Christian Living

ACFI Theme 2011 - Please cast your vote

2010-12-24T03:54:00.010-06:00

Time for us to let God use each one of you to decide the coming year's theme for ACFI. Please read the references below that are each tied to a theme and prayerfully cast your vote by clicking on the link.

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1. Not Ashamed of the Gospel - Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

2. Be equipped for warfare - Ephesians 6:11
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

3. The Call ... for such a time as this - Esther 4:14
The call to Praise and Worship; to Discipleship; to Fast and Pray; to Missions (Go or Send); to Witness (Great Commission); to Stewardship; to Fruitfulness; to Labor (Harvest is plentiful) and to Serve (and not to be served).
For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

4. Press on toward the goal - Philippians 3:14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

5. Put on Love - Colossians 3:14
But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

6. God’s workmanship for good works - Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

7. Know Christ / Gain Christ - Philippians 3:8
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

8. Freedom in Christ - Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

9. Made Alive in Christ - Ephesians 2:4-5
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)

ACFI Theme 2010 - Please cast your vote!

2009-12-23T11:24:00.006-06:00

Time for us to let God use each one of you to decide the coming year's theme for ACFI. Please read the references below that are each tied to a theme.
Matt 22:14 - For many are called, but few are chosen.
Matt 15:34 - And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 8:29 - For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
2 Corinthians 6:3-13 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
Hebrews 12:2 - Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Please prayerfully cast your vote NOW!

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Christian Family Conference 2009, June 19th - 21st, 2009

2009-06-01T17:45:00.002-05:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are just 18 days away from the Christian Family Conference 2009, to be held from June 19th - 21st, 2009 at
Huston Tillotson University
900 Chicon Street Austin, TX 78702

Please plan, prepare and come prayerfully to bless and be blessed. We look forward to seeing you at the Conference.

If you have not already Registered please go to ACFI.CC and register. Please forward this to Friends, Co-Workers and Families. We are glad to know about you.

May the Lord richly bless you as you walk in the Salvation of God in Christ Jesus through the work of Holy Spirit.

Praises in Him,
Austin Christian Fellowship of India

ACFI Theme 2009 - Please cast your vote!

2008-11-16T11:10:00.004-06:00

Time for us to let God use each one of you to decide the coming year's theme for ACFI. Please read the references below that are each tied to a theme.
Matt 15:34 - And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
Prov 11:30 - The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
Phil 1:21- For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Matt 22:14 - For many are called, but few are chosen.
John 12:24 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Please prayerfully cast your vote NOW!

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Austin Christian Fellowship Of India hosts Family Retreat 2008

2008-01-28T15:17:00.000-06:00

Dear Borthers and Sisters,

ACFI has given significant importance to this event that we host annualy and it has become a time where families come together to fellowhip and learn the scriptures in all ages. It will be held from April 25th - 27th 2008 at a retreat facility close to Austin area, where you can come with your family, leaving all the noise behind from your work life or school life, to focus on how to become Jars of Clay as Christ wants us to be

We are excited to have Bro. Suresh Babu our special speaker for the retreat. He is the founder of Power of Gospel ministries http://www.powerofgospel.com/. He is also a co founder of an Indian church in the Bay area in California.

The planning team has been actively engaged in the schedule of events, venue, children's activities, camp fire and other exciting activities that will enrich you and get closer to God. We would highly encourage that you contact one of us if you have any questions. we would love to hear from you!

Patrick.pitchappa@gmail.com (Patrick)
John_ramesh@yahoo.com (John)
sujosh@gmail.com ( Josh)

Jars of Clay

2007-12-21T11:30:00.000-06:00

As we look back on 2007 there are many things that happened in our personal lives. As I was reflecting back on 2007 there are some things that I could have done better ... I stumbled on ths article and thought I must share this with you. Very interesting read and it is our 08 ACFI theme

Wishing you all a Blessed Christmas and great 2008 !

Jars of Clay
By Gail Rodgers

He handcrafted the clay baby cup with her name on it. It was beautifully glazed and I hardly wanted to let her use it. But he said, "Please use it, that's why I made it." And so we did. She loved her own cup with her own name on it!

Today the cup sits in her cupboard in her own kitchen. It is still beautifully glazed with her name on it. But the lines on it show where it was carefully glued back together. A clay pot is oh so sturdy yet oh so fragile!!

God calls us clay pots. And true to the name most of us sport cracks, carefully glued back together. We are oh so sturdy, yet oh so fragile. Why would God entrust clay pots with the light of His love? We try to fulfill His purposes but we get cracked and broken.

