Author Archives: Paul Schlehlein

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About Paul Schlehlein

Jesus is Lord. Husband to Lindy. Father of eight. Missionary church-planter to the Tsongas in rural South Africa.

The Dangers of Gaming

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–– David de Bruyn

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Amidst much economic downturn, one industry that is thriving in South Africa is gaming and e-sports. The Price-Waterhouse-Cooper Africa Entertainment and Media Outlook reported that South Africa’s gaming and e-sports increased its revenue by 30% in 2022, and leads both Kenyan and Nigerian markets. Although power cuts, slow rollout of 5G, and poor quality networks have hampered growth, Africa’s mobile-first landscape has allowed for quicker adoption of digital currencies. E-sports and gaming often use digital currencies for betting and in-game purchases. 

Worldwide, the gaming industry makes more money than the film and music industries combined. In 2021, the gaming world brought in over $180 billion. Companies such as Facebook and Google have invested billions of dollars into Virtual Reality, which is certain to become a major part of gaming in the next 5-10 years. 

Although using games for harmless diversion and amusement may be a lawful use of leisure for Christians, there are some real spiritual dangers associated with gaming. 

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Responding to Cancel Culture

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–– Paul Schlehlein

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The Egyptian pyramids have yet to be cancelled. If Cancel Culture has its way, the Great Sphinx may be next. 

Thousands of years ago, the Egyptians believed Pharaoh was a living god. The people spent centuries making elaborate tombs to comfort their king in the afterlife. Architects used millions of limestone blocks to construct the massive pyramids. Khufu’s Great Pyramid alone contains 2.3 million blocks of stone, each piece weighing more than a ton. The Great Pyramid stands as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and remained the tallest structure in the world for 38 centuries. 

Ramses II, father of more than fifty sons and Pharaoh of Egypt for sixty-seven years, inscribed these words on his throne: “I am [Ramses II], King of Kings. If anyone would seek to know how great I am and where I lie, let him surpass one of my works.”

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Should we celebrate Christian holidays?

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–– Andrew Zekveld

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Introduction

Christmas is a month away, and already the range of emotions, sentiments, and opinions about celebrating Christmas are filling the conversations and plans of some Christians across Africa. A few months later, the Easter celebrations will re-ignite these discussions all over again. Then, forty days later, an Ascension Day Church service will be kept in some scattered Churches across our continent.

Our differences are not only personal, they are also national. In South Africa, the celebration of Ascension Day was removed as a national holiday with the fall of Apartheid in 1994. In Egypt, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, Christmas falls on the 7th of January and in Ghana on the 1st of December. In countries with a strong European heritage, you will find Christmas trees and fruit cake on Christmas Day, while the decorations and meals of other countries might vary from region to region within the same country. Though Easter is celebrated in many African countries with more zeal than Christmas Day, it receives no official attention in about a third of African countries.

How should Christians in Africa think about celebrating Christian holidays?

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Review: A Guide to Prayer

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Isaac Watts, Banner of Truth, 186 pages, 4 of 5 stars

Isaac Watts, the Father of English Hymnody, has written my favorite book on prayer. The previous first choice had been Carson’s A Call to Spiritual Reformation. Watts is even better. For a full summary of the book, go HERE.

Four reasons this is my favorite book on prayer

First, it’s practical, surprisingly so. Watts argues that prayer has rules just like other skills. If medicine has rules for healing, then Christians must learn the rules for praying. Watts talks about everything relating to prayer, from the Spirit’s work, to the kinds prayer, the voice, the gestures, the motivations, the grace and the gifts of prayer.

Second, it’s short, under 200 pages. It’s also clear. Watts once wrote a famous book on logic, still in print. Short and clear is a great combo.

Third, it’s old. Watts was born in England in 1674. The book was first published in 1715. If the choice is between the latest best-selling book on prayer over at Amazon, or a prayer manual three centuries old, choose the latter.

Fourth, it’s written by a pastor. No other occupation on earth lists praying as it’s central job description. If you want to learn how to pray, find a godly pastor. They have experience and Bible verses for support. At age 28 Watts became the pastor of Mark Lane Chapel in London. He was an able pastor, his church growing from 74 to five hundred during his lengthy ministry.

