Over the period of my life I had noticed the sad encumbrance of religion and its’ dulling ability to close people’s minds, rob them of life and make them smaller in spirit than they might have been had they had the advantage of no religion at all.
At the same time I observed the life, freedom and wholeness in those who made a life, not out of religion, Christianity or church attendance but out of Jesus. These Believers are today increasing in number and are the hope and reality of the emerging Kingdom of God’s priests and kings.
Thus for our web ministry theme I initially chose the words of Isaiah 61 and Luke 4.18 on the grounds that Jesus came to liberate and invest with His authority all who had found themselves bound by self-absorption and religion. Jesus lives to set such captives free and honour them with crowns of righteousness. Jesus represents us entirely as individuals and as Believers. We are woven into the Being of God and God is woven into us. As with Jesus all the fullness of the God-Head bodily dwells in all who obey His Teaching. What is that teaching? It's that He Himself is our life.
Keith Allen BA Avondale College, BA University of Tasmania, MA Monash University.