Sunrise july 2015 by Sunrise

SUMMER 2015 £2.50 Where Sold

DAVID CAMERON MEETS PASTOR ADEBOYE AT FESTIVAL OF LIFE SPECIAL FEATURE: REFLECTIONS ON UK 2015 ELECTIONS

QUEEN AWARDS MBE TO RCCG PASTOR RCCG MEMBER ELECTED COUNCILLOR

PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE: Arrows of the Mighty

FROM THE GENERAL OVERSEER

COMMUNITY

RELATIONSHIPS

FAMILY LIFE

SUNRISE MAGAZINE ADVERT RATE CARD Sunrise is a lifestyle magazine endorsing a Christian perspective on issues of faith and public life. Published quarterly by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) United Kingdom, Sunrise seeks to inspire many to keep practising the Christian way of life, enlighten people on matters relating to the Christian faith, and encourage others to consider embracing Christianity as their personal faith. Sunrise is published in print, online and digital versions. Why Advertise in Sunrise? • To reach an estimated combined minimum audience of 50,000 readers across our print, online and digital versions. Visit: www.sunrisemagazine.org www.issuu.com/sunriseuk • To reach an audience spread across the United Kingdom where the RCCG has parishes, thus increasing the reach and reputation of your product, service or activity. • RCCG members are multi-ethnic, multicultural, 1st, 2nd and 3rd-generation immigrants who have very deep roots in their various communities in the United Kingdom, Africa, Europe and America. Advertising your product in Sunrise will showcase your product, service or activity to many thousands internationally.

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CONTENTS 4 FROM THE GENERAL OVERSEER 6

FROM THE CENTRAL OFFICE

EDITORIAL NOTE

FOL COMES TO

MANCHESTER 10 SPECIAL FESTIVAL OF LIFE 26

FEATURE 12 COMMUNITY SERVICE 14 COMMUNITY 16 UK GENERAL ELECTION

[RE

JEC ION] E CTTI O N J E R [ ]

21 CHRISTIAN RESOURCES

AND GROWTH 24 MUMMY G.O.’S BIRTHDAY GREETING 26 AFRICA MISSIONS 28 THE EVERLASTING FATHER 30 CHILDREN’S PAGES 32 PARENTING 34 RELATIONSHIPS 36 SINGLES 39 THINK ON THESE THINGS 40 FEATURE 42 HEALTH 44 PSYCHOLOGY 47 MATTERS OF THE HEART

ISSN NO: 2042-6542 EDITORIAL BOARD

EXHIBITION 22 CHURCH PLANTING

2015 FEATURE

Editor-in-Chief: MODUPE AFOLABI Managing Editor: YINKA ODUWOLE Editor: ANDREA ONDUKU Photography (RCCG Events): KUSH Photographer (RCCG Events): FEMI ONATUGA Designed by: MARLON ADEKOYA Published by: The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Central Office, United Kingdom facebook.com/rccguk twitter.com/rccguk youtube.com/rccguk All correspondence to: Sunrise Magazine, RCCG Central Office, Redemption House, Station Road, Knebworth, SG3 6AT The publisher, editors,contributors and related parties are not responsible in any way for the actions or results taken by any person, organisation or parties on thebasis of reading information, stories or contributions to be found in this publication. Tel: + 44 (0) 208 171 1030 Email: info@sunrisemagazine.org Web: www.sunrisemagazine.org www.issuu.com/sunriseuk

49 SPORTS DAY

68 SUMMER HOLIDAY RECIPES

50 RCCG EVENTS

70 MEDITATION

60 OVERCOMING INSECURITY

71 FORTHCOMING EVENTS

64 REVIVAL

FROM THE GENERAL OVERSEER

ARROWS of the

MIGHTY P

salm 127 v 4 says “As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth”.

God with a loud voice of triumph”. In Joshua 6 v 20 all that the children of Israel had to do to pull down the wall of Jericho was to shout.

Simply put an arrow is a weapon; it could be a weapon of defence or a weapon of offence. There are various kinds of weapons such as arrows, spears, guns, bombs and so on. Likewise when discussing spiritual weapons, there are also various types of weapons.

The name of Jesus is another powerful weapon available to Christians. According to Philippians 2 v 9-11, God has given Jesus a name, that is above every other name; that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. It doesn’t matter where the demons are hiding they must bow to the name of Jesus.In Acts 16 v 16-18 the Bible tells us about a girl who was demon possessed and was following Paul and Silas about and disturbing them. The Bible says Paul turned around, commanded the demons to leave and the demon left immediately.

One such weapon is the law of harvest where what you harvest is what you reap. Galatians 6 v 7 says “Be not deceived God is not mocked whatsoever a man sows that is what he reaps”. And Proverbs 11 v 25 says “The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself”. This law or principle of God is applicable to everybody, whether you are a Christian or not, if you sow, you will reap. It is a weapon available to all. However, then there are some weapons that are available to believers only. The first of these is praise. According to Psalm 68 v 1-3 when you praise God; He arises for you and scatters your enemies. People spend a lot of time saying “Devil I bind you”, at the beginning of the day, ‘Devil I bind you’, in the middle of the day ‘Devil I bind you’ and at the end of the day ‘Devil I bind you’. Did he get loose so quickly? I have discovered that if you want to get the Devil far away from you, just praise God. However please note that God will not accept the praise of a wicked person, according to Proverbs 15v 8 where it says that the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to God. But praise in the mouth of a Christian is a weapon. In 2 Chronicles 20, a king overcame all his enemies just by praising God. Another weapon available to a Christian is a very simple weapon called shouting. The Bible says in Psalm 47 v 1 “Clap your hands all ye people; shout unto

Another weapon that is available to Christians is the blood of Jesus. Revelation 12 v 11 says they overcame the devil by the blood of the lamb. The Bible tells us that God said when I see the blood, I will pass you by, I will make sure that the destroyer won’t come near you when I see the blood. However if you are not a Christian of course you can’t use the blood. The blood overcomes the devil so you cannot belong to the devil or you will be overcome by the blood. In Acts 16 v 16-18 the Bible tells us about a girl who was demon possessed and was following Paul and Silas about and disturbing them. The Bible says Paul turned around, commanded the demons to leave and the demon left immediately. Another weapon that is available to Christians is the blood of Jesus. Revelation 12 v 11 says they overcame the devil by the blood of the lamb. The Bible tells us that God said when I see the blood, I will pass you by, I will make sure that the destroyer won’t come near you when I see the blood. However if you are not a Christian of course you can’t use the blood. The blood overcomes the devil so you cannot belong to the devil or you will be overcome by the blood. Another weapon available to Christians is the word of God. It is written in

Psalm 119 v 89 that God’s word is settled in heaven. The Almighty God says in Psalm 1 v 1-3 that if you stay away from sinners, from the ungodly, from scorners and if you meditate on the word of God day and night, you will be like a tree planted by rivers of water bringing forth its fruit in due season. The word of God is a powerful weapon particularly against the devil. It is the weapon that Jesus used against the devil. Do you know that it is written in the Word that it shall be well with you? Isaiah 3 v 10 says “Say ye to the righteous it shall be well with him”. So I have stated that there are some weapons for everyone and there are some weapons available to Christians alone. Next there are some weapons exclusive to God’s servants. One is prophesy: Amos 3 v 7 says God will not do a thing without revealing it first to his servant the prophet. 1 Samuel 3 v 19 says God will not allow the word of his prophet to fall to the ground and in Ezekiel 37 v 1 - 10 when the Almighty God wanted to bring dry bones back to life, He used his prophet.

“Lord only you can tell”. God told him to prophesy and as he prophesied to the dry bones, the dry bones came together, bones to bones and skin covered them but they were still dead.

So God said to Ezekiel, “son of man, prophesy again”

He said to Ezekiel “can this dry bones live?” Ezekiel said “Lord only you can tell”. God told him to prophesy and as he prophesied to the dry bones, the dry bones came together, bones to bones and skin covered them but they were still dead. So God said to Ezekiel, “son of man, prophesy again” and he did and suddenly, what used to be dry bones became a mighty army. Another weapon available to the servant of God are decrees. Job 22 v 21-28, says if you will satisfy certain conditions, then you will decree a thing and it will be established unto you. Those who have used that weapon successfully in the Word of God are mainly but not exclusively, the prophets of God. For example, in 2 Kings 4 v 1-7 a widow came to Elisha and said, I am heavily in debt what shall I do? The man of God said what do you have in the house? She said she had a bottle of oil. Elisha said, go home; borrow empty vessels from your neighbors, lock the door and begin to pour that little oil you have into the vessel, and whenever one vessels is full, set it aside. She was able to do this until all the vessels were full. You will notice that Elisha didn’t even pray, you will notice he didn’t even say ‘thus says the Lord’, he simply decreed that the oil would keep on multiplying and it kept on multiplying until there was no more vessels to contain it. In 2 Kings 4 v 8-17, The Bible says there was this great woman of Shunem who had been taking care of Elisha and she had no child. Elisha didn’t prophesy, he didn’t say ‘thus says the Lord’, he merely issued a decree; woman, you will have a son nine months from now. When you hear a prophesy the fulfilment of a prophesy is anchored on if you have enough faith to receive it, however when it is a decree even your doubt is not going to stop it. Lastly, there are weapons exclusive to God and the principal one among the weapons available to God alone are his children. They are His number one’s weapon, that is why the Bible says that children are the heritage of the Lord, the fruit of the womb are His rewards, as arrows in the hands of mighty. God is comparing children to an arrow in the hand of the warrior.

Whenever God wants to fight His enemies, His number one weapons are children because they are surprise weapons. In 1 Samuel 17 v 42-51 when Goliath saw David coming, he thought what kind of joke is this? If it had been a huge man, a big warrior, coming against Goliath, Goliath would have been more careful, but when he saw a little fellow coming, he thought, ‘what can this little boy do’? He was taken by surprise when David was able to strike him with a stone. In Mathew 18 v 10 Jesus Christ said. Be careful, don’t despise any of these little ones, He said because their angels have direct access to God. Children are weapons in the hands of God because many times adults are too preoccupied or our ears are already dulled by sin. Therefore from time to time, God wants to send a message He will send it through a child such as the example of Samuel in 1 Samuel 3 v 1-10. Isaiah 59 v 1-2 says the hands of the Lord is not short that He cannot save, neither is His ear heavy that He cannot hear, but our sins can cause God not to listen but children’s prayers are not hindered by sin. Children also praise God uninhibited. They know how to dance before God because they are not looking at anyone and they don’t care who is looking at them. When they cry to God, the angel carries the prayers straight to heaven and straight away the answer comes. Children are blessing carriers, wherever they go they carry blessings. For example in Genesis 21 v 1- 6 when Isaac was born; he put an end to the sorrow of his parents. In 1 Samuel 2 v 1 -10, when Samuel was born, the mockers of his mother were silenced. In Judges 13 v 2-5, when Samson came on the scene, deliverance began to come for the children of Israel. In Genesis 50 v 18 - 20, Joseph was a child in the family that became a preserver, not only of his own nation but of people of the world.That is why parents must be watchful, there may be a Joseph already in your life.In Genesis 37 v 3- 11 the Bible says when Joseph began to have those wonderful dreams, the brothers were angry but the father observed the sayings. In Judges 13 v 24- 25 the Bible says the spirit of God began to move Samson at times while he was still young, but if his parents had been observant they would have noticed that the spirit was already on him. There may be a Samson already in the house, which is why you need to please take extra care of these children, draw them close to God, train them in the way they should go. Proverbs 22 v 6 says ‘train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he won’t be able to depart from it’. Any child that you didn’t not bring up properly in the way of the Lord will cause you sorrow in the future. Finally, if you as a child of God want to be used as a mighty arrow in the hands of God, you will need to seek Him, follow Him and obey Him. Ecclesiastes 12 v 1 says ‘remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth’. The Bible says when sinners entice you, consent thou not, if they say let’s do it this way tell them no! Tell them, “I am a child of God. Am an arrow in the hands of the Almighty God, I know where I am going, and I will arrive, I will reach my goal.” ( From a message delivered by Pastor E.A. Adeboye at the Holy Ghost Service, Redemption Camp, Nigeria )

: www.eaadeboye.com : @PastorEAAdeboye : www.facebook.com/PastorEAAdeboye prophet.