A few tips for parents

Fathers and mothers could uses Watt’s book to teach their kids how to pray. Consider the following ways: Continue reading →

The Greatest Defense Against Poverty

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–– Paul Schlehlein

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Is there a correlation between broken homes and poverty? Do the two go hand in hand? Can the strengthening of the home decrease poverty in a society? The answer to all of these questions is yes.

In 2014, the Institute for Family Studies ranked countries by how likely children are to live with two parents, from 94 percent of children in Jordan to just 36 percent in South Africa. None of the top 20 countries with the highest percentages of two parent homes are found in the top 50 of nations with the highest percentage of their population below the poverty line. In other words, it is nealry impossible to find poor countries with a high percentage of two-parent homes.

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Three Words for Husbands Whose Wives Won’t Escort Them to the Mission Field

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– Paul Schlehlein

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Imagine this. Simon hears a Sunday sermon from a missionary who works in northern Africa. The preaching cuts him deeply. His eyes water. He gets to dreaming. He senses God is calling him into missions. He tells his wife. She smiles politely. He goes to seminary. He reads missionary bios. He tacks maps on his bedroom wall. He takes survey trips. He’s all in.

Years later he’s ready to go. As he pulls up the tent spikes at home, he discovers his wife’s roots have only run deeper. She can’t leave her parents. She can’t homeschool in a foreign land. She can’t take the heat. She’s not going. Simon is crushed. What should he do?

This is a difficult matter that is not all that unusual in missions. It’s happened more than one might expect. Here are three words that Simon should embrace.

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What Should a Couple Do If Their Parents Disapprove Their Marriage?

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– Paul Schlehlein

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When we consider a question like this, our first question should be: “Is this union honoring to God?” This is not the same question as: “Is this union honoring to my parents?” The two are often the same, but not always. 

Here are five marks of forming a marriage that God approves. 

(1) Conversion. Only a Christian may marry a Christian (2Cor. 6:14). God forbids inter-faith marriage (1Cor. 7:39), which only leads to heartache (Ex. 34:16). 

(2) Consent. Forced marriage is not marriage. Adam left his parents to cleave to his wife, showing volition. He came to her, showing it was not by force (Gn. 2:24). 

(3) Character. The bride and groom should share the same spiritual vibrancy. One may be more spiritually mature than the other but too great a divide will hamper the marriage. “Can two walk together except they be agreed” (Amos 3:3)? 

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Dating Apps and the Christian

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–– Tim Cantrell

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Should Christians use dating apps?  One study claims that 1 in 3 South Africans uses online dating and that only 11% do it to find a marriage partner, while 48% do it for fun, 41% to find friends, and 13% for sex.  Our Police Minister Bheke Cele has recently warned of the increasing use of dating apps for kidnapping.  Yet global revenue from dating apps for 2023 will add up to US$8.7 billion, from 441 million users – a colossal industry indeed!  What does God’s Word say about this massive trend in our society?

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Why Caster is Faster: A Christian Response to Transgenderism

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–– Paul Schlehlein

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If you think the transgender debate hasn’t reached Africa, think again. Trans ideology has been gaining ground in Africa for decades. 

Take, for example, Caster Semenya, a South African middle-distance runner and two-time women’s Olympic gold medal winner in the 800 meters. Semenya doesn’t just win races. Semenya dominates, the media describing the races as “coasting to victory” and “winning easily”. 

The problem is that Semenya is not a woman. Semenya is a man who identifies as a woman. He has all the biological marks that only males possess: XY chromosomes, male genitalia, and high testosterone levels. He’s married to a woman with whom he has a child. Even his rare genetic condition can by definition only affect males. How then can Semenya call himself a woman?

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Six Marks of a Good Missionary Newsletter

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Missionary newsletters (sometimes called Updates or Prayer Letters) help missionaries communicate with their sending churches and individual supporters back home. The purpose of these letters is to inform Christians about the details of the ministry so that they can pray for and support the missionary responsibly. Many of St. Paul’s epistles were first-century examples of missionary updates.

We as missionaries must improve our writing skills. I’ve read many bad prayer letters from missionaries. A handful are average and a select few are excellent. A quarter of them I wish would end after the first two sentences.

