Christian Living in April

The single most important event in early Christianity was the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Long before the Church celebrated the birth of Jesus in the Christmas season, Christians celebrated the resurrection of Christ from the grave. In contemporary Christianity and secular society, Christmas now receives more interest than Easter, but early believers understood that the Church was established upon the suffering and resurrection of Christ. It was the resurrection of Christ that convinced the remaining Disciples of the truthfulness of what Jesus has preached. So convinced were they that Jesus was the true Messiah that they were willing to lay down their lives, confident that they too would enjoy resurrection power as a result of a vital relationship with the Savior of the world.Christian Living in AprilAt this season of the year, the contemporary church should be deliberate in its desire to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. The ideas suggested below are provided for the sake of edifying local churches during what has historically been the most celebrated annual season. Though church leaders are not encouraged to employ all of the suggestions, a judicious leader will select that which is most appropriate for the local body of believers. It is with this hope and desire the following is offered for consideration.Christian Living in AprilArticle ContentsIn the Northern Hemisphere, April is associated with spring. However, in the Southern Hemisphere, April is equivalent to October in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa.April receives it name from the Roman Latin name Aprilis and is believed to be derived from a verb meaning, "to open," which likely is descriptive of budding and flowering of flowers and trees. Roman months being named in honor of pagan divinities, April was sacred to the Roman goddess Venus, likely derived from the Greek goddess Aphrodite (Aphros). In the earliest Roman calendar, April was the second month of the calendar year which provided for 29 days in the month. Under Julius Caesar, the Roman calendar was reformed, April was given 30 days, and the present order of months in the West established.The birthstone of April is diamond, and the birth flowers are common daisy (Bellis perennis) or the sweet pea.In addition to the highlights of this month that are discussed below, additional subjects of interest regarding our Christian heritage are presented online, where they are arranged according to dates of occurrence—with particular attention being given to the influence Christianity has exercised upon the origin of America. The online calendar where these articles are arranged is under continual development with new articles appearing as they become available. By clicking the message box below, readers will navigate to the present month under consideration. Observance: Late March to first part of AprilHoly Week in the Christian faith begins on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter. In most non-liturgical or low churches, the various days of Jesus’ last week are not observed, with exception, perhaps, to the observance of Thursday and Friday of this week. In liturgical churches or high churches, the various days of this week are remembered in more distinct ways. In a world that increasingly seeks to conceal Christian symbols and observances, Christians should seek to celebrate the events of the Christian life as publicly as possible without violating the principles of the faith to do so.Observance: Holy WeekTwo special services are offered for use during Holy Week–Service of the Cross and Tenebrae: A Service of Darkness. Though it is unlikely that both services would be used in any single year, they are presented below for the consideration of pastors and their congregations.The Service of the Cross may become a powerful Maundy Thursday or Good Friday tradition within your church. As members of the congregation enter the place of worship, they are given a worship folder with a square nail tethered to a piece of paper. The plan of salvation is artfully related through a series of reading. Then, worshippers are instructed to write on the paper any sin or sorrow which should be given to the Lord, and at the appointed time in the service, they are invited to drive their nails in a place of their choosing on the cross placed at the front of the sanctuary. This simple act is intended to express contrition and repentance for sin and a confidence that the cross of Christ was sufficient to bear the sins and sorrows of the entire world. The impression of hammers striking the nails is a very sobering one. Served with the elements of the Lord's Supper, this service will live long in the hearts of worshippers. The service, including communion, is about an hour in length.Observance: Holy WeekIn far too many churches, the frenetic personal schedules of many believers does not make allowance for participation in meaningful and symbolic dramatic presentations. This fact often robs the individual and congregation of some of the most important moments in personal and collective worship. One of the ways to reverse this trend and achieve a balance between personal schedules and meaningful drama in the church is through scripted dramatic presentations, and the Easter season provides opportunity that is seldom equaled and never excelled in the Church year.A Tenebrae Service is an attempt to dramatize the closing days of Christ's ministry on earth leading up to and including the events of Good Friday. This service begins in light, commemorating the significant events of Christ's movement toward the cross, and culminates in darkness expressive of the extinguishing of the physical life of the Messiah of the world, Jesus Christ. Few experiences bring the audience to the awareness of the spiritual realities of the Easter season.Remembrance: Sinking of the Titanic—April 14-15, 1912Robert Bateman is reported to have been the most widely known individual on the maiden voyage of the ill-fated RMS Titanic. He had distinguished himself as a minister of the Gospel and his interest in the wellbeing of the communities in which he served that so highly commended