FROM THE CENTRAL OFFICE

By Pastor Modupe Afolabi

athers are important. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, it is noteworthy that He guided them to begin their intercession with the words “Our Father, Who art in Heaven …” Fatherhood is significant. The Scriptures teach that Jesus, although by nature God, practised submission to the Father. As the Apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 2:5-7, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ: Who, being in very nature God, Pastor Modupe Afolabi is Editor-in-Chief of Sunrise Magazine did not consider equality and Executive Administrator of RCCG Central with Office. God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” In other words, although Jesus Christ was co-equal to God by reason of His divinity, He still made the decision to submit to the Fatherhood of God. This spiritual foundation is crucial because the spiritual universe, as most people of faith are aware, influences the physical realm. The state of affairs is in the spirit realm, it would appear, dictates the realities that are visible in our world. If fatherhood is subverted in the spiritual sphere, the institution and practice of fatherliness in society is undermined or even sabotaged. Few will dispute that the role and function of fathers in contemporary Western societies is seriously threatened, as a combination of forces seem to continually erode the authority of fathers. More trou-

OF SONS, DAUGHTERS AND FATHERS

bling, the long-standing traditions regarding the place of fathers in society are fast corroding. Who a father is, what a father does and the things a father should not do all seem to be changing, although these changes are not always for good. A cursory look at how popular media now caricatures fathers and fatherhood (think of the leading Situation comedies or Cartoon families on Television) may well illustrate the point being made here. The representations of fathers in the media increasingly depict insecure, awkward and flustered characters. This is not, however, how it should be. Our model for fatherhood comes from the Divine Trinity and is manifest in the loving and warm relationship between Jesus Christ while He was on earth and His Father who was in Heaven. In fact, so fruitful was their relationship that on one occasion, Jesus boldly declared, much to the vexation of His hearers that,

“

I and the Father are one. (John 10:10)

”

Jesus would do nothing except what He heard the Father instruct from Heaven, while the Father would seize crucial moments to publicly affirm and validate Jesus before the people. This was witnessed during His baptism by John (Luke 3:21-22) and at the Transfiguration: “Whi-

le he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5). Reversing the modern threats to fatherhood, one would suggest, will necessitate genuine repentance, first by the Church, to be followed by the wider society, for moving the ancient landmarks regarding the role of fathers. The Holy Bible, far from being an outdated book, can provide illumination for the Church and the wider society on how to save and reclaim fatherhood. Some would say one more possible threat to fatherhood in the days ahead will be the recent steps taken to redefine the institution of marriage in several nations. How will the practice of Christian fatherhood fare in this changing social landscape? We do not, however, have to fold our arms. Godly fatherhood is possible. All we have to do is return to our Heavenly Father. I hope you enjoy this summer edition of Sunrise which, as usual, is packed with content that we pray will edify and build up your faith. Pastor Modupe Afolabi, the Editor-in-Chief of Sunrise Magazine and Executive Administrator of RCCG UK Central Office

Twitter: @MoAfolabi

EDITORIAL NOTES

EDITORIAL NOTES Andrea Onduku

n the last two weeks we have had two weddings in our church. It is always touching to see the father of the bride hand over his daughter to her new husband. This got me reminiscing about my own wedding and the role that my father played on that day and indeed in my life as a whole. A Father’s role is to nurture and raise his children and this involves protection, guidance and provision.

world suffer insecurity because they feel that no-one cares about them, no-one loves them and noone understands them. However we are not supposed to find our security in earthly relationships first, rather we should find love first in our relationship with our Heavenly Father and every other relationship should be secondary. Once this order is correct, this will remove a lot of insecurity and burden.

One day every father hands his daughter over to her husband and thereby hands over the reins of responsibility to her husband and this can be difficult for him to do. My Father and I are very close and so the handing over process could have been difficult, however what helped my father on that day was to know that my life was not going to be only in the hands of my husband but in the hands of God. God is an everlasting Father, He never hands us over to another, He is responsible for us from before we were in our mother’s womb through to our birth, our death and for all eternity. That is the security that we should have. Many in the

We have an everlasting father that can meet our needs above our earthly father and above our spouses, friends and family. In Genesis 30, we read about Rachel who could not have children. She was demanding that her husband should give her children and Jacob replied in verse 2 “…Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb”? Rachel was looking to the wrong person for a child. It was not her husband who would provide a child but God, her everlasting Father. As you go through this edition of Sunrise, I believe you will learn 7

more about your everlasting Father through the articles included and learn to trust in Him more and more. There are also many other features for you to enjoy in this edition such as insights on relationships, health and how to move forward and make the most of opportunities. There are also reports of the exciting things being achieved in The Redeemed Christian Church of God such as churches being planted to God’s glory and members doing exploits for God in their communities. I pray that as you read through, you will be encouraged and inspired. As usual, if you wish to be part of the next edition of the magazine or you can recommend someone who is doing great or inspirational work in their community, please do get in touch with suggestions and article submissions via enquiries@sunrisemagazine.org or communications@rccg.co.uk God bless you, Andrea Onduku

FOL COMES TO MANCHESTER

SPECIAL FESTIVAL OF LIFE FEATURE

WHEN THE PREMIER MET RCCG’S GENERAL OVERSEER

K Prime Minister David Cameron met the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye during the Festival of Life (FOL) event held in London in April 2015. The FOL is generally believed to be Britain’s largest interdenominational Christian gathering devoted to bringing about spiritual and social transformation of the nation.

he private session between Mr Cameron and Pastor Adeboye is believed to have further strengthened the bonds of friendship and collaboration between RCCG and the United Kingdom. RCCG, presently active in no fewer than 184 countries, is committed to the evangelisation and discipleship of the nations by sharing the good news about Jesus Christ. Chairman of the RCCG Board of Trustees and Executive Council Pastor Agu Irukwu later introduced some of the church’s senior leadership to the Prime Minister, including Pastor Kola Bamigbade (Regional Pastor for Scotland), Pastor Andrew Adeleke (Regional Pastor for Wales); Pastor Biodun Segun (Regional Pastor for Northern Ireland) and the Executive Administrator of RCCG UK Central Office, Pastor (Mrs) Modupe Afolabi. Pastor Irukwu is the Regional Pastor for England and also serves as the Special Assistant to the RCCG General Overseer. Following the meeting with Pastor Adeboye, Prime Minister Cameron received a rapturous welcome when he was introduced to tens of thousands of worshippers at the event by Pastor Irukwu. During his address, the Prime Minister spoke about aspiration, The Big Society and religious freedom. “I believe in aspiration. I believe the only limit to someone’s potential is their own ambition and talent and I look out into this crowd and I can see someone who will hold my role and become Prime Minister of this great country”, he said. The Prime Minister praised RCCG’s dedication to community service. He said, “For years I’ve tried to explain to people what

The Big Society is, some people were determined not to understand it but I should have brought them here to the Festival of Life because this is the Big Society in action.” He added, “Just think how great our country Britain would be if we built on that, if we had an even bigger Big Society where even more people shared your family values, values of prudence, of hard work, of looking out for those who fall on hard times. With these values we can achieve the Britain we all want to live in, where the oppressed are cared for, where the lonely are befriended, where it’s not where you come from but it’s the content of your character that really matters.” The Prime Minister also spoke about Britain’s Christian roots.

“Let us be proud that this is a Christian country where we stand for the freedom to practise your faith and where we stand up for Christians and all those who are persecuted anywhere in our world.” The Rt Hon Stephen Timms, then Shadow Minister for Employment, who also addressed the FOL, was interviewed by Pastor Agu. During the interview, Timms encouraged Christians to get involved in politics, saying: “Step forward and join the party you feel you can support and really get stuck in.” “People often say you shouldn’t mix faith and politics, and if you do, you are asking for trouble but I think they are drawing the wrong message. The truth is faith in Christ is a great starting point for politics”, he added. Pastor Agu Irukwu said afterwards that the Prime Minister’s attendance at the FOL in spite of his busy schedule was a clear indication of the growing influence of not just the RCCG and the Black Majority Churches, but of the Church in general. “This partnership between the Government and the Church is critical to the spiritual and social transformation of our nation”, added Pastor Agu.

RCCG UK Chairman Pastor Agu Irukwu with Prime Minister David Cameron and Regional Pastors (far left) Pastor Kola Bamigbade (Scotland), (second from right) Pastor Andrew Adeleke (Wales), (far right) Pastor Segun Bioye (Northern Ireland) and Pastor (Mrs) Modupe Afolabi, Executive Administrator of RCCG Central Office.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

His Royal Highness Prince Charles decorates Pastor Gbolahan Bright with the MBE Award.

RCCG PASTOR GETS MBE FOR SERVICES TO EDUCATION Pastor Gbolahan Bright of RCCG, The Master’s Sanctuary Parish has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by Her Majesty The Queen. This is in recognition of his contribution to Education for young people in East London through the free Bright Academy Math Club run by the church that has positively affected the lives of

many who have benefited it. Gbolahan Bright has been running the Bright Academy maths clubs for primary age children in London and Essex for the past 20 years. “I have gained a lot from this society. I have been blessed and it would have been ungrateful of me if I did not give back,” he said. Of the 500 or so children who

have taken the classes, about 50 gained their GCSE while still at primary school. Mr Bright’s honour is for services to education in East London. It was his wife, Afolasade’s involvement in local politics, first with Hackney council and later with Barking and Dagenham, that saw him started on the idea. PRIMARY FOCUS

Together with his wife, he now runs four free maths clubs, taking children from the age of seven - though they will sometimes include six-yearolds with older siblings already in the class.The couple say the aim of the clubs is to encourage children to aim to be the best“If the foundation is strong then you can build a good structure, therefore the focus is at primary level,” he explains.

“Being a Christian I am not one to sit on the fence. I wanted to give all it takes to make it work,” he says. “I feel so humble to be recognised at this level.”The couple arrived in the UK from Nigeria in 1990.Mr Bright is a chemistry graduate and has been a teacher for 36 years.“That is my life. I have a passion for teaching.” He now works part-time as a mathematics lecturer at Barking and Dagenham college

The couple’s own three children all gained GCSE maths while in primary school. The eldest, Joshua, 22, went on to gain a bachelor’s degree from Queen Mary University London at 17, a masters at 18 and now works for a global investment bank.The couple realised other parents might struggle to help their children with maths problems, so they set up their first club to help other families. “We are very child-centred. We help them regardless of their social or religious background. We create an atmosphere of fun. It’s not just about learning. We do debates, developing their presentation skills. A lot of them have been successful in a variety of fields,” says Mrs Bright. “We view every child as gifted. It is our job to motivate them”, her husband adds. “It is not just about mathematics. The aim is to encourage the children to aim to be the best. We want to get them away from things that distract them and give them a positive 13

influence instead. We want to have an impact irrespective of a child’s background. It is beyond mathematics. The aim is to bring the best out of each child. It gives us joy.”

Pastor Gbolahan Bright and his wife Afolasade at the ceremony.

Pastor Gbolahan Bright at the ceremony.

COMMUNITY

RCCG MEMBER FAVOUR EWUDO ELECTED COUNCILLOR On 8 May 2015, Favour Ewudo, a member of RCCG GRACE SANCTUARY Watford was elected as Ward Councillor for Callowland [Watford]. Sunrise caught up with her at Redemption House to hear about her journey from being a member of the labour party to becoming a councillor.

Congratulations on recently winning the election that made you a Councillor in Watford. Could you please tell us how you started the journey that took you towards the election victory? I first joined the Labour Party as a member just like any other person when I was living in Hendon, London in 2010 . The party then found out that I had some skills and attributes that were very useful for them so I was advised to apply for the future candidate program. Although I wasn’t really confident I was going to be selected, I still applied for the program with faith and eventually I was selected and trained by the National Labour Party. Following the training, I moved to Watford and I got an invitation from the National Labour Party to stand for election. My daughter was just settling into the UK from Nigeria and so I told them that I wouldn’t be able to stand for election at that time. In early 2013 I was invited to Welwyn Garden City for a briefing which I attended. Upon arrival, I realised the National Labour Party as well as other women who have been councillors for a long time were in attendance too. They questioned why I had not stood for election. I told them I was a full time

working mum and I’m also the Governor of an academy which meant that I had limited time to pursue an election campaign. Those women assured me that I had what it required and if they could do it then so could I. After a while, they party was looking for candidates to represent Meredith

ward where I live and because I’m the Governor of an academy which happened to be the biggest primary school in Watford, I was approached and was asked to consider standing for the ward. The group leaders spoke to me extensively about it and said they would help and support me because they believed that I could do

it alongside my other responsibilities. They even assured me that I could bring my daughter to meetings. I spoke with my Pastors as and they encouraged me to go ahead, so I went ahead and I put in my papers.

What is the process that you had to go through to be selected to stand in the election? In this country, one is required to go through three levels before being selected, the nomination, selection interview and the Primary (proper selection day). Seeing that I’ve already been nominated, I was a concerned about the selection interview because some of the people who were interviewing me were seeing me for the first time, but lo and behold, I received an email the following day indicating that the interview was a success and I moved forward to the Primary. This was my first election and I have to admit that it wasn’t easy. In terms of campaigning, it was challenging for me because I was fairly new in Watford which made forming a campaign team quite difficult. However, my party was very helpful and I was lucky to have a very supportive executive as well as campaign manager. More importantly, my Church was exceptional, helping me to deliver leaflets as late as 10pm. I also had some of my family and friends over to help. Eventually, I didn’t win this particular election but I was grateful for the experience and continued with the party.

How did you spring back from that election attempt to becoming an elected councillor? After a while the party asked me to be the Vice Chairman of Membership in Watford. As usual, I gave my excuses but they said I could be as flexible as I needed to be. With that, I accepted and I was elected. Following this, I enrolled for a Masters in Social Work and about the same time, the party asked me to re-campaign as Councillor for Meredith ward. I told them I was busy with University commitments so they put me in as a paper candidate. After a while, the sitting councillor for Callow Land Ward

announced his resignation so I decided to campaign and started the process again. On the day of the primary, I gave a very truthful speech. I told them: “I’m not a politician and I won’t claim to be one. I’m only following God’s call upon my life. However, I’m an effective community person and I have been able to make a difference in the school I govern and so I am only coming to contribute to the community. Although I’m not necessarily saying I have all the answers, I know I have something to offer. I am interested in improving people’s life and if given the chance I would like to improve the community in every way I can.” To the glory of God, that was how I was voted and won the election.

How did you feel on the night when you won the election? I don’t know how to describe it but, I know something happened in my Christian Life. There was a time my Pastor told me to read the entire book of Esther which I did. One passage I can’t forget is the one when Mordecia told Esther ‘who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’ At that time, my pastor said God was taking me to a place beyond my imagination. When I was announced the winner, I didn’t know what to say I was just looking at the screen and all I could see were the prophecies my pastor made over me many years ago and I gave all the glory to God.

