The South West Chairman of the Nigeria Evangelical Missions Association, Evang. Lekan Amusan has decried the wrong notion of the Church about missions saying that is the reason the church is not making progress in winning the lost.
He made the observation during a chat with Church Times on the 2023 convention of South West NEMA billed to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State from September 13-16.
Amusan said, “Many Christians have this notion that mission is for some called people who have special grace upon their lives. As a result, they abdicate their responsibility of reaching out to the lost the way they should.
“But from the scriptures, we understand that missions is not for some special people but for all Christians. Every Christian irrespective of their profession should see themselves as missionaries. That is the narrative we want to push in our coming conference.”
The NEMA chair explained that if Christians understand that they could do missions in whatever profession they find themselves, the church won’t be in lack labourers for the harvest. “Every professional is a missionary.
“If you are a doctor, the hospital is your mission field. If you are a teacher, the school is your mission field. Christians should have that orientation that their workplace is their mission field. It is not until you go to the bush that you can do the work of a missionary.”
Amusan who will be completing his second term as NEMA chair for South West in a couple of months from now, said if every Christian has this understanding, the work of missions will be easy.
Conference and laypeople
Pastor Lekan Amusan
Giving insight into the theme for the conference, he said, “The theme is my meat and his work. We are going to be looking at what is the meat and what is the work. We want to break down issues around missions so that both the pew and the pulpit will see their part in the assignment that God has given the church.”
He said the conference will empower every Christian with tools that will help them do missions irrespective of where they find themselves. “That is why this year’s conference is not for the so-called missionaries alone. It is for all Christians who have an understanding of the need to reach out to the lost.
“It is for every church worker. We are using this opportunity to invite every believer to be part of the conference. We want to make them understand that they don’t have to quit their jobs like regular missionaries before they can do missions.”
“This Conference is about what should preoccupy our heads, heart, and hands. It’s a call for us to labour with finishing the assignment as a goal.
“Our emphasis at the conference will be on the priesthood of all believers and to make it plain that every Christian is a missionary. We shall take a close look at our Meat(Professions, Calling s, Businesses, Carrier and desires) vis -a -vis His work
“We shall look at every portion, part, and scope of the work and show to all that everyone has a place. God’s Agenda must be our timetable as a Church and believers in particular”
Amusan noted that the mission awareness in the church is increasing by the day. He, however, added that there is a need to mobilise more people for the work of evangelising the world.
2000 expected at conference
He said about 2000 participants are expected at the conference which according to him will mark a new beginning for NEMA. The conference according to him is open for students, community leaders, professionals, businesses men & women, pastors and missionaries, artisans, and Christian organizations
“It is the beginning of a new era for NEMA’s southwest zone. We are now beginning to see that we need to mobilise enough people so that both the city and field will be fully engaged. If every church worker knows he is a missionary, we will not lack people to send to the field. That is why it is important for all Christian organisations to be part of this conference.” he said.
