Posts in category: Articles

One thing we see repeatedly in Scripture is how seriously God takes unbelief, especially among people who have personally witnessed His glory, power, and mighty works in accomplishing His purposes.

There seems to be a greater responsibility placed upon those who have seen what God can do. When difficulties arise, the memory of His past faithfulness should strengthen our present faith.

Consider Zechariah in Luke 1. He was a priest and a man who had served God faithfully. Yet, when the angel Gabriel announced that his wife, Elizabeth, would bear a son, Zechariah asked, “How can I be sure of this?” Because he did not believe the message, he became unable to speak until the promise was fulfilled.

The story of Moses presents an even deeper lesson.

“Is the LORD’s arm too short?”  Numbers 11:23.

When we read Numbers 20 and see that Moses was denied entry into the Promised Land after striking the rock instead of speaking to it, we may initially wonder whether the punishment was too severe. After all, Moses had sacrificed so much. He had endured years of complaints, rebellion, and opposition from the very people he was leading.

But Numbers 20 should not be read in isolation.

In Numbers 14, after the spies returned from Canaan, ten of them gave a discouraging report. The people became afraid, rebelled against Moses and Aaron, and even spoke about returning to Egypt. Joshua and Caleb pleaded with them to trust the Lord, but the people refused.

God was angry because these were not people who had never experienced His power. They had witnessed the plagues in Egypt. They had crossed the Red Sea. They had seen the pillar of cloud and fire. They had eaten manna from heaven. Yet, when they faced another difficulty, they behaved as though the God who had brought them that far was incapable of taking them any further.

God said, “Not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times—not one of them will ever see the land I promised…” (Numbers 14:22–23).

This judgment becomes even more meaningful when we remember what God had revealed about Himself to Moses earlier. In Exodus 34:6–7, the Lord passed before Moses and proclaimed Himself as “the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,” while also declaring that He “does not leave the guilty unpunished.”

Moses later appealed to this very revelation of God’s character when interceding for Israel in Numbers 14. God listened to Moses and did not destroy the nation immediately. Yet forgiveness did not mean there would be no consequences. The rebellious generation would wander in the wilderness and would not enter the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb, who had trusted God, would enter it.

There is something particularly striking about the reason God gave for His judgement: these people had seen His glory and His signs, yet they still refused to trust Him.

And this brings me to Moses himself.

Before Numbers 20, there is a remarkable episode in Numbers 11 that is easy to overlook. The people complained because they craved meat. Moses became deeply frustrated by the burden of leading them. He poured out his distress before God, and God appointed seventy elders to help him carry the burden of leadership.

Then God made an extraordinary promise: He would give the people meat—not merely for one or two days, but for an entire month, until they became sick of it.

Moses responded, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?” (Numbers 11:21–22).

God’s response is powerful: “Is the LORD’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you” (Numbers 11:23).

Think about that for a moment. This was Moses: the man who had stood before Pharaoh; the man through whom God had turned the Nile to blood; the man who had witnessed the plagues of Egypt; the man who had stretched out his hand and watched the Red Sea divide; the man who had seen God provide manna from heaven and water in the wilderness; and the man who spoke with God in an extraordinary way and encountered His glory on Mount Sinai. Yet, under the pressure of leadership and the weight of frustration, even Moses reached a moment when he questioned how God could possibly accomplish what He had promised.

We should not conclude that Numbers 11 had already disqualified Moses from entering the Promised Land, because Scripture specifically identifies the incident at Meribah in Numbers 20 as the reason he was denied entry. Nevertheless, Numbers 11 reveals something important: even Moses was vulnerable to the same danger that repeatedly trapped Israel—allowing the size of the present problem to overshadow the memory of God’s past power.

Then came Numbers 20. The people again complained because there was no water. God instructed Moses to speak to the rock before the people, and water would come from it. But Moses, overwhelmed by anger and frustration, struck the rock twice. Water still came. God remained faithful even when His servant failed.

But afterward the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them” (Numbers 20:12).

Notice God’s words: “You did not trust in me enough.” The issue was deeper than merely hitting a rock instead of speaking to it. At the heart of the incident were trust, obedience and the failure to represent God’s holiness properly before His people.

There is a sobering lesson here. Sometimes the greatest danger to our faith is not that we have never seen God work. It is that we have seen Him work many times and still allow the next difficulty to make us question whether He can do it again.

The Israelites had seen the Red Sea divide, yet they trembled before the inhabitants of Canaan. Moses had seen God perform wonders that few human beings would ever witness, yet for a moment he looked at six hundred thousand hungry men and wondered how God could possibly feed them. And perhaps that is why the question God asked Moses in Numbers 11 remains relevant: “Is the LORD’s arm too short?”

When the problem becomes bigger, has His arm become shorter? When the money runs low, has His arm become shorter? When the medical report is frightening, has His arm become shorter? When the door remains closed, has His arm become shorter? When prayers seem unanswered and the waiting becomes painful, has His arm become shorter? No. The God who was faithful yesterday has not lost His power today.

Our past encounters with God should become evidence for present faith. Every answered prayer, every deliverance, every provision and every impossible situation through which God has carried us should become a testimony we bring into the next battle.

David looked at Goliath and remembered the lion and the bear. Israel looked at the giants and forgot Egypt and the Red Sea. The difference was not what God had done; the difference was what they remembered when the next giant appeared.

So when the next difficulty comes, do not allow the size of the problem to erase the history of God’s faithfulness. Remember what you have seen. Remember where He brought you from. Remember the doors He opened. Remember the battles He fought. Remember the prayers He answered.

And when circumstances whisper, “Can God really do this?” let your testimony answer: “I have seen too much of His faithfulness to doubt Him now.”

Written by Elder Douglas Otoo (Cork District, The CoP-Ireland)

The Redeemer who redeemed us has restored in us an everlasting hope. As believers who continually yearn for Christ, we must build our hearts to abstain from carnal things and keep our eyes firmly fixed on Him.

We are prisoners of the Cross. We did not choose this identity for ourselves; it is who we have become through our relationship with Christ.

The hope we have received from Christ is not meant to be kept to ourselves. It calls us to live sacrificially and make a meaningful impact on the lives of others. However, before we can effectively share this hope with the world, we must first allow Christ to work on us, transforming and cleansing our hearts.

As we walk by faith, hope accompanies us. The challenges of this earthly life may come and go, but the hope of Christ and the assurance of salvation remain our confidence.

Just as the rainbow serves as a reminder of God’s promise to humanity, our lives should continually remind others of God’s faithfulness. We were created to serve Him diligently and worship Him with our whole being.

Making Christ famous everywhere, therefore, begins from within our souls. It begins with allowing Him to transform our hearts and shape our character so that even in difficult circumstances, Christ remains the ultimate focus of our lives.