him to his fellow passengers. Though residing in Jacksonville, Florida at the time of Titanic’s fateful collision in the North Atlantic, Rev. Bateman left behind him a trail of influence for the sake of the Gospel in both the British Isles and America—among which was the People’s Tabernacle in Knoxville, Tennessee.Bateman was concerned not only for the spiritual wellbeing of individuals but was also deeply interested in their physical needs as well. Ameliorating the effects of the sex-trafficking of his day, he ministered extensively to the ladies of the street in Jacksonville and demonstrated a social conscience for other communities where he served.Hours before the accident, he led fellow passengers in a Sunday evening service and closed with his favorite hymn, Nearer My God to Thee. Upon the collision of the Titanic, he escorted his sister-in-law with whom he was traveling to a lifeboat and remained on deck to minister to many others, who like him, would soon be swept into eternity. Among his final acts was his request to the orchestra of the Titanic to play Nearer My God to Thee—an effort that pointed the minds and hearts of the victims toward the realities of eternity.Rev. Bateman was among a cluster of evangelical ministers in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries that greatly affected America and the British Isles for good. This thumbnail sketch of a great Christian statesman is sure to inspire the most candid reader.Observance: April 19, 1775Jonas Clark was the pastor of the town where the first armed conflict occurred in the bid for American independence. On April 19, 1775, American blood was first shed at the town square of Lexington Green in Massachusetts. The biblical principles of freedom which he and other pastors throughout the American colonies advocated were motivating causes of liberty. For this reason, Jonas Clark may rightly be known as the pastor who fired the shot heard around the world.His wife’s cousin, John Hancock, became a frequent visitor to the home of the country parson. And, on the night of April 18, 1775, John Hancock was accompanied by the “Father of the American Revolution,” Samuel Adams. At the home of the Pastor of Christ Church in Lexington, Massachusetts, Hancock and Adams found refuge on so fateful a night.Dr. Joseph Warren sent word that evening that the British were up to mischief. Then word came that eight or nine British officers had been seen just before nightfall along the road leading to Lexington. To ensure the safety of Adams and Hancock, ten or twelve patriots took up watch over Pastor Clark’s home.Then, at two o’clock in the morning, peal after peal from the church bell called excited members of the local militia to the church green. There they found their pastor waiting for them. The roll was called, and one hundred fifty members answered.Swift horsemen were sent down the road to Boston as sentinels to detect the approach of the British. After traveling several miles along the road, the sentinels returned and reported that all was quiet. A sentry was then set at the edge of Lexington, and the men of the gathered militia were dismissed to their homes with orders to return at the beat of the drum.The question posed by Hancock and Adams to Pastor Clark was whether the local militia would stand against seasoned troops of King George. Pastor Clark assured them that they would fight, for he had trained them in scriptural principles of liberty. To read the whole story...Observance: Saturday evenings as family; each fifth-Sunday evening as churchOne of the antidotes to the decline of the church in America is the clear demonstration of the relationship that previous generations of believers have sustained to the contemporary church, and one of the best ways to do this is through a study of the songs that have inspired the life of the church for centuries. In the family, one evening a week may be selected to read accounts of the history of songs. Saturday evening—for family devotions—may serve as an appropriate time to prepare the hearts of family members for worship on the Lord's Day. In the church, perhaps dramatic presentations on fifth-Sunday evenings or other more appropriate occasions may be selected.In recent years, many church leaders have dismissed all manifestations of the Christian Church that is not of the most recent origin. Tragically, some believe songs should not be sung if they are of recent origin. Conversely, many believe that if songs have not been written in the last few years, they are archaic and have no contemporary value, but the same arguments could be used for removing grandma's and grandpa's pictures from the living room or refusing to engage in genealogical studies. It is right to expect that music from every generation, and sung by every generation, should evidence the fruit of the Spirit! If it does not evidence the best of love, the best of joy, the best of peace, it should not be sung. If it does not evidence the best of gentleness, if it does not evidence the best of self-control—not erotic lust—it should not be sung.In America, many schools have destroyed academic excellence. Many schools have dumbed down America, and for this reason, Americans and Christians are not intellectually prepared to respond to the Muslim, economic, or other local, national, or global threats. But the Church in America, particularly fluid evangelical Protestants, bear great responsibility for the dumbing down of America. Presently, Christians know less and less about their Christian heritage. Both laity and clergy have thrown out two thousand years of Christian heritage and have left the Church in America anemic, unable to declare and celebrate the glory of the American Church and the global Church—unable because it is ignorant of its glory and is determined to remain so. Laity, pastors, district superintendents, general superintendents, bishops, and every office of the Christian Church share the responsibility to reverse this trend!Creative means of relating the glory of the Gospel and the glory of the Christian Church must be sought and secured. One such attempt to tell a small part of the greatness of Christ and His Church is presented below in the songs of Christendom. It is hoped that these efforts might help to recapture Christianity’s family history!April 1, 1789: The newly convened United States House of Representatives, meeting in its first session under the Constitution, chose Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg—a Lutheran minister—as its chairman.April 12, 1861: Hostilities began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces fired upon Fort Sumter, a key fort held by Union troops in South Carolina.April 14, 1759: George Frederic Handel (23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-born British Baroque composer famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos.April 14, 1865: While watching a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theater in Washington, President Abraham Lincoln was shot and mortally wounded. He was taken to a nearby house where he died the following morning at 7:22 a.m. Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 - April 15, 1865) was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865.April 15, 1912 – Just after midnight, the luxury liner Titanic struck and iceberg in the icy waters off Newfoundland with 2,224 persons on board. By 2:27 a.m., Titanic had sunk. Over 1,500 persons drowned while 700 were rescued by the liner Carpathia which arrived about two hours after Titanic went down.April 15, 1870: Emma Hart Willard (February 23, 1787 – April 15, 1870) was an American women's rights activist who dedicated her life to education. She worked in several schools and founded the first school for women’s higher education, the Troy Female Seminary in Troy, New York. With the success of her school, Willard was able to travel across the country and abroad, to promote education for women. The Troy Female Seminary was renamed the Emma Willard School in 1895 in her honor. For more information concerning his influence upon American education, see David Barton, Four Centuries of American Education, 39-40.April 15, 1983: Cornelia "Corrie" ten Boom (Amsterdam, The Netherlands April 15, 1892 – Placentia, California, April 15, 1983) was a Dutch Christian. Along with her father and other family members, Corrie helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during World War II and was imprisoned for it. She wrote her most famous book, The Hiding Place, about the ordeal.April 18, 1683: The exact date of the death of Roger Williams (c. 1603 – -1683) is placed by some historians on April 18, 1683. While secularists regard him as a champion of "separation of church and state," the fact of the matter is that Williams was extremely divisive.1775, April 19: War began at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. They were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln, Menotomy (present-day Arlington), and Cambridge, near Boston. The battles marked the outbreak of open armed conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and its thirteen colonies in the mainland of British North America.April 19, 1826: Reverend Samuel Andrew Peters (1735–1826) was a Connecticut Anglican clergyman and historian who is remembered for his misrepresentation of Sunday observance in Connecticut. In 1781, he published, under a pseudonym, "General History of Connecticut, from its first settlement under George Fenwick, to its latest period of amity with Great Britain prior to the Revolution; including a description of the country, and many curious and interesting anecdotes. With an appendix, pointing out the causes of the rebellion in America; together with the particular part taken by the people of Connecticut in its promotion. By a Gentleman of the Province". This work is noted for its unflattering descriptions of the colonists and for its misrepresentation of the Connecticut Blue Laws. He died in New York City in great poverty.April 20, 1777: Following the recommendation of the Continental Congress, the state of New York ratified its first Constitution on April 20, 1777.April 25, 1800: William Cowper (26 November 1731 – 25 April 1800) was an English poet and hymnodist. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside. In many ways, he was one of the forerunners of Romantic poetry. His religious sentiment and association with John Newton (who wrote the hymn "Amazing Grace") led to much of the poetry for which he is best remembered. His poem "Light Shining out of Darkness" gave the English language the idiom "God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform."April 26, 1607: After months at sea, Captain John Smith arrived in the New World to establish the first English colony.April 30, 1789: George Washington inaugurated as first President of the United StatesThe Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States with an Appendix Containing Important State Papers and Public Documents and All the Laws of a Public Nature. Washington : Gales and Seaton, 1855.Galloway, Charles B. Christianity and the American Commonwealth: The Influence of Christianity in Making This Nation. Reprint ed. Powder Springs, Georgia: American Vision, 2005.Woodbridge, John D. More Than Conquerors: Portraits of Believers from All Walks of Life. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1992. The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States with an Appendix Containing Important State Papers and Public Documents and All the Laws of a Public Nature (Washington : Gales and Seaton, 1855), 1:99-100; http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llacandfileName=001/llac001.dbandrecNum=51. See John D. Woodbridge, More Than Conquerors: Portraits of Believers from All Walks of Life (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1992), 14-21. See John Woodbridge, More Than Conquerors: Portraits of Believers from All Walks of Life. Charles B. Galloway, Christianity and the American Commonwealth: The Influence of Christianity in Making This Nation, Reprint ed. (Powder Springs, Georgia: American Vision, 2005). 2005. 93.Christian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Living in AprilChristian Heritage Fellowship FacebookChristian Heritage Fellowship FacebookChristian Heritage Fellowship FacebookInternalLinkInternalLinkInternalLinkInternalLinkInternalLinkInternalLink

