Abdulraheem Aodu
18 November 2008
Kaduna — Nigerian Christian preachers have been urged to preach true Christianity in order to overcome the various developmental challenges facing the nation rather than exposing their congregations to the pretext of seeking prosperity and breakthroughs.
Ukraine based Nigerian preacher, Pastor Sunday Adelaja made the call yesterday while addressing newsmen in Kaduna in preparation for a Christian crusade in the city. He noted that money and material resources had been overemphasised by some preachers to the detriment of salvation and service, adding that this must stop if the preachers want to touch lives and improve the Christian community. "Money has been overemphasized and overstated in Nigeria and we have understated service and responsibility. All these noises of breakthrough and mass robbery of offering must stop for service and responsibility must go ahead of money and other demands of today. If we continue this way for the next 20 years, we will lose relevance, it is not about spoiling towns with billboards but to touch people's lives and have good leadership", he said.
Adelaja who is the founder of the Embassy Church of God noted that there are various social roles being played by the church which had made it become the largest evangelical church in Europe ministering in 45 countries. "We are working on social ills like drug addiction, alcoholism, crime, poverty and the political sphere since what we strongly believe is change. We have over 300 networks championing this cause. We believe that the church should not just be within the four corners of the church"
Speaking on poverty which is one of the major problems facing the world and creating economic empowerment against the backdrop of poor human development, Adelaja said, "We started GS Micro finance Bank with N250 million, giving loans and mentoring business men and women and inculcating ideas in them, and now our base is about N500 million and our target is to raise 1 billion by March 2009." He added that there are Europeans in his entourage who are looking at the possibility of investing in Nigeria and looking forward to partnering with Nigeria's business community and investors.
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The "church in Nigeria"? What, in the name of Zeus, is THAT supposed to mean, pastor?
To a catholic, it means the catholic church, and ultimately, doctrinally, the Pope in Rome; to a protestant, what? A zillion voices will answer, with a 'church' around each bend, thanks to the theoretical naivete of Martin Luther, the alleged father of the protest-ant heretical, according to Catholic doctrine, movement.
Kindest Felicitations.
I agree with Pastor Adelaja and the comment. The Bible says 'See first the kingdom of heaven and ALL things shall be added',including the prosperity that is being preached about. So,preachers will only be putting the cart before the horse if they start first by preaching prosperity.Jesus also said 'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising in the name of the Father.....teaching them to observe ALL that I have taught you.'Imagine, some Preachers dont even take the Holy communion as often as they preach prosperity.
If the pastor is mired in doctrinal misunderstanding, agreeing or disagreeing with him is logically absurd.
Anyway, where is your evidence that "Jesus" preached the doctrine of "universal conversion" (my diction)?
And, who is the "Father"?
Are muslims to be converted too? Note that there were no Muslims, at least literally (the Qur'an thunders that all prophets of Allah, and "Jesus" is determined as prophet in the doctrinal code of Islam, are Muslims) when Jesus is supposed to have 'lived.'
Best Regards.
I think its a call that is long overdue, considering the failure of the church in Nigeria in addressing declining societal values, in our quest for financial emancipation via the gospel. A wholesome gospel approach, with responsible christianity is the solution. Check out the number of governors and politicians in the last regime, whose hands are soiled in corruption, but they are active leaders in our churches. Our preachers should wake up to this godly duty of calling society at large, and the church in particular to order, cos we are the salt of the earth. Thanks Pastor Adelaja.
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