When Christ is firmly established in us, His presence will naturally influence the societies and communities around us. Our lives then become a testimony through which others can encounter Him.

The blood shed on the Cross demonstrates the depth of Christ’s love and the price of our redemption. When we accept Christ as our personal Saviour, He takes His rightful place in our hearts, and His presence begins to define who we are.

Making Christ famous, therefore, requires us to turn away from carnal desires and pursue a life that reflects Him. It means walking with the Lord, living according to His Word and allowing our lives to point others to Christ.

Making Christ famous everywhere starts from within our souls. Before the world can see Christ through us, Christ must first be firmly established in us.

Written By Kwadwo Afriyie Onyinah Agyei

For generations, the Church in Africa has spoken confidently about marriage and family life. We have preached about choosing a godly spouse, sexual purity, marital faithfulness, raising children in the fear of God, and preserving the sanctity of marriage.

These teachings remain important. But the questions confronting Christian families are changing.

What should a Christian couple do when, after years of praying for a child, a doctor recommends in vitro fertilisation (IVF)? How should believers respond when IVF involves the use of donated sperm or eggs? What position should the Church take on surrogacy? And how should Christians view embryos created in a laboratory but never implanted?

What should a woman do when the marriage everyone expects her to preserve has become a place of violence and fear? What should a pastor say to a husband who is being abused but fears that no one will believe him? How should the Church respond when a marriage has already ended in divorce? And what happens when issues of fertility, genetics, technology, law and Christian doctrine converge in the same pastor’s office?

These are no longer distant questions from Europe or North America. They are increasingly African questions. They are sitting quietly in our churches.

Silence Is Also An Answer

One of the convictions that led me to write An Epistle to the African Church: Marriage, Abuse, Surrogacy, Divorce, and the Future of Christian Family Ethics is simple: when the Church does not speak thoughtfully about difficult questions, Christians do not stop facing them. They simply look elsewhere for answers. They turn to social media. They turn to popular culture. They turn to friends. They turn to lawyers and medical professionals. At times, believers make significant decisions with far-reaching consequences before seeking the counsel of their pastors. This is why silence cannot be our strategy.

The Church does not need to have a simplistic answer to every complicated human situation. But it must create spaces where difficult questions can be discussed faithfully, compassionately and intelligently. The gospel is not threatened by difficult questions.

Technology Has Entered The Christian Home

Some of the most challenging questions now arise from technology.

Medicine can do things that previous generations could barely imagine. A child can be conceived outside the human body. An embryo can be frozen for years. A woman can carry a child to whom she has no genetic relationship. A child may be conceived using the genetic material of people who will never function as his or her parents.

The fact that something is technologically possible, however, does not automatically make it morally uncomplicated.

Christians must therefore learn to ask a deeper question: not merely, “Can we do this?” but also, “Should we do this, and what does faithfulness to Christ require of us?”

That question does not demand hostility toward science. Medical science has relieved enormous human suffering, and Christians should be grateful for physicians, researchers and technologies that preserve life.

But technology is a tool. It cannot determine the meaning of marriage, parenthood, human dignity or the value of a child.

Those are moral questions. And moral questions require moral formation.

Infertility Requires More Than A Theological Argument

The discussion becomes even more difficult because behind reproductive technology there are often real people carrying real pain. Anyone who has walked with a couple struggling with infertility knows that this is not merely an academic debate.

There may be years of disappointment behind the smiles people see on Sunday morning. There may be medical appointments, unsuccessful procedures, financial pressure, questions directed disproportionately at the woman, and prayers that appear unanswered.

Our first response to such couples must therefore not be suspicion or condemnation; it must be compassion, because Jesus never treated suffering people as theological problems to be solved. He encountered them as people.

That same spirit should shape Christian conversations about infertility and assisted reproduction. We can maintain serious biblical convictions while recognising the grief and vulnerability of the people sitting before us.

Truth without compassion can wound. Compassion without truth can mislead. The Church needs both.

We Must Also Talk Honestly About Abuse

The same principle applies to marriage itself. Christians rightly uphold marriage as a sacred covenant. Therefore, Jesus’ teaching on marriage should never be reduced to the disposable view of relationships that is becoming increasingly prevalent in contemporary culture.

But defending marriage must never mean defending violence. A Christian understanding of marital permanence cannot become a reason for keeping someone indefinitely in physical danger. We must be able to say clearly that abuse violates the covenant it claims to inhabit.

Pastors and Christian leaders therefore need more than the language of “pray about it” when confronted with serious abuse. Prayer is indispensable, but prayer does not prevent us from acting wisely, protecting the vulnerable, involving appropriate authorities where necessary, and helping people reach safety. The sanctity of marriage must never be used to sanctify cruelty.

When the Church protects the vulnerable, it is not weakening marriage. It is defending the very dignity, love and responsibility that Christian marriage is supposed to represent.

The Church Must Prepare Before The Crisis Arrives

Too often our ethical reflection begins after a crisis has entered the pastor’s office. By then, decisions may already have been made. The better approach is formation.

Our young adults should hear serious Christian teaching about marriage before they marry. Couples should be able to discuss infertility before they face it. Pastors should receive training that prepares them to respond to domestic abuse.

Christian health professionals, theologians, counsellors, lawyers and scientists should be brought into conversation rather than working in separate worlds. Likewise, our churches should not shy away from discussing emerging technologies simply because the Bible does not explicitly mention IVF, embryo freezing, or gestational surrogacy.

Scripture does not need to name every modern technology in order to give us principles by which we can evaluate it.

The Christian tradition gives us a rich vocabulary: human dignity, covenant, stewardship, justice, love, sacrifice, protection of the vulnerable, the meaning of the body, and the sacred responsibility attached to bringing children into the world. Our task is to bring these enduring truths into conversation with new realities.

An Unleashed Church Must Enter Difficult Conversations

The Church of Pentecost’s call for the Church to be unleashed to transform society through the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit carries important implications for the family.

Transformation cannot stop at the doors of the church building. It must extend into our marriages and homes. It must reach fertility clinics and counselling rooms, shaping conversations about emerging technologies and their impact on human life. It must bring hope and guidance to families experiencing violence, infertility, separation, and grief. It must also equip Christian professionals to think and act faithfully in the development of technologies and the delivery of services.

Possessing the nations must also mean bringing the values and principles of God’s Kingdom into the difficult moral questions shaping ordinary human lives. This will require courage.

Some conversations will make us uncomfortable. Some will force us to revisit assumptions we have inherited. Others will reveal that issues we once considered simple become far more complicated when we encounter the people actually living through them.

