© 2018 Preston Thomas
© 2018 The Urantia Book Fellowship
Note: Appendix notes refer to Preston Thomas’ Book The Life and Teachings of Jesus
There are many hopeful and inspiring statements about our future in The Urantia Book, but few can match the promise and opportunity that is foretold in the following lines:
Religion does need new leaders, spiritual men and women who will dare to depend solely on Jesus and his incomparable teachings. . . . the spiritual renaissance must await the coming of these new teachers of Jesus’ religion who will be exclusively devoted to the spiritual regeneration of men._ [UB 195:9.4]
Let us reflect upon the amazing implications of these statements. The revelators are telling us that our world is in need of new teachers of Jesus’ religion. And they are prophesying the coming of these new teachers, predicting that these new religious leaders will help bring a spiritual renaissance to our “dark and confused world.”
(See Appendix 1.1 To Whom Is This Great Call Directed?)
In many places the revelators point out that today’s world is beset by serious problems. The greatest of these are materialistic secularism, unceasing social transformation, and spiritual stagnation. New religious leaders are desperately needed to answer these problems by turning our world back to the true religion of Jesus.
(See Appendix 1.2 Our Present Situation: World Crisis and the Need for Spiritual Religion)
Yes, we do face serious problems, but great things lie ahead, and we are called to participate! We are called to join in a great adventure! Here is how the revelators describe what is to happen on our world and the thrilling possibilities that lie in our future:
The call to the adventure of building a new and transformed human society by means of the spiritual rebirth of Jesus’ brotherhood of the kingdom should thrill all who believe in him as men have not been stirred since the days when they walked about on earth as his companions in the flesh. [UB 195:10.6]; (my bold)
The time for a new revelation of Jesus has come! The leaders of this new revelation will bring about the spiritual rebirth of Jesus’ brotherhood of the kingdom. They will spark a great new spiritual renaissance. For those who feel inclined to help bring about this new revelation, three fundamental requirements are set forth.
The new teacher-leaders must:
If we seek membership in this now forming corps of new teacher-leaders it is good to reflect upon each of these requirements. We will find that, just as the task is great, so also are the requirements. What follows may be thought of as a guide and basic training manual for those who aspire to become new teacher-leaders. As we ponder what role we might play in this great adventure let us be mindful what Jesus requires of his followers:
In accordance with the truth committed to your hands will the Master of truth demand a reckoning. [UB 176:3.7]
The first and most basic requirement for the new teacher-leaders is that they be “spiritual men and women.” What does it mean to be “spiritual”?
Spirituality is a reflection of our closeness to God; it is the measure of our attunement to his indwelling spirit. It is directly proportional to the elimination of the selfish qualities of love. And crucially, it is also a measure of the effectiveness of our spiritual ministry. Here is how the revelators put it: Spirituality becomes at once the indicator of one’s nearness to God and the measure of one’s usefulness to fellow beings. [UB 100:2.4] (my bold)
The essential first step to becoming a spiritual person is to be “born of the spirit.” What is the “birth of the spirit”?
