Thoughts In a Nutshell

Here are my thoughts in a nutshell: Kyrie, Kanye, and many others are looking for answers to three core concerns of Black people. One, they are looking for Black identity. “Who are we as Black people?” Two, they are looking to make sense of Black suffering. “Why do Black people suffering so much?” Three, they want Black political and economic empowerment in the face of white racism. “How do we understand our oppression and rise above it?”

In short, Kyrie and Kanye are looking for a spiritual answer to their concrete problems as Black men.

Many celebrities have used Hebrew Israelite rhetoric or pulled from similar teachings. Israel United in Christ, a Hebrew Israelite organization, has a webpage dedicated to celebrity rhetoric supporting their convictions. There is something about their teachings that is appealing to many Black folks.

If we are going to understand Black people and Black spirituality, we must understand religious movements like the Hebrew Israelites. We must also engage them with sincerity. We cannot laugh or scoff them away. If we fail to understand them, we will fail to bring the good news of Jesus to bear on Black people’s primary concerns. If we fail to understand them, we will also fail to understand ourselves. Why? Because, as fellow Black people, their own desires reflect our own.

This will be the first in a series of posts. Future posts will give Scripture’s answers to these three concerns, but let’s first begin with putting Hebrew Israelism into context.

Hebrew Israelites as Religious Black Nationalism

Hebrew Israelism finds itself within the larger family of black nationalism. It is a black nationalistic organization whose unifying interest is religion. Let me explain.

What is black nationalism? C. Eric Lincoln — the late, prominent black sociologist of religion — states in his book The Black Muslims of America, “All black nationalist movements have in common three characteristics: a disparagement of whites and their culture, a repudiation of ‘Negro’ identity, and a concomitant search for and commitment to the black (African) heritage” (47). In other words, they critique white culture’s racism, critique Black identities that accommodate white culture, and recover Black dignity and worth. The context of these organizations is white racism, and the goal is Black uplift in the face of racism.

Black nationalist organizations can have a political focus or a religious focus as their unifying interest, according to Lincoln. Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) is an example of an organization whose focus was political. Noble Drew Ali and the Moorish Science Temple is an example of one whose focus was religious. However, one should not be confused: A religious focus has political goals in mind, and a political focus must appeal to religion in order to motivate its people. For example, the UNIA established the African Orthodox Church, and the Moorish Science Temple had explicit political goals of resisting white racism in society.

The Hebrew Israelites find themselves as a religious black nationalistic organization in the realm of the Moorish Science Temple, Rastafari, and the Nation of Islam. This is why they find support from Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam and other movements like it. They are a part of the same family, so to speak.

We Must Address Our Questions with the Scriptures

These organizations have Lincoln’s three characteristics, and I would add three other elements. These organizations speak to Black identity, Black suffering, and Black empowerment. I respect the Hebrew Israelite efforts to speak to Black concerns, especially considering the failure of many Christian traditions. Though I respect their efforts, I find them problematic in some areas.

Black African Christians must embody the impulses of black nationalism but in a way that is deeply shaped by the scriptures. Hebrew Israelites fail to understand some of Scripture’s key teachings in order to promote Black people’s own divine election. As I highlight how Hebrew Israelites address Black identity, Black purpose, and Black empowerment, I will highlight how the scriptures do the same but call us higher.

Coming up next: Black identity.

The post Understanding Kyrie and Kanye: Seeking Spiritual Answers to Black Questions appeared first on Hidase Publishing.

This is the highest-ranked prospect ever to commit to an HBCU in recent memory. Coach Prime and the Jackson State football team have something special going on, and it is causing highly ranked players to choose HBCUs, which are smaller and lower ranked programs. Check out an interview with Coach Prime here.

Hunter picked had a new hope, a new coach, a new team, and a new journey during a public signing ceremony.

You Are a Recruit

Hunter had a decision to make that would totally transform his football career for the better. You also have a decision to make that will transform your life for the better. Jesus is recruiting you to be on his team. Will you sign to be a part of team Jesus? In other words, will you become a Christian?

Let’s walk through the different pieces of becoming a Christian.

Choose a New Hope

Like Hunter, you have to believe. Hunter believed in all that Jackson State, Coach Prime, and the team offered him. This belief required him to abandon FSU’s team.

To be a Jesus-follower, you have to believe. You must believe in Jesus and all of his promises. You must acknowledge that Jesus has the paths of joy and life, the true key to being fully human. Also, you must abandon all other paths. You must believe that these other paths are against God, and you must acknowledge that they destroy you and destroy others.

As you can tell, belief or faith isn’t just something we do with our minds. It requires us to trust God with everything.

Paul talks about how he abandoned his previous lifestyle to trust in Jesus:

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.

(Philippians 3:7–9 NLT)

As a Christian, you believe in Jesus.

Choose the Greatest to Ever Do It

Like Hunter, you have new leadership when you sign to team Jesus. When Hunter committed to Jackson State, he did so because he wanted to learn from Coach Prime and play under one of the greatest ever to do it. He wanted to become like Coach Prime.

To be a Jesus-follower, you must submit yourself to Jesus’ leadership and authority. As both God and human, Jesus is the greatest human who ever lived. In fact, he was perfect. Under his leadership, he transforms us to be like him. He is the only one who can change you. He is the right coach.

Some of us might be think that it is too hard to follow Jesus. However, submitting your life to Jesus isn’t crushing; it is freeing. He frees you from other paths that give you nothing, and he gives you everything in return. Check out this beautiful invitation from Jesus:

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matt 11:28–30 NLT)

A yoke was something that an animal wore in order to be directed by another. As a Christian, you give your life to Jesus’ direction.

