Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/inform/revival2/ffr.txt

Text File | 1993-09-30 | 12KB | 290 lines

                          FELLOWSHIP FOR REVIVAL




                  within the Uniting Church in Australia




                     "constant Reform under His Word"




Copyright (c) 1991,93 by the Fellowship For Revival.  All Rights Reserved.




                                * * * * *




THE BASIS OF THE FELLOWSHIP

The Basis of the Fellowship is an unreserved acceptance of the revelation
of God given in the Old and New Testament scriptures.




THE PURPOSE OF THE FELLOWSHIP

The Purpose of the Fellowship is to pray and work for revival within the
Church of Jesus Christ in Australia and in particular in the Uniting
Church - such revival as goes hand in hand with reformation of doctrine,
life and practice.



Changes to the Constitution of the Fellowship in August 1989 identified
the Fellowship with the Basis of Union of the Uniting Church as follows:



SALVATION FOR ALL MANKIND

The Fellowship For Revival shares the hope of the churches which entered
union for a continuing renewal in which God will use our worship, witness
and service to set forth the word of salvation for all mankind (para 1,
Basis of Union).  The Fellowship is committed to pray and work for the
spread of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in the conviction that He is
the only Saviour of the world and all people need His salvation.  Though
it is proper to converse with people of other religions and philosophies,
the unique necessity of the Christian Gospel cannot be compromised.

The Fellowship shares the determination of the churches which entered
union to go forward in sole loyalty to Christ the living Head of the
Church, to remain open to constant reform under His word, to seek a wider
unity in the power of the Holy Spirit, to hear anew the commission of the
Risen Lord to make disciples of all nations and daily seek to obey his
will (para 1).

The Fellowship rejoices that the Church awaits with hope the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ on which it will be clear that the kingdom of this world
has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign
for ever and ever (para 1).  In relation to this, the Fellowship believes
that all people face judgment after this life and an eternity lived either
with or without Christ, according to their response to Him in this life.
In the Father's own time, Christ will return personally, visibly and
gloriously to consummate all things.



THE CHURCH

The Fellowship believes that the Uniting Church lives and works within the
faith and unity of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church and
recognizes that the Uniting Church will maintain membership of the World
Council of Churches and other ecumenical bodies, and is committed to seek
special relationships with churches in Asia and the Pacific (para 2).  The
Fellowship identifies in particular with those world-wide who hold to a
high view of the Holy Scriptures.  The Fellowship supports the founding
ideals of the World Council of Churches but regrets where these have been
distorted by non-Christian political, philosophical and religious
considerations.  The Fellowship expects the Uniting Church in Australia
properly to represent Christian faith and witness in the ecumenical
context as affirmed in para 1 of the Basis of Union, and supports unity
and co-operation among Australian churches in emphasizing the Gospel and
its consequences for our nation.



JESUS CHRIST

The Fellowship rejoices in the profound things affirmed about the person
and work of our Lord Jesus Christ within the context of God as Father, Son
and Holy Spirit, in paras 3 & 4, but is concerned that some of these are
not always followed through in practice.  We reaffirm that our Lord Jesus
Christ is our Lord and is "Head over all things, the beginning of a new
creation, a new mankind" (para 3).  Further, the Fellowship is concerned
that some people speaking or professing to speak on behalf of the Church
appear to deny the Biblical testimony to our Lord Jesus Christ by
exaggerating His humanity relative to His divinity.  The Fellowship
advocates that essentials of the faith be not put in doubt by concessions
to unbelief.  Dialogue is one thing; compromise and apostasy are of a
different order.



SCRIPTURE

Para 5 acknowledges that the Church has received the books of the Old and
New Testaments as unique prophetic and apostolic testimony ... the
Church's preaching of Christ is to be controlled by the Biblical witnesses
them.  The Fellowship accepts these precepts with the utmost seriousness
noting in particular words such as "received", "controlled", "lays upon"
and "commits".  The Fellowship holds that the Bible is the Word of God
while reflecting the personalities and times of the inspired writers.  The
Bible does not merely "contain", "witness to" or "become" the Word of God
but is objectively God's authoritative self-revelation in written form.
The Fellowship holds to the authority of Holy Scriptures as the supreme
rule for faith and practice.



SACRAMENTS

Para 5 affirms that "the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper are
effective signs of the Gospel set forth in the scriptures".  The
Fellowship regards this reference as a caution and contends that all
developments in sacramental practice must be subject to "constant reform
under His Word" (para 1).  The Fellowship views the Sacraments as Christ's
own signs (symbols) and seals (pledges) of the Gospel promises: for
believers, they confirm faith and provide a means of communion with the
risen Lord.  They are necessary, not for salvation, but for obedience.
Baptism is not only a means of grace, it also symbolizes and pledges
cleansing from sin and regeneration by the Holy Spirit.  The sacramental
act does not in itself impart new life.  Infants of believing parents have
a specific, though provisional place within the covenant people and may be
appropriately baptized.  While the Lord's Supper is a means of communion
with Christ, it is a special means of grace rather than a means of special
grace.  Christ's presence is thus real, but spiritually not bodily.



