Elev8 Magazine - Issue 35 - April 2018

ISSUE #35, A P R I L 2018 || N OT F O R S A L E

ON THE

ROAD

TO 2019 Rebuilding The Nigeria Of Our Dreams Pg.5-6 Tips on ge‫מּ‬ing Politically Active Pg.2

CELERATE CELERATE ACCELERATE ACCELERATE ACCELERAT ACCELERATE ACCELE

TABLE OF CONTENTS CO-WORKING:

PAG E 2

Redening the Ofce Space

PAG E 3 AND THE RESURRECTION STORY

Simple Truths About Being Single

PAG E 4

HELP! WE'RE TRYING FOR A BABY AND TENSIONS ARE RISING.

PAG E 7

Is an Online Church a Real Church?

PAG E 8

PAG E 9

WORSHIP AND EVANGELISM IN A PLUGGED-IN WORLD

PAG E 1 1

Publisher Godman Akinlabi

TEAM

Communications Chinny Ugoji Publications Matthew Mancha Editor Kayode Olayemi

For feedback and comments, please send an email to publications@elevationng.org Read online at www.issuu.com/elev88

Graphics TEC Design Team

Circulation Charles Okorobo

Contributors Kayode Olayemi Biyi Awotiku Chibuzor Okereke Presley Adewale Victor Alagbe Jadesola Campbell Chiedozie Sylvester Bukola Seun-Arije Bridget Okuma

Advert Enquiries Tishegunfunmi Ade’Adegbesan deyoking@gmail.com +234 80 202 2788

EDITOR’S NOTE ~

TIPS ON GETTING

POLITICALLY

ACTIVE Kayode Olayemi

R

esults from the 2015 general elections showed that we had a total of 67.4m registered voters. On the day of the presidential election, only 29.4m people showed across the country to cast their votes. At the end of the day, the incumbent president won the election with 15.4m vote while the runner-up had 12.8m votes.

The data above begs the question, is it possible that the outcome of the election would have been different if 10% of those who registered but didn't show up at the polls (3.8m), turned up for the runner-up? Clearly, we would never know. As such, I think we ought to do more than hashtag activism on Twitter on our disillusionment with the political and governance process. We should get involved and also get our friends and family involved in the electoral process.

In President Barack Obama's farewell speech, he had this to say to all Americans and those same words apply to us in Nigeria as well. He said, “Our democracy needs you. Not just when there's an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. If you're tired of arguing with strangers on the Internet, try talking with one of them in real life. If something needs fixing, then lace up your shoes and do some organizing. If you're disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself. Show up. Dive in. Stay at it.”

Here are some tips on getting politically active: 1. Register to vote

2. Join a political party

Are you a Nigerian citizen? Have you attained the age of 18? Then you are eligible to register and should register to vote in elections. Please note that you cannot be registered by proxy, you will have to physically present yourself for registration. If you have recently relocated then you should update your voter registration. You can only vote where you have registered and since there is no vehicular movement on the Election Day, you should transfer your registration to a polling unit near your place of residence.

3. Attend party meetings

4. Support your candidate

It’s one thing to be a card carrying member of a political party, it's another thing to be involved with your party, particularly at the grassroots level. By attending meetings, lending your voice to issues that matter to you and voting in your party's primaries, you can shape the party's direction.

You should think about running for office yourself, but if you would rather not, then you should at least support the campaign of the candidate of your choice by donating resources, pounding the pavement to influence people, attend or organise fund raising events, etc.

O en, when it's time for the polls, we are faced with choosing the lesser of two evils, but we can do better. Since it’s only members of a political party that can get on the ballot paper, joining a political party is the only chance to get elected into office.

5. VOTE!!!

Instead of hitting the snooze button on Election Day, make sure to have your say by voting for your candidate.

You should also rally your neighbours to go out and vote.