How does your faith affect or influence your role in politics? The first thing we need to understand is that as Christians we are called to rule. This can be confirmed by God’s word in Genesis 1:28 when God said we should rule and multiply after the completion of His creation. Proverbs 29:2 says that when the righteous rule, the people will rejoice. It is important that we understand that we are kingdom children and we are meant to influence our generation. People seem to have a certain perception about politics but we have to know that it is not just about politics but it is about being true to your calling. It is about being sure you’re occupying where God wants you to occupy. I make sure that I am someone who does

exactly what she says because we are called to be examples, we are a holy nation and an example of Christ and we need to live our life to reflect that.

What advice do you have for Christians both in RCCG and other denominations who want to participate in politics? Firstly, you need to be sure of your calling because we are gifted separately in the body of Christ. If you’re sure this is your calling then you have to believe that even though this can be a challenge, it can definitely be done. I never thought that this would happen to me this fast, but it did and it’s only because this is God at work. Secondly, start involving yourself in your community. Being a stranger in this land is no longer acceptable. We work, we pay our taxes, and therefore we have the right to be part of the process. We need to be where the decisions are being made, therefore start from being a part of the community. If you’re a parent, volunteer yourself to be a parent governor. They will only trust you when they see that you’re sincerely interested in the community and that you really want to influence lives. Do something for your community and let them begin to build confidence in you. The more confidence people have in you, the more doors will be open to you. Also, as Christians, we have to show that we are truly Christians and the best way to accomplish this is to show it by your conduct, the way you live your life and the way you care for people and not just about yourself.

Councillor Ewudo with her Parish Pastor Shola Ogundeyi Interview conducted by Yinka Oduwole

UK GENERAL ELECTION 2015 FEATURE

RCCG UK Chairman Pastor Agu Irukwu endorses the Black Church Manifesto

SACRED AND SECULAR: Reflections on the UK 2015 General Elections

As the United Kingdom prepared for what was widely forecast to be the most uncertain General Election in a generation, a spell of activities – sacred and secular - soon became the norm. In more predictable times, the preparation for the May 2015 polls would have almost certainly just witnessed political hustings and the usual intricacies that embody electioneering campaigns. For some inexplicable reason, however, it seemed the just-concluded UK parliamentary polls were too crucial to be left to politicians alone. The stakes, apparently, were quite high. The elections could no longer be simply left to politicians alone; in came the people of faith, running an equally spirited campaign to ensure that the outcome of voting reflected the will of Almighty God. The unceasing prayers of saints from across Christian denominations and expressions rent the Heavens and the popular cry, it seemed, was for divine intervention aimed at only bringing in a government which had the express approval of the Trinity. For one brief moment, the doctrinal differences which

sometimes divide the Church took a back stage. Much more was at stake. The call to prayer for the General Election and the Nation encouraged by the Evangelical Alliance and the National Day of Prayer and Worship (NDOPW) received the support of many Christian denominations, networks, leaders and organisations. Memorably, on the eve of the elections, Christians came together for an hour of prayer in public spaces, including Parliament Square. Most RCCG churches, which normally hold their Bible Study sessions on the day earmarked for the interdenominational supplication, offered prayers to God regarding the elections during Services held on the 6th of May 2015. There was just one main prayer request going up to Heaven: Father, let your will be done at the elections on 7th May. Another major platform for the involvement of Christians in the activities leading to the 2015 UK ballots was the advocacy carried out by the National Church Leaders’ Forum (NCLF), of which RCCG is an active participant. The NCLF works to ensure that the

Church remains a prophetic and influential voice in UK national life, with particular emphasis on Black Majority Churches (BMCs). Following the outcome of the UK 2015 polls, Sunrise contacted some of these key actors involved in the spiritual intercessions prior to the voting and asked their thoughts about what they felt their impact had been and what was next on the strategic agenda. We hope you find their contributions, though seemingly wide-ranging, stimulating and useful.

Christians Praying outside Parliament Square for God’s Will at UK Elections Pix Credit - NDOPW

THE POWER OF PRAYER Reflecting on the General Election By Rev Dr Clifford Hill Christians of all traditions united to pray for the nation in the run-up to the General Election. There was great fear that the country was going to be plunged into chaos. The polls all predicted no clear winner; so it looked as though there was going to be some kind of coalition, or government by a minorityadministration securing its legislation on a vote by vote basis: doing deals with minority groups in the Commons and living with daily uncertainty. Chaos Expected That daily uncertainty would have affected the whole nation, especially in the economy. Foreign investors would have had no confidence in Britain’s ability to meet its normal business agreements and no doubt the pound would have suffered on the currency market. There would have been great instability on the Stock Exchange which would have had a strongly negative effect upon the nation’s economy. There was additional fear of a Labour/SNP partnership in government with unknown consequences that might have torn the Union apart. Urgent Prayer Prayer meetings were held in churches, halls, and home-groups right across the land as Christians responded to the sense of urgency concerning the state of the nation. There was widespread recognition that the nation thoroughly deserved the judgement of God and that the kind of chaos which was envisaged was justified. Christians also recognised that the disunity and weak witness of the church was largely responsible for the moral and spiritual state of the nation. So there was a lot of repentance among the prayers. Christians know that God holds the church responsible for the spiritual health of the nation and the lack of unity undermines the presentation of a clear message.

Destroying Foundations There is a verse in Psalm 11 which says “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” But the Hebrew literally says, “What have the righteous done?” This significantly alters the meaning of the question and it indicates the way God holds those who know his word responsible for the state of the nation. When secular/humanist forces are destroying the foundations of the nation, God says to those who know him and are listening to him, “What have you done whilst all this destruction has been going on?” We have to ask ourselves what we in the church were doing when our Parliament made major decisions that affected the life of the nation. Was there a strong and powerful voice representing the word of God when the decision was made to invade Iraq, or to bomb Libya, or to ‘redefine marriage’ which weakened family life that is part of the foundations of the nation? Prayers Answered The foundations of our nation and many others have been shaken by the decisions of Politicians throughout the past century of human conflict and bloodshed. But the prayers of a multitude of Christians across the land for a stable Government have certainly been answered. The question now is; what will a Conservative Government do with the five years entrusted to them and will the Scots be content with the strong voice in Westminster they have achieved? These are big questions upon which the future of the nation depends. What of the Future? Will the new Government not only care about the economy – steering the nation towards greater prosperity – but also care for the poor and the powerless? Will their tax reforms favour the rich: and will they use their Parliamentary majority to bring in boundary reforms that ensure their own powerbase in future elections, ignoring the

gross injustice of a voting system that left nearly four million UKIP voters with only one Member of Parliament? Christians who prayed for God’s mercy upon the nation should not only continue praying for the Government but should be making their voice (and the word of God) heard in the places of political power in the land. This article will also be available on the Prophecy Today website. This is a free site with cutting edge articles on the state of the nation and the world today, following in the footsteps of the printed magazine Prophecy Today, which was began 30 years ago and at one time was the UK’s largest Christian publication.

Rev Dr Clifford Hill Pix Credit Heartspublication.co.uk

This article is reprinted with permission from HEART OF SUSSEX newspaper’s June-July 2015 issue, published six times a year with regular articles by Dr Clifford Hill. This version has been slightly edited by SUNRISE. The full version can be read online: www.heartpublications. co.uk

UK GENERAL ELECTION 2015 FEATURE

he National Church Leaders’ Forum (NCLF) played a frontline role in the processes leading to the May 2015 UK General Elections, particularly with the publication of a Manifesto on behalf of Black Churches in the run-up to the polls. Our Managing Editor Yinka Oduwole spoke to Mr Ade Omooba, Co-founder of National Church Leaders’ Forum (NCLF) in a telephone interview about the body’s activities and assessments of the current realities following the elections. Sunrise: The UK General Elections have come and gone, as they say. What impact, if any, do you think the Church in Britain, particularly the Black Majority Churches (BMCs) had on the elections overall? A. Well, I think that is one that will always be very difficult to measure because in my view, elections are for a day, but the results last us for years, months, if not decades. In the same vein, whatever anyone has contributed or adds to the elections will only be fully evaluated over time. Having said that, I think that NCLF pushed immensely to increase the number of Black people who registered to vote and actually voted because we had a campaign under the Operation Black Vote called the Voter Registration Campaign. We were also fortunate to have the Electoral Commission sponsor a bus, a campaign bus that went across our communities all across the UK, with myself, a Black Church Pastor and Leader, someone from the Jewish Community, someone from the Asian Community - the ethnic communities. ... We went from place to place encouraging, even within our communities, not just from the Churches but from the mosques, encouraging people to vote and coming to the coach to register to vote. And I think that was very successful because we were invited to so many places. I remember on Easter

Sunday, KICC (Kingsway International Christian Centre) in particular with about 5,000 members wanted the Bus there; the Bus was there for almost 6 hours, enabling people who had not registered to register. And so, we had that campaign and I hope that when it is evaluated, that would have had impact on helping our people to understand the value of their vote because that campaign was to help people understand the value of their vote. One of my quotes was that ‘Your vote is your right, it’s your influence, it’s your authority; use it well. Sunrise: Thank you very much. Let’s go back to Operation Black Vote, is there a way we can evaluate the ethnic minorities, particularly the people of African descent; did they actually register in large numbers? A. The only way we can evaluate that is as we begin to get the statistics of people who voted in the last election. All we know is that we had a major campaign and drive like never before within that community in so many ways like I’ve just explained to you. We were speaking in places, we were on the road, the Manifesto itself played a major part for the fact that was the first time Black Church leaders put together something of that nature to assist the system and encourage. I would be surprised if a lot of people who normally would not have bothered ... did not take the initiative to do it this time because informed them as much as we can. We were very proactive in that campaign and I know that in the weeks to come, maybe months to come, when we have been able to really check through the Electoral Board, what statistics they have, I hope to see an increase in the number of people from our communities who registered and actually voted. Sunrise: How would you assess the response of the Church itself, the UK Christian family to the Manifesto. By this I’m looking at within the BMCs and outside the BMCs. What was the response like, generally speaking? A. I think it was beyond our own expectations. We had a Leaders’ Summit to launch the Manifesto and looking at the attendance of people from within our community at that launch, a lot of people who are very influential in our communities - civic leaders, Church leaders, leaders from other communities, parliamentarians, we had the Lord

Chancellor representing the Prime Minister at the time, we had David Lamy from Labour and Stephen Timms - all of that in itself encouraged us immensely because when we now interviewed all of them and many more civic leaders and this is on record ... , their comments alone speaks volumes in terms of how practical and relevant - yet with substance - the Manifesto was. Also, within the Churches, for example the RCCG and other denominations have ordered so many copies (of the NCLF Manifesto). We’ve tried to point people to just order the electronic copy but everybody is insisting they want hard copies. Every Member of Parliament has a copy; we’ve sent to as many church leaders as we can; universities are now using it and calling us for interviews. Within our own communities, different pressure groups had their own kind of hustings and meetings, all focused on the Manifesto and using it to dialogue, to explore and take action because there are nine areas in it that we focused on from looking at the current picture, the Biblical picture and then where we go from here. Under ‘Where we go from here’, we made recommendations of what the church leaders and communities need to be doing, of what government needs to be doing, and what we can do together. And I think that’s what people said really caught their attention - this was not a Manifesto trying to just ask ‘What the government can do’ all the time or lay the blame or all the work on the government; but we were willing to say ‘Look, we have to look within ourselves as well, do a SWOT (Strengths Weaknesses - Opportunities - Threats) Analysis of our own selves and see where we need to take action, and also help criticise government but criticise with solutions and be willing to help the government and within our own selves to make our communities better. It was very well-received across the board but as you know, it’s just a start. It’s a document that over the years should become a reference point to develop and build on for a regular basis for engagement. It’s now in the British Library and is accessible in various places; it’s being used and we’re reprinting all the time because people are asking for more of it, even diplomats. I know that recently the Jamaican Ambassador had an electronic copy and had to write to request physical copies. It has exceeded our own expectations.