I understand this is somewhat subjective. What is good for one may be bad for another. I know there are different tastes. There is no Mosaic Prayer Letter Manual that Sinai insists we follow, though the writings of Missionary Paul are a good start.

I have no axe to grind. I’m pro missions. I’ve been a missionary for almost two decades. When it comes to missions, I’m like the mother who attends her son’s sporting events–pompoms, face paint, team jersey. I’m all in.

While some newsletters are like Rachel, beautiful to behold, others are like Leah, plain and lacking vitality. I’ve read newsletters with over 3,000 words–equal to nine pages in a typical book. I’ve read other letters with scores of photos, including vacation pics, birthday parties and lots of cutsie photos of the kiddos–more man-centered than Christ exalting.

Below you’ll find six marks of a good prayer, followed by a couple helpful examples. Continue reading →

Six Excuses Parents Use for Not Disciplining Their Children

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– Paul Schlehlein

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Parenting is difficult. Disciplining proves even harder. Many of the best of men and women have failed at parenting. Abraham alienated his son Ishmael. Jacob rebelled against Isaac. The sons of King David tried to kill their father. Church History verifies parenting is difficult as well. Take William Carey for example.

As the Father of Modern Missions, he excelled. But as the father of several children, he struggled, at least in the beginning. While he labored at translation work in India and battled with his wife’s mental illness, his sons spiralled out of control. Deprived of their mother’s love, his sons Felix and William seemed uncontrollably self-willed. Carey tried. He improved later in life and earned the highest love and respect from his children. But it wasn’t Carey that turned his sons around. 

William Ward, Carey’s teammate in India, took much of the spiritual care for Carey’s kids in their youth. Ward feared the Carey boys would break away from their Christian moorings. So he discipled them. He walked with them. They sang together. They spoke of spiritual matters. Carey poured gratitude upon his friend Ward, but it was Carey’s job to do. 

This illustrates the difficulty parents find in disciplining their children. Here are six common excuses they use.

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Our Dire Debt Dilemma

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–– Mark Christopher

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Proverbs 22:7 declares the following truism: “The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” This truism extends to individuals and governments alike. Last week’s mid-term budget speech on November 1st by the minister of finance was a good reminder of the peril of falling prey to the pernicious consequences of the debt cycle whereby more is spent than one has money for. 

Over the last several years, the South African government has continued to spend far more than it collects in annual tax revenue. This has snowballed with government having to borrow money it doesn’t have to make up for the annual shortfalls. This money is borrowed from various global financial institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. 

The South African government is now nearly 5 trillion rands in debt and growing annually. Since the budget speech in February of this year, the debt has grown by another 250 billion rands. This means that every man, woman, and child in South Africa owes 83,333.00 rands per person (calculated by 60 million people). 

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Is Israel Guilty of Apartheid?

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–– Paul Schlehlein

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Apartheid is an Afrikaans word meaning separation. It refers to a system of segregation based on race, popularized by the white South African government from 1948 to 1994. Though South Africa officially abolished apartheid nearly 30 years ago, many outside the country may be surprised to know that the word “apartheid” is still plastered on countless billboards throughout the largest cities in the land. 

But these billboards are not opposing old national grievances. How could they? Today’s blacks dominate South Africa’s population, Parliament, and police. 

These signs refer to the supposed Israeli apartheid against Palestinians. Sample signs in South Africa read: “Do the Right Thing. Boycott Apartheid Israel.” Or, “Churches Against Israeli Annexation of Palestinian Land.” Or, “End Israeli Apartheid Now.” Organizations and political party logos emboss these billboards, including the anti-Israel group Africa4Palestine, as well as the ruling party of the ANC, and the SACP—the South African Communist Party. 

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Death Penalty Disappearing in Africa

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–– David de Bruyn

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In July of 2023, Ghana’s parliament voted to abolish the death penalty. Africa still has 30 countries that have the death sentence in their legal system, though it is rarely used in over half of these. Fourteen countries in Africa regularly use the death penalty: Nigeria, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt, and Libya. In 26 African countries, capital punishment has been removed from the law books. 