Choose a Powerful Team

Like Hunter, you have a team family when you sign to team Jesus. Football is a team sport. It is impossible to be a successful player by yourself. Hunter needs his teammates in so many ways. These teammates will motivate him, laugh with him, win with him, lose with him, overcome injuries with him, forgive him, be forgiven by him, travel with him, and the list goes on.

You must commit to a team in order to actually enjoy it. A sports team only becomes a family when you fully and formally commit yourself to it. Otherwise, you will be on the outside looking in.

Being a Jesus-follower is a team sport. It is impossible to follow Jesus successfully by yourself. Jesus’ team is called “the church.” You can read more about that here and here. You need your Christian teammates in so many ways. Also, you must commit your life to them because you will not enjoy them otherwise. Committing your life in this way looks like being an active member of a local church.

Check out how Paul describes what it means to be united as a Christian family:

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.

(Ephesians 4:3–6 NLT)

As a Christian, you embrace your new family.

Choose to Make It Official

Like Hunter, you have a ceremony. Hunter had a public hat selection ceremony where he verbally professed his intentions to play at Jackson State. Alongside this, he signed a National Letter of Intent, which officially commits that player to a school. These things are a part of the official beginning of a new athletic journey.

Jesus-followers also have a ceremony that officially initiates them onto the team. This is called “baptism.” Though you have already decided to follow Jesus and the decision to belong to his family, you must make it official. Baptism is how you “sign” the new covenant with Jesus (Luke 22:20). Jesus commands his followers to be baptized.

Check out Acts 2:37-38 below. A group of folks are basically asking what they must do to get right with God. Peter, among other things, tells them to be baptized:

Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

(Acts 2:37–38 NLT)

As a Christian, you join the team by being baptized.

Choose a Better Path

Like Hunter, you have a new path when you sign to team Jesus. An athlete must adopt the training program and lifestyle of their new team. Hunter has to learn the plays, the techniques, and the unique strategies of the new team.

Being a Jesus-follower means adopting a new lifestyle. The Bible calls this “repentance.” To repent means to change your ways for the better. Jesus gives you commands, and you must obey them. Why? If you obey them, you will actually thrive and flourish! Sin is disobeying his commands. Sin is bad for many reasons, but one of the biggest reasons is that it hurts you and others.

Hear these words that Paul said to Christians in Rome:

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

(Rom 6:16–18 NLT)

But what if you fail? What if you sin? Jesus’ grace covers all of your sins. The Bible tells us, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:8–9 NLT-SE). Knowing that God is merciful is essential to following Jesus.

As a Christian, you commit to following Jesus’ instructions.

The Best Decision Ever

Today is signing day. Just like Hunter, your decision might not make sense to everyone, but it is the best decision you will ever make. Will you commit your life to following Jesus?

The post The Greatest Decision You Will Ever Make appeared first on Hidase Publishing.

They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.” (Mark 9:33–37 NASB)

All I Have To Do Is . . .

I was interviewing Professor K.A. Ellis — who is the Director of the Edmiston Center for the Study of the Bible and Ethnicity at RTS Atlanta — for Africana Manna. Ellis studies theological ethics and world Christianity and works with Christians who are following Jesus on the margins and under persecution. 

She was telling me about a powerful opportunity she had while serving Christians on the margins. Prof. Ellis was honored to facilitate a hand-delivered letter of encouragement from a group of pastors in a closed country. This letter went to another church in another country thousands of miles away across a language barrier. 

Reflecting on this opportunity, she said, “I am just the middle man standing in the middle of all these people doing really amazing things. All I have to do is just stand here and be small.”

Being Small

Isn’t that a great way to view all of ministry, all of life? “Lord I will stand here and serve you and be small.” This is God’s path to greatness. The beginning of every great ministry is a small person. 

But don’t we often embrace the opposite posture in our service to God?

We will only stand in service of God if we can be big. And if we are not big, we refuse to stand in the service of God. 

That is exactly what the disciples embraced in our passage, but Jesus corrects them. Jesus invites them to be great, but differently than they expected. You might be wondering, “Will God make me successful?” The answer is, “Yes, but in a different way than you expect.”

Jesus invited them to be great by being small. More specifically, he invites them to embrace smallness.

Competing with Each Other

Our passage is a part of a larger section that begins in Mark 8:22 and ends at Mark 10:52 where Jesus gives his disciples three rounds of teaching on his suffering, death, and resurrection. In our passage, Jesus and his disciples are traveling through Galilee as he is teaching them for the second time about his own suffering and death.

Jesus noticed they were arguing and having divisions among themselves as they were traveling. When they got to their destination, Jesus asked them what they were arguing about. The disciples were silent. They were either too embarrassed or scared to answer, but Jesus knew exactly what they were arguing about. Mark tells us in vv 33-34 that while Jesus was teaching them about suffering and death, the disciples were arguing about who was the greatest!

Now I don’t have a good idea of what their measurement system was in order to figure out who was the greatest. Whatever it was, they were obsessed with their own status, exaltation, and glory compared to others. This obsession with greatness caused them to be in competition with each other.

The Way Up is Down

So Jesus sat down in the house to reinforce what he was trying to drive home while they were traveling. He began by saying, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (v 35).

The way to become great is to become small. The greatest leader among them was the greatest servant among them. 

Then Jesus totally revamped their measurement system by a live illustration. Jesus took a child in his arms and said that to receive the child in Jesus’ name is to receive him. This is powerful. The apostles were to embrace the small. 

Like the parables, Jesus means for this to impact us, not to be dissected. But let’s notice a few things. 

Becoming a Child

Why the child? Soceity considered a child as the most humble and unimportant people. They would have been restricted from the company of important people. It would have actually been jarring for great Jesus to embrace a small child in the presence of the apostles.

