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CREATED FOR GOOD WORKS(EPH 2:10). OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION. Opening Prayer Bible Passage: Ephesians 2:10 The story of George Opening Quote Introduction 5:1 Re-engaging with the creation story(Gen 1:5,8,10,13,19,23,25,26-27,30,31) 5:2 Song of the Vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-4)
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OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION • Opening Prayer • Bible Passage: Ephesians 2:10 • The story of George • Opening Quote • Introduction 5:1 Re-engaging with the creation story(Gen 1:5,8,10,13,19,23,25,26-27,30,31) 5:2 Song of the Vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-4) 6. Unpacking the concept of “Masterpiece” 7. Where the Nigerian Church Lost the way: (New Birth-John 3;3,4,16),Sonship & Contemporary Church as masterpiece(Gal 4:4, Romans 8:18-21,Eph 2;10) 8. What Manner of good Works? 8.1 Transformation as good Works(Conceptual clarification, transforming the 7 Spheres of society). Conclusion
The story of George • One Sunday morning, a young filthy boy called George from one of the slums adjacent a local church came with the crowd to worship. An usher put his fingers to his nose and said “Uh, I’m sorry, but I ‘m afraid we can’t let you in, you will distract the congregation”. George left dejected but as he was leaving a stranger touched his shoulders and said to him, “Don’t feel bad, my name is Jesus, and I have been trying to get into the same church for years and they won’t let me in either”. To what extent is the Youth Fellowship and indeed EPC engrossed in academic debates, dialogues, contentions, activities within the sanctuary shutting out the master even has He tries desperately to point us to the good transformative work outside the sanctuary that He prepared for us from eternity?(Ephesians 2:10)
OPENING QUOTE “TRUTH IS HEAVY, SO FEW MEN CARRY IT”- JEWISH PROVERB
INTRODUCTION As we scan the Nigerian context and observe on one hand the seeming robustness of the Nigerian Church co-existing comfortably with the decay and deterioration in the land, there is a sense in which we see that we are currently facing a crisis.
INTRODUCTION A.J Toynbee, the historian, said in his book, “A historian’s Approach to Religion” that when a movement faces a crisis, it can take one of several ways out: • It can retreat into the past and glory in what it was.(This is archaism). • It can leap into the future and build castles in the air, it can dream of what it would like to do or that one day things may change, but make no attempt to change then now(This is futurism). • It can retreat into itself and give itself to mystical experiences and avoid facing the challenges of the moment( This is mysticism). • It can take hold of the crisis, transform it into something positive and make a fresh beginning(This is reformation).Only the last solution resolves the problem, the rest are short-lived. WHERE DOES ECWA PLATEAU CHURCH FIT IN THESE CATEGORIES?
Re-engaging with the Creation story 1.Gen 1:5,8,10,13,19,23,25,26-27,30,31 2.Gen 1:26-27-”image & likeness”-In Genesis 1:26-28 we read that Adam was created in the image & likeness of God and given “Dominion”. What is being created in the Image & Likeness of God? The Hebrew for “Image” –(selem), means, in being created with the essential nature of God. The Hebrew word for Likeness is “demuth” which “signifies the original after which a thing is patterned”
Re-engaging with the Creation story These words “Selem” & “demuth” define & describe our design, capacity, potential, and value as human beings made to reflect the personhood of our creator (Myles Munroe,2007). We are “homo divinus”- created with a divine nature and having the capacity to embody the Kingdom of God on Earth as God’s earthy agency! In essence we were designed as “masterpieces” to be like, act like and function like God in delivering good work.
Big Question? If we were designed as “masterpieces” to be like, act like and function like God in delivering good work, Why are we not delivering distinctive work that reflects the quality of work of the rock from which we are hewed? Seed @ Eden(2007, Masterpiece, from a rock)
SONG OF THE VINE YARD. “I will sing for the one I love, a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside, he dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a wine press as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard, what more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it?(Isaiah 5:1-4), lets we come off thinking that the matter is an Old testament sentiment, we read in 2nd Peter 1:3 that “ His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness”. In other words, there hasn’t been a short supply of grace from heaven, preventing the Nigerian Church from being showcased as a masterpiece, the church simply has chosen to be wayward!