But discomfort is not a reason for silence. The Church has never been called merely to answer the questions of yesterday. Every generation must faithfully apply the unchanging gospel to the questions appearing in its own time. Our generation is confronting extraordinary changes in marriage, reproduction, technology and family life.

Conclusion

The questions have changed, but the gospel has not. The challenge before us is whether the Church will be ready to bring its wisdom, compassion, and courage to these conversations. I believe it must.

About the Author

Dr Enoch Ofosu is the author of An Epistle to the African Church: Marriage, Abuse, Surrogacy, Divorce, and the Future of Christian Family Ethics, published by Resource Publications, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers.

Written by Dr Enoch Ofosu

The theme for the 2026 Church of Pentecost Youth Ministry Week celebrations is: “Making Jesus Famous Everywhere” (Dan. 3:28-29; Mk. 1:28; Acts 8:4-8). By God’s grace it is always excitingly encouraging to see our youth troop out in their numbers all over the country and elsewhere to celebrate the week in grand style and to touch lives for Jesus. On some occasions in the last three years especially, our auditoriums have not been able to contain the numbers, all to the glory of God!

As we go about this year’s celebration, which as noted earlier, is themed “Making Jesus Famous Everywhere,” the question, “What does it mean to make Jesus famous at all?” is well placed. This is so key, so we do not get the main point lost in the midst of every other thing we are doing.

Not About Cheap Popularity

First, making Jesus famous is not about making Him enjoy or ride on cheap popularity. There was a time in the Bible, during the temptation of Jesus recorded in Luke 4:9-12, that the devil sought to trap Him into cheap popularity, but Jesus declined it. Accordingly, the devil wanted to deceive Jesus into throwing Himself off the pinnacle of the temple and counting on God’s angels to catch Him, since it had been written in the Scriptures that God would command His angels to hold Him fast so He would not dash His foot against a stone. This was an invitation to cheap popularity. In fact, the newspapers and various other news headlines would have captured it the next day: “A New Hero Arrives: Jesus of Nazareth Jumps from a Rooftop and Lands Unscathed.” This would have made Jesus so famous, but Jesus declined it because it was not and it is still not the kind of cheap popularity He looks for.

In fact, there were many times in the Gospels that Jesus warned the disciples and others He had helped not to tell anyone about it. So, Jesus is not looking for cheap popularity, and that is not what the Youth Week celebration is about at all. This is why our use of modern media to communicate this theme should be careful and well directed. For example, an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated image of a goat with the inscription ‘Making Jesus Famous’ misses the point just as another design with a plane flying with Jesus sitting on it.

Preaching, Follow-Up, and Discipleship

What do we then mean to make Jesus famous? First and most importantly, it is to make Jesus the Lord and Saviour of many lives. This is what we call in our Pentecostal and Evangelical parlance that people will be “Born Again”. The truth is that Jesus is made famous when He becomes the Saviour and Lord (that is, Master) of many lives and through that reign over the nations and the peoples of the earth. People are dying in their sins; they are desperately going to hell without finding the salvation that Jesus alone gives. “…for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, NIV).

As we celebrate the Week our central goal must be to bring people to salvation in Christ Jesus. This must drive our various actions. That is to say that we begin to make Jesus famous when we begin to preach Him to those who do not know Him. This commitment must begin from looking around us for people who do not know Jesus, and praying for them and asking God to grant them repentance. We then must move to the next step where we bolster the confidence to preach the Gospel to them. This step is important because as the Bible has said, how can people believe in God when they have not heard about Him because no one has preached about Him to them? (Rom. 10:14).

The next step is to follow up those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour through our evangelism effort. The goal here is to make them understand the decision they have made to walk with God and to help them pick their initial steps in their newly found faith. After this there will be the need to be regular with them to help disciple them so that they will be grounded in Christ, become committed to the Church, and become fellow soulwinners with us. Surely, personal evangelism is a powerful way to make Jesus famous. This is what Philip did in the city of Samaria when he ventured to preach the Gospel there all by himself, and when he did that God glorified His name and many lives were won for the Lord Jesus as many others were delivered from the power and the deception of the devil (Acts 8:4-8). This will be our experience as well as you venture to preach the Gospel. As our father and Chairman has always said, “Heaven needs more preachers!” Let us avail ourselves for this call.

Holy Living

Aside from evangelism, another way to make Jesus famous is our holy living, and this year’s Youth week also aims at empowering us to live for the Lord Jesus in all areas of our lives. We will especially place emphasis on holy living regarding relationships, love, sex, and the use of social media. James 1:27 teaches that part of the true religion God accepts is to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world.

Productivity, and Professional and Academic Excellence

Jesus is also made famous through our productivity, and this is why the leadership of the Youth Ministry has also seen the need to dedicate one of the days of the Week celebrations to treating “Kingdom Work Ethics, and Professional and Academic Excellence.” There is a way God expects the people in His Kingdom to approach work, and that is the way of integrity, faithfulness, diligence, respect for authority and the demonstration of other virtues as indicated in Luke 16:10-12. Similarly, the word of God espouses professionalism, and we are called to be of ethical conduct, be prompt in our delivery, endeavour to be innovative and have problem-solving abilities as Christian professionals. Similarly, we must have good customer care skills and also master the art of effective people management, strategy building, supervision, and evaluation among others.

Some of the professionals in the Bible that I am most enthused about, and whom my wife and I have lovingly written about in our book, Lessons for the Young Anointed (Vol. 2): God’s Faithful Ambassadors in Babylon are Daniel and Joseph. I love these brothers. They were transformative leaders in Babylon and Egypt respectively, not only because they were God-fearing but also because of their professional delivery – they knew what to do, they had the know-how, and they did it with excellence. (See Dan. 6:1-5 for example). Academic excellence is another avenue to make Jesus famous, and Scriptures such as Acts 7:22 and Daniel 1:4, 17, 20, 9:2 especially challenge us from the lives of Moses and Daniel and his friends, respectively, to learn hard. The truth is that we perish for lack of knowledge (Hos. 4:6). I have often marveled at how God gave the opportunity for Moses to train as a lawyer in Egypt (in the court of Pharaoh) and how He later used him to give the Law to Israel. Moses was not only to receive the Law, but he was to record it, teach the people, and apply it in their society so that there will be the rule of (God’s) law. Later, he also served as a judge for the people. Indeed, the leadership and wisdom lessons he had learned while schooling in the court of Pharaoh were all useful for what God later used Him for while serving as the leader of God’s people. We must note that he was both a prophet and a highly educated and trained leader, and both strengths worked perfectly to the glory of the God Who, by His wisdom, gave him both sides.

