Ever heard of the Lullaby Effect?

No, it’s not what happens when you fall asleep in church (though, if that happens, I’ll try not to take it personally).

The Lullaby Effect is what happens when you’ve heard a story so many times, you think you know it, but because of that familiarity, you completely miss what’s screaming at you off the page.

Take Rock-a-bye Baby. Sweet, innocent lullaby, right? Until you realize you’re literally whispering a horror story to your newborn.

"When the bough breaks, the baby will fall…"

Wait, WHAT?!

"Down will come baby, cradle and all."

We are singing about a horrific catastrophic crib collapse, and somehow, babies are supposed to drift peacefully to sleep?

And this is exactly what we do with the Genesis Fall story.

We’ve heard it so many times, we assume we know the biggest consequence of the Fall.

We’ve been told it’s that humanity became sinful, totally depraved, unable not to sin.

But what if that’s not the first thing Genesis highlights?

What if the real consequence of the Fall, the one the Bible emphasizes first, is something we’ve completely missed?

I want to show you something in the Garden story that might change how you see the Fall, the Fallout, and even how you understand redemption itself.

Let’s play a game: How many times does nakedness show up in the Fall story?

The answer? A lot more than you probably realized.

In the 25 verses between Genesis 2:25 and Genesis 3:24, the word naked or the idea of it appears at least five times:
? Genesis 2:25 → Pre-Fall: Adam and Eve were naked and felt no shame.
? Genesis 3:7 → Post-Fall: After eating the fruit, they realize their nakedness and cover up.
? Genesis 3:10 → Adam tells God he was afraid "because I was naked."
? Genesis 3:21 → God makes garments for Adam and Eve, covering their nakedness.
? Genesis 3:1 → Hidden reference! The serpent is described as “arom,” the same Hebrew word for naked (more on that in a second).

That’s a whole lotta skin.

How did we not see all this nudity before?!

I know, right? It’s like realizing your best friend has had a third eyebrow your entire life and you just noticed.

In literary terms, when a writer repeats a word, phrase, or theme, it’s a signpost to a deeper message.

Kind of like every Hallmark Christmas movie ever:

• Small-town girl reluctantly returns home.
• Mysterious (but ruggedly handsome) guy in a flannel shirt shows up.
• Snow falls at the exact moment they realize they’re in love.

→ We already know exactly how it’s going to end, but we keep watching anyway.

It’s the same in Genesis 3.
Nakedness keeps showing up because it’s telling us something deeper.

And no, it’s not about sex.

It’s about love, connection, intimacy, and what it means to be truly human in the image of God.

Genesis 2:25 says,


Before the Fall, nakedness wasn’t just physical, it was symbolic.

It meant they had nothing to hide—from each other or from God.

Eve saw Adam’s emotional six-pack and his underbelly, the deepest, most vulnerable parts of him (his dimply behind, so to speak). And Adam saw all of Eve, fully unfiltered, fully real, fully vulnerable.

And here’s the crazy part:

Instead of fear, rejection, or judgment, there was embrace, empathy, and connection.

There was no need to perform, no fear of being misunderstood, no instinct to self-protect.

It was raw. It was honest. It was fireworks. ????

The result? A profound "one-flesh" union (Genesis 2:24).

And this wasn’t just romantic love, it was Divine connection.

The world tells us that the deepest human experience is found in sex.

But this story tells us something far bigger:

Real intimacy isn’t just about bodies connecting, it’s about souls colliding in TRUTH.

As fictional Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo put it: "People think intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth."

To be fully show yourself in truth and be fully seen and known, and fully embraced—that’s the deepest human experience possible.

There is something Divine, holy, and mystical about it.

And in this one-fleshness, the image God is most fully captured about us.

So, what’s the first thing that happens after Adam and Eve eat the fruit?

• They don’t drop dead.
• They don’t start worshiping Satan.
• They don’t suddenly discover death metal music.

Nope.

Genesis 3:7 → "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked… so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves."

Wait—what?!

They gain the knowledge of good and evil… and their first reaction is to freak out about being naked?

Not exactly the cosmic enlightenment package they were hoping for. No Jedi powers. No divine wisdom. Just an urgent need for pants.

They don’t suddenly get deep moral insight.
They don’t sit down for an ethical debate.
They just become acutely aware of their own vulnerability.

And instead of leaning into connection, they hide.

Now, here’s the crazy part.

There’s another character in this story who is also naked—but you’d never know it from

English translations.
Genesis 3:1 → "Now the serpent was more crafty (arom) than any beast of the field."

Did you catch it?

The Hebrew word arom means both "naked" and "crafty." (Also, the snake was described as one of the wild animals not the devil. This was a later identification and not the original meaning).

• So Adam and Eve were naked (arom)—fully exposed. 
• And the snake was "naked" (arom) in a different way—sly, deceptive, hiding its true motives. Snakes are also hairless; you can see their flesh fully. 

These two kinds of nakedness are actually the opposite of each other:

• Adam and Eve → Totally exposed (pure truth, nothing to hide).
• The Serpent → Appears "naked" but is actually concealing its true intentions (pure deception).

Before the Fall, Adam and Eve’s nakedness meant total openness, complete truth, nothing hidden.

After the Fall?

They became more like the snake.
They hid.
They covered themselves.

They also became afraid of being fully seen.

The one flesh became two flesh.

Unity fractured into isolation.

Intimacy dissolved into hiding.

And the result?

LONELINESS!

For centuries, the Western Church has told us that the biggest consequence of the Fall is that we all became sinners, totally depraved, unable not to sin.

And sure, sin is the diagnosis, but the most deadly symptom is aloneness.

• We are disconnected from God → No more walking in the cool of the day, only fear and hiding.
• We are disconnected from each other → Love turns to blame, connection to self-preservation.
• We are disconnected from ourselves → Shame makes us strangers to our own souls.
• We are disconnected from the Garden → We are exiled form Eden.

Loneliness is hell. Literally.

Catholic priest and theologian Jeffrey Sobosan describes hell as:
"A place of zero communication. Though you may try to get someone’s attention, no one gives you even passing notice. Everybody in hell is alone. There is absolutely no affection, caring, or understanding from anyone."

Dante (yes, the Inferno guy), gave us one of the most famous depictions of hell. While we often picture fire and brimstone, Dante’s deepest level of hell isn’t flames, it’s ice.

In the ninth circle, at its very core, Satan sits frozen in a lake of ice, completely unable to move or speak. And the worst sinners? They aren’t burning. They are entombed in ice; completely isolated, cut off, unable to communicate, touch, or connect.

Their punishment isn’t torment by fire—it’s absolute separation.

Hell is being alone.

To be continued…

Looking to explore this some more. Check out my message on Love, Conenction and Nakedness.

If you’ve read my first three blogs, congrats!

You survived my (possibly heretical, definitely eyebrow-raising, and dad-joke-infested) series on tithing.

You are now officially a theological rebel—or at the very least, that person in Bible study who asks inconvenient questions and makes the group leader sweat.
Either way, welcome to the other side.

So, what now?

If I’ve done my job, you now realize that Biblical tithing, at least the way it’s preached today, wasn’t a thing for Jesus or the early church. And it’s not a thing for you today either.
Old Testament tithing was Israel’s taxation system, not a divine fundraising plan for the local church. So, if we’re still clinging to the Sacred 10% like it’s a spiritual invoice, we might be missing the point entirely.

The real question isn’t:

“Should Christians tithe?”

It’s:

“What does Kingdom giving actually look like?”

Contrary to popular belief, Jesus did not teach tithing. (Yes, He mentioned it in Matthew 23:23—but only to roast the Pharisees for their religious stupidity, not to affirm it.)

Jesus flipped tables in the temple (which, let’s be honest, is not a great move if you’re trying to run a fundraising campaign).

He told the rich young ruler to give away everything—not just 10%. Then He basically said, “Your wealth is a spiritual liability.”

That’s… not exactly Dave Ramsey-approved financial advice.

And then there’s the widow with her two cents Mark 12:41-44).

Most of us grew up thinking Jesus praised her for giving sacrificially.

Nope.

Jesus was horrified.

Jesus wasn’t celebrating her giving, He was exposing a system that was supposed to be helping her but was instead bleeding her dry.

I know this is a brand-new thought for a lot of people, but trust me—it changes how you read that passage. A verse earlier, Jesus warns about the teachers of the Law:

"They devour widows’ houses" (Mark 12:43).

Meanwhile, the Pharisees were out here meticulously tithing their spices, because, you know, God apparently really cared that exactly 10% of their dill made it into the offering plate.

But Jesus called them out for completely missing the point:

"You tithe mint and dill and cumin but neglect the weightier matters—justice, mercy, and faithfulness" (Matthew 23:23).

Translation: If your approach to giving isn’t making you more like Jesus, you’re doing it wrong.

So, if tithing isn’t the standard, what is?

Here’s the thing:
** The problem with tithing isn’t that it’s bad.
The problem is that you can do it without engaging your heart.**

And Jesus? He was far less interested in percentages and far more interested in your heart.

"Don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3).

This wasn’t an appeal to develop alien hands (BTW, it is a real medical conditiion), it was an invitation to sacred living.

