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Why Should I Care About Theology?

Toye Akinoso
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Why Should I Care About Theology?
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One of the most daunting themes I’ve observed in my few short years as a Christian is how little most believers are impassioned to know the deep truths of God. Typically I often hear people share the sentiments of ‘theology just really isn’t for me’, ‘ I just want to love Jesus’ or ‘ isn’t theology just for pastors and preachers?’. This is a sentiment I’ve shared in the past and one which often comes from a good place, however, it is one which robs us from the joys of worshipping, beholding and magnifying God for who He is.

Everyone is a Theologian

We make theological statements every single day. We can’t avoid it. To say that theology doesn’t matter is to make a theological statement. Whether you have a BSc in systematic theology or whether you’ve never seen the inside of a Bible, you have theological views. It is inescapable. The word theology is made up of the words Theos (God) and logos (word), therefore theology simply means meaning “words about God”, “God-talk.” or “the study of God”. We all have views and opinions about who we believe God to be. To say that God is Love is to take a theological position and in a similar vein, to say that God doesn’t exist asserts a theological view. We all talk and think about God. What separates the believer from the atheist is how accurately our various theologies line up with God’s revelation of Himself as revealed in Scripture.

Theology is Transformative

I’ve often seen many people dismiss theology as this abstract discipline which has no effect on the day to day life of a believer. But on the contrary, biblical theology is the heartbeat of the Christian. True theology is not a theoretical exercise but a transformational practice. Knowing God and being known by God changes you. If your theology leaves you unchanged and apathetic towards God, then it is not biblical theology.

Your theological framework affects your worldview which in turn dictates how you live your life. If your theology leads you to the conclusion that God doesn’t exist and thus there is no life after death, then how you spend your 80 or so years on earth drastically changes. Alternatively, if you believe in God’s existence and life after death, how you spend your short time on earth becomes all the more important. In the same way, what you believe about God, His nature, His character and how He has revealed Himself in scripture, drastically affects not only how you live your life, but also how you worship, how you interact with God and interact with His people. None of which can be done rightly in the absence of correct theology. Let’s take the example of the sons of Aaron in Leviticus 10. The two sons tried to raise an offering to God which seemingly is a good thing and something they ought to be rewarded for right? The story plays a different tune. Although their motives may have been pure, because of their lack of knowledge of who God is, they gave an offering before God which was described as ‘foreign fire’ and consequently they were consumed by God’s fire.

This same issue is still present in many churches today. Due to apathy towards biblical studies and theology, many people, although their hearts are sincere, sincerely worship God in a way which is antithetical to the teachings of scripture. In some instances, some people end up worshipping a completely different god as opposed to the true God revealed in the scriptures. What you believe about God matters! What you think and believe about His nature and His desires for you affects every part of your life. We need theology to know God rightly and to also live rightly.

Loving theology is loving Jesus

As Kevin DeYoung brilliantly puts it, “those who say that ‘I don’t care about theology, I just love Jesus, don’t have either”. Loving Jesus and loving theology aren’t mutually exclusive options for a believer, the two are inextricably linked. Let’s imagine for a moment that I told you that I love mother, that she is my entire world and she’s all I care about. Imagine you were to ask what colour her hair was and I was unable to give a correct answer, you would very much question whether my affections for her were true! In a similar fashion, if you claim to love Jesus, you would not only want to make Him known but you would aspire to know Him. Not in a generic and vague sense, but to know Him intimately.

If you love Jesus, you will be able to explain why you love Him and what it is about Him that you love. Who is He? What did He accomplish? What does His resurrection mean? Why did He die? Who is His father? All of these are theological matters! Loving Christ and caring about theology are two sides of the same coin.

Theology should always end in worship

Theology may start in your head but it should end in your heart. True theology ends with you, savouring, cherishing and magnifying Christ. This is what we examine all throughout the Psalms, David when reflecting on what he learnt about God from the Prophets and the Torah, would fall on his knees and cry out in worship! Biblical theology ought to stir within us the same response. The more we immerse ourselves in biblical doctrines such as the imputation of Christ’s righteousness on us, the only true and right response is to fall on our feet and cry out ‘ABBA!’. As Matt Capps brilliant puts it :

Theology engages our emotions and shapes our living. It is not an exercise in head-scratching puzzles, but a discipline that should lead to heart-stirring emotions, which in turn leads to worshipful obedience in every area of life. It is by knowing God that we come to love Him, and by loving Him that we come to know Him.

Matt Capps

So should you care about theology? Absolutely. Not to become lofty in our intellect and wiser than the next man, but to instead grow in our understanding of God so that we can, powered by the Holy Spirit, reflect and conform to His image and His will. The pursuit of theology for the Christian is not an intellectual pursuit, it is pursuit to know Christ so that we can make Him known.