The same was true of Daniel, who underwent three years of training before demonstrating professional excellence in Babylon. He was both a prophet and a statesman. The point is clear: God often provides opportunities to prepare us for what He will later call us to do. If we neglect the learning phase of life, we may be unprepared when those opportunities come. May the Lord help us pursue academic excellence and intellectual growth, which we also need as Christians to make Jesus famous.

Not Just With Our Lips, But With Our Lives

The point we are making is that we do not only make Jesus famous as we preach Him with our lips but also with our lives. Paul’s change of life (the Christlike character he demonstrated after converting to Jesus) made people praise God (Gal. 1:24). When people find us to be as holy, they will praise our God and that will make Him famous. In the same way when we work hard and faithfully, we demonstrate Christ-centered professional excellence just as when we excel academically. This is because people will praise God and be attracted to our Jesus. This is what the Apostle Peter meant when he wrote to the believers scattered over the world: “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God …” (1 Pet. 2:12, NIV).

May the Lord grant us a most successful Youth Week celebration, one that makes Jesus famous everywhere indeed, and may He do that through all of us!

Written by Apostle Dr. Ebenezer Hagan (Youth Ministry Director of The Church of Pentecost)

If our church were a person walking the streets of our city, would the broken and the messy call it a friend—or cross the road to avoid it?

That is an uncomfortable question every congregation must eventually answer, because the way outsiders instinctively respond to it may reveal far more about our true priorities than any mission statement displayed on our walls.

Somewhere along the way, many churches have quietly rewritten their purpose. What was meant to be a hospital for sinners has, in practice, become a gallery for saints—a place where the presentable are polished while the broken are politely kept at the door.

This is a misplaced priority, and it is costing the Church the very people Christ died to reach.

A church that has no room for sinners has, without realising it, no room for Jesus—for He is always found where sinners are.

THE SCANDAL OF ZACCHAEUS’ HOUSE

Nowhere is this tension more vivid than in Luke’s account of Jesus and Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector of Jericho—a man whose wealth was associated with the exploitation of his own people.

When Jesus stopped beneath the sycamore tree and invited Himself to Zacchaeus’ house, the crowd did not celebrate. They murmured:

“And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, that he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.”
Luke 19:7

Notice what troubled the onlookers most. It was not simply that Zacchaeus was a sinner; it was that Jesus went to him before he had cleaned himself up.

In their minds, holiness meant distance. In Christ’s ministry, holiness meant proximity.

The crowd wanted a Messiah who kept sinners at arm’s length. They encountered one who was willing to pull up a chair at their table.

That single verse exposes a spirit that has outlived the Pharisees and can quietly shape the Church today: the assumption that association with sinners defiles us, rather than the conviction that Christ in us can redeem what we touch.

DIAGNOSING THE PHARISEE SPIRIT AMONG US

This spirit rarely announces itself as hostility. It is far more subtle—a misdirected hunger for holiness that gradually replaces mercy with management.

It can show itself in several familiar ways.

Self-righteous distance: Our language, dress codes and unwritten rules may quietly signal that only “respectable” people truly belong.

Judgment over grace: We become fixated on a person’s past record rather than the future God intends to redeem in Christ.

Misplaced holiness: We guard institutional purity and minor rules while neglecting “the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith” (Matthew 23:23).

None of this is necessarily born of malice. Sometimes it comes from sincere people trying to protect something sacred—but protecting it in the wrong direction.

Jesus did not lower God’s standard of holiness. He simply refused to allow that standard to become a wall instead of a door.

FIVE LESSONS FROM THE MINISTRY OF JESUS

If the Pharisee spirit is the disease, the ministry of Christ provides the cure. His example gives the Church five practical shifts that can help us recover our mission.

1. PROXIMITY OVER PURITY — GO TO THEM

Jesus ate in the homes and workplaces of sinners (Luke 5:29). He did not remain at a distance, waiting for the lost to clean themselves up before crossing the threshold.

Mission-minded churches go into the community; they do not simply wait for the community to find the courage to walk through their doors.

2. COMPASSION OVER CONDEMNATION — SEE THE PERSON, NOT THE LABEL

Jesus saw Zacchaeus not merely as a tax collector but as a person in need of salvation (Luke 19:10).

Every visitor who walks through our doors carries labels the world has given them. Our calling is to look beyond those labels and see the soul Christ came to save.

3. QUESTIONS OVER LECTURES — LISTEN FIRST

Jesus built relationships through genuine dialogue rather than immediate correction. He engaged people where they were and created room for meaningful encounters.

Curiosity can soften a guarded heart; condemnation often shuts it tighter.

Leaders who listen first may earn the opportunity to be heard later.

4. GRACE THAT TRANSFORMS — BELIEVE IN CHANGE

To the woman caught in adultery, Jesus offered radical acceptance without lowering God’s standard: “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11).

Grace and holiness were never enemies in Christ’s ministry. Grace was the means through which transformation could take place.

The Church must therefore be a place where people encounter grace that does not merely make them comfortable in their brokenness, but points them towards genuine transformation.

5. WILLINGNESS TO OFFEND RELIGIOUS EXPECTATION

Jesus accepted being labelled “a friend of publicans and sinners” (Matthew 11:19) without allowing that accusation to distract Him from His mission.

He was willing to challenge religious expectations when doing so meant reaching those whom society had rejected.

A Church more concerned with rescuing the broken than protecting its reputation may occasionally be misunderstood by the religious. But our concern must remain the mission of Christ.

AN HONEST AUDIT FOR EVERY CONGREGATION

Every leadership team would do well to ask some searching questions about its culture.

What does a first-time visitor feel at our entrance—welcome or scrutiny?

Does our language from the pulpit sound like an invitation to the weary, or a verdict on the unworthy?

Are our altar calls and follow-up systems designed to walk broken people all the way into discipleship, or are we merely satisfied with recording a decision and moving on?

These are not questions about abandoning doctrine. They are questions about posture.

A church can hold firmly to biblical truth and still, through its atmosphere and habits, communicate that sinners are tolerated rather than treasured.

The correction is not a compromise of holiness. It is a recovery of the very holiness Christ modelled—a holiness that draws near without being defiled and that seeks transformation rather than exclusion.

A CALL TO ACTION

This month, let every believer—and especially every leader—accept a simple but costly challenge: build one authentic relationship with someone outside the faith.

Not a project.

Not a conversation with a hidden agenda.

A friendship, offered in the way Christ offered His to Zacchaeus—before any change was visible.

The Church of Pentecost was not raised up to be a museum for the righteous, but a rescue mission for the lost.

May we recover that first love—moving from distant grumbling at the sinner’s table to sitting down and eating with him, until, like Zacchaeus, he too stands up transformed.