Amnesty International reported that in sub-Saharan countries, there has been a 67% drop in capital punishment in the last three years. Egypt remains the leading practitioner of capital punishment in Africa.

Modern secular political wisdom asserts that the death penalty is a barbaric relic from the past. This wisdom believes in something known as rehabilitationism. In this scheme, justice primarily seeks to reform, not punish. Since the death penalty does not reform anyone, proponents of this theory assert that it should be abolished. 

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Why Does God Take So Many Missionaries in Their Prime?

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 Podcast Edition HERE

Many Christian men and women have died early. Too soon, some would say. They were great. They were young. The examples in Scripture and Church History are endless.

Abel obeyed God but was murdered by his brother. Stephen was stoned mid-sermon. Our Lord was crucified at 33. Most of the apostles died soon after the death of their Savior.

Clement, early defender of the faith, had an anchor tied around his throat and was thrown overboard. Cyprian was beheaded. Chrysostom, in the heyday of his preaching ministry, was force-marched to death. William Tyndale, amidst translating the Bible, was burnt at the stake.

Matthew Henry died before he could finish his commentary. David Brainerd died of tuberculosis at 29 while doing missionary work among the Indians. Jerusha Edwards, daughter of Jonathan and caretaker of Brainerd, died soon after at 17.

The Lord took Robert Murray M’Cheyne to Heaven at age 29. Henry Martyn, having spent years learning Middle Eastern languages, expired at age 32. John Paton’s wife was only nineteen when she left all to reach the cannibals. She died just months later. James Gilmore was just hitting his stride in Mongolia when he died at 47. The Auca Indians speared to death Jim Elliot was he was only 28. Continue reading →

Africa, Female Circumcision and Islam

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–– Paul Schlehlein

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In August of 2023, three women in The Gambia were ordered to pay a fine or face jail time for practicing female circumcision. They were charged under the country’s Women’s Amendment Act of 2015, which outlaws female circumcision.  

Despite this law, at least half of the women in The Gambia have undergone this procedure, often performed by older women in the community. 

What is Female Circumcision?

According to the World Health Organisation, female circumcision involves partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. This procedure is common in many African countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Eritrea. The United Nations Population Fund estimates that 200 million girls and women globally have undergone female circumcision. 

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The Christian and the Bride Price (4): Practical Conclusions

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The previous three articles have shown that the bride price in Africa has pros and cons. From these Christians can make some practical conclusions.

  1. Marriage is primarily a covenant between a husband and a wife

Simply transferring a payment from one family to another is not marriage. As we argued earlier, marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman (Mal. 2:14). This covenant has three parts (Gen. 2:24): leave, cleave, one flesh.

First, it is a covenant that is commenced by consent. This means both the woman and the man must agree to be wed. Forced marriage is not marriage. The parents of the man do not drag him to the altar. He leaves his mother and father of his own volition to start a new union that will become his chief relationship on earth.

Second, marriage is a covenant continued by commitment. This is expressed by oaths before witnesses, though this may look different in various cultures.

Finally, the formation of the marriage covenant is concluded by consummation. The one flesh union is imperative to form a marriage. This is one reason why a homosexual union can never be considered a marriage.

Lobola may be a stepping stone to arrive at these marks, but it must never be viewed as marriage itself. Moreover, Scripture never speaks of marriage as primarily a union between families but instead between a man and a woman.

  1. The natural order of life is that mature parents provide for their younger children, not vice-versa.

Why Africa is Poor has a chapter entitled “Gleeful Fatalism” which addresses the ways African parents and extended family members sometimes abuse their children financially. The book throughout talks about “Bantu abuse” and “parental tax” and this chapter specifically talks about “parental robbery”.

While the book favours children caring for their parents in their old age, the author opposes the “receipt book” mentality in which parents demand their children sustain them in their retirement. “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children” (Pr. 13:22). Lobola should never be the means whereby parents seek to enrich themselves. Continue reading →

The Christian and the Bride Price (3): What are Lobola’s Weaknesses?

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 Podcast Edition HERE

For every argument in favor of lobola, its opponents have arguments against it. Here are some of the most common disagreements:

  1. Lobola Makes the Woman Feel Like Property

Some view lobola as nothing different than purchasing a car or cell phone. In modern society, because money has replaced cows regarding the payment of lobola, some say it makes the woman feel as though she is being purchased.