Martin Luther (the Reformer, not the '60s civil rights leader) said:

"There are three conversions: the mind, the heart, and the wallet."

Oof, Marty.

He was pointing out an uncomfortable reality: How we handle money is a great reflection of Jesus’ Lordship in our lives.

And Jesus was all about curse reversal.

Poverty? That’s part of the fallout from the Fall.

Jesus? He came to remove the sting of the curse (1 Corinthians 15:55—death is the culmination of all things related ot the Fall).

That’s why He cared so much about widows, orphans, and the poor.

It’s also why the early church didn’t tithe, but they gave radically.

In Acts (see 2:45 for example), believers sold their property and shared everything in common.

Why? Because they were about Jesus’ curse reversal business.

Paul encouraged people to give cheerfully and without compulsion, because if it’s forced, it’s not generosity, it’s a tax.

(And let’s be real, if tithing was supposed to be a Christian command, Paul really dropped the ball. He wrote 13 letters and never once told Gentile believers to tithe. Instead, he talked about generosity, meeting needs, and giving freely out of love.)

This is where curse reversal comes in.

A healthy church isn’t just about keeping the lights on or making sure the pastor can afford a venti latte.
It should be about equipping you to bring Kingdom life into your home, your city, and the world.

A church aligned with the Kingdom is actively about breaking the curse by: teaching, empowering, and mobilizing people to go out and do the work of the Kingdom—feeding the hungry, restoring dignity, healing the broken, and helping people to discover their God-given purposes, including their role in all of the above.

Now that's quite the mission.  

If your church is doing this, then YES—support it!

Because when your church is living out the mission of Jesus, giving to it is an investment in the mission of reversing the curse.

But if your church is just about self-preservation, or worse, running a glorified “heaven-bound waiting room” instead of a Kingdom outpost, then maybe it's time to rethink where your resources are going.

Jesus didn’t come to build empires or pad ministry bank accounts.

He came to establish His Kingdom on earth.
This is why supporting Kingdom-focused churches matters.

Not because they need money, but because we need the mission they are carrying.

✔️ Let generosity be the goal, not a number.
✔️ Give where it actually matters. If your church is stewarding finances well, awesome! If not, don’t be afraid to invest in places where your giving directly impacts lives.
✔️ And most of all, give because you want to, not because you have to.

Because in the end, generosity is not a tax—it’s an act of love.

And love, my friends, has never been limited to 10%.

Jesus was clear:

"Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:4).

But here’s the kicker, giving doesn’t always come back in kind.

• Give for show? → You get your reward now (human praise).
• Give for God? → You get your reward later (heavenly treasure).

This isn’t about hoarding spiritual wealth, it’s about investing in eternity, which begins NOW.

If you grew up in church like I did, you probably heard it preached:

For me, the fear was real. I didn’t just tithe—I tithed on my gross income. Because someone told me, "Not tithing on your gross is gross to God." And yes, I believed them.

I wasn’t tithing out of joy or freedom; This was survival.

But what if Malachi wasn’t meant to be a divine audit? What if the “curse” wasn’t about God lurking with lightning bolts, ready to zap you or your finances the second you skip a tithe?

Let’s unpack it. (No calculators required.)

Spoiler alert: Not you. Or me. Or your Aunt Carol, who thinks you’re cursed because you skipped church last Sunday.

Malachi was speaking to ancient Israel under the Old Covenant, specifically the priests and people of Judah who were neglecting their covenant responsibilities. This wasn’t a general memo to all future Christians with a side note: "P.S. This applies to your paycheques too."

So, what was the issue?

They were not bringing in the WHOLE TITHE

As I covered in my first blog, there were three separate components of the tithes that together made up the “WHOLE TITHE”:


If any one of the above components of the required Tithe was missing, that was NOT THE "WHOLE TITHE." 

So what was missing?

Drumroll, please…

It was Tithe #3: The Social Welfare Tithe that wasn’t being brought into the "storehouse."

The storehouse was not a metaphor for the local church. It was a literal storage room within the Temple in Jerusalem. 

In Nehemiah 10:38-39, we get a clearer picture:

"A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury… The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the storerooms where the articles for the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians also stay."

Imagine if half the country decided, "You know what? I don’t feel like paying taxes anymore."

• The economy would crash.
• People would lose their jobs.
• Essential services would shut down.
• Support agencies like food banks and welfare programs would crash.
• And the government would show up with some… let’s call them firm consequences.

That’s basically what happened in Malachi’s day.

Israel’s tithes weren’t offerings in the way we think of giving today. They were akin to a national tax system to sustain the country.¹ And when Israel withheld those tithes, they were robbing the poor, the widows, and the fatherless—the very people God commanded them to care for.

That’s why Malachi 3:8-10 says:

How many times have you heard preachers explain this passage like this when they hit you with the Malachi 3 guilt trip?

They make it about funding the church budget. But Malachi 3 was actually about funding the social welfare system and helping the poor.

Short answer: NOPE. Absolutely not.

Malachi isn’t about God hovering over your finances, waiting to unleash financial ruin the second you skip a tithe.

So no…

• You didn't have a bad day because you didn;t pay your tithe. 
• Your Wi-Fi isn’t slow because you missed a tithe.
• Your car didn’t break down because God’s mad about your giving.
• Your sports team didn’t lose because you held back (they’re just bad).

But here’s the real kicker:
While God doesn’t curse us, there are natural consequences when generosity is neglected.

When we hold back from giving:

• Communities suffer.
• The vulnerable get overlooked.
• We miss out on the joy of reflecting God’s heart.
• It’s not a curse. It’s just what happens when people hoard instead of helping.

1. Today, we’re not living under a theocratic agrarian economy, like Israel were. Today's secular taxes (federal, provincial/state, etc.) in our modern context serve some of the societal roles that biblical tithes and temple taxes once did. Part of the Levitical role was akin to civil servants today. 

In my last blog, we uncovered a few not-so-little truths:

• Biblical tithing was agricultural: Tithing was for farmers only. Jesus wasn’t sowing barley fields; He was sanding down tables. No crops, no tithe. And His disciples? Fishermen and a tax collector. Again, no tithe. Unless, of course, someone tried to tithe with fish. Imagine Peter slapping dead mackerels into the synagogue offering box. Instant fishy situation.
• The tithe was strictly produce-based: No cash, credit cards, or crypto accepted. No goats required (No kidding LOL).
• The “tithe” wasn’t even 10%. It had three components: The Levitical Tithe, the Festival Tithe, and the Social Welfare Tithe, adding up to an average of around 17% annually, and sometimes more, depending on the year. And every seven years they were required to give absolutely nothing!
• Almsgiving and voluntary offerings by Jesus’ day, had become the main giving practices, especially in the bustling urban centres. Almsgiving (Tzedakah) was seen as more spiritually significant than tithing (see Tobit 4:7-11 if you’re feeling adventurous—it’s in the Jewish sacred intertestamental writings). Giving was all voluntary. Yep, nobody was standing over people with a heavenly calculator, ensuring they hit exactly 10%. Some would have given more, some less. 

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The first Christians were Jewish. They grew up with The Law, the Torah—613 commandments, covering everything from sacrifices to skin conditions. Their entire relationship with God was shaped by this Law.

Spoiler alert: The apostles didn’t pass around offering baskets with a ‘Tithes’ sticker on them. So where did the church get tithing from?

Jesus, as we know,, established a new covenant, which left the early believers asking:
“Wait… so do we still follow The Law? Or is this like an ‘update your terms and conditions’ situation?”

In the Book of Acts, we get front-row seats to these debates. They figured out that The Law no longer defined their covenant with God. The result? Tithing wasn’t required.

Acts 2:44–45; Acts 4:32–35
Early Christians didn’t practice agricultural tithing. We see no evidence that the 12 disciples and Paul tried to introduce it. But we do see that they:

• Shared everything in common (yes, everything).
• Sold property and possessions to support those in need.

Was this a formal tithe? Nope. It was radical generosity, inspired by the Holy Spirit. No “10% rule.” Just people giving because they wanted to.

Paul’s Teachings: Cheerful Givers, Not Reluctant Tithers

Notice what’s missing? Any mention of tithing.

Paul wasn’t shy about instructions. If tithing were mandatory, he’d have said so… probably in all caps.

So, if the early church wasn’t tithing, how did we end up with “pass the plate” Sundays and sermons that make you feel like God’s accountant is watching? Let’s rewind the historical tape.

If the early church was thriving without tithing, how did we end up with offering baskets and tithe envelopes? Looking back through history we can observe a shift:

1st–3rd Century: The Free-Spirited Church

• There was no formal tithe in the records of the church.
• There is no argument that they gave but their giving was sacrificial.
• Church leaders like Justin Martyr and Tertullian talked about offerings to support the poor, widows, orphans, and clergy but never as a legal obligation. Very few Church Fathers advocated tithing (Only one from what I can tell). Most didn’t. 

4th Century: Enter Constantine (and the First “Church Tax”)
After Constantine’s conversion, Christianity became the dominant religion in the Roman Empire.

