Happy Birthday Jesus

After a short discussion with an Indonesian tele-evangelist at a unique birthday fête, the thought provoking and elementary question was posed, ‘If Jesus were on earth today, how would he celebrate His birthday?’ It prompted me to search the Scriptures to see if there was any record in the Holy Chronicle of any kind of birthday celebration even slightly reminiscent of the annual festivity we enjoy in the modern day. The only records I could find referred to the Jewish traditions surrounding a boy’s passing into manhood and other celebrations relevant to various events in a person’s life. But throughout my entire search I located no Biblical record of a birthday observance held in honor of our Lord Jesus Christ, neither in his youth or adulthood. Does this mean that we, as His followers today, should not celebrate the traditional birthday?

My next port of call in my search for the truth were the ministers of God throughout the globe; Christ’s representatives the world over, who each, in their own particular, individual and unique ministries are called to do as Christ would do. I saw those who lavished themselves with exclusive parties inviting national dignitaries and people of influence to celebrate with public exuberance, followed by colorful magazine spreads showing the ‘minister of God’ to be a celebrity of sort. I saw those who seemed to make little or no mention of their birthday, preferring to keep a low profile and keeping celebrations completely private, if at all. Maybe they too have seen that Christ did not celebrate His birthday and believe it to be a requisite of spirituality. I then saw the way in which the man of God, TB Joshua chose to celebrate his own. Knowing it to be an event that attracts international attention and response, the service prior to his big day, he made an announcement publicly, not only to the present congregation but to the thousands of viewers joining him from around the world, that no gifts should be given to him, but rather they should be given to the poor. He joyfully told those who were willing to hear that this was a time to rededicate one’s self to the act of giving, seeing one’s life as a solution to others in need. He himself personally sent a delegation to a local destitute camp where he fed and clothed the thousands housed there. Once again, I saw an example of Christ’s ministry that is a challenge to believer everywhere. Is this how Jesus would have celebrated His own special day?

Disciples

Matthew 28:19

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

Whenever I read this passage, my mind was provoked with many questions and queries. The foremost being, ‘what does it really mean to be a disciple?’ The dictionary definition says a disciple is one who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another. The Bible says in Matthew 16:24 that, if anyone would be a disciple, “he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.”

All these make little sense without the practical illustration. After sifting through the countless discipleship courses offered at various theological and religious institutions, I was yet to see genuine evidence of either of the two definitions, which, I believed, defined the truth of what discipleship was all about. The example laid down by the followers of Jesus was the only template I could see that was worth following. Followers, who not only adhered to and spread the teachings of their leader, but who, after a time of servitude, also began doing what He was doing, and “even greater works…”.

Knowing that Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever, and believing that a disciple of Jesus is the same today as then, I was bitterly disappointed when no discipleship course I found offered that final result of living the life and achieving the results that Jesus did. What they offered was a mere shadow of that power-wielding lifestyle that characterized the disciples of Jesus. Offering only teachings and ideologies without actual transformation or renovation. I came to the realization that for a discipleship course to result in living like Jesus, the leader must already be effectively living that desired lifestyle with those desired results.

It was quite by chance that I stumbled across the ministry of one particular leader - T.B. Joshua – a Nigerian pastor and the leader of The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria. The first thing that struck me concerning his ministry was its uniqueness in comparison to anything else I had come across; it followed no other predictable church format. The reason being, it’s activities were far beyond and far ahead of any other church I had ever come across. I have seen the Pensacola’s, the Todd Bentleys, the Benny Hinns, the Reinhard Bonkes and the Pastor Chris’s, but nothing I had ever seen could compare to what I witnessed in the ministry of T.B. Joshua. For the first time, I saw a leader whose example was exemplary and a mirror of that of the Jesus I had so keenly read about in the Bible. From the humility to sit and eat with impoverished children in the dusty back streets of Lagos regardless of his colossal international status, to performing unimaginable signs and wonders in the name of God, to accurately prophesying the eventual rise to the throne of world leaders (President John Evans Atta Mills, Ghana) and their subsequent testimonies. And that is only a small part. Talk of the relentless charity without seeking any recognition or reward for the effort made. And to cap it all off, this man had disciples.

I was opportuned to interview and briefly look into the life of these disciples, who were under his training at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations. I had seen so many failed attempts at genuine discipleship and Christianity; I didn’t want to be disappointed. However, here I saw a life of devotion to the Word and work of God. I saw a sincere commitment to assist T.B. Joshua in a mission to spread the Gospel to the four corners of the globe. I saw a life of self-sacrifice through a 24hour work schedule, yet, supernaturally, without tiring. Most importantly, I was amazed at the love and generosity shown by T.B. Joshua to those who followed him and his teachings, who consisted of a multitude of nationalities and backgrounds. And what finally sealed the whole thing was the promise to eventually follow in the footsteps of Jesus, as the Holy Scriptures have promised, and do what their leader is doing.

Is this the only place where the truth in Christ’s teaching is preserved? Is this the only place where the standard of Christ’s life and leadership is maintained? Is this the only place with real disciples?