Reverend Emmanuel Godfrey is the senior pastor of Trinity Family Worship Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos and the brains behind Family Summit initiative. In this interview with SEYI SOKOYA, he speaks on the essence of family value on the society and national issues.
Can you tell us what influenced your popular programme tagged, “Family Summit”?
The ministry is directly ordered by the Holy Spirit and draws inspiration from the scripture, knowing fully well that the family union is an institution ordained by God. The family is a creation of God; as such, the family is fundamentally the first social institution. The difference between carnal believers and spiritual believers is that we are led by the spirit of God. Don’t forget this is Trinity Family Worship Centre. We talk about God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. From the beginning, the Bible says: “And God said let us make man in our own image.”
The word man there is like a generic term depicting male and female, and the trinity are the first spiritual family. Through this ministry the families of the earth shall be blessed; the distorted family values shall be restored, and if we get it right – family wise, the society will be alright because the family is the nucleus of the society.
What is the essence of family value on the larger society?
If we could fix the family; if we could return to the original state of how God ordained the family to be – the society will not have problems. The reason we have societal problems today is because family values have been distorted – that is why Jesus is drawing our attention back to the beginning; because from the beginning it was not so. It is high time the world came together and knew that the solution to the societal problems lies with the family – if we can fix the family, we can fix the world.
Outside biblical solutions, what are other psychosocial solutions that can be adapted to change this trend?
Fundamentally, the family is the first social institution. In every society; if you want to bring a change socially, it must start from the family. I think we should advocate a ministry of the family – giving attention to the family. If you could solve the problem from the foundation of the family; we will be able to solve academic problems. Can you imagine the kind of rulers we have? They are not leaders,withall our university students out of schools. They are making budgets and it seems nobody cares; yet ASUU is on strike. I think for us to get it right let’s go back to the family. The government should give the desired attention to the families, and we will get it right. The change we need, if it starts from the family, it will be able to permeate into the society and we will get the solutions.
How can we address issues of foster children in the society?
Once we have the right family values – no matter the family challenges; everybody knows that God is the one that gives children. So, what the family needs to do is to come together. Once there is unity, the family unit builds some kind of synergy that is capable of handling any challenges that the family faces; be it spiritual, financial, political, or academic. If the family unit comes together, I believe there is no challenge that the family will not be able to surmount.
Taking a close look at the Christian families of today, there seems to be an increase in domestic violence and divorce among young couples. As a cleric focused on family values, how can this be addressed?
This holy convocation is targeting the family. This is not a political gathering; this is not a sports gathering; this is not a religious gathering; it is a spiritual gathering where we bring families together to address the issues affecting them. No matter how much you are anointed, if you don’t do it right; going back to the original intention of the Trinity, drawing inspiration from the beginning – the bible says: let us make man, the Holy Ghost did not disagree with Jesus the son; the son did not disagree with God the father – they came together and formed the family. The family is a creation of God – so you may be religious and not spiritual. One of the imports of this gathering is that we are drawing the attention of the society and believers back to the basis. If I fear God and I know the way God had ordained the family to be, I will not beat my wife. I will not defraud my wife; I will not do things that are inimical to the interest of the family because the bible is my family manual. The rate of divorce we have today is even out-numbering marriages including Christian families. So, a Christian family may be challenged with domestic violence; but if they could go back to the basics, go back to the word of God, no matter the hi-generation (fast lane) challenges, the family will remain together.
What is your advice to the electorates following the preparation for the 2023 general election?
Although we are in the world, we are not of the world. But, it is incumbent on us, as one of our responsibilities, to choose our leaders, as one of the elements of democracy. So, I’m using this opportunity to stimulate interest from all believers in Nigeria; this is the time for us to take back our country. Get your PVC; go and exercise your franchise. You know the people that have been oppressing you; you know the people that have been oppressing the families in Nigeria – this is a time for us to use our votes and send them into political oblivion. This is the time for all Nigerians to mobilise and it is not enough to be rhetorical about it – it is time for action.
Nigerian electorates must use their PVC well, and it must be in conformity with our conscience and Christian values – don’t sell your votes; we are not Esau generation, we must not trade our birthright. Christians are more in this country, and we must exercise our civic responsibilities because when the righteous are enthroned the people rejoice; when wicked men are enthroned, the people, like we have been having in Nigeria – suffer. Enough is enough, God has risen, but our responsibility as believers must not be abdicated. We must exercise it and vote rightly, and vote the people that will protect the interest of our families.
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