Dissertation Research

As part of my honours degree, my dissertation will be asking:

Is an internet church, church?

In order to complete this task, I am currently asking at a premilinary level, the following questions to which I would value as many responses as can be mustered. I will also answer any questions you may have about it...

Part A - About you..

1. What is your country of residence?
2. What is your age range? 12-17 / 18-25 / 26- 39 / 40 - 59 / 60 & Over
3. Are you a Christian, and if so how long have you been a christian?
4. How long have you used the internet?
5. Have you been involved in any internet communities and how long for?


Part B - You need answer only Yes or No...

1. Have you ever heard of an internet church or attended one of their church services?

Yes / No

2. Do you think internet churches glorify God?

Yes / No

3. Do you think internet pastoral care & counselling works?

Yes / No

4. Do you think internet evangelism works?

Yes / No

5. Do you think internet discipleship works?

Yes / No

6. Do you think internet worship services works?

Yes / No

7. Do you think internet preaching and/or teaching can help change people?

Yes / No

8. Do you think Spiritual Gifts can be used effectively in an internet context? If no, what gifts could not be used?

Yes / No

9. Do you think an internet church would be part of the universal and apostolic church?

Yes / No

10. Do you think that internet communites are real communities?
Yes / No

Any comments or questions relating to an internet church or internet community?

Gunnedah revisited...

Gunnedah revisited..., originally uploaded by emptybelly.

This is the local Baptist church in my hometown of Gunnedah, New South Wales in Australia... The architecture is typical of Australian country churches...

There was a job vacancy there until 6 months ago, that would have suited me... In just on 3 months time I will have finished college and then try to find a church job somewhere... Not sure whether that will be in Australia or in England/Wales... I probably have 3 options:

1. Stay here and look for a job and hopefully get to Australia to see my aged mother in the next 12 months or so.
2. Go to Australia and see my mother then return and look for a job here...
3. Go to Australia and see my mother then return and look for a job over there...

Nigeria teacher dies 'over Koran'

Secondary school pupils in north-east Nigeria of the country have killed a teacher after apparently accusing her of desecrating the Koran, police say. The teacher, a Christian, was attacked after supervising an exam in Gombe city. It is not clear what she had done to anger the students. The authorities, concerned that communal unrest could break out, have ordered all the city's schools to shut. Similar accusations sparked riots in neighbouring Bauchi State last year. At least 15,000 people have been killed in religious, communal or political violence since the country returned to civilian rule in 1999.

'Restored calm'

Nigerian police say students beat the teacher to death outside the school compound after she had been invigilating an exam. The students had apparently accused her of desecrating the Koran, though it is not clear exactly what she had done. The police arrived at the scene to restore calm and say their intervention stopped a riot. The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says violence based on such accusations is not new. Last year, in Bauchi State, a rumour swept the city that a Christian teacher had also desecrated the Koran, which prompted riots in which at least five people were killed. In fact, the teacher had confiscated the Koran from a pupil who was reading it in class.

Religious differences have long been used to justify all kinds of violence in Nigeria, our reporter says. In reality it is often fuelled by ethnic or political conflicts and competition for resources, which can be fierce, given that so many people live in poverty, he says.

__________________________________________________________

In the italic lettering, the reporter says this behaviour is instigated for ethnic, political or social reasons... The journalist is wrong... It is for religious reasons that this Christian was killed and it is the reasons that many Christians are killed in Muslim lands... Let us pray together for, and remember before our ever gracious Lord, our brothers and sisters in lands where persecution against Christians is rife and endemic.

Preparation for confession...

From the Orthodox Tradition...

PREPARATION FOR CONFESSION

Sins Against God

Do you pray to God in the morning and evening, before and after meals?
Have you allowed your thoughts to wander during prayer?
Have you rushed your prayers?
Do you read the Scriptures daily? Do you have other spiritual readings regularly?
Have you read books of which the content is not Christian and spiritually damaging?
Have you pronounced the name of God without reverence? Have you asked for God’s help before every activity?
Have you made the sign of the Cross carelessly, thoughtlessly? Have you sworn? Have you murmured against God? Have you sinned by forgetting God?
Have you been slack in attending church? Have you tried your best to attend Church?
If unable to attend church for some reason, have you still tried to devote some part of these days to prayer and spiritual reading?
Have you kept the fasts? Have you behaved irreverently in church?
Have you laughed or talked in church, or moved about unnecessarily, thus distracting others from prayer? Have you dressed modestly in church?
Have you tried to pay attention to the readings, hymns, and prayers in Church?
Have you striven to pray with the service, crossing yourself, etc., or have you rather simply stood and day-dreamed?
Have you left Church after the Divine Services, and particularly after receiving communion and engaged in small talk, forgetting the blessings you have received?
Have you been ashamed of your Faith in the presence of others?
Have you made a show of piety? Have you used your Faith to belittle others?
Have you used it as an excuse rather than humbling yourself?
Have you believed in dreams, fortune telling, astrology, signs and other superstitions?
Do you give thanks to the Lord for all things?
Have you ever doubted God’s providence concerning yourself?
Do you try to see His purpose in all things that come upon you?