God’s Power In The Everyday

Joe Reeser
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God’s Power In The Everyday
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Your normal life is the most important thing about your leadership. If the people around you buy into something you can only produce once a year when the stars and planets are in perfect alignment, you won’t be followed for long. But when people buy into your normal, leading becomes like breathing—natural and life-giving. This means that creating your normal as a leader is the most valuable activity you can do. It’s your most rewarding investment. How do you normally handle finances? What about conflict? Do you take initiative? What about responsibility—do you own your mistakes? Time management? Self-awareness? You get the picture.

Perfection isn’t possible and will never be your normal.

So how do you deal with your imperfections? Do you cover them up through rabble-rousing (like a demagogue or emotional racketeer)? Or, instead, do you humbly and wisely admit your imperfections and surround yourself with other leaders whose strengths help cover your weaknesses?

The metaphor of an athlete is often used to discuss leadership performance. Although inspiring, one major difference makes this metaphor unhelpful: Athletes train every day to reach peak performance for a specified time and event. And life doesn’t work that way. Most of us are not judged by how we perform during a dozen specified events throughout the year. Our normal defines our performance.

Which means that our best days and our worst days are not what we need to be most concerned about. It’s our normal days that matter.

What does your normal look like?

By normal, I don’t mean unintentional. Normal is not the right word for that—sloppy, lazy, and haphazard are better words for unintentional. I mean the state you operate at when huge opportunities and massive setbacks are not fueling your actions.

Most of us rise to the occasion when faced with giant open doors or huge challenges… it’s the average day we struggle with. And it’s the average day we have the most of, which means we better be intentional about seizing it.

What you build as a leader is based on your normal moments, your average state of being.

You will manifest—in the lives of others, in the culture of your community, and in the systems and procedures that form around them—that which is typical for you.

If you tried to enforce your best day as the standard for everyone else’s normal day, people will see straight through it as the hypocrisy it is. Or, if you impose someone else’s best or normal day onto your community (which happens more than leaders are willing to admit when they use another leader’s ideas like a coat of paint over rotting plasterboard), the scent of inauthenticity can be picked up from miles away.

Quite simply, your best days and someone else’s strategies will never create lasting change. Your normal is the primary template in what you will build. The good news is this simplifies your life and leadership. Your primary task no longer feels like spending all your time, energy, and efforts seeking some magical leadership formula like hunting for the Holy Grail

Here’s the formula you need: Always start with you.

  • How are your normal study habits?
  • How is your normal prayer time?
  • How are your normal relationships?
  • How is your normal financial life?
  • How is your heart’s normal state? Humble or proud? Self-ambitious or God-submitted? Size-focused or fruit-focused? Integrous or cutting corners to get ahead? Image-first or substance-first?

Before we launched Ramp Church Manchester, one of my closest advisors and a seasoned church leader told me that if he could do his leadership journey again he would focus more on his heart and less on what he was building. He was trying to drive home the reality that you can’t build a healthy community or organisation from an unhealthy heart.

King Solomon expressed the same sentiment from his own leadership journey:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23 NIV; emphasis mine).

The Apostle Paul also practised this principle:

“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us… What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practise these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 3:17; 4:9 ESV).

Even modern life coaches shout about it:

“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently” (Anthony Robbins).

Have you ever tried to build something that you, yourself, didn’t even live? How did it work out?

My wife and co-pastor, Stacie, recently gave a powerful message on something we talk a lot about at Ramp Church: lifestyle leadership. It’s a great place to start in your journey of reshaping your normal to look, sound, and, most importantly, be a life others want to follow.

Stacie’s message, “5 Marks of a Life That Can Be Followed”, is available on all platforms: YouTube, Facebook, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else.

Are You Frustrated?

Matidaishe Mupfacha
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Are You Frustrated?
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Maybe you’re single, increasingly lonely, and nothing would make you happier than receiving that message from a special someone. Maybe you’re engaged and that wedding date just keeps being moved further and further down the year. Maybe you’re in a job you absolutely loathe and the job hunt is proving fruitless. Maybe you’re stuck in student halls, growing more irritable by the day because this is not what you envisioned for your first year of university. Maybe you’re sick of this pandemic. Maybe you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired.

In all of these maybe’s, there is one common feeling- frustration. It’s not necessarily a bad emotion, but if left unchecked, it’s confusing, consuming, and constricting. It is an emotion that breeds a multitude of negative thoughts and feelings. Some of the worst being doubt and discontentment.

Did God Really Say?

Doubt is defined as a hesitation to believe. It is a deadly deterrent to our awareness of God- and one of the strongest weapons in Satan’s arsenal. He uses it unsparingly and seeks every opportunity to plant it- take a look at what happened in Eden (Gen 3). When planted, you start asking yourself, “Did God really say, “I am with thee”? Did He really mean it when He said, “I can do far more abundantly than what you can ask or think?” Was He just phased out when He said, “Cast all your cares onto me for I care for you?” 

Doubt weakens us to extend our hand to our only lifeline. It creates iron-clad walls for us to not see Jesus and brings about some unknown bout of amnesia to the promises of God. It endorses the fear of the unknown when we could trust in the Creator of all knowledge. Doubt says, “God is not here”.