But some reject this argument, saying that in African languages, there are separate words for purchasing an item and paying the bride price. This proves that the woman is not being bought and sold.

Many are still unconvinced. The thinking is that if Chanda has to work a full year (or two or five) to “pay” for his wife, then we should not be surprised when Chanda treats her like property, treats her with less respect, and treats her as though she owes him something. “I don’t owe you anything,” he says. “I paid!” Continue reading →

‘National Day of Prayer’ – True Piety or Tactful Politics?

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–– Chipita Sibale

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According to the 1996 Constitution, Zambia is officially a Christian nation, with 75% of the population having a Protestant attachment and 20% being Roman Catholic. This strong affiliation to Christianity has seen many declarations from political leaders. One such call is that of a “National Day of Prayer.” This holiday was established in Zambia in 2015 by former President Edgar Lungu. It has since become a national event and holiday, falling on the 18th of October.

It offers an opportunity for individuals, families, and communities to take some extra time to reflect and pray. In order to observe the National Day of Prayer, fasting, repentance, and reconciliation in a reverential manner, all activities of an entertainment nature are postponed. At the same time, bars and food outlets remain closed between 6 AM to 6 PM.

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Why African Churches Should Celebrate Reformation Sunday

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– Paul Schlehlein

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Thirty-one October, 1517, is the day Martin Luther put hammer to nail and posted his 95 Theses upon the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Reformation Sunday is the day that thousands of churches worldwide celebrate that historic moment. 

History of the Reformation

The Catholic Church in Luther’s day had become corrupt, promoting what Scripture rejects and denying what the Bible confirms. Luther was nurtured in the Catholic Church and had given his life to her as a monk. But as Luther dug deeper in the Scriptures—something Catholics were not supposed to do—the Holy Spirit began illuminating the sins of the Vatican.

Luther, as it were, had pulled up the floorboards of the Church, only to find the foundation infested with vermin. Down there were Hymenaeus and Alexander, Diotrephes and Elymas, eating away at the foundation of truth.

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Four Humble Ways Missionaries Can Make Disciples

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 Podcast Edition HERE

Anthony Norris Groves is one of the great missionaries in Church history. Most of Christendom has never heard of him.

His first missionary stint was a “failure” to the Arabic-speaking Muslims in Baghdad, Iraq. He began there in 1829 and left just a few years later. His wife died there. So did his infant daughter. Floods, famine, plagues and war pounded relentlessly upon the little mission team. He moved to India.

God had not given Groves many natural gifts for ministry success. He was a dentist by trade and was not a natural street preacher. He lacked the passion and oratory skills that often drive evangelists to far-away lands.

But he accomplished much. Among his greatest feats was training John Arulappan (1810-1867), a promising young Indian Christian that had grown up in one of the missionary schools. He mentored John for almost 20 years and through him Groves saw innumerable churches planted and people won to Christ. What was the secret?

The answer, in part, can be found in the following quote from Groves:

“It would be desirable for every evangelist [i.e. missionary] to take with him wherever he went from two to six native catechists, with whom he might eat, drink and sleep on his journeys, and to whom he might speak of the things of the kingdom as he sat down and as he rose up, that they might be, in short, prepared for ministry in the way that our dear Master prepared his disciples, by line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, as they could bear it, feeling from beginning to end that our place is not to set others to do what we cannot do ourselves.. but that we are rather to be examples of everything we wish to see in our dear brethren.” (p. 478, The Father of Faith Missions, Dann)

From this quote I can find four humble, practical ways missionaries can make disciples.

  1. Keep the Roots Shallow

Groves referred to himself as an “evangelist” or missionary. He resisted the urge to become a kind of extended pastor on the foreign field. He knew his role was foundation-building like Paul did in Romans 15. The Apostle often carried responsibilities of a pastor but never used the title “elder” for himself—though Peter did (1Pt. 5:1). Paul poured the footings, then moved on, periodically returning from time to time to visit.

The natives on the New Hebrides referred to John Paton as “Missi”, an abbreviated form of missionary. As far as I can tell, nowhere in his 500-page autobiography does he use the title of pastor when serving as a missionary.

