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Three Things To Consider Before You Join a Church.

Chude Obuaya
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Three Things To Consider Before You Join a Church.

Looking for a new church is hard. Whether you have been in church all your life or are new to the family, finding a local assembly that you can call home can be daunting. With the Church seemingly plagued with scandals, it can be hard to view the local church as a place that you can commit to. Whilst the Church is not perfect, it is still beautiful and is the manifestation of God’s covenant commitment to those that put their faith in Jesus (Ephesians 5:25, Revelation 19:7-9). The local church is the physical representation of a spiritual reality. Committing to a local church is vital because you declare that as Christ has committed to a people, so will I. The aim is not merely attending a church as a bystander but committing to a church as a member. There are many things to ponder before joining a church, but here are 3 for your consideration.

Qualified Leaders


In the bible, Paul wrote to two pastors: Timothy and Titus. In these epistles, he instructs these pastors to only appoint qualified men to the role of Elder (1 Timothy 3:1-6, Titus 1:5-9). These qualifications have not been left a secret, neither are they subject to review or modification. These qualifications given by Paul, come straight from the mind of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The role of an Elder is not one to be taken lightly. It’s not for men who are gifted in speech or likeable in personality. Whilst these traits are not necessarily negative in isolation when they are elevated above the necessary character required to lead God’s sheep disaster will surely follow. You don’t have to look far to see the numerous pastoral failures that have occurred in the past year alone. When you become a member of a church, you’re entrusting the pastor with your soul (1 Peter 5:2-3). Don’t you want to ensure that they are qualified for the role? Before joining a church, ask what the process is for appointing elders. Does it match what the bible demands?

Consistent Fellowship


The book of Acts marks the inauguration of the Church. Christ has ascended, and the Spirit has descended and filled all those who trust in Jesus (Acts 2:1-4). Upon being filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter is emboldened and preaches the gospel to the people present in Jerusalem (Acts 2:14-36). This gospel presentation leads many to receive the gift of salvation and trust in Christ (Acts 2:37-41). These new converts devote themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, food, and prayer (Acts 2:42). This is how the first local churches began, does the church you’re considering compare? Your local church experience shouldn’t be limited to 2 hours on a Sunday. If the local church is a physical representation of the global Church, then you’re committed to one another daily. The news converts in Acts devoted themselves to daily fellowship (Acts 2:46). How seriously does your prospective church treat fellowship?

Patient Discipline


Last year, a letter from a church enacting discipline on one of its members went viral. A short perusal of the comments showed the outrage of people against this church. From the comments, it seemed unimaginable that someone could be excommunicated from their local gathering. Isn’t the church meant to be open to everyone? Aren’t we meant to love people no matter what they do? The comments displayed that there appears to be a gross misunderstanding of what church discipline is and what it is meant to accomplish. The Church is God’s bride. God redeems sinners through the sacrifice of His Son. All those who put their faith in Jesus are grafted into the Church. Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice so that the Church could be presented to Him as holy and blameless (Ephesians 5:27). This means that sin cannot be tolerated within the church. That doesn’t mean that we will not fall short. It does mean that when we do fall short there are processes in place to restore the believer in gentleness and patience (Galatians 6:1). However, there are those who wish to remain unrepentant. There are those who wish to remain in their sin after multiple warnings and admonishments (Matthew 18:15-17). In this case, it is the duty of the church to remove such a person from church membership and consider them an unbeliever (1 Corinthians 5:11-13). Why? A little leaven leavens the whole batch (1 Corinthians 5:6). In other words, sin is prone to corrupt even the most faithful of believers. Church discipline has a two-fold effect. 1) It alerts all those who seek to remain in sin, that sin is not tolerated here. Repent and trust in Jesus. 2) it encourages the believer, especially those who have been abused. It says we won’t tolerate sin of any kind. You are safe here. Does the church you seek to attend take discipline seriously?

No church will be perfect, but churches can be faithful. As you look for a church, ensure your criteria match what the scriptures prescribe. It will do your soul so much good.

How to Disagree Well, Without Losing Your Convictions

Chude Obuaya
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How to Disagree Well, Without Losing Your Convictions

During the lockdown, it seemed like everyone was online. New social media platforms such as House Party and Clubhouse quickly rose in popularity, as many saw these new apps as an opportunity to discuss and debate important topics. Christians quickly saw these platforms as opportunities to engage with friends and strangers on various issues that were prominent within the Church. However, what often began as fun debates eventually descended into slander and in-fighting. Nowadays, there don’t appear to be as many online debates, perhaps many were discouraged by the way covenant brothers and sisters were speaking to one another. Is there a way to disagree well, without losing your convictions?

