Yvette Gross
Theo 104- B59
2/10/13
Christian Faith
In today’s society the Christian faith has endured bad publicity through some media
outlets. The focus of their reporting is the discovered negative in churches, ignoring the plentiful
of good Christian churches has done throughout the world. The church takes on the work of God;
shouldering the mission of spreading His word and love from community to community. I
believe the church's role in the community is to promote the teachings and passions of God
through community outreach efforts.
When talking about our local churches and what they can do to better communicate Gods
love to the community. I think society views Christians as a bunch of hypocrites because as a
faith that has a foundation of pure love. The community sees the news headlines and they hear all
the negative wrong doings of people who are suppose to be christens, and it is easy to them to
take one situations and point the figure at all christens. Now the questions we as Christians have
to ask our selves is what are we to do when all of society is looking down at us, how are we
suppose to continue to show people that despite what you may hear are see about some
Christians that there are still many churches that will give you good examples of what gods love
really is, and they will do that by repenting of any sins.
Repenting of sins is one way that I think that local churches can better communicate gods
love to the community. In chapter nine of our book it talks about how christens in the church
fight and have misunderstanding, but it also states that when things like this are going on with in
a church that the church may need to “repent of the evil that they have cause and the confusion
they sow into the world.” This to me shows that even if society wants to say that the local
churches and the Christian faith is a bunch of hypocrites. I would show them and tell them that
the god I serve is a forgiving god and if I make a mistake which he knows that I will. With me
repenting his continued guidance and him putting tools in front of me like my church to help me
on this journey of life. Because when we fall down gods love picks us up.
Another way that I think that local churches can help better communicate gods
love to the community is to have churches offer mentoring or mentors to new and old members
of a church. One example is that the church is thought of as the body. In chapter nine and the
bible states that “now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”( Corinthians
12:27). The church and it members are so important to spreading and communicating gods love
to the community.
The local churches are a predominate example of what it and means to be a Christians, its
members are a part of what makes is function because they are true believers of Christ and want
the community to know. What can happen in society is that if you are not a believer then when
your hear things about religion instead of knowing for yourself you just go along with what
everyone else is saying, or if you don’t know the Jesus as your lord and savior then you will do
what a lot of people in society which is follow whatever religion is popular at the time or believe
in whatever there favorite pop star or actor is into. Which is not going to help you get into the
kingdom of heaven or have a better understanding of Christianity?
This is why I feel that if local churches want to better communicate gods love to the
community the having mentors for new and old members would be a good idea. As we see the
society that we live into today is all about wanting to be exactly like someone the watch on TV.
With the church being the body of Christ the church would be able to show so many non
believers that Jesus is the way the truth and the life, and by having mentors these mentors would
be able to guide these new Christians and help them to have and understand of the bible. Which
in terms allows them to have the ability, the knowledge and the strength the standup and speak of
how amazing god is when the go out into the world. The mentors and the church are showing
supporting new and old Christians which I thinks allows the community to see how powerful
gods love is.
The third thing that I think that our local churches can do is support diversity. When I
mean support diversity, I mean support the diversity of its followers to the Christian religion.
Churches can communicate gods love to the community by showing them how gods love knows
no race, or age his love has no boundaries.
Our local churches have to tendency to be thought of if they are in a certain location then
that church is only for the predominate race in that area, or if the preacher is of a certain ethic
background the only people of that same background should go to that church, or once you
become a Christen then you no longer have chooses to do the things you like to do. Society
wants to but labels on Christians and the church. To seem as if you were to become a Christian
that you become a clone.
The local churches supporting diversity is just one of the millions of ways that churches
can show you how amazing gods love really is. Society wants to think that the churches are
putting a million restrictions on people and that people become a Christians is saying good bye to
there former selves. In a since it is saying by to your former selves because you are giving up a
lot but the relation up will gain with god with be bigger then any thing you god have let go. The
local churches are trying to communicate to society that gods love is not asking you to give up
watching football, or to stop your favorite hobby. The church is trying to show you that when
you become a part of a church you are coming together in faith. You are saying to the world that
you are a Christian and you have a church family that loves and support you. Now is this saying
that because you now have a church family and some of the members do not like to play
basketball that you are no longer going to play basketball, no because the church diversity is
about its members coming together in faith but being able to be different to still have there own
unique personality, there own hobbies, and just be there own person but still share and
unconditional love for there church family, and there faith. I think this is the best way that the
church can communicate gods love to the community. Because it shows the community that yes I
am giving up some of the negative things I use to do but I am gaining an unremarkable
relationship with god, a church family with all the love and support I need, and in the end I am
still able to know who I am and what I like.
When local churches what to better communicate gods love to there community they
should try repenting of sins. This allows the community to see despite the negative things that
you may hear and see about some Christians do gods love his so amazing that by me coming to
him and confessing my sins god is willing and able to forgive me. Gods love is so amazing that I
feel he forgives me easier then I am able to forgive myself, and the local churches should let the
community see how his love is so amazing and forgiving. Another way that that the church
should communicate the gods love is to have mentors at the church, by having mentors they are
able to guide new Christians into understanding there bible and prepare them for test of there
faith they will have when they embark into society. The last way that I think that the church can
communicate gods love is by supporting diversity. If the church is able to show the community
that becoming a Christian is not about losing yourself and everything you know, but more about
gaining a relationship with Christ and still being able to be you own unique person. I think the
community would see that gods love is so nice that he wants you to still be you but just to have a
relationship with him. I think that if the local churches can show these three points to there
community then they to would see how amazing gods love really is.
REFLECTION PAPER GRADING
RUBRIC
Select the entire rubric below; then, copy and paste it into the final section of your Reflection
Papers.
Reflection Paper Grading Scale
(include as the last page of your paper)
Possibl
e
Points
Points
Earned
Content: Does the paper cover the subject as thoroughly as
possible? Are 2 topics covered? Does it demonstrate a
personal understanding of the subject?
75
Introduction: Paper has an introductory paragraph
15
Structure: Did student provide headings for each section?
10
Conclusion: Paper is given a concluding paragraph
15
Mechanics: Post is free of glaring error in spelling, grammar, and
punctuation and is posted by the deadline.
30
Grading Rubric: Is this page provided as the last page of the
paper?
10
Format: Is the paper 12-point, Times New Roman font, 1-inch
margins, and double-spaced?
15
Comments from Instructor:
Total
Score
170
