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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.

Trusting God Amid Anxiety

Emmanuel Oganla
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Trusting God Amid Anxiety

‘The root of anxiety is failure to trust all that God has promised to be for us in Jesus’ – John Piper

Anxiety is an extremely human emotion because it involves being faced with uncertainty about the present and future as well as being prone to high-stress situations and the triggers that come with them. Therefore, we as human beings can sometimes relate to being paralysed with worry, uneasiness, fear and even dread. Anxiety can also be the trauma response to circumstances of our past. So, if our past, present and future have the potential to make us primed for anxiety, the question is how can we as believers trust God amid all our anxiety? This is the question this article seeks to answer by building a foundation of the peaceful nature of God and his kingdom and how it serves practically as the antithesis of our anxiety. We will also explore the role our trust in God and His Kingdom must play in it. It is my prayer that you will be equipped to trust God amid anxiety as you read this article in Jesus’ name.

Exchange anxiety for peace

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus

Philippians 4:7


Let’s build a foundation by first understanding the nature of God and His Kingdom. Paul asserts that the ‘Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and Joy (Romans 14:17). He also characterised peace as a fruit of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:22). This peace is a state of tranquillity, rest and calm for the soul. It’s what Paul tells the believers to allow to guard their hearts, He also tells us how we ought to do that as believers through prayer, supplications and letting our requests known to God. Being anxious for nothing is imperative in this verse but it is impossible without trust because it doesn’t tell us that we would have nothing to be anxious about. If we go to God with all of our reasons for anxiety and we commune with him through it he can exchange it for his peace. The beauty of having a relationship with God is we get to experience His nature and Kingdom namely peace when it goes against everything we should be experiencing because of our experiences this is why God’s peace is said to surpasses understanding.

Sleeping in the storm


“That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:35-41
Much like the different storms we face in life, the storm made the disciples anxious. Our storm could be a crisis in our relationships, career, faith, health and overall well-being. When there’s conflict in those areas the human response which Jesus rebuked his disciples for is to be anxious. Jesus rebuking them for their lack of faith means their anxiety was rooted in their lack of trust in God. They questioned Jesus on how he could be asleep, and he questioned them on their lack of faith. The reason why Jesus wasn’t a product of his circumstance was because of His trust in the nature and Kingdom of God. To be in a state of sleep is to mirror the tranquil state of rest and quiet of God and His Kingdom and that’s what trust gives us a license to do when we should be anxious.

Woman standing on a rock and looking in the distance

What does trust look like?

1. Concluding that the good, bad and ugly circumstances life presents you are working for your good and seizing the opportunity they present, to be conformed into the image of God. If we have the right attitude, we will find the hardest trials often mature us in godly character. (Romans 8:28-29; James 1:2-4)

2. Trusting that the cross of Jesus Christ heals the wounds of your past. The anxiety induced by the past is not exempt from what Jesus’ death and resurrection heals, it might require vulnerability on our part but that vulnerability is what’s necessary for the building blocks of intimacy which is rooted in trust. David’s Psalms are an amazing picture of this. (Psalm 43,22 and 51)

3. Casting all of your cares (worries, anxieties, fears) unto God because you know that He cares for you. This trust is rooted in God’s caring nature as a loving Father and it allows you to prioritise seeking God’s kingdom and nature resolving that He will look after you in the present and future. (1 Peter 5:7), (Matthew 6:28-34)

4. Living by faith in God and not by sight, if we live by sight then the things we experience have great bearing on our well-being, but if we live by faith entrust that bearing to God. We can only live by faith and not sight if we rest in God’s sovereignty. (2 Corinthians 5:7; 2 Corinthians 4:18)

5. Leaning on the community of believers around you to help share your burden and encourage your faith. This could be a brother or sister in Christ or a mentor and leader that can listen you, intercede for you and encourage you with truth. (Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 10:24-24; Proverbs 27:17)


As human beings living in a fallen world life continues to give us reasons to be anxious and to give into worry and fear, but we serve a God whose nature and Kingdom are in direct opposition to anxiety because He is our peace. Our capacity to embody his peace amid anxiety-riddled circumstances hinges on our trust in Him. Our trust is facilitated by our awareness which is enriched by communing with God through our prayer, supplications and thanksgiving. In communion, we embody Christ and follow in his footsteps which means we can trust God to bring peace to the anxious storms of our lives.



