By Toyin Adeniyi
Christians must move beyond acquiring biblical knowledge to demonstrating their faith through purposeful action, speakers at the Berean Bible Conference have said.
The Berean Bible Conference brought together participants physically and online for discussions centred on Scripture, spiritual development and the Church’s engagement with the contemporary world.
The conference which was held on Thursday October 1, brought speakers, such as Dr Tosin Awolalu and Dr Christiana Kigun, who emphasised that a commitment to Scripture should shape how believers engage with the world, particularly in responding to spiritual challenges and the suffering of others.
Delivering the keynote address, “The Berean DNA in Our Contemporary World,” Dr Tosin Awolalu challenged Christians to rediscover the principles that distinguished the early Bereans, particularly their readiness to examine Scripture and their commitment to understanding the truth.
Drawing from Acts 17:11, he explained that the Bereans’ example went beyond receiving religious teachings. Their willingness to search the Scriptures daily to verify what they heard, he said, established a model of spiritual identity rooted in careful inquiry rather than unquestioning acceptance.
For Dr Awolalu, this commitment to biblical truth must translate into a transformed way of life and a renewed sense of responsibility towards the world.
Using DNA as a metaphor for spiritual identity, he described believers as people called to reflect God’s nature through qualities such as love, wisdom, holiness, righteousness and justice.
He argued that understanding this spiritual identity is essential to effective discipleship, adding that Christians must allow the word of God to influence their character and actions.
Dr Awolalu also called for a stronger missionary culture among believers, describing mission as an expression of God’s purpose to reconcile the world to Himself.
“If we must experience an Acts 2 move of God, we need an Acts 1 spiritual preparation and an Acts 17:11 DNA,” he said, highlighting the relationship between spiritual preparation, biblical understanding and the growth of the Church.
He added “The Berean spirit is not merely about knowing the Bible; it is about allowing the truth we discover to govern our lives and shape our witness.”
He further urged Christians to confront teachings they consider unbiblical by returning to Scripture and directing people towards Jesus Christ rather than making the pursuit of arguments their primary objective.
“Whenever we defend the truth, our goal should be to point people to Christ, not simply to win a debate,” he said.
The challenge of putting faith into practice was also central to Mrs Christiana Kigun’s presentation, “The Word That Dwells Among Us: God’s Presence in a Broken World.”
Dr Mrs Kgun, a clinical social worker and mental health advocate examined how the Christian understanding of God’s presence should influence the Church’s response to human suffering.
Drawing from John 1:14, she explained that the incarnation of Christ reveals a God who does not remain distant from the pain and brokenness of humanity.
God’s presence does not mean that people will never face pain,” she said. “It means, poverty, rejection and injustice among the realities confronting people, noting that God’s presence does not necessarily mean such circumstances will immediately change.
Instead, she pointed to the assurance of God’s presence through difficult seasons, drawing from Psalm 23:4 to explain that Christian hope acknowledges hardship without surrendering to despair.
Dr Mrs Kigun also highlighted biblical accounts of emotional distress, including Elijah’s exhaustion, David’s anguish and Jesus’ sorrow before His crucifixion. These examples, she explained, demonstrate that Scripture makes room for honest expressions of pain, fear and grief.
“Faith does not require us to pretend that everything is fine,” she said. “The Bible gives us language for grief, fear and exhaustion, while reminding us that God remains present.”
Beyond recognising suffering, she challenged Christian communities to uphold the dignity of people experiencing difficult circumstances, stressing that individuals should not be defined solely by their diagnoses, mistakes, traumatic experiences or painful histories.
“People are more than their diagnosis, their mistakes or the worst thing that has happened to them,” she said. “The Church must learn to see the person before the problem.”
Her presentation drew particular attention to the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25 -37, using the account to illustrate how compassion becomes meaningful when it leads to concrete assistance.
The Samaritan’s response to the wounded traveller, from approaching him to providing immediate and continuing care, offered an example of compassion that goes beyond sympathy.
Dr Kigun said Christian communities should create environments where people are seen, heard and valued, reflecting the compassion demonstrated by Jesus towards those who suffer and are marginalised.
“Compassion is not only feeling for someone, it is moving towards them and taking responsibility for the help they need,” she said.
While Dr Tosin Awolalu focused on the need for believers to develop a firm biblical foundation and embrace their missionary calling, Dr Christiana Kigun explored how the presence of God should be reflected in the Church’s treatment of people experiencing hardship.
Together, their messages raise a challenge for Christians to ensure that faith is expressed not only in what believers know and profess, but also in how they live, serve and respond to the needs of others.