The “birth of the spirit” is the change of mind that occurs when we wholeheartedly choose to do the Father’s will. When we make this choice his indwelling spirit is born into the light of our faith. Jesus explained it to Nicodemus this way:
Already does this spirit of the Father in heaven indwell you. If you would be led by this spirit from above, very soon would you begin to see with the eyes of the spirit, and then by the wholehearted choice of spirit guidance would you be born of the spirit since your only purpose in living would be to do the will of your Father who is in heaven. [UB 142:6.7]
It is important to realize that the birth of the spirit is a gradual process and is mostly unconscious. When the process is complete it culminates in a “birthday.” Here is how the revelators describe it:
Religion is functional in the human mind and has been realized in experience prior to its appearance in human consciousness. A child has been in existence about nine months before it experiences birth. But the “birth” of religion is not sudden; it is rather a gradual emergence. Nevertheless, sooner or later there is a “birth day”. [UB 103:2.1]
Since the birth of the spirit is a gradual process that is mostly unconscious, how may we know if we have been born of the spirit? Put simply, if we are born of the spirit we will begin to show forth the fruits of the spirit in our daily lives. Here is what Jesus said:
…those who are born of the spirit will immediately begin to show forth the fruits of the spirit in loving service to their fellow creatures. [UB 193:2.2]
But be not deceived; while salvation is the free gift of God and is bestowed upon all who accept it by faith, there follows the experience of bearing the fruits of this spirit life as it is lived in the flesh. [UB 193:1.2] If professed believers bear not these fruits of the divine spirit in their lives, they are dead. [UB 193:2.2]
We must also realize that the Father requires of his faithful followers not only that they bear the fruits of the spirit, but that they grow and progress in spiritual fruit bearing. As we continue in the Father’s will we must increasingly show forth spiritual fruit in our personal lives. Here is how Jesus put it:
Increasingly must you yield the fruit of the spirit as you progress heavenward in the kingdom of God. [UB 193:2.2]
My Father requires of the children of faith that they bear much spiritual fruit. [UB 193:2.2]
What are the fruits of the spirit? Basically they are the character traits that result from our connection with God’s indwelling spirit. They are the characteristics of the Spirit that flows through us and we exhibit in our life reactions. The domination of a human life by the Father’s spirit is always accompanied by a growth in these perfections of character. Following is a listing of some of the fruits of the spirit. The first list we are familiar with from the Bible:
…the fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, long- suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. [UB 34:6.13]
Jesus presented a second list at one of his last appearances:
And the fruits of the divine spirit which are yielded in the lives of spirit-born and God-knowing mortals are: loving service, unselfish devotion, courageous loyalty, sincere fairness, enlightened honesty, undying hope, confiding trust, merciful ministry, unfailing goodness, forgiving tolerance, and enduring peace. [UB 193:2.2]
In fact, the fruits of the spirit are basically the character traits that Jesus demonstrated in his perfected life on earth.
When man yields the “fruits of the spirit” in his life, he is simply showing forth the traits which the Master manifested in his own earthly life. [UB 194:3.1]
So our first job is to be born of the spirit, but this spirit birth must be immediately followed by spiritual fruit bearing. We must increasingly and spontaneously bear this spiritual fruit throughout our lives. This is our ever-present goal and the measure of our spiritual progress. As we go through life we may inquire of ourselves, “Am I increasingly showing forth the fruits of the spirit in my daily life?” If we are, we may be confident that we are advancing in the required spiritual training to become an effective teacher-leader. And in this long spiritual journey it is good to remind ourselves that:
The quickest way for a tadpole to become a frog is to live loyally each day a tadpole. [UB 100:1.4]
We cannot stand still in the kingdom. We must go forward, and the culminating result of such growth and advancement is spiritual adulthood and maturity. As new teacher-leaders we must understand that to effectively reveal Jesus we will have to reach spiritual adulthood. We are called to be living examples of the mature spirituality that may be attained by a true follower of Jesus. Here is what he taught about growing up to spiritual adulthood and maturity:
You may enter the kingdom as a child, but the Father requires that you grow up, by grace, to the full stature of spiritual adulthood. [UB 193:2.2] (my bold)
Childlike trust secures man’s entrance into the kingdom of heavenly ascent, but progress is wholly dependent on the vigorous exercise of the robust and confident faith of the full-grown man. [UB 102:1.1] (my bold)
Though Jesus taught that faith, simple childlike belief, is the key to the door of the kingdom, he also taught that, having entered the door, there are progressive steps of righteousness which every believing child must ascend in order to_ grow up to the full stature of the robust sons of God. [UB 170:3.2] (my bold)
(See Appendix 1.3 Four Step Progression to Spiritual Adulthood)
Spiritual adulthood and maturity qualifies us to progress to an even higher state of spirituality. This is the level wherein Jesus, through his indwelling spirit of Truth, is enabled to live again in us. The most successful teacher- leaders will reach this exalted state. This will make them truly effective representatives and ministers of Jesus. It is this level of spirituality that the revelators call for:
The world needs to see Jesus living again on earth in the experience of spirit-born mortals who effectively reveal the Master to all men. [UB 195:10.1]; (my bold)
The new teacher-leaders are called to attain that level of spirituality such that their lives naturally reflect Jesus and his inner spirit. Just as Jesus provided a living demonstration of his religion to his day and age, so are we called to be the living demonstrations of Jesus and his teachings to our modern world. We must be spirit-filled such that when others see us they may see Jesus!