Passion or Rude?

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to debate. I love engaging with various ideas. I love engaging with people who are passionate about the ideas that they believe in, whether I agree with them or not. However, it can be difficult to determine whether someone is passionate or rude. The style which people utilise in a debate can make it even more difficult to determine. Some debate loudly, others quietly. Some are confrontational in their approach; others are more reserved. The style in which one chooses to engage in a debate isn’t always indicative of whether they are displaying the respect that one should. Instead, we must work hard to distinguish between passion and rudeness. Here are some things to consider:

Debate With Love


1. 1 Corinthians 13:7 says “[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things”. It is un-Christlike to immediately jump to the worst possible conclusion when engaging in debate. When you debate or discuss with friends or strangers, do you immediately assume the worst about their intentions?
2. An adage goes “People are equal, ideas are not”. When engaging in discussion or debate do you or the person, you’re debating with attack the person or the idea? Every human is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27; 9:6). What you say of people may be indicative of what you think about God and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, or debates (Matthew 12:34)
3. Finally, you are not your ideas. I think this point might be the most important to consider. Some topics are more volatile than others and engaging in certain debates does require much wisdom and discretion. When engaging in any topic it is vital to remember ideas are not people. Godly people can hold ungodly ideas. These ideas need to be challenged. But we must be sober enough that we can be the ones challenged too. When we are, how we respond is very telling. Do we hold our ideas more closely than we ought to?

Slow to Speak


Whilst many suggestions can be given to assist us in arguing better, I think one instruction from scripture can be the guiding principle that encapsulates all I’ve stated – be slow to speak (James 1:19). When engaging in a debate, especially one you’re knowledgeable about it, it can be easy to become overbearing and rude. But we can combat this by just slowing down. No matter how wrong your opponent is, whilst they may be your enemy; they are always your neighbour. Jesus calls us to love our neighbours always (Matthew 22:38-39). Let’s have this in mind when we next debate and we will be sure to disagree well.

The resurrection of Jesus: did it really happen?

Shumi Mararike
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The resurrection of Jesus: did it really happen?

If Jesus did not resurrect from the dead, then Christianity is false. We have believed in vain, and are to be most pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:14; 19). Therefore, we need to evaluate the evidence and know whether it happened or not.

What are some of the key claims about Jesus’ death and resurrection and how can we know that he really did rise from the dead?

1. Jesus died by crucifixion

Crucifixion was a common form of execution used by the Romans. The crucifixion of Jesus is reported in both Christian sources (Matthew 27:32-56; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23:26-49; John 19:17-37) and non-Christian sources. Josephus wrote “When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men of the highest standing amongst us, had condemned him to be crucified…”[1] Tacitus wrote of how “Christius, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberus at the hands of one of the procurators, Pontius Pilate.”[2] On the basis of Christian and non-Christian sources, we know that Jesus of Nazareth died by crucifixion.

2. The tomb was empty

Firstly, both biblical and non-biblical sources record claims that the tomb was empty. Early critics accused Jesus’ disciples of stealing the body (Matthew 28:12-13; Justin Martyr, Trypho 108; Tertullian, De Spectaculis 30). Ironically, this implies that the tomb was empty because if there was a body in the tomb then there would be no need to attempt to account for a missing body.

Secondly, the primary witnesses to the empty tomb were women. In the 1st-century Jewish and Roman world, a woman’s testimony was discredited and considered equal to that of a robber (Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 1.8). On account of this, if the gospel writers invented a story to persuade people that Jesus had resurrected from the dead, they would not include women as the primary witnesses to the empty tomb. Therefore, the gospels would not feature women as the first witnesses to the empty tomb unless it really happened.