The single most important event in early Christianity was the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Long before the Church celebrated the birth of Jesus in the Christmas season, Christians celebrate

A Defense of the Bible as a Schoolbook

Until 1947 and following, the Christian religion exercised considerable influence upon the school children of America. In fact, a thorough study of the history of American education will reveal that from the very beginning of English colonization, Bible reading and prayer was an important part of the classroom. The personal writings and official government proceedings of the colonial era through the middle of the twentieth century clearly indicate that America's Founding Fathers never intended for the Christian faith to be pushed from America's classroom or from the public arena in general. Bible as a Schoolbook Dr. Benjamin RushDr. Benjamin Rush was one of three of the most important Founding Fathers—the other two being George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. Dr. Rush was one of the most deeply committed evangelical leaders of the Founders and exercised considerable influence upon American life prior to and following the American Revolution. In his essay, A Defense of the Use of the Bible as a Schoolbook, Dr. Rush addressed his thoughts on this important matter to Rev. Jeremy Belknap, of Boston. To truly understand how important this matter was to one of the most important Founding Fathers, you too will also wish to read Dr. Rush's essay, A Defense of the Use of the Bible as a Schoolbook.Bible as a Schoolbook Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam lacus augue, faucibus vel laoreet id, commodo sit amet ipsum. Vestibulum ut eros mi. Nullam consequat luctus orci, vel consequat orci auctor eu. Nunc libero elit, bibendum ut bibendum ut, bibendum in tellus. Aenean turpis est, tristique eleifend consectetur non, ornare viverra eros. Suspendisse viverra aliquam metus, posuere posuere sem egestas a. Ut eleifend massa a sapien bibendum rutrum. Nunc nisi est, euismod ac vestibulum id, ultrices in lectus. Phasellus sem felis, aliquet sit amet dignissim non, elementum sed mi. Proin cursus nibh id lacus ornare imperdiet nec in massa. Proin blandit ipsum a lacus luctus vitae malesuada diam mattis. Nullam at nisi augue. Curabitur at eros sit amet tortor sodales ullamcorper malesuada vel nibh. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Praesent in lacus eget velit mattis rutrum. Sed sed leo a leo ultrices porta eget vitae purus. Nam facilisis neque sed massa vulputate quis condimentum risus luctus. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aliquam eleifend, sapien quis condimentum dictum, arcu odio rutrum urna, ultricies scelerisque elit leo ac magna.Bible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookBible as a SchoolbookChristian Heritage Fellowship FacebookChristian Heritage Fellowship FacebookChristian Heritage Fellowship FacebookInternalLinkInternalLinkInternalLinkInternalLinkInternalLinkInternalLink

