Perspectives on a Real Church: The Awakening of an Ecclesiastical Electorate

By Uzziah Anthony Harris

Will the real church please stand up? We exist in a world of extreme flux and volatilityone that is unpredictable and filled with pain. But why? Could it be that the church who was intended to be a model and beacon of light in the earth has instead become a follower and dispenser of the same ills that malign our landscape? The church, in her pursuit to have church, has somehow lost her way; the church as an institution has exploded (possibly morphing into something not recognized by its author) while the organism has suffered, causing her to forfeit the influence and power and connection she once possessed.

In Perspectives on a Real Church, we take a look at what and who the church isboth where she has been and is, currently with the hope of charting a path toward where she could be. This literary work takes a look at what the real church should be and seeks to objectively look at whether or not our church is meeting the standard, as well as what can be done in the places where she needs to step up.

One thing is for certain, and that is that the church was created for both goodness and greatness, that she was intended as a radical transformative agent in a context where transformation is much needed. When the church becomes what she was intended, thenand only thencan she be a catalyst for resurgence and revival to both believers and nonbelievers alike. The world in turn, will be a better place more capable of reaching its full potential.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jul 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781532027383

Uzziah Anthony Harris

Uzziah Anthony Harris serves as the pastor of A New U... A New Chance [ANUANCE], a church located in Richmond VA. He is an ordained minister who holds undergraduate degrees from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA as well as graduate degrees (both a Master’s and Doctorate) from Virginia Triumphant College and Seminary in Richmond, VA. He has authored two other books: Perspectives on the Real War: Essays of Nation in Crisis(2006) and Out of the Darkness into the light(2010):

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PERSPECTIVES

ON A

REAL CHURCH

The Awakening of an Ecclesiastical Electorate

UZZIAH ANTHONY HARRIS

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PERSPECTIVES ON A REAL CHURCH

THE AWAKENING OF AN ECCLESIASTICAL ELECTORATE

Copyright © 2017 Uzziah Anthony Harris.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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ISBN: 978-1-5320-2737-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-2738-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017911102

iUniverse rev. date: 07/20/2017

CONTENT

Perspectives on the Real Church: the awakening of an ecclesiastical electorate

•   Introduction By Pastor Uzziah A. Harris

•   Working Definitions …

PART 1 THE ORGANISM

The Church In The Beginning

• A Chance Conversation

• A Small Step Forward Concerning the Solution: We Must Be One

• Definition of the Church: Debunking Misunderstandings surrounding the Old Church

The Present Day Church

• Exegetical presentation of the Prodigal Son (the New Church)

• Entitlement too Fast

• The journey into the world

• Coming to Ourselves

• Our True Position

• Animosity Between Brethren

• A Present Day Study

• Love is (The answer for Christ’s Church): (1st john 2:11-15, 4:7-12, 20 and 21 and Rev 2 and 3

The END Time Church

• Sunday School lesson from the Deacon

• A question of Eschatology

PART 2 THE ORGANIZATION

Thoughts to strengthen the Church

• 10 things that church folk say

• Education in the New Millennium

• Evangelism or No

• No Romance without Finance

• Faith (We are Fearless Because SERMON)

Conclusion And Final Word By Dr. Uzziah Anthony Harris

INTRODUCTION BY PASTOR UZZIAH A. HARRIS

It is one thing to be ignorant of sin, to by some strange occurrence not to have yet seen it but it is an entirely different monstrosity to know that it is there, deny it and do nothing to remedy it. We as the Body of Christ, as those responsible for being lights in this world, for illuminating the darkest places of humanity have also the responsibly to judge ourselves less we by judged. How often have we as the Church been able to see the twig in the eye of world without noticing the log that obstructed our own eyesight; we are responsible for allowing God to show us where we fall short as well (and TO DEAL WITH OURSELVES,) only then can we be more authentic, loving, and more effective in our rebuke of others.