Yet His strategy is clear. He knows our weaknesses yet He chose clay pots anyway. He tells us why…

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:7

Don't be ashamed of the cracks in your life. Don't be afraid to show how God has mended you. This is the testimony to the watching world. Our God fixes broken pieces!!

If you are broken today because of circumstances in your life, or because of choices you wish you had made differently, don't stay in pieces on the floor. If you know you have disappointed God in your walk or in your talk, tell Him you are sorry.

God will forgive you, pick you up and mend you. Changed lives, lives lived in the power of the Holy Spirit, demonstrate that it is His power at work in us. This is our hope. This is the hope we hold out to a needy world.

God uses you and me, cracked pots, to demonstrate His power. Stop the guilt trips and the pity parties and tap into the power that changes lives. Raise your voice in thankfulness to God who put His Spirit in us so that His amazing power is visible!!!

Allow Him to show through your cracks!!

What would you like the 2008 ACFI theme to be?

2007-11-29T12:44:00.001-06:00

2008 ACFI Theme

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Baptism

2007-10-24T20:51:00.000-05:00

I am aware that baptism is a significant step in a Christian's life. This is evidently made clear by even Christ taking Baptism.

How important is this for our salvation? The example that comes to mind is when Christ is on the cross he tells the theif that "today you will be with me in paradise". Very concise and succint.

I would like to hear from you all

Do you have the zing for Christ?

In first reconversion in MP, VHP to ‘purify’ 160 Christians today

2007-10-12T09:23:00.000-05:00

Subject: In first reconversion in MP, VHP to ‘purify’ 160 Christians today- Oct.11,07 Indian Express story
Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:19:54 -0700

Indian Express story

Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:06:51 -0700

Subject: In first reconversion in MP, VHP to ‘purify’ 160 Christians today - Milind Ghatwai

DEWAS (MP), OCTOBER 10: In the first “reconversion ceremony” in Madhya Pradesh, as many as 160 Christians will be “returned to the Hindu fold”tomorrow by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Shree Sampraday Seva Samiti.
The Sampraday is identified with Swami Narendracharyaji Maharaj whose followers protested at airports after he was denied permission to board aplane with his mace.

Hard News Jagran Newspaper Confirming this,VHP Dewas district secretary Nandkishore Dwivedi told The Indian Express that 160 Christians will be “purified” amid “rituals” and “chanting of hymns” at the Chimnabai Girls Higher Secondary School in Dewas town’s Meera Bawdi locality. Converts from Gujarat and Maharashtra along with those from two tribal-dominated talukas of Dewas district “will return to the Hindufold” at a day-long ceremony that will begin with “a three-hour purification process”, the first such ceremony in the state. Even in Jhabua district, where Hindu organizations accused Christians of converting tribals in large numbers, no “reconversion” ceremony ever took place.

“We haven’t forced anyone. They have all agreed to return to their original faith willingly and have given us affidavits,” Dwivedi said. He said locals were “scared to convert”, so the organisers “decided to bring converts from Gujarat and Maharashtra” as well. Followers of Narendracharya said that in the last 18 months he had
brought back to the Hindu fold some 26,000 families who had “strayed to other religions”.

Posters announcing the “reconversion” have come up all over Dewas, forcing police to take precautionary measures. There’s already tension in town with the function organizers alleging that several posters were torn last night. They have even lodged complaints with the police. Sampraday’s MP unit chief Rajendra Garud warned that if more posters were torn, followers would be forced to act like they did when the Swami was not allowed to board a plane with his mace.

Eating food presented to idols

2007-09-26T21:46:00.001-05:00

Friends,

This has been a topic that I have debated for a long time. When you either suspect or know that food (sweets) that have been presented to idols are offered to you as Christians ( who love others unconditionally) how should we react?

Sometimes it has put me in a very uncomfortable situation. During some Indian festivals friends share sweets with you. What do you do? I have said "Sorry it is against my religion".

Would like to hear from you all :)

Prayer

2007-09-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

Greetings to all :

Let me start this blog with a quote from Billy Graham

"The most eloquent prayer is the prayer through hands that heal and bless. The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service. The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless. "

I would like to use this as a forum where we can share, learn, express your opinions on topics that could lead us to deeper thought provoking debates.

Is there a style you have to follow? Can I pray in my car? (Of course not with my eyes closed) Btw, does prayer have to be done with eyes closed?