CREEDS

Para 9 receives the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed as authoritative
statements of the Catholic Faith.  The Fellowship believes that though
framed in the language of their day these Creeds are to be taken
literally, and qualified only by the need to conform with the Gospel and
plainly set forth in the scriptures.

Para 10 commits the Church to continue to learn of the teaching of Holy
Scripture through particular confessions derived from the reformation
fathers and the forty-four standard sermons of John Wesley with their
common testimony to the grace which justifies through faith, the
centrality of the person and work of Christ the justifier and the need for
a constant appeal to Holy Scripture.

The Fellowship holds that justification is the imputation by God of
righteousness to the sinner received by faith alone in Christ alone.
Conversion refers to repentance towards God for sin and faith in Jesus
Christ as Saviour and is accompanied by justification.  Conversion is not
a product of a person's noble intentions or of the goodness of one's
nature but is the work of the Holy Spirit.  Regeneration is the imparting
by the Holy Spirit of spiritual life to the justified sinner.  Every
justified person may receive from the Holy Spirit absolute assurance of
salvation.  Sanctification, the growing in Christlikeness, the fruits of
the Spirit, separation to God (holiness), perseverance to the end and
overcoming the world, the flesh and the devil are gracious gifts from the
Holy Spirit received by faith alone; it is incumbent on every justified
person to appropriate them continually.  Sanctification commences at the
moment of justification.  It does not precede it nor should it be confused
with it.



SCHOLARSHIP

Para 11 places scholarly interpreters within the context of thanks to God
for the continuing witness and service of evangelist, scholar, prophet and
martyr.  The Fellowship is concerned that care be taken in the evaluation
of scholarship.  Too often pseudo-scholarship undermines the witness of
evangelist and prophet and mocks the martyr.  The Fellowship is concerned
that theological education in the Church is seen to be firmly grounded
biblically.  The threat to the integrity of the Gospel implicit in
humanistic, some inter-religious and some ecumenical considerations must
be identified and met in a firm commitment to the need for a "constant
appeal to Holy Scripture" (para 10).



GIFTS AND MINISTRIES

Para 13 acknowledges the gifts and ministries of every member of the
church.  The Fellowship encourages all members of the Church to be alert
and encouraged in the Lord's service and to believe that they can pray and
work effectively in the constant reform of the Church under His Word.

Para 14 recognizes particular ministries in the life of the Church, those
of minister of the Word, elder, deaconess and lay preacher with openness
to the possibility of a diaconate to provide a full-time alternative order
to the ministry of the Word both for men and women.  On the basis of this
paragraph the Fellowship believes that the possibility of the Uniting
Church becoming an episcopal church in excluded while the present Basis of
Union remains in effect.



SUBSTANCE OF FAITH

Para 14 further declares that people set aside for particular ministries
are required to "adhere to the Basis of Union" but allows for differences
of opinion in matters which do not enter into the substance of the faith.
The Fellowship challenges the Church to be explicit about what constitutes
the substance of the faith and what does not.  The Fellowship does not
accept that reservations about the baptism of infants necessarily involves
the substance of the faith.  On the other hand the compromise of essential
elements in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the style
of life we are called to live as Christians does enter into the substance
of the faith.



GOVERNMENT

Para 15 sets out the form of government in the church.  The Fellowship and
its members seek to play a positive role as part of "constant reform under
His Word" in all areas of the Church's life.  As opportunity may become
available they will share in the deliberation of the councils of the
Church; in the Congregation (Parish Council), Elders Council, Presbytery,
Synod and Assembly and through whatever related activities the Church may
provide.



THE PILGRIM WAY

The Fellowship shares the goal  of the Uniting Church as expressed in para
18: The Uniting Church affirms that she belongs to the people of God on
the way to the promised end.  She prays that, through the gift of the
Spirit, He will constantly correct that which is erroneous in her life,
will bring her into deeper unity with other churches, and will use her
worship, witness and service to His eternal glory through Jesus Christ our
Lord: and in affirmation that Fellowship prays REVIVE YOUR WORK, O GOD!
Amen.



Uniting Church people are encouraged to join together in prayer for
revival having in mind the rich heritage and commitment we share and the
essential relationship between revival and reformation.

Membership of the Fellowship is invited at $10 p.a. which includes the
newsletter.

Members are expected to pray daily for revival and to meet with others as
and when practicable for this purpose.

Give this information to a friend.  Pamphlets are available on request.



National President:

     The Rev Dr Robert C Weatherlake
     Uniting Church Manse
     Heathcote  VIC  3523
     Phone [phone]


National Executive Secretary:

     The Rev Peter J Blackburn
     21 Mayfield St
     Buderim  QLD  4556
     Phone [phone]