Skip to main content

Do we have something radically different to offer the world this weekend?

Are we using our freedom to make this Good News plain? Or are we so separatistic that we have no connection with unbelievers; or are we so worldly they don't know we have anything radically different to offer?"
(Quote from Desiring God/John Piper)

(An attempt to look biblically at culture and the Gospel, in relation to Resurrection Sunday)

Today (Good Friday), we remember the death of our Lord, Sunday we celebrate His resurrection, and daily we await His return. All of history is pivoted on Christ’s death and resurrection. Beginning in Genesis: Creation, the Fall and the first Messianic prophesy, throughout the old testament and both Israel’s and all of mankind’s history, leading up to what we have recorded in the Gospels. And now, as we await Him returning in Judgement, we proclaim that Gospel to a lost world…and we teach our children how to know, love, and live in relationship with Jesus–Messiah.

May God help us as we seek to share the Gospel, and as we teach our children may they understand the call to holiness, the gravity of being polluted by the world, and the call to be willing to even die for their faith (and to never compromise).

God’s people, especially in relation to “missions”, love to quote James 1:27 about True Religion…we love that we can serve God and live out “true religion” by caring for orphans and widows – which, although it is an enormous task when looking at global statistics, seems tangible, in that we can easily “check it off of a list” by doing something as simple as “donating $1/day” as a child sponsor (which of course isn’t what it means – and we shouldn’t be “checking things off of a list”, but living, from the heart, fully for the Lord -my point is, that it seems "tangible" and that we forget the last part)…

… what about the last part of that verse? What about keeping ourselves from being polluted by the world? And, are we “radically different?”; are we offering something radically different to the World?

What about holiness (and not legalism)? How do we seriously keep ourselves, teach our children to keep themselves, and show the world that we are to be holy - as He who called us and saved us is Holy? How do we celebrate His death and resurrection, declare the Gospel to the world, use the culture of the world as a stepping stone to share the Gospel AND remain unpolluted, separate, different, and HOLY? And, as we strive to do that personally and in our own families, how do we also “contend for truth”, confront the "culture of the church", live unashamed of the Gospel (Romans 1), and use things in the culture to share the Gospel?

I think that we can and should use the culture around us as “teachable moments/objects”, and it is important both at home and abroad in cross-cultural settings, to be aware of the culture and have discernment in using it as a stepping stone to share the Gospel

In any cross-cultural setting, we can learn, study, research and know the best way to connect with people – but not to bring those things (cultural objects and traditions) into the Church.  We can talk to children about what children see in the world surrounding Easter (and every other holiday), without bringing those things into the church. 

I believe that Churches (congregations/leadership) should leave it up to individual families to choose how to celebrate (all holidays) in their own homes or in their own communities, while keeping what we have IN Church (as part of a Sunday morning service) as sacred, set-apart, and holy (and of course recognizing that we are the Temple and we are the Church - not a building nor a service)…

I think it is a shame that we would open our doors so that unbelievers feel welcomed, while then possibly causing little ones who are part of our congregation, to stumble. (Just to clarify: I do not think it is a shame to open doors to unbelievers, but it is a shame to do it WHILE causing believers to stumble –and historically, unbelievers come to church for Easter and Christmas anyways -with or without eggs and a bunny) … Some believers will feel compelled to stay home and not be able to attend a church service, out of their conviction to keep themselves and teach their children to keep themselves separate from the world –which then prohibits them from celebrating one of the most “sacred” holidays with their family (together with other believers). I can easily choose to not attend the rec centre when the Easter Bunny is there, but should I have to choose not to attend church when the Easter Bunny is there? 

I would suggest, that if a Church does want to have an Easter bunny, why not have a separate event on Saturday?! (and many churches do this - and I wouldn't bring my children, but they wouldn't miss corporate worship nor a Resurrection Sunday celebration that way)). If you do a Saturday event with an “Easter Bunny”, then you can invite families to come back the next day for “Resurrection Sunday” (sans bunny at church and sans Easter egg hunt at church -do it all on Saturday). 

The passage in Acts 17 tells us that Paul was “going through the market preaching the Good News about Jesus and the Resurrection”, and he was angered about all of the idols that he saw throughout the city...