Until 1947 and following, the Christian religion exercised considerable influence upon the school children of America. In fact, a thorough study of the history of American education will reveal tha

Christian Living in March

In contemporary America and throughout the world, orthodox or biblical Christian principles and practices are under attack. Though this struggle is not new to the life of Christianity, it is new to many Christians who may be tempted to compromise or completely capitulate in matters of Christian belief and behavior. The Bible is replete with examples of those who compromised or capitulated in this way, but Jesus Christ has warned that only "he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matt. 10:22; 24:13; Revelation 2:26). In an age when many professing "Christians" are compromising with a secular world, true believers remain faithful to both the principles and practices that arise out of the Word of God. "Christian Living in March" seeks to inform and inspire believers to practice their faith. Click to read the entire article…Christian Living in MarchMany of the suggestions presented in our monthly "Christian Living" articles may be used by individuals, families, or within the context of local churches. These articles are designed to inform and inspire Christians to celebrate their Christian heritage and provide means of spiritual growth. Parents and grandparents may employ some or all of these suggestions in developing a family altar and cultivating a Christian home. Local church leaders will readily recognize suggestions that may be incorporated into the life of their respective congregations.Christian Living in MarchWhat is true of gardening is also true of every level of spiritual life: "What we will not labor to cultivate will soon be taken over by weeds." It is work to maintain the family altar; it is work to have a Christian home. It is also work to cultivate a godly church, and if we are unwilling to diligently labor to maintain a godly life, family, and church, weeds will soon strangle the spiritual life of each!Article ContentsMarch is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The equivalent of March in the Southern Hemisphere is September, and in the Northern Hemisphere, March 1st is the beginning of the meteorological spring.March receives its name from ancient Rome when it was the first month of the year and was called Martius, being derived from Mars or Ares, the Greek god of war. In Mediterranean Rome, March was the first month of spring and was regarded as the logical period to begin military campaigns.The name of this month, "March," and its pagan origin should cause ardent Christians to re-examine the application of their faith to every-day life. The Greeks and Romans did not hesitate to unite their pagan faith to every aspect of life–including the months of the year. As the Greeks and Romans sought to paganize all of life, let true believers seek to Christianize all aspects of personal, ecclesiastical, and social life. Such an effort is a true civilizing influence.The birthstones of March are bloodstone and aquamarine, both of which symbolize courage. The birth flower of the month is the daffodil.In addition to the highlights of this month that are discussed below, additional subjects of interest regarding our Christian heritage are presented online, where they are arranged according to dates of occurrence. The online calendar where these articles are arranged is under continual development with new articles appearing as they become available. By clicking the message box below, readers will navigate to the present month under consideration.Observance: Late winter or early spring; FebruaryThe Lord has promised that his Word would not return unto Him void or without influence. Though Scripture memorization should be a regular part of personal and family spiritual life, the local church should regularly encourage this effort. Families should be encouraged to continue the practice of biblical memorization in their devotional exercises. However, denominational and local churches should systematically identify times when the special emphasis is placed upon biblical memorization. Though children are frequently the objects of such efforts, adults should not be left out of the effort to make this a regular discipline. Too frequently adults fail to commit the Word of God to memory and are ill-equipped to address moral, spiritual, political, and other issues as they arise in day-to-day life.Resource for children and adult memorization: Scripture Memory FellowshipObservance: Begins first Sunday in SeptemberRobert Raikes is often credited with having started the Sunday School movement, but it was British Methodist Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England, who was the first to initiate a Sunday school in 1769.Christian homes are provided with an example of the necessity of Christian education in the institution of the Sunday school in local churches. Most churches begin a new Sunday School year on the first Sunday in September which continues throughout the year on a quarterly basis (September, December, March, and June). Christian homes should recognize the need to establish the discipline of Christian education, allowing the Sunday school in the local church to remind Christian homes of this important discipline. Allow the beginning of September to remind you of the need to develop Christian education in your heart and home