Christian Practices 2

Question 1

What is evangelism?

Answer 1

• Preaching of the gospel to others with the intention to convert others to Christianity

Question 2

What are Christians missions, now and in the past?

Answer 2

• At the time of Jesus, early Christians had a sense of mission to convert Jews and others to the new religion of Christianity
• It is the mission of the Church to help Christians live a life of faith and tell the message of salvation to all
• Many Christians see it as their duty to convert others to Christianity

Question 3

What did missionaries use to do, and what are attitudes towards them?

Answer 3

• In the past, missionary work had the clear intention of bringing people to the Christian faith
• They were also important to bring education and health support to the poor and disadvantaged
• Today, many debate the ethics of missionary work and evangelism, as they think you should be respectful of different faiths due to the pluralist society we live in.

Question 4

What type of Churches are thriving in Britain?

Answer 4

Evangelic Churches

Question 5

What are Evangelical Churches doing?

Answer 5

• Engaging in the process of Church Planting
• This is the process of establishing new, non-traditional Churches.
• It happens when groups from an existing Church split off and go to a new area to establish a Church

Question 6

What is an example of a Church Planting group?

Answer 6

• The Icthus Fellowship
• Started in London in 1974
• Aims to spread Christian values by Church planting
• They have established new Churches across London and Kent and have links with Churches across the UK and abroad

Question 7

What is Fresh Expressions?

Answer 7

• Refers to a movement in the CofE to change the way some churches and congregations meet and worship
• This is an attempt to attract people to the Church who wouldn’t normally attend

Question 8

What is one type of Fresh Expressions?

Answer 8

• A cafe church
• These might take place in a cafe linked to a Church or just a commercial cafe
• People will meet there to talk about their faith and have refreshments at the same time

Question 9

What is Tearfund?

Answer 9

• Tearfund is a Christian charity whose aim is to put Christian beliefs and Jesus’ command to ‘love your neighbour’ into action.
• Christians believe they are putting into action the unconditional love (Agape) that Jesus talks about in the Gospels

Question 10

What does Tearfund do?

Answer 10

• They work through church groups to give help to the poor in many countries
• They currently work in over 50 countries
• Provide emergency aid when natural disasters occur
• Carrying out long term projects to support local communities

Question 11

How is Tearfund supported?

Answer 11

• In the Uk, many people support Tearfund by raising money through coffee mornings and buying Tearfund Christmas cards

Question 12

Why is Tearfund important?

Answer 12

• Tearfund has a role in raising public awareness of social issues in the world, such as poverty and discrimination
• They campaign against the causes of poverty worldwide
• They give practical help in order to act out the teachings of Jesus to help others
• They encourage self help for both individuals and communities

Question 13

Describe Tearfund’s work in Columbia:

Answer 13

• Work with children and teenagers in Columbia
• By working with partner agencies, churches and youth groups in the country, Tearfund has set up 30 sport clubs
• These clubs provide safe spaces for young people at risk of joining gangs to come and socialise
• They also offer mentoring to help them with life skills

Question 14

What is persecution?

Answer 14

Persistently cruel treatment, often due to religion or belief

Question 15

What may a persecuted Christian become?

Answer 15

• A martyr, someone who is killed or dies for their religious beliefs
• Christians believe they were given a divine commission from Jesus to spread the good news of the Gospel and this may be in the face of personal danger

Question 16

Where may Christians be persecuted?

Answer 16

• In places where the Christian faith is a minority religion
• Terrorist organisations like Islamic State in the Middle East have targeted Christians, forcing them from their homes and subjecting them to violent attacks

Question 17

When and why was Open Doors established?

Answer 17

• Established in 1955, when Brother Andrew, a Dutch missionary, smuggled Bibles into the Soviet Union
• Under the Communist system in the Soviet Union, Christian Churches were persecuted

Question 17

What do Evangelical Christian organisations do about persecution?

Answer 17

• Organisations such as Christian Freedom International and Open doors provide practical help to persecuted Christians
• This can be through providing Bibles and working actively for the human rights of Christians suffering persecution

Question 18

How does Open Doors help Christians today?

Answer 18

• Distributes Bibles and other resources to those who don’t have access to them, or may have had them confiscated
• It trains Christians and Church Leaders to deal with the trauma they may be suffering while maintaining their faith
• Provides practical support for Christians who have been the victims of disasters
• Speaks on behalf of persecuted Christians to raise awareness of their situation and gather support

Question 19

What is reconciliation and why is it needed in Christianity?

Answer 19

• The idea that people should make up after an argument and move on
• Within Christianity, there are many different denominations, and in the past, these differences have led to conflict and tension

Question 20

What are two organisations that work for Christian reconciliation?

Answer 20

Ecumenical Movement
World Council of Churches

Question 21

What is the Ecumenical Movement’s aim?

Answer 21

• To bring the different Christian denominations closer together and promote Christian unity throughout the world

Question 22

How did the Ecumenical Movement begin?

Answer 22

• It began with the World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh in 1910.
• The movement aimed to unify the Protestant Churches of the world and ultimately all Christians

Question 23

What has the work of the Ecumenical Movement led to?

Answer 23

• Much more cooperation between different Christian denominations, such as different Churches sharing a common building and joint ecumenical services
• Although denominational differences still exist, many Christians believe there should only be one Church

Question 24

What is the World Council of Churches?

Answer 24

‘A worldwide fellowship of Churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service’

Question 25

What does the World Council of Churches do?

Answer 25

• Every year, they hold a special week of prayer for Christian Unity
• It brings together Churches, denominations and church fellowships in more than 110 countries

Question 26

What is a local example of an organisation from World Council of Churches?

Answer 26

‘Churches together in England’
- Grew out of the work of WCofC
- A practical attempt to focus locally on the fellowship of those who share the Christian faith
- Their aim is to offer practical ways of achieving greater unity