We’ve had the Electoral Commission coming to put so much weight behind it because they knew it was something ... they could use to reach the families and communities. But the true test of it is in the days, the months, the years ahead as we begin to negotiate with the government of the day to make those recommendations a reality. Sunrise: I think that’s a good point to ask: is there a coordinated strategy to follow up on the Manifesto in the aftermath of the election?

nment of the day is what the nation elected, what we voted for and what we, in one way or the other, whether we’ve voted for them or not, have ended up with. It will be hard to say that the ethnic minority vote was pivotal to it; I’m not sure about that kind of a comment. All I would just say is that the NCLF view was that we just pushed as much as we can to ensure that we give the value of the vote back to our community and get them registered, and we gave as much information as we can. Like I said, until one really gets the figures and the statistics, we cannot

A. Yes, that was a strategy that was put in place even before the election. While we were putting the Manifesto together, we had already talked to and met the Coalition Government and had some. Conversations with some of their contacts and also the opposition. They actually sent their representatives to the (Leaders’) Summit to acknowledge their support NCLF Co- Chains Dr David Muir for all the recommendations and Pastor Ade Omooba and to work with us to make it a reality. So, we have all of that in place. ... really come to a conclusion whether the What we are now doing, what we agreed ethnic minority vote was pivotal. I’m not with them, was that for all the nine areas so sure how people have come to that we raised in the Manifesto, we’re setting conclusion because if we were to look up Policy Groups of Experts within our at the results of the last election, it was community who are the ones who will very unusual. At NCLF, we were always now take those negotiations forward. aware we were going to have an unusual And those conversations have started; election result, but how unusual, one was we’ve started implementing the stratenot sure. And I am sure that at the end of gy now because the first thing is to bring the result, many found out that it was quithose Policy Expert Groups together, te unusual in its outcome in terms of the have regular debriefs about those rerepresentation from Northern Ireland and commendations and then begin to engaalso what happened to Labour and also ge with the Secretary of State or Minister the amount of votes that went to UKIP. who holds the portfolio for each of those ... What was key to us having that result, sections. We hope before the end of the I think, is something that we would all year to also have a post-election meehave to evaluate from different points of ting with the Prime Minister who sent the view over the months and even years to Lord Chancellor to show his support for come, and conclude if it was either eththe Manifesto and the recommendations nic minority votes or a mixture, or even within it. We will now begin to dialogue something that is even beyond what we and see how we can really make those can comprehend. recommendations a lasting, progressive reality in our communities. Sunrise: What would be your response to those who might say the Church Sunrise: The organisation ‘British Fureally has no business getting involved ture’ issued a report after the General with politics, given that political actiElections stating that the ethnic minovity by its very nature tends to be dirity vote was pivotal to the re-election visive; that we should just keep away of the Conservative government. Is and maybe just pray, and maybe not this a view that you think is intuitive, engage in the sense that the NCLF is that you share at NCLF? engaging? A. ... We don’t know how they’ve come to that view. ... My view is that the gover-

A. If that is coming from a Christian person or even if it’s coming from somebo-

dy who is not a Christian, in both ways, I think it will be very naive of them, extremely naive. For those who are Christians, you only have to look at the whole of the Scriptures - the Bible that guides our lives and daily living - you can see how, all through, it was concerned with the governance and leadership of nations. From both Old to the New testaments, in various ways, as a prophetic and authoritative voice, we’ve seen how God’s interventions have actually been in the leadership of nations. I think for anyone to think that way is just being naive and perhaps in some areas ignorant. I think that we have no right then to complain about the kind of government we get if we don’t engage. Sunrise: Finally, what can we look forward to, what’s in the pipeline, what are the. Big projects the NCLF is doing that Black Majority Churches can look forward to in the days, weeks, months ahead? A. Well, the NCLF was put together as a forum, where Black Majority Church leaders can cohere; it’s not, as it were, an organisation per se. It’s a forum that seeks to give recognition and credibility, a credible voice to what our communities do in this country. And we have already seen some of the first tangible deliverables - putting together a Manifesto of that manner, helping people with voter registration campaign to register and eg inning to flesh out those issues for dialogue, for exploration and for action. ... And we are constantly being approached by national and local governments, statutory and voluntary bodies, private organisations, asking our views, our advice, for our input into so many matters within the UK. And what we seek to do then is to look within our communities, particularly church leadership and our church community, to those who are called, who are chosen vessels in that sphere, to bring them forward to be our spokespersons - people who are proactive and at the same time reactive to the things that we need to do. So, that way, rather than re-inventing the wheel or trying to put forward another organisation, we are really trying to give value to what already exists and help these to continue to mature progressively and serve the community with credibility and recognition. And also to ensure the Church continues to be a prophetic and authoritative voice to the nation.

UK GENERAL ELECTION 2015 FEATURE

THIS IS A NEW DAY

ight across the landscape; politicians, government, society, media, communities, the church and people on the streets are all reeling from the aftermath of the Elections. One thing is sure, Christians prayed and God answered! It appears that God has chosen to allow and influence the way the people across the UK voted. God is not for or against any party. The Church and God’s Kingdom are non-partisan but we have a job to do; we need to be salt and light as we bring healing to a divided nation!! Many people and communities are split by ideologies, party politics and voting. This is the moment when we roll up our sleeves and get intrinsically involved with All Parties, Politicians, Members of Parliament, Local Governments, Councillors, Mayors and Leaders at every level. I call on Christians everywhere to bring Prayer back into the Marketplace, the City centre, Town Hall, Boardroom, Classroom, Ballroom and Courtroom. Let altars of prayer spring up everywhere so that this nation may BURN with fervour flowing from Hearts sold out to God. This is not a political speech but a divine trumpet calling out every hidden Christian to show up, step up and stand out! Let us draw down the Government of Heaven to influence whoever runs St Andrew’s House, 10 Downing Street, Stormont Estate, The Welsh Assembly or The Irish Parliament House. First Ministers, Presidents and Prime Ministers come and go but HIS reign shall never end! My friend and General Director of Evangelical Alliance, Steve Clifford who joined us in Parliament Square prior to the May 2015 General Election has issued a call for Christians to pray 20

LEGAL

for the Prime Minister, his Government as well as making sure the church holds him and his cabinet accountable for their policies in the coming days, weeks and months. I align myself with Steve’s call and also for all those working in Parliament and Government departments. The numbers of Christians working within these sectors as Member of Parliament and Civil Servants is growing and we thank God for that. These need the prayer, encouragement and support of the church. (1 Timothy 2:1).

Moving forward, I urge you to pray for Politicians and Leaders serving in your local areas. Get to know them, link up with their staff as well as pray and act with wisdom, humility and knowledge. There needs to be a vibrant living legacy of the Kingdom in every village, towns and city. I perceive a Prayer-Storm blowing across the British Isles....go get your wellies!!

DrJonathan Oloyede is the Convenor of the National Day of Prayer and Worship

CHRISTIAN RESOURCES EXHIBITION

PASTOR AGU, AT CRE, SPEAKS ON THE CHURCH AS CATALYST FOR REVIVAL

nyone who is familiar with Pastor Agu Irukwu knows of his passion and commitment to bringing about a spiritual revival in the United Kingdom. Over the years, Pastor Agu, as he is fondly referred to by all, has dedicated time and other precious resources to the attainment of this goal. His conviction is informed by the belief that when revival begins in the Church, the Body of Christ is revived and re-energised to positively influence the nation spiritually and socially. It was, therefore, not much of a surprise to find out he was named the Keynote Speaker at the Christian Resources Exhibition (CRE) held in London in May 2015 where spoke on â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Church as a Catalyst for Revivalâ&#x20AC;?. The CRE which attracts over 300 exhibitors and is attended by thousands of visitors, offers a range of seminars, workshops, theatre and church resources.

CHURCH PLANTING AND GROWTH

PLANTING CHURCHES AND LOOKING TO GOD FOR THE HARVEST

he ministry of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in the United Kingdom (UK) remains firmly rooted in the Mission’s belief that church-planting is central to the fulfilment of our divinely-given mandate to take as many people to Heaven with us. The churches we plant across the nation work to achieve the spiritual and social transformation of our communities.

Our current church-planting initiative – Project 120 – aims to plant 120 new RCCG parishes across the United Kingdom in 2015.

We approach our church-planting endeavours prayerfully from two related perspectives. Firstly, we work for the spiritual transformation of people’s lives by sharing the Good News of Jesus with many and discipling those who respond favourably. Secondly, each RCCG church is encouraged to understand the social needs of the community they serve and prayerfully become a part of the solution. In this way, we trust the Lord to use our churches as catalysts for attaining enduring transformational change across the nation.

These Pastors and Ministers who have taken a step of faith to plant new parishes are well-aware that in many instances, they will have to break up fallow ground, as the RCCG sets its sight on establishing churches in both urban and rural locations. The church-planters have already undergone trainings facilitated by our Central Office in Knebworth. Some of them have started to open the new churches for public worship. Please continue to support this scheme with prayers, as we respond to the Great Commission of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ to preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations.

Recruitment of church-planters commenced early in the year at our Pastors’ Assembly where Parish Pastors meet to pray and strategise for the year ahead. At the meeting, Parish Pastors responded favourably to a call from the RCCG UK Chairman Pastor Agu Irukwu for those who will support the vision by nominating churchplanters from their churches. More church-planters were enlisted following the sharing of the Project 120 vision at the annual Ordained Ministers’ Conference last April presided over by RCCG General Overseer Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.

NEW PARISHES PLANTED BETWEEN JUNE 2014 AND JUNE 2015 IN RCCG UK Adventures of Faith Crayford

Jehovah Ministries Bath

Chapel Of Faith Harold Wood

Jesus Christ Assembly Bristol

House of Prayer Bristol

Eagles Nest Bloomsbury

Living Word Parish St. Neots

Sure Foundation Assembly Maidstone

Goodnews Assembly Edinburgh

Kent

Prayer City Waltham Cross

The Overcomers Church Manchester

Word Alive Boreham Essex

Overcomers House Avonmouth

Redemption Gospel Centre Hamilton

House of Mercy Barnehurst

Falkirk Life House

Sanctuary of Peace Greenwich

Praise Centre Boston

Upper Room Assembly Watford

Stillwaters Lexden

Winners Assembly Streatham Common

Covenant Rock Birmingham

Hall of Mercy Islington

Oasis of Mercy Haold Wood

The Refuge Epping

The Youth Central Aberdeen

Potters House Oxford

Oasis Parish Penicuik

Emmanuel Parish Rushden

Chapel of his Majesty Walker Newcastle

Open Heavens Christian Centre Halifax

Living Water Parish Wrexham

Windsor Tabernacle

Stillwaters Amazing Grace Centre

Fountain of Living Water Ayr

Colchester

Faith Tabernacle Glasgow

Worship Tabernacle London

Restoration Chapel Stonehaven

Full Life Christian Centre Middleton

Salvation & Praise House Strood

Maranatha Assembly Newport Pagnell

Good Success Assembly

The Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Borough Christian Fellowship

Faithful God Bromley

Chapel of Grace Dewsbury

Disciplers Assembly Wolverhampton

Cornerstone Assembly Cranfield

Pa s to r ( M r s ) Fo l u ke Ad e b oye M o t h e r- I n - I s ra e l R CCG

“ Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and ear th.” Psalm 115:15 S i gn e d R CCG C E N T R A L O F F I C E O n b e h a l f o f t h e Tr u s te e s, E xe c u t i ve Co u n c i l, M i n i s te r s, Wo r ke r s a n d M e m b e r s o f R CCG U K

AFRICA MISSIONS

AFRICA MISSIONS UNITED KINGDOM (AMUK) IN 2015

You too can be part of this great Mission. You can help us to Reach, Rebuild and Restore Lives and communities in Africa, and the World over, by becoming and Africa Missions Partner. Get in touch with us if you’d like to do that. You can sponsor orphans like Gift & Peter below, or you can organise an activity or event to help us raise funds, you can pray and you can come with us on a Mission trip. It’ll change your thinking.

AMUK VOLUNTEERS ON A FUNDRAISING WALK ACROSS LONDON.

17 YEAR OLD GIFT MULENGA

15 YEAR OLD PETER ZULU

OUR ON GOING PROJECTS:

We still work in the South Africa Region 1 countries of, Angola, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia & Zimbabwe. Our focus is to: • Promote the spread of the gospel in Africa and around the world. • Promote the development of sustainable holistic programs in Africa and around the world. • Provide services that will improve the quality of life of children, youth and families in Africa and around the world. 26

THE EVERLASTING FATHER

THE everlasting FATHER The Hand that brings today to the podium of time Your power is so vast, ever potent and so sublime The Eye that watches tomorrow before it premieres The Reality that outlives all dreams, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s you I revere Father that never dies, who can tame your fame? Father that never falters, excellent is your name Your glory is incorruptible & your word is infallible Your everlasting arms can reach the unreachable You seek and lift up men from the abyss of sorrow You give them lasting joy for a glorious tomorrow Yes, with endless love, you truly care for humanity And with unequalled authority, you inhabit eternity The weight of your power, no scientist(s) can know The height of your love, oh! what mortal can show? The width of your grace, who can ever comprehend? The depth of your mercy is oceanic & it has no end The One and only Creator with a dateless beginning Everlasting life you give, your mercy is so enduring Eternal and ageless One, your beauty never fades Great Father of light, you rule over hell and hades Your splendour is untarnishable, King above kings Your presence is like no other, on your wings I sing Holiness adorns your house, faithful Father & Giver Possessor of heaven and earth, you own all forever! Bukola Fatokun Author - Transformed! In the embrace of wisdom w w w . e m b r a c e o f w i s d o m . c o m

PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE UNVEILS NEW COVENANT PARTNERSHIP SCHEME BELOVED

Calvary greetings in Jesus’ name. I want to thank you all for your continuous support for this work of the Great Commission ordered by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world and the Son of the Most High God. I have prayed for you, I am still praying for you and I will continue to pray for you always until victory is yours on all fronts in Jesus’ name. I also pray that you will grow as I grow too in Jesus’ name. Amen.

me. Your prayers, among other things shall include telling God to give us more grace to do this work. I promise you also that I will fast and pray always for you too and I believe as we join our faith together in prayers, all will be well with you and with me in Jesus’ name. Amen! Another thing is that as God gives you grace, my partners can choose to belong to any of the groups below to contribute to the work of the Great Commission and as the Spirit leads.

For this new partner’s contribution programme , we have the following pledge groups: GROUP 1: Those who pledge £10 per month GROUP 2: Those who pledge £100 per month GROUP 3: Those who pledge £500 per month GROUP 4: Those who pledge £1,000 per month GROUP 5: Those who pledge

This time around, those who

£5,000 per month

choose to be my Covenant Partners in the work of the Great Commission will have to set aside at least two days in a month to fast and pray for

GROUP 6: Those who pledge £10,000 per month GROUP 7: Those who pledge £50,000 per month

To become a Covenant Partner, please contact the Central Office of the Redeemed Church of God in the United Kingdom for your membership form: Email: covenantpartners@rccg.co.uk Tel: 0208 171 1030 Address: RCCG Central Office, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Redemption House, Station Approach, Knebworth SG3 6AT

CHILDREN’S PAGES

HI Children, WELCOME!!

t’s great to have you reading your very own children’s page in our latest Sunrise Magazine. A big hearty cheers to you all for completing another year in your various school. No doubt you would have all had a few challenges here and there in school, but, YOU MADE IT! God saw you through the year. Your God is everlasting and always with you, so never forget that. There is no doubt in my mind that you are all looking forward to the next six weeks of holidays. The summer holiday is a great opportunity for you to learn new skills you wouldn’t be able to learn in school. Summer time is also a time to meet new friends, learn domestic chores, explore your natural habitat such as the woodlands in the park, pick up new sports such as skate boarding, perfecting your cycling skills and so much more. Whatever you get up to this summer, it is important you remain safe.