3. People claimed to see the risen Jesus

Furthermore, people claimed to see the risen Jesus shortly after his death.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

The passage above contains a creed – a concise summary of the Christian faith. Creeds were the best way to preserve important information in a format which could be easily memorised. This is a reliable source as 1 Corinthians was written in 55-56 AD, just over twenty years after Jesus’ death. Additionally, many scholars date this creed within two to eight years of Jesus’ death. Paul indicates that he previously passed on it on to the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), which suggests that he received it from the disciples Peter and James when visiting them in Jerusalem three years after his conversion (Galatians 1:18-19). Accordingly, the early date of the creedal statement rules out the possibility of the claims of Jesus’ resurrection being an evolved legend.[3]

4. Lives were transformed

Lastly, the conversion of sceptics suggests that the disciples’ claims to have seen the risen Jesus were true. Saul of Tarsus (the apostle Paul) was a relentless persecutor of the church who suddenly became a follower of Jesus (Acts 9:1-19; 22:6-21; 26:12-18). James, the brother of Jesus, was a sceptic during Jesus’ life (Mark 3:21; John 7:5). He was also converted and became a pious Jewish believer and a leader at the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:12-21; Galatians 1:19). These conversions are significant as they demonstrate that the claims of a resurrected Christ were not fictitious tales to comfort Jesus’ followers. They were also the assertions made by Jesus’ enemies and sceptics who also claimed to see the risen Christ (1 Corinthians 15:7-8).

Proclaiming Jesus’ resurrection led to the execution of the apostle James (Acts 12:1-2), James the brother of Jesus (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 20.200), Peter, and Paul (1 Clement 5:1-7; Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 2.25, 5-6). Although religious devotees die for causes they believe to be true, the death of the witnesses to the resurrection is different. They were the ones who knew directly whether the “cause” they promoted was a fabrication or a real experience – and no one dies for a lie they know to be a lie![4]

As the evidence is weighed up, the resurrection of Jesus is the best explanation for the aforementioned facts. He is risen, hallelujah! We have a living hope (1 Peter 1:3) and assurance that the Christian message is true. This is good news to celebrate and share today.

[1] Josephus, Antiquities 18.64 Jospehus in Ten volumes, vol. 9, Jewish Antiquities, Loeb Classical Library, Louis H. Feldman, trans. (Cambridge, Mass; Harvard University Press, 1981)

[2] Cornelius Tacitius, The Annals 15.44 (c. A.D. 115)

[3] John Dickson, Is Jesus History (The Good Book Company, 2019), 140

[4] Dickson, 142

Hedonism: The Pursuit of Joy

Chude Obuaya
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Hedonism: The Pursuit of Joy

If you pay close attention to the news or social media, you are sure to find the things that divide us as humans. Whether it is a political position or a football team, there is seemingly an emphasis on how different humans are. However, there is much that we all have in common. One of these things is joy. Humans were created for joy (Psalm 96:11), namely joy in God and what He has made. We seldom choose activities to partake in that we don’t derive joy in. Even the necessary activities (such as work) that we partake in are for future joy (our wages). As with everything, sin corrupts what was made for our good and God’s glory. What Paul describes in Romans 1 is a problem that plagues all humanity, we’d rather derive joy in what God has made apart from the God who made it. The Bible defines this problem as idolatry. So how can we pursue joy in such a way that doesn’t make us neglect God as the object of our joy?


God vs Stuff


In our technological age, we are consistently inundated with entertainment. Whether it’s social media, streaming platforms or facetime, there are abundant opportunities to pursue joy. Often, when topics like these are raised two sides are quickly established – it’s either God or stuff. On the surface, they appear to be fair opponents. It is easy to elevate stuff to the neglect of the God we ought to have above all (Exodus 20:3-4). However, it is also possible to have God in His rightful place to neglect what He has made. This position is also wrong. Whilst one position promotes idolatry, the other promotes Gnosticism. One concept of Gnosticism proclaims that only good can be found in the spiritual, whilst evil is found in the material. These two positions present a false dichotomy, you must choose God or His stuff. God doesn’t give us such a choice to make. Instead, we ought to declare over creation what God did – that it is good (Genesis 1:31). And whilst creation has been tainted by sin, God’s final word over creation is not destruction but redemption (Romans 8:20-21). To pursue joy biblically is not to separate God from His creation and choose one. Instead, to pursue joy biblically is to enjoy creation in all its goodness and for this joy to resound in praise and glory for the Creator (1 Timothy 6:17).

