De kerkgemeenschap of ekklesia. – The church community.
(An excerpt from The Praises of Israel Volume One, by Brother Dudley Fifield) “We “shall not want” because “he maketh (us) to lie down in pastures of tender grass” (AV margin), and “he leadeth (us) beside the waters of quietness” (AV margin). In that hot and arid climate, the sheep need to be properly fed… Read More Today’s Thought: The right spiritual atmosphere and diet (January 11)
Today we completed reading the letters to the seven ecclesias that are featured in Revelation 2,3. Each letter begins with the declaration by Christ, “I know your works”. The ecclesias which received the greatest commendations for their works are the ones experiencing the greatest trials! This is ‘food’ for careful thought: let’s meditate on the… Read More Today’s thought “I know your works” (December 22)
In this world where more people are interested in worldly matters, mostly material matters, having not much fertile ground for spiritual matters, it is not always easy for a follower of Christ to stand firm in the faith. The apostle Jude felt he had to write to his fellow brethren to ask them to stand… Read More Today’s thought “Standing up for the faith” (December 20)
Today we read the 25 verses of the epistle of Jude. He describes himself as the brother of James. It is reasonable to conclude this James is the one who is the chief spokesman of the believers in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13) and are both sons of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Judging by the urgency… Read More Today’s thought “Who is able to … and to present you” (December 20)
Yesterday we mentioned the difficulties that we, Christadelphians, but also the Jeshuaists and Jews may experience in Belgium and France, and how we must always respond positively to that resistance. We must, above all, avoid the negativeness towards us through our positive, loving attitude. As Christadelphians, like Jeshuaists, are real Christians, or followers of Christ… Read More Today’s thought “Darker days, presents and Love for others” (December 13)
In this world there may be lots of unkind speech, gossip, slander, but we as followers of Christ should get rid of all such evil behaviour. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all wrong and insulting language. (1 Peter 2:1) When we are Christadelphians or when we say we are a Christian, we should… Read More Today’s thought “About our attitude opposite others” (December 12)
With our Belgian ecclesia we are like the ancient God’s elect, living as aliens scattered among the unbelievers like the ones who were living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia to whom the apostle Peter wrote. (1 Peter 1:1) We have not many real believers around us. That does… Read More Today’s thought “Elect exiles of the Dispersion” (December 11)
From friends you must have it. They may speak wisely but also can utter foolishness. Job tells his friends that they take an attitude as if they know everything. His friends might be the voice of the people. Job warns them that when they die, wisdom will die with them. (Job 12:1-2) In the previous… Read More Today’s thought “Not by man but With God is the sum total of all wisdom and of all power” (December 10)
James 3 Preaching and teaching the Word of God is a serious “job”. Willing to be “servants of God” we are fully aware of the particularity but also of the seriousness and possible consequences of our task. Those who want to teach in the ecclesia should know or be aware of the strictness or strict… Read More Today’s thought “Teachers will be judged with greater strictness than others” (December 09)
At our ecclesia, the same as in many other ecclesiae, last year and this year we had no opportunity to meet each other face-to-face. Like the apostle Paul in his time, we also do know that doesn’t make any difference, because at the present time we have to live on the safe side, avoiding infecting… Read More This Sunday Looking at Colossians ch 2
This year’s Special Issue of the Christadelphian Tidings is ready for you to download and share with your family and friends. This year’s Special Issue was written almost exclusively by and about Young People and their struggles in Coming of Age in Christ. We are sure that you will enjoy it and ask that you… Read More Christadelphian Tidings looking at teenagers and young adults “Coming of Age in Christ”
From the forgotten to post material As one of the oldest states on the European continent Bulgaria, officially Republic of Bulgaria, Bulgarian Republika Bŭlgariya emerging from centuries of Ottoman rule, Bulgaria gained its independence in the late 19th century, joined the losing side of several conflagrations in the first half of the 20th century, and,… Read More Bulgaria 2020 report
As a country predominantly Roman Catholic; also Eastern Orthodox), Poland became a member of NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004 but took on a not so social attitude to help others, like the refugees who tried to enter the country. Many Polishes have some extreme right ideas and are against other religious… Read More Poland 2021 update
Zimbabwe, officially Republic of Zimbabwe, formerly (1911–64) Southern Rhodesia, (1964–79) Rhodesia, or (1979–80) Zimbabwe Rhodesia, landlocked country of southern Africa. It shares a 125-mile (200-kilometre) border on the south with the Republic of South Africa and is bounded on the southwest and west by Botswana, on the north by Zambia, and on the northeast and… Read More Zimbabwe 2021 update
The English language and Christianity helping to unite dozens of ethnic groups, who come together in the cosmopolitan capital of Kampala, a verdant city whose plan includes dozens of small parks and public gardens and a scenic promenade along the shore of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest freshwater lake. Covid-19 has dominated our activities in Uganda… Read More Uganda 2021 update
There are about 8,700 members in 177 ecclesias, and it is pleasing to report about 280 baptisms during the year. Sadly, the year began again with a need to support brothers and sisters affected by flooding in the southern areas of the country. The environmental issues felt across the globe continue to impact those whose… Read More Malawi 2021 update
Preaching continued subject to local restrictions; and in November after sustained twice weekly efforts, 31 baptisms took place in the Bo ecclesial hall for a newly formed sub ecclesia at the small town Gerihun, in Bo District in southern Sierra Leone; and in the Eastern provinces over 130 candidates were hoping to be interviewed before… Read More Sierra Leone 2021 update
With the assistance of former members now in Canada, the Lagos Ecclesia operated Zoom meetings for 6 months in 2020, providing a service to others in Nigeria and further afield who had access to the technology to join when unable to meet locally. The ecclesia benefited from exhortations and studies provided by many brethren from… Read More Nigeria 2021 update
All members of Newbury ecclesia were asked to rate their experiences of the different ways we have so far tried to integrate these two first languages spoken (we did not include Spanish!) There were 25 replies – 28 English speakers and 7 Farsi. The five methods brothers and sisters were asked to comment were 1.… Read More Review of integration of English and Farsi results
It was really incredible and great what we could see developing the first half of 2021. In Newbury 22 baptisms and two transfers have occurred in the last 6 months, for which we are enormously thankful to our heavenly Father. It does pose some issues for how we help brothers and sisters at distance and… Read More 1st half of the year 2021
Belgian Ecclesia Brussel - Leuven 