Perhaps you have a question about our Church or our Faith? If so, please send it to us, preferably using the form below. It will be forwarded to someone who will be able to help you. Please indicate whether you would like a personal response by email. If you would prefer we will post up the question (anonymously, of course), together with the answer so that others can browse these FAQs.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
| 1. |
|
18 Mar 05 |
|
What do I need to do to become a member of your church?
|
| Just turn up!
There isn't a form you have to sign, or a dress code you have to adhere to, or a certain number of events you have to turn out for. Church of England churches hold services of 'public worship' and as such they are open to all members of the public.
There are no fees to pay, or subscriptions. At St Stephen's we never pass a collection plate (as many churches do).
If you do 'just turn up', say hi! - and say we emailed each other! |
|
| 2. |
|
18 Mar 05 |
|
Do I HAVE to go to church regularly? Why isn't it sufficient just to behave in a generous and kindly manner to the people I meet?
|
| I guess that depends whether you want to be a good humanist, or a good Christian.
There are plenty of really fine, upstanding members of the community who are not Christian. They might well be Muslim, Hindu, atheist or simply confused - but none of it stops them playing their part for the good of society.
But can you be a good Christian and not belong to the church family? No you can't! God isn't calling individuals, but a people to be his family. An illustration I have heard might help:
Being a Christian is more like playing basketball than golf. When you play golf you play your own game. You might walk round with a few others, but you are playing your own game. Basket ball isn't something you can play on your own. The very nature of the game means you have to be part of a team. Oh, you can practise shooting baskets at home, but that's not the game.
Similarly with Christianity - it is a team game. We belong to a family.
Of course, if you are prevented from being at church - say for example you are in hospital for a month - then you don't become a non-Christian for that time! But if you can go, and you choose not to belong, then you've not understood what a Christian is. |
|
| 3. |
|
18 Mar 05 |
|
In the past I've been very put off by some of the over-the-top preaching I've encountered on my occasional visits to church. I just want to feel part of a local community and help people, without having religion thrust at me - is there a place for me in your church?
|
| We're not really into religion - that seems so often to be man trying to keep God sweet by doing religious things.
We're into a relationship with the living God - knowing Him, trusting Him, and living in obedience to His (the Maker's) instructions.
We are certainly a community, but one which is focussed around our common faith in Jesus. You won't get 'religion' thrust at you, but faith is at the heart of what we are, and so encouraging faith is what we want to do.
Hope this helps. |
|
| 4. |
|
18 Mar 05 |
|
How do you see the role of your church in these modern multicultural and multifaith times?
|
Multi culture has a great heritage in the Christian church. Right back at the beginning in the 1st century AD the big issue was whether Jews and Gentiles could co-exist in the same congregation.
The answer was an overwhelming YES. Perhaps I could point you to a couple of Bible verses that demonstrate this to be the case: Ephesians 2:11-16 and Ephesians 3:6.
If, having read these, you have further questions then please ask.
There is nothing new in a multifaith culture either. The Israelites in the Old Testament were surrounded by nations that served other gods, and they were to remain loyal to the one true God. Jesus claimed the same for himself
- that among all the choice of 'ways' He is the way, the truth, and the life
- no-one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).
It is a distinctive of the Christian faith that in a culture where there are several claims to be 'a way', the Bible teaches that Jesus is the 'one way'. The role of our church is to proclaim in this generation what Christians have proclaimed in every generation - in the words of Acts 4:12 (speaking about Jesus) 'Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved'.
This is often seen as a narrow minded position to hold. However this is because it is thought that to hold such a view is to consider every one else to be inferior and not as important. In fact the Bible teaches that all mankind is made in the image of God, and God wants all to be saved. And there is one mediator between God and people - the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). |
|
| 5. |
|
6 Apr 05
|
|
I have a question that has occupied me for as long as I can remember. How
free am I in my choice of faith? What I mean is, how much of the Bible and
Christianity can I interpret on my own or must I accept a literal
explanation of everything from Genesis to Revelation? How can I reconcile
my own needs for belief - faith beyond my everyday environment - to those of
my education and upbringing? |
| It strikes me that the Bible itself doesn't expect you to take it literally in each and every part. For example, in Song of Solomon 4:1 I don't think we are supposed to believe that her eyes are actually literal doves.
Different literary genres demand different approaches. If you want a really good, readable and sensible book to take this further, then Fee and Stewart "How to read the Bible for all its worth" is to be recommended.
In terms of choice of faith, the choice is pretty simple. A man turns up on the scene of history and says "Hi, I'm God in the flesh". Either he was, and that demands we take him at his word and believe all that he has spoken. Or he wasn't God at all - which could mean he was a liar deliberately trying to fool people with a hoax, or it could mean he was completely insane and really believed he was God when he wasn't. Either of these means ignore him - he's a fake.
So, is Jesus truly God or not? Read one of the 4 gospels and ask "who is this" - as you read what he said and what he did. Mark's gospel is the shortest. And while you're at it, what about the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. That's the real big question. If he didn't rise, and his bones are somewhere buried in Jerusalem to this day - he was a fake - ignore him. If he is alive, the tomb was empty, then he truly is God in the flesh.
Again, a good short book to read would be something like "Your Verdict", by Val Grieve; "Man Alive", by Michael Green; "Evidence that Demands a Verdict", by Josh MacDowell.
The evidence is there. Examine it.
Hope this is of help. If you like digging around, there is a web site that may be of interest to you. It is http://christiananswers.net/ . |
|
|