Enjoying God’s Creation


Secular/Sacred Divide


There always seems to be an event, tv show or song that sparks debate amongst Christians. Christians are called to be holy (Leviticus 20:7, 1 Peter 1:16), so these debates are warranted, and careful consideration is necessary. Some Christians want to be instructed at each juncture as to how to be holy, whilst others want to use their freedom without considering their neighbours. I think Romans 14 can be helpful for us. “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it is unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:13-17). In Romans 14, Paul here is detailing how believers ought to handle disputes. It is unlikely that believers will be united on how to best use their God-given freedom. Believers can be joined on not using their freedom as a stumbling block to the “one for whom Christ died” (Romans 14:15).

Pursue Joy in Peace


We will have different theological convictions on how to pursue joy best. Our position on engagement with a particular form of entertainment is not a universal position for all believers. Before you decide to DM that brother or sister, ensure that you’re not making a personal conviction, a corporate one (Romans 14:23). If a fellow believer is pursuing joy in such a way that violates biblical command, correct them gently so that they are more readily able to hear you (Galatians 6:1). One day we will have unbroken and unending joy that is untainted by sin. But we do not have to wait for glory to taste what we were created for. God in His kindness has given us all things for our enjoyment, don’t let sin rob what Christ has redeemed.

Supporting loved ones in tough times

Shumi Mararike
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Supporting loved ones in tough times

Sometimes, Christians can be the most emotionally unintelligent people you meet. This may deter our friends and loved ones from sharing their troubles with us, in the fear that we would not understand or be helpful in our responses. So how can we do better to support our loved ones in tough times?

Be present

Firstly, we must be present with our loved ones. Pain and loss often bring a pervasive feeling of loneliness. Therefore, by being present, we show our loved ones that they are not alone. Our presence is a reminder that they are surrounded by people who care for them, and are with them in their trials. Be emotionally present by carrying their burdens and weeping with them (Galatians 6:2; Romans 12:15).

Be physically present by visiting them regularly. But don’t feel pressure to find the right words to say. Sometimes your silent presence expresses more than words spoken, and is a powerful display of your support (Job 2:13). Therefore, just be present where you can.

two women having a conversation

Listen to them

Secondly, we must listen to our loved ones. The nature of their trials may raise several questions and place heavy burdens on their hearts. However, we must resist the urge to quickly jump to solutions, attempting to answer every question and address every weight on their heart.

Speaking before listening is foolish (Proverbs 18:13). Sometimes people just want to be heard. In simply listening, you allow them to verbalise their feelings and make sense of their emotions. This validates their feelings and can be cathartic. There is a time to be silent and a time to speak (Ecclesiastes 3:7). So slow down and listen.

Pray for them

Furthermore, our loved ones need us to pray for them. Pain can cripple a person to the point where they are unable to muster the strength to come to God in prayer. Therefore, don’t just pray for them, but pray with them. Pray that they will feel God’s nearness in their despair. Pray that He will heal their pain (Psalm 147:3) and comfort them in their mourning (Matthew 5:4; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

Remind them of God’s promises

Additionally, when facing trials, your friend needs you to dispel the lies of the Satan with the truth of God’s word.

Be sure to remind your loved ones:

  • God will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5) – God is with you.
  • God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1) – In the tough times, God is protecting you.
  • Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5) – Your sorrow will not last forever, you will rejoice again.

Our loved ones need us most in their darkest hour. By being present, listening to them, praying for them, and reminding them of God’s promises, we can begin to provide the love and support they need.

When sharing the word, don’t forget to live by it.

D. W. Brown
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When sharing the word, don’t forget to live by it.

Have you ever found yourself in a moment of self-awareness, when you realise that while you are trying to share the gospel and tell lost people about Jesus, you yourself aren’t really living as if the message is true? It can feel like an unsettling paradox, and it can lead to real discouragement. 

I can certainly identify with this.

In this article I want to share three brief thoughts, about why it is so important to remember that while you share the word, you must also live by it.

Zeal to share flows from authentic faith

There is a clear correlation between the authenticity of one’s faith and the effectiveness of their witness. When we are walking closely with God, and therefore more intimately sensing his work in our lives, then speaking about what he has done for us comes a lot more naturally. In fact, in these seasons there can be a wonderful excitement about sharing what God has done for us, and that is how it should be.

In Matthew 12, we read that Jesus said, “From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (v34) In other words, whatever we are most captivated by, we find the easiest to speak about. I could talk for hours about Chelsea Football Club, with great passion and conviction because I love the club (despite this tragic season). The principle is the same – when we are actively spending time in the word and in prayer, seeking to know God more deeply, it leads to increased affections for Him, and in turn increased zeal to tell others about Him.