(See Appendix 1.4 Jesus Lives Again in Us)
(See Appendix 1.5 Summary of the Spirituality Requirement)
For further study and contemplation to guide us in attaining the requisite spirituality the following are highly recommended:
(See Appendix 2 “Meditation in The Urantia Book ” by Peter Holly)
Paper 100 Religion in Human Experience. The Urantia Book
Sample Prayers:
“May I increasingly show forth the fruit of the spirit in my daily life.”
“Jesus, live again in me.”
“Jesus, fill me with your spirit.”
“Jesus, shine through me.”
The second major requirement we will consider is the directive that we be “exclusively devoted to the spiritual regeneration of men.” Notice that this directive gives us a clear and well-defined goal, the “spiritual regeneration” of others. This is the specific and exclusive work we are called to, and it gives focus and power to our efforts.
If we truly seek to be a force for spiritual regeneration in others we should recognize that to be most effective we must be spiritually regenerated ourselves. Only after having been born of the spirit and having achieved a sufficient measure of spiritual advancement, are we are rightly prepared to effect spiritual regeneration in others.
We must realize that our greatest power to spark spiritual regeneration will come not through our teachings, but rather through the contact of others with our spirit- filled presence. It is the example of our spirit-dominated life, especially in the midst of our secular and materialistic world, that will be most effective in inspiring spiritual regeneration in others.
We should also note that we are called to be exclusively devoted to spiritual regeneration. Why exclusively? Here is the context in which we find the exclusivity requirement:
If Christianity persists in neglecting its spiritual mission while it continues to busy itself with social and material problems, the spiritual renaissance must await the coming of these new teachers of Jesus’ religion who will be exclusively devoted to the spiritual regeneration of men. [UB 195:9.4]
Thus we see that the reason for exclusively devoting ourselves to spiritual regeneration derives from the fact that Christianity has increasingly neglected its spiritual mission and substituted a focus on social and material problems. Professed followers of Jesus have become diverted from his commission to “effect the spiritual transformation of successive generations of mankind .” [UB 195:9.10]
We are to avoid the mistake of Christianity. We must not be distracted and diverted from our work; we are called to an exclusively spiritual mission. As new teacher-leaders we must focus our efforts on this one clear goal—the spiritual regeneration of our fellow man.
So how do we go about working for spiritual regeneration?
We may take our first step by simply choosing to work for this goal. We can make it a conscious practice in our everyday life. It involves a new way of looking at others and a new way of interacting with them. It is to see them, not through the lens of our differences, but rather as fellow children of God whom we seek to advance spiritually.
We add power to our efforts by praying that we may be a force for spiritual regeneration in others. We may pray that Jesus live again in us and that he work through us to spiritually inspire and uplift those we contact. Here is the ideal the revelators call us to live up to:
Jesus’ disciples should be more than conquerors, even overflowing sources of inspiration and enhanced living to all men. [UB 195:10.1]
The last major requirement we will consider is the directive that we “dare to depend solely on Jesus and his incomparable teachings .”
(See Appendix 1.6 The Need for Courage)
Let us consider the exclusivity requirement. Why are we called to depend solely on Jesus and his teachings? Why not, for example, depend on the best of Christianity, which The Urantia Book calls “the best of the religions of the twentieth century?” Or why not depend on a synthesis of the greatest teachings of all the world’s religions?