While there’s no conclusive evidence that Constantine himself mandated tithing, his fusion of church and state laid the groundwork for institutional practices like tithing to emerge.

As the church grew in wealth and influence, it began to adopt financial structures that mirrored Roman taxation systems, turning voluntary giving into obligatory contributions to support clergy and church operations.

But here’s the kicker: It wasn’t biblical tithing. It was more like a Roman tax system with a spiritual makeover. And it kept the cogs of the religious emerging system turning.

Medieval Period: Tithing Goes Full Bureaucratic

• By the 8th century, tithing was mandatory in many Christian nations.
• Charlemagne (because, of course, it had to be a guy named Charlemagne) made tithing law in the Holy Roman Empire.
• Suddenly, everyone had to tithe, not just farmers. Business profits, wages, your grandma’s knitting sales… you name it.

This wasn’t the cheerful, voluntary giving Paul talked about. It was “pay up or else.”

Now, some folks will say:
“But tithing existed before the Law! Look at Abel, Abraham, and Jacob!”
Let’s unpack that.

Abel:
There’s zero proof that Abel tithed. Some argue that the Greek Septuagint translation of Genesis 4:7 hints at tithing. But—plot twist— it doesn’t. No mention of tithing. No hidden codes. Abel brought an offering, not a tithe. Case closed.

Abraham:
Others point out that Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20). He did. But here’s the thing:

• It was from war spoils, not his personal income.
• He did it once—not annually, monthly, or weekly.
• There’s no command from God to do it. Abraham just… did it.
• Giving 10% from war spoils? That’s less like divine obedience and more like tipping your barista after a strong espresso. Thanks, Melchizedek—great service!

Jacob:
Jacob promised to tithe in Genesis 28:22:“If God blesses me, I’ll give Him a tenth.”

• It was a vow, not a command.
• He didn’t fulfill it for at least 20 years (so much for timely giving).
• And when he did, it was a one-time thing (that’s not very consistent).

So, were these guys tithing in the way modern churches teach? Nope. Not even close. Their tithes were one offs. Neither were commanded by God to do this.

Interestingly, historical scholars note that tithing wasn’t unique to Israel. In the ancient Near East, including Babylon, it was common to give a tenth of one’s goods as a form of tribute to rulers or as offerings to deities.

Abraham, having come from Ur in Mesopotamia, likely reflected cultural customs familiar to him when he gave a tenth to Melchizedek. This wasn’t a divine command but more of a cultural practice. Similarly, Jacob’s vow to tithe aligns with practices common in the region, where people made vows to gods in exchange for blessings.

If you want to dig deeper, do some searching online for information on “the Code of Hammurabi” which was a record from the time which shows tax-like obligations, similar to tithing, often tied to temple worship or support of religious institutions.

Let’s land the plane (or, for biblical accuracy, park the donkey):

• Tithing Was Never a Universal Command: It was agricultural, for farmers only. No crops? No tithe. Jesus didn’t tithe, and neither did His disciples.
• The Early Church Didn’t Tithe: They gave radically, but not because of a rule. They sold stuff, shared everything, and gave freely—not under obligation.
• Tithing Became Law Later:  Thank the medieval church, where giving went from ‘joyful generosity’ to ‘mandatory membership fees.’
• Abel, Abraham, and Jacob Weren’t Tithing as We Know It: They gave offerings or made vows. No divine command. No recurring payments. Definitely no tithe calculators.

If your giving feels like paying a spiritual subscription fee, maybe it’s time to hit the “UNSUBSCRIBE” button.

Generosity isn’t about percentages, it’s about the heart. The New Testament invites us to give:

• Freely (no guilt-trips attached),
• Cheerfully (because joy beats obligation every time), and
• Generously (because love overflows, not because the church’s light bill is due).

No divine tax brackets. No heavenly auditors. Just Spirit-led, joyful giving.
And what if you want to continue giving 10%… Well that’s entirely up to you. God doesn’t mind either way. If that’s what you settle on, and you have peace in your heart, then that is great.

If we’re no longer under obligation to tithe, does that mean we just give wherever we want? We’ll explore that soon.

Before you click that little X in the top right-hand corner of your screen, hold on. I want to explain why I’m so certain.

Let me start by saying this clearly: I’m a Bible-believing Christian. I believe the words on those pages are God’s truth. I even believe the cover, “The Holy Bible” is true.

I also believe that Jesus obeyed the Law 100%—perfectly (Matthew 5:17, 20). So, how can I be so sure He didn’t tithe?

Well… because Jesus was a carpenter, not a farmer (Mark 6:3).

And what does that have to do with tithing? A lot.

The Mosaic Law (The Torah) laid out a comprehensive system for tithing, but here’s the catch: It was designed for farmers, not carpenters.

If you didn’t have fields, flocks, or harvests, the tithing laws simply didn’t apply to you.

Mind blown? Hold on, there’s more.

Incidentally, there were plenty of other laws Jesus didn’t need to obey:

• Regulations for women.
• Rules for slaves.
• Laws specific to priests, lepers, Nazirites, and more.

That’s right—Jesus didn’t keep every law because not every law applied to Him. But the ones He did have to obey, He did so perfectly.

I know this sounds shocking and offensive to some. While the Hebrew word "מַעֲשֵׂר" (maʿar) literally means "a tenth," the practice of tithing in Israel was more complex than a simple 10%.

The Jewish Law defined three different tithes that farmers had to give:

• Two annually,
• One every third year,
• And they also got a free pass every seven years.

1. The Levitical Tithe (The First Tithe) — 10% Annually
Numbers 18:21–24; Leviticus 27:30-33

• Purpose: Support the Levites, who served in the Temple and had no land inheritance.
• What Was Given: A tenth of agricultural produce—grain, wine, oil, and every tenth animal from the herd or flock.
• Key Point: This tithe was for the Levites only, as they relied on it for their livelihood.

2. The Festival Tithe (The Second Tithe) — 10% Annually
Deuteronomy 14:22–27

• Purpose: To be used by families during the annual religious festivals in Jerusalem (like Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles).
• What Was Given: Another 10% of produce, but this time it was consumed by the family in celebration before the Lord.
• Flexibility: If the distance to Jerusalem was too far, they could sell the produce, carry the money to Jerusalem, and buy food and drink for the festival.

3. The Social Welfare Tithe (The Third Tithe) — Every Third Year
Deuteronomy 14:28–29; 26:12

• Purpose: To support the poor, widows, orphans, and Levites within the local community.
• What Was Given: An additional 10% of produce, given every third year in the seven-year cycle.
• Distribution: Instead of bringing it to Jerusalem, it was stored locally to care for the vulnerable in society.

The tithing laws applied to specific farming items only: crops, livestock, and produce—NEVER general income or wages. ie. Not money.
 
In fact, when people had too much produce to carry to the Temple, the Law permitted that they could sell it temporarily, but they had to convert it back to agricultural goods before presenting it:

Did you get that? Money was not allowed to be given for your tithe! It's there in the small print.

Yep! It's true. The combined tithe was made of three seperate aspects:

• (A) The Levitical Tithe: 10% (applies every year except the 7th Sabbath year)
• (B) The Festival Tithe: 10% (applies every year except the 3rd and 6th years when it's replaced by the Social Welfare Tithe).
• (C) The Social Welfare Tithe: 10% every third year (applies in years 3 and 6).

Now let’s Do the Math together.

Breakdown:

• Years 1, 2, 4, 5: 
  • A + B = Total Tithe
    • 10% + 10% = 20% 
• Years 3 & 6: 
  • A + C = Total Tithe
    • 10% + 10% = 20%, but with the social welfare tithe instead of the festival tithe.
• Year 7 (Sabbath Year): 
  • No tithes required because the land rested (How many of your wallets or purses need a rest?).

Total Tithe Over 7 Years:

• Years 1, 2, 4, 5: 4 years × 20% = 80%
• Years 3 & 6: 2 years × 20% = 40%
• Year 7: 0%

Total for 6 years = 80% + 40% = 120%

** Average Annual Tithe Over 7 Years: 120% ÷ 7 ≈ 17.14% per year**
(Note: Some interpretations may vary slightly depending on how the Social Welfare Tithe is factored across the cycle).

So, if you tithe 10% of your income today, technically…

You’re doing it wrong.

I dare you to place some of your homegrown fruits and vegetables in the offering plate at church—let me know how your pastor reacts!

Here's the deal, the tithe wasn’t just a religious practice; It was the taxation system for the nation of Israel — all based on agricultural and farming produce.

• The Levites, who benefited from the tithe, were the equivelent today’s civil servants. They managed religious, legal, and community affairs on behalf of their nation.
• The tithe was the equivalent of paying taxes to fund public services, with the Temple acting as both a religious centre and a form of government.
• The Social Welfare Tax was essential for care of the poor and disadvantaged. It provided them with essential life-giving support. I will get into this more in my third blog when I look at why God warned through the Prophet Malachi that Israel would be cursed if they didn’t tithe the Social Welfare Tithe. 

So, we’ve established that Jesus didn’t need to tithe because He wasn’t a farmer. Nor did Peter, James, John (fishermen), or Matthew (tax collector). They were all exempt from the agricultural tithing laws outlined in the Torah.