Why effective planning is important and how to align with God

David Olaseinde
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<strong>Why effective planning is important and how to align with God</strong>

It has become a common consensus that to reach your goals, a period of effective planning must be undertaken to provide a clear path to achievement. The world will share with you many ways to effectively plan this year, but as Christians how does our approach to planning differ?

Before I highlight the ways to be an effective planner, it is imperative to understand that Jesus too valued the importance of planning. In Luke 14:28 Jesus states that “suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it”. In this scripture, Jesus emphasises the importance of planning before engaging in a task. Planning gives a clear sense of direction and helps to identify and take into consideration the cost of what you intend to embark on.

Is it in God’s will?

One way we can be effective planners is to be led by God when planning. Although this may sound very cliché, what does this actually look like? Often when planning and setting our goals, we ask God to bless the plans we made of our own volition and often outside God’s desired plans. A more effective process of planning places God’s desires at the forefront and therefore aligning our plans with His. In this instance where our plans align with His plans for our lives, you can be confident of the eventual fulfilment of your plans. Proverbs 16:9 states that “the heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps”. Instead of asking God to bless plans you have already made, ask God what you should be focusing on so that your will and His will are fully aligned. This way we do not waste time focusing on the wrong things.

Keep Wise Godly Counsel

Secondly, a way to effectively plan is to keep wise Godly counsel. Proverbs 11:14 expands on this by stating that “where there is no guidance, a people fall, but in the abundance of counsellors there is safety”. When planning we do not always have the answer and can struggle to effectively plan if we rely solely on our own knowledge. Therefore, it is extremely valuable to surround yourself with knowledgeable and wise counsel who can help you see different perspectives and thoroughly consider future alternatives. Given that the kings of the bible saw the importance in seeking wise counsel, I believe that we should also see this component as important to the planning process. Also, having wise Godly counsel helps us to effectively plan in alignment with God’s will.

The fundamental component to effective planning is initially aligning your desires with Gods. This way you will have confidence that whatever you work on will be fruitful because you have the approval of God. Moreover, after establishing an alignment of desires, factors such as seeking wise Godly counsel can help aid the planning process to ensure that the steps to establishing your vision are clearer and this is how we can become more effective planners in 2023.

In this life various barriers to effective planning exist such as poor time management, overexcitement or pride, but the most important barrier is being unaligned with God’s will. Without the full backing of God, this misaligned stance can often lead to wasted time.

Does being a Christian influence your desire to win?

M.T. Omoniyi
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Does being a Christian influence your desire to win?

Growing up as a student-athlete life was somewhat simple. Win at any cost and make sure you don’t lose. Before I became a serious Christian, I had never considered how my desire to win might spill over and mature into pride or give way to the temptation to cheat or cut corners. I just simplified life into a win-or-lose binary and this made things simple. I wish I could say this view was left in my childhood, but in many ways, it continued into my professional life. Maybe you can relate to me a little. So many of the interactions at work can be seen through this simple binary, am i winning or am I losing, is helping me or them (whoever you conceive them to be).

This is of course not healthy, but it can be difficult to work out what to do with your desire to win and advance your position after you become a Christian. We are warned about Pride in Galatians 6:4, Isaiah 2:12 and even James 4:6. A Christian would do well to run away from pride, however, how much of our fear of pride can lead us into apathy and indifference, where we don’t assert ourselves and watch life pass us by.

