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Building on the foundation of Christ
Church in the Community - Media Release in the Herald: 12th August 2024
Source: TCN / Shannon-Leigh Ntshikose
Date Added: 2024-08-12
Category: General News, TCN News, Issues - General,
Date Added: 2024-08-12
Category: General News, TCN News, Issues - General,
My husband has always been passionate about construction.
It is something he studied and pursued wholeheartedly.
When we first met, he would often tell me about his desires to build certain types of lifestyle homes.
It was not long before we built our first house together.
I remember going through the plans and then standing on the land.
Then clearing the land for the house and digging the trenches for the foundation.
Once the trenches were done, we had to decide on how the cement or concrete would be mixed and poured.
One of my favourite parts was seeing the art of compacting the concrete to create a smooth and solid foundation that we could build on.
We are very similar to house builds as Christians.
We were purchased through the blood of Jesus, and thus became new creations with a foundation in Christ.
Once we have accepted Christ in our lives, we need to build on that foundation.
Brick by brick, which is scripture upon scripture, builds the doctrine that will become the very essence of our belief systems and how we will live out our lives.
1 Corinthians 3:11 AMP “[11] for no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ”.
Lately the term “deconstruction” has been circulating in some church circles.
It is a term used by Christians who are re-evaluating their faith and beliefs.
It is a crossroads for many who realize that for most of their Christian walks they have only been taught legalism and works.
Their very foundation feels compromised, so they start tearing down in the hope of ridding themselves of religion and trying to find the authentic Christ.
The problem with this is that many leaders could feel threatened by people's process and shun them instead of re-evaluating their own foundations and teachings that could have led many to this place.
This is how the great Reformation started – with people questioning what they believed, what they were taught by the leaders of the day, and whether that lined up with scripture.
This is how the church returned to the teaching of grace through faith in Christ alone.
Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV: “[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] not of works, lest any man should boast”.
Many will walk away and simply reject Christianity because they get lost in the maze of deconstruction, but not if you find safe people who drip with the Gospel of Grace and who exemplify Christ being formed in them.
Those are the ones who will help you rebuild through the Word of God.
Acts 17:11-12 TPT: [11] “They found that the Jews of Berea were of more noble character and much more open minded than those of Thessalonica. They were hungry to learn and eagerly received the word. Every day they opened the scrolls of Scripture to search and examine them, to verify that what Paul taught them was true”.
I don't see deconstruction as a threat but an opportunity to reveal Christ.
If the resurrected Christ could walk on the road of Emmaus for hours and answer questions and explain the scriptures, then every disciple should show the same patience with people trying to work out their faith.
The risen Christ could have just stopped and showed them the very marks in His hands and pointed them to the miracle that was Him standing before them, yet he didn't.
He taught with patience, expanded and answered their questions so much that their hearts burnt inside their chests.
Luke 24 verse 32: “They said to one another, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and opening the Scriptures to us?’”
As we build, whether within ourselves or our churches, whether we are planting or reforming, may Christ be the foundation on which we lay.
We must accept that no works of our own could ever give us the beauty of salvation.
It is only through His sacrifice as the chief cornerstone that His church will rise.
Reconstruction could prove to be a grace reformation knocking on our door.
Not one that merely stops at salvation, but one that pushes us to mature and walk in the fullness that Christ paid for us.
Shannon-Leigh Ntshikose
Pastor: Grace Reformation Church
It is something he studied and pursued wholeheartedly.
When we first met, he would often tell me about his desires to build certain types of lifestyle homes.
It was not long before we built our first house together.
I remember going through the plans and then standing on the land.
Then clearing the land for the house and digging the trenches for the foundation.
Once the trenches were done, we had to decide on how the cement or concrete would be mixed and poured.
One of my favourite parts was seeing the art of compacting the concrete to create a smooth and solid foundation that we could build on.
We are very similar to house builds as Christians.
We were purchased through the blood of Jesus, and thus became new creations with a foundation in Christ.
Once we have accepted Christ in our lives, we need to build on that foundation.
Brick by brick, which is scripture upon scripture, builds the doctrine that will become the very essence of our belief systems and how we will live out our lives.
1 Corinthians 3:11 AMP “[11] for no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ”.
Lately the term “deconstruction” has been circulating in some church circles.
It is a term used by Christians who are re-evaluating their faith and beliefs.
It is a crossroads for many who realize that for most of their Christian walks they have only been taught legalism and works.
Their very foundation feels compromised, so they start tearing down in the hope of ridding themselves of religion and trying to find the authentic Christ.
The problem with this is that many leaders could feel threatened by people's process and shun them instead of re-evaluating their own foundations and teachings that could have led many to this place.
This is how the great Reformation started – with people questioning what they believed, what they were taught by the leaders of the day, and whether that lined up with scripture.
This is how the church returned to the teaching of grace through faith in Christ alone.
Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV: “[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] not of works, lest any man should boast”.
Many will walk away and simply reject Christianity because they get lost in the maze of deconstruction, but not if you find safe people who drip with the Gospel of Grace and who exemplify Christ being formed in them.
Those are the ones who will help you rebuild through the Word of God.
Acts 17:11-12 TPT: [11] “They found that the Jews of Berea were of more noble character and much more open minded than those of Thessalonica. They were hungry to learn and eagerly received the word. Every day they opened the scrolls of Scripture to search and examine them, to verify that what Paul taught them was true”.
I don't see deconstruction as a threat but an opportunity to reveal Christ.
If the resurrected Christ could walk on the road of Emmaus for hours and answer questions and explain the scriptures, then every disciple should show the same patience with people trying to work out their faith.
The risen Christ could have just stopped and showed them the very marks in His hands and pointed them to the miracle that was Him standing before them, yet he didn't.
He taught with patience, expanded and answered their questions so much that their hearts burnt inside their chests.
Luke 24 verse 32: “They said to one another, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and opening the Scriptures to us?’”
As we build, whether within ourselves or our churches, whether we are planting or reforming, may Christ be the foundation on which we lay.
We must accept that no works of our own could ever give us the beauty of salvation.
It is only through His sacrifice as the chief cornerstone that His church will rise.
Reconstruction could prove to be a grace reformation knocking on our door.
Not one that merely stops at salvation, but one that pushes us to mature and walk in the fullness that Christ paid for us.
Shannon-Leigh Ntshikose
Pastor: Grace Reformation Church
Source: TCN / Shannon-Leigh Ntshikose
Date Added: 2024-08-12
Category: General News, TCN News, Issues - General,
Back to News IndexDate Added: 2024-08-12
Category: General News, TCN News, Issues - General,
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