OPEN LETTER TO ALL KINGDOM PERSONS (3)

It can bear repetition here that the original plan of God was for his sons to tend the family estate, the Garden of Eden, as a loving contribution to the sustenance of the family heritage. Work as we know it today, that is the work-to-eat, work as a means of “putting food on the table” and “getting the good things of life” was not God’s original intention for his children. It came with the original curse and which was only further expounded in the curse of the law. Recall that it was after our forebears, Adam and Eve, had eaten of the forbidden fruit that God handed Adam the punishment of having to work for a living.

We have seen from the Bible that God’s kingdom on earth is one of sons, not servants or slaves. We have seen that God has not called upon his sons to serve him in order to “earn their keep.” This was clearly demonstrated by the story of the prodigal son, who did not lose his status as a son to become a servant, even when he had claimed and wasted his inheritance. We have read that God does not approve of the rat race to fend for ourselves, preferring instead that we “seek first the kingdom.”

Many of us might already be wondering: how working to provide for my family is the rat race? Am I supposed to seat idly by and watch my children go hungry? Not even ministers of God do that! This is a legitimate issue to raise, and it is possibly the best place to continue our discussion today.

First, let me explain what the rat race is. A basic dictionary meaning of the phrase is, “fiercely competitive struggle for position, power, etc.” Another meaning is “the endless and futile attempt to achieve something that is unachievable and the competition with others involved in that futile attempt.” A third meaning is “an endless, self-defeating or pointless pursuit”

It has its origins, according to an online source, in “the traditional image of rats being used in laboratory experiments such as placing them in mazes or on treadmills in order to test their learning ability or measure their energy under certain conditions, respectively. The poignancy of this lay in the fact that whatever series of activities laboratory rats might engage in, it gets them nowhere. Wikipedia puts it like this: “It conjures up the image of the futile efforts of a lab rat trying to escape whilst running around a maze or in a wheel. In an analogy to the modern city, many rats in a single maze expend a lot of effort running around, but ultimately achieve nothing (meaningful) either collectively or individually.”

Two things stand out here, among others – competition and futility. That these two are not of God is borne out of the truth that in a kingdom of sons, there is no room for competition, only cooperation. The futility is underlined by the word of God in Matthew chapter 6 which says in verse 27: “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?”

It can bear repetition here that the original plan of God was for his sons to tend the family estate, the Garden of Eden, as a loving contribution to the sustenance of the family heritage. Work as we know it today, that is the work-to-eat, work as a means of “putting food on the table” and “getting the good things of life” was not God’s original intention for his children. It came with the original curse and which was only further expounded in the curse of the law. Recall that it was after our forebears, Adam and Eve, had eaten of the forbidden fruit that God handed Adam the punishment of having to work for a living.

The relevant passage of the Bible reads: “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return ...Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken (Genesis 3:17-19,23). Some other translations of the Bible render the core verse(s) this starkly: “…you'll get your food the hard way, Planting and tilling and harvesting, sweating in the fields from dawn to dusk…” (The Message); “You will have to sweat to earn a living…” (CEV); “By the sweat of your brow, you will produce food to eat…” (GW); and “By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat…” (NLT).

It can also bear repetition that one of the “finished works” of the Lord Jesus is the reversal of the curse and return to status quo ante, the state we were before the curse. That is the reasonable, not to say, revelational import this declaration of Apostle Paul in chapter 3 of the book of Galatians: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree… (verse 13).

This derives from the Jewish law as recorded in Deuteronomy 21:22 & 23 as follows: “And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.”

It is not generally appreciated that God could have permitted some other ways for Jesus to die besides hanging on a tree, as crucifixion became known. But if he had, and his body never hung on a tree, Jesus’ death and resurrection might have met the conditions for other components of the salvation package, but the curse would have remained. It is this critical factor that was also responsible for God’s acquiesce, as it were, with Christ’s crucifixion outside the city gates! These were both requirements for cleansing the Jews from the repercussions of sin by anyone of its condemned citizens, and it was made applicable to taking away the curse.

These are all truths of Scripture that all of us need to acquaint ourselves with, meditate upon and appropriate. But it’s really up to us. We need, as individuals, to settle in our heart whether we still live under the curse or not. This is an important question because once answered, it would affect our attitude to what our hands have found to do. It would determine whether you are working for a living or serving your father. It would be a good indication of your understanding of your status in Christ - slave, servant or son.