I sat down with Kare Adenegan, a British Paralympian who is also a devoted Christian to see how her faith influences her desire to win in the sport.

Kare started wheelchair racing at the age of eleven after watching the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Four years later, she became a Paralympic Medalist in the T34 classification (Silver 100m, Bronze 400m and 800m), representing Paralympics GB at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. She also won two silver medals (100m and 800m) at the Tokyo 2020 Games, and recently won silver in the 100m at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. 

As a Christian athlete, how has your Christian walk influenced your desire to win

Personally, I don’t think my relationship with God has made me want to win any more or less. However, because my identity is rooted in Christ, I know that winning doesn’t define me or change God’s view towards me. Being a Christian athlete is empowering because faith in Jesus provides an eternal perspective on the sport. Of course, I want to win, but it really isn’t the end of the world if I don’t win, and God’s will for my life might be contrary to my athletics ambitions and that’s okay. 

How do you check that desire to win at any cost necessary? 

The ‘win at any cost’ mindset is essentially idolatry. We have to invite God to have his way with our sports. Winning at all costs also suggests a willingness to act against your morals and values in order to win. My desire to be a successful athlete was once an idol in my life because I thought it was a firm foundation, but COVID, lockdown, and a postponement to the Paralympic Games in 2020 caused that idol to fall. 

I prevent my desire to win from becoming an idol by constantly consecrating my athletics career to God in prayer and committing each training session to him. I try to have the mindset that I’m winning for his glory instead of my own. 

Does being a Christian make you happy when other people win instead of you? 

Kind of. If someone wins instead of me, I am happy for them because I recognise that they have worked hard to win. At the end of the day, the winner is the one who has put in the most work and has reaped their rewards on the day of the competition. So I always sincerely congratulate the winner, but at the same time, being a competitive athlete means that I also have the mindset that I need to work harder. 

Being a Christian means that I am called to show love to my competitors, and I really do love them and respect their grind. 

What advice would you give to someone trying to get their mojo back after a period of apathy in their sport?

Remind yourself of your why? If you don’t know why you’re doing sport then you won’t be motivated to do your best. If you are struggling to find your ‘why’, start with this. if you are a Christian, your sport can be your place of worship. Paul writes in Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship”. 

We can use our bodies as living sacrifices as we do our sport. When you are low in motivation, reflect on the fact that God has given you a body with immense capabilities to be used for his glory. Worship him by using your body and talents. Exalt him in the successes and trust him through the challenges. If this is of interest, I explore what it means to participate in sport for God’s glory with guests on my podcast, ‘Sporting For His Glory’. Having conversations about faith and sport on the podcast has definitely boosted my own motivation to train hard and compete with purpose. 

I think also during times of apathy towards sport, it’s important to revive the enjoyment of competing and training. It’s very easy to become bogged down by internal pressures and the expectations of others, and the result is often a lack of enjoyment in what you do. Forget your goals for a moment and simply enjoy the way that exercise makes you feel. Enjoy being active. Enjoy the process of training and build from there.  

How to find and flourish in godly community

D. W. Brown
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How to find and flourish in godly community

The Bible is clear about the fact that fellowship and community are important.

Each of us is made in the image of a relational God, we are designed for fellowship and community on some level. It’s not healthy to be an isolated Christian. However, for many of us, being a Christian embedded in a spiritually healthy and supportive community is easier said than done. Perhaps it feels like an unrealistic aspiration. I’m not sure where you find yourself as you’re reading this, but let me share a few thoughts about finding and then flourishing in the right community. Where do you even start?

What are we seeking in community?

Are you at a stage in your Christian walk where you feel you have loads of encouragement and wisdom to impart to other Christians? Or are you feeling in a place of need to receive that sort of input from others? Answering this question honestly requires discernment. 

