Welcome to Ichthus Christian Fellowship, a London-based movement of churches.
Under the leadership of Roger and Faith Forster, Ichthus has a mandate from God to evangelise London and the nations by planting churches of Christ-exalting, Bible-loving believers, committed to the Lord Jesus, to His mission and to one another. Ichthus exists to bring the salvation, power and Kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ to the nations. Click here to find out more.
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LATEST MEDIA
Who runs the church?
Faith Forster
Sunday 16 November
Who has authority in the church? What marks out the true church leader? What should our response be to disorder and potential divisions? Speaking from John's third epistle, Faith draws out some truths that will help us to keep moving forward with vision, confidence and agreement, in love. Recorded at the Ichthus Celebration.
LISTEN NOW
M O R E F R E E A U D I O
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LATEST ARTICLE
Backbiting is cannibalism!
by Roger Forster
Surprisingly, Christians were once charged with practicing cannibalism. During the first 300 years of the Christian age, they seemed to say they were eating the body and blood of their Lord when they took communion with bread and wine. The Roman authorities mistakenly accused them of this same revolting crime.
However wrong they were to misinterpret the Lord's Supper, the apostle Paul, nevertheless, thought it right to warn Christians in the first century - and so indeed, Christians of all times - against another form of cannibalism and its concomitant practice of detaching the head. For the more discerning anthropologist (student of mankind) these two conditions will appear hand in-hand whenever backbiting, criticism, slander and character assassination occur in the Church, the body of Christ. The body is consumed, having first been decapitated.
Paul writes in Galatians 5:15, 'If you bite and devour one another, be careful you are not consumed of one another.' When we indulge in the common and persistent Church crime of backbiting we cannibalise the body and despise and defame the Head.
The Asmat are a New Guinea tribe who, even in recent times, detached their victims' skulls for trophies and ate their flesh. The Gospel is removing such horrible practices today. While such practices revolt us, how much more should feasting off our brothers' backs send a nauseating revulsion through our being, stimulating a desire for renewal! We dare not lose our Head by betraying and despising Him before His enemies, but should rather honour and hold Him in glory, praise and blessing (Colossians 2:19).
Backbiting tempts us all. It is sweet to climb higher in our own estimation and (we hope) in our hearer's, as we broadcast the failures of others. That someone is less Christlike, and I can see it, means surely I must be more. The seat of being the judge is attractive, a form of 'playing at God'. When I retell the failures and foul deeds of others, deeds which, perhaps, I have been too much of a coward to practise myself, but sowed nonetheless in my fantasy life, then I experience the vicarious stolen thrill Paul warns about in Romans 1:32, 'We have pleasure in those that do such things.' Then I gorge behind, and on, my brother's back - a Christian, headhunting cannibal.
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Our summer Bible week at Ashburnham Place
The annual gathering of Ichthus and Ichthus Link leaders
Three days dedicated to seeking the Lord |
A year-long mentoring programme for church planting and Christian leadership
Two weeks training in city evangelism
Monthly theological teaching
Equipping the church to share the gospel |
The founders and leaders of Ichthus Christian Fellowship
Audio, video and written articles
Training and events
Sunday evenings in Greenwich, for worship, the word and fellowship |
A network of relationships between Ichthus and like-minded churches, movements and individuals
Coordinating and supporting Ichthus workers abroad
A page for the young
people of Ichthus
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