Words without actions are unconvincing

Another thing to consider is the danger of weakening your witness through actions which contradict your words.

If you have a non-Christian friend and you tell them of the ways in which Jesus has changed your life, but the next day they observe you acting exactly the same as you used to, or in a way that the rest of the secular world does, it doesn’t give your words a lot of meaning. Future attempts to speak about Jesus to that friend could be met with scepticism, because of the disconnect between what you said and how you acted.


I remember learning the hard way at university, when I was speaking to a friend about the Christian worldview and he pointed out that some of my behaviour he had witnessed was inconsistent with that. “Actions speak louder than words” is so often true.

Hypocrisy is dangerous

For me, one of the most striking pictures that Jesus painted was that of a man with a log in his eye pointing out that someone else had a speck in theirs’ (Matthew 7) It’s a picture of hypocrisy.

Hypocrisy is rarely deliberate, and it can creep in subtly, but Jesus is clear that it is serious. We need to be careful that in our attempts to share the gospel we aren’t rebuking people for actions and attitudes which we ourselves are guilty of at the same time.

Our witness should always come from a place of humility, acknowledging that we are all hopeless sinners in need of a saviour.

While writing this I’ve been convicted to examine my own spiritual life, to think about whether I’m really living out what I’m seeking to share with others.

Let me encourage you to take a moment to do the same. I pray that each of our hearts would be so captivated by God’s grace that we can’t help but authentically share what he has done for us.

How can we make the Asbury revival a constant in our lives

Emmanuel Oganla
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How can we make the Asbury revival a constant in our lives

“Revival is a renewed conviction of sin and repentance, followed by an intense desire to live in obedience to God. It is giving up one’s will to God in deep humility.” – Charles Finney

A term most Christians would be familiar with is revival which means to awaken something lifeless. Every believer can identify with revival because that’s essentially what happened to our spirits at the point of our salvation. God’s greatness in mercy and love caused us who were dead in our trespasses to be made alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5). The outcome is a conviction about sin, repentance and living humbly before God by giving up our will for his Acts 2 and the Asbury Revival are amongst monumental moments in history commonly defined as revival. The point of this article is to explore these events and explore how we can make revival a constant in our lives.

Revival in Pentecost

The presence of God, the word of God and unity amongst believers set the precedence for revival and Acts 2 is a clear picture:


When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them

Acts 2:1-4


The believers were completely united, and the Holy Spirit was experienced in a way that empowered the believers to be witnesses as Christ promised in the previous chapter (Acts 1 4:8). Being empowered by the presence of God, Peter spoke God’s word and as Acts 2:37 puts, ‘the people were cut to the heart’ (Convicted). They then asked what they shall do, and Peter’s rebuttal in the following verse was ‘repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’.

The Holy Spirit is the presence of God that ushers in new life, as the breath of God made woke Adam in the garden, the Holy Spirit wakes us. Revival is also characterised by masses coming to faith and it was no different in Pentecost as 3,000 were added to the church. The key themes of conviction, repentance, the Word and the Presence of God are also common in the revival at Asbury.

Group of young people worshipping


The Asbury Revival

The Asbury revival took place in the late 19th century at Oxford’s University Asbury College, led by passionate believers seeking to renew their faith more passionately and authentically. Like Acts, the revival emphasised the presence of God through prayer and the word of God through bible studies and evangelism. The revival marked a significant point in history and inspired a new generation of believers to witness Christ in their everyday lives. In 2023, the Asbury revival has found new life and history is repeating itself. Students bask in God’s presence, ingesting God’s word and fellowshipping with one another in unity to the end of conviction, repentance and the relinquishing of their will for God. Many also travelled far and wide to experience the revival.

Drawing from both Revivals to maintain revival in our lives.

As believers we never really graduate from the need for conviction, repentance, humility and relinquishing our will for God, making the need for revival constant in our lives. God is richly generous with His presence and His word which we can experience personally, and through community – all that’s needed on our part is intentionality.

We must cultivate an environment for God’s presence and word through prayer, the scriptures and the body of Christ both personally and corporately. If I see sin in my life, I must see an opportunity for the ingredients that make the beautiful meal of revival to be blended: conviction, repentance and the humility that comes from being apprehended by God’s Word and Presence to relinquish my will of God’s. Again, I can do this through my devotion and by inviting believers into my need for revival, to share God’s word with me and pray with me.