What does it mean to receive in Jesus’ name? To do something in the name of someone is to represent that person. Jesus is saying that in order to understand him, you must understand that he can use even the most unimportant, small, and lowly of society to be his representatives. 

Jesus embraced the smallest as worthy of association with the greatest. And Jesus shows this by embracing this child in his arms. 

We must also notice the language formula Jesus uses here. When sending out the apostles for ministry in Matthew 10:40, he said to them, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.” It is the same language Jesus uses here for a child! Jesus is artfully challenging the apostle’s conception of what it means to be an apostle. To be an apostle, you must embrace the persona of a child — small, unimportant, lowly. To be an apostle is to be a childlike representative of Jesus. 

But the disciples were exactly the kind of people who would not have embraced the small. Why? They would have seen Jesus as too important to receive a child. We know this because Mark comically tells us in Mark 10:13 that they rebuke people for trying to bring children to Jesus. We see that the disciples fundamentally do not understand their Lord. Will they ever learn?!

Are You Small?

Family, this passage ought to shape our lives today and forever. Are you always comparing yourself to other people around you to see who is better? Are you a competitive person, measuring your success based upon being “more than” someone else? Are you only able to do something if it means you will rise to the top? You maybe be struggling with “greatness.” Jesus invites you to be great in a different way. Christ invites you to be small.

We do this by the power that Christ gives.

The truly great one became small so that us “great ones” might have the power to become small. Christ gives you his pardon and his power so that you can actually embrace smallness. 

With people, it is impossible, but with God, nothing is impossible. We can only become small and give it all for Christ when we realize that Christ became small and has given it all for us. 

Be great today.

The post God’s Path to Greatness for Competitive People appeared first on Hidase Publishing.

Let’s look at the church in all of its fullness so that you can enjoy all that God has for you.

What is the Church?

The church is “God’s people.” From the first book of the Bible (Genesis) to the last book (Revelation), God is claiming a people for himself by forming covenants. Covenants are formal relationships. Today, the church is in the “new covenant” with God.

Though there is one church, we see it in many shapes and forms in the scriptures. We can also view the one church from many angles. Let’s look at a few.

The Church is Global

 We can sometimes believe that our own particular denomination or tradition is the only legitimate form of Christianity. However, the church is anybody, anywhere who has professed Jesus as their Lord and committed their lives to obeying him. The children of these people are a part of the church as well, which is why they are addressed in Bible books (Eph 6:1). All these people are called “the Church” when considered collectively.

Luke refers to the global church when he says, “The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers” (Acts 9:31 NLT-SE, emphasis added).

The Global Church Exists As Local Churches

We can sometimes believe that we do not need to participate in a local church because we are a part of the global church. However, this is mistaken because it assumes that participation in the global church and local church can be two different things. In fact, the Christian participates in the global church through participating in the local church. Like a fraternity or sorority, you participate in the global organization through the university’s chapter. The global church presents itself locally. This is why we can say that there is, simultaneously, one global church and many local churches. It is legitimate to speak of both “the Church” and “a church.”

Luke acknowledges this when he says, “Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust,” (Acts 14:23 NLT-SE, emphasis added). There is one global church, but there are many local churches.

These Local Churches Are Institutions

We can sometimes believe the church is merely a collection of Christian individuals. On the contrary, God commands his people to be both a collection of individuals and an organization/institution. This may seem unspiritual for some, but any community must have some type of formality, structures, leadership, regular meetings together, etc. in order to actually be a community.

Paul makes a distinction between the church as a collection of Christian individuals and an organization in this passage: “If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone” (1 Tim 5:16 NLT-SE).

Widows often had material needs. Paul told individual Christians to care for their widowed relatives so that the church as an organization wouldn’t be drained of its funds needlessly. Paul assumes a distinction between the church as a group of individuals and the church as an organization/institution.

Local Churches Have Official Leaders

Some folks want to be a part of the church without the church’s leadership in their lives. However, authority is a good thing, and God appoints authorities to promote human flourishing. Good leadership is key to the wholeness of any organization.

It is God’s will that churches have formally appointed leadership. As an organization, the church must have order and official leaders. Paul tells Titus to bring order and leadership to the church in Crete: “This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you” (Titus 1:5 ESV, emphasis added). Elders are the primary leaders of local churches, and the churches in each town are to have them.

God’s people are also required to submit to these leaders: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Heb 13:17 ESV). God has appointed official leaders over the church to care for you! Submitting to good leadership is good for you.

It is not enough to watch a church service on YouTube, and it is not enough to just go to church. You must be a formally connected participant in the life of the church, and you must submit your life to the church’s leadership. This is the primary way that Jesus will grow you into maturity.

Christians “Go to Church”

The church gathers. At the most basic level, the Greek word used for church means “an assembly” or “a gathering.” For example, Luke uses the same Greek word for “church” (ἐκκλησία) when referring to an anti-Christian riot gathered in a theater: “Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together” (Acts 19:32 ESV).

The Greek word for church (ἐκκλησία) is translated as “assembly” in the aforementioned passage because the assembly isn’t a Christian assembly. However, it is translated as “church” when it refers to a Christian assembly. “Going to church” means we are “going to the assembly of Christians.”

This is why it is appropriate to say, “I am going to church,” or, “I’m in church.” Paul acknowledges this when he speaks about being in church: “Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue” (1 Cor 14:19 ESV).

Given such, Christians are expected to gather regularly “. . . not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb 10:25 ESV, emphasis added). In fact, they often met much more regularly than once a week (Acts 2:46).

