What is the focus of the conference?
It is all about rejuvenating our pastors; it is all about equipping them to face the challenges of the church in Nigeria; it is all about spirituality. We are a church and we are ministers of God. We should stay faithful to what God has given us to deliver and not water down the gospel. We are not to pander to highly-placed or rich people, but to be true to the word and that is why we chose the theme for this year as A Generation that does not know God, taken from Judges Chapter 2 verse 10. So, we have chosen the theme so that we can encourage our pastors to reach out to the new generation, that is the youth, children and young people; not only the young people, but also the old people that are yet to receive Jesus Christ.
While delivering your speech, you said orthodox churches are facing challenges from the new generation ones. Is ECWA not losing grip of the reality of this age?
No, I think what we are trying to say is that the world is changing. Times change, culture evolves, but the basic gospel, the nature of man, remains the same. Man is a sinner, and the solution to sin is repentance. You cannot change the message of repentance; repentance is repentance both now and forever. Sin will remain the same, your nature and my nature will never change, but we are deceived into culture change. The way we dress changes. The food we eat may change; how we talk may change, but deep down, man remains a human being. So, the gospel is constant. Although the world is changing, the challenge is how to take something that is permanent and introduce it to the changing time. That is the challenge, and that is why we are encouraging our pastors to be students of the Word and also students of the world. So, we have to study the Word and then study the world so that we can deliver the Word in time.
Do you plan to introduce your pastors to ICT for evangelical work?
Yes, we are already doing that. That’s why you see this university, it is our own [university]; it has a department of ICT. In fact, some months ago, we brought pastors here, and they went through that in our university.
What is your message for Nigerians, particularly as the government tackles the challenges facing the core country?
The government is grappling with corruption; they are grappling with evil; they are grappling with lawlessness. Well, that is what the church is about, that is what the theme for this year is about. We have been confronting evil even before President Muhamadu Buhari came to power, and we will continue to confront evil long after Buhari is gone. So, we are with the government; we are with the police; we are with the security agencies, because a God-fearing believer will not commit murder, will not steal, will not insult, and will be at peace.
We are helping the government produce God-fearing citizens, law-abiding citizens. We encourage the government to also enforce the rule of law. Let government bring those people who broke the law to book. Instead, it is those of us who obey the law that are being tormented, that are being persecuted. It is our churches that are being burnt and destroyed; it is our young girls that are being forced into marriage, and it is the role of the government to protect all citizens. Government has established a law, we have a constitution, let them abide by the constitution, irrespective of who is affected. The rule of law says nobody is above the law. If I commit an offence, I come under the law, but how many people are being brought to book today? My call to Nigeria is, if this country is 90 per cent Christians and Muslims, then there should be no country as peaceful as Nigeria, because if Islam is a religion of peace, Christianity is a religion of peace, then why do we have war?
What is your take on the war against corruption and the perceived attacks on Christians across Nigeria?
Let’s pray that God will grant us peace, and secondly, let’s pray for the government that is charged with the responsibility of ensuring and enforcing law and order. As a church, we are doing our part by praying to God to grant us peace in this land. But government has to punish those who do evil. It is sad that sometimes, those who do evil are instead rewarded with contracts, rewarded with appointments, rewarded with promotions.
For us to have peace, do you know that the government is supposed to be ruling on behalf of God; that every government have been established by God for the sake of peace. So, as a church we are doing our part, encouraging our members not to be violent, not to retaliate because that is not in our character, that is not in the character of Jesus. I’m calling on all Christians to desist from retaliation. Whatever happens, God sees all. That is not to say we have no right to defend ourselves. We have a God-given right; if anyone comes to your house to attack you, you have the right to defend yourself.
I call on all Nigerians, if you are attacked, you have the right to defend yourself. Don’t wait on the government because government can’t do everything. I’m calling on our communities, our community leaders to prepare in the event of being attacked so that you will be able to defend your communities and families. So, that is what I’m calling for. The first thing is restraint, and secondly, for government to do more. Government should endeavour to enforce the rule of law. Where there is no law, there is chaos, there is crisis. I have many examples to give of law enforcement agencies turning their eyes from evil. The law is not enforced evenly.
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