A professor and Bishop of the Church of Nigeria , Anglican Communion, Dapo Asaju has observed that many of the messages being preached on the pulpits in many Nigerian churches are not the gospel but messages that only appeal to the emotion of people and their sensual desires.
He made the observation at the solemn assembly organized by the Eclectic Network in Lagos on Saturday January 28.
Eclectic Network is an organization being run by Rev. Dr. Moses Iloh to sensitive Christians on the need to be actively involved in governance and to live the life of Christ wherever they find themselves. The network holds annual solemn assembly where issues of national interest are discussed.
Asaju who was the main speaker at the 2012 assembly of the network pointed out that Nigeria is where it is today because the church is not doing its work of evangelism and reaching out to the lost.
According to him, the Church is facing open attack from Islam because there has been so much complacency on the part of Church leaders. He recalled, “The church in North Africa was involved in all kinds of complacency and argument over mundane things, that is why Islam was able to sweep through it. North Africa which used to be a Christian region has since been overtaken by Islam. If we are not careful, we may experience similar onslaught in Nigeria if our leaders continue the way they live.”
Asaju who is also the dean of Crowther Graduate School of Theology observed further that the church has degenerated so much that many Christians no longer have regard for the things of God. “What I have observed over the years is that there is lack of conviction among many Christians. Many Christians don’t even know what they believe. There is a need for our pulpits to be converted. There is a cross of Christianity which many preachers don’t preach. We don’t have watchmen in the land” he lamented.
On the threat of Boko Haram, Asaju observed that there is need to the church to come together and pray against the onslaught of the Islamic fundamentalist group. He however noted that prayer is not enough. “We must do more than pray. We must begin to sensitize ourselves on the need to be security conscious. Christians must do everything to defend themselves. But I can assure you that the present situation will lead to a revival in the church.”
He also advocated the need for a Christian leadership school where a new generation of leaders can be molded noting that, “It is difficult to be a leader under the present structure and perform.”
In his own remark the convener of the programme, Dr. Moses Iloh warned Christians against a grand design to lure Christians away from the faith. He said God showed to him some years ago that Chinese Companies will flood Nigeria and provide jobs for Christian youths with a caveat that they should work on Sunday. “It is coming and Christians should begin to pray against this onslaught. There will be jobs in the land but people will be asked to come and work and Sunday. Many Christians will be deceived they will take the job and pay tithes to the church. It is a ploy of the enemy to distract people from God and make them serve mammon.”
The eclectic assembly attracted men and women from all walks of Nigeria .
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