Blog & Pastor Letters

New Law of Love

02-23-2020Weekly ReflectionRev. Victor C. Yakubu

According to the introductory lines of the Open Doors Report (2016) 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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Living in a Lawless Society

02-16-2020Weekly ReflectionRev. Victor C. Yakubu

Jack Myers' The Future of Men: Masculinity in the Twenty-First Century (2016) is a good read for building healthy relationships between men and women. The concept of gender war has caused untold pain to men and women of every generation. Instead of making life meaningful we seek greedy living that further confuses our values of what life is all about. Nonetheless there is nothing new under the sun (Read Eccl. 1:9) and it is amazing how human societies have evolved. For instance, the concept of urban or rural living suggests greater cooperation between the genders in building peaceful societies as compared to lawless republics. One thing is sure; the survival of humans on the face of the earth depends on their ability to respect their laws.

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Jesus, the World, and the Christian

02-09-2020Weekly ReflectionRev. Victor C. Yakubu

The Greek sage Aristotle once said, "Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime." I reflected on these words for a few days and I found sense in his words. I read more witty quotes from the life of Jesus. The public ministry of Jesus unveiled his mission and vision to the people of Israel. With no contact with the people, Jesus could not have displayed such altruism in dealing with the issues of those he met. Yet, through his daily contact with the ordinary people he demonstrated his inner love for them. He was able to match words with action, and the people could relate with him because they needed a simple man with simple answers to their complex problems.

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The Joy of Family Living

02-02-2020Weekly ReflectionRev. Victor C. Yakubu

In my few years in this country, I often get touched by narratives of parents talking about their children. The byline I often hear is, "My kid is a good kid." When a parent talks about their child this way, it reflects the approach to family upbringing. I'm touched the most when I see a grandparent relating with their grandchildren as they just walk together as friends. It is soothing for both children and grandparents. Coming from an extended family myself in Africa, I reminisce how I relied on my grandparents to learn the hard lessons of life.

Although we always disagreed on many issues, they used their better judgment to guide me and to show me all about life and what the future could be. When I look back at some of my interactions with them, I can only praise their sense of judgment, patience and love for me; a child without experience.

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