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Luke 19:10

Written By Apostle Samuel Berko (Area Head, Amrahia)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the way we live, work, learn and communicate. Across almost every profession, AI has made tasks faster, easier and more efficient. Its contribution to productivity has made it an indispensable part of modern society, and it is increasingly becoming an integral component of educational curricula around the world.

As a young Christian, I have observed the increasing use of AI in Christian circles. From Bible study aids and devotionals to theological articles and sermon outlines, AI-generated Christian content is becoming increasingly common. Among these developments, one trend that has particularly caught my attention is the growing dependence on AI-generated sermons by some ministers of the Gospel.

This phenomenon has led me to reflect deeply on the subject and examine it in the light of Scripture.

The Bible foretold that “knowledge shall increase” in the last days (Daniel 12:4). This prophecy does not present the increase of knowledge or technological advancement as inherently good or evil. Rather, it reveals that humanity would experience an unprecedented increase in knowledge.

In my view, technology, and by extension Artificial Intelligence, is morally neutral. They are products of the advancement of human knowledge, and like many other inventions, their value depends largely on how they are used.

Likewise, AI can be employed either to strengthen ministry or to weaken it. For this reason, I do not believe it is wrong for a minister of God to use AI as an assistant in sermon preparation.

AI can help gather information, compare Bible translations, provide historical and cultural background, organise ideas and even suggest relevant Scripture references. When used correctly, it can enhance research and save valuable time.

However, AI should never become a substitute for personal study, prayer, meditation and waiting upon God.

A sermon is not merely an organised collection of biblical facts. It is a message delivered through a yielded vessel. Before standing behind the pulpit, the minister is expected to spend time with God until the written Word becomes a living and relevant Word for a particular people at a particular time.

No technology, regardless of how advanced it becomes, can replace the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

When ministers rely solely on AI to produce sermons with little or no personal spiritual investment, the result may be a well-written document, but not necessarily a Spirit-inspired message. Such dependence risks reducing preaching to the delivery of information rather than the communication of a message born out of genuine communion with God.

This concern reminds us of Paul’s instruction to Timothy:

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
(2 Timothy 2:15, KJV)

The call to “study” is not merely an academic exercise. It involves disciplined engagement with God’s Word under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Faithful preaching requires diligent labour in study, prayer and dependence on the Spirit.

Another concern is that many congregations are becoming increasingly able to recognise AI-generated sermons.

I recall an occasion during a church service when a friend sitting beside me appeared distracted during the sermon. When I encouraged him to pay attention, he quietly replied, “This sermon is AI-generated. I can tell from the projected slides.”

Whether his assessment was accurate or not, his comment reveals an important reality: people are becoming increasingly familiar with the writing patterns and expressions commonly associated with AI-generated content.

When sermons repeatedly follow predictable structures and expressions, congregations may begin to anticipate every point before it is made. While consistency in preaching is commendable, excessive predictability can gradually diminish the freshness and uniqueness that often characterise messages born out of genuine communion with God.

The greatest danger, therefore, is not simply that AI may produce repetitive sermons. Rather, it is that ministers may slowly lose the discipline of waiting upon God.

Throughout Scripture, God’s servants sought His face before speaking to His people. Moses waited on the mountain. Elijah listened for God’s still, small voice. The apostles devoted themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

Their authority did not come merely from what they knew, but also from the One with whom they had spent time.

Some ministers may feel that demanding schedules leave them with little time to prepare sermons, making AI a practical necessity. While ministry responsibilities have certainly increased, it is worth remembering that faithful ministers throughout history also faced enormous demands.

Long before the emergence of AI, pastors preached powerful, biblically sound and Spirit-filled messages that continue to edify believers today. Their sermons were born out of disciplined study, fervent prayer and complete dependence upon God.

The issue, therefore, is not whether AI exists or is being used, but whether it has begun to replace the minister’s dependence on the Holy Spirit.

AI Should Remain a Servant, Never a Master

AI can organise information, but it cannot cultivate intimacy with God. It can generate outlines, but it cannot seek God’s face. It can imitate human language, but it cannot reproduce the spiritual work that takes place when a minister waits upon the Holy Spirit.

Christian ministry has always been distinguished not by eloquent words alone, but by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

This is what the Apostle Paul emphasised:

“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”
(1 Corinthians 2:4–5, NIV)

He continued:

“We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.”
(1 Corinthians 2:6–7, NIV)

As ministers embrace technological advancements, they must ensure that convenience never replaces consecration and efficiency never replaces spiritual diligence.

The Apostle Paul offers an appropriate reminder in Philippians 4:8–9:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
(Philippians 4:8–9, NIV)

Conclusion

As we navigate the age of Artificial Intelligence, Christian ministers must exercise discernment. Let us embrace every tool that genuinely serves the work of God, but let us never allow any tool to replace our fellowship with Him.

AI can be a useful assistant in research and sermon preparation, but it must remain a tool in the hands of the minister, not the source of the minister’s message.

The future of faithful preaching will not be determined by the sophistication of technology, but by ministers who continue to seek God’s face, rightly divide His Word and faithfully proclaim the message He places in their hearts.

Let technology serve the ministry but let the Holy Spirit remain its source.

Written by Elder Frank Nkrumah Mafri (Asenemasо District)

In the silent chambers of the human soul, beyond the noise of cities, the confusion of philosophies and the burdens of life, there remains a sacred sound that never ceases. It is the gentle echo of mercy reverberating through eternity and the tender whisper of divine love reaching into broken hearts.

Like waves touching the shore again and again, God’s mercy continues to pursue humanity, while His love softly calls the weary, the wounded, the fearful and the lost. In that holy interplay, where mercy and love meet, Jesus Christ still calls humanity.

He calls not with hatred, condemnation or rejection, but with grace, compassion, forgiveness and eternal hope. The cry of Heaven is still reaching the earth: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

An echo is a repeated sound that continues to return even after the original voice has spoken. Spiritually, the echoes of mercy reveal that God’s compassion towards humanity has never ceased to resound across generations.

From the days of Adam and Eve until now, God has continually stretched out His hands towards fallen humanity. Lamentations 3:22–23 declares: “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”

Mercy means God withholding the judgment we deserve because of sin. Every sunrise, every breath and every opportunity to repent can therefore be seen as an echo of divine mercy.

The Whispers of Love

A whisper is gentle, intimate and personal. Unlike loud noises that demand attention, whispers invite us to draw closer.

The whispers of love speak of the tender voice of God reaching into the deepest places of the human heart. Jesus Christ does not merely call from a distance; He lovingly draws near to the soul.

In Jeremiah 31:3, God says: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.”

His love is not temporary, selective or tribal. It reaches across every race, tribe, language and nation.