6. Hold elected officials accountable The process doesn't end at voting. It's not okay to vote an official into office and leave them to their devices, you should hold them accountable. You should make an attempt to know your representative and contact them (not just on social media but write an official letter/email) when things are not going well. You should also stay informed on the latest happenings in your government.

CO-WORKING: Redening the Ofce Space - Victor Alagbe

C

o-working is "the new cool way to work" – that's the tagline for a co-working space tucked away in the heart of Victoria Island, Lagos. Every day, about a hundred young professionals, entrepreneurs, and remote workers meet in a shared, communal setting to get work done. The relaxed atmosphere, casual dressing, and the occasional dude in a suit might look deceptively informal, however, what you may not know is that they are a mix of bold dreamers who are challenging the status quo. If you are working from home or trying to change your work environment, here are a few reasons that may make you consider the option of working out of a co-working space.

Co-working spaces facilitate low startup costs.

Co-working spaces provide incredible networking opportunities.

Co-working spaces deliver exibility for optimizing resources.

Co-working spaces are not meant for startups alone.

The rst reason a coworking space is ideal for a startup, small business, or freelancer is that it lowers your startup costs.

If you want to set up an ofce, you'd need to think about paying at least one year's rent, buying ofce equipment and furnishing the place. You would also have to deal with the nancial implications of electricity, security, parking spaces and cleaning among several other things.

However, in a co-working space, all you'd need to do is show up at work with your laptop – the coworking space manages all the other operations involved in running an ofce. Hence, a daily/weekly/monthly/qua rterly subscription would grant you access to an ofce space at the fraction of what it would cost you to set up your own ofce from scratch.

'Your network determines your net worth' sounds cliché, but there's no denying the fact that a edging business needs all the support it can get from as many sources as possible. The strength of your network could in turn determine the quality of support that you can access for building your business.

A co-working space provides you access to a vibrant network of developers, product designers, project managers, sales experts, marketing pros, investors, and potential buyers. In addition, any co-working space worthy of the name will organize regular events to facilitate capacity building and take your business to the next level.

When starting a business, building a brand from scratch, or creating a startup, you'll need to keep your options open as you tweak the process to nd out what works for you. A co-working space provides the exibility of working in an open-plan ofce, working in a private ofce, trying to get work done in the early hours of the day, or pushing your hustle late at night. The traditional ofce setting is often too constrained to allow for experiments with different processes; which could result in startups not getting off the ground in good time because they can't optimizing their resources. Most coworking spaces are open 24/7/365; making it easier for you to try different timings until you nd the perfect balance.

Even if you are working at a conventional 9-to-5 job, you might want to consider signing up for a moonlight or weekend plan at a co-working space for various reasons.

They are a great place to study for professional qualications, work independently on ideas and telecommute with work on days you can't be physically present at your ofce. A co-working space could also be a great t if you are in between jobs. It would help you maintain the pattern of leaving home in the morning for work, even when your job is to nd another job. The best part is that you might nd people who could link you up with opportunities.

Many startup founders are usually folks that got tired of their 9-to-5 jobs so they might know whether or not their old positions are yet to be lled.

AND THE RESURRECTION STORY -Biyi Awotiku

“I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. A er that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.” -1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (NLT) “Christ is risen!”, Mary Magdalene and the women with her said to the Apostles. They couldn't believe their ears. How could this be? Peter needed confirmation, so he ran to the sepulcher to check for himself. On getting there, he saw the clothes used to cover Him, but Jesus Christ was nowhere to be found!

"What has just happened here?" He pondered.

"Could this be real?”

Thomas was late for the appearance party. The other disciples said to him, "We saw the Lord." “This is too much of a joke. You need to show me proof. I need to see the nail holes in his hand, and the cut by his side. I won't only see it, I also need to put my finger in the nail holes and my hand in his side before I can believe you.” Thomas responded disbelievingly.

His reaction to the news was in no way arrogant, he just needed proof. Did Jesus Christ really resurrect?

