Author: Deji Okegbile

The Famine of “One Thing.” Lessons from Apollo 11 Holy Communion @ 50.

The Famine of “One Thing.” Lessons from Apollo 11 Holy Communion @ 50.

Posted by | Jul 22, 2019 | , , |

Over 600 million people around the world watched the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11, when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Eugene “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. for the first time walked on the Moon. Apollo 11 Holy Communion on July 20, 1969 provides us a missional reflection on how to overcome the famine of “One Thing,” that is, famine of hearing God’s Word. We read in Amos about the connexion between sinful times and sorrowful times. Prophet Amos made reference to the ruin through the vision of “basket of summer-fruit.” Prophet Amos also point us to the connexion between sinful...

Read More
Amos in the 21st century pulpits: The parable and ‘the risk of preaching at best half a gospel.’

Amos in the 21st century pulpits: The parable and ‘the risk of preaching at best half a gospel.’

Posted by | Jul 14, 2019 | , , , |

The Old Testament reading from the book of Amos provides us a reflection between ministry as a vocation and ministry as an occupation. Amos from a background of pastoral and agricultural life was ‘super sensitive’ ‘on one hand to the glory and majesty of God’s transcendent holiness, and on the other to the inhuman sinfulness of man.’ Amos’s ministry as a vocation showed a marked contrast with Amaziah’s high priest maintenance ministry as an occupation (Amos 7:14). Amos’s vocation ‘is much more uncomfortable and dangerous: to “Go, prophesy to my people Israel,” and this is in contrast to his...

Read More
Archbishop Uwadi @ 80, the Pioneer Archbishop of Umuahia: His ‘Bi-episcopal’ role and legacy of service above self.

Archbishop Uwadi @ 80, the Pioneer Archbishop of Umuahia: His ‘Bi-episcopal’ role and legacy of service above self.

Posted by | Jul 11, 2019 | , |

Though it’s almost 8 years since His Grace Most Rev Dr Rogers Onuwabughichi Uwadi who hailed form Mbaise, the largest clan in Imo State passed on, his legacy lives on. When I was in Nigeria with the Cliff College Distance Learning programme, I visited Archbishop Uwadi at his Bishop’s court in 2009 in the company of Very Rev Drs Chinonyerem Ekebuisi and Evans Onyeama to conduct an interview on Methodist episcopacy as part for my post graduate studies in United Kingdom. Archbishop Uwadi, a student of Patriarch Professor Bolaji Idowu belonged to the class of well refined, erudite historian...

Read More
Wesley Chapel, Lekki, Lagos Stained Glass Brings Bible to Life

Wesley Chapel, Lekki, Lagos Stained Glass Brings Bible to Life

Posted by | Jul 9, 2019 | , , , , |

Art can not only reflect God’s glory but really bring it into focus, in a way that touches our emotions – Cory Ryan Architecture as one of the art forms and a special aspects of the Visual Arts reminds us how our traditional church buildings are based on designs given by God himself. Beyond my Masters thesis, Visual Arts at University of Ibadan on the Nigerian Methodist Architecture – 1842-1993, the newly constructed Wesley Chapel, Lekki, Lagos, ready for commissioning on July 27th 2019 has open another chapter worthy of reflection. Wesley Chapel, Lekki, Lagos depicts the heavenly liturgy...

Read More
Great Harvest, Few Labourers: REAPING what we have SOWN

Great Harvest, Few Labourers: REAPING what we have SOWN

Posted by | Jul 8, 2019 | , , , , |

The mission of the seventy in our Gospel reading from John chapter 10 was based on Jesus’ instructions to them just as it was given to the twelve. It was not based on the disciples’ own opinions and interpretations (vv 2-11; 9:1-6). These disciples represented Jesus. They did not represent themselves. They were not wise in their own eyes to do or obey evil. There is a fundamental principle of God’s creation. The principle is ‘for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap,’ and this apply to our physical and spiritual ventures. In the beginning, the disciples...

Read More