Where Mercy and Love Meet

The word interplay speaks of two powerful forces working together beautifully and harmoniously. Mercy and love are constantly interacting in God’s redemptive plan for humanity.

Mercy says, “You deserve judgment, but I will spare you.”  Love says, “I will sacrifice Myself to save you.”

At the cross of Calvary, mercy and love met in the fullest expression of God’s redemptive purpose. Justice demanded payment for sin, but love provided the Lamb.

As the Christian writer Charles Spurgeon is often quoted as saying, “God’s mercy is so great that you may sooner drain the sea of its water than deprive His mercy of its fullness.”

“Jesus calls” is not merely poetic language; it is an eternal reality. Through the preaching of the Gospel, the conviction of the heart, the Scriptures, pain, joy, conscience and the work of the Holy Spirit, Christ continues to call humanity to Himself.

Revelation 3:20 says: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”

Every conviction in the heart may be understood as Heaven knocking at the door of the soul. The question is: Will we open the door?

Precious one, this call has a set time. The echoes of mercy and whispers of love are available while we live on this earth. After death, the opportunity for repentance comes to an end. Hebrews 9:27 says: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Many postpone salvation, believing there will always be another day. But tomorrow is never promised.

The whisper of God’s love is calling now. The echo of mercy is sounding now. The response must be now. Only Christ Satisfies the Soul. Throughout history, humanity has searched endlessly for peace, purpose, healing and eternal life. Yet only Jesus Christ can satisfy the deepest hunger of the soul.

Augustine of Hippo famously expressed this longing by writing, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” Wealth cannot save the soul. Fame cannot silence guilt. Human wisdom cannot conquer death. Only Christ offers redemption and eternal life.

This divine call is not reserved for a selected few. It is for all humanity. Whether rich or poor, educated or uneducated, black or white, young or old, the mercy and love of God reach towards every soul. The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is Heaven’s invitation to humanity. Precious One, Jesus Is Calling You

Precious one, as you read these words, perhaps something is stirring within your heart. That stirring may be the whisper of love. That conviction may be the echo of mercy. Jesus is calling you.

He calls you away from sin, hopelessness, pride, fear and eternal separation from God. He calls you into forgiveness, peace, salvation and everlasting life. Do not ignore the call. Do not delay your response. Open your heart to Jesus Christ today. Surrender your life to Him as Lord and Saviour.

For where echoes of mercy and whispers of love interplay, Jesus calls—and His call is still reaching the soul of humanity today.

Amen.

Written by P/Ovr. Mark Asuming (Nabulo District)

Introduction

In every generation, the Church has faced the challenge of believers drifting from the faith. Today, many pastors, parents and youth leaders are asking the same question: Why are many young people becoming reluctant about the things of God and leaving the Church?

The Bible calls this apostasy—a deliberate falling away from the truth one once professed to believe. It is a silent crisis. It is not always loud or obvious, but it can be gradual and steady.

Have you ever “unfollowed” someone on Facebook, TikTok or Instagram because their posts no longer made sense to you? Spiritually, apostasy can be likened to that—but it is far more serious. It is a deliberate turning away from God and the truth of the gospel.

What Is Apostasy?

Apostasy is not the same as struggling with doubt, going through a difficult season or missing church for a period. It refers to a deliberate rejection or abandonment of the faith one has professed.

It usually does not happen overnight. It can begin with seemingly small steps: neglecting the Word of God, entertaining compromise, becoming spiritually indifferent and gradually drifting away.

Hebrews 3:12 warns: “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.”

Sadly, some young people, as well as older believers, are drifting from the faith because they have stopped believing in God and no longer see Jesus as the answer.

When you listen to some of those who have turned away, you may hear arguments such as: “God is not fair to us. He watched my parents die and allowed me to suffer. God is wicked. The story of Jesus is all lies. The white man used the Bible to deceive us. Our pastors and church leaders are not telling us the truth. We are wasting our time at church and in church-related activities.”

These are serious questions and painful experiences. They should not simply be dismissed. However, they can also become pathways through which people gradually lose their faith, particularly when they encounter the pressures and competing voices of today’s world.

For me, some of these tests from the world come in the following forms:

1. False Teachings and Online Confusion

1 Timothy 4:1 says: “Some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.”

From TikTok sermons to so-called “new revelations” that contradict Scripture, personalised ideologies, philosophies and other forms of online content are influencing many people, especially the youth.

This is not to suggest that everything on social media is false or that there are no genuine sermons and helpful Christian teachings online. There are many sincere and valuable voices. However, there are also self-proclaimed advisers, ideologues and teachers who seek to undermine the authority of Scripture and present Jesus Christ as irrelevant to contemporary life.

What people continually watch and listen to can influence what they eventually believe. When the heart is constantly exposed to teachings that diminish the place of God and His Word, interest in the things of God and participation in church can gradually decline.

We must therefore be discerning about the teachings and sermons we consume.

2. The Love of the World

When the pursuit of money, fame, relationships, comfort and the so-called “soft life” becomes more important than obedience to God, our spiritual priorities can easily be misplaced.

In today’s world, many people focus on the money and material benefits they can gain without considering what it may cost them to obtain them. Some are willing to compromise their values and even abandon their faith in pursuit of wealth, influence and power.

When morality is pushed aside in the pursuit of material success, the heart can gradually become detached from God and the truth revealed in Scripture.

3. Offence and Hurt

Matthew 24:10 says: “And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.”

Some people leave the Church because of disappointment with leaders, fellow believers or unanswered prayers. Others become offended when their expectations are not met or when they feel neglected, discriminated against or unfairly treated.

Taking offence at church leaders or fellow believers has become a significant challenge in the contemporary Church. People can also become deeply hurt when they feel that God is distant from them, particularly during seasons of suffering, loss or unanswered prayer.

When such pain is not properly addressed, disappointment can gradually become resentment, and resentment can eventually lead to spiritual withdrawal.

4. Pressure to Compromise

In school, at the workplace and among friends, standing firmly for biblical truth can sometimes be costly. Without strong spiritual roots, some people may choose to remain silent, compromise their convictions or eventually walk away from the faith.

Life constantly tests our faith, morality and integrity. If we are not careful, repeated compromise can gradually weaken our commitment to Christ.

As one respected man of God once said, “We are not to defend the gospel but to demonstrate the gospel.” Our lives must therefore reflect the faith we profess. Persistent compromise can create a pathway towards spiritual decline and, eventually, apostasy.

How Do We Respond as a Church Family?

Apostasy should not be treated merely as a “youth problem.” It is a responsibility that belongs to the entire Church family.

Teach the Word with Clarity and Love

Our young people need sound doctrine, not motivation alone. We must teach them how to study and understand the Bible for themselves and feed them with the truth—the unadulterated Word of God.