throughout the year, and develop a plan for Christian education for your home!Remembrance: Congressional Spiritual Proclamations in MarchAmong the thousands of documents and events that demonstrate America's Christian origin are the sixteen spiritual proclamations issues by Congress during the American Revolution. Following the pattern of fasting, praying, and offering of thanksgiving to God that was use in the New England Colonies, Congress asked the American states to fast and pray in the spring and offer prayer and thanksgiving in the fall of the year. States were asked to invite their citizens to cease their labors and observe the day as proscribed by Congress.The first of the sixteen spiritual proclamations was issued in late spring on June 7, 1775 and was a fasting and prayer proclamation. The sixteenth and last spiritual proclamation to be issued by Congress on August 3, 1784 was a thanksgiving proclamation.By far, the most spiritual proclamations to be issued by Congress in any single month was March. In all, six were issued by Congress in the month of March from 1776 to 1782 and are listed below:Proclamation #2 – March 16, 1776: Prayer and FastingProclamation #5 – March 7, 1778: Prayer and FastingProclamation #7 – March 20, 1779: Prayer and FastingProclamation #9 – March 11, 1780: Prayer and FastingProclamation #11 – March 20, 1781: Prayer and FastingProclamation #13 – March 19, 1782: Prayer and FastingObservance: On or before March 17St. Patrick was one of the greatest missionaries of the Christian Church. Captured as a young man, Patrick was taken to Ireland where he served his master by tending his swine. After several years, Patrick escaped his bonds of slavery and managed to find his way back home, which is present-day England. Before long, Patrick received a call to return to the land of his captors as a missionary of Christ. Obedient to the leading of God's Spirit, he returned to Ireland to conduct an exemplary ministry. As a result, the British Isles and mainland Europe were greatly influenced by the spiritual descendants of Patrick.As is true for many of the Apostles, Church history has failed to provide extensive details about many of the early Church's greatest heroes. St. Patrick is among those we wish we were provided with more details concerning his life and ministry, but what is known concerning him evokes deep admiration and respect. Because of the inclination in the human heart to make idols out of individuals and objects, there can be little doubt that God intentionally removed unnecessary obstacles to right worship, and, therefore, obscured detailed information concerning the Churches earliest and most notable leaders. What remains concerning Patrick, however, is sufficient to elicit admiration and encouragement for the contemporary believer.Observance: Bishop Thomas Ken passed away on March 19, 1711Though most Christians may not immediately recognize the name Thomas Ken, his Doxology is widely known and sung throughout Christendom. As a Christian and Anglican Bishop, Ken should also be remembered for his courageous moral stand against the immoral King Charles II. Where Christian leaders fail to take a stand for what is right, church and society greatly suffer under the withering onslaught of mediocrity and spiritual death. Bishop Ken died on March 19, 1711 in the midst of very humble circumstances because of his stand for Christ.Events Surrounding Christ's Triumphal EntryRemembrance: March 28 and followingThe year was 33 A.D., and Jerusalem was preparing to receive thousands of visitors that would throng the streets of the city to observe the Feast of Passover. According to the Western calendar, the events that led up to this observance began at the end of March and are summarized in the list below:March 28: Six days before the Feast of Passover, Jesus arrived in the village of Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, whom he had a short time previously raised from the death. That evening, a dinner was prepared in honor of Jesus at the home of Simon the leper (Mark 14:3). Martha, sister of Lazarus, helped to serve the food, and Lazarus was among the dinner guests (John 12:2). Mary, the other sister of Lazarus, brought a jar of very expensive perfume from the essence of nard, imported from India, and anointed the feet of Jesus. You may read the entire account in the Gospel of John 12:1-8.March 29: Five days before the Feast of Passover, a large crowd of Jews discovered Jesus was at Bethany and came to see him and Lazarus, who Jesus had earlier raised from the dead. Because many began to place faith in Jesus, the Jewish religious leaders began to plot the death of both Jesus and Lazarus (John 12:9-11). March 30, The Triumphal Entry: Four days prior to the Feast of Passover, Jesus set out for Jerusalem, sending two of his disciples on ahead to locate a donkey for him to ride into the city. The disciples located the donkey and its colt, brought them to Jesus, and threw their garments over the colt for Jesus to ride (Matthew 21:2-7). Along rode down from the Mount of Olives, crowds spread their garments upon the ground and strewed the road with palm branches, shouting and praising the Lord, saying "Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord!" Just as David had ridden into the city a little more than a millennium earlier (1 Kings 1:33-46), Jesus conducted this symbolic act to demonstrate that he was the greater son of David who would