Blog & Pastor Letters

Give Us This Joyful Season

02-27-2022Weekly ReflectionBr. Silas Henderson

It seems that, in many ways, we would be hard-pressed to have better readings for the Sunday before Lent begins. These teachings of Jesus—on judging others and the fruitfulness of our lives—help round out the sixth chapter of Luke and what we now know as Jesus’ “sermon on the plain.” Here, we find Jesus inviting us to reflect on the movements taking place within our minds and hearts, particularly with regard to how we relate to other people.

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A New Law of Love

02-20-2022Weekly ReflectionRev. Victor C. Yakubu

According to the introductory lines of the Open Doors Report (2021) titled Freedom of Religion and the Persecution of Christians, ‘the persecution of Christians is getting worse – in every region in which we work – and It is getting worse fast.” The analysis of this statement shows that religious extremism is becoming worse in the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Central Asia. And North Korea is the worst place to be a Christian. By far, the report indicates that the rise of Islamic extremism in sub-Saharan Africa dwarfs when compared to the violence in the Middle East. The persecution of Christians from across the world is fueled by factors such as Islamic extremism, religious nationalism, tribal antagonism, denominational protectionism, communist oppression, aggressive secularism, organized corruption, and totalitarian paranoia.

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The Christian and Lessons in Honesty

02-13-2022Weekly ReflectionRev. Victor C. Yakubu

Parents can interpret the behaviors of their children. From early childhood, parents can decipher the kind of behavior their children will assume as adults. By watching their kids, they know who will excel in science or the arts. They can guess who is suitable for the Olympics Games, the French Open, or a Nobel Prize award. For some children, parents begin to see a Mother Teresa or a Padre Pio in their actions.

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Promoting the Face of Jesus in the World

02-06-2022Weekly ReflectionRev. Victor C. Yakubu

While visiting the St. Paul’s Cathedral London, I felt the power of God speaking to my heart. I tried to explain my feelings to my group but one of them pointed out that the cathedral does not belong to the Catholic Church. I laughed and I immediately thought about how we try to classify God based on denominational connections. Although the cathedral church is not Catholic, it does not stop Jesus from manifesting his power among those who call upon his name. The feeling I had while I was at the St. Paul’s Cathedral was a feeling of the presence of God. The music was inspirational; it sent me into thinking about my purpose in life.

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