• You get to save the city of light • You become a guardian • The bible stories come alive • You meet Jesus, explore and solve challenges • Check out the link here https://youtu.be/p4c4eirZDsE • It’s out this month (July

BIBLE TRIVIA Family is an inevitable and a very important part of our lives. The Bible also records some stories about some famous people and their families including Jesus and his family lineage (Read Mathew Chapter 1). Match the correct relationship type in the table below with the names.

Game Review

GUARDIANS OF ANCORA To top all the excitement up, guess what I came across online? Well I actually heard of this cool new online game on Premier Christian Radio a few weeks ago. It’s called GUARDIANS OF ANCORA. Guardians of Ancora is a new digital environment for 8 to 11-year-olds that combines the excitement and creativity of a high-spec online game with an immersive experience of Bible content and faith formation. Delivered initially via app and it is free of charge. I know how you sometimes find it a chore to read your bibles daily. I also know that children connect more with visual interaction, and that’s why you all download various games on your tablet. Frankly, I think you would love this new adventure game because of the super features

MY ‘RANDOM ACT’ SUMMER ACTIVITY LIST Do you sometimes find that you are bored during the holiday? Do end up doing the same things over and over again, do you have to go to the same holiday club and take part in activities that appear monotonous? My RANDOM ACT list is challenging, it would require you to think outside the box or literarily do something you won’t usually do, yet bring you a lot of fun feeling and fulfilment You may need to approach people you don’t usually approach e.g. your neighbour, lady at the checkout till in the supermarket, a friend from school who lives close by, an aged lady on a wheel chair. Surprise your parents, etc, The aim is to get you performing random acts you won’t usually do, giving you an opportunity to practice your faith in a creative way by ministering to other people in the most spectacular way. Also these random acts are things Jesus would have be happy to do when he was your age.

Contributor: Titilope Omole (RCCG Trinity Chapel London) MY ‘RANDOM ACT’ SUMMER ACTIVITY LIST Do you sometimes find that you are bored during the holiday? Do end up doing the same things over and over again, do you have to go to the same holiday club and take part in activities that appear monotonous? My RANDOM ACT list is challenging, it would require you to think outside the box or literarily do something you won’t usually do, yet bring you a lot of fun feeling and fulfilment You may need to approach people you don’t usually approach e.g. your neighbour, lady at the checkout till in the supermarket, a friend from school who lives close by, an aged lady on a wheel chair. Surprise your parents, etc, The aim is to get you performing random acts you won’t usually do, giving you an opportunity to practice your faith in a creative way by ministering to other people in the most spectacular way. Also these random acts are things Jesus would have be happy to do when he was your age.

Humour corner One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex was staring at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the church. The plaque was covered with names, and small American flags were mounted on either side of it. The seven year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up. Stood beside the boy and said quietly, “Good morning Alex.” Good morning pastor” replied the young man, still focused on the plaque. “Pastor McGhee, what is this?” Alex asked Well, son, it’s a memorial to all the young men and women who died in service” Soberly, they stood together, staring at the large plaque. Little Alex’s voice was barely audible when he asked. “Which service, the 8:30 or the 11:00?” READERS ARE LEADERS

If you love reading, then this section is for you, if you don’t love reading, this is a great book to read anyway. I recently came across a beautiful book called ‘Fish in a Tree `authored by Lynda Mullaly Hunt This book is about a girl called Ally who is dyslexic- she can’t really read, yet she is able to hide this fact from many clever people in her school including her teachers. She moves from school to school because she tends to be disruptive. She finally meets a new teacher….. He instantly sees through Ally. You can get a copy the hard back and kindle version of this book on Amazon

Are you Under 17 years old, gifted, talented or extraordinarily good at various activities? Trulittle Hero awards empowers children and young people to achieve excellence in their various areas of gifts and talents. This award event recognises, celebrate and rewards outstanding achievements of children and young people. If you fit into any of the following categories below, please contact TruLittle Hero Awards 2014 award recipients • Tioluwa Adebajo (TruLittle Entrepreneur Hero 2014) and (TruLittle Creative Hero 2014) • Gabrielle Aikins (TruLittle Musician Hero 2014) • Mirabelle Ijomanta (TruLittle Artistic Hero 2014) and (TruLittle Scribe Hero 2014) • Israel Adeboga (TruLittle Academic Hero 2014) • Tade Olaluwoye (TruLittle Samaritan Hero 2014) • Esther Babalola (TruLittle Sports Hero 2014) • Mide Olajide (TruLittle Leadership Hero 2014) • Faith Kargbo (TruLittle Inspirational Hero 2014) The 2015 awards event is on Saturday 23rd November 2015. Visit their website for entry requirements, you might just be the next award recipient Visit http://trutalk.co.uk/trulittle-hero-awards/

PARENTING

By Abigail Adeyanju

THE IRONY OF PARENTING LIKE OUR EVERLASTING FATHER

The association of the word Everlasting with Father seems extraordinary to me. The way I see it, the combination of both words, describes the awesomeness of a God who is always present and available whether we choose to serve him or not. As I sought for the synonyms of the word Everlasting, the ones that struck me most were- Eternal, Endless, Ceaseless, Perpetual, Undying and Interminable. These words describe what a father should be to his children. It also describes the relationship a father should have with his children; ‘The Father’ should, without a shadow of a doubt be eternal in the eyes of his children. There should be no time limit to the love a father has for his children neither should there be any barriers to his love. The presence of ‘The Father’ is perpetual, this also means there is no time factor involved in the relationship ‘The Father’ has with his children. There is no sign- in or sign -off period, no day-time shift nor night time shift. The same applies to ‘The father’ being Interminable. Whichever way we look at it, there just seems to be no end to this special relationship.

This is the Father that created us all. We have an assurance in Him that he would never forsake us. He has given us the assurance that no other can offer us. Frankly, it seems to me that God has given his children no cause to doubt HIM. All the qualities that the father offers us; mercy, support, forgiveness, grace, protection, sustenance, daily bread, salvation, joy, peace and so many more are all interminable, endless and always at our disposal As earthly physical parents, imagine being by the side of your child every second from their inception to the day they were born and beyond; from the day your son or daughter is born, to their first steps, first tooth, to when they start school, make friends, go on school trips, go to play dates, perhaps even in their classrooms, sports day, every school assembly and so forth. The mere thought of this would make the child certainly feel smothered and possibly overwhelmed. Children would probably request that we don’t show up at every school play or play date. Some wouldn’t want us walking into school with them or showing up on the playground before the classroom doors are open. Some even avoid being kissed and cuddled in public at certain ages, so their peers don’t see them being smothered by mummy or daddy. I’m sure most parents have experienced this.The irony of parenting our children like God ‘The Father’ parents us adults, is that the time we have with our children is limited. This can be frightening at times, especially as the bible confirms our timely period with our children in Mark 10;7

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife…., who by the way, also leaves her mother and father’s home to be joined with a man.

Based on these facts, we can safely say that parents don’t have the luxury of holding unto their children perpetually like ‘The Everlasting Father’ does. The time we have to show our endless, interminable, eternal love is short which means that we have very limited time to make a good impression on our children, impact them positively and ensure that we raise them with qualities they will be able to draw on perpetually, values that will live with them eternally, virtues that are memorable and part and parcel of who they are. To achieve this timeless, everlasting relationship, we must learn to:

•Understand that God’s will for our children might be different from our will for them. Ultimately, we have to seek Gods face when we are parenting and always ask for wisdom. •Attend parenting courses, read parenting blogs for various parenting challenges. •Don’t be afraid to confront issues your children bring to you in times of desperation and vulnerability. Matthew 20:20 (The mother of Zebedee’s sons asked Jesus for a favour). This shows us that we sometimes ask for things from God concerning our children when God has other plans for them. • Teach and enable children to make their choices. Proverbs 22: 6 tells us to start children off in the way they should go and even when they grow up, they will not turn from it. ‘In the way he should go’ literarily means just that. All children are not alike. Parents must learn to discern how much of an individual a child is and even when it’s very natural for us to train them like other children, we must always train them accor-

ding to their strengths and weaknesses. Some parents also want to make all the choices for their children which eventually drives a wedge between parent and child. Children thrive better when they sense their parents are willing to give them a chance to try on their own or allow them make their own mistakes (within reason). This sense creates a bond, based on trust. When parents teach a child how to make right decisions from wrong ones, then they don’t always have to be around or watch them because they trust they would be on the right path. We should always be ready to accept that a child cannot grow without learning from mistakes. • Teach them our life experiences. Parents who practice empathy on their parenting journey will benefit from this special quality. When you were young, do you remember how your parents would tell you folk stories or parables to buttress a lesson they needed to teach you? These are life lessons. Children need to hear some life lessons that will help them consider their actions as well as pass onto their own children. In Joel 1: 3 the bible teaches us that this is one of the greatest memorable gifts we can give to our children. • Parents have a duty to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the lord. In other words, love them like Jesus would love us all. Correct firmly, discipline fairly and commensurate to their wrong doing. Most parents identify with is Ephesians 6:1-3 however, some seldom read through verse 4 which warns parents not to provoke our children to wrath. These are the ways we can show our children everlasting love and maintain ceaseless relationships as parents. These are the ways we can remain memorable in our children’s minds, knowing that they we cannot physically be with them forever. This my fellow parents is why God gave us the privilege to nurture and care for our children on his behalf.is simply for us to express share the love our It is simply for us to express share the love our everlasting father has for us as parents.er

RELATIONSHIPS

MARRIAGE IS TO BE

NOT

ENDURED By: Bayo & Funmi Eesuola

any people are in marriage today and many more are planning to enter into it just as a response to natural instincts; not because of a proper understanding of marriage. It is no surprise therefore to see different things happening to the marriage institution these days; for in the words of Dr. Myles Munroe, “if you don’t know how something is meant to function, you will misuse or abuse it.” In order words, when the purpose of a thing in not known, abuse is inevitable. A major approach to knowing how something is meant to function is to look into the Manufacturer’s manual. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we believe that the Holy Bible is the Manufacturer’s manual on marriage. It is from it therefore that we believe anyone who wants to enjoy and not abuse or misuse the product called “Marriage” should gain insight. We discovered from the Holy Bible that the purpose of God (the Originator of marriage) is that marriage should be enjoyed and not endured. In order to achieve the purpose, God created a lifelong relationship between a man and a woman known as “marriage” or “merryage”; and He instituted it to be the most satisfying and

enjoyable of all human relationships. Let’s take a look at these verses: Genesis 2:21-24 (NKJV) 21 ¶ And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 23 And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 1:27-28 (NKJV) 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Eccl 9:9 (NIV) Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of

this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun- all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. God instituted marriage for enjoyment, fruitfulness, and multiplication (procreation) for male and female; and He pronounced His blessings upon it. BUT YOU’VE GOT TO DO YOUR BIT

e are absolutely certain that God wants marriage to be enjoyed and He puts everything in place for that purpose. It needs to be said however that anyone coming into marriage must be aware that s/he has got some work to do so that marriage will be enjoyed. Like the saying goes that, it is irresponsible Christianity or faith in God to expect God to do what an individual needs to do. Everyone married or intending to marry must therefore take the admonition in Hebrews 10:24-25 seriously. It says: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching”. (NIV) It needs to be said that no marriage is destined to fail, and no marriage is immune from failing; the fact is that everyone that is into a love relationship must work on the love so that it may work. John Hagee said: “Your marriage can be a better marriage, or it can be a bitter marriage. The choice is entirely up to you. You will never conquer, or change, what you refuse to confront.” It means that lovers should be very deliberate in making their marriage better, come up with things that can spur, stimulate, or encourage higher level of marital enjoyment. Let’s look at some of such things: Appreciate/Affirm Each Other Even For Little Things. Lovers should lavish each other with compliments and not just waste it by giving it to other people except their husband/wife. When we appreciate and affirm each other. It promotes good health and thereby reduces visits to the GP.

The word of God states that “a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength”. Make home a welcoming place for one another, where pleasant words flow freely.Be Good Friends. Another important thing is that as lovers, you should make up

your minds to be close friends, not acquaintances. One major indicator of friendship is communicating; friends always keep in touch through verbal and non-verbal forms of communication. As good friends, seek ways of ensuring that you keep in touch - talk, touch, text, etc. Let your speech be seasoned with salt, don’t intimidate or bully each other; give room for individual differences in the place of communication. And be good listeners, be nice to hear each other through, don’t hear until you have heard. Another ingredient of communication that should be taken serious is being truthful to each other. When there is lying, it makes marriage to be endured and not enjoyed. e Good In Resolving Conflicts. Just like Jesus told the disciples in Luke 17:1; every lover should know that there will definitely be conflicts sometime along the journey. It is a lie from the pit of hell to say that if you are in love then you won’t offend each other. It is therefore necessary to develop conflict resolution skills. Learn to find good time to speak out when hurt instead of pretending that all is well and bottling up. Lovers should also resist the tendency to keep records of offences/ hurts in their “hard disk”; doing so makes marriage to ‘crash’ instead of being enjoyed. It is also important to be humble to admit your faults; any human being can make mistakes. Be quick to apologise when your lover complained of a hurt, it’s a sign of strength and not weakness. But it is a sign of low self esteem to think one can’t make mistakes. Of course, it is also follows that each lover should be magnanimous and generous in forgiving. Someone said that, “great marriages are not made by great lovers, but by great (generous) forgivers”. Friends, read this: “Stop being mean, bad-tempered, and angry. Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ.” (Eph 4:31-32 TLB). Whatever the case, the admonition still remains - ‘forgive’ so that enjoyment may continue.