I am certain that the question on many lips, at this point, is how do I take care of my needs if I am not supposed to work for living? And that precisely is the problem: we live under the illusion that we are responsible for providing for ourselves; whereas that is not true. You are no more able to meet your needs than a field of lilies is able to clothe itself! That is what your Father said in St Matthew’s gospel. He says it is his duty to provide for you and he’s not about to shirk his responsibilities to you. He says you should mind your own business, which is seeking the Kingdom and all its righteousness. He says once you do that, those things that you are preoccupying yourself with will pale into insignificance; you’ll discover that they are additions or “jara” as my Hausa brothers would have put it. They are the icing on the cake.

So, each time we go on our knees to pray and we start and end with those so-called needs with the fervency of a servant pleading for a raise, we call God a liar. Each time we inundate heaven with prayer for sustenance, we are wasting time and energy on the puny things and leaving the real things unattended to. The kingdom is our assignment. The focus of our prayer should be that he reveals to us the department of the Father’s conglomerate he has posted us and the equipping we need to serve productively in that duty post as his loving children. God is calling us to a higher level in every area of our walk with him; away from mundane Babylonian pursuits and methods. (CONCLUDES NEXT WEEK)

OPEN LETTER TO ALL KINGDOM PERSONS (2)

The younger son knew his place in the family. He knew he was a son who had rights and privileges. Granted, he didn’t manifest the same appreciation of his obligations, but he wasn’t going around working his hands to the bone trying to earn a baby goat, that he “might make merry” with his friends. On the other hand his elder brother sure knew a thing or two about service! He was serving the father diligently, but clearly with a servant’s mentality. He couldn’t muster enough courage to ask his father for even a kid to party with!

I was saying that the line between son-ship and servant-hood seems to have become blurred in the consciousness of many of us, kingdom persons. We say we believe what the Bible says; that we are sons of God, by adoption through the finished work of Jesus Christ, and in line with God’s original plan. But we live like servants or slaves.

Yet, the difference is clear. The Pocket Oxford Dictionary describes a slave as a “person who is owned by and has to serve another”; it defines a servant “person employed to do domestic duties” but says of a son, “male descendant or inheritor of a quality”. A slave is owned by his master and is not even accorded the dignity of a free-will. A servant has to earn his keep. A son is an inheritor.

The Bible illustrates the difference in a very popular story told by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. We call it the parable of the prodigal son. Its main theme was love, the unconditional love a father had for his son. And it is an illustration of the love that our heavenly father has for us. I am sure you know the story graphically told in chapter 15 of the book of Luke. Let’s explore it together.

I am very sure you remember him, the impatient young man, the younger of two sons who approached his father in these words: “…Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me (verse 12). The father obliged. The concluding part of verse 12 says “And he divided unto them his living”. This son, continues the story, soon thereafter “…gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want (verses 13-14). You know what followed; he sought work and got one feeding pigs, hungered so much that he would have gladly shared the pigs’ lunch, but they won’t let him. When he came to himself, as the Bible puts it, he said: “…How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.”(17-19) He did as he had planned and the result must have astounded him. According to Dr Luke’s account his father saw him from afar off ran to welcome him with kisses and a warm embrace. Ignoring his plea to become a servant on account of having received his inheritance, “the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry (22-24).

This famous story has been told again and again to illustrate the unconditional love of God; and how we must emulate him. Correctly. The depravity of the wayward son has also been highlighted frequently to teach moral rectitude to all Christians, especially youths. Again, absolutely correctly. But let’s continue our exploration of the story.

As you well know, as the elder brother, of the runaway now returnee son, who had been at work for the father made his way home after a tiring day, he began to hear the sound of music and merriment wafting from his father’s house. Wondering if he had forgotten something, the Bible says he called one of the servants to inquire what the celebration was about. The servant replied: “...Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound” (27). He was livid with anger and, feeling unfairly treated, he refused to go in and join the merriment. Their father’s attempt to pacify him elicited this response: “…Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf” (29-30). To which, the father replied: “And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found” (31-32).

Indignation cannot be any more righteous than this. Indeed, that has been the focus of most teachings on this passage of scripture and it cannot be faulted. But a closer look reveals something more fundamental. The younger son knew his place in the family. He knew he was a son who had rights and privileges. Granted, he didn’t manifest the same appreciation of his obligations, but he wasn’t going around working his hands to the bone trying to earn a baby goat, that he “might make merry” with his friends. On the other hand his elder brother sure knew a thing or two about service! He was serving the father diligently, but clearly with a servant’s mentality. He couldn’t muster enough courage to ask his father for even a kid to party with! And that is in spite of the fact that his inheritance was readily available as evident from latter part of verse 12 which states that the father “divided unto them his living”.

