Napier Baptist

I see there's a lot of talk at the moment about prayer in parliament and should or shouldn't we recognise the NZ is a Christian nation. Speaking as a Baptist and someone who studied a lot of church history, I would say whenever the church tries to bring about the Kingdom through the State it is a disaster. Sure, wouldn't it be great if NZ was a Christian nation but I think how we do that is very important. The Kingdom is like a mustard seed that grows into a massive tree. My concern with a lot of talk is that it seems to want to legislate Christianity so that it can be a mustrad tree. NZ is not a Christian nation and whilst Christanity has been influential in NZ, it is historically very debatable as to whether we have ever been a Christian nation. But why should that worry us? Any time the church has relied on the state to become a mustard tree it has been a disaster! Think of the Crusades! Baptists only need to know a little of their own heritage to know how many non conformist Christians were murdered because we didn't follow the State sponsored Christianity. I am totally opposed to using the State to legislate Christianity or turn the church into something great. It is only (and I mean only) by the power of Jesus Christ that the mustard seed grows into a mustard tree. Any other way than the way of Jesus Christ is a disaster!