Using this passage (Acts 17) in relation to Easter, would be to look at what Paul said at the end, about needing to repent and to change their old way of thinking – he related to their culture and then basically told them to leave their culture and to recognize that God does not dwell in temples, etc. – he mentioned the altar, he didn’t use the altar. We can mention the bunny without using the bunny too…

Another way of looking at Acts 17 in relation to Easter, in today’s culture, would be, (as someone mentioned to me a while back):

“Just as Paul went through the market place and then spoke in public, using the culture of that city to point to Christ, I think if we were to imitate Paul, we would go to the community Parks and Recreation Centres, while they are celebrating Easter, and would preach the Gospel and let them know that what they are celebrating or using to celebrate Easter is not what Easter is really about - and then preach the Gospel and the Resurrection.  Paul didn’t bring their symbols (or the altar to the unknown god) into the synagogue/, he used them as an example to speak truth in a public place).” 

Again, the question is (examine yourself and your church), "Do we have something radically different to offer the world?" ...

Here is a great, and FREE Sunday School Curriculum for Easter!! Teach your children and your church apologetics by ordering the complete ABC curriculum, or just use the FREE seasonal lessons, available here: https://answersingenesis.org/sunday-school/easter/



Reader’s Favourites

Passionate for Truth: If you are a born-again Christian, do you use the JW Bible or Book of Mormon? What if I told you that Jesus appeared to me with insight into re-translating the Bible? What If I added words to the Bible and made it available for Christians everywhere?

“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19 “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:1-2 “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.” Proverbs 30:5-6  In the Garden with Eve and in the dessert with Jesus, Satan used the Word of God too... ...

Citizens of Heaven: reflections on how the lack of speaking and understanding a language make me a foreigner.

I have experienced life as a foreigner in varying degrees over the majority of my life, probably beginning on my first short term missions trip (to Uganda) 22 years ago (yes, 22 years…yikes!). I don’t recall feeling so much a foreigner on that trip, but I was changed, and became a distinct “foreigner” upon my return to Canada. I think it was then that I began to learn how to die to myself and began to desire to live out James 1:27 (in it’s entirety – I yearned to live out true religion by taking care of orphans and widows AND by remaining unpolluted by the secular world) *note: I am far from perfect, and simultaneously began a fight against sin, as once convicted of something, once one knows the good that they should do and they do not do it, they then sin… the struggle against the flesh is real, but with every victory, as sin is put to death and as I choose to live life in the Spirit, I am learning more and more how to live a life separate from the world.     ...

Walking the path marked out - by Charity Okurut (early 2000's)

No matter what the circumstances, no matter the happenings, know this: He holds you in the palm of His hands and He has wonderful plans for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future. Along the way, don’t look down so long that you don’t see the road ahead. Don't keep your head up so high that you don’t see the path, and so trip and fall. Don’t look back so long that you forget where you are going, nor keep your eyes fixed so far ahead that you forget where you came from, and what made you who you are today. Memorize the faces of those travelling alongside you. Identify those who need your help and recognize those who need to help you.  And no matter what - never give up! ~ Charity Okurut nee Pilkey

Book Trailer. Living in the Shadow of Death: From a Child of War to an A...

It has been 15 months since our first book launch (November 2017)! After being able to share the story with Samuel’s family - reading it to them in the village, as we sat under the stars, outside of our mud hut with grass-thatched roof - we have decided to edit the title and a few small details, and to print it again. The book is on Amazon and Kindle - and coming to iBooks and bookstores soon! Click here to see our Amazon Author Page

God’s Sufficient Grace - and my “stroke-like symptoms”

Here is a little update on my health... All of the neurology and rheumatology appointments went well and there was no pathological reason for a stroke, my brain and heart are all normal -praise God! A hair analysis did show heavy metals, and the neurologist said the symptoms were all “migraine-related” (did you know you can have a migraine without a headache?) The advice is to do a heavy-metal detox, take supplements like magnesium and Ubiquinol (among others), to have massage therapy, do stretches, and to rest more. My  diagnosis was also changed from Lupus to Fibromyalgia -which have similar symptoms, but which means that there is no risk to organ damage or deterioration (I also have a congenital back problem which adds to the pain and stress on my body). If you missed why I was seeing a Nuerologist in the first place, here is what I wrote in July: I had a mini stroke or TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack), on Saturday June 22nd. Below is what I wrote on facebook:...

