Missionary Minds

Where lies the most perilous domain on Earth in our time? Is it within radical Islamic states or amidst gang-ridden urban communities? No, the womb, intended as a sanctuary of life, has become the most treacherous place on earth. Consider Zambia, where numerous abortions are carried out under the guise of women's rights and gender equality. Across the globe, millions of unborn lives are intentionally ended each year in the name of justice and freedom. Make no mistake, feminism has produced the greatest genocide in the history of the world. Christians have the great responsibility to be a holy people who are in the business of saving lives that are in danger of being exterminated. What might this look like practically?

Godly men are called to fight, but they must pick their fights prudently. “Fight the good fight of the faith,” Paul said (1Tm. 6:12). “I have fought the good fight,” were his last words (2Tm. 4:7). This differs from today’s 11th Commandment: Thou shalt be nice. Break this command and you’ll incur the world’s wrath. How should Christian men go about fighting? Consider the following principles.

Christians have an awesome responsibility to vote according to Christian principles derived from God’s word. For democracy to work effectively it relies on an informed electorate. For this reason, Christians need to be biblically literate on how to best vote even if that vote amounts to choosing the lesser of evils. So, what are some biblical principles South African believers, or any believers for that matter, need to consider before going to the polls in the near future? Here are just three thoughts to remember before you vote.

I have often said that Africa has so many churches that you can buy two for a penny. Despite the numerous churches we see around us, it seems to me that there is very little impact on our communities. I am concerned with the lack of growth and maturity among many who carry their Bibles every Sunday morning but don't seem to learn from them, let alone read them. Churches are being planted daily on the continent of Africa, especially in the era of self-appointed pastors and prophets

You can determine God’s calling by asking three questions. First, what are your desires? What do you long to do? The first qualification of a pastor is that he “desires” the office (1Tm. 3:1). Paul longed to preach (1Cor. 9:16) and Jeremiah said he was like a volcano ready to burst if he stopped preaching (Jer. 20:9). Matthew Henry said that when we make God our heart’s delight, then we’ll have our heart’s desire. When considering a call to the mission field this is one of the many principles that should be considered.

Many have been asking lately, ‘Should a Christian attend a gay wedding?’  The biblical answer is extremely nuanced and highly complex:  Never, no, not under any circumstances.  In the eyes of God and according to His Word, any such pseudo-wedding is an abominable, blasphemous, profaning of marriage and a pagan celebration of the sodomy that destroys lives, ruins society, makes a mockery of Christ, and merits eternal punishment.

Recently Nigerians considered boycotting a milk company for insensitive remarks they made about the death of Christ. Boycotting is not new to Africa. During the 1970s and 80s, countries around the world boycotted South African goods as a way to oppose apartheid. This is not only a Christian issue. Today, the Muslim association UUCSA is calling on South Africans to boycott Jewish-owned companies like Dis-Chem. The pro-Palestine organization BDS is encouraging South Africans to boycott Puma for sponsoring the Israel Football Association. How should Christians think about boycotting immoral businesses? Is boycotting biblical? Consider the following six principles.

One of the central roles to which God calls men is to protect women. Husbands and fathers should protect their families spiritually. God told “the man” not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gn. 3:17) but he failed to protect his wife from the serpent who induced her to sin (Gn. 3:6). This is why the Adam was ultimately responsible for Eve’s sin (Rm. 5:20). Husbands and fathers should their families physically and emotionally. Men should be willing to die for their wives, not the other way around. Christ laid down his life for his bride (Eph. 5:25), similar to how husbands should give up themselves for their wives. Here are seven ways that husbands are to protect their wives.

The way different cultures approach the bride price varies, however the concept across the board is generally the same. The intent is to pay the prospective-in-laws a token of appreciation for raising their daughter well and to basically pay for your bride. The charges in the Shona culture can range from $2,000 - $ 10,000 (United States Dollars), some even exceeding those exorbitant ranges, which turns Lobola from a token act into a ‘get-rich-or-die-trying’ scheme.

“My body, my choice” is a feminist slogan used to defend a woman’s right to autonomy over her choices. Women often employ this phrase to defend their right to an abortion. How should one respond to this? Does a woman have complete autonomy over her body, including the right to abort her child? Here are six reasons why the argument “My body, my choice” fails.