Though Christians met very often, the scriptures note several times that the first day of the week in particular was a time of worship for the first century Christians: “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight” (Acts 20:7 ESV, emphasis added). This is partly why Christians gather for worship on Sundays, which is what we call the first day of the week in the Gregorian calendar.

The Church Through Your Eyes and God’s Eyes

We can sometimes have a one dimensional view of the church. On the one hand, we can narrowly view the church as “the true Christians who really are Christians,” which can lead to unnecessary speculation about our fellow Christians’ lifestyle and eternal status. People start to look for the “church within the church,” and this can lead to a judgmental posture towards others.

On the other hand, we can view the church as “anyone who calls themselves a Christian,” which can lead us to miss the fact that there are true and false Christians. If anyone who calls themselves a “Christian” is a Christian, then the name of Christ is cheapened. Also, the church loses some of its purity.

How can we prevent judgmentalism but also prevent compromise in the church? We must realize that the one church is seen from two different sets of eyes.

We can view the church from human eyes. This is what we call the visible church. When we look at the church, we can only see people’s outward commitment to Jesus. Only God sees the heart. We see this commitment when people profess Jesus, get baptized, and do good works. Though the church accepts these folks as Christians, not everyone who joins the church is actually a Christian. Jesus teaches us this in his parable about the weeds in Matthew 13:24-30. In a field, both weeds and wheat can grow. In the same way, there are both true Christians and superficial Christians in the church. The superficial Christians will eventually reveal themselves by their lifestyle.

The church can also be viewed from God’s eyes. This is what we call the invisible church. Only God knows truly knows who is a genuine Christians and who is not because only he sees the heart. This is invisible to us. The invisible church is anyone — past, present, or future — who has been saved by God. The Bible calls these people “the elect” (Rom 11:7).

Christians are called to embrace humility with other Christians, knowing that only God sees the heart. Correspondingly, Christians are called to embrace wisdom in how they protect the honor of Christ’s name; not everyone who calls themselves a Christian ought to be received as Christians in the church.

What To Do?

Christian, fully engage the church! Formally connect with a local church; meet regularly with other Christians; submit to healthy church leadership; and maintain a gracious unity with Christians everywhere.

The post Don’t Miss Out on the Church’s Fullness appeared first on Hidase Publishing.

 What started out as an irritant is now a rare, beautiful gem. But catch this: for any of this to happen, the irritant must first be in the oyster’s mouth.

Christian, you were an irritant, just like a pearl. When we first believe in Christ, we are immature, baby Christians, and we have much growing to do. You are becoming a pearl, but you will never grow until you find your oyster. Your oyster is the church.

Here is the problem: We want to become pearls, but we often aren’t inside of our oyster. We don’t want to become active members of a church.

The Church is Not Optional

Many Christians see a meaningful connection with the church as optional to their relationship with Jesus. A distrust of authority, the championing of the individual’s self-sufficiency, the “spiritual but not religious” sentiment, a disappointment with cultural Christianity, traumatic experiences in a toxic church, etc. has left many people saying “no thank you” to the church. Since black Africans are some of the most church-going demographics in the United States, Black Christians are very familiar with the church. We can often look at it as a cultural institution with little spiritual value. We think, “Been there, done that.”

Though people of our era see church membership as optional, church membership was hardly a question for many eras of Christian history. The Bible assumes that church membership is basic to the Christian life. To be a Christian was to be a member of the church.

Let me explain.

What is the Church?

The church is God’s people. From the first book of the Bible (Genesis) to the last book (Revelation), God is claiming a people for himself by forming covenants. Covenants are formal relationships. God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15, 17) and his covenant with Israel (Exodus 19-24) are examples of these covenants. Today, the church is in the “new covenant” with God (1 Cor 11:25). I will use the term “church” and “God’s people” synonymously.

Entrance into a covenant relationship with God was an inward process and an outward process. We see this with Abraham. For example, Abraham had to believe in God and his promises (Genesis 15:6), go through a covenant ceremony (Gen 15:12-21), and be circumcised (Genesis 17:9-14). The belief was inward; the ceremony and circumcision were outward.

Furthermore, having a covenant relationship meant being connected to both God and his people/church. For example, God told Abraham, “Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant” (Gen 17:14 ESV). God commanded that anyone who did not receive circumcision should be removed from God’s people. Why? Anyone who wasn’t circumcised wasn’t in covenant with God and, therefore, not a member of the church. You could also state it in reverse: anyone who wasn’t circumcised wasn’t a member of the church and therefore wasn’t in covenant with God.

A connection with God is a connection to God’s people. Both ordinarily go together.

What is Church Membership?

Church membership is simply what I have been describing above when I say, “to be a part of the church,” or, “to be connected to God’s people,” or, “entrance into a covenant relationship with God.” Church membership is the inward and outward process that brings us into a covenant relationship with God and his people. In other words, to become a member of a church is to become a Christian.

You might be thinking, “Where is church membership in the Bible?” Well, it’s everywhere. Linguistically, to be a “member” of something means to be a part of a whole. Christians are those who are parts of the whole church. Thus, any Bible book addressed to Christians is also addressed to church members. To illustrate this point, when Paul says, “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi” (Phil 1:1 NASB), he could also say, “To all the church members in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi.” If this isn’t enough, the explicit mention of the word “member” in the Bible is many (e.g. Rom 12:4; 1 Cor 6:15; Eph 2:19)

As a Christian, being a member of the church is who we are, and being a faithful member is what we do. If you have already become a member of a church, then staying a church member is to live as a Christian.

