MESSAGE TO THE IGNORANT CHURCH

Description

Many observers of the Church in Africa have posited that so many uncircumcised hearts have become pastors. Many General Overseers, in their hastes for mega Churches, set up branches or parishes led by these pastors thereby increasing the number of gullible and victim Christians in this part of the world. The refrain has always been “the Lord called me to start a Church”… and who are you to say the Lord did not call them. But from the manifestations of so many of these Churches, very few of them were called by God.

It is within this context we see so many ‘rascals’ doing whatever they like in the name of ‘God called me’. In a largely illiterate and economically challenged society like ours, anybody waering an ecclesiastical garment is a man of God. Satan has entered the Church long ago, sitting not only on the pews but right on the altar. Only the discerning eyes can see this.

Many pastors are compromised. The words in their mouths are weak. Their prayers are not backed up with signs and wonders. The fire on their altars is dead. Therefore, the sick are many. The poor increasing daily. And because of this, we begin to wonder if the word of God is true, if He is still committed to His promises and covenants. There must be a revival in the land. There must be a change.

My focus is more on these individual independent Churches where no one could control them. So many of their founders submit to no one. They have no spiritual fathers to advise or supervise them. They have not gone through proper spiritual training, formal or informal, to know or establish a proper vision. They play Church as they think and interpret the Bible as they like. Once you are not satisfied by their standards, the gate is opened for you to leave. Gradually we are breeding a generation of victim-Christians, and vagabond-Christians impacting negatively on society. No wonder someone said the Church in Nigeria is a kilometre wide but an inch deep. The Church is Sick!

All I have written here are observations I have made across the Churches in so many years of being a journalist of the gospel, publishing Elifeonline.net and providing internet support for so many Churches across the land. The best condition for evil to thrive is for the good men to do nothing about it. Some of these commentaries I have posted on my walls on Facebook at different times, eliciting great responses. I have gained so much from the comments of my friends on Facebook, great men and women, intellectuals and intelligent people in their chosen fields.

I hope that those who would read these observations would attach some seriousness to it. Knowing fully well that the Church must change, march forward with zest and elan, that the gates of hell may not prevail against it.