According to Mary Magdalene, the women with her, the apostles and the believers that saw Jesus a er His resurrection, He did. These people saw the evidence, real proof that Christ arose from the dead. According to the Jews however, most of them don't believe Christ resurrected because 'fake news' was propagated to discredit the resurrection of Christ, mainly by the fake news was sponsored by the chief priests. The chief priests and the elders paid and instructed the tomb guards to circulate the fake news that the disciples stole Jesus' body during the night while they slept.

In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Paul talks about the resurrection of Christ and lists the witnesses to His resurrection. He was also a witness having encountered Jesus Christ on his way to Damascus.

Paul, previous Persecutor of Christ's work and the Church, turned around to become the greatest

witness to the resurrection of Christ. If Christ's resurrection was fake news, the narrative of His resurrection wouldn't have survived the test of time.

The stories told by the witnesses have survived till today because of its veracity. To them, it was not just a story, it was a deep-seated knowledge backed by supernatural encounters they had with Christ.

If you have ever doubted Christ is risen, you are not alone. Even the disciples that worked, dined and lived with Him doubted for a while. Thomas doubted for more than a week. He probably heard the sponsored fake news that was making the headlines in the media. He was focusing on his mental capacity which was limited to the earthly realm and didn't engage the supernatural realm where death was defeated in victory.

How could Paul, a persecutor of Christ's work and the Church turn around to become the greatest witness to the resurrection of Christ? The answer is evident in his writings to the Philippians. We see Paul praying to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. He had a supernatural encounter with Christ, yet he wanted to know more of Christ. He had a deep and insatiable hunger and thirst to know Christ.

If you still have doubts in your mind about Christ's resurrection, you need to pray for Christ to reveal himself to you through the help of the Holy Spirit so that you may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and without checking His hand and his side, you can acknowledge and believe in His resurrection power and say, just like Thomas said, ‘my Lord and my God’.

Simple Truths About Being Single – Bridget Okuma

T

here are so many reviews and articles on single-hood, most of which depict a depressed state and tend to stigmatize it. I tried to get reviews from a range of people and they had a lot to say on the topic, however, I found the following two the most interesting:

Then there are some others who believe that being single is the best time in life to “laulau” (misbehave), before getting married. Both impressions, I think, are wrong. The simple truth about being single is that it is totally normal, it is a phase that most people have to pass through in life.

What some do not realize “You are disabled if as a about this phase is that if young lady or man, you do you allow it, it can shape not have a 'Boo or Bae' to you into a better person, break you or even worse, call your own.” damage you psychologically.

It totally depends on you as “Being single is the ideal an individual. life style.”

So I got thinking, “I'm single! Am I disabled? NO! I'm not… Is it the ideal life style for me? Maybe not (depends on the kind of life style)” And I arrived at this, the word “SINGLE” isn't a status, it is a word that describes a person who's strong enough to enjoy life without depending on others. You could also describe it as emotional independence.

There are some people who actually believe being single is a disability because they cannot handle the loneliness that comes with it.

the deep pain of loneliness to discover the beauty of yourself. Some of which include: The gi s you have to bring to the world.

The passions lying dormant inside of you.

The things you've always wanted to do but have been too scared to do.

The help you think you need from someone else that you can give to yourself The inner-strength to accomplish tasks you thought were too big for you.

The direct connection you have to God. The deep sense of care and compassion for yourself and others. ...the list goes on and on.

