Small Things Are Great

When I first read(pt) this line- “ the dividing wall of hostility ,” in the letter of Paul to the Ephesian Church, my mind quickly goes to the curtain that was torn into two. That's the wrong thoughtline. You see, when God handed Moses the blueprint for the Tabernacle, the design was beautifully simple: Outer Court → Holy Place → Holy of Holies. Three spaces. Two parties. One God. But by the time we get to Jesus’ day, things had evolved… or rather, expanded. Herod the Great—though small in stature, chose to go big and add a few personal touches. He turned the Temple into a massive architectural statement. And with this expansion came something that had NEVER been part of God’s original design: The Court of the Gentiles. This wasn’t some cozy fellowship area; it was a massive outer compound where non-Jews could hang around the worship of Israel’s God—near enough to hear the choir, but far enough to know they were outsiders. 😁 Separating this court from the inner Jewish areas was a...

Now, Acts 18:12 to 19:41 is our transition from the Church in Corinth to the Ephesus Church. This transition is one epic transition that’s all about men… and one woman—well, a goddess—whose claim to fame was that she “fell from heaven” with breasts so wonderful that the whole city bowed to her. You can already tell this story is going to be epic. After 18 months in Corinth, Paul has to say goodbye to that fellowship, go THROUGH Ephesus, then later go TO Ephesus. But before he even packs his bags, one man is beaten up, another one is shaved(it wasn't November?), and a couple tag along with a needle and thread in hand. In his first passing through Ephesus, Paul does nothing much; he simply promises to come back if God wills it. God willed it!👏👏👏👏 But before Paul returns, one of our educated brothers checks into Ephesus and becomes a renowned teacher. His name is Apollos—eloquent, sharp, on fire—but he only knew the gospel up to John the baptizer. That meant he talked about bapt...

As I was going through my notes, I realized that Ephesians is the letter I’ve written about more than any other Pauline letter — and for good reason. It’s tied to one of the most remarkable fellowships in the early church. This was the fellowship Mary, the mother of Jesus, belonged to. It’s where John the Revelator fellowshipped until he was dispatched to the island of Patmos. It’s this very fellowship that urged him to write down his story about Jesus — the Gospel of John — since he was the last living apostle. From Ephesus, he also penned the three letters that bear his name (1st, 2nd, and 3rd John). And because of this same fellowship, Paul’s letters to Timothy were written. Ephesus, therefore, wasn’t just another congregation; it was a thriving, influential body of believers — a nerve center of faith. Even today, the ruins of that church and what’s believed to be the grave of Mary still stand, echoing the legacy of a community that truly embodied the gospel. This time round, as I r...

In the writings of Paul to the Corinthian Church, I came across a line that is short but with so much content. It’s one of those verses you can easily skim past in Paul’s long list of resurrection witnesses — “ Then He appeared to James .” (1 Corinthians 15:7). No thunder, no crowd, no sermon. Just a quiet line about a very personal moment. But think about it. James — Jesus’ younger brother. The one who grew up under the same roof, ate from the same bowl, fetched water from the same well. The one who saw Jesus barefoot, dusty, laughing with neighbors, maybe fixing a broken chair in their family workshop. When people started calling Jesus “the Son of God,” James might have whispered, “ Really? The same guy who borrowed my sandals? ” John 7:5 confirms it — “ For even His brothers did not believe in Him .” James probably whispered to his other brothers, “ Eh, our big brother needs rest. Hii imezidi sasa. ” In fact, Mark 3:21 tells us, “ When His family heard about this, they went to take ...

The Church in Corinth looked like the best fellowship in town — vibrant worship, tongues flying, prophecies booming, gifts on full display. From the outside, you’d think revival had pitched its tent there. But step inside and you’d realize it was also the worst of fellowships. It was like the throne room of God — His presence heavy, yet the devil walked in and out freely. If a new believer asked me whether to join this church, I’d probably say, “Don’t even think about it.” But Paul would disagree. He saw something worth saving. They were a rich church, living in a rich city. Business thrived in Corinth, and their pockets were deep — but their generosity was shallow. They had no problem funding their fellowship, but supporting Paul? Not a chance. Their giving was inward, not outward. The Corinth Canal is a man-made waterway in Greece that cuts through the Isthmus of Corinth to connect the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf. Completed in 1893, this canal separates the Peloponnese peni...

Many wonder why God chose the Jews out of all the nations on earth. Was it favoritism, or something deeper? This reflection traces five moments when God’s anger reshaped humanity — from Adam to Israel — and reveals how, behind every judgment, grace was quietly at work. In Abraham’s story, we find not just the origin of a people, but the heartbeat of God’s plan for all nations.

As we transition from Thessalonians, we shift to Acts 17:11 to 18:17 for contextualization of the letter to the Corinthian Church. The letter begins with this as an opening statement...“ Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother SOSTHENES, to the church of God in Corinth... ” Sosthenes? Who is he and how does he come into play? We first meet him in Acts 18:17: “ Then the crowd there turned on SOSTHENES the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever. ” What an entry! Beaten because of someone else, no one to defend him, not even the authorities. If this scene were dramatized on stage, I can almost imagine the look on Sosthenes’ face — shock turning into disbelief as he realizes the crowd has switched targets. The anger, the rage, the sticks and stones meant for Paul now land squarely on him. A man simply trying to do his job ends up taking blows he didn’t deserve. Let’s get the setting right. Who...

The most outstanding thing about the Thessalonian Church is their growth and their reach. When Paul left them, tough seasons arose around the believers, and he was almost sure that the tempter would get the best of them. However, when he received the report from Timo and Sila (not a Kamba 😅), the man was shocked — they were still standing and spreading like wildfire! This then begs two questions: How were they reached? How did they receive it? Thankfully, Paul tells it all in 1 Thessalonians 1:5–10: “...because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known every...

The early Church did not have the New Testament. They only had the Old Testament (which they called The Scriptures) and the teachings of the apostles. I’m confident the apostles taught far more than they wrote(2 Thess 2:15). In fact, most of what they wrote were responses to questions that came after their teachings had been heard or responses to reports about the fellowships been addressed had reached them. More like a Q&A session after a talk. We’re now looking at 1 & 2 Thessalonians, and here’s what’s happening in the background: Timothy and Silas have just delivered a report to Paul about the Church in Thessaloniki. This maybe happened over a meal or while taking some strong tea in the afternoon. From the report, this was a thriving fellowship — one of those churches any missionary would be proud of. They had received the Word eagerly, kept growing spiritually, and were so evangelistic that the gospel had spread through all of Greece. Paul says he doesn’t even need to trave...

The Church in Philippi wasn’t born in a synagogue(a coming together of at least 10 males under a teacher). It was born by a riverside — in prayer, in simplicity, and in the hands of women. If that doesn’t sound like many of our African fellowships, I don’t know what does. Sometimes the most powerful moves of God begin in circles of praying women who gather not because of titles, but because of hunger. When Paul first arrived in Philippi, he didn’t meet elders or deacons — he met Lydia, a woman of substance and prayer (Acts 16:13–15). She sold purple cloth, the kind that only the wealthy could afford. Yet she used her wealth not to show off, but to serve. Lydia opened her home to the gospel. In many ways, she’s the mother of the Philippian Church. You can tell this church had a woman’s touch. They were generous, thoughtful, and consistent. When Paul was old, tired, and under house arrest in Rome, it was the Philippian believers — probably led by women — who sent him supplies, prayers, a...