We believe that this change of heart can occur suddenly; in an instant; in one life transforming instant or can take place gradually over a period of perhaps years.
There are several marks that this transformation has taken place or is in progress. One characteristic is that the person is becomming more interested in others than in self -- is developing a life that is becomming centered on love, life, caring, healing, helping -- with less emphasis on hate, death, and hurting and less emphasis on personal profit and personal welfare.
The transformation impacts the persons body, mind, and soul. It affects all aspects of the person -- the way they treat friends and family, the way they relate to strangers, the way they do business.
These changes will impact the persons environment. It will impact their education, the way they rear their childrent the way they vote and the way they govern. It will impact the individuals economic status and her/his possessions; though perhaps negatively.
This transformation affects others. It can make the inner city youth a good employee. It will make the factory owner a sensitive caring individual who puts the well being of his employees ahead of his/her profits. It will result in senators and congressmen who put the long term well being of the nation ahead of personal power or next years election.
We believe in a personal salvation; a change in the fundamental personality of the individual; a change in the persons goals, beliefs, needs, wants, and desires; a change in what they care about; a change in what they are striving for; a change in the way they relate to each other. It involves a recognition of the value of all human life regardless of race, gender, creed, culture, or national origin. It involves a life that has been touched by self sacrifice.
This personal salvation has plenty of social implications. If we could get the message out to enough people, we could transform our government, economic conditions, and social structure. It would impact the very core of our society.
Furthermore, we believe that the only hope for mankind is in this transformation of human nature which must occur one individual at a time.
How does this happen. How does one get transformed. It is occasionally a momentary flash of enlightenment when the individual comes to realize that self sacrificing love must be the organizing principle of all our lives; the realization that this is the only hope for mankind. More often it is a journey. A process akin to the growth of a seed to a mature plant. For this growth to take place, the Christian attitude must be nurtured, fed. This is supposed to be the role of the organized church. Unfortunately many churches have abrogated their responsibility and become little more than social clubs, dedicated to maintaining the status quo.
Copyright © 1996 Steve Falkenberg