BiAS 7 – The Bible and Politics in Africa
that Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords of the church. The
church lives from the power of Jesus Christ.
The second important thing is that the church is the people linked to
one another through the Holy Spirit in faith in Jesus Christ. Thus, the
church is a community of people in a special sense and in special rela-
tion with one another. A church is this new community of people linked
to one another. The church is the community of God being in a wonder-
ful presence with one another in this wonderful new community.^11 It is
then also expected of the church in this community to reach out to one
another and to be a community of love. 1 John explains very clearly how
the church should be a community of love and reach out to one another.
The third aspect of brotherhood and sisterhood in the church is that the
church should also be an example of love and kindness to one another to
the world around them. Therefore, the church should reach out not only
to the brothers and sisters within the community but also to the brothers
and sisters in the world outside the community. This means that a
church should proclaim a new life and a new way of leading a life with
God, reaching out to one another and alleviating poverty in that sense.
Poverty should be alleviated because they are listening to the word of
God and the message of God.
- THE POOR REACHING OUT TO ONE ANOTHER
It is an interesting phenomenon that it is often possible for the poor to
reach out to one another in a way in which the rich and the mighty do
not reach out to others. The poor are often the people helping one an-
other and building up a new community and proclaiming the word of
God in the new community. The poor are often the people who are will-
ing to use the little means that they have and distribute it amongst
themselves, while they have many larger needs themselves. It is an in-
teresting phenomenon that the poor does not keep to themselves what
can be distributed to others.
(^11) Waltner (2003:241) writes: “In becoming the kind of Christian community 1 Peter
envisions, the church is both witness and servant in the world. It becomes the sign of
the reign of God. It speaks of what can be, of what God intended to be, and of what
God, by grace has made possible”.