It’s cultivating this environment that will make us sensitive to the ingredients and allow us to sustain a life of revival. We can experience revivals, at events like Pentecost or Ashbury but it is our daily practice, that will allow us to sustain it in our daily lives, and it is my prayer that God will grace us to do so, In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Women are vital to Jesus’ story

Chinedu Agwu
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Women are vital to Jesus’ story

On the 8th of March we celebrated International Women’s Day, a time to acknowledge, celebrate and honour women everywhere. With this in mind, we must also remember the women of the bible who played a vital role in both the old and new testament.

From Eve to Mary and many other women, their stories have inspired and challenged us all throughout history. While the men of the bible are often remembered for their courage and bravery, women are often overlooked. Yet without women, many of the most important stories of the bible would not even exist. This article will explore the stories of great women who were in the genealogy of Jesus or encountered Jesus on earth.

3 Significant women in the Bible

Rahab

Being a prostitute, Rahab’s inclusion in the genealogy of King Jesus may seem controversial and even scandalous yet despite her reputation at the time she appeared to be a woman who was brave and compassionate. In Joshua 2 we see her hide the Israelite spies who had come to seek a way to attack and defeat Jericho, and she like Tamar, has cords that represent adoption to God’s family. They tell her “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down.”  Her sexual history or societal position didn’t discount her from God’s inheritance or her inclusion in His plan.

Ruth

Ruth is another significant woman who was a Gentile, and like Tamar, a widow, but in spite of her losses chose to be faithful to God and her mother-in-law. In fact, the highest words of praise are spoken by Boaz in identifying her as a virtuous woman (Ruth 3:11). Whilst not born into the faith, through marriage she became an earnest follower. Following Naomi’s sound advice, Ruth entreated Boaz to marry and provide for her and Naomi and Ruth later gave birth to Obed. And little did Naomi and Ruth know that Obed would be grandfather to King David (Ruth 4:16-22) and therefore, in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

Samaritan woman

Finally, I want to highlight the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4), in this encounter Jesus whilst knowing her whole life story indulges her in conversation and reveals Himself as the Messiah. He didn’t withhold that truth due to her ethnicity, gender, or past mistakes. In hearing this truth, scripture says “28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?”. The Samaritan woman became the first female evangelist, out of the abundance of her heart she shared the Good News she had heard.

The bible beautifully captures the story of women who said yes to God, who courageously trusted Him and by faith followed Him. Women who boldly opened up their life to the will of God (Luke 1:38); may we too be those women and leave our mark in history. Arise and Shine ladies!  

10 biblical promises for women

  1. You are loved (John 3:16)
  2. You are not condemned (Romans 8:1)
  3. You are included (Ephesians 2:19)
  4. You are accepted (Romans 15:7)
  5. You aren’t alone (John 16:32)
  6. You are wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)
  7. You are free (John 8:36)
  8. You are God’s (John 1:12)
  9. You are chosen (Ephesians 1:4)
  10. You are no longer a slave to sin (Roman 6:6)

Don’t cut them off, forgive them

Emmanuel Oganla
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Don’t cut them off, forgive them

Living in a world filled with imperfect people, we are bound to receive offence, even from those we consider friends. How should we respond when we are offended?

“Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.”

Proverbs 17:9

In a culture where putting yourself first, burning bridges and cutting people off is glorified, Christians have an opportunity to live out their holy identity and be set apart from the patterns of the world, if we allow our lives to be shaped by the life and teachings of Jesus. The issue of friendship and forgiveness is fundamental to the Christian faith.

This article will explore the relationship between self-righteousness and unforgiveness and contrast it with the relationship between love and forgiveness. It is my prayer that this article will serve to renew your mind as you read and equip you for Christ-like living within the context of friendship and forgiveness, in Jesus’ name.

Self-righteousness is akin to unforgiveness.

“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matthew 18:32-35).

This verse from the parable taught by Jesus to his disciples of the unforgiving servant. It speaks of a servant who lost sight of the faults he had towards his master and held the sin of his fellow servant against him. This mirrors the believer who holds his friend’s sin against them because they’ve lost sight of their own faults before God and how God has forgiven them.

James asserts that ‘the person who is friends with the world makes himself an enemy of God’ (James 4:4). No human being is sinless and it’s through sin we enter friendship with the world and enmity against God. Jesus’ response was to demonstrate his love by dying for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8). In his dialogue with the disciples, Jesus told that ‘he no longer calls them servants but friends’ (John 15:15). He them told them that ‘greater love has no one than this: to lay one’s life for one’s friend’.