What if, instead of asking the questions we tend to ask in our singleness, like 'what must be wrong with me?' or 'what could I have done differently to keep that last Nothing happens by chance, relationship from ending?' or 'how can I find the one?’ there's a time for everything. What if we just allowed this phase to shape us, form us Ecclesiastes 3:1 - “There is a and show us how beautiful and amazing we have been time for everything, and a all along? season for every activity under the heavens” It is okay to ache for a mate – it's even normal. However, including a time to be single; God wants to be enough for you while you wait and even which for some is a beautiful a er; He wants to meet you in your state of emotional time of self-actualization. longing. If you are open, the disappointments you have about your marital status could be the very avenue David Whyte said, through which you experience the greatest redemption “Sometimes it takes of your heart. Also, your most devastating relational darkness or the sweet losses can lead you into deeper relationship with God. If confinement of your you cry out to Him, He will hold you in His bosom of aloneness to realize that grace and help you heal. anyone or anything that does not bring you alive is Sometimes being single is what it takes for you to too small for you.” experience your beauty unfold. So, rather than condemn yourself, embrace this season of your life to God's glory Here's what I think he's and make the most of it. saying: sometimes it takes

REBUILDING THE NIGERIA OF OUR DREAMS - Godman Akinlabi

T

he bible in Isaiah 58:12 says - Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. There are places that need some measure of rebuilding, and sectors that need to be worked on; some of us are in these sectors and we work there on a daily basis.

In Nigeria, the church of God is growing and bursting at its seams. We have some of the largest congregations of believers in the world, yet we don't see a lot of change, and this leads to people doubting our Christianity. True Christianity portrays us as the 'Salt and the Light', but how can we have this aggregation of light and there is apparent darkness? How come we have this much salt, and we only need a little, but it looks like our salt has lost its flavour? As believers, it's important we know that when God looks at Nigeria from heaven, primarily He sees His own people and He wants to depend on us for the change He desires in our nation. The older generation enjoyed so much from Nigeria. This is not the case anymore. My generation and the generation a er me have hardly benefited anything from this nation, and the mind-set now is that we don't owe Nigeria anything.

I have come to appeal to us to view it as owing Nigeria a lot. Let us forget about the older generation who have received and received and still want to keep receiving. I mean, just look at all the important positions in the country – it's still being

occupied by and circulated amongst the same set of people. I need us to understand that even if Nigeria has not offered us anything, it did for our parents. Nigeria did something in the past and I believe it will do a lot more in the future.

We need to stop thinking about what Nigeria will give us. Instead, we should focus on the Nigeria we will hand over to our children.

Because if Nigeria will mean anything to our children, we have to do something now.

One of the lies we believe in Nigeria is that a Nigerian can be successful on his or her own regardless of the issues in our country, but it doesn't work that way. This belief is why we are stuck in our present position as a nation.

I read the history of how America made its transition and saw that a lot of what it achieved came from the church. Most of the people who sat at the table to cra the Declaration of Independence were Christians, and some of them were even Ministers. In Nigeria, most of the people who speak up against social injustice have been people who have no foundation in church.

How come Nigerian believers don't speak?

Please know that I am not against people from other faiths working for the betterment of our nation, but as Christians, we have the mandate and we must not lose our position.

The bible says we are the salt and the light of the world; how come we are not salting and lighting the world? How come we are not salting anything other than salting ourselves in the church?

Whereas the work is out there and not in the church. The first way we can and will break this trend is to start to use our faith for national issues and not just personal fulfilment alone. In the bible, anointing wasn't meant for personal use, it has always been about an assignment. The anointing falls on an assignment before it falls on a person. Secondly, start from your sphere of influence. There's something within your community, trade union or office that God wants done differently in that space. Look for it and start there.

Lastly, let's start to use our skills to solve national problems rather than for just ourselves. If you are gi ed in writing, write an intelligent letter to the governor on some of the issues we are facing in the city. Don't just say 'it is well'. If you can sing, sing a song that will provoke a national discourse. If you are a good orator, talk about something that will bring the real issues to the fore of national discourse.

Many times in Nigeria, people ask for payment for their services. But those nations you want to go to, that you long for their passports, some people fought for the development of those nations. People laid down their lives and used their gi s for free. As the old saying goes, nobody will eat the coconut if there's nobody willing to break the coconut on their head.

