefactors. And the Dutch enslaved South Africa. And U boats sank cruisers, and the A-Bomb destroyed Hiroshima, and the Communists murdered millions of Jews and Christians. Now we have enough nuclear weapons stockpiled to destroy the earth a many times over, and the communists starve, Israelis and Palestinians kill each other, the Baltics remain ballistic, 5000 Americans lie incinerated in the ruins of the World Trade Center, and the middle eastern spring rages while North Korean nucs are test-fired yet again.

In the midst of this, the tide turns toward peace and the people of peace intentionally radiate the kindness of God. Christians know that God has instituted the ‘sword’ to ensure peace and order (Rom.13:4) in a broken world.  The hope of Christ is to restore that which was broken, to replace hearts of stone with hearts of flesh, to replace greed with charity and lust with love. Someday, swords will no longer be needed. The process of saving humanity from itself is slow. Restoration is slow and difficult work. 

Christ was born into the world, life, light and light incarnate.  That is the Christmas gift at ground zero for peace.  The gift that keeps on giving is Christ born in you, and in the friends with whom you share the good news, and in the passing of the torch of light from generation to generation.  Be the Christmas gift Christ intended for the world by shining God’s patience, love, mercy, light, truth, joy and peace wherever you go.