There are three especially important reasons for this directive. The first reason derives from the fact that the world knows Jesus only through the lens of Christianity. Most people do not have any idea that there is a religion of Jesus that is separate and apart from Christianity, which has evolved as a religion about Jesus. His original gospel has been submerged within the overall Christian message. And the true teachings of Jesus are identified with many non- Jesusonian teachings.
Further, Christianity early on began the process of applying all of Jesus’ teachings regarding his spiritual kingdom to the temporal Christian church. To enter the kingdom, to be born of the spirit and dedicate oneself to doing the Father’s will, was equated to being baptized into the church. Thus an outward social organization was substituted for Jesus concept of an inner spiritual kingdom. For these and other reasons Jesus’ teachings must be clearly distinguished from the Christian message. Our work is to focus on and exalt the teachings of Jesus.
(See Appendix 1.7 The Substitution Error)
A clue to the second reason for depending solely on Jesus and his incomparable teachings is contained within the directive itself. His teachings are indeed incomparable. They are the highest and greatest and most truly valuable teachings ever to appear on planet earth. They are divine and perfect. All other teachings may be judged by their compatibility with the teachings of Jesus. He is our touchstone to truth.
His teachings are best understood by observing the perfected life he lived on earth. The perfection of personality and character he developed in living a trying and testing earth life provides an ideal example for us to emulate in our own lives. Jesus life is so valuable because it is not just a theoretical construct of an ideal moral philosophy, but rather a living demonstration of the spiritual character he taught. This combination of teaching the ideal character and then providing a real life example of that character is our most valuable knowledge.
Of all human knowledge that which is of greatest value is to know the religious life of Jesus and how he lived it. [UB 196:1.3]
(See Appendix 1.8 The Living Jesus)
The third reason for the exclusivity requirement is the fact that only Jesus and his incomparable teachings possess the power to bring about the spiritual renaissance. The Urantia Book tells us that Christianity “has truly been one of the greatest powers for good on the earth” [UB 195:10.12]. It has done its job carrying the kingdom of Jesus’ concept forward for 2000 years, up to and through our present material and secular age. But now more is needed. Only Jesus and his personal religion possess the power to see us through the three great problems that our world now faces: spiritual non-progression, materialistic secularism, and unceasing social change. Only Jesus and his teachings possess the power to stabilize us in this time of crisis and triumph over these modern threats to civilization. Only through Jesus and his teachings will we attain the new spiritual renaissance. Here is how the revelators put it:
Christianity has indeed done a great service to this world but what is now most needed is Jesus. [UB 195:10.1] (my bold)
(See Appendix 1.9 Summary of Reasons for the Exclusivity Requirement)
We have discussed several reasons for depending solely on Jesus. Now let us turn to another related question. How? How do we go about the prosecution of our task to bring about a spiritual renaissance, all the while depending solely on Jesus and his teachings?
(See Appendix 1.10 Learn, Live, and Teach the Way of Jesus)
Depending on Jesus begins with our inner life. We must consistently look to Jesus within for help and guidance both in our personal lives and in our ministry.
Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches .” This is a wonderful idea to meditate on. Remember also his teaching to “abide in me” and “live in my love.” He urges us to “commune freely with me” and to “maintain this living spiritual connection with me .” [UB 180:2.1] These teachings, when followed, strengthen our inner life and our ministry. In my experience the idea that we can maintain a spiritual connection with Jesus is quite powerful.