However, God is never absent, in fact, HE is the “I AM” (Exodus 3:14).  He is so near to the point where David, in an attempt to capture the depths of this closeness, says, “Even if I make my bed in hell, You are there” (Psalm 139:8). His existence itself is all-encompassing and self-sufficient. Apostle Paul asserts that all things, including us: come from, belong to, were made by, and exist through God alone (1 Corinthians 8:6). Some of us, like Thomas, want to see or feel physical results before we are willing to accept that His presence is more valuable than the answers we want to our questions.

You May Try To Run

Frustration breeds discontentment. We may run from God and seek other means to make us feel better or to forget about it. Weed, masturbation, pornography, alcohol, sleep, or a shameless binge of Friends on Netflix whilst scoffing down a tub or two of Ben and Jerry’s never hits the spot. We may even resort to live in Fantasy Land, where we relive past glories and loves.

All these means of escapism are short-lived. The pleasures they offer have a 100% dissatisfaction guarantee. They strip us of our joys and leave us naked and ashamed. It’s His grace that the emptiness we oft feel points to our need for Him and prayer is the instant vehicle that will transport all our sighs and groans right to His ears. Prayer is the applicator in which He rubs in a soothing balm on our frazzled, inflamed hearts.

The return of the prodigal son (Luke 15:17-24) is an embodiment of how we look when we come to Him in prayer. It is His grace that He waits on us, to come crawling to Him, when all has failed, to confess our brokenness, casting all our cares and anxieties on Him. It is His grace that He sees us from a mile off, runs towards us, receives us, forgives us with the readiness of a loving father, embraces us with such warmth it breaks down the walls of shame, and clothes us with robes of His love and favour. As Isaiah puts it, “His understanding is unsearchable” (Isaiah 40:28). 

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

You caused me to experience
many troubles and misfortunes,
but you will revive me again.
You will bring me up again,
even from the depths of the earth.

Psalm 71:20

Again I say, Rejoice

In the midst of our being frustrated on being held up at Stagnancy Station, God is still good to us. Rather than lay up in our one-man pity parties and bop to DJ WoEISMe’s latest set, we must recognise that our hearts are a gardening site – with God doing the work, anticipating the unveiling of His masterpiece that is producing all sorts of healthy fruit- namely patience, love, joy, faithfulness…etc (Galatians 5:22). These seasons that we experience are not for nothing. Once we submit to God’s purpose, only then will we realise the benefits of the work He’s doing and echo the same sentiments as David, “Who am I that you’re mindful of me!?” (Psalm 8:4).

 I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:11-13

Paul’s words here are not in vain. This was a man with every opportunity to scream and revel in frustration. However, he regarded all the trials he faced with pure joy because he knew the prize that awaited him in eternity was much greater than any shipwreck, beating, snake bite or imprisonment he could face on this earth. He had a great awareness of the transcendental nature of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection and what it meant for Him as a believer. He knew that in this life happiness was not promised. He knew the earthly life of a Christian was one of serious difficulty, one not left unmarked by frustrating seasons. But above that he chose to dwell on and set his thoughts on all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy— God’s promises (Phillipians 4:8). 

Be Still and Wait

With God, all things are possible to those who believe. God is the one who gives us the saving faith that we possess and HE is the one that is able to supply the faith that helps us hold on. We can freely cry out, ” Lord I believe but help my unbelief!” like the helpless, doubtful father in Mark 9. Pray for strength to wait on Him- as the Scriptures say, “He acts on behalf of those who wait on Him” (Isaiah 64:4). However, He acts according to His will, not ours. Therefore, we must be still and know that He is God who is all-wise and all-knowing, receiving all that He brings with thanksgiving and trust.

Preach the Gospel

Above all, preach the Gospel to your heart. The Gospel opens our minds to eternity, forgetting the fleeting interests of this vaporous life. The High King of heaven, who did not spare His Son, but sacrificed Him on the Cross for the sins of prodigals like us, in order for us to spend eternity with Him should speak volumes of His dedication to us. If He managed to do this, how will He not sustain us? How will He not keep His promises? How will He not give us all things when He has given us Himself? (Romans 8:32).

A Radical Call To Consecration

On Mission
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A Radical Call To Consecration

Joke: Whats do most religions have do during a recession?– They have to make sacrifices 

In the Bible the word consecration means “the separation of oneself from things that are unclean, especially anything that would contaminate one’s relationship with a perfect God.” Consecration also carries the connotation of sanctification, holiness, or purity.

The word consecration isn’t a commonly used word, but even so, we might have an existing concept about what it means. In religion, the word consecration has been used in relation to the official ordaining of a person to be a preacher, a priest, or a missionary. This use implies consecration is for a special category of people

But the consecration revealed in the New Testament is for every believer in Christ. It’s not something only for knowledgeable Christians or spiritually mature ones. In fact, as we’ll see, we cannot subjectively know the life of Christ in us or reach spiritual maturity without consecrating ourselves to the Lord. This is because consecration is the basis for every spiritual experience.