I’m able to look back and identify that when I first went to uni, I lacked humility here. I thought I was way more spiritually mature than I actually was, and I threw myself into Christian societies with zeal, but not positive zeal, it was prideful zeal. Jesus warned that “if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:14) I had an ill-intentioned desire to be some sort of spiritual leader, but what I didn’t know was that I had a lot of spiritual growing up to do first.

It’s not my intention to be negative, and I’m certainly not saying that if you’re young you can’t give your peers spiritual support or impart valuable wisdom. After all, Paul urged Timothy “don’t let anyone look down on you because you’re young” (1 Timothy 4:12). My simple intention here is to gently ask you to start by searching your heart and working out your motivations.

Evaluate your spiritual life. Consider what you would most benefit from, and what you feel most called to pour yourself into. Once you have done this as a first step, you should have an idea of what you need in a community.

Biblically Based Community

Although it might seem obvious to some, it’s worth saying we should seek a biblically based community. No matter how friendly and inviting a community may seem, it’s vitally important to ensure that it’s built on solid ground, in other words, that it is grounded in gospel truth.

Jesus warns his followers of certain types of “spiritual leaders” who “come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matt. 7:15) – he tells them to watch out. When you’re looking for a community to be involved in, watch out. How can you do that practically?

A good step would be to find out if the community has some sort of doctrinal basis, or “what we believe” resource (if it doesn’t, I would be wary). The doctrinal basis should entail what the community fundamentally believes. It should give you an idea of the priorities and motivations that drive it. Often this can be found on the community’s website, if not then I’d recommend getting in touch with someone involved in the leadership and asking for it.

Compare it to God’s word, make sure that it doesn’t compromise or twist scripture in any way. I know that’s easier said than done, and perhaps you don’t feel in a position to make that discernment. If that’s the case, I’d recommend getting a trusted more mature Christian brother or sister to assist you with that, but primarily praying about it. Ask God for wisdom to help you assess whether it is a Biblically grounded, solid community to get involved in.

Enjoy the blessing of community

Community and fellowship with other believers is a good gift from God. Being encouraged, challenged, and inspired by other believers is a rich blessing that ought not to be taken for granted.

When you go through challenges and hardships in life, you’ll find your Christian community to be extra precious. Proverbs 17:17 says “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (my emphasis). Ten chapters later in Proverbs, we read that “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (27:17) 

So we learn that we are called to be there for each other in times of adversity, and also that God uses us as tools to “sharpen” each other. That sharpening could be through keeping each other accountable in battles with habitual sin, it could be through reading the word and praying together regularly, it could be through going out of our way to practically support someone we know is going through a hard time. Those are just a few examples, but the point is clear – we should facilitate each other’s growth and spiritual development, not hinder it.

The beauty of community is that it is mutual, in a healthy Christian community, you give and you receive blessing and encouragement to and from fellow brothers and sisters.

I pray that as you read this, you are able to find a healthy, Biblically-grounded Christian community, and enjoy the blessings of sharpening and being sharpened, for God’s glory.

A Biblical Example of How to be a Friend

David Olaseinde
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A Biblical Example of How to be a Friend

In the church today many conversations around navigating friendships have been and are still being had. It has also become common rhetoric to instantly cut off friends who do you wrong. The scriptures detail many examples of friendship, such as David and Jonathan, Ruth and Naomi and Elijah and Elisha. These are all great examples with lessons we can take about friendship. But what does it look like to be a friend like Jesus? We have ultimately been called to be like Christ, and throughout his 33 years of living, Jesus handed us the blueprint to follow. So, what can we learn from his life of perfection?

Sacrificial Love

Jesus displayed sacrificial love. In John 15, Jesus really focuses on the idea of love and its importance. In verse 9, Jesus states that “as the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love”. We have been called to love like the Father and like Jesus. We have been called to operate from a place of love. Love should underpin our decisions and actions. A love so great that Jesus says in verses 12 and 13,

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater Love has no one that this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

John 15:12-13

We are called to sacrificially love one another. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you are expected to die for your friend. This means that we should put our friends first when making decisions. Ensure that the love Jesus has for us is reflected in your relationships with your friends. A love that can be characterized as sacrificial shows no hesitation. It knows no bounds. It is a love that is unconditional. This is why in John 13:14 Jesus insisted on washing the feet of his disciples and commanded that they should also wash one another’s feet.