It should be clear that a revival of the actual teachings of Jesus that displaces the Christian teachings about Jesus is a gigantic task, and will not be easy. However, we may take solace and encouragement from the fact that our efforts to reveal Jesus will not be solitary. We are not undertaking this great work alone. The Spirit of Truth will be our full partner, in fact our guiding partner, in this great enterprise. The fact that Jesus’ Spirit of Truth was poured out upon us at Pentecost means that we are specially equipped to achieve our mission. In fact, our new revelation of Jesus’ life and teachings is really a part of the ongoing mission of the Spirit of Truth to reveal Jesus to each new generation of mortals on earth. Here is what the revelators tell us:
…the Spirit of Truth came to help the believer to witness to the realities of Jesus’ teachings and his life as he lived it in the flesh… [UB 194:2.6] (my bold)
This spirit was bestowed for the purpose of qualifying believers more effectively to preach the gospel of the kingdom … [UB 194:3.5] (my bold)
We should always remember and be strengthened by the fact that our revelation of Jesus will be accomplished in partnership with his Spirit of Truth working in and through us. We are not fighting alone, but rather in partnership with the God of the universe. Jesus’ spirit will help and guide us. Our part is to maintain our spiritual connection with him and grow ever more receptive to his spiritual guidance.
(See Appendix 1.11 Spiritual Weapons)
In seeking a revival of the actual teachings of Jesus we must keep in mind that the world knows Jesus only through the Bible and Christianity. As much as we might wish otherwise, the spiritual revival of Jesus and his actual teachings is not going to happen through a widespread acknowledgement of the truth of The Urantia Book. The worldwide acceptance of a 2000 page book that presents itself as a new revelation of truth will take tine, and will really come to pass only after the present world crisis is behind us and we have entered the new spiritual renaissance. I believe that The Urantia Book will be the Bible of this oncoming new age; it will be like a third testament that will guide us in the more spiritual age that is to follow our present material age.
This means that we cannot justify our teaching of Jesus by reference to The Urantia Book. We must use the resources that are at hand, and our first and most
basic resource is the record of the life and teachings of Jesus as found in the New Testament gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These records, sparse as they are in comparison to the Urantia Papers, are our most basic resource. Besides the New Testament gospels we have two other very important resources that will compliment our usage of the Biblical record. First, we have The Urantia Book to deepen and broaden our understanding of Scripture, correct errors, and clear up misinterpretations. Second, we have Jesus’ indwelling spirit to both guide us and aid our ministry, and to work in others, to aid their understanding and acceptance of our teaching.
Today I am happy to announce that there is another significant resource available to us. I am referring to this book, The Life and Teachings of Jesus, which I first published in 1991. It was created as a resource for those who seek to teach Jesus in the exclusive manner mandated by the revelators. I began work on this book in the early 80’s. My goal was to produce an acceptable and trustworthy source of truth that I could give to others for guidance, comfort, and inspiration.
The basic idea for the book was to take all the true verses regarding Jesus from the Bible and put them together in their proper sequence based on the chronology of The Urantia Book. Erroneous passages, such as the virgin birth or walking on water, were simply left out. The goal was to produce a book of Jesus’ life and teachings that would be fully acceptable to most Christians and at the same time be fully harmonious with the teachings of The Urantia Book. My first use of the book was at graduation ceremonies at a small school I founded many years ago. At these ceremonies I presented each departing student with a copy of the book, and I am happy to report that it was always well received. More recently the book has been given at graduation ceremonies at a small seminary in Texas. Also a number of readers have reported that they have successfully used the book to teach Sunday school. In India a group of some 30 pastors has used it for years to guide their ministry. It has even been translated into Telegu, their native language, for wider distribution. This group of Christian pastors uses both the Bible and The Life and Teachings in their services.
I do believe this book can be a valuable tool in our efforts to expand the revelation of Jesus. It provides us with a restatement of Jesus’ life and teachings that is wholly constructed from Biblical passages, while at the same time it is free from the misinterpretations, errors, and false doctrines, generally associated with the Bible and Christianity. These words from the gospels are recognized and honored by Christians all over the world and by many others as well. In fact, the pure life and teachings of Jesus, freed from the surrounding Christian teachings and dogma, should also prove acceptable both to non-believers and to those of other faiths. The book itself is always well received as a gift, thereby providing an acceptable and trustworthy revelation of Jesus that we can leave with others for guidance, comfort, and inspiration. It is an easy way to transmit the true teachings of Jesus, here and now.