However, Jesus and His disciples all gave.  

Type of Offering/Tax	Biblical Reference	Purpose	Jesus' Likely Practice	Percentage Requirement
Firstfruits Offering	Deuteronomy 26:1–4	Gratitude for harvest	Likely participated symbolically	No Fixed Percentage (Given from the first portion of the harvest, amount varied)
Freewill Offerings	Leviticus 22:18–19	Voluntary gifts to God	Affirmed the heart behind giving (Mark 12:41)	No Percentage (Entirely voluntary based on personal desire)
Almsgiving (Tzedakah)	Deuteronomy 15:7–8	Support for the poor	Strongly emphasized (Matthew 6:1–4)	No Fixed Percentage (Culturally, 10–20% was encouraged but not mandated)
Festival Offerings	Deuteronomy 16:16–17	Worship during pilgrimage feasts	Participated in festivals (John 7:2–10)	No Fixed Percentage (Amount varied based on ability—"as one is able")
Sin/Guilt Offerings	Leviticus 4–5	Atonement for sin	Participated culturally but was sinless	No Percentage (Specific animals or items prescribed based on circumstances)

By the time of Jesus, almsgiving (Tzedakah) had become a central practice, often regarded as more spiritually significant than tithing. Generosity toward the poor was seen not as an obligation tied to a percentage, but as an act of righteousness and personal devotion.

Following the Babylonian exile and the rebuilding of the Second Temple (around 515 BCE), Israel became increasingly urbanized, especially under Greek and Roman influence. Many Jews shifted from agriculture to trades, commerce, and craftsmanship.

This societal transformation led to the development of new giving practices beyond the agricultural tithes mandated in the Torah. The rabbis encouraged voluntary giving from business income, though this was never classified as a tithe. Instead, it was framed as an expression of generosity, rooted in a heart posture rather than a legal obligation.

While the Mishnah—the foundational compilation of Jewish oral traditions, sought to clarify Torah requirements for agricultural tithes, it also promoted generosity from non-agricultural income. Yet, crucially, there was no legal requirement to tithe on commercial or trade income. The emphasis shifted from compulsory giving to voluntary acts of charity and community support.

Tzedakah (charitable giving) emerged as a key expression of righteousness, alongside voluntary offerings as acts of personal devotion. This shift highlights a critical point: biblical giving was never about maintaining a rigid formula but cultivating a heart of generosity.

Tithing was a national Tax System. It supported civil servants (Levites), festivals (pot luck), and social welfare.

1. Almsgiving Replaced Tithing’s Role: By Jesus’ time, giving to the poor was considered more righteous than fulfilling tithing laws. Almsgiving—not 'armsgiving,' though that would’ve been the ultimate hand-out (pun intended!).
2. No Income Tithe in Scripture: Agricultural produce was the basis for biblical tithing, never wages or commercial profits.

The modern idea of “tithing 10% of your income” has no biblical basis. Jesus didn’t practice it, and neither are you required to.

If giving feels like an obligation or a divine tax rather than an expression of gratitude and generosity, it’s time to reconsider what the Bible actually teaches about money.

In the next blog, we’ll dive deeper into this because I know letting go of the traditional tithing mindset can be challenging. We’ll explore how this concept evolved into what many churches teach today—and we’ll also debunk the myth that if you don’t tithe, God will curse you.

A final note: I realize this may challenge long-held beliefs and traditions, and that’s okay. My goal isn’t to unsettle but to invite deeper reflection on what Scripture truly says. And lastly, if you want to keep on tithing, do it.

If this blog helped you or if you have any questions, please let me know in the comments section below.

Christian nationalism presents itself as a Trojan horse, promising to rescue the church from a nation it perceives as lost to the devil. But beneath the surface, it's a dangerous leaven that spreads, poisoning both faith and country. Worryingly, as I showed in my last post, it has quietly infiltrated the evangelical-charismatic church, offering what looks like salvation but, in reality, creating division, polarization, and weakening the church's true mission.

The ultimate question we must ask ourselves, and the focus of this post, is how do we influence our nations in legitimate ways that avoid the dangers of conflating the pursuit of national power with God's Kingdom?

I often hear people claim that Jesus and His disciples were not political. Let me tell you—they are wrong. Jesus identified Himself as the King of the Jews (Matthew 27:11). This wasn't just a theological claim but a deeply political one, implying a new reign that transcended the Roman Empire's authority. When He declared, “The Kingdom is at hand” (Mark 1:15), it was revolutionary.

Jesus’ followers called Him “Lord”, which meant that Caesar wasn’t. In Roman society, Caesar was referred to as "Lord," a title implying ultimate sovereignty. To call Jesus "Lord" was a bold political statement, opposing Caesar's claim to divine authority. This is one reason why the early Christians were persecuted—allegiance to Jesus as Lord was seen as subversive to Roman authority.

Here’s another thing we often miss: Jesus' crucifixion was a political execution. Crucifixion was reserved for political rebels and threats to the state. The title on His cross, "King of the Jews," framed His crime in Roman eyes, emphasizing the intersection between His mission and the political structures of His day. This served as a warning to any who might dare to challenge Rome.

Before we explore how Jesus shaped culture, we need to examine the various political approaches of His time. In Jesus’ day, different groups offered their own solutions to the political tensions of Israel under Roman rule. By looking at these groups, we can draw striking parallels to modern-day political and religious movements. As the saying goes, “History repeats itself.”

Let’s examine these groups and how their agendas shaped the cultural and political landscape.

The Pharisees believed that strict religious adherence would bring about the Kingdom of God. In their time, they taught that the Messiah would come if all Israel repented for just one day. Today, this looks like groups that attempt to legislate morality to trigger national revival. Modern-day Christian nationalists push for laws enforcing Christian values, believing that imposing religious standards on society will restore a nation’s spiritual health.

The Sadducees were the political elites who controlled the Temple and collaborated with the Romans to maintain power. Unlike the Pharisees, they were pragmatists, compromising to secure their status. Today, we see similar behavior in Christian leaders who align closely with political powers, often compromising Kingdom values for political gain. This reflects how some evangelical leaders cozy up to political figures to maintain cultural influence.

The Zealots were a Jewish insurgency group that believed violent rebellion was the only way to overthrow Roman rule. Barabbas (Matthew 27:16) was one such figure—a fanatical right-wing extremist in today’s terms. Christian insurgency groups today prepare for “last days” battles, combining apocalyptic theology with militant action. Like the Zealots, they confuse the pursuit of God's Kingdom with the pursuit of earthly power.

The Essenes withdrew from society, believing the world was too corrupt to redeem. Similarly, some Christian groups today disengage from culture entirely, waiting for the rapture to airlift them from this world. This approach is a form of Christian escapism that denies the call to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). It also rejects the mandate to care for God’s creation (Genesis 1:27).

The Romans, the superpower of the day, maintained peace through military control—what they called the Pax Romana. They believed their rule was divinely sanctioned, a sign that the gods of Rome were superior. Nowhere was this more evident than in their use of crucifixion. Modern parallels can be found in Christians who advocate for military interventions, strict law enforcement, or authoritarian leaders to “protect Christian values.” But Jesus’ model advocates for peace without oppression—loving enemies rather than subjugating them.

As Jesus noted, those who take the sword will perish by the sword. When we fight fire with fire, we enter the arena of our world's broken political system, and we have to play by its rules through name-calling, mud-slinging, and demonising people of other political persuasions. These were not the rules of engagement that Jesus taught.

Jesus’ engagement with power was revolutionary. He did not seek political authority or call His disciples to rule by force. Instead, He redefined power—rooting it in humility, service, and love. His Kingdom wasn’t about seizing control from the top down but transforming lives from the bottom up.

The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5) serves as Jesus’ "Project 2025" cultural manifesto. Instead of political force or military might, He calls His followers to be salt and light—symbols of preservation and illumination. His revolution wasn’t one of coercion but of justice, humility, and care for the marginalized.

The Beatitudes set the values of the Kingdom:

• "Blessed are the poor in spirit..."
• "Blessed are the meek..."
• "Blessed are the peacemakers..."

In Jesus’ Kingdom, these values define power. His Kingdom advances not through legislation but by embodying these virtues in everyday life. This bottom-up approach is the model we, as Christians, should follow today.

Christian influence has transformed societies in profound ways, but often from the ground up.

For example, the Christian influence over the last 2,000 years has contributed to tectonic shifts in global morality, as historian Tom Holland argues in his book Dominion. Practices like slavery or abandoning unwanted infants—common in the Roman Empire—are now almost universally condemned.

This change was because Christians stepped in where the world stepped back. In doing so, they provoked the national consciences of people through their compassionate acts of service by building schools and hospitals, adopting abandoned children, and caring for the poor.

The abolition of slavery led by Christians like William Wilberforce is a powerful example. Wilberforce worked with abolitionist groups to gather broad public support through petitions, public meetings, and engaging citizens. This bottom-up pressure was crucial for creating the political will necessary for legislative change.