Friends, it is obvious from the love relationship discussion as recorded in Mt. 19:3-12; that, there is the need for all those who have entered into marriage to ‘grow’ their love life. We are of the conviction that every married person can enjoy blissful love life and continue to get better if Christ is allowed in their love life. For with Jesus in our love lives we can do all things (Phil.4:13); but without Him we won’t have the humility to seek or do what our husband/wife wants for an enjoyable marital life (John 15:5). We pray that you enjoy marital bliss, even as you let Jesus into your love lives! Bayo and Funmi Eesuola are Pastors at RCCG Love Assembly, North Peckham, London

SINGLES

he world pre-marriage can be difficult for every individual trying to navigate the sea of finding a spouse. It can be a journey riddled with rejection. Some have gone far down the road of courtship, only to be cast aside for another. Others feel like they are never going to be chosen as they see their friends getting married one by one. These feeling can be accentuated by events that have happened throughout an individual’s life. Perhaps they have experienced rejection from family members, friends, colleagues or employers and this can lead to a fear of rejection in all relationships and endeavours. Fear of rejection simply means a fear of taking a decision or moving forward because our ideas or advances may be rejected.

We have only to flip through the pages of the Bible to see that overcoming the fear of rejection is a thread that runs through the record of history.

Overcoming

• Noah overcame the fear of rejection when he obeyed God and built an Ark on dry land.

the Fear of Rejection

• Abram overcame the fear of rejection when he left his homeland with no clear direction as to where he would go. • Jacob overcame the fear of rejection when he returned to his homeland and his brother whom he had deceived. • Joseph overcame the fear of rejection when he refused Potiphar’s wife’s sexual advances. • Moses overcame the fear of rejection when he went before the Pharaoh and demanded the Israelites’ release. • Joshua overcame the fear of rejection when he told the army their orders were to march around Jericho in silence for seven days. • Ruth, the Moabite, overcame her fear of rejection when she gleaned wheat in the field of a Jew.

• Samuel overcame the fear of rejection when the people decided they wanted a King rather than God to be their ruler. • David overcame the fear of rejection when he offered to slay Goliath. • Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego overcame the fear of rejection when they refused to bow and worship King Nebuchadnezzar. • Esther overcame the fear of rejection when she went before the king to plead for the lives of her people. • Each and every one of the prophets overcame the fear of rejection as they delivered God’s message of judgment to the people.

[RE

JEC ION] T T C I E O J E N] [R

charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:31, 33). If we focus more on what God thinks about us than what men thinks about us, it will be easier to follow His will no matter what others say about us. Jesus was also despised and rejected by men (Isaiah 53:3). But Jesus overcame the fear of rejection and the result was his glorification. He knew crucifixion was imminent. Just before He was arrested Jesus prayed with His disciples: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you,” (John 17:1). He didn’t mention His rejection and death on the cross that was ahead of Him. He prayed that God would be glorified. That was foremost in His mind and on His heart. Likewise, I believe that we overcome the fear of rejection when glorifying God is foremost on our minds and in our hearts. The apostle Paul faced rejection at every turn. In his letter to the Thessalonians he wrote: “We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts,” (1 Thessalonians 2:2-4).

When we turn the final page of the Old Testament and look into the New Testament, we see the same pattern of courage. Jesus, his disciples, Paul, and the expanding body of believers all faced and overcame the fear of rejection.

Make a decision today to make pleasing God your ultimate goal and this will deliver you from the fear of rejection and enable you to move forward in all your endeavours.

Paul’s attitude helped him to overcome rejection and you also can have the same attitude. Apostle Paul said “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks! “If God is for us, who can be against us? Who will bring any

By Andrea Onduku www.mattersofheart.org

THINK ON THESE THINGS

I CHOOSE TO BELIEVE that our God is not just real but has chosen to reveal Himself to humanity recently through the person of the God-Man Jesus Christ. Over time, I have become humbled by the sobering reality that indeed, only the Holy Spirit can persuade anyone that Jesus is who He says He is, and that indeed, He is the Only Begotten Son of God.

t 84 years, John must be one of the oldest seniors in our community. Octogenarian he may be, John has not, however, lost any of his vibrancy. Whenever he runs into me, which often happens, given that he sometimes pops into the office for a quick chat when going shopping and loves to attend ecumenical Christian events in the village, I can expect a bear hug from this gangling figure. ‘Y-E-E-N-K-A!’, he would bellow with childlike delight wherever we meet. I like Octogenarian John. From there, I sort of know how the conversation would go. Pleasantries over, John would almost certainly delve into one of his foremost concerns – the possibility that followers of organised religion who believe their path is the only way to God may all be wrong. With genuine concern, John worries incessantly that people like me might all be wrong, irrespective of our faith or spiritual disciplines. It’s a classic philosophical poser: how can anyone say with all empirical certainty that their spiritual path is the only right path to God? For John, this question applies to Christians, Moslems, Hindus and every other form of religious belief system. It is for this reason that John, who, as a child decades ago, used to be an Altar Boy has not become a ‘Christian’. To be honest, it is doubtful there would ever be a completely satisfying philosophical answer to John’s conundrum. Of course, being a practising Christian and Minister, in the beginning, I was always quick to point John to the evidence of the Holy Scriptures

Religious belief is a matter of the heart. We can evangelise; only the Holy Spirit brings a life-changing revelation of Jesus to any person. So, eventually I have reached a sort of understanding with my friend John; there is no way to conclusively prove empirically to him my belief that Jesus Christ is the only way to God the Father. For me, it is a matter of choice. I have simply chosen to believe. What if I am wrong? Well, that is a function of the choice God has given to me. I choose to believe. I choose to believe that Jesus Christ, the Mighty Prophet who walked the streets of Israel was God in the flesh. It is for this reason that protecting the freedom of religious belief is non-negotiable. It is a fundamental human right. Anyone should be free to decide what to believe, inasmuch as this right comes with the responsibility not to circumvent others’ entitlement to religious beliefs. This is why all radical or extremist expressions of religious belief that vehemently deny others the freedom of religious belief are wrong. No person, religious group or self-proclaimed theocratic State should seek to coerce anyone or groups of people into believing their own version of spiritual comprehension. Of course, this also applies to the freedom to change your religious belief without fear of persecution. Events in parts of the world today are a sober reminder that protecting the right to religious belief and addressing apostasy should be major concerns for all peace-loving people everywhere. I choose to believe in Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord.

Dr Oduwole is the Managing Editor of Sunrise and Parish Pastor of The Risen Christ, Knebworth.

FEATURE

THE TRIUMPHANT GOD

liever is equipped with all spiritual weaponry to be victorious in every battle to life. The Apostle Paul declares in Colossians 2:15 that “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (NIV). Our Lord Jesus Christ, defeated the executors of law by triumphing over them in the very cross that they thought was a triumph over Him.

In Psalm 112:1; 6-8 the writer demonstrates how those who fear the Lord are confident that they can face their enemies and win. The NLT version simply puts it that “Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands ... 7 They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. 8 They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.” Believers who are holy in heart and righteous in conduct should be courageous and bold. In fact, the righteous they are as bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1).

The enemy has been stripped of his powers to condemn and to kill. The famous Anglo-Irish philosopher, Edmund Burke stated that “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Our Lord Jesus Christ did not allow the enemy which represents evil to have the final victory over humanity. He said it is finished to every pain, sorrow and defeat at the Cross of Calvary. He paid the full price for our victory over the evil deeds of the devil. He came so that we can have life and have it to the full (John 10:10).

riumphant as a word is defined as “to have achieved a great victory”. For instance, in winning a war or competition or success, or feeling very happy and proud because of such an achievement. As you meditate on the scriptures in this article and exercise your faith, you will be triumphant in Jesus name.

The Almighty God is Sovereign and the All Powerful One. God has never lost any battle and He will never lose any. He has never failed before and He will never fail. Hebrews 13:8 says, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and tomorrow”. In fact, God is unchangeable. He is true to Himself in all situations of life.

In Matthew 28:18, it is stated that “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Therefore, there is no power that can be more powerful compared to that of Jesus. Interestingly, that power has been given to true believers. In Luke 10:19, Jesus now says “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Every genuine be-

Hence, Ephesians 3:20 says “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” The Amplified version says “Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams].” This God that we serve is a faithful God. He is forever reliable and dependable. He can do far beyond our highest prayers. Consequently, we are reminded in Galatians 5:1 that “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (ESV). Know that, in Christ, you have freedom, righteousness and life. Jesus is the way, the truth and life (John 14:6). From the foregoing, as a believer, what does it mean to be truly triumphant?

1. It simply means your enemy shall not triumph over you. God is interested in you being victorious in every battle of life. Micah 5:9 says “Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.” Also, Psalm 41:11 says that “I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over

me.” It gives pleasure to the Almighty God when you win against the enemy. In the same vain, anytime you are defeated, God is not happy. God wants His children to be winners in every situation of life examination. Psalm 118:7 says “The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.”

2. In fact, like David, you are to triumph over that Goliath. Our God Almighty wants you to bring that giant down. You are more than a conqueror. I Samuel 17:50 says “So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.” What is that Goliath that is intimidating and challenging you from advancing forward in life. Bring down the Goliath and soar over it like an eagle. Revelation 12:11 (NIV) says “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” You will testify of the Lord’s goodness in Jesus’ name.

3. Since Our God is a champion, you are destined to triumph over your enemies too. The Holy Scriptures in Isaiah 42:13 says “The Lord will march out like a champion, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies.” Also, 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 says “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain. Rejoice in the Lord for your victory is ascertained. 1 John 5:4 says “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” The beauty is that you are an overcomer and not a loser.

4. You are about to sing a new song. It is a truism that the shouting side is the winning side. Proverbs 28:12 says “When the righteous triumph, there is great elation ….” I decree over you that from today you will shout in triumph in Jesus’ name. Furthermore, Isaiah 58:14 says “then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to

ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Knowing that God’s Word is forever settled, may you find joy in the midst of your life battles in Jesus’ name.

5. Interestingly, the Triumphant God has conquered death. Hosea 13:14 says “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction? “I will have no compassion,” Total victory is guaranteed over death for Psalm 118:17 says “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD”. May all forms of death (including physical and spiritual) be far from you in Jesus’ name. 6. God has triumphed over every lack. Psalm 23:1 says: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want”. That means all you want is in God Almighty. Philippians 4:19 says “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”. With the Triumphant God on your side, may lack never be known around you in Jesus’ name.

7. This God has triumphed over every impossibility. Jeremiah 32:27 says “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” Thomas Paine, the renowned English–American philosopher, political activist and revolutionary stated that “the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” With courage and boldness, your victory shall be glorious too in Jesus’ name.

By: Dr. Akpo Onduku (Pastor, RCCG Chapel of Grace, Bradford)

HEALTH

Stress Management

tress is a specific response by the body to a stimulus, as fear or pain, that disturbs or interfers with the normal physiological equilibrum.If you feel under stress (mental, or emotional strain or tension), you feel worried and tensed because of difficulties in your life.

Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious; look closely at your habits, attitude and excuses, your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.

It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about it; but you have more control than you might think. In fact, an awareness that you’re in control of your life and doing your best to improve the situation is the foundation of stress management.

Unhealthy ways of managing stress: Some coping strategies may temporarily reduce stress, but they cause more damage in the long run. Eg:Smoking, Drinking too much, Overeating or under eating, Withdrawing from friends, family, and activities, Taking out your stress on others (lashing out, angry outbursts, physical violence), Procrastinating. etc.

Managing stress is all about taking charge: Take charge of your thoughts, emotions, agendas, and the way you deal with problems.

Healthier ways to manage stress: Cultivate the habit of being physically active, try

to incorporate regular exercise into your daily schedule. Activities that are continuous and rhythmic and require moving both your arms and legs are especially effective at relieving stress. Walking, running, swimming, dancing, cycling, and aerobic classes are good choices; will help you break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that often accompanies overwhelming stress. Avoid unnecessary stress: Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. Surprisingly, you can eliminate some stressors in your life . .Know where to ‘draw the line’: Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, taking on more than you can handle could trigger stress. Avoid people who stress you out: If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely. Take control of your environment: There’s a solution to any problem. “If you remain passive, thinking, ‘I can’t do anything about my problem’, your stress will get worse,” . “That feeling of loss of control is one of the main causes of stress and lack of wellbeing.” The act of taking control is in itself empowering, and it’s a crucial part of finding a solution that satisfies you and not someone else. Avoid exciting, strong feelings issues: If you get upset or repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion. Cut down your to-do list: Analyse your agenda, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “urgent” and the “important.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary or eliminate them entirely.

amount of time spent on specific activities especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency or productivity. Manage your fund: Spend money on necessary and reasonable transactions.Accept the things you can’t change: Some sources of stress are unavoidable: Your curative power is in the prayer of serenity‘God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference’. Don‘t try to control the uncontrollable: Many things in life are beyond our control— particularly the behaviour of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems. Look for the upside: As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes. Share your feelings: Talk to a trusted friend face to face or make an appointment with a therapist. Opening up is not a sign of weakness and it won’t make you a burden to others, it will only strengthen your bond. Learn to forgive: Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.