What does our future hold? What will be the results of our efforts? Following is an outline of how I believe our mission will unfold.
As we dedicate ourselves to this undertaking it is instructive to first consider our target audience, those who will be most receptive to our new message of Jesus. Here we should clearly realize that our work must be directed primarily to the Christian world. After all it is with Christians that we have the greatest affinity and shared beliefs, both moral and spiritual. It is Christianity that recognizes and teaches Jesus as both the Son of God and the Son of man. It is also Christianity that stands in desperate need of new contact with Jesus and of deliverance from its error of emphasizing teachings about Jesus to the detriment of the actual teachings of Jesus. And crucially, it is the Christian church that contains within itself the actual kingdom of Jesus’ teaching—the divine brotherhood of believers who have chosen to do the Father’s will. Here is how the revelators describe the situation:
Thus does the so-called Christian church become the cocoon in which the kingdom of Jesus’ concept now slumbers. The kingdom of the divine brotherhood is still alive and will eventually and certainly come forth from this long submergence, just as surely as the butterfly eventually emerges as the beautiful unfolding of its less attractive creature of metamorphic development. [UB 170:5.21] (my bold)
We may learn much from these words; they contain three important insights: First, the revelators make clear that Jesus’ brotherhood of the kingdom presently exists within the Christian church. Second, they reveal that this divine brotherhood is in a passive state, slumbering and submerged within Christianity. And third, they prophesy that this brotherhood will eventually awaken and come forth in a higher and more advanced form.
This prophecy points to a special focus for our efforts. This slumbering brotherhood presently stands in need of awakening and spiritual rebirth. It is we who are called to provide a new revelation of Jesus that will awaken these sleeping Christians to higher levels of spiritual living. Bringing about the spiritual rebirth of Jesus’ brotherhood of the kingdom will be our first major step in the initiation of the spiritual renaissance. Here again is the revelators’ call:
The call to the adventure of building a new and transformed human society by means of the spiritual rebirth of Jesus’ brotherhood of the kingdom should thrill all who believe in him … [UB 195:10.6](my bold)
The Christian world is presently divided into many denominations, sects, and cults. The only hope of a unification of Christianity lies in a return to Jesus’ original gospel of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man. This is also part of our work. By our exclusive focus on Jesus’ actual teachings we will supply the foundation for the unification of the various Christian churches. And as this revival of Jesus and his original gospel comes to Christianity, many believers will then join our efforts to bring this gospel to the world at large. According to The Urantia Book this is the great hope of our world:
The great hope of Urantia lies in the possibility of a new revelation of Jesus with a new and enlarged presentation of his saving message which would spiritually unite in loving service the numerous families of his present day professed followers. [UB 195:10.16] (my bold)
What is this “saving message” that would spiritually unite the various Christian cults? It is Jesus’ original gospel of the kingdom, the good news that we are all sons and daughters of God, our loving heavenly Father, and brothers and sisters to one another. It is this simple gospel of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man that has the power to unite Christianity.
The kingdom Jesus taught is the Father’s will dominant and transcendent in the heart of the believer. We enter the kingdom by faith in Jesus’ teaching that God is our Father, and then by choosing to do our Father’s will. Jesus showed us the way to life in the kingdom with his two great prayers, “your will be done,” and “Not my will but yours be done.”
In his first appearance after the crucifixion Jesus made clear to his assembled followers that, “Sonship with God by faith is still the saving truth of the gospel of the kingdom.” [UB 193:0.4] He emphasized that what the world needs most to know is that we are all sons and daughters of God and through faith we may actually realize and daily experience this great truth. In our work we must always teach others to see themselves as sons and daughters of God, our loving heavenly Father.
