What is our CARE Group all about?

  The term "care group" is not new to most of us in the churches of Christ. This is an activity regularly held by the young people or YP - a term to refer to the youth group - incorporating a fellowship and devotional in one event. It was defined, if my memory serves me right, as CARING, ADMONISHING, RECREATION and EVANGELISM. 

However, this CARE Group stands for: 

CHRISTIAN. This term was first used in Acts 11:26. It refers to being followers of Jesus Christ. 

ADVOCACY. Is the organization of information into arguments used to persuade or convince a specific group of people to take necessary action on a specific role? Advocacy is also used to describe generation or mobilization of needed resources from those who can provide human resources, materials, facilities, and funding resources for identified programs. Also, to advocate then is "to plead for, defend, recommend or support a person, policy or an idea". For our purposes, we will plead for, defend, recommend, and support what Jesus Christ commanded us to do, as reflected in the Bible. 

RESTORATION. The Lord says, "Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls" (Jer. 6:16). The only hope for Christendom is to go back to the old paths of New Testament Christianity. We must be restored back to the ancient but true Gospel. 

EDIFICATION. This word means "to build a believer up by speaking words of encouragement". Accounts from the book of Romans 14:1 - 15:13 tells of Paul's concern about how the Christian is to conduct himself, not only in society but also how to express himself as a new life within the believing community. It was not that the society was unimportant but because the Christian community and the individual is to witness the reality of Jesus. To reflect on this reality is to acknowledge that we must maintain harmony within the community. It is important then, that like Jesus, we love and accept each other, and try to build each other rather than tear one another down because of how we differ. 

However, even as we think about the new definition of CARE, we must not forget that we use certain parameters for our purposes. The following questions can answer these parameters: Is it scriptural? Is it fruitful? Do we want to do it? How can we do it? 

Perhaps, after we have answered the question will we be able to understand what it is to be a CHRISTIAN?