Diasporic Church, the weather is getting warmer as Summer is gradually pushing in, currently at 78 Degrees Fahrenheit. Reflecting on last week’s “Pentecost” Sunday amidst changes in my life and family. Today, I am seated inside my beloved “restaurant,” with the warm air outside and chilly inside; a layer of cloudy steam is forming on the glass windows, reminding me of my current valley of decision-making. Despite the mist blocking my clarity, it does not mean that the outside is blurry and dull. Child of God, do you feel like me? Are you unsure of what tomorrow holds? Cheer up because our God is “Alpha and Omega,” The First and Last, and has our tomorrow worked out if you only believe and obey.
The words of the apostle John are heartwarming at such moments. My little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. (1 John 2:1) Why does the Elder John use the pet name “MY LITTLE CHILDREN?” Is he calling them so because he is an elder talking to a younger generation, a master at talking to his disciples; he is a mature believer mentoring younger believers? Whatever the case, the term my little children defines a status everyone must possess to live the Christian way. In Matthew 18:2-4 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. What a great lesson to learn from Jesus Christ that humility invites exaltation. As a “little child,” It does not matter HOW RIGHT one is in winning a conflict; having your way does not make you a winner; every time you have your way, you lose your partner. Win your partner, not the argument! That is the posture of a “little child.”
My little children in Greek (Tek-nee-on), my “sweet ones,” John calls them, are anointed and abiding in the anointing, full of knowledge, and do not need a teacher. But he goes in-depth to remind them of their faith’s basic tenets, which they were seemingly beginning to forget. Who were these “sweet ones?” This writing, possibly to the Churches in modern-day Turkey, was meant to equip the diaspora churches growing outside the confines of Jerusalem yet undergoing socio-political and religious pressure from forces within and outside. Today, this region that flourished with Christendom is estimated to have a population of about 0.2% of Christians of all forms out of 86 million Turkish people, one Christian for every 500 people. The majority are Muslim, with many of the ancient churches founded by the early Christians, including Paul and John, being converted to “Mosques, Museums and Music” cultural centers. The Old, rugged cross has been substituted by the way to the crescent symbol.
The “Diasporic Church” shares many similarities to the Asia minor church. Faced with socio-political, religious, and cultural pressures that threaten our traditional fabric of faith that we inherited from our first-generation parents. I have listened to most of us share concerns about the challenge these shifts have put on us and our third culture children, who have no idea what we are complaining about. And I believe that if we do not take the warning of Elder John, the gospel will continue in another space while we reap the consequences of not paying attention to God.
- My “Little Children,” when did we last drop the ball? What will you do about it?