Download
1 / 25
250 likes | 401 Vues
“Man’s achievement on a shrinking globe in an expanding universe.”. w ho is this man?. Before the church, communities like this one had never existed. .
E N D
“Man’s achievement on a shrinking globe in an expanding universe.”
Before the church, communities like this one had never existed.
“One did not speak of ‘believing in gods’ but in ‘having gods.’ The idea of conversion—that is a conscious and individual decision to embrace a creed or way of life—was wholly foreign to the ancients.” Hist. Robert Wilkins
“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” - 1 Peter 2.12
The religion of the Greeks does not yet prosper as I would wish, on account of those who profess it…Why then do we think that this is sufficient and do not observe how the kindness of Christians to strangers, their care for the burial of their dead, and the sobriety of their lifestyle has done the most to advance their cause?
Each of these things, I think, ought really to be practiced by us…Either make these men good by shaming them, persuade them to become so or fire them . . . Secondly, exhort the priests neither to approach a theater nor to drink in a tavern, nor to profess any base or infamous trade.
Erect many hostels, one in each city, in order that strangers may enjoy my kindness, not only those of our own faith but also of others whosoever is in want of money. I have just been devising a plan by which you will be able to get supplies. Part of these I order to be expended on the poor who serve the priests, and the rest must be distributed from me to strangers and beggars.
For it is disgraceful when no Jew is a beggar and the impious Galileans support our poor in addition to their own; everyone is able to see that our people are in want of aid from us. Do not therefore let others outdo us in good deeds while we ourselves are disgraced by laziness.
We ought to share our goods with all men, but most of all with the respectable, the helpless, and the poor, so that they have at least the essentials of life. I claim, even though it may seem paradoxical, that it is a holy deed to share our clothes and food with the wicked: we give, not to their moral character but to their human character.
How can the man who, while worshipping Zeus the God of Companions, sees his neighbors in need and does not give them a dime--how can he think he is worshipping Zeus properly? . . .
Priests ought to make a point of not doing impure or shameful deeds or saying words or hearing talk of this type. We must therefore get rid of all offensive jokes and licentious associations. --Emperor Julian
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. Luke 9:51-56 (NIV)
Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free. Colossians 3.11
People Crave Community 200 million 650 million 1.3 billion
Step 1: Be United by a Common Cause Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. -Ephesians 4.3
Step 1: Be United by a Common Cause Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. -Ephesians 4.3 For whoever is not against us is for us. -Mark 9.40
Step 2: Be Proactive in Serving Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. -Galatians 6.10
Step 3: Live Among The World It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. -Mark 2.17