Did God REALLY say He created everything in 6-morning-to-evening (literal) days? Is it essential to Christian Ministry & Education that He did?

The Father’s Heart Foundation’s beliefs and core values (link at bottom) , as well as our vision for Christian education and discipleship, are founded not just on a general “Christian” belief system and moral code, but are grounded in a biblical worldview -a complete, biblical world view that begins with Genesis. I will add footnotes * for a few points, but for others, you may use your own research to check - also, as a note, most of my knowledge on this subject is from personal research over several years - hence the lack of footnotes ;) .   In creating a culture - with a goal of creating a biblical and godly culture- we need a blueprint and a foundation... As is needed in creating anything from a lego structure to an apartment building, we all need a blue print, and we need to start with a solid foundation. We need an understanding of God’s Word for a solid biblical foundation. So, then, as Christians, we need to know “what is foundational”? What is “fundamental”? And...

Remembering: November 2013 prayer and praise update about meeting with a gang leader in El Salvador

Reminiscing about God's faithfulness and found this old update - the meeting went well and we thank God for His faithfulness! We appreciate those of you who have been praying for us and sending encouragement and counsel our way... We have heard counsel to go ahead and also counsel to "flee" for sometime, we have also prayed and heard God thru His Word and thru the peace He has given to us and Samuel will be meeting with the gang leader in our community this Saturday...All of this peace that I feel has caused me to reflect, and I wanted to share with all of you, and especially with those close to us or who I know are praying for us: As I look back over the timeline of my life, of my husband's life, and our life together, I am so thankful for all that God has brought us through. He has shaped us and prepared us for where we are at right now and I know that He will continue to do so - for our good and for His glory! Some highlights (not including those t...

More of life in the village - began writing in the village, and will slowly finish this week

As I sit here to write, I am surrounded by small children –some nephews, a little orphaned girl, and a great-nephew, plus some of my own children coming and going. I came to the church building to write, because the internet reception is better, the heat is not as intense, and I thought I would be alone – if I could speak the language I might ask them to leave for a little while, but I think that choosing love, and bearing the noise of all the “emotokars” (cars made of pieces of wood –that don’t resemble cars, but with an imagination and some good sound effects, they become perfect cars!)…in the time that it took to write that, they realized that I wasn’t looking at pictures or doing anything interesting, so they took their cars outside –but left a baby behind to play on the dirt floor. Actually, the floor is not dirt, it is made of cow dung. Here is Benjamin’s description of the [making of the] cow-dung floor: “I watched one of my cousins make a cow-poop-floor. First, they coll...

Angels and Demons - waking to an African War Cry in the village

The New testament of the Bible retells several stories of Jesus casting out demons, and also of visitations by angels. The demonic is something that Christians in North America oft stay away from, and I have never written about my own experiences with seeing the power of God triumph over evil, although many have heard me tell at least one story of an encounter with the enemy, and seeing the power of God displayed with the Sword of the Spirit, which IS the Word of God… Now that we have recently returned from Uganda, and we were retelling one story, I have decided to post some of the story here. This is not a theological debate, nor even the complete story (with all of its details), but is my own personal experience with a recent spiritual battle, and some of the truths of God’s Word which I was impressed to read during this battle. It was late one evening, in our village home in Uganda. The children and I had gone to bed early compared to the rest of the family, who normally ...

In an INSTANT world, am I willing to work & wait -even a lifetime- for anything?

I just came across this old post from September 2010, and was reminded again of the need to be patient and diligent; to not give up! I could never have imagined the waiting and trials and testing of our faith that we would still have to walk through over the next 7 years - to date. And, I know that there will still be waiting, and testing and trials to come! There have been times, when I DO want to give up, but we know that God has called us to execute this vision, and we refuse to give up! He is with us in the waiting, and has been sovereign over it all -looking back, we now know some of the reasons why we had to go through some of the trials, and the waiting. We HOPE, that in 2018, we will finally be able to move to the village, where we have been sharing the Gospel and discipling people, and that we will be more effective there. AND, that we will finally be able to do staff training, and bring in our first orphaned children. We will not give up! I just read this encourage...