Author: Deji Okegbile

THE ROLE OF THE PRIEST IN CERTAIN NATIONS AND CHURCHES OF LEPERS: WESLEY’S EXAMPLE.

The role of the priest in the context of Jesus’ command to the ten lepers goes beyond the New Testament revelation that all Christians are priests (1 Pet 2:5, Heb 4:14-16). The text from Luke 17 made a complete sense when the cleansed leper went to the priest. The role of the priest is to establish the prophetic truth and the power of Jesus Christ to cleanse a leper. The priest, beyond an evangelical understanding of the church over against the clericalism, is not just a professional diagnoser of leprosy but a prophetic witness and testifier to the authenticity...

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Nigeria @ 59, Public Theology and Faith Brokers: ‘…Lord, increase Our Faith.’

Let us focus on three key foundations for national renewal – Faith, Family, and Education in the context of this reflection. The three keys based on our knowledge and obedience to God’s commands points to the role of the church in national renewal. The three keys also forms the elements of Public Theology as a theology of history guided and based on the public events in the life of God’s ONLY Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Public theology seeks personal renewal, the welfare of the state and a fair society for all by engaging issues of common interest to build...

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The Blindness of Wealth: Unrepentant Rich Man (Nations and churches) and Eternal Reversal.

There is an end to human history which goes beyond the time of one’s death or positions in this age. Beyond the arguments and misunderstanding on either dead people go to heaven or to hell after death, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus warns us against greed, pride, cynicism and the judgement of God. Judgement is not just what modern people don’t want to talk about, it is rather uncomfortable to the religion of modernity hence, the modern tending towards tolerance and love. Abraham’s response to the rich man’s request to relieve his suffering and later to...

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THE SHREWD CHURCH?: Overcoming Leadership and Spiritual Misrepresentation

In Luke 16, Jesus commends shrewdness. To be shrewd in the context of a missional practices and skills goes beyond clever actions, plots, schemes, and speeches where the heros or heroines do something for the audience applauds and acceptance. Beyond the use of money to secure our future, Jesus’ parable points us to our ultimate missional future, our eternal future. The use of money is a good test of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Money with a lot of power can be use for good or evil hence, Jesus’ parable of the shrewd steward summons us to use our...

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“LOST PEOPLE MATTER TO GOD”: RENEWING LEADERSHIP FOR EVANGELISM 

Parables are stories which a meaning. In the Gospel reading from Luke 15, Jesus’ three parables in response to the complaints of the temple leaders, Pharisees and scribes against Jesus’ ministry points us to the importance and God’s priority in renewing leadership to reach the lost (v.2). The complaints by these religious people were a symptom of larger problem – the lost of leadership/church’s focus to reach out to the lost hence, the disunity and lack of cooperation even in rescuing the perishing and caring for the dying. To be “lost” means to be away from the Good Shepherd...

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