Bible and love

The reality is we were created to serve God, but we sinned against him and made an enemy out of him, but he never lost sight of us as his friends. It is his love that compelled him to lay down his life for us in forgiveness and it’s our fault against him that led him to the cross.

If we have the right perspective about how we’re saved, then we are equipped to love people the way we’ve been loved by Christ. The major obstacle is self-righteousness because it’s set against the self-awareness and humility causes the forgiven to have. Like the unforgiven servant, it is possible to have lost sight of how Jesus offered you love, forgiveness and friendship, to hold your friend’s sin against them.

Humility and self-awareness give precedent to love and forgiveness.

Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:47)

The context of this verse was Jesus explaining the reason behind Mary of Bethany’s extravagant worship when she anointed his feet with an expensive oil using her hair. Jesus boiled it down to the fact that she acknowledged how much she’d been forgiven.

Jesus taught that great love is laying down your life for those who wronged you, and he practised what he taught. It’s important to also understand that his teaching on the obstacle to loving like him is a lack of acknowledgement of how much we’ve been forgiven.

If we were honest with ourselves, we can think of the times we’ve wronged a loved one and the gratitude we felt when our wrong was covered by their love. This doesn’t mean we can’t address the faults we have with our friends. In fact, Jesus encourages us to, in Matthew 18:6, as he says ‘If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.’ The following verses also give instructions on what we should do if they refuse to listen. However, the scripture’s response isn’t immediately cutting them off.

Our capacity for love and forgiveness within the context of friendship is first rooted in humility and self-awareness.

Understanding our own propensity for faults against people and ultimately God. The root then branches out into seeing the way Jesus responded in love and forgiveness and the fruit is embodying Jesus’ love and forgiveness to those who have wronged us. Will it be easy? Probably not, but this process has served me personally in responding with love and forgiveness. God gives grace to the humble, and forgiveness always requires humility. If we would depend on him, he will grace us to love and forgive our friends the way he’s loved and forgiven us.


My wins are not my identity

Chude Obuaya
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My wins are not my identity

In our winning-obsessed culture, it’s easy to make your successes part of your identity. We must resist this temptation because our identity is in Christ.

When participating in a competition the desire to win is natural. The joy in success is incomparable and the feeling produced is such that one would want it replicated. But what happens when the desire to win becomes the end goal for the Christian? What happens when winning is no longer just an outcome but becomes the Christian’s identity?

What are you like when you win?

Whether it’s a games night, a sporting event or a project at work – we all want success. In a competitive environment, your opponents become your de-facto enemies and even when facing friends; they have to be defeated. There is no situation in which losing is acceptable and playing games for fun is unfathomable. Consequently, rivalry and division are inevitable (Galatians 5:20 and Philippians 2:3).

The attitude displayed towards friends at a game’s night may grant you the win but may cause you to lose the relationships you hold dear. For those of us who are competitive, do we consider how we come across to those we deem opponents? Have the invitations to the game nights that you were regularly invited to decreased over the years?

Do your teammates still enjoy playing with you at the local 5-aside football? Does your producer enjoy recording music with you still? Has the desire to win overshadowed the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that is the fruit of the Holy Spirit? (Galatians 5:22-23). When winning becomes our identity, people become obstacles to our ultimate goal.

Your faith in Christ is your ultimate identity

Winning and confidence go hand in hand. As the wins increase so too does the confidence that your level of performance can be replicated and maintained. However, what may have begun as confidence can transition into arrogance? Where winning was once something you did, it has now become who you are. Desiring to be successful in your chosen field is an admirable thing to desire.

The issue arises when the root of your joy is found in your achievements and not in Christ. If you are in Christ, you have a new identity (2 Corinthians 5:17). Your life is no longer defined by your sin, mistakes or successes but by Christ (Galatians 2:20). Therefore, your wins don’t define you; neither do your losses diminish you. Your security is no longer found in what you have achieved but in the One who holds your life in His hands and will never let you go (John 10:29).

This world is passing away and your successes will pass away with it. Don’t destroy the relationships you treasure so profoundly for a win that you will likely neglect as you chase the next target. Instead, as you pursue success, remind yourself that irrespective of whether you win; your identity in Christ is one you will never lose.

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