The coconut will remain untouched forever. Because for you to eat the coconut, you have to remove the shell. A lot of times, they break coconuts on people's heads and not on the wall. What we have been doing in this nation is guarding our heads from coconuts, but if we continue this way, the coconut will remain unbroken.

“HELP! WE'RE TRYING FOR A BABY AND TENSIONS ARE RISING.” Culled from “Mr&MrsBetterHalf” by Godman Akinlabi.

Follow @pgeeman every Friday on twitter to join the conversation.

W

hen faced with a delay, especially a prolonged one, feelings of frustration often arise followed by the temptation to lash out at someone or something. If you're married, your spouse could be an easy target but this shouldn't be so. When things do not go as planned, looking for whom to blame is counter-productive. Rather, your attitude should be 'what can we do about it? What's the way forward? How best can we both win in this situation?' What do you do or not do? The rst thing is not to point ngers. Apportioning blame is a huge mistake that will drive a wedge between you and your spouse. In Africa especially, people are quick to blame the woman for any delay in conception.

Apart from the fact that it might not even be the woman's fault, this defeats the whole purpose of being a good husband. Your wife is under your care and protection! If she has a medical issue, you must never isolate your wife and throw her to the wolves! That's really the beginning of the end. Before you know it, things will disintegrate and you will start looking outside your wife for whom to impregnate.

In the same vein, wives, if it is your husband that has the challenge, you are his helpmate and partner. This is the time to say 'I stand with you' and not publicly lay the blame at his feet. Apportioning blame can also lead to buyer's remorse. Like, 'maybe life would have been easier if I married my ex'. Those are fruitless thoughts. Focus on your spouse and how to ride this storm together.

Remember that the grass always seems greener on the other side. Being married to someone else will not mean a stress-free life! Challenges will always come. This is your challenge now- be mature enough to face it with the right attitude.

Now, you say tensions are rising? What is causing you both to react negatively to the delay? Could it be external pressures from friends or extended family members? During trials you must surround yourselves with the right people. Many times our families mean well, but their worry, concern, constant unsolicited advice and sometimes accusations do more harm than good. You and your spouse must agree to draw some boundaries so you can guard your heart. Sometimes parents will you running from pillar to post, prophet to priest and healer to doctor.

All these things can put a lot of pressure on a couple that is waiting for a child and stress is the exact opposite of what you need! Sometimes, you will need to limit your number of counselors and choose only a few people to conde in. People who will not judge but rather who will

stand with you in prayer and who make you feel calm and not anxious.

Sometimes the pressure is self-inicted. Some of us consider having children to be a personal accomplishment. Children are gifts from God- you didn't create your seed nor can you sustain your womb. Now this doesn't mean you shouldn't desire children, but my point is don't tie your sense of worth to whether or not you can have them. You are the apple of God's eye. The delay in having kids doesn't add or take away from your personal value.

What should your attitude be while you wait? I remember a popular part of the serenity prayer. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” You can't control if or when the baby will come, but you can control your emotions. You can determine whether you will wait in faith. You can decide to live your best life while you wait and to be joyful and not agitated.

“But PG, this is easier said than done”.

I honestly think we unknowingly choose the more difcult road. It is easier to choose to be joyful than to choose to worry. Your worry is unprotable in all ways, while a good attitude opens up opportunities! Think about it this way. You can sit in trafc and listen to music, dance and be glad, or you can be miserable, grouchy and a pain to all those around you. Your attitude doesn't change the fact you are in trafc! Make the best possible use of time! Also worry is the enemy! Fertility doctors will tell you the primary problem for couples that are waiting for a child is anxiety! An anxious environment is not a viable one for a child. So don't sweat the things you cannot change.