In recent times, we have seen this very thing. In March 2022, The U.K. government introduced the Homes for Ukraine scheme in response to the war in Ukraine, allowing U.K. residents to host Ukrainian refugees in their homes. In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, there was an overwhelming outpouring of support from the British public. Many people wanted to offer assistance, and there were grassroots calls for the government to take more proactive measures in helping those fleeing the conflict. This program was designed to provide safe housing for those fleeing the conflict.

The initiative was primarily a government response to the public's desire to help Ukrainian refugees and their outcry at the government's inaction. This and other historical examples of Christian service, like the abolition of slavery, show how Christian principles of justice and mercy can drive meaningful social change from the ground up. This is the Kingdom coming from within, not from the top down.

These and other examples demonstrate how Christian service can drive meaningful social change from within, not through political force.

One of the most dangerous temptations for Christians today is the allure of power, particularly Christian nationalism, which seduces believers by offering political power as a means to achieve godly ends. But as I discussed in my second post, this pursuit of power through political dominance is deadly—to both our faith and our countries.

Jesus faced this very temptation in the wilderness when Satan offered Him the kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:8-10). Jesus rejected it, knowing that the means must align with the values of the Kingdom. Power pursued for its own sake corrupts the gospel.

When we align with nationalism, we risk becoming like the Pharisees, Sadducees, or Zealots—using religion, politics and power, as a means to gain and maintain control. Jesus warned His disciples to avoid the yeast of political and religious control (Matthew 16:6).
The question we must ask ourselves, as Jesus did, is, “What spirit are we of?” Are we motivated by love, humility, and service, or by a desire for domination and control?

In Part 1, we explored how the church's apostolic mission is to influence culture, reflecting the values of Jesus' Kingdom. However, when that mission becomes entangled with political power, the clear message of the gospel can become muddled, and democracy itself can be weakened, damaging the very countries we love and want to affect with positive change. Christian nationalism often tries to achieve Kingdom outcomes through the world's methods (I'll also dive deeper into this in Part 3), but this approach frequently causes more harm than good.

In this post, we'll examine how Christian nationalism has manifested historically and in contemporary times. By doing so, we'll see how it distorts the gospel, erodes religious freedoms, creates division instead of unity, and undermines the very democracy we seek to protect. We will also uncover just how pervasive Christian nationalism has become, particularly within our stream of the church. Finally, I'll offer some reflections to help you process and apply these insights to your faith and political engagement.

Christian nationalism presents itself as a trojan horse that offers to solve the church's worst fears: that our country is lost to the devil and that it is staring into the abyss of destruction. Like leaven, Christian nationalism is hard to spot, but it is no less real, and like leaven, it spreads given the right conditions. I want to show you five ways the leaven of nationalism operates in our midst:

In India, Hindu nationalism has increasingly influenced the country. Religious symbols and rituals are frequently incorporated into government functions in ways that faith has been hijacked as a political tool to solidify Hindu majoritarian rule and consolidate political power by appealing to religious identity. I wanted to start with this example because it is easier for us to see that this is wrong.
 
I hope you can see that it is not just because this is Hinduism and that it is problematic because it is a false religion. The issue is universal: when faith (Hindu, Muslim, or Christian) is used as a political tool, it distorts both the faith and politics. Christian nationalism, while more subtle in the West, employs the same mechanisms.

Another related issue is that it alienates the citizens of the country who don't fit into the nationalistic framework or align with the expressed version of faith. This weakens the gospel and damages the unity in the country, creating an us and them divide. Worst of all, it risks turning the Christian faith into a weapon in a political battle rather than the life-changing message of love and redemption that it truly is.

Whether it's a conservative leader holding up a Bible outside a church or a liberal leader using religious language to inspire progressive policies, Christian symbols and faith language have been co-opted across the political spectrum. While the intent might be to appeal to Christian voters, we must ask ourselves: Does this promote the values of the Kingdom, or are these symbols being weaponised to achieve political gain or to curry favour with voters?

Christian nationalism is wrong because it advocates for a privileged role for Christianity, which can marginalise other religious and non-religious groups. We often feel strongly that our country is Christian or should be Christian. I have heard it prayed in Canada that "Jesus' dominion will be sea to sea" (Psalm 72:8)—from the Pacific to the Atlantic. This interpretation totally misses the global nature of Jesus' reign, which transcends bounds and nationalities. It is nationalistic at its heart.

While the prayer for 'Jesus' dominion from sea to sea' may come from a well-meaning place, when it's tied to a political agenda, it risks turning the gospel into a form of nationalism. Christ's Kingdom transcends borders and is already reigning in the hearts of His people. When Christianity is seen as the only legitimate basis for national identity and laws, it risks pushing out voices, leading to exclusion rather than inclusion. Jesus reached out to those on the margins, from Samaritans to tax collectors, embracing diverse people while spreading the message of God's love.

This exclusivity contradicts the biblical call to love our neighbour and respect human dignity and risks creating societal divisions where different beliefs and values coexist peacefully. This is why I emphasised pluralist societies in my definition in Part 1. Christian nationalism often undermines "the peaceful coexistence of multiple groups, beliefs, and values within a pluralistic society—where all are recognised as having equal worth and importance." For a true democracy to be a democracy, it needs to make space for diverse beliefs, including other religions. If we're honest, our visions for His Kingdom come; His will be done, are for a theocracy. I will touch more on this in Part 3, but for now, remember that ever since Jesus ascended to the throne, He has been universally ruling and reigning over the entire planet. Our cries "from sea to sea" already happened 2,000 years ago.

I want to end this point by observing that Christians often assume that all Christian faith perspectives are universally Christian. However, we must remember that there are over 30,000 Protestant denominations—not because of the church's magnificent planting exploits, but because we couldn't agree on issues. I've even heard of churches splitting because they couldn't decide where to place the piano in the sanctuary.

Let's acknowledge that we see things differently and that Christians hold diverse views on many issues, including, dare I say, politically charged ones like abortion and immigration. God's truth is often held in tension. What if two Christians can hold opposing convictions on the same issues derived from deep convictions of their faith, and both are right?

Pluralism is essential for our nations because it creates space for this diversity of perspectives—it is the very oxygen of democracy. God is not conservative or liberal. It's worth asking ourselves: In our desire to see God's Kingdom come, are we willing to welcome those who are different from us, or are we only advocating for our version of Christianity that aligns with our political ideals? If we are not, then we are thinking along nationalist lines.

When democracy works well, it can be an effective means for bringing about Kingdom good within our nations. It's built on pluralism—the peaceful coexistence of different beliefs and voices. But when we try to impose a particular version of Christianity on an entire nation, it often ends up stifling democracy. We limit freedoms, and before long, authoritarianism creeps in, wrapped in religious language or assumed theocracy. Today, some Christians might think the idea of a theocracy is appealing—where God and Christians are in charge, and the country is put back on track. We might also believe that this time around, we will get it right. But history shows us that it never works the way we imagine.

Take a look at 16th-century Geneva under John Calvin, for example. Calvin's Geneva was a theocratic city-state where religious authority and political power were fully intertwined. So, what happened when Christians were put in charge? Did the city improve? The answer depends on what you mean by "better."

In some ways, Geneva did "improve"—moral discipline tightened up, literacy rates improved, and there was a sense of civic order. But "Pax-Geneva" came at a steep price: personal freedoms were crushed, and religious tolerance was nonexistent. The enforcement of religious laws left little room for personal choice or grace, two central tenets of Jesus' teachings. The city might have looked more orderly from the outside, but underneath was an atmosphere of fear, exclusion, and control. This wasn't revival—rather, it was enforced morality, the kind that doesn't change hearts.

For example, they mandated that no one could name their child anything other than approved biblical names. Even worse, dissenters were punished, and heretics like Michael Servetus were executed—Servetus, a Spanish theologian, was burned at the stake for rejecting the Trinity and opposing infant baptism. While Calvin's Geneva was by no means a modern-day dictatorship, it reminds us that even with good intentions, theocratic governance can often result in oppression and suppression of personal freedoms.

Today, most of us would see this kind of government intervention—like deciding what you can name your child—as a massive overreach and even comical. But back then, it was deadly serious. Let's not think we are any less immune from our blindspots.

Let's be honest: we don't need Christians in charge like this. When the church's mission becomes tangled with political control, it ceases to look like the Kingdom Jesus preached—a Kingdom built on grace, love, and service. Instead, it starts to look like control, and we all know how that ends.

Geneva teaches us that while democracy thrives on diversity and freedom, theocracy tends to narrow down that space, leaving little room for the kind of spiritual growth Jesus modelled. And when we trade in that model for power, we risk losing both.

Christian nationalism seeks to create a theocracy from the top down, where Christian values dominate law, culture, and behaviour. This is institutionalised morality. We know from history that the forced imposition of religious values through government eventually leads to resistance, rebellion, and a loss of genuine faith. Authentic Christian faith only flourishes when it is freely chosen and lived out in the context of personal faith and relationship with God and within Christian faith communities.

Theocratic systems also tend to elevate one expression of Christianity over others, creating a narrow view of what faith should look like. This diminishes the diversity that exists within the global church. The evangelical and charismatic traditions, while vital, do not hold a monopoly on God. Christianity has many rich and varied expressions, from Orthodox to Catholic to mainline Protestant. God works in every part of His body. Imposing a singular version of faith through government stifles this diversity and undermines the broader Christian witness.

