Church Talk
READER CONTRIBUTION: The whole and only truth
Friday 19 November 2010 | Published in Church Talk
Paul carries on his speech to Peter. He continues to show him that his behaviour and actions have logical conclusions and that those are not beneficial and can even lead to heretical conclusions. The essential message of the gospel is that through faith in the living God, Jesus Christ, we can be justified in the […]
Governments 'instituted of God'
Friday 19 November 2010 | Published in Church Talk
“We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society. “We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in […]
Don't be afraid when going through a crisis
Friday 12 November 2010 | Published in Church Talk
Out of the story from October 22 we learn three things on how to face an unexpected crisis. 1. Refocus on God’s closeness. When you’re going through a crisis, in order to not be afraid, you stop and you get your eyes off the problem and onto God. Notice v. 23 “Then Jesus got into […]
The restoration of our vision
Friday 12 November 2010 | Published in Church Talk
John Fuellenbach SVD in his book The Kingdom of God, talks about an attempt to restore Rembrandt’s “The Nightwatch”. He describes how, when the restorationists removed the successive coatings of varnish that had been applied throughout the years to protect the painting, they were surprised at the brightness of the colours in the original painting. […]
Atiu's Ziona Tapu near completion
Saturday 6 November 2010 | Published in Church Talk
After three months of hard and tiring work, the renovation on the Atiu CICC Church Building Ziona Tapu is nearing completion and is scheduled to be re-opened on December 3. Papa Orometua Oirua Rasmussen said he was pleased with the changes which includes the removal of the 16 nga’ika posts and replaced by new 16 […]
Of things that matter most
Friday 5 November 2010 | Published in Church Talk
If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most. It’s remarkable how much we can learn about life by studying nature. For example, scientists can look at the rings of trees and […]
Obey, act upon and live the Word
Friday 29 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk
Several important observations can be made about this passage from Joshua (below). First, the book of the Law is not to depart from our mouths, meaning we are to talk about it regularly. But if we talk about it regularly, we must think about it regularly (you shall meditate on it day and night). We […]
CICC highlights youth issues
Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk
A Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) youth convention held in Rarotonga recently highlighted prevalent issues for young people in the community. CICC director of youth Rangi Henry said messages about making the right choices in life and building and maintaining healthy relationships were taken to heart by the almost 100 youth in attendance. Crime was […]
How to face an unexpected crisis
Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk
We are living in a time where your situation in life can change suddenly for the worse. That could become an unexpected crisis. It could be in finance or business, it could be in your family relationship, or it could be in any number of areas in your life. And if a crisis is unexpected, […]
Live conference broadcast links church members
Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk
Local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–day Saints were privileged to view and hear presentations from church leaders at the 180th Semi-Annual General Conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, on Saturday October 2 and Sunday October 3 via satellite. Local members and participants had to awaken early to view the […]
A family away from home
Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk
Cook Islands church-goers were a “family away from home” for Auckland-based LIFE church founders and senior pastors Paul and Maree de Jong this week. The couple were in Rarotonga as guest speakers of the Cook Islands Assemblies of God conference held at Takuvaine. Paul said there was a strong connection between Christian communities in the […]
Protect, respect God's holy temple
Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk
Introduction In the Bible, what attitude toward the human body do we find? Not how do we see it, with all our preconceptionsthe images of pencil-thin models, musclemen, voluptuous Playboy bunnies, or plump matrons hurtling from Weightwatchers to a “nothing but kumquats” dietbut as God sees these body-temples of ours. Have you ever walked into […]
AOG conference on
Saturday 9 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk
A chance to hear international pastors speaking about access to religion is set to attract hundreds of people to a conference in Rarotonga next week. The Cook Islands Assemblies of God (AOG) church is hosting its bi-annual conference at its Avarua church from Monday to Wednesday. Auckland-based pastors Paul and Maree De Jong and Scott […]
Why remember Lot's wife?
Friday 8 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk
This is one of the shortest verses in the Word of God. So what happened to Lot’s wife that we should want to remember it? What can we take from it and learn from? We can find the story of Lot and his family escaping from Sodom in Genesis 19. Two angels arrived with the […]
CICC attends Pacific meeting
Friday 8 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk
Mataio represented the CICC and Henry represented not just the Cooks contingent but youth all over the Pacific at a conference that drew thinkers and church leaders from across the region. The conference touched on some big socio-political issues, and suggested ways that churches and spiritual leaders can approach them. The primary focus of discussion […]
Anonymity – a coward's way of hiding behind hurtful words
Friday 1 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk
Ko te uuna I tona Ingoa tikai – e tu moa ma’u tereira I te pipini ki muri I tetai au tuatua tamamae me kare akakino tangata Some say that anonymity is the last refuge for cowards. This woman after having read so much mail and comments submitted anonymously, seemed to agree. People hiding behind […]
Faith without works is dead
Friday 1 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk
In reply to Nick Carter’s three questions of Friday September 24’s Churchtalk and based on Holy Scripture: 1. Do I try harder to be good? Yes! “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? Even so faith, if it hath not works, […]
The Holy Spirit empowers mission
Friday 1 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk
In the Acts of the Apostles, we read St Luke’s unfolding story of the early Christian mission. The story tells of the spread of the Good News “in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts1:8). When Luke ends his story with Paul in Rome, the centre of the […]
What must we do to be saved?
Friday 17 September 2010 | Published in Church Talk
Every church exist on earth because every member wants to be saved, otherwise why bother to pray, worship and stay in church? Every religion exist on earth because every convert wants to be saved, otherwise why bother to pray, meditate or practice whatever kinds of religious beliefs and rituals? Every human organisations, governments and institutions […]
Biblical spiritual warfare
Friday 10 September 2010 | Published in Church Talk
It seems a common practice among churches nowadays is to be involved in spiritual warfare. There are a lot of parts to this from binding and loosing demons, to screaming at the devil and his minions, praying against the elements, attributing every bad (and inconvenient) thing to the devil, and much more. Many churches carry […]