Friday, March 24, 2017

Preaching On Integrating Faith Orange County

By Edward Olson


Ministers that preach on the authority of the Bible will emphasize that a Christian will 'walk the walk' rather than merely 'talk the talk'. This means that a true belief in Jesus Christ will influence the physical life of the believer. Faith in the Living God will do away with old behaviors that are sinful and cause the follower of Christ to become daily more righteous. Preaching on integrating faith Orange county California way will not differ a whole lot from that of other areas, since neither God nor the holy scriptures change.

This is not a complicated concept, and it is one that Jesus addressed. He called his followers 'the salt of the earth' and urged them not to lose their 'saltiness'. Some academics make it complicated, but others make it simple. It is merely that a Christian should show his walk with God at home, at work, in the marketplace, and with friends.

This is a broad subject and makes up much of what is called 'exhortation'. Exhortation is when a person, say a minister, urges his listeners to do something, in this case to let the commandments of God and the principles taught in the Bible shape every facet of life. The preacher wants his flock to realize that what is visible on the outside shows the true nature of the heart on the inside. Walking in the ways of the Lord is the truest witness to others.

Unlike the teaching that says all one has to do is believe and salvation is assured, this kind of teaching emphasizes the 'fruit' of conversion. Salvation is a free gift, but it is not a cheap one. The price is no longer living for oneself but moving forward in obedience to kingdom principles. It is less 'thou shalt not' than 'thou shalt'. Forgiveness is promised if sin is dealt with by repentance, and new life is guaranteed if hearts are truly changed.

Orange County CA is a populous, affluent area of southern California. There are many 'spirit-filled churches', which means bible-believing and charismatic. These churches often have schools that teach a biblical world view. This way of seeing everything from money management to politics through the principles of scripture is very different from mainstream cultural tenets.

There is a group for everyone in some of the large churches in this populous county. You can find bible study groups for men, women, children, and young adults. Some are geared to singles, while others are for couples or families. The small group study sessions are held during the day and in the evening, to fit the schedules of as many as possible.

None of this is unique to southern California. Christian colleges and universities have courses on this worldview. Guest speakers stress the importance of following the actual words of Jesus as detailed in the gospels. Television evangelists use this as a favorite theme.

People who attend church on Sunday but live like unbelievers the rest of the time need to listen to this message. Jesus says that the 'outside' - the conduct - reveals what is on the 'inside' - the heart. God wants holy children, and he wants them to be happy. Cheating on your spouse or your taxes, neglecting family responsibilities, using foul language, or filling your eyes and mind with pornography are not ways to success in this life or the next.




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