Christian nationalism often conflates loyalty to one's nation with allegiance to Christ, leading to a dangerous mixture of patriotism, faith and political ideology. We see this acutely in Russia; the Russian Orthodox Church has become deeply intertwined with the state under President Vladimir Putin. The church promotes a narrative that positions Russia as a "Christian nation" with a unique divine mission, often framing loyalty to the Russian state as loyalty to God. This conflation has led to the suppression of other religious and secular viewpoints, and the Orthodox Church has been used to support government policies, including military actions like the annexation of Crimea. The blend of Russian nationalism and Orthodox Christianity has made it difficult for many to separate national pride from religious devotion.

This blurring of loyalty to Christ with national identity or political affiliation may be less overt in the West, but it remains significant in some countries, and it's on the increase in others. For example, The Pew Research Center reports that 85% of White evangelical Protestants in the U.S. identify with or lean toward the Republican Party. Although Canadian evangelicals are not as politically homogenous as their U.S. counterparts, their increasing alignment with the Conservative Party mirrors a broader rightward shift among evangelical- charismatics in the West. Evangelicals in Canada do not wield the same political power as in the U.S., but their influence has been growing within conservative political spaces.

Christians tend to vote more broadly across the political spectrum in other nations where I have lived, such as New Zealand and the United Kingdom. There are Christian MPs and politicians representing parties from the right, the left, and everything in between. We can learn from these nations, where Christian engagement in politics reflects a diversity of thought that aligns with a broader understanding of faith's role in public life.

Our allegiance is to God's Kingdom, not to any earthly party or leader. Christian nationalism distorts this by making love of country or political party synonymous with love of God. This can lead to idolatry—whether of the nation's political party or a leader— and close our eyes to their shortcomings, ultimately undermining the gospel's call to stand counter-culturally and alienating the broader population from the Church of Christ. God doesn't have His man or woman in office. Such pronouncements by Christian leaders and prophetic voices is Christian nationalism.

It's easy to think that we have not been infected by the leaven of Christian nationalism, believing our operating systems are clean and free from its influence. However, the results of the late 2023 PRRI/Brookings Christian Nationalism Survey¹ challenge that assumption by revealing how widespread this mindset has become.

The PRRI report found that white evangelical Protestants are the group most supportive of Christian nationalist views, with 64% either sympathising with or adhering to these beliefs. They are more likely than other religious groups to believe that the U.S. should be declared a Christian nation, that U.S. laws should be based on Christian values, and that being Christian is central to being truly American. Evangelicals also strongly supported the idea that Christians are called to exercise dominion over American society (I will get into why these are fair indicators of Christian nationalism in my next post).

Apparently, these are not just fringe ideas; they are mainstream among evangelicals in America. And while the study is U.S.-focused, I believe it offers a reflective mirror for us in other nations. Evangelical-charismatic Christians across the globe may not be as different as we think.

Jesus warned His disciples to be careful of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 16:6). Leaven, in this context, represents an unseen yet pervasive influence—slowly shaping how people think and act.

Based on indicators like the PRRI report, the leaven of nationalism has pretty much leavened the whole lump of our slice of the church. Like a Trojan horse, we have welcomed it into our midst, thinking it's the magic bullet to solve our country's problems. It invites us to bend our knees and kiss its ring of power but with devastating consequences.

Those who have drunk deeply of its cup have been infected with a virus that is messing with our spiritual operating systems. And the fruit of this is plain to see. Did you ever stop to think how nearly every nationally recognised U.S. prophet got the 2020 election results wrong? Christian Nationalism.

I wonder if the reason our segment of the church is losing its influence in the world is not because of the devil's schemes but because God Himself has had to quarantine us from the rest of the population until our systems are cleansed of this virus (It's just a thought?). When a computer is infected with a virus, it needs to be isolated from the network to prevent further damage. Could it be that God is allowing this period of reduced influence as a form of quarantine to protect His broader mission and purify our hearts?

In contrast, other quarters of the church, such as the contemplative, Orthodox, and other non-nationalistic streams, are growing. They have not bent the knee to nationalism and continue to demonstrate a vibrant, humble faith that reaches the world through service and grace, not through vying for political power. These expressions of faith should remind us that God's Kingdom continues to advance—without the need for Christians to wield political power.

As Gandhi said of the church in the last century, the world says of us today, "I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." What Gandhi saw in the last century, the world sees in us today. When the church genuinely looks like Jesus, people run toward us, recognising their need for a Saviour. The world can tell the difference between Christians who reflect Jesus and those who don't. It's a sobering thought that should bring us to our knees in repentance and humility.  

Here's the hard truth: if nationalism has leavened our faith, then repentance is the only way forward. We need to come before God with humility, acknowledging that we may have allowed political agendas to cloud our Kingdom perspective. Jesus didn't come to set up a theocracy through government power—He came to establish a Kingdom not of this world, one that advances through sacrificial love, grace, and service.
Are we ready to re-align with that vision? Are we willing to detox from the virus of nationalism and reclaim our first love, Christ's Kingdom and His righteousness?

As we see the increasing alignment between certain Christian groups and specific political parties, it's worth asking: Are we being led more by the pursuit of political influence than by our call to be salt and light to the world? When our political identity becomes indistinguishable from our faith, how does this impact our witness to the world? In Part 3, we'll look at how Jesus redefined power and what that means for us today. I will also explain why these are nationalist perspectives, but for now, let the report's highlights sink in.

NOTES:
^{1. PRRI/Brookings Christian Nationalism Survey: https://www.prri.org/research/a-christian-nation-understanding-the-threat-of-christian-nationalism-to-american-democracy-and-culture/}

This is part one of a three-part series exploring Christian nationalism and its effects on faith and politics. In this first instalment, I will define Christian nationalism and examine its rise in modern political discourse.

A respected Christian leader recently shared a thought-provoking post on his Facebook page on Christian nationalism. He observed that well-meaning Christians who have genuine care and concern for the moral, social, or political trajectory of their country and who are motivated to speak up politically and bring influence are being slapped with the label Christian nationalists. In our ever-increasingly politically polarised world, where people see in binary terms of red or blue, pinning badges on others we disagree with to demonise them is on the increase.

From the start of my blog, I want to make clear that I am not anti-political or social engagement, nor do I have a subversive desire to push people to the left or the right. I want to see God's people play in the political arena in the way that Jesus taught.

I think Jesus intended the church to influence every sphere of society. I know this because Jesus appointed 12 Apostles to spearhead his Kingdom movement. Jesus intended His apostles not to be the New Covenant version of Old Testament priests but modelled after Roman apostles.

The original historical meaning of the word "apostle" (Greek = apóstolos) was not understood or used in a religious sense in Jesus' day. Apostles were the original social influencers with unique skill sets to shape the cultures of nations they were assigned to. Roman apostles were often admirals of an armada charged with going into colonial countries to infuse the culture of Rome. They were chosen because they were the embodiment of Rome. Their mission was to Romanise their colonies. Jesus intentionally borrowed this term from the Romans because that is precisely what He intended to do — Kingdomise the world. The Lord’s Prayer, with its "On earth, as it is in heaven” cry is essentially a culture-shaping prayer.  

This historical understanding of the church's mission was lost by the church for many centuries, but has thankfully been recaptured in recent times; as such, the desire of Christians today that my friend wrote about in his Facebook post, to see Christians influence and shape culture with the value system of the Kingdom of God is legitimate and a return to our apostolic roots.

However, many people, both inside and outside of the church, are rightly concerned with the rise of Christian nationalism, which I want to propose to you is an illegitimate way to undertake our culture shaping assignment (I’ll get into this in Part 2 of my series). What is most concerning to me is how prevalent Christian nationalism is in my evangelical-charismatic slice of the church, and just how many leaders are unaware of what "spirit they are operating in,” when they talk about political and social engagement.

But before I get into this, I need to clarify what Christian nationalism is.

It is often said, "If the badge fits, wear it." In the case of Christian nationalism, how do we know if we are wearing the badge? Our starting place is defining the term.

The term Christian nationalism is not new; it has been around for a couple of centuries and has been used by both Christians and secular social and political commentators in relation to a type of engagement that blends national and Christian sentiments together in unhelpful and even damaging ways. 

To better understand Christian nationalism, let's consider two key definitions—one from within the Christian world and another from a secular perspective.

The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) observe that Christian nationalism is an ideology that merges a distorted form of Christian faith with national pride and political power. It often asserts that the country was founded on Christian principles and that its laws and institutions should reflect this heritage.¹

Andrew Whitehead and Samuel Perry, Authors of Taking America Back for God, reflect that Christian nationalism is a cultural framework that idealises and advocates a fusion of Christianity with American civic life. It promotes the idea that America has been and should continue to be a Christian nation and calls for a privileged place for Christianity in the public sphere. This often involves the belief that the government should actively promote Christian values and traditions, marginalising other religious and secular perspectives.²

Though the term Christian nationalism has no universally accepted definition, scholars and Christian leaders agree, as you can see from the above definitions, that it involves merging Christian identity with national politics, often to enforce Christian values through political power.