Will our efforts succeed? Consider these prophetic statements from the revelators that outline both the history and future evolution of the religion of Jesus on our planet:
The teachings of Jesus, even though greatly modified, survived the mystery cults of their birth time, the ignorance and superstition of the dark ages, and are even now slowly triumphing over the materialism, mechanism, and secularism of the twentieth century. [UB 195:9.3] (my bold)
[The Christian] church is only the larval stage of the thwarted spiritual kingdom, which will carry it through this material age and over into a more spiritual dispensation where the Master’s teachings may enjoy a fuller opportunity for development. [UB 170:5.21] (my bold)
The following quotes are two of my favorites. They foretell victory over the powerful forces of materialism and secularism, and a wonderful new spiritual age to follow:
A new and fuller revelation of the religion of Jesus is destined to conquer an empire of materialistic secularism and to overthrow a world sway of mechanistic naturalism. [UB 195:9.2] (my bold)
Urantia is now quivering on the very brink of one of its most amazing and enthralling epochs of social readjustment, moral quickening, and spiritual enlightenment. [UB 195:9.2] (my bold)
So, let us go forward! We have our marching orders and the encouraging vision of our final triumph. We are to bring a new revelation of Jesus to our world, one that will undo the teachings about Jesus and replace them with the actual teachings of Jesus. Our work will spark a glorious new spiritual renaissance. We will awaken slumbering Christian believers to a more inspiring vision of Jesus and a deeper, clearer understanding of his original gospel. These newly awakened Christians will join our efforts to expand the true religion of Jesus to both the Christian and the non-Christian worlds.
This revival of Jesus’ original gospel of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man will also help to unite the various Christian churches. And a more unified Christianity will contribute to the worldwide acceptance of Jesus and his actual teachings. The religion of Jesus will eventually triumph and become the dominant world religion in the new and more spiritual age we are now approaching.
The requirements to be an effective teacher-leader are great and not all will attain the high level of spirituality required. However each person may participate in their own way up to the level they choose. Just as there were various levels of devotion in Jesus’ followers, so there will be various levels of participation by those who work for the new revelation. In large or small ways all may contribute to the coming triumph of the true religion of Jesus. For example, one easy and effective way to advance Jesus and his original teachings is to present The Life and Teachings of Jesus as a gift to family, friends, and to those in distress. I have done this for years with great success and genuine appreciation from those who received the book.
For those of you who truly feel this call to become a new teacher-leader, the first step is simple. You may enlist now by whole-heartedly affirming this choice to your Father within. Choose it, affirm it to God, and pray for his guidance and blessing.
Your initial training will focus on the first great requirement of becoming “spiritual men and women.” You must be born of the spirit and undergo the long spiritual assent through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and maturity, to that high estate wherein Jesus, through his spirit of truth, is enabled to live again in you. Essentially, this means you must consistently choose to do the Father’s will and increasingly show forth the fruits of his spirit in your daily life.
Remember, as new teacher-leaders we are called to both teach and lead. We teach by restating Jesus’ actual teachings and we lead by living those teachings. Just as “a picture is worth a thousand words,” it is our spirit-filled presence and our life example that will make our ministry truly effective.
So let us be the ones who fulfill The Urantia Book ’s prophecy of the coming of new teacher-leaders. Let us be the ones who answer the call to bring to our “dark and confused world” a new revelation of Jesus and a bright new spiritual renaissance.
Preston Thomas holds BA and MA degrees in philosophy from the University of Virginia. As an undergraduate Preston played varsity tennis and he was an NDEA scholar in graduate school. After college Preston worked for ten years as a private tutor for children with learning disabilities (dyslexia). In 1981 he founded the Einstein School, which provided one to one instruction for students with special learning needs, and he served as its director for 27 years. He has presented numerous Urantia related papers, and published the third edition of his book, The Life and Teachings of Jesus, which harmonizes the Biblical account of Jesus with The Urantia Book.