The point being made here is while servants have to earn their keep, sons do not have any such obligations. No father provides for his son on the condition that he serves him. Fathers provide for their children out of love and as a duty. Masters pay their servants according the quality and quantity of their service. The Bible is very clear about this. Paul did not say my God shall supply all your needs according to how hard you’ve worked; it is according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus (see Philippians 4:19). Does this imply that sons have no responsibilities; that they do no kind of work; or that they just sit idling by? Not at all. Sons serve in the Family Business; they work to grow the family enterprise; they serve in love not out of compulsion or in order to “put food on the table”. I shall come back to this presently.

An oft-quoted passage of scripture, the full import of which seems lost on many children of God is in the Book of Matthew, chapter six. It is a graphic depiction of the rat race which the servant mentality has pushed us into. And it goes on to give the father’s heart on the matter. The New Living Translation renders it this way: “… I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (verses 25-33).

This passage had been widely seen and taught as an exhortation against anxiety - and it is. But it is much more than that. It is the Lord Jesus’ blueprint for true kingdom living. It is the prescribed lifestyle for kingdom persons who have successfully exorcised the servant mentality and have come into the fullness of son-ship. (CONTINUES NEXT WEEK)

OPEN LETTER TO ALL KINGDOM PERSONS

Now, many reading this already know and accept, as true, the biblical assertion that we are sons of God. Many might even be walking in this truth in some areas of their life. But many of us are slaves masquerading as servants; some others are servants parading as sons, while some of the very best are merely living on the fringes of sonship. And it shows glaringly in everything. It shows in the way we pray and what we pray for. It shows in the way we praise and worship God whom we say we have accepted as our father. It shows in our attitude to work; in how some of us have become slaves to work in the pursuit of what we call putting food on the table and providing for the family. It shows in how desperate we sometimes get in the pursuit of this all-important provision for the family such that compromise has become the norm even among Christians whether we are business persons, academics, politicians, civil servants or holders of high government posts.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, I am writing this letter to you from the very depth of my being. If you have been a reader of my weekly exertions, you probably know that there are a few basic assumptions about who you are; the most fundamental of which is that you know that there is a Kingdom of God on earth and that you either see yourself as belonging in that Kingdom already or would like to belong.

Now what is the Kingdom of God on earth? You most probably know that a kingdom is a territory ruled by a potentate by whatever name called. And wherever that territory may be, the will of that ruler prevails. The same applies to the Kingdom of God on earth. The simplest way to understand this is to refer to the prayer the Lord Jesus taught His disciples, famously called the Lord’s Prayer. Two lines of that prayer are relevant to the matter at hand and they read: Thy Kingdom come; thy will be done on earth; as it is in heaven (see Matthew 6:10). In other words, God already has a kingdom in heaven where his will is done and if the Lord Jesus is asking that we pray that his will be done, it is easy to see that he implies that God desires a Kingdom on earth where his will prevails. Now there are those who say that that kingdom is yet to be established; that it is to happen at a latter day. But of course there are those, like me, who believe that that kingdom is already in existence in the heart of millions of men and women who are living or are committed to living according to God’s will as expressed in his word, the Bible. The environment in which these kingdom persons operate and wield influence therefore represents and exemplifies the Kingdom of God on earth. The Church is the visible manifestation of that kingdom; it is the organism that works to keep the kingdom running and growing.

A major difference between this kingdom and other kingdoms is that whereas kingdoms of men normally consist of the king and his subjects. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of sons. That is to say that if you belong to the kingdom of God you are a son of God, not his subject or servant or slave. The Bible is clear about that. John 1:12 says: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”. Romans 8:14 corroborates: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

In order to understand the import of this, it might be necessary to tarry a while on this subject of God’s preference for a kingdom of sons. The Bible shows us that angels, who were the main population of heaven, were originally styled as sons of God. In the book of Job are passages that refer to angels, including the one who used to be known as Lucifer but had become satan, as “sons of God”. For example, Job 1:6 reads: “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.” Job 2:1 uses the phrase “among them” to further clarify who this sons of God were. It reads, “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord”.

When God decided to create his earthly kingdom, he began with a son, not a servant or slave. Proof of this is that God gave Adam dominion over all that he created, as in an inheritance. He did not ask him to keep and tend the garden as a condition for exercising dominion. Nor did he make his access to the things he had created commensurate to the quality or quantity of his garden-tending activities. Beyond that is the Bible’s express reference to Adam as the son of God in “Luke 3:38 –“Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God”. These should explain why Jesus’ work of redemption led inexorably to the restoration of man to sonship, not servanthood as indicated in the earlier quotes from the books of John and Romans. That should explain the designation of Jesus as “the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29). and the rest of us as: “…children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…”(Romans 8:17).