assume David's throne. Unlike Islam, Christianity is the fulfillment of prophecies recorded in the Older Testament, specifically the coming of the Messiah: More than five hundred years earlier God had revealed to the prophet Daniel that 483 years after the command to rebuild Jerusalem the Messiah would come (Daniel 9:25). King Artaxerxes of Persia gave the command to rebuild Jerusalem in the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of his reign (Nehemiah 2:1). The Jews did not use a solar calendar as we do today, and in biblical prophecies the years are composed of 360 days (Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:6; 13:5). The exact day of the month is not given, but if the command to rebuild Jerusalem was given on the first of Nisan, March 5, 444 B.C., it was 483 years of 360 days later to the day, March 30, A.D. 33, that Jesus formally entered the city as the Messiah. The prophecy likely was fulfilled to the day!Observance: Holy WeekTwo special services are offered for use during Holy Week–Service of the Cross and Tenebrae: A Service of Darkness. Though it is unlikely that both services would be used in any single year, they are presented below for the consideration of pastors and their congregations.The Service of the Cross may become a powerful Maundy Thursday or Good Friday tradition within your church. As members of the congregation enter the place of worship, they are given a worship folder with a square nail tethered to a piece of paper. The plan of salvation is artfully related through a series of reading. Then, worshippers are instructed to write on the paper any sin or sorrow which should be given to the Lord, and at the appointed time in the service, they are invited to drive their nails in a place of their choosing on the cross placed at the front of the sanctuary. This simple act is intended to express contrition and repentance for sin and a confidence that the cross of Christ was sufficient to bear the sins and sorrows of the entire world. The impression of hammers striking the nails is a very sobering one. Served with the elements of the Lord's Supper, this service will live long in the hearts of worshippers. The service, including communion, is about an hour in length.Observance: Holy WeekIn far too many churches, the frenetic personal schedules of many believers does not make allowance for participation in meaningful and symbolic dramatic presentations. This fact often robs the individual and congregation of some of the most important moments in personal and collective worship. One of the ways to reverse this trend and achieve a balance between personal schedules and meaningful drama in the church is through scripted dramatic presentations, and the Easter season provides opportunity that is seldom equaled and never excelled in the Church year.A Tenebrae Service is an attempt to dramatize the closing days of Christ's ministry on earth leading up to and including the events of Good Friday. This service begins in light, commemorating the significant events of Christ's movement toward the cross, and culminates in darkness expressive of the extinguishing of the physical life of the Messiah of the world, Jesus Christ. Few experiences bring the audience to the awareness of the spiritual realities of the Easter season.First week of March: No cussing/swearing week. See our article, 1789, March 2: Last session of the Continental Congress at Fraunces Tavern is adjourned sine die. Philip Pell of New York was the sole member in attendance1775, March 23: To avoid interference from Lieutenant-Governor Dunmore and his Royal Marines, the Second Virginia Convention met March 20, 1775 inland at Richmond--in what is now called St. John's Church--instead of the Capitol in Williamsburg. Delegate Patrick Henry presented resolutions to raise a militia, and to put Virginia in a posture of defense. Henry's opponents urged caution and patience until the crown replied to Congress' latest petition for reconciliation.1857, March: In March 1857, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Dred Scott versus Sandford. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney opined that blacks were not citizens, and derived no rights from the Constitution. Lincoln denounced the decision, alleging it was the product of a conspiracy of Democrats to support the Slave Power. Lincoln argued, "The authors of the Declaration of Independence never intended 'to say all were equal in color, size, intellect, moral developments, or social capacity', but they 'did consider all men created equal–equal in certain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness'."1861, March 4: Abraham Lincoln was sworn in as president. E. Michael Rusten and Sharon O. Rusten, The One Year Book of Christian History (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2003), 181. Rev. Stanley Key, pastor of Loudonville Community Church, Loudonville, New York first shared this idea with the author. See their website: .Christian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Heritage Fellowship FacebookChristian Heritage Fellowship FacebookChristian Heritage Fellowship FacebookPodcast: 'Christian Living in March,' by Dr. Stephen Flick. Christian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Living in MarchChristian Heritage Fellowship FacebookChristian Heritage Fellowship FacebookChristian Heritage Fellowship FacebookInternalLinkInternalLinkInternalLinkInternalLinkInternalLinkInternalLink