The pieces required to become a church member are simply the pieces of being a Christian. Things get a little more tricky when we talk about children (the outward commitment often comes before the inward), so let’s talk about adults becoming church members. When we bring people into church membership, we ask them if 1) they believe they are sinners in need of God’s mercy 2) they believe Jesus is their savior 3) they commit to living as followers of Jesus 4) they will actively help the church’s work, purity, and peace and 5) they will follow the church’s caring leadership. Then, the church baptizes them if they haven’t already been baptized.

Again, these pieces are a part of the formula of becoming a Christian. To locate the different pieces in the Bible, God requires that we acknowledge of need for salvation (1 John 1:8); confess and believe in Jesus (Rom 10:9-10); repent of our sins (Mark 1:15; 1 John 2:1-6); and get baptized (Acts 2:38). After such, we should submit ourselves to the church’s leadership and community life (Acts 2:42; Heb 13:17), which is being an active church member.

The Community Declares Who is a Christian

After saying all of this, there is a problem: anyone can pretend their way into becoming a church member. I believe that this issue is why many of us see church membership as optional. We see it cheapened by pretenders.

How do we deal with pretenders, people who are members of churches but far away from Jesus? This question rightly assumes the fact that the church is not pure. There will always be non-Christians who are outward church members but inwardly are not. Jesus teaches us this in his parable about the weeds in Matthew 13:24-30. In a field, weeds and wheat can grow. In the same way, in the church, there are both true Christians and superficial Christians.

Only God truly knows who is a genuine Christians and who is not. The Bible calls these genuine Christians “the elect” (Matt 22:14; Rom 11:7).

Though only God knows, God has appointed a process for the church. The church judges who is a Christian and who isn’t. Wait, isn’t Jesus the only judge? Aren’t we commanded not to judge? We are not to judge as individuals (Matt 7:1), but we are supposed to judge as a community. Jesus has delegated some of his judging powers to the church, and church-appointed leaders exercise it on behalf of the church (Deut 17:8-13; 1 Cor 5:1-6:8).

Let me explain.

There are moments where Jesus instructs his disciples about their responsibilities to be judges in the church. Jesus tells Peter, the leader of the disciples, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven” (Matt 16:19 NASB). He later tells his disciples, “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven” (Matt 18:18 NASB).

It is difficult to tell what Jesus means by “binding” and “loosing” in this context. The Bible authors use the Greek words translated as “binding” and “loosing” to literally describe tying or untying something (Luke 19:30). Related to its literal use, the Bible authors use these words in many metaphorical ways. They can be used metaphorically to describe an obligation from God’s law or the removal of an obligation from God’s law (Rom 7:2; 1 Cor 7:27). In a similar metaphorical use, when someone breaks a law or removes its authority, they are “loosing” the law (Matthew 5:19; John 7:23). In another similar use, to “loose” something is to destroy something (John 2:19). Whatever Jesus precisely means in our Matthew 16 and 18, to “bind” and “loose” in the church is to exercise authority in the church. Jesus is appointing the disciples to exercise authority here on earth on behalf of heaven.

This means Jesus tasked the church with making heavenly decisions visible here on earth. Processes removing people from the church make sense only because of this authority Jesus grants (Matt 18:15-20; 1 Cor 5:1-6:8). If someone is a Christian from the eyes of God in heaven, then the disciples are to discern such and then welcome them into the church on earth. If someone is a not a Christian in the eyes of God in heaven, then the disciples are to discern such and then remove them from membership in church here on earth. The intake process comprises a credible profession of faith, repentance, and baptism (Acts 2:38; Rom 6:2-4; Gal 3:26-28). On the other hand, the process outlined in Matthew 18:15-20 explains how the church is to recognize false Christians and remove them. When the church removes people, they hope that false Christians will “wake up” and then recommit to being Christians.

Church membership is Jesus’ intake process for his people. Christians, as independent individuals, don’t definitively declare themselves as Christians. Jesus has given that responsibility to the church. This seems wrong in our age of individualism and self-expression-over-everything-ism. However, the Bible pushes Christians into accepting a strong sense of community and family over and against the cultural pressures of Western modernity. To become a part of the family, the family must receive you. Jesus gives you the family name of “Christian” through the Christian family.

What Should I Do?

Family, Christians are members of churches. If you have recently followed Jesus, pursue joining a church! That is the next step. If you are a Christian who is not an active member of a church in your city, then join a church! Why? God wants to morph you into a pearl. So embrace your oyster.

The post God Invites You into His Family appeared first on Hidase Publishing.

Guidance in the Face of Hostility

I serve black African college scholars on an HBCU campus. From the United States to Nigeria, there are people from all different parts of the globe. Among the diversity of the students in our ministry, a common question that Christians are asking is, “How do we as Christians confront doubters? Sometimes I feel unequipped with the adequate knowledge to defend my faith against people who doubt it, especially nowadays when it seems like so many people refuse to acknowledge God’s existence.”

This question arises out of a pressing need for students on the college campus. People can be hostile towards Christians because of their belief in Jesus. By the grace of God, Christians are not suffering physical harm in our current cultural moment in the United States. Though we are not suffering physical harm, there is often a social cost that comes with being a Christian, especially for Generation Z. Amid this, you are wondering how to convince people that Jesus is good news, not bad news.

You know Jesus is life changing and amazing, so you know it would be unjust to keep him from others! We want everyone to have the same treasure.

There are many ways that we can defend the Christian faith. We can see at least three ways. Take a peek at the 1 Peter passage above. The Apostle Peter writes 1 Peter. It is a letter to Christians who suffer at the hands of those against Jesus. Look at how he talks about defending the Christian faith.

Defending it With Reasoning

First, Peter tells us to use our words, “to make a defense.” We can use reasoning from the Bible, from philosophy, from science, from just everyday experience, etc. We need to be able to explain to people how important it is to follow Jesus.