I have gone through all of these because what I am about to say in this letter will be meaningless unless we understand God’s concept of Kingdom, the kingdom he has called us into. That is why I am pausing at this juncture to pray, along with Apostle Paul that “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power" (Ephesians 1:17-19). For the avoidance of any doubts, this prayer is as much for you, my dear reader, as it is for me.

Now, many reading this already know and accept, as true, the biblical assertion that we are sons of God. Many might even be walking in this truth in some areas of their life. But many of us are slaves masquerading as servants; some others are servants parading as sons, while some of the very best are merely living on the fringes of sonship. And it shows glaringly in everything. It shows in the way we pray and what we pray for. It shows in the way we praise and worship God whom we say we have accepted as our father. It shows in our attitude to work; in how some of us have become slaves to work in the pursuit of what we call putting food on the table and providing for the family. It shows in how desperate we sometimes get in the pursuit of this all-important provision for the family such that compromise has become the norm even among Christians whether we are business persons, academics, politicians, civil servants or holders of high government posts.

Yes there is something of an Apollonian streak in even some of the very best of among us. Yes Apollo, remember him? The Bible describes him as eloquent and mighty in the scriptures. But he knew only the baptism of John. He had fervency and diligence, but as Apostle Paul would have put it, his zeal was “not according to knowledge.” The 18th book of Acts told his story like this: “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly…(Acts 18:24-26).

The story continues in Acts 19 where it was recorded that Paul met those to whom Apollos had ministered yesterday’s truth of baptism unto repentance and asked them if they had received today’s higher truth of baptism in the Holy Spirit. They hadn’t, because their teacher hadn’t either! Verses 4-6 of that concludes the story thus: “Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”

Today’s situation in Christendom is uncannily similar. Many of us seem content to continue skirting the fringes of sonship. Yet I know, without a shadow of doubt that, God is calling all of us who know that we know who we truly are in Christ Jesus, to a higher appreciation of our privileges and obligations as his children. In fact, from deep within me, I hear believe that, if there’s anything God wants us to hear and internalise today, it is this: “My sons, it’s time to purge yourselves of the servant mentality; there’s work in the family business.” (CONTINUES NEXT WEEK)

TAXATION AND THE CHURCH

In the third part of the serial, we painted the following scenario and raised a poser: “A ministry sustains itself from the tithes, offerings and other donations from members of the public, including, but not limited to its members and congregants. From this tax-free income, it establishes a book store, video and audio tape shop and sometimes even a printing press. Whether the materials and services sold in these outlets are solely those of that ministry or not, profit is made from such operations. Should such profit be tax-free particularly as the products and services are hardly ever subsidized?

As I write this, I am fully aware that I am reacting to a speculation. I am not aware that the Lagos state government or any other government has plans to tax the churches. What I believe I have heard said by Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos is that wage earners in ministry would be expected to pay tax, like every other income earner in the state. But the question has been on the questionnaire of virtually every journalist who has had an interview with a church leader lately.

For example, Sunday Independent’s last edition carried an interview with Rev Dr Felix Nwosu, General Overseer of Christ Foundation Sabbath Mission, Lagos in which Ejikeme Omenazu dwelt extensively on the subject. He opened by asking the man of God if there were conditions under which churches could pay tax. To which the man of God replied “no” and went on to describe any such attempt as “asking God to pay tax”. That, to him “amounts to rebellion.”

In the same edition, Aramide Oikelome’s report of a press parley with the Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria also contained a reference to the subject. The relevant portion reported Archbishop Sunday Ola Makinde as cautioning “against government’s proposed imposition of taxes on the income and tithes of churches and other non-profit organisations…” Makinde, continues the report argued that “as charity and non-profit organisation, which bring hope to the hopeless by preaching the message of healing and salvation, exemption from tax payment is something that remains laudable and commendable.”

As if those were not enough, Pastor Wale Adefarasin, national secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria was also confronted with the same issue in another newspaper interview. Is it really biblical for the Church to be taxed, he was asked. His reply: “You know what Jesus Christ said considering collection of tax. He said render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar. There is a legal obligation for every Nigerian to report and complete an assessment form at the end of every tax year upon which the income is assessed, and tax is based.”