In contemporary America and throughout the world, orthodox or biblical Christian principles and practices are under attack. Though this struggle is not new to the life of Christianity, it is new to m

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Christian Living in April

Christian Living in April

April | April Articles | April Now | Christian Calendar (Holidays) | Christian Living Articles | Christian Social Influence | Christian Witness

The single most important event in early Christianity was the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Long before the Church celebrated the birth of Jesus in the Christmas season, Christians celebrated the resurrection of Christ from the grave. In contemporary Christianity and secular society, Christmas now receives more interest than Easter, but early believers understood that the Church was established upon the suffering and resurrection of Christ. It was the resurrection of Christ that convinced the remaining Disciples of the truthfulness ofRead more...

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To assist churches, individuals, and other parties seeking to share brief quotations that demonstrate the religious and Christian commitments of America's Founding Father and other eras of national history, we have developed our "Media Quotes." Each quotation is accompanied by an image of the individual being quoted and is bundled together with a sufficient number of additional quotes for each week of April – one per week. Media quotes are sold on a monthly subscription basis, though a set for any given month may be purchased separately.

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When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are.' – George Washington
The general principles, on which the [Founding] Fathers achieved independence, were the only principles in which, that beautiful assembly of young gentlemen could unite, and these principles only could be intended by them in their address... And what were these general principles? I answer, the general principles of Christianity...' – John Adams
'The doctrines of Jesus are simple, and tend all to the happiness of man.' – Thomas Jefferson

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While it is beyond the scope of our site to provide extended bibliographies or reading lists of the relevant subjects that arise throughout the course of any given month, our "Suggested Resources" section contains recommendations for materials which may be addressed during April. Often these materials may be obtained online.

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When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are.' – George Washington
The general principles, on which the [Founding] Fathers achieved independence, were the only principles in which, that beautiful assembly of young gentlemen could unite, and these principles only could be intended by them in their address... And what were these general principles? I answer, the general principles of Christianity...' – John Adams
'The doctrines of Jesus are simple, and tend all to the happiness of man.' – Thomas Jefferson

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In the month of April, a number of significant events have occurred. We trust that a knowledge of these will assist our readers in more clearly communicating the true influence of Christianity upon America and the world.

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