Defending it By Our Good Works

Second, Peter tells us to live a certain way, “with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience.” We defend the Christian faith by living it well. People must be able to see God in the ways that we live! We enjoy Jesus to such a degree that people believe he’s enjoyable!

The Apostle Peter says not only to give a defense (persuasive words) but also to display your Christian character when doing it (persuasive lifestyle).

For our current times, the lifestyle part is more important than arguments. When I talk to people, they share that the ungodly ways that professing Christians live and think are a big “turn off” towards the Christian faith.

Now, I know we can’t be perfect; in fact, Christians are far from perfect. We fail often. Though we often fail, people are watching even how Christians handle our failures. Do we defend our failures? Or do we admit our failures and shout from the rooftops, “I don’t have to pretend to be great because my God’s love is great!”

Defending it By Suffering

My third and last thought is related to suffering. Peter assumes his audience is suffering for righteousness’ sake as they are defending their faith. We must endure suffering. Often, when the Bible uses the word “defense” in relation to the Christian faith, it happens amid persecution, suffering, and/or slandering. To defend something means that it is being attacked.

You must love people even as you suffer at their hands. You must love your enemies until they become friends.

Practical Tips?

What are some ways to prepare yourself to defend your faith?

In order to defend the faith, you must first know the faith. Find a church that takes studying the Bible seriously and takes reaching out to non-Christians seriously. Join a Sunday school class or a new members class that will give you a summary of the essential teachings of the Christian faith!

Second, there are plenty of apologetic resources online. Check out the Jude 3 project. It is an organization that helps Christians know what they believe and why they believe it, with a focus on equipping those of African descent. Get on their website and explore!

What is some wisdom that you have related to defending your faith? How have you seen God honor your willingness to suffering for Jesus?

The post How Do We Defend Our Faith? appeared first on Hidase Publishing.

The World Stops

In the book 7 Principles of Making Marriage Work, John Gottman states that there is hardly any more powerful way to show your spouse love than by being there for them when they are upset. Check out this quote:

“I can’t emphasize enough how beneficial it will be to your relationship to give your partner the gift of being there when he or she is upset. After years of studying couples in the lab and working with them directly, it has become clear to me that happy couples live by the credo ‘When you are in pain, the world stops and I listen.’”

Family, the same is true of God. “The Bible is clear that God, in his relationship with you, lives by the credo, ‘When you are in pain, the world stops and I listen’” (103).

When you are in pain, the world stops, and God listens. God sees and hears you in your pain.

God’s Almighty Love

North African church father, Augustine of Hippo, prays, “For your goodness is almighty; you take good care of each of us as if you had no others in your care, and you look after all as you look after each.”

God cares for each of us with intense focus and intentionality, as if seven billion other people weren’t on earth, and God cares for all of us with the same personal touch he would use with an individual. God’s love is remarkable.

But aren’t we tempted to accept the opposite? We want to believe, “The world keeps going, and God doesn’t care.” Our pain leads us to conclude God has overlooked us.

A Woman in a Desperate Situation

Hagar had her back against the wall. She was Sarai’s maidservant, and Sarai dragged her into a horrible plan. God had promised Abram (aka Abraham) and Sarai (aka Sarah) that they would have a son through whom the entire world would be blessed. God made this promise even though Abram’s age made him as good as dead and Sarai’s womb was dead (Rom 4:18-20). In this plan, Sarai forced Hagar to be a surrogate mother in order to “help” God give her a son, but God wanted Sarai herself to have the baby. When does it ever go well to try to “help God out?”

Once Hagar was pregnant, Hagar looked down on Sarai. Sarai mistreated Hagar in response. Then Hagar ran away. She was in the wilderness by herself, pregnant. She was in a vulnerable and, therefore, a dangerous spot. But God showed up.

God Sees and Hears

God told Hagar that her son’s name would be a reminder that she was precious to God. Ishmael means, “God is listening.”

Could it be that during this time, when maybe you have given up on God and are running away from him, that God is reminding you of how precious you are to him? Could it be that, even though it’s hard to hear him, he is always listening to you when you cry out to him in pain?

The angel then gave her inspiration. There are many times in the Bible where an individual names a place or thing after God, but this is the only time in the Bible where a person gives a name to God. Inspired, she called God, “El Ro-ee,” which means, “The God who sees me.”

When you don’t see him, he sees you. When you don’t hear him, he hears you.  

Remember North African church father, Augustine of Hippo, said, “For your goodness is almighty; you take good care of each of us as if you had no others in your care, and you look after all as you look after each.” This is what Hagar realized about God in her moment of inspiration.  

After she received inspiration to name God, she expresses her amazement! She says, “Have I really seen the one who sees me?!” Not only does God see her but also he granted her the privilege of seeing him.

God not only wants you to know he sees you, he wants you to see him!

Even Better than Hagar

Hagar’s encounter with God was spectacular, but we have it better than Hagar. God showed up to Hagar through an angel, but he shows us to us through his only Son, Jesus. God sending Jesus is and was the living proof that God hears and sees us. Not only that, but Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15) and the exact imprint of God’s nature (Heb 1:3). Thus, God has appeared to us in the person of Jesus. If we know Jesus, we can utter with Hagar, “Have I really seen the one who sees me?!” Jesus is God showing up in our pain.

Christian, in what areas of your life do you need to know that God hears you? How is God inviting you to know that he sees you? Where are you seeing God during your struggles?

The post Does God See and Hear Me in My Pain? appeared first on Hidase Publishing.

