RAISING DISCIPLES FOR WORLD OUTREACH

 THE MISCONCEPTIONS  John 20:1-10 Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not un...

The Passion for Mission. "Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you." And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them, I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished." (Acts 22:1-5) Who says we have no job?   Who says we are lazy?   Who says we are not learned and well-equipped educationally?   Who says we are not well-fed?   Is there anyone who would accuse us of being without fo...

 THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION IN THE HOLY PLACE "From the time that the regular sacrifice [that is, the daily burnt offering] is taken away and the abomination of desolation is set up [ruining the temple for worship of the true God], there will be 1,290 days." — Daniel 12:11 AMP "But they set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it." — Jeremiah 32:34 Sometime in 2023, I wrote a blog on this topic from a completely different yet complementary perspective. At that time, it focused on the reckless drive of the church to maintain its financial status and fame, often by employing ungodly means of making money. This time, I want to address the abomination concerning the tenets of the Scriptures. Are you aware that here in Nigeria and in other countries, some famous and popular pastors are editing the Bible? I suspect that soon we will have a new Canonized and Contemporary Apostolic (Non-Pauline) version of the Bible. This proposed Bible w...

 WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR? Some months ago, during the presidential elections in Nigeria, there was a clamour among the Christian community for a Christian to rule Nigeria again, especially in light of the Muslim-Muslim tickets projected by the ruling party. A message from a Christian cleric went viral online, sharing his experience with both Muslim and Christian brethren. He was sent on a mission to another state in Nigeria for a pastoral assignment. One night, while still on his way, he joyfully approached a Christian church with a mission house. He introduced himself to the pastor in charge and expressed his desire to spend the night there. However, he overheard a heated argument between the pastor and his wife, who contended that she could not accept any stranger into the pastorium. Meanwhile, the cleric softly requested to spend the night in the church auditorium, but he was denied. His next point of call was a mosque, where he was gladly accepted and offered dinner. He slept joyfu...

  Crucify Him Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!” (Matthew 27:22-23) The definition and explanation of crucifixion is as follows: "Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution in which a person is nailed or tied to a large wooden cross and left to hang until death. This form of punishment was used by various civilizations, most notably the Romans, and was intended to be a public display of punishment and humiliation. In a historical context, crucifixion was often reserved for the most serious crimes, including rebellion and treason. The process was not only excruciatingly painful but also designed to serve as a deterrent to others." Crucifixion was not just a death; it was a slow form of death in which the victim endured excruciating pain that could last for hours or even days. Most importantly, th...

 LEAVE MR. LOT ALONE  Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran. Genesis 11:31-32 Apparently, Terah; Abram's father must have had some inner conviction and personal drive to leave the Ur of Chaldeans. He thought of the Canaan as the best destination. And obviously, he told his brethren he was going to Canaan. Unfortunately, he was unable to make it to his desired place. You know the situation when your expectations lie below your situation. The reality contradicts the dreams. Circumstances must have led him to settle for Haran. Sincerely, most people die in Haran on their way to Canaan. Ask most Israelites who left Egypt. If we could ask Moses, we would realise that the road to Canaan would consume most of the way...

The Challenge of Faith in a Cold World  "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 5:16 AMP How can I sustain this faith in these challenging times? Those who bribe their way are getting promoted. I have been abandoned and ostracized because I insist on doing things faithfully and legally. My peers are already in university, not because they are better than I am, but because they have greased the hands of the officials who graciously facilitated their easy access to higher education. My faith is already waxing cold because I am seen as a strange and insensitive person. Even the Church of God, which should be the arbiter and defender of faith, is marginalizing those labeled as "HOLIER THAN THOU." Even the congregation I pastored was unwilling to fellowship with me because I was perceived as insisting too much on the Bible. Today, ...

 One Church. One House. One Family. "This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14) Recently, my wife and I were discussing with a fellow brother who was expressing his displeasure at the state of the church today. He was just a brother and perceived "benchwarmer," but he carried much knowledge about the current state of the church and what he termed the end of the church era. He opined that the time is near when each house and family would run a church of their own, resembling the koinonia (house churches) of the early church. Well, we will see if his suggestion comes to pass. Sincerely, there are many things going wrong in today's churches, and there seems to be nobody strong enough to address these cankerworms. Most of these problems emanate from the large and multinational churches and famous pastors. For instance, churches are fiercely competing to expand thei...

