Speakers charge church leaders to get their bearing right

Church leaders, ministers and workers have been advised to lead souls to Christ by their actions and deeds, as it is the mandate bestowed on them by God.

The call was made at a workshop, which held at the Faith Family Bible Church in Lagos, organised by Ministers of God Prayer Network International (MGPNI), with the theme, ‘Healing the church to heal the nation.’

Bishop Bola Oyegbami, national president, MGPNI said what Nigerians are facing presently has its bearing from the governing spiritual atmosphere. “If the church is to advance the prophetic destiny of the nation, power should be made available from the nation to move or influence the church. We should not blame the secular leaders for the state of the nation, rather the church and its leaders, because in the sight of God, the Judge, the church has responsibility towards the nation,” he said.

While noting that majority of the problems faced in the nation include non-preservation and maintenance culture, social insecurity, lack of good governance and partisan politics, Bishop Oyegbami added that the church needs to stand as the watchman, so that the ‘gate’ of Nigeria in captivity will be opened through the Holy Spirit by the Word of God.

“The church should raise a strong and sustainable altar for the nation to be strengthened. We need to practise a culture revolution, to change our mindset as a people and a nation,” he urged.

Bishop Bank Jefferson, guest speaker and founder, Mercy Tabernacle, Ogba, Lagos, while speaking on the decay in the society, which to a large extent is as a result of the church’s shortfall, said until the church gets it right, the society cannot be healthy and corruption free. He said: “The church today prides itself more in our possession than human life and that is the corruption that has eaten deep into our society.”

He said that in the past, the church used to be known as a place for paupers, where service is held in uncompleted buildings, school classrooms and tents.

“That is why we appreciate men of God such as the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa, who brought grace into Pentecostalism and today, churches own mega auditoriums, which shows that grace is evident in the church.

“We have, however, personalised and misappropriated the product of God’s Grace in our lives and that is where the church missed it. What is wrong with the society is the same as the church, today’s leaders do not go there to serve the people, but for their personal enrichment. We should not be worried about sharing our heritage. Life does not consist of how much you can gather for self-enrichment and wealth, but ensuring that souls are won for Christ.”