Enslavement and Christian Hypocrisy

John was born in Africa in 1773, was enslaved, and then brought to North America with his mother, father, and siblings. Then, a cruel master bought them in New York. He gave the enslaved repulsive food; made them work brutal hours (They worked during the summer from 2am to 11pm and during the winter from 4am to 10pm. Even the horses rested five hours a day.) and tortured them if they complained about the conditions, sometimes beating them to death. Our friend describes what sometimes happened after these punishments:

After our master had been treating us in this cruel manner, we were obliged to thank him for the punishment he had been inflicting on us, quoting that Scripture which saith, ‘Bless the rod, and him that hath appointed it.’ But though he was a professor of religion, he forgot that passage which saith ‘God is love, and whoso dwellers in love dwellers in God, and God in him.’

(Jea, The Life, History, 5.)

Jea was noting the hypocrisy of his master. Particularly, his master twisted the scriptures to uphold his own hate-filled intentions.

Jea noticed the Christian hypocrisy of many of the white American “Christians” around him. For example, he noticed they mourned the death of one slave master but rejoiced in the death of thousands of American Indians. Similarly, the white “Christians” feared God when the weather threatened their crops but didn’t fear him when the weather was fine. Moreover, they believed the gospel, but they did not teach the enslaved that same gospel. Their oppressors commanded observation of days of fasting, thanksgiving, and prayer but required the slaves to work while fasting. They claimed to believe in the Bible, but used it to justify their own treatment of the enslaved.

John Hates Christians

John began to hate Christians: “From my observation of the conduct and conversation of my master and his sons, I was led to hate those who professed themselves Christians, and to look upon them as devils” (Jea, 11).

Jea’s master, seeing how much Jea hated Christians, made him go to worship:

Besides this punishment, they made me go to a place of worship, while the other slaves enjoyed a rest for an hour or two; I could not bear to be where the word of God was mentioned, for I had seen so much deception in the people that professed to know God, that I could not endure being where there were, nor yet to hear them call upon the name of the Lord . . . My rage and magic against every person that was religious was so great that I would have destroyed them all, had it been in my power.

(Jea, 11-12)

Our black African friend’s rage was great, and it was because of the hypocrisy he saw in Christians.

One day, the minister’s preaching inspired Jea to pray for God’s presence. John prayed because he wanted to see if there was truly a God. After all, his heart told him there was no God since his heart was filled with rage against the minister and other Christians.

Finding Jesus

Later, John became convicted that he was a sinner against God. He was making spiritual progress though he had not yet placed his trust in God. In response, his cruel masters restricted him from going to the chapel. Despite opposition from his master, mistress, and family, he continued to go to chapel. He sought the ministry of the chapel’s minister and God’s word. Jea would continue to seek God with desperation and go to chapel even though his masters beat him for doing so.

Our black African friend eventually found the ability to place his trust in Jesus. Jea confessed his sins to God and experienced the Spirit’s power and renewal. Jea says,

I was about fifteen years of age when the Lord was pleased to remove gross darkness, superstition, and idolatry, from my heart, and shined upon me with the glorious reconciliation and light of his countenance, and turned by darkness into day, and created a clean heart within me, and renewed a right spirit within me.

(Jea, 18)

Jesus saved John against overwhelming odds! Of his salvation, Jea speaks in rapturous and powerful terms about the change he experience in his own soul and in how he related to the world. For example, though Jea continued to be beaten by his masters, he continued to pursue the Lord. John saw the sufferings he endured as the same kind Jesus endured:

. . . my master beating me to keep me from attending the house of God, but all this did not hinder me, for I blessed and praised his holy name that I was counted worthy to suffer with my blessed Jesus; and in all my sufferings I found the presence of God with me, and the Spirit of the Lord to comfort me. I found the hand of the Lord in everything, for when I was beaten it seemed that the Spirit of the Lord was great on me, that I did not regard the pain and trouble which I felt.

(Jea, 23)

Jea wanted more of the Bible, and as a result, he endured persecution from hypocritical Christians. Nevertheless, Jesus met and sustained him in the troubles he faced. Jea saw that Jesus was against the slave master and for the oppressed. Even more, he saw his own sufferings as the same kind Jesus experienced. This same Jesus strengthened Jea by the Spirit.

Jesus also saved John in another way.

Being Set Free

After being sold and bought several times, our newly converted protagonist ran away from his last master to be baptized by a white minister. In response, John’s master was furious because the minister informed the master that “according to the spiritual law of liberty, [Jea] was considered a worthy member of society” (Jea, 37) and as a result freed. Jea’s master took him to the magistrates, and upon Jea making a credible profession of faith, the magistrates declared him freed.

In response, Jea’s master and his sons then set themselves on a mission to convince John that God required him to remain enslaved. They used the Bible to try to convince our African friend. Jea could not read and could not know the scriptures for himself, and this grieved our newly converted friend. Under those cirumstances, Jea desperately wanted to read the Bible:

Then I began to ask God in faithful and fervent prayer, as the Spirit of the Lord gave me utterance, begging earnestly of the Lord to give me the knowledge of his word, that I might be able to understand it in its pure light, and be able to speak it in the Dutch and English languages, that I might convince my master that he and his sons had not spoken to me as they ought, when I was their slave.

(Jea, 39)

Jea was fighting to understand the scriptures to fight against his oppressor’s perverted interpretation of it. After some time, the Lord met him in his prayers.

Touched by an Angel

After fervently praying for six weeks, the Lord sent an angel to Jea, and the angel supernaturally taught Jea how to read the first chapter of the Gospel According to John! God had equipped Jea to resist his oppressors.

The next day, Jea was rejoicing and praising God. After his day’s work, he went to the minister’s house to share what had happened. After the minister refused to believe John, he tested him. Jea skillfully read aloud the first chapter of John’s Gospel Account. Continuing the test, the minister gave Jea other books. Jea displayed he could not read those. In response, the minister and his wife concluded God gave Jea the ability to miraculously read the Bible and the Bible alone.