Sins Against Your Neighbours

Do you respect and obey your parents? Have you offended them?
Have you insulted anyone? Have you quarrelled or fought with anyone?
Are you always respectful to old people?
Are you ever angry, bad-tempered or irritable?
Have you called anyone names? Do you use foul language?
Have you derided any that are disabled, poor, old or in some way disadvantaged?
Have you entertained bad feelings, ill will or hatred against anyone?
Haw you forgiven those who have offended you?
Have you asked forgiveness from those whom you have offended?
Are you at peace with everyone?
Have you left the needy without help when you could have helped?
Have you attended the sick or elderly when they have asked you to do so?
Have you shown kindness and attention to all?
Have you hit animals without a cause or been cruel to them?
Have you stolen anything?
Have you taken or used other people’s things without asking?
Have you kept money or things that were lent to you without returning them?
Have you wasted your employer’s time or resources? Have you taken things from work for your own use?
Are you obstinate and do you always try to have your own way?
Have you been inconsiderate of other people's feelings?
Have you tried to have your revenge against those who have offended you?
Have you harboured resentment? Have you deceived people?
Have you gossiped? Have you told untruths?
Have you judged and condemned others?
Have you taken pains before approaching for confession to be reconciled with all?

Sins Against Yourself

Have you been proud? Do you boast of your abilities, achievements, family, connections or riches?
Do you consider yourself worthy before God?
Are you vain, ambitious? Do you try to win praise and glory?
Do you bear it easily when you are blamed, scolded or treated unjustly? Do you think too much about your looks, outward appearance and the impression you make?
Have you sinned in thought word or deed, by a look or glance, or in any other way against the Seventh Commandment?
Have you envied anyone anything? Have you been over-sensitive?
Have you been lazy? Have you done your duties heartily?
Have you wasted your time, energy or abilities in things that do not profit the soul?
Have you become obsessive about anything? Have you been despondent?
Have you had thoughts of committing suicide?
Have you brought a curse on yourself or others or ill-wished them, being impatient?
Have you a weakness for alcohol? Have you taken drugs? Have you smoked?
Have you watched television too much or indiscriminately? Have you given yourself up to any other similar pastime which wastes your time and energy?
Have you been greedy, either with regard to food or to possessions?
Have you been wasteful of food, forgetting that so many people are without proper nourishment? Have you been extravagant?
Do you care for and seek first the salvation of your soul, the spiritual life and the kingdom of God, or have you put worldly considerations in first place?
Is there any other sin, which burdens your conscience, or which you are ashamed to say?

Seasonal Comparisons...

Seasonal Comparisons

To whom or what shall I compare Thy face?
A vibrant rainbow sky after fresh spring rain
Or an exquisite dawn on a summer morn
The awesome falling leaves in an Autumn breeze
Or the bright fluffy blanket of winter snow.
Compared to Thy face,
These sights are nothing and fade away to such

To whom or what shall I compare Thy touch?
The warm spring rain that falls gently on my brow
Or the soft summer sun that softly caresses my hair?
The brittle autumnal leaves that scatter ‘neath my feet
Or the delicate winter snow that cushions a careless fall?
Thy touch is beyond compare as Your arms surround me in Your love!

To whom or what shall I compare Thy voice?
The babbling mountain brook in spring thaw
Or the joyous chorus a summer circus brings?
The persistent rustle of Autumnal trees stripped bare
Or the fervent laughter of children’s’ winter follies?
Thy voice is soft and pure, beyond all other sounds.

Captain, O my Captain
Every morning its your face I long to see
Every noon its your touch I long to feel
Every night its your voice I long to hear.

Which theologican are you?

You scored as Karl Barth. The daddy of 20th Century theology. You perceive liberal theology to be a disaster and so you insist that the revelation of Christ, not human experience, should be the starting point for all theology. Karl Barth 100% Jürgen Moltmann 80% Anselm 80% Friedrich Schleiermacher 67% Martin Luther 60% Augustine 53% John Calvin 40% Jonathan Edwards 40% Charles Finney 40% Paul Tillich 27% Which theologian are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Rainbow City

I

There is a land

A beautiful city where peace and harmony

Are at hand.

Glowing colours

Sweet aromas

A tranquil setting.

II

My fears

My tears and sadness too

Are soothed away as I enter

The calmness of

“Rainbow City”

III

The sun shines brightly

The birds sing sweetly

And make melody

Amongst themselves.

IV

How did I come to this place?

Are there others who come here too?

Yes I seem to recognize that face,

Is it a memory or is it you?

V

Anyone can come here

Whoever you are,

I’ll tell you the Way,

Its not very far.

VI

If you go to seek refuge

Comfort and help,

A stillness of body, mind

And soul,

From the busy days looming ahead,

Or the busiest day

That’s just come your way.

VII

To enter Rainbow city,

Just sit and relax

In a favourite room

With only a favourite hot drink.

Do this when there is no-one around

To bug, pester or hound.

Let al cares and thoughts just drift away,

And focus your attention on the joy that will stay,

In your heart for the rest of the day.

VIII

As you see the city and the delights within

Thank the One who made it for you.

His name is Jesus, you know who I mean,

If you look hard enough He is to be seen.

Search for Him in that city of gems

And when you see Him

Face to face,

Its time for you

Not to return to this place

But to stay with the One you has called you

To be with Him

In “Rainbow City”

IX. Throne Room

I try to spend my day

In thoughts

And with prayers to my Father

Often I say

“LORD, canst thou hear me?”

Then in my mind I see Him.

All beauty to behold

His radiance too bright for me,

And holiness so bold.

I see my Father sitting there,

Upon His lofty golden throne,

And angels there surround Him

All righteousness and fair.

Then I see a hole appear through the crystal floor

And shafts of light dart through

Golden and gleaming upon His face.

Then these words do follow –

“LORD, canst thou hear me?”

My Fathers’ heart is love

And He sees the needs from above,

So I see Him send His angels down

Following the shafts of prayer

From the saints

To comfort and to hold me

In my time of need.

(Written by me almost 20 years ago...)