Christian center

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As Christian Center , numerous independent free churches call in Germany. They usually have the place in their name, for example in the form of Christian Center Karlsruhe (CZK) or Christian Center Nuremberg (CZN) . Some municipalities also have a second geographically derived name, such as B. the Christian Center Berlin ( church at the south star ) .

Theological classification

Most Christian centers (some much earlier as the CZB) in the 70 years of home group groups , tent missions emerged interdenominational working groups or various interest groups. You have a free church background and feel connected to other Christian communities and ministries. A standing at the center as Pastor Volkhard Spitzer (formerly CZB) is the exception, most Christian centers have a council (similar to the Brüderrat in Brüdergemeinden ) or a management team as a decision maker. Many centers maintain a spiritual closeness to the Pentecostal movement or, as Protestant free churches, count themselves as part of the charismatic renewal movement and belong to working groups such as the local Evangelical Alliance or the Working Group of Christian Churches (ACK).

Common to most Christian Centers

Although the most obvious commonality of these free churches lies in the similar name, the Christian Centers combine common basic values, structures and mostly a common self-image and network with structures outside their own congregation.

The three levels of impact are:

  • “Love God” - community as a service community for a living relationship of faith.
  • “Living the community” - the community as a place where gifts, strengths and weaknesses are brought into a community.
  • "Shaping society" - believers and the church have an impact on society.

At the parish level , the services are supplemented by numerous service groups such as women and men, children's groups, senior citizens and pastoral activities. Charismatic gifts are taught such as B. those of healing, prophetic speech etc. as they are in the New Testament in 1 Cor. 12-14 are described. Some of these offers are open and, like the “hearing prayer”, are partly of national importance. Occasionally, international work concepts such as the “ Alpha Course ” are transferred to local community life. Various service groups assigned to the preaching or practical tasks are formed, which, according to Eph. 4, 11-16, pursue a gift-oriented approach (“unfold gifts”).

At the regional and supraregional level , the centers form networks and working groups with other churches, including those with a superordinate denomination . In these structures, training courses, seminars or inter-congregational worship events are held. Christian centers also participate in major events such as B. Pro Christ . Missionaries are sent abroad or there is cooperation with friendly mission organizations.

Web links

Note: since the Christian Centers do not belong to a common umbrella organization, the following links are examples (from various sources) of similarities that apply to most Christian Centers in this way or in a similar way.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ History of the Christian Center Berlin (CZB)
  2. ↑ Head of the Christian Center Nuremberg (CZN): How we do it ( Memento from July 22, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ↑ Categorization in the Yahoo portal ( Memento from September 23, 2004 in the Internet Archive )
  4. ↑ a b Belief principles of the CZK (Karlsruhe)
  5. ↑ Working approaches of the Christian Center Nuremberg (CZN): What we want ( Memento from August 12, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
  6. ↑ offer "Listening Prayer" of the Nuremberg community on its own website