In all of this, God saw Jea and favored him. Jea said, “This caused them to spread a rumor all over the city of New York saying, that the Lord had worked great miracles on a poor black man . . . From that hour, in which the Lord taught me to read, until the present, I have not been able to read in any book, nor any reading whatever, but such as contain the word of God” (Jea, 42-43).

Find Jesus Against All Odds

Jea’s story is one of a black man who had hated God and Christians but found a Jesus who was near to those who humbly called upon his name, a Jesus who was against the wickedness of the white American Christian hypocrites of his day. He could fight for his freedom through his own reading of the Bible, and he used the Bible to minister to countless others.

This same Jesus is the one who is calling you to himself. Will you trust him against all odds?

The post How in the World Did the Enslaved Trust in Jesus? appeared first on Hidase Publishing.

The Problem 

The African Christian wants content that is both faithful to Jesus and particularly mindful of the uniqueness of the experiences of Africans — wherever they might find themselves on the globe (African Americans, Afro-LatinX, continental Africans, etc.). African Christians are looking for simple, accessible content that speaks frankly and compellingly to the African experience from the Christian faith. 

What prevents us from getting this content? Most of the publishing companies that seek to produce Christian content are owned by those who are not familiar with the African experience or African theological traditions. On the other hand, many of the African owned publishing companies lack resources and are often not speaking from the rich resources of the Christian faith. There are very few African and Christian publishing companies. Both content consumers and content creators of African descent must face the discouraging reality that those who are largely unfamiliar with the unique aspects of their experience are assessing, editing, distributing, and profiting off of their raw resources. Such is the general pattern of the global West after European colonialism. 

This is a problem because every community and culture must have content producers from that particular culture who are bringing the timeless truths of Christianity to bear upon its own experiences, and they must do this in ways that uniquely arise from that experience. Such has always been the way that the good news of Jesus advances in ways that bring long-lasting renewal in any culture. For example, this is the origin and beauty of the black church in the U.S. Christianity will only thrive in a culture or community, especially a marginalized one, to the degree that it owns the process by which it does theology. 

Where We Come In

This is where Hidase Publishing steps in. At Hidase, we know what it is like to care about both Jesus and Africana, yet to feel as though you must choose between one or the other when it comes to Christian content and books. We know what it is like to grieve the fact that so often we as Africans — diaspora and continent — do not have the resources nor avenues to create and consume Christian content from our own cultures. 

Vision and Mission

Our vision is to see African renewal everywhere and every way for the glory of Jesus. We contribute to this by creating content that addresses the African experience from the rich resources of the historic, global Christian faith. In creating this content, we publish Christian authors whose works are assessed, edited, and distributed by Africans to Africans. All of the profits from our content will advance the vision and mission of Hidase, as we are not an imprint of a larger publisher. 

As Christians, we are a part of God’s universal church that seeks to bless the whole world, so we invite all people to participate in and benefit from our mission. To be focused on Africans is not to be against others. No, we seek to partner with all in order to bring the LORD God’s renewal to every people. 

Our Plan 

Whether it is blog posts, articles, columns, podcasts, vodcasts, books, curriculum, etc., Hidase Publishing creates accessible and applicable content of all kinds. 

We plan to create accessible content. We seek to speak to the every-day reader, thus we want our content to be easy to consume. Our content will communicate profound truths in simple ways. Our content will communicate many ideas as concisely as possible. Our content will be organized in ways that encourage engagement. 

We plan to create applicable content. We seek to speak to the every-day reader about every-day life. Thus, we want our content to be practical. Our content will aim to change the ways that people live and engage the world. 

We plan to create aesthetic content. We seek to create a beautiful experience for our audience. Thus, we want our content to be artful. We want to create content that is pleasing to the touch, eyes, ears, and nose. 

We plan to create adoring content. We seek to adore Jesus and thereby glorify him in all of our content. In whatever topic we address, we want to address it in a way that displays who Jesus is, in our words and actions. As we display who Jesus is, we will pull from the Bible as the final authority in all things. We aim to be theologically orthodox and ministry-minded.

Join Us!

We invite you to participate in our mission!

First, check out our content. Go to our website and explore. Whether tuning into a podcast, buying a book, or reading a blog post — we invite you to enjoy our content. Please give us feedback! Send us an email or give us a rating or review. 

Second, share our content. As you find things that you enjoy, share it with your friends! Give us a shoutout on social media. Send an article to your friend. 

Third, contribute to our content. We want to hear from you! If you are a writer, media producer, artist, etc. please reach out to us. We want to pull from every and all backgrounds of the African experience — diaspora and continent. 

If you would like to contribute to our mission by giving or investing in our company, please reach out as well! We would love to connect with you. 

Why We Are Important

For us, success look like African Christians everywhere embracing Jesus who is good news to Africans; entering the ancient, global church as their own; engaging African communities with the good news; and enriching the ways they see the world and themselves through biblical engagement. 

Without Hidase Publishing, African Christians will lack a necessary outlet that displays you can unapologetically love both Africana and Jesus at the same time. Without Hidase Publishing, African content producers will continue to have publishers who may or may not understand Africana experiences assess, edit, distribute, and profit from their artistic raw resources. 

Grow With Us

Be patient with us as we grow! We are quickly building, and I am confident that the LORD will build as we build. We believe in our mission, and we are deeply motivated to see it manifest. We invite you to contribute to African renewal everywhere, every way for the glory of Jesus. Will you join us?

The post Black Christian, You Need Theology for You Now appeared first on Hidase Publishing.