A Friend who Encourages

Jesus was an encourager. He uplifts the lowly. He provides hope when there is no way. When Jesus inhabited the earth, on many occasions he offered encouragement to his disciples. In Matthew 10, when sending out his disciples he repeatedly instructed them to ‘not be afraid’. In verses 26, 28, and 31, Jesus repeats the phrase “Do not be afraid”. Jesus’ example of encouragement can be applied to our friendships.

We are called to be in communion and support one another, with encouragement being a form of support. Life is full of trials and tribulations, and alongside confiding in the Lord, your friends can play an important role in upliftment.

iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another

Proverbs 27:17

Proverbs 27:17 states, “iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Jesus’ words of encouragement gave the disciples boldness. In a similar way, receiving encouragement helps facilitate the removal of fears we may face. These fears may be hindering us from fulfilling our destiny. A friend who fails to encourage can be very dangerous. Therefore, encourage like Jesus did.

We can learn many lessons about friendship from Jesus. Jesus displayed a sacrificial love and was an encourager among many other things. It is important to take these lessons into our friendships and be like Christ.

How to Engage with Online Controversies

Shumi Mararike
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How to Engage with Online Controversies

Social media can be a hotbed of online controversies. It provides a platform for impassioned discussion on the scandals and disputes of the day. We spend hours of our lives on the digital space. So how do we engage with online controversies in a God-honouring way?

Respectfully and sensitively

Firstly, we must engage with online controversies respectfully and sensitively. Far too often, online discourse is marked by offensive and distasteful words. A lack of understanding and empathy is rife. This fails to appreciate that these can be sensitive issues where people are hurting. Therefore, rudeness and a craving of controversy is unprofitable and lacks compassion (2 Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:9; 1 Peter 3:8-9). Sensitivity and respect are needed. Engage with these issues in a manner which does not belittle the situation or the feelings of others. Don’t add fuel to the fire, but desire healthy discourse. As far as possible, promote peace and reconciliation which can only be rooted in respect and sensitivity toward people and the issue at hand.

Choose your words wisely

Engaging with online controversies requires you to choose your words wisely. Whether you have 140 characters, 280 characters, or even create a detailed thread, the online space leaves room for misunderstanding. There is only so much you can communicate through a screen, so you must choose your words wisely. Your words can easily lead to misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Therefore, consider what you are trying to say, and which words best communicate that. A wise word can bring encouragement (Proverbs 15:1) and promote reasonable discussion. Precisely used language leaves less room for miscomprehension. But a reckless use of language can cause harm and offence (Proverbs 12:18). So before you type, choose your words wisely.

Know When to Speak

A fool can speak at any time, but a wise person is one who knows when to speak. Thus, engaging in online controversies requires you to know when to speak and when to be silent. Are the wounds still fresh? Has the mourning process just begun? Will your words add any substance to the discussion at hand? Or will your silence, your presence and support be more helpful? An eagerness to speak may show disregard for the present circumstance, or even worse, lead to a loss of control and bursts of rage. Uncontrolled anger only serves to make matters worse. So be slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19-20).

I can guarantee that when you next pick up your phone and open social media, you will see another online controversy. How will you respond this time? Respect and sensitivity is key. You must choose your words wisely and know when to speak. This requires exceptional self-control and wisdom. These things don’t come to us naturally. You can’t do it (perfectly) without Jesus. This is because they are an outworking of a life transformed by Him. So abide in Jesus; stay connected to Him, because apart from Christ, the Holy Spirit cannot bear these fruit in your life and lead to a more God-honouring way of engaging in online controversies.

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