PASTOR DANIEL AKANMU RCCG (UK)SPORTS DIRECTORATE

‘STAYING ACTIVE FOR THE KINGDOM’

Manage your time: Plan and exercise conscious control over the 43

PSYCHOLOGY

7 Steps to Overcome “Excusitis” - The Disease of Failures “Those who are masters at giving excuses will never make the grades in the success school of life.”

n his excellent book, ‘The Magic of Thinking Big’, David Schwartz coined the word “EXCUSITIS” (from the root word “excuse”), which he defined as “The disease of failures.” He said that, “Every failure has this disease in its advanced form and most people have at least a mild case of it.” This is a true saying! I have no formal education, my health is not good enough, I had a bad childhood, my accent is too thick, I am too short, I am too tall, I am never a lucky person, I am too old now, I am too young, I am not intelligent enough, or I have no start-up capital – these are all common symptoms of the failures’ disease – excusitis. The difference between the successful and the unsuccessful is their attitude towards making excuses.

You cannot continue to find reasons why everything cannot be done and expect to get ahead in life. Your future success is only as possible as you think it is.Positive Actions Stimulate Creativity and Positive ideas instead of making excuses, take action. When you advance towards your goal with predetermined action-steps, even though you do not see how everything is going to come together, something begins to happen. You become more creative. You start coming up with great ideas – some of which can eventually lead to your progression and breakthroughs. Of course, true success requires time, and it is not every action that leads to success overnight. But success has a way of surprising people – it pops up unexpectedly when you are busy taking various steps. Some experts say it takes about 7 consistent hard-working years to become an expert and successful in your chosen field. That means it is a lot of hard-work, growing, learning and refusing to be infected by the excusitis disease. Success is a journey that requires persistence and endurance. But if you keep on taking actions upon actions, in spite of many failures you may experience along the way, you’ll arrive at a satisfying

future of success. Here is something to always

remember: While positive actions may not always guarantee success, you cannot succeed without constantly taking positive actions connected to your goals. Faith Unlocks the Success Law of Synchronicity When you take action, in spite of all the questions you may have and all the needs that still remain unmet, you demonstrate faith – and faith unlocks the miracle of synchronicity. This is when the right ideas, resources and people are attracted towards you to help you achieve your goals. The right people and resources you need begin to walk into your life. The right opportunities and other agencies that will collaborate with you start to stumble into you. Here are the 7 steps to overcome the disease of failures- called “Excusitis:” 1 Choose a course that you love and are passionate about. It is difficult to sustain passion and focus in a venture in which you have no desire. Therefore ensure you choose a course in life that you enjoy. 2 Believe that you can accomplish your dreams. Self-belief is crucial. It is the foundational requirement for success and fulfillment. If you do not believe that you can achieve your dreams, you will lack the motivation to begin and the self-discipline to refuse to give excuses. 3 Brainstorm on how, what and where to start, as well as what you need to know, learn and do. You must engage your mind for necessary information and clarity regarding what you have chosen to pursue. 4 Identify the challenges and resistances you will have to overcome in order to achieve your desired results. Whether you like it or

not, there will be challenges and inhibitions. But your ability to anticipate these resistances beforehand puts you in a power position to better deal with them when they show up. 5 Set specific goals with flexible deadlines. Until you set clear goals that explain your step-by-step actions to realize your dreams, your dreams remain wishful thinking. Take the time to write down your goals and set deadlines. Your subconscious mind loves deadlines. It comes up with great ideas and solutions quicker and infuse you with more energy and strength, when it knows you have a deadline. 6 Identify the first step to take. From your list of goals, what is the one thing you can start doing right now? What is it that only you can begin to do and if do well will move you in the positive direction towards your dreams. 7 Take the step – Act now! Immediate action is the most powerful cure of excusitis. That is why all top achievers move very quickly into action. They have an intense sense of urgency. This is the key to unprecedented productivity. Reject the failures’ disease of excusitis today. Choose actions and the positive results you will begin to create will wow you.

By: Wale Oladipo Wale Oladipo is a Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, Counsellor and Psychotherapist with an intense passion to help others achieve their maximum potential and live life to the full physically, emotionally, socially and psychologically. You can contact him via www.waleoladipo.com

Matters of the heart

ea Andr r a e D I am a member of a church and have been serving there for a few years now. I want to get married and there is no-one suitable in my church. I have heard of some people meeting their spouse through online dating. There are some Christian dating websites, is this something I should consider?

You mentioned that there is no-one suitable to marry in your church. When considering a suitable spouse we need to be sure that our criteria is not too rigid. Have you asked God to show your spouse to you? That being said, if you have done all of these and you still want to go down the route of meeting someone online, the most important thing is to maintain your dignity as a Royal Daughter of the Most High and to stay safe. Counterfeits are all around both in and out of the church and a discerning Spirit is needed. These counterfeits are like wolves waiting to tear sheep apart. Social media and dating sites are a symptom of a changing technological world which some cannot comprehend as in ‘our day’ it was not so. The media itself has talked much about the dangers of revealing personal information on these sites to people that in most instances you have never met. People have been deceived, robbed, defrauded, molested and raped through people they met online. People put fake photos up, lie about their age, marital status and all kinds of things. You will need discernment to pick the truthful one out of the myriad of liars. A child of God, then on Facebook or other sites should be wise about what they share and discerning about who they meet. Don’t go there out of desperation as you will see only what you want to see and never meet someone for the first few times alone. If you live in different cities, you cannot observe how they conduct their daily lives so be careful and prayerful. Once you have established regular contact, seek counsel from Elders in the church and Pastors as you normally would and begin premarital counselling quickly. If the other party is demanding that you keep the relationship a secret, then be careful, why do they not want anyone to know? Finding a spouse can seem like a minefield but remember that with God there is a peace that passes human understanding.

MATTERS OF THE HEART

Let’s look at the word ‘submission’. ‘Sub’ means ‘under’ and ‘mission’ means a special assignment given to someone or an aim or calling. This means that when a lady submits to her husband, she is to help him achieve his mission. It is not good for a lady to have her own mission that is contrary to her husband’s. She can have her mission from God too but it should fit in with that of her husband so that they are working in partnership. Submission then does not mean that you have no say or can allow yourself to be abused but it does mean that you should not be working against what God has asked him to do. Let’s not forget that God says in Ephesians 5:21 “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God”. Marriage is a partnership and both must respect each other and support each other in your God given assignments. God is a God of order and he placed man as the head of the home, this is not meant to be detrimental to the woman but a blessing of security for her. When a husband is submitted to God, it should not be difficult for the woman to submit to him because inadvertently she is submitting to God.

A problem is only a problem until you find the solution. Are you searching for a solution to a problem that has so far remained elusive? Maybe you need a second opinion or some advice concerning a situation you are facing? Whatever the need, here at Sunrise Magazine, we want to help, whether it be a problem, an irritant, a matter of the heart, a situation at work, dealing with children, youth issues, suicidal thoughts, finance, the stress of day-to-day living or any other issue. We believe at Sunrise Magazine that God has called us to bear one another’s burdens. (Gal 6:2) With this in mind Sunrise has created an Agony Aunt Problem page. This is a space for you, the reader, where you can write in with your questions or problems and receive honest and nonjudgemental advice concerning your situation.Thank you to those who have already written in with your questions, the questions and answers are printed below, if you would like further input, feel free to get in touch.

I am struggling to understand submission in marriage. Why should I have to do whatever he says just because I am a woman?

Andrea Onduku

I am glad that you have asked this question. I believe that submission in marriage is greatly misunderstood.

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Crystal Palace, London SE19 2BB

RCCG EVENTS

rccg Youth pastorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and leadersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Training

s part of its capacitybuilding programme, the RCCG Youth Directorate organised a capacitybuilding training for Youth Pastors and Leaders last May. The event was organised in partnership with Urban Saints.

FOL

Festival of lifE 2015

he Festival of Life attended and viewed by tens of thousands of people is a free event hosted by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God at the Excel Centre London. The evening was glorious with praise and worship led by the FOL choir and guests including music minister Sinach, drama, various speakers and ministration by Pastor Adeboye. Notably this Festival of Life was attended by the Prime Minister David Cameron.

RCCG EVENTS

RCCG Workers’ Rally, LONDON April 2015

eld at the Excel London, the Worker’s Rally provides a forum for all workers in RCCG UK to be encouraged and exhorted by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God.

RCCG EVENTS

PASTORS’ INDUCTION COURSE

he Pastors’ Induction Course (PIC) is the training programme designed for those in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in the United Kingdom (UK) who are about to take on responsibilities as heads of local churches. The PIC aims to equip new parish pastors with the vital knowledge and skills they will find useful in their day-to-day ministry activities as leaders in charge of local RCCG churches.

Part time Evening and Weekend Professional Acting Course .that will run You can request an application form by sending an email to from June 2015 to September 2016. info@rccgdramaacademy.co.uk

How to Apply and Auditions Part time Evening and Weekend You can request an applic The Application process will involve an Course that willOpen Professional Acting run Day nd Saturday, interview and anfrom audition. June 2015 to September 2016. 2 May 2015sending an ema Time: 4pm Lectures have commenced . 10am to info@rccgdramaacade The Application:How to Apply and Auditions Partplease time Evening Open Day Audition Date To apply by post send theWeekend completed Theand Application process will involve an form by Professional Acting Course that will run You can request an application th Saturday, 2nd May Saturday, 13to June 2015 application to: sending an email interview from June 2015form to September 2016. and an audition. info@rccgdramaacademy.co.uk Time: 10am to 4pm Time: 10am to 4 How to ApplyOffice and Auditions Admissions The Application: Open Day The Application process will involve an Audition Date RCCG Drama Academy London Toand apply by post please sendSaturday, the completed School 2nd MayStart 2015 Date interview an audition. nd June 2015 Time: 10am to22 4pm Saturday, 13th June RCCG Central Office application form to: Monday, Application: Time: 10am to 4 StationThe Approach Time: 6.30pm Audition Date To apply by post please send the completed Knebworth, SG3 6AT Admissions Office Saturday, 13th June 2015 application form to: RCCG Drama Academy Time: London www.rccguk.org School Start Da 10am to 4pm Admissions Office RCCG Central Office For more information please visit our website: Monday, 22nd June RCCG Drama Academy London Start Date Station ApproachSchool www.rccgdramaacademy.co.uk or send an email to Time: 6.30pm RCCG Central Office Monday, 22nd June 2015 Knebworth, SG3 6ATTime: 6.30pm info@rccgdramaacademy.co.uk Station Approach Knebworth, SG3 6AT www.rccguk.org www.rccguk.org For more information please visit our website: For more information please visit our website: www.rccgdramaacademy.co.uk or send an email to www.rccgdramaacademy.co.uk or send an email to info@rccgdramaacademy.co.uk info@rccgdramaacademy.co.uk

RCCG MUSIC SCHOOL presents

For choirs, worship leaders and anyone interested in learning about worship.

London - Manchester - Cardiff - Aberdeen

KEY FEATURES INCLUDE: • Biblical principles of worship • Worship from God’s perspective • Vocal health and techniques

• Microphone techniques • Stage vs Studio • Songwriting • Working in a team

• Leadership in worship • Worship and instruments (for musicians)

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT RCCG CENTRAL OFFICE ON 02081711030

OVERCOMING INSECURITY

Overcoming Insecurity

ne of the greatest challenges each of us faces in life is becoming comfortable in our own skin. Facing insecurity is so important because a person who is secure with himself or herself is much more likely to achieve more loving and meaningful relationships. Feelings of insecurity make it more difficult for us to show love and to be loved. So we’ve got to come to terms with our insecurity if we want to enjoy the love God created us to enjoy in our relationships and marriages.

God with me, or, when they challenge my opinion at all?

Let me share some signs of insecurity with you, because we sometimes fail to see ourselves until we’ve seen our reflection in the Word of God. Some of these signs are the masks we wear in an attempt to hide our insecurity.

ACCOMODATION – The Apostle Paul wrote to the churches of Galatia, which were falling prey to false teachers because of their insecurity. He wrote,

DEFENSIVENESS – This was evident in the life of one of most insecure people in the Bible, King Saul.

“Do you think I am trying to make people accept me? No, God is the One I am trying to please. Am I trying to please people? If I still wanted to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10 (NCV)

Saul stood head and shoulders above everyone else. (1 Sam. 9:2) Security isn’t necessarily about physical size or strength! When he found out he had been chosen as Israel’s first king (because the Israelites were insecure and wanted to be like other nations) he hid himself among the baggage. (1 Samuel 10:22) Then in 1 Samuel 13, because Samuel was late, he decided to go ahead and make a sacrifice that only a priest could do because he was scared that the people would desert him or that he would be defeated in battle. He was defensive whenever approached by the prophet Samuel and started blaming him. (1 Samuel 13) It was his defensiveness against God that lost him his kingdom. Instead of being insecure he could have realized that everything God asked him to do was for his own good and for the good of those around him. He could have realized that God was with him. Ask yourself “Do I have a tendency toward defensiveness when others such as my spouse or those close to me share Word of

SELFISHNESS (Lk. 16:14). This brings security by surrounding yourself with possessions or accolades or attention from your “things?” Are you reluctant to share with others? Are you reluctant to even give praise and compliments to others? Do you cringe when someone else praises them because you want to be the one getting most if not all of the recognition? When you don’t get your way, are you difficult to live with? Must you have that feeling of validation when you get your way?

Paul was not an accommodating preacher/teacher, but the false teachers at Galatia were manipulating people by their insecurities. That is a big problem by the way. If you don’t successfully manage your insecurities, you will be easily manipulated and exploited by others! How can you recognize this in yourself?” Do you attempt to gain the approval of others by bending over backwards to please them? Do you have a difficult time saying “no” because you fear someone won’t love you if you don’t do what he or she asks? INDULGENCE – (addictive behaviour) Do you battle weight problems, do you battle lust, do you struggle with secret sins? Do you indulge yourself in bad attitudes like jealousy, envy, bitterness, etc.; do you indulge in sin in secret because you feel justified in them due to insecurity?