Linguistic precision like this goes a long way toward missionary disciples. It says, “You’re up next.” It says, “I’m moving on.” It says, “I’m not the running back. I’m the QB that hands off the ball so that you can score.” Continue reading →

The Christian and the Bride Price (2): What are Lobola’s Strengths?

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Podcast Edition HERE

One of the reasons the practice of lobola (the bride price) has lasted so long in Africa is because it has several commendable features.

The previous article defined and explained the practice of the bride price in Africa. This article discusses seven of lobola’s strengths. The next article will address the weaknesses of lobola.

  1. Lobola Builds the Relationship Between the Two Families

Lobola can be an important way African families develop kinship together. In speaking of the benefits the Old Testament bride price brought to society, Paul Copan in Is God a Moral Monster? writes how it not only heightens the value of marriage but also shows the esteem the groom has for his bride:

The bride-price was the way a man showed his serious intentions toward his bride-to-be and it was a way of bringing two families together to discuss a serous, holy, and lifelong matter. Having sex with a young woman without the necessary preparations and formal ceremony cheapened the woman and sexuality. The process surrounding the bride-price reflected the honourable state of marriage. (p. 17)

  1. Lobola Shows Gratitude to the Parents of the Bride

Since the groom’s family is getting something out of the marriage (the bride) and since she often moves in the groom’s direction, the payment of lobola is a way to return appreciation to the bride’s family, often through cattle or cash.

In fact, many say that if lobola has not been paid, regardless of the other ceremonies, the families will not recognize the marriage. I have known some families that would not even speak to the groom-to-be if he was unwilling to pay lobola. So severe was the offense, they wouldn’t even allow him on their property.

Should troubles arise later between this husband and wife, and should they need help or counsel from their parents, they will not find any support. The parents will say: “You were not willing to commit to the families with the lobola payment, don’t come to us now for help.” Often the families will still view the wife as “single” and “unmarried” if there was no lobola.

When the couple has children together and there is no lobola, the kids will often belong to the father of the wife and not their biological father. Moreover, he will often have less influence over the upbringing of his children. Continue reading →

“Let us Live and Strive for Freedom”

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–– Tim Cantrell

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Right now in South Africa is one of those rare moments of national unity where black and white, rich and poor are all sporting their Springbok colours as we cheer on our rugby team’s heroic attempt at another world cup.

When we begin each game singing our national anthem (originally a Xhosa Christian revival hymn), it climaxes with that rallying cry: “Let us live and strive for freedom in South Africa, our land!” But where does human freedom even come from in the first place? Many believe freedom originates in the state or superpower nations or must be delivered by dictators, coups, or liberators.

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The Christian and the Bride Price (1): What is Lobola?

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Podcast edition HERE 

The bride price is to Africa what apple pie is to the United States. Lobola (or, the bride price) is as old as Africa itself.

But there is a great deal of variance from clan to clan, country to country and tribe to tribe. Because lobola is not a monolithic idea, here we will discuss the subject’s core components only.

What Is the Meaning of Lobola?

In the Tsonga language, ku lobola means to buy in marriage. Ku lobota means to accept lobola. It is essentially a bride price. But the word “lobola” has passed over into many other African languages. Crucial words in African culture often do not change from country to country, like “nyama” (meat).

Lobola is the payment of money or cows by a prospective son-in-law to the family of his future bride. Most often the groom pays, though sometimes the payment comes from the father and even perhaps in the future if the man has no money. In the past this was often paid with hoes and oxen. Most pay cash for lobola today. So lobola refers to the money given for a bride that the parents and extended family agree upon. Continue reading →

A Foreign Politician Gives Hope to South Africa’s ANC

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–– Paul Schlehlein

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In September 2023, at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in Washington D.C, Congressman John James examined the current status of the United States/South Africa relationship. His speech shows that American officials are keenly aware of some of South Africa’s disastrous policies. 

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Israel – A Case of Just War?

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October 13, 2023 –– Mark Christopher

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Turn on the news and you will be inundated with headlines about wars and rumours of wars. According to WiseVoter.com, there are 32 countries currently involved in conflicts of various kinds, wreaking havoc on their economies and their populace. Some of the African nations that bear the misery of making this list are Algeria, Benin, and Burkina Faso among others which are all enduring terrorist insurgencies. Countries like the Central African Republic and Ethiopia are dealing with Civil Wars.