[Pastor Uzziah Anthony Harris, ANUANCE movement]

This is why I’ve written this work through the grace of God, to encourage all Believers everywhere to get in the game and to make the Body of Christ the force God intended it to be that God might be truly revealed and glorified in the earth. RIGHT NOW the world needs the Church more than ever, the real Church- one capable of stemming the tide of humanity toward harmony, justice, redemption, and love. This is what the Church has always been at least until as of late and yet this is what She needs to be once again. It is important to note that I do not pose myself as a subject matter expert but rather a voice of one crying out in the wilderness whose purpose is to spur dialogue and encourage change. We the Church, NEED TO WAKE UP as Our hibernation has already cost us all greatly, I am afraid the tab is one we can no longer afford … …

WORKING DEFINITIONS …

The Bible is the inspired Word of God and infallible in nature; In 2nd Timothy 3:16, the writer proclaims concerning the Word: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. The interpretation concerning the Word of God should always take in consideration issues pertaining to translation and the time period in which a particular passage was written, as well as both social and cultural contexts. The Bible is indeed an authority however it is not the authority; it is not an end in and of itself but instead a most valuable aid in bringing the reader into a closer relationship with the God Who is the Authority.

Salvation can be defined as the freedom of the penalty of sin (because of Man’s fallen condition the wages of sin are death), freedom from the power of sin (oppressive to those not covered in the blood), and ultimately from the presence of sin. Adam’s fall in the garden was the catalyst for mankind’s fall and separation from God; we are all therefore born in the context of and under the curse of sin or as Psalm 51 states: born in sin and shapen in iniquity. Without God’s intervention Man would be lost, his course undoubtedly leading him toward eternal damnation and separation from God. God therefore sent His Son as both a sacrifice and intermediary between God and Man thereby crushing all enmity between them (Ephesians 2:16.) Through Man’s all encompassing belief in Christ, Man is saved (John 3:16.)

The word Trinity is never mentioned in the bible HOWEVER the concept of the trinity is very well documented. God chooses to express Himself to Man in the form of the Father, the Son (Who is the Word made flesh,) and the Holy Spirit. In Genesis 1:1-2 it states that God created the heavens and earth and that the Spirit hovered over the surface of the waters; the passage continues to say that God said (introducing the Word or the Son) let there be light. Again, in Genesis 1:26 He proclaims let US make MAN in OUR own image; this indicating plurality in the midst of uniformity. In the New Testament (Matthew 28:19) Jesus says that men and women are to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. Finally, Paul exhorts his brethren in 1st Corinthians13:14 with this desire and benediction: That the grace through Jesus Christ (Who is the living Word,) the love of the Father and communion of the Holy Spirit be with them all.

Water Baptism is one of the commandants given by Jesus to His disciples in Matthew. It is one of two ordinances (the other being communion) of the Church. Water Baptism is a ceremonial washing and cleansing representative of the cleansing that has already taken place in a person’s heart prior to the act. In the act one is immersed in water (dying and being buried to sin) and is then brought up (resurrected) out of the water. The act symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and connects it with our own. The precedent for this ceremonial washing was set by Jesus Himself in Matthew 3:13-16; John tries to deter Jesus from being baptized citing that Jesus should be baptizing instead of being baptized- Jesus insisted saying Let it be so that righteousness may be fulfilled.

The Holy Spirit is the third revelation and extension of God to Man. The Spirit is the gift of God and available to all believers who would ask and receive (Luke 11:13.) Further detail of Him can be found in the testimony of John’s gospel (1:29-34.) The Spirit is POWER endued from on High (Luke 24:49) and none who are called to ministry should go forth without the Spirit. The Spirit, according to John 14 teaches us all things and searches all things; the Spirit is our comforter and is Christ IN US in the absence of the Christ being physically WITH US. The entire book of Acts is devoted as a framework, foundation and example as to how the present day Church should function in the earth.

Finally, Repentance is derived from a word which means to think differently, to change one’s mind or to reconsider (think again, my friend.) Christ stated in Matthew 4:17 Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at Hand … When a person is truly repentant they change their mind concerning a thought which in turn changes their actions and behaviors concerning a thing. When a person is repentant they may make a right, a left, or a U turn BUT THEY DO TURN AWAY from the old condition. Being apologetic for the consequence of an action isn’t repentance, nor is sorrow isn’t enough unless it leads to change.

*** In God asiety is demonstrated in its only and finest form; for nothing else in creation can exist of itself by itself, not needing any external stimuli whatever and yet all external stimuli needing It. God is existent both outside and within His Creation as God continues to have relationship with us. The Bible and Life itself is filled with countless evidences of God as He employs His Omnipotence, Omnipresence and Omniscience to bring Man back into harmonious and right standing with Him. As the