Given this, I want to propose a working definition of Christian nationalism for you to consider:

I want to acknowledge that some people's imediate reaction to my definition of Christian nationalism might be that they feel like an unfair criticism of Christian political engagement to promote societal good. Before you click the "X" at the top of the screen to exit this blog post I’d encourage you to reread my earlier section on "The Apostolic Church as Culture Shapers." I 100% believe this and wrote a book on this very mission, Terraforming Planet Earth: Unleashing the Power of the Lord's Prayer. Hang in there;  I will talk more about how we shape culture according to the playbook of Jesus in Part 3.

In the meantime, as you reflect on the definition of Christian nationalism, take a moment to assess your own relationship between faith and national identity. I'd like to invite you to consider these indicators that may signal a slide into the abyss of Christian nationalism:

• Do you prioritise national symbols, leaders, or parties over Christ's teachings?

• Do you view people outside your political identity as 'others':

• Do you prioritise national ideals over Jesus' teachings in political actions?

Understanding Christian nationalism sets the foundation for further exploration. In the next part of this series, we will explore how this blending of faith and politics can distort religious expression and governance, posing dangers to democracy and authentic Christian faith. Stay tuned!

NOTES:
1. National Association of Evangelicals. (2021, December 9). Christian Nationalism: What is it?. Retrieved from https://www.nae.net/christian-nationalism/
2. Whitehead, A. L., & Perry, S. L. (2020). Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States. Oxford University Press.

Learning to Minister and Lead from Our Weakness
The stream of Kingdom Christianity we are a part of has emphasized the power of ministering and living from our strengths. We’ve championed overcoming prayer, celebrated breakthrough, and declared victory over sin. Very often, the highlight of our gatherings is when God “shows up” with power and people are healed and delivered. I love that our movement is built on this Third Day reality, and I believe this is what makes the Gospel is truly “Good News”—seeing heaven come to earth in our day.

Yet, I believe we are entering a season where God wants to teach us something equally profound and legitimate: how to minister and lead from our weakness. This may feel counterintuitive, especially when we’re so accustomed to focusing on strength and victory. But as we dive into the Scriptures and the life of Christ, we discover that ministering from weakness is not only a legitimate biblical posture—it’s often the very way God accomplishes His greatest work.

Biblical Foundations for Ministering from Weakness
The Apostle Paul offers one of the clearest biblical foundations for this idea. In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Paul shares a powerful insight from his own life: “But [the Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’”
Let’s slow this passage down to really grasp the magnitude of what’s being said here. Paul, the Super-Apostle (as he ironically refers to himself in 2 Corinthians 11:5), had a resume like no other: He was educated at the top theological seminary of his day, his life was marked by supernatural breakthroughs, open visions, trips to heaven, miraculous deliverances, crazy exorcisms, and unparalleled success in planting churches and winning souls. He also wrote letters and epistles that were so impactful they later became part of the Bible (How’s that for a life of overcoming).

Yet, here’s the kicker—Paul says he discovered that there’s an aspect of God’s grace and power that doesn’t come from playing out of any of these achievements. Instead, he says, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses.”
Can we back the bus up? Why would Paul say this? Isn’t this counter-gospel? Why would Paul of all people boast about his weaknesses?

The Irony of Victory Through Weakness
Paul answers this with a powerful truth: “… so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh:  Here’s what Paul’s getting at. Just before this passage, Paul talks about a “thorn in the flesh”(12:7)—a persistent issue that he repeatedly begged God to remove.
 
Over the years, many Bible teachers and theologians have attempted to define what Paul’s Thorn of the Flesh was. Some say it was a persistent sin issue, others suggest it was a sickness, some say it was a demonic attack, and others suggest it was the hardships that came from ministry.

I want to suggest to you that often our attempts at defining the thorn are actually our way of defending a theological belief, which is threatened by this verse. For example, for people that believe it is God’s will to heal always, the idea that Paul had a physical ailment that God didn’t heal, threatens their whole theological belief system.
 
I am relieved that Paul doesn’t define what his thorn in the flesh actually is because it allows all sorts of things to be inserted underneath it, from unanswered prayers for physical health, lack of financial breakthrough, or persistent mental health challenges to name but a few. Whatever Paul’s issue was, it was so problematic and troubling for him that he prayed repeatedly for God to fix it.

And the good news is that God answered Paul’s prayer, BUT the answer that came was unexpected, “No!” Paul explains how God put it to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

WTH??? Why would a loving God do this to his top leader? Surely, had God answered Paul’ prayer it would have showcased the power of the Gospel in ways that would have won many to Christ. Paul, though discovers a more profound reason why God said “NO.” God promised to meet him with a special grace—and this grace would provide a divine strength that would shine brightest in his weakest moments.

Christ's Approach to Weakness
Jesus Himself modelled this posture of ministering from weakness. Although He possessed all power and authority, which He used in many instances to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons, His greatest victory came when He chose to embrace human frailty and vulnerability in the cross. In what appeared to be the moment of greatest weakness and defeat, Christ won the ultimate victory over sin and death.

Jesus’ path to victory was not through displays of earthly power but through humility, submission, and self-sacrifice. In this He teaches us that true power is often hidden in what the world sees as weakness.

The Irony of Victory Through Weakness
The irony of the Christian life is that victory often comes through what appears to be defeat or weakness. While, the cross is the most profound example, this principle is echoed throughout Scripture. Moses time in the wilderness was his schooling for leading the people of Israel out of slavery. Joseph’s years in prison prepared him to save a nation. David’s time fleeing from Saul equipped him to be a king after God’s own heart.

When we humbly embrace and accept our weakness and frailty, we acknowledge the limitations of our ability, and it is this posture which opens the door to God’s grace and power in surprising ways.

The Irony of Strength in Weakness
Paul’s discovery of this grace flips everything we know about strength on its head. In the world’s eyes, strength is about power, control, and never showing vulnerability. But in God’s kingdom, true strength is found in recognizing our weaknesses because that’s when we lean fully on Him or lean into Him. Paul, in turn, discovered through this place of vulnerability that God afforded him a strength that wasn’t his own—Christ’s strength, shining through his admitted weakness.

A number of years ago, I had a friend who was struggling with a persistent issue in his life that no amount of prayer or effort could shake, despite his earnest desire to walk in freedom. Periodically, he would struggle with this issue. Each time he fell, he confessed his sin and determined to try harder.

The shift for him happened when I suggested he try another approach. Instead of trying to beat this sin in his own strength, I encouraged him to see the temptation not as an enemy needing to be defeated, but as a messenger trying to communicate something to him. I invited him to get curious about what the temptation was signalling. And if he discovered something, I suggested that he invite the Lord to meet him in that place of weakness.

My friend was skeptical, but he agreed to try it. A week later, we met up, and I asked him how the experiment went. He told me that at first, it was hard to see the temptation as a messenger and not the enemy, but he decided to dignify the experience. To his surprise, he discovered that the temptation was signalling something deeper—it was letting him know he was feeling afraid. When he invited the Lord into that place of fear, something incredible happened. He found that the Lord met him in a profound way, and for the first time in months, he didn’t succumb to that temptation.

We met up a few weeks later, and my friend shared that although he had experienced a slip-up, there was a marked improvement in his life. He shared with me that he no longer saw this weakness as a monster to be killed, but an opportunity to lean into his weakness and discover God grace, strength and compassion in a new way.

Paul’s words challenge us to see our weaknesses not as liabilities but as opportunities for God’s strength to be revealed. In acknowledging our limitations, we create space for God’s grace to work in and through us in ways that our own abilities never could.

Authentic Connection with Others
When we openly acknowledge our weaknesses, struggles, and vulnerabilities, we create a space for authentic connection. In a world that often feels isolated and disconnected, especially in the face of increasing social media pressures to present a perfect life, this authenticity resonates deeply. People are drawn to communities where they can be real and where they feel safe to share their own struggles.

This approach can attract individuals who are searching for genuine relationships and a community that accepts them as they are. It opens doors for outreach to those who might feel alienated by traditional messages of constant victory and strength, offering them a place where their brokenness is met with compassion and understanding.

Humility in the Present Generation
Interestingly, this posture of humility and weakness resonates strongly with the present generation. We live in a time when many people, especially younger generations, are increasingly disillusioned with traditional displays of power, dominance, and strength. Instead, there is a growing appeal for authenticity, vulnerability, and humility.

This generation values leaders and communities that are honest about their struggles and willing to admit their weaknesses. They are drawn to spaces where they can be real, where humility is practiced, and where there is a genuine commitment to serving others rather than seeking personal gain or status.

By embracing and ministering from a place of weakness, our church can connect more deeply with this generation’s longing for authenticity and humility. This approach not only aligns with biblical teachings but also meets the cultural moment we find ourselves in—a moment that favours humility over pride, and vulnerability over pretence.

Living Out of This Place of Weakness
So, what might it look like for us to live and minister from this place of weakness?