With war being a constant reality it would be wise for Christians to be equipped with a Biblical understanding of how nations should evaluate their participation in a war.

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Review: Masculine Christianity

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Zachary Garris, Reformation Zion Publishing, 312 pages, 5 of 5 stars

I purchased this book on a whim. I was buying It’s Good to Be A Man on Amazon when I noticed Masculine Christianity. It’s by an author I’d not heard of and by a publisher I’d not heard of.

I first listened to the book on audio while driving with my wife and eight children through the U.S. Then I bought the paperback and read it through again. With skill and clarity, Garris confirmed most of my biblical convictions. I learned a whole lot too. See my full 16-page summary HERE.

Overview

Garris shows from Scripture that husbands hold authority over their wives. He argues that only men should preach and be pastors. Men only should act as soldiers and civil leaders. He contends that “patriarchy” is a better and more biblical word than “complementarianism”, the latter term built on shaky ground and since lost its way. Continue reading →

TARIF: Israel Up In Flames

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The Africa Review in Five highlights African current affairs from a Christian perspective. Listen and subscribe through Youtube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Today is Tuesday, October 10th, A.D. 2023. This is The Africa Review in Five, written by DAVID DE BRUYN and presented by Yamikani Katunga.

Israel Up In Flames

Last Saturday, October 7th, marked the beginning of a new war in Israel. Hamas terrorists from Gaza used drones to drop bombs on border posts, neutralising the first line of defence. That was followed by over 2200 rockets that were fired into Israel, overwhelming Israel’s Iron Dome defence system, some rockets hitting Tel Aviv. The third phase of the attack was thousands of terrorists who breached the border fence and came into Israel in cars, trucks, and motorcycles.

Just five kilometres from the border, about 1000 young Israelis were attending an all-night rave. The terrorists surrounded them and opened fire, murdering over 260 young people. Others were rounded up and taken back into Gaza as hostages. Other groups of terrorists went into southern Israeli towns, and went house to house, either murdering people on site or taking more hostages.

When Israel’s first responders arrived on the scene, they too, were targeted. Policemen, firefighters and paramedics were shot at and murdered when trying to protect innocent civilians. 

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MM 57: How Can I Make My Parents Happy?

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Paul

First a story. I’ve always been close with my own father and growing up he was my best friend. I even considered making him the best man in my wedding. I don’t get to see him too often these days. As a missionary, I’ve left my homeland, which has meant leaving my family, so I only get to see him about every four years or so. Our family returned to the US in 2019 and we just finished our latest furlough here in 2023. It was so great to see my family, especially my father. He drove with me to the airport to drop us off, and I was laughing so hard that I was wiping away the tears and feared I might get in an accident. Among my favorite things in life…laughing with my Dad.

This time with my father has made me reflect upon Proverbs 10:1. “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.” Even though I am an adult and have children of my own, I still want to please my father. I do not want to bring tears to my mother. I thought it would be a good idea today to unpack this verse and give some practical ways we can obey it.

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TARIF: The Most Unreached Place in Sub-Saharan Africa

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The Africa Review in Five highlights African current affairs from a Christian perspective. Listen and subscribe through Youtube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Today is Friday, October 6th, A.D. 2023. This is The Africa Review in Five, written by Paul Schlehlein and presented by Yamikani Katunga.

TARIF: The Most Unreached Place in Sub-Saharan Africa

According to Joshua Project, the people group in sub-Saharan Africa that is least reached with the gospel is the Yao people in the eastern region of Malawi. 

Joshuaproject.net is a research initiative seeking to identify the ethnic groups of the world with the fewest followers of Jesus. This Christian organization uses ethnologic data to help coordinate the work of missionaries by tracking the people groups with the least followers of evangelical Christianity.  

Joshua Project breaks down the world’s population of eight billion people into over 17,00 people groups. Each of these people groups are then placed into one of five Progress Levels based on their number of evangelicals, defined as someone who believes the Bible and trusts in Jesus Christ as their sole source for salvation. 

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