UNPACKING THE WORD”MASTERPIECE” What however is a “ masterpiece? 1.An outstanding work of art or craft. 2. The greatest work, as of an artist. Also called masterworK 3.The most outstanding piece of work of a creative artist, craftsman, etc. 4. A “Poem”( is it not mind blowing that God refers to you as His Poem?).
Where the Nigerian Church Lost the way: (New Birth-,Sonship & Contemporary Church as masterpieces.) • Through being born again by receiving Jesus as Lord and Saviour we become masterpieces.(John 3;3,4,16,Eph 2;10). • Through being born again we become sons and have the rights of sons(Gal 4.4). • As sons, the heavens and indeed creation groans waiting for our emergence to release it from decay and bondage.(Romans 8:18-21) • Unfortunately, the Nigerian church mistook being born again for the totality of the kingdom(mistaking the door for the house) and so has been unable to be a living expression of the kingdom reflected in the demonstration of kingdom inspired good works in the Land.
“LOOSE THE CHURCH FROM ITS GRAVECLOTHES AND LET IT GO”(John 11:44, Romans 12:2) • Grave clothes of human imposed limitations. • Grave clothes of human ideas and traditions
A CRY FROM HEAVEN! In every generation we note that when heaven wants to do a good, outstanding transformative work, the work is usually anchored on youths, only rarely does heaven commission Old men & women to do such work.
DANCING THE “ALANTA”? Unfortunately many Youths that heaven see as masterpieces today upon whom good, outstanding transformative work could have been anchored on their shoulders seem also to have lost their way. Dancing the “Alanta” & “Sagging up and Down” .
5 Major Banana peels facing youths today? • Spiritual in-difference • Carried away with the world’s definition of success.(Hammer),”De Boy Don Hammer” • Unteachable • Pride& arrogance • Oblivious of the changing context
What manner of good works? • Transformation as good Works. Reflections on recent history. • God in year 2000 began to stir the hearts of the Church across Nigeria on his agenda(transformation). • Through divine providence EPC was part of those reflections and very strongly from year 2007(even before the present administration in Nigeria ever dreamt that it would emerge). • However, the Nigerian Church seem to loose what God was trying to do by debating the concept of “transformation” at various church meetings. • The tragedy was and is still that various Churches,denominations, groups, individuals began to pursue what they perceive as “transformation”
What manner of good works? • These scattered energies resulted in a situation whereby rather than being instruments in the discipling of Mr President on Transformation “now that he has shoes”, • The church is huddled up within the four walls of Church buildings talking about transformation!
What manner of good works? • We are unfortunately facing a situation in which many within the Church in Nigeria say that they have to be transformed before going out as agents of transformation in the Society. This is obviously a misunderstanding of the concept of transformation. What is “transformation”, How is it outworked in concrete contexts?
Unpacking the word ”Transformation” The concept of “Transformation” in Ordinary English usage: Free-Online Dictionary: • A change or alteration, especially a radical one • The act of transforming or the state of being transformed Thesaurus Dictionary: The act of transforming, or the state of being transformed;change of form or condition. Specifically: -- (a) (Biol.) Any change in an organism which alters its general character and mode of life, as in the development of the germ into the embryo, the egg into the animal, the larva into the insect (metamorphosis), (b) (Physiol.) Change of one from of material into another, as in assimilation; metabolism; metamorphosis. (c) (Alchemy) The imagined possible or actual change of one metal into another; transmutation.
Unpacking the word ”Transformation” In this presentation, we define “Transformation” as “A change in disposition, heart, character, or the like; conversion”. • This perspective recognizes that “Transformation” is not value free or Value neutral. This is because there are values, assumptions that are associated with it. • In this sense, “Transformation” is not only about change, the question is Change in what direction, what is the content of change, what values and assumptions underlie change or are associated with change. • The change in disposition, heart, character of the people being led results in change in their Values and Worldview and as these values driven transformed men & women engage the systems of society, the society is transformed.
