LET THE BIBLE SPEAK.

The Day Mourners Rebelled in Church . By Babafemi Ojudu Last Friday, we buried Kenny — an ally, a politician, and a woman of rare courage. Kehinde Adebowale Ajifolawe , nee Olokesusi, fondly called Kenny Ise, was a trader in Fayose Market, Ado-Ekiti. Years ago, she left for America, started a family, and somehow found herself in a situation . Life brought her back to Nigeria — separated from her husband and children, but never separated from her principles. She was loyal, open-minded, and brutally frank. Kenny was not your average politician. If she stood with you, she stood all the way. No hypocrisy, no double-speak. She spoke truth to power — and as we say, “she no send.” I saw this side of her clearly in 2018 when she led the women’s wing of my campaign for the governorship ticket in Ekiti. She worked tirelessly, rallied everyone, and gave her best. The last time I saw Kenny was in June, at my wife’s 60th birthday celebration. She was her usual lively self — laughing, da...

      WAS HE BORN IN DECEMBER 25 TH ? IT IS A COMMON BELIEF OF THE PEOPLE, OF THIS AGE, THAT OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WAS BORN IN DECEMBER 25 TH . THIS CONCLUSION WAS MADE, WITHOUT RECOURSE TO ANY BIBLICAL, OR HISTORICAL FACTS. BASICALLY SPEAKING, THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD, AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, BEARS NEITHER DIRECT, NOR INDIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SO CALLED DECEMBER 25 TH MEMORIAL. IN THIS CASE, FACT IS CRUCIAL, AND VITAL. WAS HE ACTUALLY BORN IN DECEMBER 25 TH ? A.    THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD ! “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” ROM 15:4. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,.” 1TIM 3:16.  “..Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,” 2PETER 1:20-21. WHETHER THE FACTS OF THE DEC...

                          WHO IS A CHRISTIAN? Acts 11:26 : - “…and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that even for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught much people, and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch…” Acts 26:28 : - “… And Agrippa [said] unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian…”   1Peter 4:16 : - “… but if [a man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name….”   THESE STEPS TO SALVATION CAN BE FAKED! A). HEARING THE GOSPEL, not enough: - Matt.7:21; Rom. 2:13; 1John 3:7; James 1:22-23, 25; Acts16:17. B). BELIEVING THE GOSPEL, not enough: - James 2:19, 24; Galatians 5:6. C). CONFESSION OF FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, AS THE SON OF GOD, not enough: - Matt.8:29; Mark1:24;    5:7; Luke 4:34; Acts 16:17; 19: 15. D). BA...

THE UNITY OF THE BIBLE  Benson Omole. The topic of unity is common in Scripture. One of the earliest mentions of individuals being united is in the marriage between a man and a woman. Genesis 2:24 states, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” From there, the Bible presents several other manifestations of unity that reveal the heart of God. Unity in the Church The New Testament letters written by Paul the apostle are filled with references to unity among Christians. He encourages those in the church to love each other, have a like mind, and share purpose and belief as they experienced persecution and bore the weight of external pressures. One example of Paul’s exhortation to unity is Philippians 2:2: “Then make my joy complete by being likeminded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind” (see also 2 Corinthians 13:11). A great example of early church unity is when the believers “devote...

What Is Apostasy and How To Recognize its Origin? Benson Omole  A. Apostasy, from the Greek word “apostasia”, means “a total desertion of, or departure from, one’s faith, principles, or party”; in theology, “a total abandonment of the Christian faith” (The Century Dictionary, vol. I, p. 265). It is a turning away from God, a rejection of core doctrine, and a separation from the people of God. The apostles addressed apostasy in the early church, and the battle against apostasy has continued through the years. Today, sadly, in the Church of Christ, some still choose to totally abandon their Christian faith. B. Apostasy often shows up in the Old Testament. Every time Israel fell into idolatry, it was an example of apostasy (see Judges 2:11–13). In the New Testament, onetime followers of Jesus turned their backs on Him (John 6:66). Demas, “because he loved this world,” deserted Paul (2 Timothy 4:10). The Bible often warns against apostasy (e.g., 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:12...

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST:  The Establishment of the Church by Bruce Reeves Synopsis. If one is saved at all, he is a member of Christ's church; if he is a faithful member of the church, he is saved. The religious world reflects division, chaos, and confusion (1 Cor. 1:10; 14:33). Today, we observe thousands of denominations teaching different doctrines on critical spiritual questions, yet they are all claiming to follow the one faith. Is this really what Christ wanted? Jesus desires that His people be united on the basis of truth as a proclamation of His grace (John 17:20-21; 2 John 9-11). Sadly, some members of local churches of Christ have a denominational view of the Lord's church, but they think their denomination is the best one. As a result of a diminished view of the authority of the Scriptures, they also have a low view of the church. Yet, the Bible presents a high view of both the Scriptures and the Lord's church! Let us consider Christ's conversation w...

