More chance of hearing the Gospel in Africa than Sweden

Pastoral Meanderings ^ | 08-16-2015 | Pastor Peters

[demshateGod]

I wonder what the chances are that a Lutheran sitting in a Lutheran church will ever hear the gospel.

[Nervous Tick]

>> I wonder what the chances are that a Lutheran sitting in a Lutheran church will ever hear the gospel.

Not sure where you’re coming from with that comment.

I’m not a Lutheran, but I have sat in many a Lutheran church and heard the gospel proclaimed.

[terycarl]

People making their own interpretations of the Bible and choosing which books that they would remove from it and allowing various men to lead them hither and yon from true Christianity was never a good idea.....

[Kolokotronis]

“I wonder what the chances are that a Lutheran sitting in a Lutheran church will ever hear the gospel.”

In the MIssouri Synod or the Wisconsin Synod, probably pretty good.

[humblegunner]

If some N00b Christian African comes around “Missionarying”
at me, I’ll laugh in his face. My people have been Christian
for a thousand years and more and don’t need lectured by some
immigrant who eats grasshoppers.

[Biggirl]

Christian faith in Africa is not new. Goes back to the early years of the Christian faith.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Africa

[LovedSinner]

Such a sad story. I have Swedish ancestry.

I was reading Kristin Lavransdatter recently, which got the author a Nobel Prize in Literature, and the story was set in the late Middle Ages in Norway, with Christianity filling the whole story.

No no one will fill the churches. So sad.

[Kolokotronis]

“Goes back to the early years of the Christian faith.”

As my Ethiopian fellow parishioners are fond of reminding us!

[Mrs. Don-o]

The Christian Church in Africa began when Simon of Cyrene (Libya) was drafted by the Romans to help Jesus carry his cross. The Gospels indicate that at first he was just a didn't want to, but in Mark an added comment is made of his being the father of Alexander and Rufus, who are evidently notable men in the church. So Simon evidently sparked the evangelism project with Libyans, with historic results at least in his own family. The next fruitful contact with Africa was in the Book of Acts, where Philip is impelled by the Spirit to preach to an key official from the Candace (queen) of Ethiopia. This had BIG results, because by 43 AD St. Mark found a very willing reception there and became the first bishop of the Church of Ethiopia. It is one of the oldest continuously=existing Christian communities in the world.

I don't know who your ancestors are not anything about their cuisine or their theology as of 43 AD, but my own German ancestors were probably roasting rats on pointed sticks at the time, and worshipping Thor and his criminal consorts and colleagues.

At present, a number of German Catholic prelates are worshipping the Zeitgeist, as they so often have --- while the African Catholic Bishops are staunchly defending Natural and Sacramental marriage and defying the Devil and all his perverted sex-show NGO's.

So if some Christian African comes around “Missionarying” at me, I'll get a good seat where I can savor every word.

My FRiend, you come sit by me.

[Biggirl]

It all began when St. Mark brought the good news of Jesus to Africa starting in Egypt. At one time ALL of what is now north Africa, before the Muslim invasion was CHRISTIAN at one time. All that is left in that part of Africa are the Copts from Egypt, the Ethiopians, and the area that broke away from the Ethiopian nation, the Christian community there.

The Copts have one of the most beautiful icon paintings I have seen.

[Biggirl]

I know a fellow parishoner from my parish whose family came from Nigeria and his son is an ordained Catholic priest who has come to this country to study to become a hospital chaplain in the Dallas, TX area. I met his son.

[humblegunner]

I don't know who your ancestors are not anything about their cuisine or their theology

We're of Scots extraction.
Been Christians for a thousand years and more.

Not particularly keen on being lectured on the topic
by someone who picked up the habit last year.

[Biggirl]

Also St. Mark the Gospel of Jesus to Egypt as well and got the Church going there.

[Biggirl]

Thank-you for the info of church history and God Bless.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Well some of my husband's ancestors were Scots, and good people they were to be sure, although you'll find only a dwindling, aging and weary tribe of Christians in Scotland now. It gives me no pleasure to report this, since most of the Christian churches in the United Kingdom,including mine, are in similar decline.

Church of Scotland in Terminal Decline? (LINK)

Let me, however, recommend to you the category of N00b Christians, which you seem to disparage. It is a category which includes so many of my admired friends and mentors --- they are ardent and knowledgeable tribe. And of course "recent convert Christian" is a category which comprises all the writers of the Gospels and Epistles, and in fact every Saint of the New Testament.

They -- N00bies --- are among the hottest assets of the Church.

Its aiming pretty high, but let's aspire to be as profitable to the Lord as they are.

[vladimir998]

“The Swedish Church was literally the only one in town...”

Because others were outlawed by the Protestant government in the 16th century.

[humblegunner]

While you may choose to defer to a bunch of gibbering
bug-eating foreigners, I shall respectfully decline.

[BlueDragon]

Yeah, but what if they put chocolate on them? The grasshoppers, I mean...

John the Baptist never had it so good.

[Mrs. Don-o]

John the Baptist does not approve this message.