Transformation as a Progression • The starting point of Transformation is to transform the agent of Transformation. This takes place at (New Birth) when a person accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord. • The new birth brings about a change of values and Worldview. • A level of transformation takes place at new birth as the believer accepts the Lord Jesus Christ.(it is not that someone will be born again for 20 or 30 years before he is transformed). • Romans 12:1-2 & 2nd Corinthians 3:7-18(emphasis on 15-18) shows us that transformation is not a fixed point but a progression. This is so because the believer moves from one degree of transformation to another through the Word& Spirit of God. • Balancing Mat 16:15 versus Mat 28:18-20 perspectives to Transformation.
Transformation & the 7 Spheres of Society In every society, it has been established that there are five to seven spheres of society which must be engaged for National transformation to take place. These seven Spheres are: • Spiritual/Social, • Government/Politics, • Business/Economy • Education, • Media, • Culture/Entertainment/Arts, • Sports.
Transformation& the Clash of cultures • BIBLICAL CULTURE VERSUS WORLDLY CULTURE OR
Brief Reflections on the Nigerian context • Nigeria is located in West Africa, bordered by Niger, Republic du Benin, Chad, Cameroon and the Atlantic Ocean. The total area of Nigeria is 923,768 km².
Brief Reflections on the Nigerian context 1 in 4/5 Africans(SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA) is a Nigerian.
WHAT MANNER OF PEOPLE? • WINNERS OF ‘THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE ON EARTH AWARD 2006/2007)-BBC REPORT • INCURABLE OPTIMISTS?
GOD’S REDEMPTIVE PURPOSE VERSUS HUMAN PERVERSION • Hausa: Pastoral/shepherd.
GOD’S REDEMPTIVE PURPOSE VERSUS HUMAN PERVERSION • Ibo:Apostolic nature.
GOD’S REDEMPTIVE PURPOSE VERSUS HUMAN PERVERSION • Yoruba: Priestly/Prophetic nature
DOWNSIDE? • TYRANNY OF GENERATORS?
DOWN SIDE? • Nigerian society is a Society in Denial. In 2004, the U.N sent a human rights Pakistani lawyer by name(Asmau Jangir)(U.N Rapporteur). After speaking to diverse groups about the crisis in Jos,Kaduna Northern parts of Nigeria, she came up with the verdict that Nigeria is a country in Denial& that until we are ready to face the issues challenging us truthfully we would continue to have challenges. Take the Boko Haram challenge, and all the crisis in Northern Nigeria, what you hear is that it is due to politics,hunger, unemployment, poverty etc. even when we see other undercurrents! The Church as the pillar of truth should not join in the deception!
DOWN SIDE? • Nigeria is 14 on the failed state index for 2010 just released recently, the index draws on some 130,000 publicly available sources to analyze 177 countries and rate them on 12 indicators(demographic pressures, Refugees/IDPs, Group grievance, Human Flight, Uneven development, Economic Decline, Delegitimization of the state, Public services, Human rights, Security apparatus, factionalized elites, external intervention) of pressure on the state during the year 2010 , Taken together, a country's performance on this battery of indicators tells us how stable -- or unstable the country is.
QUOTE “ without Common standards and a Common frame of reference, Society dissolves into nothing more than Contending Factions”-Christopher Lasch
Nigeria: A case study of perversion in National ethical structure. • The ethical structure of a nation is just like the human DNA helix, the contest is about influencing the 7 spheres of Nigeria’s ethical structure from biblical perspectives, then we shall see biblical transformation. There is a current struggle to influence our ethical structure as we look now at how values are outworked concretely in the Nigerian context.
Outworking of Values in the Systems of society • Islamic Banking/Non-Interest banking.
Outworking Values in the Systems of society 2. Halal foods& Products. Pushing the concept of Halal foods into the consciousness of the public and weaving it gradually into statutory requirements for companies in Nigeria through Indomie. (De United Foods in Sango Ota, Lagos & Dufill Nigeria Ltd. Portharcourt), NASCO Foods, Lotus Capital What is Halal foods?
