jonathanjames.com.au

“I am come that they may have life and that they may have life to the full” John 10:10
Psychologist William Maston, in a landmark study interviewed thousands of people and asked them one leading question: “What are you living for?” The results were shocking. Close to 80 per cent of the people interviewed said they were simply living and waiting for something to happen: their children to grow up; their children to leave home; their work promotion; their next vacation; their retirement etc.
The truth of the matter is that many people live; waiting for tomorrow without realizing that today is what we have; as yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.
Some 2,000 years ago Jesus stepped into this world and declared that He came to give us new life: a life with meaning and purpose not only for the here and now but for all eternity. There are two words in the New Testament for life, one is ‘bios’ from which we get the word biology and the other is ‘Zoë’. ‘Bios’ is just plain old existence – living from day to day and going through the motions of existence. It is a one-dimensional life of eating, working, sleeping and playing. The second word ‘Zoë’ refers to the new life Christ offers – life lived on the highest level; in partnership with God Himself that begins now and continues even after we die.
Check this out for yourself… Listen to the startling promises and claims made by Jesus Christ:
“I am the bread of life, he who comes to me shall not hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst“(John 6:35).
“These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11-12).
“And I give eternal life to them and they shall never die and no one shall snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).
How can Jesus make such amazing and almost audacious promises?
The gracious message of Christmas, the celebration of Christ’s first coming, is that God has opened a new door for us. The unique God-Man (Jesus) sent from the Father, by his death on the cross took our sin and penalty granting us forgiveness of our sin and cleansing from our guilt. By his glorious resurrection, Jesus is now exalted to the highest place and is able therefore to preserve us forever. By knowing Christ you enter through the door of meaning, purpose and everlasting life. It is the door to overflowing life though Jesus Christ.
Christmas reminds us that we can be alive when Christ fills us with His overflowing life.
In 1868, Philips Brooks was on a visit to Bethlehem. One night as he looked at the town of Bethlehem out of his hotel room, the message and the true purpose of the first Christmas came to him with such clarity that he hurriedly penned these words – words which would later be turned into a famous carol and sung all over the world:

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

May all our hopes and fears be met in Christ this Christmas.

Unique book on televangelism launched:
Jonathan James’ book wins international acclaim

McDonaldisation, Masala McGospel and Om Economics: Televangelism in contemporary India, a book written by Dr Jonathan James, was launched by Prof. Brian Shoesmith at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia on 29th September.
Prof. Shoesmith explained that the book takes the American phenomenon of televangelism out of its usual context into India and seeks to understand its outworking in a new historical, cultural, religious, political, and economic setting. “Jonathan does a brilliant job with a master stroke by including Hindu religious leaders in the study besides Christian pastors” added Prof. Shoesmith.
Based on a four-year study, the book likens global televangelism to ‘McDonaldisation’, because of its standardised, ‘one size fits all’ approach. ‘Glocal’ televangelism, the fusion of American and Indian televangelism, is referred to as ‘Masala McGospel,’ because the Indian elements in the programs are overshadowed by the American grammar and logic of global televangelism. Hindu televangelism, a relatively new phenomenon, is also creating a disjunction because of the blending of New Age spirituality with the American Charismatic marketing and commercial techniques.
The well-known American academic leader and author in the area of media, religion and culture; Prof. Stewart Hoover, in the foreword to the book, described Jonathan‘s contribution as a “unique opportunity to look through the lens of a particularly complex, layered and compelling case study.”
Prof. Sudhakar Reddy of the University of Hyderabad, India, writing in the endorsement page described the book as “one of the most intellectually stimulating books written in current times about the impact of globalisation on Christianity and Hinduism. It contains a novel approach in applying an assortment of methodologies for the study of media and religion.”

Jonathan James, the director of the mission organization; AEF International and an adjunct Lecturer at Edith Cowan University, said in his response that while global televangelism is unfortunately creating “consumer worshippers, rather than worshippers consumed with God”, ‘glocal’ televangelism “actually has great prospects even though it is being met with some initial resistance”.
Prof Mark Hackling, Director of Edith Cowan Institute for education research, in his closing remarks stated that the new book; McDonaldisation, Masala McGospel and Om Economics, aptly addresses strategic and vital issues in today’s globalised world in the specific areas of media, technology, religion and culture. He added that the University is proud to be part of this ground-breaking research venture.
McDonaldisation, Masala McGospel and Om Economics, published by Sage Publications, is currently available for sale at most internet book outlets including Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble as well as through the AEFI website: www.aefi.org.au
__________________________________________________________________