The kind of Church Nigeria needs

We thank God for the many churches that abound in our streets, our cities, even our villages. We thank God for the many souls that have been saved through these churches. We thank God that raised very many men of God in our nation through whose ministries these thousands of souls have been saved. We also thank God for the various young men and women whom God is still raising to be used for His glory.

However, on having a critical look at the situation in our nation, one would recognize that there is one particular church which is yearning for ministers. I Corinthians 12:28 says: And God hath set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. We have seen apostles; we have prophets. Teachers of the word abound in our nation. We hear a lot of miracles and healing testimonies in our assemblies. We have experts in church administrators or government. But Helps - where are your ministers? And this happens to be an important ministry, considering the state of our nation today.

We read a lot in the media about our indigent and distressed brothers and sisters. Nigeria social problem can be likened to that of England in the nineteenth century. As Geoffrey Hanks described the situation then in his book – 70 Great Christians – There was a startling rise in number of homeless children; population drift from the countryside into the towns increased the number of distressed citizens.

A pamphlet entitled ‘The Bitter Cry of Outcast London’ in 1883 pointed out that while Evangelicals were building their churches, the poor had been growing poorer, and the gap between them and the churches and the chapels had been widening. As a result of the publicity, homes for boys and girls were set up by the likes of George Muller who up to the time of his death, 10,024 orphans had been cared for, educated and given a firm grounding in the Christian faith. Other homes were founded as a result of evangelical missions.

Thank God that in their case, it was recorded that the social conscience of the church was touched by the publicity and some where moved to begin some social work. Are you touched by the plight of the distressed in our neighborhood? Will our churches be awakened? Apostle James, who was a leader in the early church, wrote: If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food. And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth if profit? James 2:15.

Narrating further, Geoffrey Hanks wrote that, Men of God like William Booth and Thomas Bernado, in their time, viewed evangelism and social work as two sides of the same coin. They did not only preach the love of God but put it into action. It was recorded that Booth realized that people do not respond to the gospel on an empty stomach. As a result, he opened ‘soup kitchen’, also ‘food-for-the-million-shops’ were cheap three meals were available. For these men, it is not evangelism alone, neither is it healing alone.

Is it your opinion that taking care of the destitute is the sole responsibility of the government? In the same book, while introducing Elizabeth Fry, the prison reformer, a Christian like me and you, Geoffrey opined that many of the great humanitarian reforms of the past two hundred years or so have mostly been achieved as a result of private enterprise, and the government has been conspicuous by its absence. However, what usually started as a personal campaign at the initiative of ordinary people was later taken over by the government.

It could be argued that unless individuals had first pioneered a cause, government would not attempt anything unless forced to do so by some disaster or other. In our case, the government seems to be doing more than us, yet we call ourselves Christians – followers of Christ. Let us check if we are genuinely following Christ. Jesus had compassion on the multitude. He healed them, but He also fed them.

I thank God for the few good-spirited Nigerians who are already doing something in this regard. We should be challenged that many of them are not into Christian ministry. We thank God for some in government, who are doing something. God will abundantly bless them including the few ministers who had faced this work of grace. As well, we challenge our big churches that are also pursuing God’s given mission of expanding the church, miracles, healings and evangelism but currently doing little in taking care of the physical need of the fold, especially those in special need.

Some may argue that there are too many people to take care of. Oh thou of little faith! You have faith that God can heal all diseases, you invite every man and woman to your church with the faith He is able to save to the uttermost, you have faith that your church can build that mighty edifice in your imagination, but when it comes to taking care of everyone in need, you doubt that God can do it through you.

I appeal to my fellow aspiring ministers to lay aside this brainstorming – trying to coin a name for your proposed new church, to be located near an existing one in the street. For it now seems difficult to form new word combinations, an angelic name for our new church – almost all possible angelic word combinations have been exhausted. Rather let us embrace this ministry of helps. But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. I Cor. 12:31.

Let the name of our new church be the Church of Helps – where worshippers can hear the word of God, get few spoonfuls of rice for their stomach, find shelter to sleep and find clothing, even a used one from a fellow church member. And if possible get taught in skills that can fetch them little money, while we all await the coming of the Lord.

Let us boast of faith with good works instead of only faith as many do. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. James 2:18.

-transJordan

Good article, hope the Nigerian Pastors listen and care for the less previlege in our society.