Don't let the circumstance dictate your response to the situation- let God's word and promise dictate how you should respond. Has God said He will never leave or forsake you? Yes he has. Did He say he would continue to bless you? Yes He did. Act like you believe it. If God will have you wait for a child, pray for the peace and serenity to wait. If there are things you have to change as directed by a physician, change them. Be strong and courageous. Hold your head high while you wait for God to come through. - continued on Pg.10

Is an Online Church a Real Church?

-Victor Alagbe

T

echnology has a way of reflecting the things we value as a society, and the extent to which technology is fostering connectivity across online media suggests that we like to stay in touch. The near-instant connection that technology provides has also made it easier to have a worship experience without being physically present in a church building. Churches with a digital presence are leveraging on this important tool to take the gospel to people whose eyes are always glued to their smartphones, tablets, or computers. The speed, convenience, and reach of the Internet amplifies the importance of new media such as live streams, podcasts, blog posts, and social media to get people to stay in touch with God. We asked several people to give their views on an online church, and we prompted them with some direct questions seeking to elicit their unabashed responses:

Is An Online Church A Real Church?

Well, different people have different views on this matter. I think an online church qualifies as church, but it shouldn't be an excuse to forsake the gathering of brethren. - Gbenga As far as I'm concerned, an online church is not a real church. - Steve

An online church is a real church.

There are some days my work schedules make it hard to be in church, I mean physically present in church. Being able to livestream the service or catch a service on TV helps me have a complete Sunday.

- Damilola

I think it depends on the kind of church, but I think I will be distracted with Facebook and Instagram. At least, you'll be less inclined to be checking Instagram updates during a physical service. - Catherine

Can Digital Reality Substitute Face-to-Face Reality in Church?

I think the limitations of an online church is that you can't talk to your neighbour or be encouraged by a chorus of “Amen” or “Hallelujah” as the word goes out. - Ovigwe

Yes, digital reality can complement face-to-face reality. There are chat rooms where you can interact with a prayer team, but you don't get that kind of real-time support in a physical service. You'll have to wait until a er the service. - Richard

Let me ask you one question, can you take communion through an online service? That's my point. In fact, you can't do direct laying of hands through an online service.

- Abisoye

Putting it all together brings us to the question: W hat actually is a church?

From an etymological perspective, the word “church” comes from the Greek word 'ekklesia' which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.” Also, from a biblical perspective, the church is the body of Christ made up of all believers.

We see the universal church, made up of all believers in Jesus and a local church, which is an assembly of members of the universal church. A place where they can get encouraged and taught, either online or offline.

Given the importance of human presence, interactions, smiles, and voices worshipping God in the same physical space, many people still believe that the online church experience is probably not enough. However, as technology continues to advance, virtual reality might succeed in blurring the line between an online church and a physical church. When this occurs, an entirely different conversation might ensue on whether virtual bread qualifies as communion or not.

For now, we should strive to be physically present in church as much as we can, while taking advantage of online services when we are constrained from being in church. Whether online or offline, the most important thing is to ensure that you remain connected to God.

WORSHIP AND EVANGELISM IN A PLUGGED-IN WORLD -Presley Adewale

A

t the core of our faith as Christians is Worship and Evangelism. In Mark 12:30-31 (NIV), the scripture says “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these.” Worship, an expression of our adoration for the one true God, speaks to the former, while evangelism, an expression of our love for neighbor manifested by sharing the good news, speaks to the latter. Although evangelism is actually a form of worship, studies have shown that both concepts are very similar. Two underlying similarities lie in the fact that both are based on relationships, and depend greatly on communication.

This brings us to how worship and evangelism can be achieved, and if it can be done in a better way than usual.

Yes. It can.

With the advances in social media and other forms of digital media, the church is seeing new opportunities for reshaping, and can thus be able to deliver on its core mission of worship and evangelism. In a world where the bad bullies the good, and immorality gets more advertisement than materials that edify and build character, it might sound unreasonable to suggest technology as the answer, but in truth, it is.

How Is Technology Aiding Worship and Evangelism?