Reflection

  • Have we heard the word consecration before?
  • How were we introduced to the word? Do we think Christians think about the word enough?

There are two places we can see a clear call to consecration and what it may entail!

OLD TESTAMENT

In the Old Testament, a sacrifice was something set apart for God by being put on the altar. When people offered that thing to God, it no longer belonged to the one offering it. It belonged to God, for His use and His satisfaction.

The importance of being consecrated or pure in our relationship with God is emphasized in an incident in the book of Joshua. After forty years in the wilderness, the children of Israel were about to cross over the Jordan River into the Promised Land. They were then given a command and a promise: 
“Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you’” (Joshua 3:5).

Upon consecrating themselves, the children of Israel were assured of God’s promises. The Lord promised that He would do amazing things among them

Just as He opened the Red Sea to deliver them from their Egyptian bondage, He would open the Jordan River and take them into the Promised Land. In fact, this was just the beginning of the miracles God would perform for them in the conquest of the Promised Land. It’s no wonder the psalmist declares, “Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples” (Psalm 77:13-14)

Reflection

  • What is the connection between those in the old testament consecrating themselves and God doing amazing things with them?
  • What is the link between sacrifice and Gods move?

The Old-testament gives us a partial understanding of consecration. When we take a look at the new testament, we get an even clearer picture.

NEW TESTAMENT

Consecration is our giving ourselves to the Lord to become “a living sacrifice,” as Paul says in Romans 12:1: “I exhort you therefore, brothers, through the compassions of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.”

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).

The Bible tells believers to be a holy people, separate from the world: “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

Today, when we consecrate ourselves to the Lord, we become a living sacrifice. We give up our own claims on ourselves and put ourselves completely in His hands. Previously, our life was for our use and our satisfaction; now it is for His.

When we present ourselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice, we’re simply saying, “Lord Jesus, I am for You. I’m no longer for myself, the world, or anything else. I am for Your use and Your satisfaction.”

Reflection

  • How important is it for us to present ourselves to the Lord? 
  • Does it matter whether we do or don’t?
  • What holds us back from doing this? What does a consecrated life look like in Modern Britain? 
  • What are the benefits of consecration?

If we’re saved, we’ve taken the initial step of our spiritual journey. Thank the Lord for that! But we’ve only just begun. The next step for us is to consecrate ourselves to the Lord. When we do, we’ll be kept in God’s way, grow in His life, allow God to work in us, and enjoy the riches of His full salvation.

Conclusion

Whether we’re newly saved or we’ve been saved for a while, every one of us can give ourselves to the Lord. Even if we never heard of consecration, we can still present ourselves to the Lord right now. He is happy and willing to receive our consecration at any time!

Jesus Leaves The 99 to Find The One – Toye Akinoso

Toye Akinoso
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Jesus Leaves The 99 to Find The One – Toye Akinoso

One of the most remarkable things about the God we see in the scriptures is that He actively pursues the lost. There is no sin too great, no mountain too high, no distance we could run, that would discourage God from loving and pursuing us.

Listen to our Editorial Lead Toye Akinoso share the message of Luke 15, showing us God’s heart to find that which is lost.

Boris and Trump Need Our Prayers

Shumi Mararike
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Boris and Trump Need Our Prayers
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BREAKING NEWS: The President and First Lady of the United States have tested positive for COVID-19.

The response on social media has been fascinating, to say the least. The irony of it all does amuse me. I’ve found myself chuckling at memes and tweets over the past few days. But my laughter ceases when viewing posts where people are expressing their pleasure and celebration toward the news. This is wrong. Irrespective of your political synergies, as Christians, we must pray for our world leaders.

Why Should We Pray for Our World Leaders?

We may have many legitimate reasons to dislike our world leaders. They may fail to carry out their God-given authority to protect their people, praise what is good and punish that which is evil (Romans 13:3-4, 1 Peter 2:13-14). Their policies may be to your detriment. Their actions (or lack of) may be the cause of great pain and difficulty in your life.

If this is the case, why should we pray for our leaders? Firstly, God commands it. This alone is reason enough to warrant our intercession for them.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions,

1 Timothy 2:1-2a

God Has Ordained Their Authority Over You

God works through means. What I mean by this is that God accomplishes His purposes through people, things, natural events and so forth. Voting is one example of this.

As citizens of a country where democracy is upheld, you can go to your local ballot box and cast your vote for your preferred candidate/party. It is through this activity that God brings whom He has ordained to hold office. In other words, they are placed there by God through the choices we make on election day. Yes, that includes Trump and Boris.

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

Romans 13:1-2

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by Him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

1 Peter 2:13-15

By Me kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
by Me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.