JUDGMENTALISM Do you find yourself being negative and critical of everything and everyone? Are you consistently finding fault with others and the way they do things? Our insecurity causes us to do this because our fallen nature subconsciously and incorrectly concludes that if we tear others down it will build us up. The good news is that we don’t have to resort to any of these bad behaviors! We can become confident people, we can overcome our insecurity, even though it’s a daily battle, by realizing how much God loves us! One of my favourite Scriptures on this is this verse from Zephaniah: “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV) God loves you so much that He takes great delight in you! He sings over you like a mother singing lullabies over her child! We can overcome our insecurity because the greatest individual in the universe, God Himself, loves us! We can be significantly more loving, noticeably more joyful, more visibly at peace. Jesus really can make a difference in our lives. It is real. It is significant. It is visible. What is the remedy? Genesis 1:27 (NLT) 27 So God created human beings[a] in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. What does ‘In His Image’ mean?

How then can we replace the beliefs we hold about ourselves with God’s truth? Romans 12:2 says: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect”. Here are few pointers on how to change the way you think: 1. Evaluate the thought, frisk it at the door of your mind Philippians 4:8 says “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise”. - Reject this thought if it doesn’t meet the qualifications of Philippians 4:8 3. Replace it - 2 Corinthians 10:5 says “We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ”. Find appropriate Bible verses that counteracts your insecurity and meditate on them. If you don’t you will become the captive instead of the captor. This means that you have to recognise a thought that is not truth and refuse to accept it, dwell on it or act on it. This means we have to learn to be self-reflective. Don’t be emotion led, money led, circumstance led, people led, head led but be Spirit led. Don’t just go through life without analysing why you are doing what you are doing. Think about your days, weeks and months and what is causing you to act how you are so that you can change it. That way our relationships and marriages will be rescued from the damage that insecurity can do.

• Functional –we share in some of the functions of God, i.e., we have a role in managing creation. • Structural –in a limited way we share some of the aspects of God such as rationality and morality. • Relational –we are relational beings who naturally function best in the context of relationships. These parts of us were meant to operate in the context of our closeness with our creator as it was in the Garden of Eden. The minute Adam and Eve began to look outside of God to meet these needs everything went wrong. They tried to use rationality outside of the instruction of God and immediately they felt insecure and hid from God. Ever since then, we have looked to our flesh to satisfy our needs and parts of our personality that can only be met by God. That is where we have gone wrong. Not only does it lead to sin but it leads to insecurity because we are trying to meet our needs the wrong way and seeing ourselves through the wrong eyes. Let me as you a question – If the world recognises you as a hero and your family rejects you as a hero, who are you? Answer – You are not what either says, the world or your family says you are who God says you are.

By Andrea Onduku www.mattersofheart.org

advised

RCCG UK

SCHOOL OF PRAYER for all nations

REVIVAL

THE GREAT NORTHERN IRELAND 1859 REVIVAL

n 1859, a religious revival broke out in the north of Ireland. It’s said that the revival produced more than 100,000 people converts, and many new churches were built to house the growing religious population. Without doubt, the first springing up of this mighty river of God, which so soon engulfed the whole of Ulster in its flood of revival blessing, was in the parish of Connor, Co. Antrim. The parish of Connor includes the village of Kells and is situated about 3.5 miles from Ballymena. The district is usually called by the joint name, Kells and Connor. In November 1856 a Mrs. Colville, an English lady, visited Ballymena. This lady had a remarkable testi

mony. She became a missionary of the Baptist Missionary Society in England. Her work brought her to Ulster and to County Antrim where she went from door to door telling forth the message, which had brought such peace to her heart. One day she visited a home in the town of Ballymena where a young woman lay dying. Mrs. Colville spoke to the dying woman and those of her girl companions who were gathered round her, concerning the things that pertain unto eternal peace. She described the nature of true conversion to God. er words were overheard by a young man named James McQuilkin, and the barbed arrows from this bow drawn at a venture fastened with a mighty pricking upon his conscience.

He rose and hastily made his way homewards in deep anxiety of soul. This anxiety increased and became so unbearable that he was forced to seek out Mrs. Colville and have further conversation with her. Mr. Jeremiah Mencely, a neighbour and close associate of Mr. McQuilkin, takes up the story: “Mr. James McQuilkin was a strong Calvinist and he feared that Mrs. Colville was not teaching straight Calvinistic doctrine. He asked her whether she was a Calvinist or not. ‘I would not wish,’ she replied, ‘to be more or less a Calvinist than our Lord and His apostles. But,’ she continued, ‘I do not care to talk on mere points of doctrine. I would rather speak of the experience of salvation in the soul. If one were to tell me what he knows of the state of his heart towards God, I think I could tell him whether he knows the Lord Jesus savingly.” After weeks of struggling under great agony of soul, he at last found peace and rest through trusting Jesus.” The experience of forgiveness of sins flooded his whole being with a ray of celestial light. Immediately he began to testify of the Saviour whom he now knew personally and two other young men, Robert Carlisle and John Wallace were brought to Christ through the efforts of McQuilkin. These four young converts were naturally closely allied in spirit and they mutually agreed for their own edification and the salvation of precious souls to meet weekly for

prayer and Bible study. The place chosen for the meetings was the Old Schoolhouse near Kells and the meetings commenced in September 1857. During the long winter of 1857-1858 every Friday evening, these young men gathered an armful of peat each, and taking their Bibles made their way to the old schoolhouse. There they read and meditated upon the Scriptures of truth and with hearts aflame with a pure first love, poured out their prayers to the God of heaven. The peats made a fire in the schoolhouse grate and warmed their bodies from the winter’s chill, but their prayers brought down unquenchable fire from heaven, which set all Ulster ablaze for God. These young converts were convinced of three great fundamentals and upon these their prayer and fellowship meeting was based. ‘They believed in the Sovereignty of the Holy Spirit, the Sufficiency of the Holy Scripture, and the Secret of Holy Supplication, and these three great truths not only characterised the Kells prayer-meeting but the whole subsequent revival movement. In an interview with J. G. Lawson in 1903, Jeremiah Meneely himself described the prayer meeting in the following words: —” The prayermeeting was started in the autumn of 1857 and continued for three months before there were any visible results. Two more men joined in the prayer meeting during that time. One was an old man named Marshall and the other a young man named Wassan. On New Year’s Day 1858 the first conversion took place as a result of the prayer meeting, but after that there were conversions every night. At the end of the year 1858 about fifty young men were ta-

king part in the prayer meeting. “Women were not allowed in the prayer meeting during the first year and after that they had a prayer meeting of their own. We had so much opposition and persecution to encounter that we did not think it advisable to allow women in the prayer meeting. The world would have said that the meetings were held only for the purpose of flirtation. “We did not allow the unsaved in the prayer meeting. It was a fellowship meeting of Christians met for the one great object of praying for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon ourselves and upon the surrounding country. This was the one great object and burden of our prayers. We held right to the one thing and did not run off to anything else. The Presbyterian minister (Rev. John H. Moore) was favourable toward us all the time but many of the people ridiculed our praying for an outpouring of the Spirit, saying that He had already been poured out on the day of Pentecost. But we replied that the Lord knew what we wanted and we kept right on praying until the power came. “The work was confined to this parish (Connor) during the year 1858. Beside the regular prayer meeting for Christian men only we had cottage meetings until no cottage was large enough to hold the people. We also had great open-air meetings.” The revival quickly spread through the Condor district, Rev. John Hamilton Moore, the Presbyterian minister, taking a leading part in its furtherance, his ministry being abundantly blessed to the salvation of many. Converts from Connor and Ahoghill also brought the revival to Belfast and many churches and denominations caught the fire.

On Wednesday 29th June 1859 a monster open-air union prayer meeting was held in the Botanic Gardens. Just a year before, on the same site, the Prince of Preachers, Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, had proclaimed the gospel to the largest audience which ever assembled up to that time, to hear the gospel in Ireland. Now a far vaster throng gathered, not to hear the voice of man but to commune in prayer in order to hear the “still small voice” of God. Somewhere about 25,000 would probably be the right figure of those who attended. The vast audience was made up of crowds from Armagh, Tyrone, Antrim and Down who came by railway trains packed to excess, and other throngs from the immediate neighbourhood and the city itself. “While the addresses were being delivered, and the prayers offered, there were very many, who found it impossible to catch the sounds by reason of distance. Hence it came to pass that other congregations were rapidly formed and collected in other parts of the gardens, numbering from 500 to 1000 each. In these smaller meetings many were ‘struck down’ under deep conviction of sin; some weeping bitterly, but silently; some crying out piteously for mercy, and others unable to utter a word Congregations everywhere reported an influx of hundreds of converts and the revival continued to spread around Ulster. Culled from http://www.revivallibrary.org/

Pastors’ Appreciation Week 2015

May the Almighty God remember you for good and reward your service abundantly in Jesus’ name. God bless you. Signed RCCG CENTRAL OFFICE On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Executive Council and parishes of the RCCG United Kingdom

SUMMER HOLIDAY RECIPES

SCHOOL HOLIDAY RECIPES

un recipes to keep your children occupied around the edges. Then help them to roll them over the break. up neatly by folding both sides over the filling, then rolling them up. Wrap-your-own spring rolls Ingredients Lift the spring rolls onto a baking tray, seam 300g pack cooked rice noodles from the chiller side down, brush with a little more egg and cabinet (see tips) sprinkle with sesamseeds, if you want. Try to 400g/14oz mixed vegetables, thinly sliced and remember which child made which roll to save put in separate bowls, such as red peppers, any arguments at the end! Bake the rolls for Beansprouts, carrots, shredded Chinese leaf 20-25 mins or until golden.While the rolls are in cabbage, spring onions the oven, make the dipping sauce. Get the kids 140g cooked prawns to mix all the ingredients together until the sugar 100g cooked chicken or duck, shredded has dissolved. When the spring rolls are golden 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped and crisp, remove from the oven. Leave until Small piece ginger, finely chopped cool enough to handle, cut into pieces for smaSplash light soy sauce ller kids, then let them eat, dipping the rolls into Chinese five-spice powder, for sprinkling the sauce. 8-10 sheets of brik or filo pastry (see tips) 1 egg, beaten Sesame seeds, for sprinkling if you want For the dipping sauce 100g reduced salt and sugar ketchup 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar Small piece ginger, grated Pinch of caster sugar Method Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Before you get the kids cooking, put the noodles, vegetables, prawns and chicken in individual bowls for everyone to help themselves. Wash hands, put aprons on, sit the kids down and give them their own mixing bowl and spoon. Let them choose which ingredients they want (noodles are essential) in their rolls and if they want to graze as they choose, that’s fine – all the ingredients are cooked or can be eaten raw. Add a bit of garlic and ginger, a tiny dash of soy and sprinkling of five-spice to each bowl and let them mix everything together. Push the bowl aside and lay a sheet of pastry in front of each child. Ask them to spoon the filling down one side of each sheet then give them the beaten egg and a brush so they can brush 68

Tuna & sweetcorn slice Ingredients 320g pack ready-rolled puff pastry 185g can tuna in spring water, drained and flaked 325g can sweetcorn, drained 3 tbsp crème fraîche 50g cheddar, grated a few chives, snipped to 1cm lengths Methods

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Lay the pastry out on a baking sheet. Pinch up the edges to form a border, pressing firmly into the corners. Prick the centre all over with a fork and pop in the oven for 10-15 mins. Meanwhile, mix the tuna and sweetcorn in a bowl and season. Remove the pastry from the oven, pressing the centre down with the back of a fork, as it will have puffed up a bit. Spread the crĂ¨me fraĂŽche across centre, spoon the tuna mix on top, then sprinkle over the cheese. Bake for 10-15 mins more, until golden, puffed up and cooked though. Sprinkle with chives and cut into quarters.

200g soft cheese sprinkles (optional) Method Line an 18cm square tin with baking parchment. Ask your grown-up helper to turn the oven on to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grate the carrots on the fine side of the grater, then tip them into a large bowl. Sift the sugar, flour, bicarb and cinnamon on top of the carrot, then add the orange zest and mix everything around a bit. Break the eggs into a bowl (scoop out any bits of shell), then add them to the bowl along with the oil. Mix everything together well. Scoop the cake mix into your tin and level the top. Ask a grown-up to put it in the oven for 30 minutes or until the cake is cooked. Cool. To make the icing, mix the butter and icing sugar together, then stir in the soft cheese until smooth. When the cake is cool, spread the top with the icing and cut into squares. Decorate with sprinkles, if you like.

Frosted carrot squares Ingredients 200g carrots, peeled 175g soft brown sugar 200g self-raising flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tsp cinnamon zest 1 orange 2 eggs 150ml sunflower oil For the icing 50g softened butter 75g icing sugar

MEDITATION

My God – My Sufficiency

Meditate on Psalm 18:2 (KJV) The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 3:3 (KJV) But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. Psalm 59:17 (NKJV) To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy. Song of Solomon 2:4 (KJV) He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Prayer My God – My Sufficiency Oh God, You are my joy and delight I will give You praise forevermore, my King and my master I will honour and worship You to the end of days You are my source of inspiration; daily I will seek Your face and be with You You are really my God – my sufficiency Thank You Profession of belief For Oh LORD God I can say like King David that You are a sun and shield You give grace and glory: no good thing do You withhold from them that walk uprightly You are my hiding place, keeper, refuge, banner, rock, fortress, friend and father Indeed you are my God – my sufficiency Further Reading Psalm 23:1, 33:20, 59:16, 62:6, 84:11, 119:14, 144:2, Proverbs 2:7 Dr. Foyeke Christiana Tolani (Culled from Everyday Victorious Living, a Meditation and Prayer Guide)