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Title: Faith the Verb
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Blog Entry: Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}               When we think about the concept of faith rarely do we consider it an action word, most people just think it’s something we posses. The truth is faith without action is worthless. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:26). For example if a brother or sister is in need and you only offer encouraging words, you have done nothing for them. But if you help them with that need and offer encouraging words you have not only feed the flesh but also the soul.             God gives every person a measure of faith and how we increase that faith is up to us. We can choose to let that faith lie dormant or we can exercise that faith by reading the word and applying that word to our lives and helping others.   For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith . (Romans 12:3). So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17).             As the body of Christ and as a community of believers it up to us to help others nurture their faith as well as our own. Elmer Towns in his book Core Christianity explains “However, when faith is nurtured within a community, faith is an action. It’s something that a person does, that is, faith is the total person’s response to God. On the other hand, when faith is a noun, it is usually a doctrinal statement, that is, the sum total of what a person believes.” CITATION Elm07 l 1033   (Towns) Believing and doctrinal faith are both vital to a Christian.   The community faith formation usually comes from young believers seeing the older saints following Jesus, what the older do the young are more compelled to do. So faith is nurtured and formed in a community setting, with other saints. This reflecting community is what gives young Christians the desire to serve God, so therefore, they seek different ways in which they can serve around them (action). And it is within this same community the young find their gifts and callings.             So for the people who believe that going to church is not necessary think again. There is a reason God established fellowship, to help uplift and nurture His children. When it comes to the topic of faith lets be sure to not only posses it in our hearts, but also help it grow by nurturing the faith that is within others with our actions.   Faith is not belief. Belief is passive. Faith is active.--- Edith Hamilton                             Works Cited   BIBLIOGRAPHY "Christianity is an interactive community." Towns, Elmer. Core Christianity. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2007. 102.