Proverbs 8:15-16

Praying For Them is For Our Benefit

Praying for our world leaders is also for our benefit. A nation is largely shaped by the effectiveness of leadership. Strong leadership provides stability. When focused on administering justice and meeting the needs of their people, society as a whole strengthens. This ultimately pleases God as it is for our benefit and for His glory. Therefore, we must do all we can to help our leaders fulfil these duties with prayer being one of many ways we can do so.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,

1 Timothy 2:1-3

Some Prayer Points

It is imperative that we pray for our world leaders. Leading a nation is a mighty task at hand. How much more in a global pandemic? Let’s get on our knees and make intercession for them, so that they may:

  • Have wisdom and understanding – 1 Kings 4:34, 1 Kings 10:23, James 1:5
  • Be humble – causing them to lead cooperatively and collaboratively with authorities, MPs, senators, governors, Congress etc – Ecclesiastes 4:13
  • Health – that they may be physically well, also enabling them to lead effectively – 3 John 1:2
  • That they may fulfil their God-given duty over us – Romans 12:1-4, 1 Peter 2:13-14
  • Be saved – 1 Timothy 2:1-4

In the mighty and precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

Sharing Christ in a Non-Christian Culture

Shumi Mararike
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Sharing Christ in a Non-Christian Culture
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Secularism is on the rise. Hostility toward the Gospel of Jesus Christ continues to grow. Post modernism has had a cataclysmic impact on Western Europe, truth is no longer considered objective and absolute. What is the result? Scepticism toward any religion or worldview which claims to be the truth, refusing to bow the knee to subjectivity. Consequently, historic Christianity has been nudged out of the mainstream; we are living in a non-Christian culture.

Suppression of the Truth

This shouldn’t catch us by surprise. This cultural shift in the Western Europe has been in motion since the nineteenth century (subject to debate) and increased in velocity during the twentieth century. Paul’s epistle to the Romans traces the underlying issue further back than the nineteenth century, even predating the mid-first century Greco-Roman world in which he wrote. Humanity in its fallenness has been suppressing the truth since the beginning of time.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

Romans 1:18-19

How Do We Respond?

How is the Christian to navigate a culture which is resistant to their faith and made up people of who suppresses the truth? There are many possible responses but I’ve decided to narrow them down to three:

(i) Scold and Run

In all honesty, this is my reflex response. The state of our culture is a mess. Far too often I’ve viewed this as a licence to criticise and condemn rather than lovingly engage people with the Gospel. Just like every single believer God has saved by grace, I too was once like them. I formerly suppressed the truth of God, exchanging His glory for an incomparable image of my own choosing (Romans 1:22-23).

Romans 1:18-32 is universal. This was not a state into which some people were born into, but is the condition of the entirety of humankind. The only hope for this sorry state of affairs is the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit through the inherent, transformative power of the Gospel. (Romans 1:16)

Paul echoes the same message to Titus. We are to speak gently and kindly rather than throw insults. Be courteous and avoid quarrelling (Titus 3:1-2).

(ii) Accommodate the culture

To accommodate the culture is to deny that Jesus is the only way by which sinful persons may be reconciled unto God. Well this clearly isn’t an option either. Our options are whittled down to one.

(iii) Preach the Gospel

Irrespective of the cultural climate, our assignment remains the same. We have the great privilege of proclaiming the Good News. We can look to the example of Paul in the seventeenth chapter of Acts where he wonderfully modelled how to do so in a non-Christian context.

First century Athens was the intellectual hub of its day. It was a highly educated and cultured city, t home to Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Alexander the Great. Each passing day brought a new philosophy which captured the attention of the people. Nonetheless, Paul stood boldly and made an admirable evangelistic effort.  

16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 

(Acts 17:16)

The Greek likens this provocation in Paul’s spirit to a feeling of being gripped in his intestines. There was an anguish stirred within the apostle’s soul, yet it didn’t drive him to hurl insults at the Athenians. Contrastingly, he engaged in persuasive dialogue with the Jews, Gentile sympathisers and those at the market place (v.17). Undeterred by the hostility, his subject matter was unchanged: Jesus Christ and the resurrection.

This climax of his visit was his address to the Areopagus at Mars Hill and how he masterfully witnessed before this crowd. Firstly, Paul acknowledged what was commendable among the Athenian people. In expressing “I perceive that you’re very religious” (v.22), breaking the barrier of hostility. He then proceeded to direct his challenge toward their own assumptions, revealing to them the falsity of their gods and the reality of the Creator, Yahweh (v.23-29) to whom they were all accountable. (v.30).

Paul then arrived at the crux of his message, issuing a call to repentance, casting the spotlight upon the person, work and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What a noble effort, tactfully meeting his audience at their level of understanding whilst faithfully declaring the Good News. You may expect such a presentation to be met with great applause and numerous listeners flocking to him, but this wasn’t the case. Some scorned him, some were intrigued and a presumably lesser number believed and became fellow disciples of Jesus Christ (vv.32-34). Nonetheless, it is an example to follow and implement as we interact with our own non-Christian culture

It won’t be easy

The task ahead is formidable. We must continuously pray for the lost, knowing that effective evangelism begins on your knees. Great boldness is required. Let us learn from the greatest evangelist this world has ever seen. Let us lovingly engage our culture, not scolding the people or their beliefs but bridging the gap in order to point the lost toward the Truth Himself, Jesus Christ.

