The Suffering Servant Promo // Believin Stephen from shot by esso™ on Vimeo.
Suicide Acapella // Believin Stephen from The Lamp Lounge on Vimeo.
I'm Really looking forward to this album.
For More info check out Believin Stephen's myspace here
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The Suffering Servant
I'm Really looking forward to this album.
For More info check out Believin Stephen's myspace here
The Homosexual Debate part 1 (repost)
Time for my 2 cents on this whole Gay Kenyan couple…and here is where my dim aspirations for world leadership die, stepping in to this minefield.
So we got the ACK bishop ranting about how the civil union is neither Christian nor is it African. And as much as I agree with him, frankly I think he needs to chill on the “unafricanness” of homosexuality. Its not particularly true, and it’s not something an Anglican (read Christian) bishop should be defending. I don’t think it’s the role of the church in this instance is to enter into a debate about culture. The reason for this is most discussions about cultural values always devolve in to discussions about relative cultural values, and it’s clear that in this case “western culture” is determined not to respect African cultural values. Actually from what we’re seeing its evident (the Anglican Church’s decision; and the British team helping Kenya develop the constitution strongly suggested gay right be implemented in the new constitution) I think the only point of view a man of God should be arguing this issue is from Scripture. Arguing from culture also leaves a black hole in which bishop Wabukala would get caught up. After all what’s worse, consensual sex between two men or women or FGM which is part and parcel of some African cultures? Getting into the morality of culture is a debate that does not lead to any real discussion about the morality of homosexuality.
If anything this whole issue has reminded me that the church needs to get back on moral high ground. By this I mean the church ought to address church culture. Church culture by definition is a culture surrounding the church and its institution, with no real bearing in faith. The best example I can give of church culture is this: on a busy road in Nairobi there’s a pretty big church, as a result there is a stage outside the church where worshipers alight on their way. The largeness of the church has necessitated a foot bridge to be built over a 4 lane road for the safety of pedestrians and motorist (the church is on a hill so car do travel quite fast on this road) every Sunday drivers witness people ignoring the safety of the law and the bridge and try to rush their families across the road in raging traffic. Indeed we’ve all been cut off or seen drivers with “jesus is alive” bumperstickers overlapping and usurping traffic laws. Now some will think I’m being pedantic here, but that’s not the case at all. I think the person who sits and saber rattles about how the homosexual union is an affront to God but week in week out even on his way to church can not even follow the laws of man makes a mockery of himself and his faith. Church folk quit being mad at the world’s sinfulness if you aint checkin yourself.
I’d also like to say this whole event has made me question some of those “the church is too fundamentalist”/” the church needs to catch up with the times” who were just about to “like this”. If you read the bible I think other than those who try to justify the admonition against homosexuality as cultural you’ll see that this wrong in the God of the bible’s eyes. There are a bunch of other things that the God of the bible views as sinful and against God's design for man; when the church is adamant in its stand against these things, you can’t get mad at the church…take it up with the boss. One can’t expect someone who believes that sex before marriage is wrong to promote condom use. That’s illogical. The word of God asks believers to do some seemingly tough things; but that does not mean they should be ignored or explained away. So if you tired of going to church and feeling guilty about some of the things you’ve done, the solution is simply not to do these things. This is much easier said that done, but I hear there’s a lot about forgiveness in those crispy pages of your bible. What is the point of church if it doesn’t follow what the bible says?
So we got the ACK bishop ranting about how the civil union is neither Christian nor is it African. And as much as I agree with him, frankly I think he needs to chill on the “unafricanness” of homosexuality. Its not particularly true, and it’s not something an Anglican (read Christian) bishop should be defending. I don’t think it’s the role of the church in this instance is to enter into a debate about culture. The reason for this is most discussions about cultural values always devolve in to discussions about relative cultural values, and it’s clear that in this case “western culture” is determined not to respect African cultural values. Actually from what we’re seeing its evident (the Anglican Church’s decision; and the British team helping Kenya develop the constitution strongly suggested gay right be implemented in the new constitution) I think the only point of view a man of God should be arguing this issue is from Scripture. Arguing from culture also leaves a black hole in which bishop Wabukala would get caught up. After all what’s worse, consensual sex between two men or women or FGM which is part and parcel of some African cultures? Getting into the morality of culture is a debate that does not lead to any real discussion about the morality of homosexuality.
If anything this whole issue has reminded me that the church needs to get back on moral high ground. By this I mean the church ought to address church culture. Church culture by definition is a culture surrounding the church and its institution, with no real bearing in faith. The best example I can give of church culture is this: on a busy road in Nairobi there’s a pretty big church, as a result there is a stage outside the church where worshipers alight on their way. The largeness of the church has necessitated a foot bridge to be built over a 4 lane road for the safety of pedestrians and motorist (the church is on a hill so car do travel quite fast on this road) every Sunday drivers witness people ignoring the safety of the law and the bridge and try to rush their families across the road in raging traffic. Indeed we’ve all been cut off or seen drivers with “jesus is alive” bumperstickers overlapping and usurping traffic laws. Now some will think I’m being pedantic here, but that’s not the case at all. I think the person who sits and saber rattles about how the homosexual union is an affront to God but week in week out even on his way to church can not even follow the laws of man makes a mockery of himself and his faith. Church folk quit being mad at the world’s sinfulness if you aint checkin yourself.
I’d also like to say this whole event has made me question some of those “the church is too fundamentalist”/” the church needs to catch up with the times” who were just about to “like this”. If you read the bible I think other than those who try to justify the admonition against homosexuality as cultural you’ll see that this wrong in the God of the bible’s eyes. There are a bunch of other things that the God of the bible views as sinful and against God's design for man; when the church is adamant in its stand against these things, you can’t get mad at the church…take it up with the boss. One can’t expect someone who believes that sex before marriage is wrong to promote condom use. That’s illogical. The word of God asks believers to do some seemingly tough things; but that does not mean they should be ignored or explained away. So if you tired of going to church and feeling guilty about some of the things you’ve done, the solution is simply not to do these things. This is much easier said that done, but I hear there’s a lot about forgiveness in those crispy pages of your bible. What is the point of church if it doesn’t follow what the bible says?
Monday, November 29, 2010
Welcome
Welcome to my blog,
Here i seek to explore what would happen if the Reformers were to come to Africa and see the African Church today what kind of discourse would they have with leaders in our Churches. Honestly discuss spiritual matters in the context of the Bible. With Changing global demographics and the increasing secularization of the west the capital of Christendom has moved yet again to Africa. With this in mind it is our imperative that we create a "brand of Christianity" which is not necessarily infused with African culture and norms, but a brand of Christianity that creates be livers who mirror Christ all the more. The aim of this blog will not be to engage in cultural arguments, nor get into any discourse about the source of Christianity therefore it's illegitimacy. I hope to encourage, discuss.
Soli Deo Gloria. (may this be true in all that is written here)
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