Church leaders, ministry leaders and disciples must intentionally love members and help them develop a genuine relationship with Christ. People need both truth and grace.

Build Real Community

The Church must create safe and healthy spaces where young people can ask difficult questions without fear of being condemned or ridiculed. They need to know that they are seen, heard and loved.

We need to build Spirit-filled and wisdom-filled communities where people can grow in their faith while honestly engaging with the challenges they face.

Today, almost everyone can conduct research on virtually any subject. This makes it even more important for the Church to intentionally study the questions young people are asking and develop godly strategies to engage them meaningfully.

Mentorship and Discipleship

Parents, pastors, leaders and mentors must live what they preach. Hypocrisy can push people away from the faith.

Young people, especially, need godly mentors and mature Christian friends who will walk with them, listen to them, answer their questions and guide them in their relationship with Christ.

They must also be given opportunities to participate meaningfully in the life and activities of the Church. When young people feel that they belong and that their contributions matter, they are more likely to develop a deeper sense of commitment to the Church community.

Conclusion

Apostasy reminds us that faith is not merely a one-time decision but a daily walk with Christ. The Christian life is a race that must be run faithfully to the end.

Be rooted, not shaken.

The world will continue to offer new versions of truth. But for the Christian, Jesus Christ remains the anchor of the soul.

Colossians 2:6–7 says: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith…”

Dear young people, do not “unfollow” Jesus because life has become difficult. When you have questions, seek answers. When you are hurting, talk to someone. When your faith is challenged, go back to the Word of God.

And to the Church, let us become the kind of family that helps one another remain rooted in Christ and prevents one another from drifting away.

Let us run this race together, “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

Written by Elder Theophilus Quenor Okobeng, (Suhum District, Suhum Area)

For generations, humanity has lived under the shadow of a question that began in Eden: What went wrong?

Since Adam stretched out his hand in disobedience, the human story has been marked by a painful catalogue of realities—sin, suffering, disease, conflict and death. We have built, discovered, invented and advanced. Yet beneath all our progress lies an uncomfortable truth: something is still broken.

We have conquered distances but not hatred. We have extended lifespans but not conquered death. We have filled the world with information but have not necessarily filled the human heart with wisdom. We have learned to control nature in remarkable ways, yet we still struggle to control ourselves.

So the question remains: Is there a man who is perfect in character, perfect in nature, perfect in love and perfect in all his ways?

Yes.

There is.

His name is Jesus Christ.

In the midst of humanity’s brokenness, Jesus stands as God’s answer to the deepest need of man. His life reveals the perfect picture of what humanity was created to be. He did not merely teach a better way to live; He lived it. He did not merely preach love; He embodied it. He did not merely speak of life beyond the grave; He walked out of one.

At the appointed time, Heaven stepped into human history. The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and, according to the eternal purpose of God, Jesus Christ was born. The Creator entered His creation. The eternal stepped into time. The One who gives life came into a world dying from sin.

And the story of humanity was never the same again.

THE LIMITATIONS OF MAN

From the fall of the first Adam, humanity has continually encountered realities that remind us of our limitations.

Consider disease.

Humanity has made extraordinary progress in medicine and healthcare. Diseases that once meant almost certain death can now be treated or managed. Hospitals have become more sophisticated, medical research continues to advance, and new treatments have transformed millions of lives.

And for that, we should be grateful.

But disease still whispers a humbling truth: man is fragile.

In 2024, malaria claimed an estimated 610,000 lives globally, with Africa accounting for the overwhelming majority of those deaths. Tuberculosis claimed about 1.23 million lives, while hundreds of thousands more died from HIV-related causes.

Behind every statistic is a story—a mother, a father, a child, a friend, a life that mattered.

Our progress is real, but so is our limitation. Human knowledge can prolong life. It can improve life. It can save lives. But it cannot make man immortal.

We can treat disease, but we cannot promise that every sick person will recover. We can delay death, but we cannot abolish it.

Man can fight disease, but man cannot ultimately conquer mortality.

This is the limitation of man.

Then came Jesus Christ.

The Man who entered the reality of death and emerged victorious. The grave received Him, but could not keep Him. Death confronted Him, but could not defeat Him. The stone sealed the tomb, but could not seal His destiny.

He rose.

And in His resurrection, Christ demonstrated that what humanity could never overcome by its own strength had already been conquered in Him.

Adam introduced death; Christ introduced life. The first man brought humanity under the shadow of sin; the second Adam brought humanity the hope of redemption.

WHEN SURVIVAL BECOMES THE RHYTHM

But the limitations of humanity are not seen only in disease and death. They are also revealed in the way we sometimes treat one another.

Scripture calls us to love our neighbours, carry one another’s burdens and value human life. Yet in a world increasingly shaped by economic hardship, social tension, political instability and conflict, survival can easily become the dominant rhythm of human existence.

Protect yourself. Provide for yourself. Fight for yourself. Look after your own.

And slowly, without noticing, the question changes. Instead of asking, “How can I help?” we begin asking, “What is in it for me?”

Violence, murder, hatred and xenophobia continue to destroy lives and divide communities.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated that about 458,000 people were victims of intentional homicide globally in 2021. But numbers alone cannot tell the whole story. Every number had a name, and every name belonged to someone. Every death left an empty chair, a grieving family or a wounded community.

Xenophobic violence presents another painful picture. In South Africa, for example, Xenowatch has documented more than 1,300 incidents of xenophobic discrimination since 1994, with hundreds of deaths associated with such incidents.

These are not merely statistics. They are reminders of what happens when fear replaces compassion, when hatred overcomes love and when we begin to measure the worth of another human being by where they come from, what they possess or whether they belong to us.

Jesus presents another way.

He calls us beyond a life centred only on ourselves. He teaches us to love our neighbours, care for the vulnerable, welcome the rejected, forgive the offender, lift the fallen and see value in people whom society has learned to overlook.

Perhaps, then, the question should not always be, “How do I survive?”

Perhaps we must also ask, “Whose life can I help preserve?”

Jesus showed us what that looks like.

He did not live for Himself. He gave Himself for others. He touched the untouchable, welcomed the rejected, showed mercy to sinners, stopped for the forgotten and wept with the grieving. Ultimately, He stretched out His hands on a cross for people who could never repay Him.

What kind of Man does that?

The perfect Man.

In Jesus, we do not merely see an instruction to love. We see love wearing human skin.

THE MAN WHO CHANGED THE MEANING OF GREATNESS

The world often measures greatness by power. Jesus measured it by service.

The world celebrates those who rise above others. Jesus taught that the greatest must become a servant. The world asks, “How many people serve you?” Jesus asks, “How many people have you served?”