The Necessity of Language Acquisition As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, "May I say something to you?" The tribune replied, "Do you know Greek? Aren’t you the Egyptian who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?" Paul responded, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people." And when the tribune had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. When there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying... (Acts 21:37-40). Aside from the 'immeasurable' grace that Apostle Paul carried, one of the things that made him excel more than any other apostle or disciple was his ability to switch between languages. Paul was fluent in the common languages of his time. He was not just an apostle to the Gentiles; he was a speaker of Gree...

T he Defender of Faith "Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." - Hebrews 12:14 I remember the time I lost while defending God. I wish I could recall those moments and lay myself at the feet of the Master, quietly and intently waiting for every instruction. I wish I had patiently waited on God and never spoken any word or acted in any way without His counsel. But I failed. My mouth was ahead of my heart. I hardly listened but was very swift to speak. Oh, I remember the years when I would castigate anyone who took recommended medication or went to the hospital, deeming them as lacking faith. I made those who were sick understand that every illness is an affliction from the devil. I shed tears when I reviewed my stance on women wearing trousers or jewelry as being daughters of Jezebel. A brother who wore jeans was not serious about his Christian life. Nothing should stop you—not even your esteemed work—from attending every churc...

Built to Last In Damascus, there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!”   “Here I am, Lord,” he answered.  [11] “Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.  [12] In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”  [13] But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.  [14] And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”  [15] “Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.  [16] I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” (Acts 9:10-16) The wisdom of God was shown when He sent Ananias to minister to Saul after the latter had an encounter with Jesus o...

 Understanding the Cultural and Belief System of the Host Community For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 ESV Understanding the cultural beliefs and practices of our host community is imperative to our success as missionaries. An open attack, sanctimonious attitude, and defiant condemnation of people's age-long practices would end the ministry and inf...

The Digital Church "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." Matthew 15:2 "And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." Luke 13:14 A certain bishop visited a junior priest's ministerial station on a certain Sunday. Being a 'custodian' of the divine ordinance and sacrament, after the service, he called the junior priest and assessed the service, saying: "For just thirty minutes of preaching, you asked people to shout hallelujah thirty times." The priest was baffled but summoned the courage to respond to the bishop: "Sir, how did you have time to count the number of hallelujahs being shouted?" Today, we are in the midst of ADVENTURE—a mixture of fun and mystery. Toda...

The Priority of the Missionary "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." 1 Corinthians 1:17. The fact that a missionary has received and been called correctly does not mean he will deliver the message certainly and correctly. He may have conceived the vision rightly and correctly, but challenges and circumstances may cause abnormal delivery, and he could end up frustrating the plan of God over his life and the people he has been called to raise for Christ. Paul said clearly that he has been called to PREACH, not to baptize others. Is baptism not important? Isn't it a Christian sacrament and an important aspect of the salvation experience? Yes. But to Paul, the most important thing is to PREACH and REACH men for Christ. Sincerely, a missionary can get it all wrong in the field, especially when he is more concerned about his personal image, giving reports , and the desire ...

 The emergence of the new priesthood order.  After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. Judges 2:10.  More than ever before, the multiplication of new ministers, or better still those who claimed they have been called by the Lord is alarming and somehow encouraging.  It is not uncommon today, that when a brother or sister led a fellowship in the Campus or happened to serve as executives, they ended up floating a church when they concluded their program. The automatic switch is necessitated by various factors: First, there is scarcely paid employment today. And the only thing that guarantees food on our tables is pastoral work (permits my ignorance). This doesn't demand prospective members to possess certain distinction or special certificates. No rigours of going through interviews and certificate screening. The only requirement is the claim, you have a call ...

Years ago, I was on the Twitter platform to make friends and preach the gospel of salvation. A man named Mark (or something similar) who had a Twitter handle and a #hashtag took interest in me and what I do for the sake of Christ. Unknown to me, he had raised several amounts of dollars for our cause, but unfortunately he did not pass it across to me. This became known to the group and many people left his group. Later, I was contacted by a woman who had secretly followed my activities on Twitter and other platforms. She took interest, perhaps due to her prayers about me and the things we do. She asked me to join her group and lead weekly chats on Missions and Discipleship. This platform was a way for her to draw attention to our mission activities and raise a substantial amount of money for us to remain focused on our assignment. I found it difficult to believe that any white person would trust the testimonies of a Nigerian, despite the corruptible nature and dispositions of some peopl...