User talk:Agapelove77

== Apostolos Campus Ministry ==

Who We Are

The Apostolos Campus Ministry is an interdenominational ministry committed to spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth, testifying to the eternal love of the Lord. Working with various people and ministries, our goal is to spread the good news of Christ, reaching out to the ones who do not know the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Just as our lives have been touched and changed by the Lord, we wish to reveal the love of the Lord that was shown to us, becoming a beacon for all of His lost children and our fellow brothers and sisters.

There are three strands woven into each Apostolos Campus Ministry in everything we do. These three strands, known by their Greek terms, are: Kerygma, Koinonia, and Diakonia.

I. Kerygma (The Word)

John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Our ministry is heavily focused on the study of the scriptures and to their application and integration into our daily lives. The greatest revelations the Lord has given to man are through Christ in flesh and through the Holy Bible. The Lord came to this earth in a humble form of a man for the salvation of man and redemption of man's sin so that his relationship with God may be restored once again. We grow in faith by following the Gospel daily. Through the Gospel, the Lord reveals to us His heart, His will, and His plan, and, also through the Gospel, we receive guidance and direction from Him. As it is written, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105). And so realizing the importance of the Gospel in our daily lives is core and is the first focus of our fellowship. We devote ourselves to the reading, the teaching, and the preaching of the Gospel. It is through the scriptures we come to know Christ and it is with the Gospel that we are able to guide others and bring them to Christ. Having the desire to seek Christ and know Christ, and then having the desire to testify to Him and make Him known, originates from the work of the Holy Spirit through the reading of the Gospel.

'''II. Koinonia (Fellowship)'''

1 John 1:3 "We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ."

Using the model of the first Churches that are described in the Acts of the Apostles, we focus not just on spiritual growth through the Word, but also on growth through sharing fellowship with others. As Christians are the ones who form the body of Christ, unity within the body is important. When we unite with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, we can truly grow together and be the strength and support for each other. God has not intended for us to walk our paths alone, but to share in the love that He has so abundantly poured into our hearts.

Through the breaking of bread, we can truly experience the heart of Christ who gave His love selflessly to us. He came and died for us on the cross so that we would be able to gain eternal life. Christ set for us an example to follow, as seen when He washed the feet of His disciples. And upon doing so, He stated, "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you" (John 13:15).

Love is something that is heavily emphasized in the teachings of Christ. Love is so important that Apostle Paul proclaimed that, "If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing" (1 Cor 13:2). And even Apostle John wrote that, "The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:8). Not to mention that Christ Himself said, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40). And so seeing Christ's love for us, we teach others to live as Christ.

The benefits of fellowship are great, not just in our own personal growth, but also in helping the growth of each other. It is a time when we can give out the great love of Christ. Just as we have received the unconditional love of God, we teach the importance of living lives of love, as Christ lived His life. By sharing in fellowship with each other, we can see the works of the Holy Spirit displayed in each other as it unites us in Christ.

'''III. Diakonia (Service)'''

Galatians 5:13 "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love."

After planting the seeds (the Gospel) into our hearts, our goal is to nurture those seeds so that we may come to be fruitful. As we receive the Gospel, we experience a change within ourselves, which eventually becomes evident through our speech and our actions. And this Light that has come into our lives must be shown to the world. No one "lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house" (Matthew 5:15). Just as Jesus' life was the life of the Word, we too must put the Word into action. Apostle James had said "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead" (James 2:26).

Christ demonstrated to us the life of Gospel as He humbled Himself and showed Himself lowered. From this we learn the true way of the Gospel and that path of the Cross, which is a path of self-denial, emptying, and sacrifice. By serving others, we're able to experience the heart of Christ as He came giving Himself completely for us.

So as disciples, we must also serve others, and not live selfishly, but selflessly. In doing so the Word is made alive in us, and the Light of Christ is revealed through us so that it "shines before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

Through our actions and our daily lives, we can bring glory to Jesus Christ and become a living testimony of the great works He has done in our lives. In the act of serving, we put into action the lifestyle of Jesus that is depicted in the Gospel. We believe that service and promoting the community and culture of Christ through missions and ministries is one vital aspect to learning about the scriptures deeply.