Nigeria Is Sixty-five Years.   Are You Still Grumbling Over Our Country, As Others? Benson Omole. Recounting the wanderings of Israelites in the wilderness, one must be impressed with how fiercely God responded to their murmurings and grumblings. Paul warns Christians to learn a lesson from the wrath that fell on Israelites who grumbled: “…Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer…” (1 Cor. 10:10). Why such strong condemnation? Grumbling denies God’s ability. Pressed against the shore of the Red Sea with the Egyptians closing in, many Israelites grumbled against Moses. Forgetting what they had witnessed of God’s power against Pharaoh, they lost their courage and lashed out at the most convenient target. They began to murmur against Moses, they despised God’s ability! Grumbling may be an attempt to intimidate. In Exodus 16, the Israelites grumbled, pressing Moses to return them to Egypt rather than proceed i...

Public Speakers: Don’t Make These Mistakes. Public speaking is a skill, but one wrong move on stage can destroy your impact. Here are 10 mistakes every speaker must avoid, if you want to stand out and be remembered: 1️⃣ Lack of Preparation: Winging it is the fastest way to fail. Preparation gives you authority. 2️⃣ Overloading with Information: Don’t confuse your audience. Simplicity sticks better than complexity. 3️⃣ Speaking Too Fast or Too Slow: Pace is power. A rushed speech loses clarity, a sluggish one loses attention. 4️⃣ Ignoring the Audience: Public speaking is not about you, it’s about them. Engage, connect, interact. 5️⃣ Poor Body Language: Your words matter, but so does your posture, gestures, and eye contact. 6️⃣ No Clear Structure: A speech without direction is like a car without a driver. Organize your points. 7️⃣ Overusing Filler Words: “Um, uh, you know…” weaken your presence. Train to reduce them. 8️⃣ Failing to Manage Time: Respect the clock. A good speec...

WHY BEHAVING IN THIS WAY? Part Three. Analyzing different personalities involves using a model like the Big Five (Openness, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism) which categorises individuals into types based on four dichotomies.  Personality analysis can also be understood through different theoretical frameworks, such as psychodynamic theory, which emphasizes childhood experiences, and behavioural theory which focuses on learned behaviours.  The analysis is guided by the criteria of consistency, stability, and individual differences across people. In part two, we focused on Introversion. Today, we shall focus on Extraversion also known as Extroversion.                 WHAT IS EXTRAVERSION? Extroversion , or extraversion is the opposite of Introversion. In psychology, extraversion describes a personality trait where individuals are characterized by warmth, talkativeness, and a focus on the external...

WHY “LIBERAL” AND “CONSERVATIVE” CHURCHES OF CHRIST? "The churches of Christ greet you" (Rom. 16:16).  Across the USA, one can visit a church building with a sign in front saying, "CHURCH OF CHRIST" but going inside one hears a wide range of doctrinally different lessons. Some are much more liberal than others, allowing women to take leading roles in worship and even using instrumental music in worship. Others have set up human institutions as another organization to supplant doing the work of the local church and then at the other extreme there are those who bind using "one container" in the Lord's Supper, which is for another discussion.  Some sincere brethren who have been caught up in one stream or the other never fully understood, and many who were too young before have now grown to adulthood wondering why such wide differences in beliefs and practices. It is therefore a good question worthy of repeated investigation.  Labels of “liber...

WHY BEHAVING IN THIS WAY? (Part Two). The Genesis account of creation provides the foundational biblical image of humanity. Genesis 1:24–28 records that God made humans on the sixth day to complete His creational work.  According to the creation account, humans were: a. Created by God, (Gen 1:26–27). b. Beings distinct from the rest of creation (Gen 1:26) c. Created as man and woman to be fruitful (Gen 1:27–28) d. Made from the dust of the ground and infused with the breath of life (Gen 2:7) capable of entering into relationships with: (i). other humans and, (ii). with God (Gen 2:18). The creation account establishes the truth that humans are separate from God, but must dependent on Him. (Psalms 104; 147; 148). It also establishes that God is wholly other than His creation. It is the capacity for entering into a personal relationship with God that sets humans apart from the rest of creation. Howe...

WHY BEHAVING IN THIS WAY? (Part One) “…He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his peace…” (Proverbs 11:12) “…Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established…” (Proverbs 24:3) The relevant answer to this question is not a simple one. The study of the diversity of human behavior involves behavioral science. It is a multidisciplinary field that uses psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other disciplines to understand the wide range of different personalities, human actions and interactions. It examines how differences in biology, culture, environment, and experience lead to variation in human personal traits within and between populations. Key goals of this study are to appreciate ourselves, describe our motivations, comprehend behavioral patterns, and predict these variations to improve individual and group outcomes. We shall understand management strategies to avoid infractions, conflicts, breakdown of...

CHURCH LEADERSHIP, AND CONFLICT MEDIATION PRINCIPLES. Church Leaders must be conversant with all the skills of conflict resolution techniques. Conflict mediation principles are essential for resolving disputes and promoting peaceful resolution, among the members. Here are some key principles: Principles of Conflict Mediation. 1. Neutrality:   Mediators must remain impartial and unbiased, focusing on facilitating a resolution rather than taking sides. 2. Confidentiality:  Mediators must maintain confidentiality to create a safe and trustworthy environment for parties to share their concerns. 3. Voluntariness:  Mediation is a voluntary process, and parties must be willing to participate and engage in good faith. 4. Self-determination:  Parties must have the right to make their own decisions and determine their own outcomes. 5. Respect:  Mediators must promote respect and dignity for all parties involved, encouraging open communication and empathy. 6. ...