1. Embrace Vulnerability: Instead of hiding our struggles or pretending we have it all together, we can be honest about our weaknesses. This doesn’t mean glorifying our failings, but it does mean acknowledging that we need God’s help—and that’s okay. Vulnerability can be a powerful way to connect with others and show that our faith is real and rooted in God’s grace.
2. Rely on God’s Strength: When we minister from weakness, we are continually reminded that we cannot do it all on our own. This drives us to prayer, seeking God’s guidance, and depending on His power to accomplish what we cannot. It also frees us from the pressure of having to be strong all the time.
3. Support One Another: In a community that values strength, admitting weakness can be difficult. But as we create a culture where it’s safe to share our struggles, we can support one another in deeper, more meaningful ways. This kind of authentic community reflects the heart of Christ and allows God’s love to flow more freely among us.
4. Trust in God’s Timing: Ministering from weakness often involves waiting and trusting that God is at work even when we don’t see immediate results. It’s about believing that God’s power is being perfected in our situation, even when things seem to be falling apart.

A Call to Embrace the Journey
As we enter this new season, I want to encourage us all to embrace the journey of ministering and leading from our weakness. This isn’t about abandoning the pursuit of victory or breakthrough—it’s about recognizing that God often leads us through the valleys of weakness to bring about His greatest triumphs.

Let’s lean into this season with faith, trusting that as we acknowledge our weaknesses, God’s grace will be more than sufficient. Let’s allow Him to teach us how to minister from this place, knowing that in our weakness, His power is made perfect.

If you find yourself in a place of weakness today, know that you are not alone. God is with you, and He is at work in your life in ways you may not yet see. Let’s walk this journey together, supporting one another as we learn to live out this profound and transformative truth.

Since September 2023, New Life has experienced an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our weekly Sunday gatherings that has reshaped our regular service format.

Our gatherings have transformed into dynamic encounters with the Spirit of God. This season has been marked by profound experiences of God's presence and power, touching the lives of everyone in our community, from the youngest to the oldest.

Encounters Across Ages
Wonderfully, individuals across all ages have encountered God in profound and life-changing ways. Children as young as four have had open visions of Jesus, illustrating the boundless reach of God's love and presence. Similarly, many who have never before felt God's presence or stepped into a church have met Him in ways that have altered the course of their lives forever, resulting in them accepting Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

One such person, who had never been to church before, and who spoke very little English, experienced a "Presence" unlike anything that he had met before. This Presence highlighted areas of his life that he was not living rightly. This young man made a decision to turn his life around. Later on that morning he surrendered his life to King Jesus.  

There have been some comical moments. On two separate occasions, visitors to our city were dropped off at the wrong church by taxi drivers. Both of these individuals were deeply impacted in life-changing ways.

A Tapestry of Responses
In the presence of God, our congregation responds in a myriad of authentic ways. Some find themselves lying face down on the ground, while others kneel. Some sit quietly in their seats, enveloped in the presence of God. We encourage everyone to be true to their personal response and encourage you to lean into whatever God is doing among us or directly within your heart. Scripture encourages people to "seek the Lord while he may be found" (Is. 55:6). In this season where He is making Himself particularly accessible, don't hold back in your response. Yield yourself to Him.

The Awe of God's Presence
It has been hard to accurately describe what our services are like, except to say that God orchestrates these gatherings! The entire occassion are like a corporate Divine encounter that God invites us to step into and participate in.

The Apostle Paul's description of dynamic spaces where hymns, teachings, revelations, and personal expressions of faith freely flow, comes close (1 Cor. 14:26). We have often found a particular focus or emphasis that emerges in the course of our gatherings. I haven't preached a formal prepared sermon throughout the outpouring, although there are often extemporaneous sermonettes given by the team. The times are always deeply Christological (Christ-focused). Not surprisingly, we have discovered that Holy Spirit is really good at glorifying Jesus (Jn. 16:14).

This outpouring has also been deeply marked by a profound sense of the awe of God. God's majesty is often so overwhelmingly tangible that our only valid response is to silently behold Him (Rev. 8:1). These times of "Holy Hush" are profound, and as one person aptly captured, in our culture today silence and stillness is an absolute sign and wonder. Many have come out of these times with a deeper love and commitment to God. Others have found a profound freedom or experienced emotional or physical healing.

Stewarding the Divine
Our Core and Worship Teams play a crucial role in navigating our services. Their role is not to direct the proceedings but to comprehend what God is doing and help people step into and respond to whatever God is doing in a given moment.

Is this Revival?
This is a hard one to answer, for one, revival is not a word that you find in the pages of the Bible. Also, people mean so many different things when they talk about revival. For me, I understand revival as a way of describing a sustained "in-breaking" of the Kingdom of God. It is like the tap of the Kingdom gets turned on over a community or region in different ways, such as people coming into life-giving relationships with God, or people being spiritually renewed and rejuvinated, or communities at transformed.

The common hallmark of the many different expressions of revival is the manifestation of glory. Glory is the one word that comes closest to describing God in a single word. People who have experienced revival always reflect that the glory of God is unmistakably present. They describe a very tangible, undeniable, wonderful sense of the Spirit of the Living God presencing Himself in the midst of what is taking place. We certainly have that going on in our gatherings.

Regardless of whatever you want to call what God is doing in this outpouring, we are humbled and so very grateful. Week to week we pray that God will not lift His hand off us in the way He has been moving. However, we didn't start this, and it is not ours to "bottle" and possess. We just walk in absolute consciousness that we are living in a special moment in our church's history, and that we will lean into whatever God is doing.
 
Join Us on This Divine Journey
We have tried to comprehend the why and the what of the outpouring. A wise-leader counselled us to not overly think it. He explained that God is brooding over us, and that when God is brooding mode, our role is not to evaluate. All we know is that God is birthing something new in this day that is vital for the mission we are called to of revelation, liberation and restoration of Jesus and His Kingdom.

Regardless of your age or spiritual background, there's a place for you here to explore, experience, and discover more of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Come and taste and see that God is good (Ps. 34:8)

Dear Beloved New Life Family,

Eleven Sundays ago, Jodie prophesied at the start of our weekly gathering that God was wanting to encounter us afresh. No sooner had she declared this, that the Spirit of God started to powerfully envelop us.

This outpouring has continued ever since. We have adjusted our service plans to orientate ourselves around what God is doing. I have not preached over this time. God Himself is the message. Often God focuses on a specific thing in our gather times, be it shame removal, physical healing, a call to repentance and holiness or just revealing His love to us.  

Testimonies of Transformation
We have received many wonderful testimonies from people about how God has been refreshing, convicting, healing, transforming and speaking to them. People have had deep encounters with the Spirit of God. Some have had open visions.

Wonderfully, we have seen numbers of totally unchurched people come to the Lord in our meetings. What is clear is that God is at work and we love it.

Two people that had surrendered their lives to Jesus over recent weeks were baptized in the bathtubs of the people that had brought them to church .

Guidance for the Journey

I have been praying to God for a deeper insight into both the what and the why about what He is doing. Recently, a respected senior leader from a Canadian Leadership Network, who we have relationship with, contacted me to say that he felt the Lord had given him insight into what God was doing in New Life. He felt that the word was so significant that he needed to rearrange his schedule so that he could share the word of the Lord with Jodie and me.

God is Brooding over New Life

The essence of what he shared was that God is brooding over New Life. He reminded me that when God broods, He is in creative mode.

In Genesis 1:2 it says that, “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was HOVERING over the waters.” The word translated “hovering” in this verse, is a Hebrew word that can equally be translated “Brooding.” It is the same word used of a hen sitting on her eggs.

When God broods, He is resting upon us. Our role is to yield to His resting. Think of a hen sitting on her eggs. From an eggs perspective it must feel uncomfortable and even dark. The role of an egg in this process is to allow the hen to do what she is doing and to remain in the nest as long as she is incubating. Eggs that aren’t in the nest don’t get incubated and fail to birth their potential. I want to propose to you that this is a time to not miss a Sunday service. Don’t get above his brooding.  

When God broods, He separates light from darkness (Gen. 1:4). There is a deep healing and even a deliverance process happening at the moment. God is addressing things in our lives that have caused chaos and pain. One of the things I am hearing from lots of people is that as wonderful as they find what God is doing on Sundays, they are also finding that lots of emotional pain is being stirring up in their hearts. This is normal to hear in revival. In the light of God’s glory, things that laid hidden in the recesses of our heart are illuminated. He turns on His light to reveal and heal. Our response to this work is to lean into this process and unpack with Him the “dross” that He is refining (Ps. 66:10-12; Zec. 13:9).

When God broods, His Disire must be satisfied, not ours. God is recalibrating us and inviting us to align our wills with His will, laying down our personal ambitions and desires, and recalibrating our hearts. He is wanting to restore to us a passionate intimacy. Only this will satisfy Him. But God is using His love to woo us back to an unbridled first love. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19). He was to impregnate us His aroma so that people will smell Jesus on us in a way that will cause them to seek you out. Our world is starving for God’s pure, Holy love. God wants you to carry this, and the more you do the greater the light of God you will carry on you.

A Closing Prayer
“Heavenly Father, we submit to Your divine brooding, trusting in Your creative work within us. May we fall deeper in love with you and carry the aroma of Christ so that the world may seek Your love through us. Amen.”

In His Loving Service,

Matti