Once upon a time, you had to show up in church on a Sunday morning to hear the sermon. If you were unable to make it to service, you would have to wait for a recap from someone who attended or purchase recorded tapes the next Sunday you went to church.

Presently, the way we interact with the world has changed significantly, leading to a much needed improvement. The adoption of technology has greatly improved the church's engagement with the world, both within its community and out of it. Now, churches can reach interested church goers unable to make it to the church premises for one reason or the other through nontraditional means.

Technology allows for a greater sense of community that doesn't demand proximity. This is seen in the increase in

options over the past decade through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Blogs and Twitter.

Churches can now communicate directly with people from the congregation and other individuals on Sundays, as well as every other day.

Furthermore, church leaders now have the liberty of holding meetings and having prayer sessions with members through social media and digital technology without any adverse effects on their day to day jobs.

Technology also allows for greater communication among church members. Two people who never talk in church can become friends and engage in godly conversations together outside the church setting. At the same time, close friends can strengthen their friendship by interacting on their phones from the convenience of their homes.

With technology, a Lead Pastor or Minister can reach an exponential amount of people from the “convenience of his pew”, and not just the people sitting directly in front of him. What a way to kill multiple birds with one stone, yes?

Granted, there are some side effects that come with applying technology in Worship and Evangelism but there are some wonderful benefits of technology that enable the mission of the church. As Ed Stetzer succinctly puts it, “technology is a resource that should be used for God's glory.” Also, according to the founder of Christianity Today Magazine, “it is time for the church to use technology to make a statement that in the midst of chaos, emptiness, and despair, there is hope in the person of Jesus Christ.”

Technology is neutral.

The adoption of technology has both its proponents and its detractors. The latter rejects it en masse as evil while the former think it's unequivocally a positive force for good. But technology by itself is amoral – that is, it's neither moral nor immoral. The intentionality behind its use is what determines the outcome. ►

► It is just like most things in the world today; it's affected by the fallen state of man. Such that, despite its power for good, it can be usurped for evil.

A monitor screen, for example, can never get so sophisticated or advanced that it randomly plays a hiphop track during a Sunday morning service without someone behind a console somewhere programming it or clicking on a mouse.

Practical thoughts on using technology We need to use phones and computers to the glory of God, but we also need to know when to turn them off and get out in the real world to serve people and touch their lives. For social media to help the church and not hurt the church, we must exercise discipline.

We're engaging with a device, rather than engaging with the people in the same room. We have thousands of

virtual relationships, but very few genuine relationships.

As much as it is easy to access multiple versions of the scripture when studying the word, one cannot but be distracted when a notification pops up from one of the social media platforms.

We need to ask the questions, “How much is enough and how much is too much? When is it proper to employ technology, and is its usage aiding or hurting?”

While the internet and technology in and of themselves aren't bad, they become a problem when technology becomes a substitute for human interaction. Connecting and interacting with other humans face-to-face is essential for life, and for churches.

As a Christian blog quotes, “true community requires feet and faces and not just electrons and avatars. But those electrons and avatars can be tools to bring people into closer community with feet and faces. This is a big shi in how we interact, but we have to use it if we want to enable community for the sake of the mission of the church.”

“HELP! WE'RE TRYING FOR A BABY AND TENSIONS ARE RISING.” continued from Pg.7

It's also important that you and your spouse are in it together. It is not enough for one party to have a good attitude and the other to be despondent. Two cannot walk together except they are in agreement. Is your spouse feeling discouraged?

Prop him or her up. Encourage yourselves. Stay positive and stay close. Guess what? Lashing out at each other will cost you both a child and your relationship. When tensions are high intimacy ies out of the window. How do you plan to have a child when you can't even stand each other?

Don't let the devil use discouragement to further rob you of the blessing of a fruitful home. Pray together. Pray believing and pray thanking God not just for a child, but for the blessing of having each other and the other things He has done.