Living Faithfully in a New Environment

Shumi Mararike
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Living Faithfully in a New Environment
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September is always a month of new beginnings. New schools, new workplaces, new environments. As we embark on these new journeys, we’re confronted with numerous challenges. One in particular seems to emerge wherever we go: how do we navigate these new spaces as Christians without compromising our faith?

Maintain your integrity

Integrity is undoubtedly one of the most admirable attributes a person can have. To be a person of integrity is to have a consistency between your morals and your actions, whether in public or private. There are few greater tests to our integrity than when we find ourselves in a new environment among a sea of unfamiliar faces. Will you dance to the tune of the culture or remain steadfast in your God-given convictions?

This became a dilemma for Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego during the Babylonian exile. In possessing physical strength, skill and intellect, they were selected to be trained for service in King Nebuchadnezzar’s palace (Daniel 1:1-4).

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,

Daniel 1:8-9

The Babylonian’s attempts to lure them away from YHWH and their Jewish faith proved futile. No matter how great the food, education and new names they were given (Daniel 1:5-7), they remained true to their God and resolved to serve Him alone.

They declined the non-kosher foods before them (which had probably been sacrificed to idols), signifying a refusal to conform to the Babylonian cultural system. Their defiance demonstrated their willingness to live as God required of them as Hebrew men. They refused to compromise and chose the path of obedience toward God, knowing that this was for His glory and their blessing. To say yes to God and no to that which displeases Him is to express your contentment in Him.

Lawful but not helpful

With Daniel and the three Hebrew boys, their integrity was tested when asked to do things which God had explicitly prohibited. But what about those grey areas where scripture doesn’t speak directly on a matter? I don’t endeavour to present a list of some sort. This is because we mustn’t approach how we use our Christian liberty as a mere tick-box exercise. Rather than asking “How far can I get toward the edge of the cliff without falling off?”, we ought to ask some alternative questions guided by Scripture.

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

1 Corinthians 10:23

Why not ask yourself  “Does this edify me?” or “Is it profitable for my spiritual growth?” Will finding myself in certain environments and engaging in some behaviours facilitate my sanctification?

12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 

1 Corinthians 6:12

“Is there a chance that this may become a habit I am somewhat dependent upon, or worse, enslaved to?” This all requires serious consideration and prayer so that we may be prepared when put to the test.

All this isn’t to say that we should flee from secular spaces, nor am I suggesting that fruitful relationships cannot be developed with non-Christians. That would be absurd. I say this to encourage us not to be satisfied with shallow, minimalistic Christian living whereby we blend in with the world without completely camouflaging with it. Carefully treading the border of that which is permissible and impermissible. God has called us to so much more than this.

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 

Philippians 1:27

Although you may not be facing opposition as the Philippians were, you are accountable to God, your spiritual mentors and yourself. We must live in a manner that honours the Gospel. We must live as loyal, patriotic citizens of our heavenly Kingdom, sharing and living out the Gospel.

Living as Ambassadors

One of the worst things we can do is to run away from engaging with the community and people around us. This neglects our duties as ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). Although we do not identify by the world’s systems and conform to its ways, we are to be the sweet fragrance of Christ – diffusing the Gospel that is a pleasant scent of joy and life to the believer but defeat and death to the unbeliever. We are to be a loving people representing our Lord as we share the good news. This is why Christ prayed that His disciples may remain in the world, protected from Satan, but not be of the world.

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:15-17

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

John 17:15-16

Although we have a heavenly citizenship (Philippians 3:20a), we still have work to do in our schools, universities, workplaces or wherever God has placed us. Work diligently and to the glory of God honouring the opportunity He has given you whilst involving Him in all your labours (1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:23). Let’s also live as people with integrity, not abusing our liberty in Christ, but being His Ambassadors who faithfully live for Him irrespective of where we find ourselves.

Have You Forgotten Who Your Father Is?

M.T. Omoniyi
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Have You Forgotten Who Your Father Is?
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It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of life. It seems we have been surrounded by uncertainty and speculation for most of 2020. It’s at times like this we have to cling to the promises of our Lord. Throughout scripture, we see His promises being fulfilled over and over again and yet, we seem to spend so much of our lives worrying about tomorrow. Matthew reminds us not to worry about our lives. Why does he do that; because he walked with Christ and knew first hand of His love for His children and His promises fulfilled. Today we need to rejoice in His promise of peace, even in this worried world.

This week, our political leaders gave us a sobering reminder that the R-Number (rate of infection) for COVID is not falling but rising and a second national lockdown may again be inevitable. We have been here before, however, this does not make this news easier to hear. After months of danger for some, pain, heartache, where many of us have been faced with the reality of mortality, it is understandable that we may wish this chapter to draw to a quick conclusion.

