Isn't it possible for the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to unify the body of Christ as one indeed for the development of the country ? Definitely, CAN can.

I have been musing lately on why we can't have a Christian banking system just like we have Islamic banking, where JAIZ Bank operates its principles. Imagine a university owned by CAN where indigent secondary school certificate holders can go to acquire tertiary education at an affordable tuition fee. What of having a hospital or vocational school all owned by CAN for affordable health care and the acquisition of skills for youths to be empowered?

The schism in the body of Christ contributes to the economic hardship we are facing in our present Nigeria, and churches are really in stern competition with one another. Look at the huge edifices various churches are building, numerous universities owned by churches, and other business enterprises. I have nothing against all these, but it's time for the churches to unify to salvage the plights of Christians in general, irrespective of the churches they identify with.

The book of first Corinthians twelve, and in verse twenty-five (I Cor 12 vs. 25), says, "That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another." So far there is a nomenclature that brings all churches into one umbrella called the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), representing the body of Christ in Nigeria. It will not be out of good will to jointly have a university, which could be called "The Christian Association of Nigeria University (CANUni)." This university will serve the purpose of making tertiary education affordable to all and sundry, especially in a country where we have many indigent ones that cannot afford furthering their education after secondary school education and drop-outs of university as a result of finance. It will be the commitment of all churches under the CAN umbrella that will be financing this university. All fingers are not equal, so it will be expected that megachurches and top genuine Christian doyens of industries support the funding of this university. The university should be purely for the poor masses of all our churches in Nigeria. I know the question will be, How can we truly identify the poor masses in every church? The answer, which is not far-fetched, is that the pastor of each church knows families that are really poor and cannot afford tuition fees in the tertiary institutions. Definitely, this university will not be based on mediocrity but on merits. Students who do not pass SSCE talk more of JAMB won't be given admission. There are more modalities to this, but we have to look into alleviating the plights of Christians in Nigeria, especially in this bleak economy.

Someone may say, Why should the university be for only poor Christians and not open to all religious faiths? Although I have an answer to that from the book of my Galatians, chapter six, and in verse ten (Galatians 6 vs. 10), it says, "Let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." This is not to say that other religious faiths cannot benefit from the dreamed CAN University, but dominantly, it will be of the Christian faith. A small percentage may be open to the poor masses of other religious faiths who can scale through the requirements.

In the book of Leviticus, chapter twenty-five, and in verses thirty-six to thirty-seven (Lev 25 vs. 36-37), God says, "Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest...or take a profit from them." This is the principle of the Islamic banking system. I looked at most banks we have in Nigeria; most of their CEOs are of Christian faith, and they are milking Nigerians, especially the poor, exorbitantly with their capitalist banking policies. CAN can also come up with a banking system similar to that of Islamic banking, which prohibits profit on loans and also mandates its banks to share their profit with both depositors and investors because the depositors are also seen as owners of the capital used in making profits. What a huge development will the Christian banking system be to youths and even young adults with entrepreneurship skills who get interest-free loans to develop business ideas that can transform the nation's economy and create wealth for the nation.



I know CAN is not for profit-making, but these are initiatives that can help the slogan of the association, "That all may be one(John 17 vs. 21)."



CAN have to rise to alleviate the economic plights of Nigerian Christians. This is part of Jesus Christ's gospel and teachings. III John verse 2: "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as their soul prospereth." So Christ is not just concerned with our souls, but our well-being is paramount to Him as well. CAN can have CAN universities, CAN vocational centres, CAN hospitals, and CAN banks all for the propagation of the gospel.


https://whatwentwrongafrica..com/2024/09/can-can.html