Written by Tòmíwá Olúyínká
In celebration of the Men Missionary Union (MMU), the church had a special service in honour of the men. Through their Christlike attributes as leaders, providers, men of service, amongst other things, they anchored the service on the theme RESTORER OF BROKEN WALLS — an invitation to step into the footprint of Nehemiah who saw ruins and demanded a restoration. (Nehemiah 1:1-9; 2:1-20)
In his sermon, Revd. Adeleye Jones Adeduyite surveyed the many walls that have been broken in our world today. “In the same way the walls in the ancient times were built around cities for protection – blocking unwanted invasions and for honour – values likewise serve as protective walls in our society today. These walls are not physical but spiritual, familial, moral, social, and educational values which over time have been lost and broken.”
He highlighted how these values, which were once sacred things, have gradually eroded and made room for fractures:
When values are broken, Revd. Adeduyite admonished the church, “morality and orderliness get polluted.”
Yet, because we have Jesus, there’s always a solution. Restoration is possible and we have the privilege as believers to build these walls brick by brick. Revd. Adeduyite admonished the church that values can be restored through deliberate and faithful actions such as:
In closing, Revd. Adeduyite posed a question for rumination to the church: “God has called you to restore broken walls in your place of work, family, church – will you fail God?”
Experience the full sermon here
Written by Tòmíwá Olúyínká
Written by Kelani Omótóyòsí
Nínu ayẹyẹ Egbe Okunrin rere, ìjọ ṣètò ìjọsìn pàtàkì kan láti bọ̀wọ̀ fún àwọn ọkùnrin. Nípasẹ̀ àwọn ìwà Kristi tí wọ́n ń hù gẹ́gẹ́ bí aṣáájú, alábòójútó, àwọn ọkùnrin ìránṣẹ́, laarin ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ míì, wọ́n dá ìjọsìn náà lórí àkòrí “OLÙTÚNṢẸ́ ODI ALAPA” — ìkésini láti tẹ̀siwaju si ipase Nehemiah, ẹni tí ó rí ìparun, tí ó sì kéde ìtúnṣe àti ìmúpadàbọ̀sípò.
(Nehemiah ori kini, ese kini de kesan pelu Ori keji, ese kini de ogun)
Nínú ìwàásù won, Alufa. Adeleye Jones Adeduyite ṣe iwadi lórí ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ “odi” tí ó ti fọ́ ní ayé wa lónìí. “Gẹ́gẹ́ bí a ṣe ń kọ́ odi káàkiri àwọn ìlú ní àkókò ìgbàanì fún ààbò – láti dènà de yíya wole aife, àti fún ọlá—bẹ́ẹ̀ náà ni àwọn ìwà rere àti ìye ṣe ń ṣiṣẹ́ gẹ́gẹ́ bí odi ààbò nínú àwùjọ wa lónìí. Àwọn odi wọ̀nyí kì í ṣe ti ara, ṣùgbọ́n ti ẹ̀mí, ti ẹbí, ti ìwà, ti àwùjọ, àti ti eto ẹ̀kọ́ ti o ni ìye ti won ti pàdánù lai mo’ye igba.”
Won ṣe àfihàn bí àwọn oun pataki yii, tí wọ́n ti fi igbakan jẹ́ ohun mímọ́ rí ṣe ń ṣubú díẹ̀díẹ̀, tí wọ́n sì ti fi àyè sílẹ̀ fún ìyapa:
Nígbà tí àwọn ìlànà ìwà rere bá bàjẹ́, Alufa. Adeduyite gba ijo niyanju pé, “ìwà pẹ̀lẹ́ àti ìtòlẹ́sẹẹsẹ máa ń di aláìmọ́.”
Síbẹ̀, nítorí pé a ní Jésù, ojútùú máa ń bẹ nígbà gbogbo. Ìtúnṣe àti ìmúpadàbọ̀sípò ṣeéṣe, a sì ní ànfààní gẹ́gẹ́ bí àwọn onígbàgbọ́ láti tún àwọn ògiri wọ̀nyí kọ́ padà ní biriki sí biriki. Alufa Adeduyite ro ìjọ wipé a lè tún àwọn ìlànà àti iye rere ṣe padà nípasẹ̀ àwọn ìṣe tí a pinnu láti ṣe, tí a sì ń ṣe lọ́kàn títọ́ àti ní ìgbàgbọ́ gidi, gẹ́gẹ́ bí:
Ní ìparí, Alufa Adeduyite gbé ìbéèrè kan kalẹ̀ fún ìṣàrò sí ijo pé: “Ọlọ́run ti pe yin láti tún ogiri tí ó ti bàjẹ́ ṣe níbi iṣẹ́ yín, nínú ìdílé yín, àti nínú ìjọ yín – ṣé ẹ̀yin yóò kuna Ọlọ́run?”
E wo iwasu lekun rere nibi.
Written by Kelani Omótóyòsí