Man is Made for Trouble

As someone who works in the news industry, I consume a very large amount of news every day and every week. I obsess over the minutia and the politicking that surrounds current affairs. I get to see the brokenness of the world, up close, every day.

As I sat meditating over the weekend, I was able to zone out for a few hours, this is a luxury in my line of work. Whilst I did this, I looked at the last few months and concluded that the only way I could describe them was by comparing the months to a small boat lost at sea during a fierce storm. We have been chucked to and fro by the winds; moments of stillness abruptly heckled by yet more winds, waves and unrelenting dizziness. We have truly been through it these last few months. There was another man in the Bible who saw something similar.

Eliphaz, Job’s friend in advising him put it this way, ‘man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward’ (Job 5:7). Trouble is certain and uncompromising. Life is dangerous. There is nothing more certain than the fact that we are all going to die. According to Our World, Our Data: 1 billion people have died in wars over the years, 60 million people die every year, 15 million from heart disease, about 10 million die from cancer, 15,000 children die every day, 4000 die every day in car accidents. 50 million people died in the Spanish flu epidemic 1918 and in the Black Death during the 1300s, a reported 75 million people died. In John Kelly’s book, The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, where he explores some of the things people where going through as they sought to make sense of what was happening.

Here is what he said

“After watching packs of wild dogs paw at the newly dug graves of the plague dead, a part-time tax collector in Sienna wrote, ‘This is the end of the world.’ His contemporaries provided vivid descriptions of what the end of the world looked like, circa 1348 and 1349. It was corpses packed like lasagna in municipal plague pits, collection carts winding through early morning streets to pick up the previous day’s dead, husbands abandoning dying wives and parents abandoning dying children for fear of contagion, and knots of people crouched over latrines and sewers inhaling the noxious fumes in hopes of inoculating themselves against the plague. It was dusty roads packed with panicked refugees, ghost ships crewed by corpses, and a feral child running wild in a deserted mountain village. For a moment in the middle of the fourteenth century, millions of people across Eurasia began to contemplate the end of civilization, and with it, perhaps, the end of the human race.”

John Kelly | The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death

We can only imagine the terror that occupied the hearts of the people who were exposed to that. We can be thankful in the providence of God to be living in a time where we aren’t exposed to death and decay on this scale. What we face now would be considered in comparison to that, a very minor concern. And yet, because you have an entire world of people cut off from any eternal hope, everything becomes fearful to them. For those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, who have no true hope after death, it’s reasonable to fear, it’s reasonable to be concerned about death and because they face, as we know, divine judgment and eternal punishment.

Who is Our Father?

But what about the family of God? How do we respond to these things? How can we be the rock and the safe place and the protector and the helper of those around us? How do we respond, and what is our perspective to be? As the UK faces another lockdown, what should our response be to these things? Was Job’s friend right? Are we just made for trouble? Should we just bite our lips, grit our teeth and brace ourselves?

The Word of God is clear on this, so I want to encourage you with some things from the Word of God. This is God speaking to us.

“The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble; and those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” –Psalm 9:9-10

“Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.” – Psalm 32:5-7

“One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.” – Psalm 27:4-6

“Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.” – Psalm 32:5-7

“The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. But the Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.” Psalms 34:17-21

“But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble.” – Psalm 37:39

“Because the Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who take refuge in Him.” – Nahum 1:7

“I sought the Lord and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them. O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! O fear the Lord, you His saints; for to those who fear Him there is no want. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; but they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.” – Psalms 34:4-10

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.” – Psalm 50:15

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.” – Psalm 46 1-3

“My heart is in anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me. I said, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.’ Behold, I would wander far away, I would lodge in the wilderness. I would hasten to my place of refuge from the stormy wind and tempest.” – Psalms 55:4-6

“Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” – Psalm 55:22

This is Our Father

This is the protection promised to God’s people, and God repeats it again and again and again in the Bible. When we come to the New Testament, Jesus demonstrates this same care and compassion for people who are afraid and scared in the first of the synoptic Gospels, Matthew, in chapter 6. The Lord is gathering a new people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people for His own possession, and to them, He promises blessings, blessings to the faithful. This is the new people, the people that belong to the Lord, and He makes promises to them, and part of the list of promises comes in verses 25-34 of Matthew 6.

Three times in that passage Jesus says don’t worry, don’t worry. He actually says, “Don’t worry, stop worrying, and don’t start worrying,” by changing the form of the verb. If you’re worrying, stop. If you’re not yet worrying, don’t start. And just generally, don’t worry, don’t be anxious.

Rather than focus on the times we are in, focus on the Father. God is your Father, and God takes care of those who are His own.

Does Science Disprove God’s Existence?

Shumi Mararike
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Does Science Disprove God’s Existence?

“Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.” This assertion was made in a petition calling for the removal of creationism from the Welsh curriculum signed by leading scientists, secularists and some ministers. Embedded within it is the idea that believing in a God who brought the world into existence gives way to ignorance and wishful thinking. There is a suggestion that you can’t arrive at this conclusion in a scientific manner. Newsflash: you can. As believers, we needn’t take a leap of faith and hope for the best when it comes to God’s existence explaining the origins of the world. There’s no need to wave our white flags to evolutionary theories. Take heart, Christian, you can use the same scientific tools of reason and logic to prove God’s existence to both yourself and sceptics.

The Shortcomings of Macro-Evolution

At times it feels as though evolution (specifically macroevolution) is inscrutable when called it into question. Well, it’s not even that, it’s inadequate in explaining the origins of life on earth. Macroevolution concerns large scale biological changes. Darwinists believe that all life is genetically related and we are all descendants of a common ancestor. This would require there to have been a single-celled organism which evolved over time, eventually possessing enough genetic information needed for a human being.

In his book Darwin on Trial, Philip E. Johnson launched a shattering critique on evolutionary theories, quoting many theorists themselves. Johnson mentions:

  • The limited range of genetic variation in each living thing. This seriously restricts the amount of variation that can be produced, posing problems for the extent of variation claimed to have taken place by many Darwinists.[1]
  • The vastness of mutations required to produce complex organs such as a human eye or a bird’s wing could not have occurred in small mutations accumulating over thousands of generations because the individual parts of the organs are useless unless the whole organ is functioning.[2]
  • The fossil records also undermine the credibility of macroevolution.[3]

Kofahl and Segraves calculated that the probability of life arising spontaneously (as affirmed in the idea that the single-celled organism developed overtime) to cover the whole earth is 1.2 x 10 -11  – a one in 80 billion chance.[4]

Attributing the complexities of biology to spontaneous generation is less rational than believing it is the work of a designer who brought the world into existence and sustains the precise conditions to prevent its destruction, thus preserving human life. We call this Designer, God.

Does God Exist?

St. Augustine of Hippo examined God’s existence by setting out four theoretical options for reality as we encounter it:

Reality as we encounter it is

  • an illusion
  • self-created
  • self-existent
  • created ultimately by something else which is self-existent

Reality is not an illusion, ruling out option one. Self-creation is false by definition. For something to create itself, to be its own creator and to be an effect that is its own cause, it must have existed before it existed. This violates the law of non-contradiction and also fails as an explanation.

This leaves the final two options: self-existence or creation by a self-existent being. There is nothing illogical with something that is self-existent and eternal – an uncaused thing.

Law of Causality

The law of causality is widely misunderstood. Though one of the greatest philosophers to ever live, John Stuart Mill erroneously defined it. According to Mill, if everything requires a cause, then God would require a cause, and whatever caused God would also require a cause. The classical (and correct) understanding of causality is that every effect must have an antecedent cause. What is an effect? – something that has been caused by something. Only things which are made have an effect.

So what does this mean for the Big Bang Theory? The Big Bang is often described as a point of singularity where all that existed was matter and energy in the universe (about 13.8 billion years ago). At some point, this point of singularity exploded, producing the matter and energy in the material universe today. However, this is implausible as revealed when we take a trip down memory lane into our CGP Physics textbooks. Newton’s First Law of Motion (inertia) states that an object will remain static or in motion, unless an external force acted/acts upon it. Moreover, the second law of thermodynamics demonstrates that everything is becoming increasingly disorganised, rendering it impossible that everything previously existed highly organised in a point of singularity. Before we ask “what caused God?”, we ought to ask “what caused the Big Bang?”

Back to the Law of Causality, only effects require a cause. This perfectly fits the mould of the Christian doctrine of creation. Unlike the universe, God is eternal and unchanging (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17), therefore not requiring a cause because He possess the power of being within Himself. This self-existent, eternal something must be personal. It must be an intelligent and personal being because unintelligible and impersonal beings cannot bring about something with the design such as the universe. This is how scripture describes God; a Being who is transcendental (in a class of His own) and immanent (personal and actively involved in sustaining the universe). This all lends itself nicely to St. Thomas Aquinas’ traditional proofs for the existence of God.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

Exodus 3:14

6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

Malachi 3:6

Belief in the God who created the world ex nihilio (out of nothing) is a more rational explanation for origins than any evolutionary theory. Let’s engage sceptics with this more credible explanation. But as we do so, we cannot forget to pray for them. God has as given us a general revelation of Himself through nature (Psalm 19:1-2; Romans 1:19-21) and the inner sense of God (Acts 14:14-17). It is sin which blinds people from acceptance of these truths (Romans 1:18). So we must continuously pray for unbelievers that God will open their eyes and soften their hearts to these truths, that He may save them from their sin by bringing them to believe in Him.

[1] Johnson, pp. 15–20

[2] 30. Johnson, pp. 32–44.

[3] Johnson, pp. 73–85,

[4] Kofahl and Segraves, The Creation Explanation pp. 99–100.

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