All Nations

As we celebrate the various nationalities in our local assembly, we are reminded of God’s great love for all mankind regardless of race, language or skin colour and how he has brought into His Church people from every corner of the globe. We are particularly blessed here at the POS that, from our last count, we have over 50 different nationalities represented.

With such varying backgrounds and cultures, there is always the possibility of misunderstanding and even outright offence from the differences of styles, approaches, nuances and idiosyncrasies unique to certain cultures. While we should not be removing these differences but rather celebrating them, yet there is a culture that supersedes all others and that is; the Culture of Christ.

When we become born again and come into the Family of God, we take on a new identity that permeates who we are as individuals. We become new creatures in Christ Jesus, although our unique qualities are not removed. We have a new spiritual family, we talk and walk differently, we take on different priorities in life, we celebrate things that matter to God, we embrace a whole new worldview.

This is why we rejoice, it’s because God has redeemed us from wherever we came from and has put us in His Body to serve Him and one another. So let us appreciate our differences, knowing that we are united by the one blood of Jesus Christ and we worship the one God and Father of all.

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. | Acts 17:26

Battle For Truth

The social climate that we are currently experiencing in our country not only serves to challenge Christians to examine the strength of their convictions but also highlights the fact that the greatest warfare we face today is the ‘Battle for Truth’.

The prevalent post modern worldview asserts that there is no such thing as absolute truth and that it is relative, subject to individual opinions and choices. In the areas of theology, morality and what is presently on trial; gender identity, most people adhere to the idea that truth in these areas are determined simply by one’s own preference of belief, regardless of whether or not it is based on fact.

Not only is it disturbing to see the reach that this perspective has in our world but also to see the aggressive behaviours of the so called tolerant liberals being demonstrated towards those who don’t see eye to eye with them, with an almost fascist militancy. Adherents to the relative truth beliefs are faced with a dilemma of inconsistency because while their watch cry is that there’s no such thing as ‘absolute truth’, they face an even greater conundrum when that view is challenged by the question; “Is that really true?”

Thank God for the freedom of God’s truth that has claimed from the beginning that ‘God’s Word is truth’ (John 17:17). It continues to stand the test of history, science and time itself because He said that “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

Keep standing for truth for it will never fail.

Belong - Believe - Become

Culture is defined as the unwritten rules of behaviour within any social group. We use basic terms such as language, custom, food, dress, religion and festivals to best understand culture. It is the way we see things and naturally behave without giving it much thought, in common with others of our group.

Every community has culture whether or not the people in that community realise it, and what is of immense importance is that it can be good and life giving or the culture may be one that’s negative and toxic.

As part of the Church of the Lord Jesus, we also have a culture that’s borne from the Word of God and the influence of the Holy Spirit but is also not independent of the behaviours, attitudes and mannerisms of the people in the Church. To a large extent we determine the spiritual and social barometer of the Church as the Holy Spirit and the Word works within the lives of individual saints.

The early Church in the Book of Acts stands as an indelible model of Apostolic culture today that was both dynamic, bold, passionate and transformative. This is what we must strive to emulate in order to have an atmosphere of a revival and life giving culture. The very first characteristic is the unity of the Church. Acts 2:1 tells us that, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” 

Unity is the keystone feature in any thriving culture and in the Church. It is brought about by the love of Christ in our hearts for one another; producing an environment of acceptance and non-judgemental attitudes towards those in our church and all who come in. Though culture is often natural and unwritten, we can however build and change our culture intentionally to where people are welcomed with love and celebration as part of our family. In the process, souls are added to the Kingdom of God. The old paradigm of ‘Believe, Become then Belong’ must give way to a culture of:

Belong – Believe – Become

Acts chapter 2 began with Unity and it ends with these words:

“So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:46-47 NKJV