Finally- what happens if you wait and there's still no child? Discuss options like medical interventions and adoption. Some couples see this as a taboo or lack of faith but I don't think it is. In my opinion, adoption is a decision to extend the love you have in your heart to someone who desperately needs it. It doesn't stop you from believing for your own biological child. So pray about it and if you have peace, go for it. I personally know many couples that adopted children and eventually had their own biological children. Apparently just adopting a child and showering their love on the infant took the pressure off and they were able to conceive. However adoption is not just a stopgap until you have your own baby- it is a God-given opportunity to parent someone who has a purpose and to help him or her achieve his or her destiny. It's a blessing denitely worth considering.

May God bless you and may your marriages and relationships be sweet.

MUM & ME A story by Jadesola Campbell ------

T

amilore knew her Mum would not talk to her for the rest of the night. All she did was stay out twenty minutes past her curfew - thanks to the insane Lekki traffic that evening. Her best nights were the ones she and mum talked about school, hair and boys, but tonight wouldn't be one of them. Mum was upset and this meant she wouldn't be doing any of that for the next couple of nights.

mentally bracing herself for the next three days of silence.

Tamilore's mother, Tele was pissed. Why didn't Tamilore get home by 8pm as she had been told? Coupled with that, her phone had been switched off.

Sometimes, she wished she could just spank her daughter, Tele inwardly sighed, but she didn't have the heart for that. Besides, Tammy was too old for spanking at fifteen. She was left with no other choice than to ignore her.

“I'm sorry, Mum.” Tamilore called out to her mum as she stepped into the kitchen. Her phone had been switched off and her mum had most likely been trying to reach her, which would be another problem. “It won't happen again, Mum. I promise.”

For some reason, she could never bring herself to confront issues with Tammy. She just corrected her and moved on. It just seemed easier to correct her with silence and withdrawal, and then she would really learn her lesson, which she usually did. A fleeting thought crossed her mind about how they seemed to be drawing apart in recent times. Tammy was retreating more and more into her shell and didn't share as much with her. However, Tele quickly shrugged it off.

'She's just going through the usual teenage phase, Tammy willbe fine,' she thought to herself.

Without a glance in her direction, Mum dropped her dinner plate on the table with a clang. The portion was noticeably smaller as would usually be the case when Tamilore did something wrong. She rinsed her hands at the sink and sat down carefully to eat while

15 years later…

Tammy felt like she needed to escape. Her two year marriage to Tokunbo seemed to be going downhill really fast and she was mostly to blame. Only last night, she'd seen a coquettish text message from an unknown woman on his phone. Thankfully, it didn't seem like he was interested as he didn't reply, but this wouldn't be the first time. Two months ago, it was that vermin, Christie, a secretary at his office who was calling him at odd hours. As with the unknown woman, he never picked her calls.

Tammy had been so upset when she found out, she told him to get her fired. Instead, he had gotten her transferred to another branch. She blamed him for Christie's behaviour and had practically ignored him for a couple of weeks.

Now with this text, they had fought last night and he had said he was getting tired. He had said, like he had repeatedly done over the past year, that her behaviour towards him was getting more taciturn and rigid by the day and he could not cope.

She didn't know how to act any other way as these walls had been built up right from when she was a teenager to protect her emotions once she felt like she was going to get hurt. Survival mode, she called it. She had no one to confide in, and ideally, it should have been her mum.

Mum… Her relationship with her Mum had deteriorated from her teenagea years, and now, they barely ever spoke. Growing up, every time she did something wrong, no matter how small, her mum withdrew love and meted out the silent treatment amongst other cruel things. She once went three and a half months ignoring Tammy because she found out she'd been on a date, and this was at the age of 20! Hence, she had built these walls to protect herself from getting hurt. Now she had to find a way to tear them down or risk the possibility of losing the person that meant the most to her – her husband.

Look out for part 2 of “story story” in the next edition of the elev8 magazine

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