Author: Deji Okegbile

Deaconess Aniette Akpan @60: Recovery of Deaconess Order.

Deaconess Aniette Akpan @60: Recovery of Deaconess Order.

Posted by | May 28, 2024 | , |

“. . .Abasi m’ikp”daha y’ami ikp’imeme inno.” On her 60th birthday, Deaconess Aniette Augustus Akpan remains grateful to God for the opportunity she was given through the Deaconess Order/Women’s work platform provided by the Methodist Church Nigeria to serve God majorly among the women. The platform also provided her windows of opportunities, including giving hope and voice to the hopeless and the voiceless, especially in a seemingly man’s world, impacting the lives of young women (the Ladies/Girls Fellowship, now Daughters of Wesley). Sadly, Deaconess Akpan is burdened that the Deaconess Order need urgent restoration before it goes into extinction. According to her, ‘currently,...

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Wesley and Men Who Followed!: ‘Have we all been deceived?’ Recovery of Authentic Christianity (Bible Methodism) Today.

Wesley and Men Who Followed!: ‘Have we all been deceived?’ Recovery of Authentic Christianity (Bible Methodism) Today.

Posted by | May 24, 2024 | , |

‘Was John Wesley deceived? Have our hymn writers been deceived in their immortal songs? Was Saul of Tarsus deceived? Have we all been deceived?’ One of the gifts presented to me during my 60th birthday Thanksgiving on Saturday, Jan 6 2024, was the book Wesley and Men Who Followed by Iain H. Murray. [1] Still in my birthday mood. Seeking God’s face for the next decade, this season in 1738, repeatedly referred to by Wesley as his conversion time, offers the opportunity to ask, ‘Have we all been deceived?’ for me, especially after 31 years in Methodist service and ministry. I had my youthful brush with Methodism under my grandmother, Alice Okegbile, and...

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Living by faith or living by Pride! A Call to Righteousness.

Living by faith or living by Pride! A Call to Righteousness.

Posted by | May 21, 2024 | |

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith – Hab. 2:4 Beyond doctrinal debates and discussions, the prophet Habakkuk’s prophecy changed the course of church history as a missional principle that the proud shall not continue, but the just shall live by faith. Prophet Habakkuk commences the prophecy with a fundamental thought applicable to all God’s dealings with people. With a description of an evil character, especially of the Chaldean, also known as Babylonian, Habakkuk said, “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him.” Living in pride like the Chaldean points...

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NIGERIA AND THE CHURCH IN FULL PENTECOST

NIGERIA AND THE CHURCH IN FULL PENTECOST

Posted by | May 19, 2024 | |

Pentecost is the great festival of soul harvest rooted in the book of Acts, chapter 2, that marks the birth of the Christian Church by the power of the Holy Spirit; hence each year, Pentecost Sunday, the third Christian sacred event, comes 50 days after Easter Sunday. The first Pentecost gathering consists of the roll call of nations from every known continent, race, and group known in the first century A.D (Acts 2:5). The observance of Pentecost goes beyond the modern Pentecostal movement within Christianity, linked to the Holiness movement in early Methodism. Pentecost Sunday celebration is 1900 years older than...

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Jesus’ Final Prayer: The Mechanics of Salvation for Spiritual Well-being.

Jesus’ Final Prayer: The Mechanics of Salvation for Spiritual Well-being.

Posted by | May 14, 2024 | |

Jesus’ final prayer from John 17 for His disciples shows our Lord’s deepest desires for His followers’ including their spiritual well-being, both then, now and after. Jesus’ prayer is also a Spirit-inspired example of how all Christian leaders should pray for people and how Christian parents should pray for their children.  As a reminder, Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer is very instructive, renewing, and redeeming: In verses 1-5, Jesus prays for His glory; He prays for his disciples in verses 6-19. and then in verses 20-26, He prays for all believers. To avoid the rut of daily, monotonous prayers, Jesus...

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