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WHAT'S IN A NAME
We call ourselves Wensleydale Evangelical Church because we in or around Wensleydale and we are people who
gather together to worship God and therefore we are a church. But what about the word "evangelical" where does that come from? The word "evangelical" comes from a Greek word which means 'Good News'. We are an
'evangelical' church because we believe the Bible is God's Good news. This good news isn't our opinion, or one view among many about the meaning of life. It is God's truth.
What would you like to hear first, the good news, or the bad news? Well let me get the bad news out of the
way. Every single one of us has sinned against God's holy laws, and against our own conscience; and because we have ignored God, our Creator, and turned our backs on him and gone our own way in life, we are God's
enemies. God is perfectly holy and true. He will not, therefore, have anything to do with sin and will eventually condemn everyone who is sinful to hell. No amount of religion or good deeds could ever make up for
our sin and save us from God's judgement.
Now let me give you the Good News! God alone can save us. God sent his only Son Jesus Christ into our world;
He became a real human being. He was born by the miracle of the Virgin Birth. He lived the perfect life no other person ever lived, and He said: 'I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one can comes to the
Father except through me' (John 14:6). Even though wicked men killed him by nailing him to a cross, it was all in God's plan. Jesus Christ was dying as a substitute for sinners like us. God punished his Son in the
place of sinners so that they could be forgiven and reconciled to God. His resurrection three days later confirmed that his death was successful in paying the price for sin. That means that sinners can have a
personal relationship with God and can be sure of going to God's perfect home which is heaven.
But it doesn't all just happen automatically. Salvation is only for those who repent of their sins and
believe by faith in Jesus Christ. All who do this will be saved from God's punishment and will receive eternal life. Believing doesn't just mean we believe it's true, although that is of course necessary. It
means trusting that Jesus is able to save you. If you trust someone, you will do what they say and Jesus tells us that if we want to be saved, we must deliberately turn away from our sins and trust him alone for
salvation. When we do that, He forgives us completely and He changes us by sending His Holy Spirit into our lives. He enables us to follow Him and become more and more like Christ and that is what a Christian is
someone who is like Christ.
This Good news is for everyone who believes. Therefore will you believe? Now let me be as clear as I can
here there is no other way to be saved other than through Jesus Christ. Can you see now why we call ourselves "evangelical" we are the good news church we want to tell everybody about this wonderful good news of
Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ has shown mercy to us and saved us. He will save you too, if you will obey the gospel by repenting and believing in God Son Jesus Christ.
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