This is one of the great paradoxes of Christ. He was Lord, yet He served. He was King, yet He humbled Himself. He was rich, yet He became poor for our sake. He had power, yet He chose sacrifice. He could have demanded a crown, yet He accepted a cross.

And perhaps this is where humanity encounters its deepest need.

We do not merely need better systems; we need better hearts.

We do not merely need technological advancement; we need moral transformation.

We do not merely need longer lives; we need lives worth living.

And that transformation begins with Christ.

THE WAY FORWARD

The problems confronting humanity cannot be addressed only by changing the world around us. Something must also change within us.

Man must acknowledge his need for Jesus Christ.

We need Him to heal our brokenness, fill the emptiness within the human soul and restore what sin has distorted. We need to recognise Him as the Way, the Truth and the Life and allow His character to reshape ours.

Following Jesus is therefore more than identifying with a religion. It is allowing Christ to influence the way we think, speak, lead, serve, forgive and relate to others. It is becoming increasingly like Him.

And when Christ transforms an individual, that transformation should not remain hidden inside a church building.

It must walk into the world.

We become better neighbours because we learn to love; better citizens because we learn responsibility; better parents because we learn sacrifice; better husbands and wives because we learn faithfulness; better leaders because we learn service; and better sons and daughters because we learn honour.

We become better shepherds because we learn compassion and, ultimately, better representatives of God because we learn to see others through the eyes of Christ.

AND THEN CAME JESUS

Humanity has searched for perfection.

We have built monuments to greatness, written books about morality, developed philosophies about the meaning of life, searched the heavens for answers and looked within ourselves for meaning.

Yet humanity continues to encounter the boundaries of its own strength.

Disease reminds us that we are fragile. Death reminds us that we are temporary. Violence reminds us that we are broken. Selfishness reminds us that we need transformation.

And then came Jesus.

He entered our broken world without becoming broken by it. He lived among sinners without becoming sinful. He encountered hatred without becoming hateful. He possessed power without abusing it. He experienced suffering without abandoning love. He faced death without surrendering to it.

And when His earthly journey appeared to end at a borrowed tomb, Heaven had one final word:

“He is not here; He has risen.”

The Man who lived perfectly, loved completely, served sacrificially and conquered death is more than another figure in history. He is the perfect Man, the hope of humanity, the giver of life and the answer to our brokenness.

That Man is Jesus Christ.

The Man Jesus.

Written by Edna Garimah (Abesim District)

Many biblical principles reveal the pathways and requirements for receiving or inheriting eternal life. However, one statement made by Jesus stands out: “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

As we celebrate the National Children Ministry Celebration, it is my heartfelt and passionate prayer that God will transform our hearts and give us the humility, faith and simplicity that characterise children.

The Question of Greatness

The statement in Matthew 18 forms part of a conversation between Jesus and His disciples. The disciples had approached Him with a question: “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1).

In response, Jesus called a little child and placed the child among them. He then said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

Jesus was therefore not simply answering a question about who would be greatest. He was addressing the very attitude required of anyone who desires to enter God’s kingdom.

The Lord was not teaching His followers to become childish or intellectually immature. Rather, He was calling them to embrace qualities that children can exemplify—humility, teachability, trust and a willingness to depend on others.

The Character of a Child

Children are generally teachable, receptive and willing to learn. They can be corrected and guided, and they often approach life with a sense of trust and dependence.

Jesus therefore teaches us that those who desire greatness in the kingdom must first humble themselves.

We must be willing to learn, unlearn and relearn. We must not become stiff-necked or resistant to correction. We must allow the Word of God to shape our attitudes, decisions and conduct.

The kingdom of God requires a heart that is willing to submit to God.

Jesus said, “Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4).

True greatness in God’s kingdom is therefore not measured by status, position, wealth or influence. It begins with humility before God and others.

Receiving the Little Ones

Jesus went further to say, “And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (Matthew 18:5).

This statement reminds us of our responsibility towards children and, indeed, towards all those who place their trust in Christ. We are called to receive, nurture, guide and protect them.

The Church must therefore create an environment where children can encounter Christ, ask questions, learn the Scriptures and grow in their faith.

Jesus also issued a strong warning against causing any of these little ones who believe in Him to stumble (Matthew 18:6). The warning is particularly significant for those entrusted with the responsibility of teaching and nurturing others in the faith.

We must be careful not to misrepresent Scripture or lead people into error through false teaching. Those who teach the Word must handle it faithfully and ensure that their lives do not contradict the message they proclaim.

Rather than becoming stumbling blocks, we must become guides who lead others towards Christ.

Three Lessons from Children

Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18 highlights important qualities that Christians, and especially those involved in Children Ministry, must embrace.

1. Humility

We must learn to live in humility. Scripture encourages us to value others above ourselves and not to be consumed by the desire for recognition or superiority.

True greatness in the kingdom of God begins when we recognise our dependence on Him and treat others with honour and respect.

We must also teach our children the value of humility, helping them to understand that greatness is not about being above others but about serving God and humanity.

2. Tolerance and Patience

We must be patient with children and create room for them to learn. Children will ask questions, make mistakes and sometimes test our patience. Nevertheless, we must lovingly guide them.

We must not hinder children from coming to Christ. Instead, we must nurture them in the Word, answer their questions and provide an environment in which their faith can grow.

As we build them up, we must prepare them to become responsible Christians who can make a positive impact in society.

3. Childlike Faith

Believing like a child does not mean believing without wisdom or understanding. Rather, it points to a sincere and trusting dependence on God.

Childlike faith recognises God’s faithfulness and confidently trusts His Word and promises.

We are called to depend on God rather than relying solely on our own strength, wisdom or achievements. Such faith requires humility because it acknowledges that God knows what is best for us.

The Kingdom Belongs to Such as These

Jesus reinforced this teaching on several occasions. In Mark 10:14–15, when His disciples attempted to prevent children from coming to Him, Jesus said:

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

He added that whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

Luke 18:17 records the same teaching, emphasising the importance of receiving God’s kingdom with the humility and trust demonstrated by children.

The message is therefore clear: entry into God’s kingdom requires transformation of the heart.

Jesus calls us to lay aside pride, self-importance and self-reliance and embrace humility, trust and dependence on God.

As we celebrate the National Children Ministry Celebration, may we not only celebrate our children but also learn from them.

May God give us hearts that are humble enough to learn, patient enough to nurture others and trusting enough to depend completely on Him.

May we become like little children—not in immaturity, but in humility, faith, teachability and complete dependence on God.

And may our children grow to know Christ, love His Word and become vessels through whom God will transform society.

Written by Pastor E. Owusu (Mpasaso District -Tepa Area)