Mercifully, there is substantial agreement between (Lagos) government pronouncement, as I recall it, and the Christian leaders whose reactions I have read on this otherwise potentially contentious issue. As evident from Pastor Adefarasin’s statement above, it can be inferred that PFN is not averse to tax payment by church workers as distinct from the church. Rev Nwosu also drew a line between ministry and mission works on one hand and commercial activities of churches on the other. He told his interviewer: “If a church is involved in commercial activities for profit, it is right to ask it to pay tax. Books, CDs and VCDs, which bring in money, should attract taxes because they are forms of business. Schools, hospitals, transport ventures and factories run by churches should attract taxes…The government should strike a balance, clarify their policies and categorise the classes of men of God who should pay tax…” The report on the Methodist leader’s media meet also indicated a similar viewpoint: “The Prelate who showed a card certifying him as a tax payer said payment of property tax was understandable since churches derive profits from such ventures, but frowned at any attempt to tax offering, tithes and donations to churches.”

It would therefore seem that if the Lagos state government restricted taxation to salary-earning clerics and well defined commercial activities of churches, there would be no controversies. The problem, as Archbishop Makinde put it, would be if they “attempt to tax offering, tithes and donations.”

Does government want to do that? I think, indeed I hope, not. But as I said, when reporters begin to hammer on an issue, it would be unwise to dismiss it. That is why I wish to join my voice to that of others to call on the authorities in Lagos to step away from any such contemplation, as it will create unnecessary disharmony.

Having said that however, I wish to state without equivocation that the church, particularly the non-denominationals run largely as sole proprietorships, need to get their accounting acts together. This is an issue we had raised in this column before. In a serial titled “Integrity Check for the Church.”

In the third part of the serial, we painted the following scenario and raised a poser: “A ministry sustains itself from the tithes, offerings and other donations from members of the public, including, but not limited to its members and congregants. From this tax-free income, it establishes a book store, video and audio tape shop and sometimes even a printing press. Whether the materials and services sold in these outlets are solely those of that ministry or not, profit is made from such operations. Should such profit be tax-free particularly as the products and services are hardly ever subsidized? Incidentally, this situation is clearly exemplified by the fees being charged by secondary and tertiary educational institutions established by churches and ministries...”

We also raised issues about the fixing of remuneration for ministers: “How much should a general overseer or superintendent or presiding bishop earn? Who fixes such income and by what criteria? Of course this speaks directly also to the issue of whether not-for-profit organizations should be run as sole-proprietorships. In other words, is a ministry independent of its founder or are they one and the same legal persons? What obtains today, with very few exceptions, is that there is no difference.”

We wrote in 2007 against the background of an investigation just commenced on the finances of some well-known Pentecostal televangelists in the United States by Charles Grassley, an influential member of the Senate Committee on Finance. He had written letters to Kenneth and Gloria Copeland; David and Joyce Meyer; Randy and Paula White; Creflo and Taffi Dollar; Eddie Long; and Benny Hinn, asking “detailed questions about their expenses pattern and the tax exempt status of some specific expenses or associated projects or establishments”. In a press release explaining his action, Grassley had said: "I’m following up on complaints from the public and news coverage regarding certain practices at six ministries…The allegations involve governing boards that aren’t independent and allow generous salaries and housing allowances and amenities such as private jets and Rolls Royces. I don’t want to conclude that there’s a problem, but I have an obligation to donors and the taxpayers to find out more. People who donated should have their money spent as intended and in adherence with the tax code."

Of course Grassley was condemned in several circles as an instrument of the enemy with accusations of persecution and inquisition freely hauled at him. A number of the ministries eventually complied while some declined. We are yet to see the end of the matter.

But we did warn at the time that the same oversight rights being exercised by Senator Grassley is available to legislators in Nigeria and so, should the National Assembly, for instance, feel a need to do so in the public interest, it could conduct such an investigation. As we said then we know that “initiators of any such investigations in Nigeria will be subjected to emotional and religious blackmail, no matter who they are, their antecedents and intentions, but in the end, should they persevere, I would be surprised if they do not unearth cans and cans of worms…”

Thankfully, no such investigation has yet been initiated. But think what might happen if, for instance, government were to be unconvinced about a certain church’s differentiation of the strictly non-profit activities from its profit operations for accounting and therefore taxation purposes, and decide to find out! What would be our reaction? As in 2007, I commend to all church leaders 1Corinthians 11: 31 which in the Message reads: “If we get this straight now, we won't have to be straightened out later on.” Food for thought, don’t you think?

FROM MY IN-BOX
RE: NOT YET IN AKPOYIBO’S IMAGE
On your report on the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Mr Akpoyibo, it's important to ask if Christians, including you the editor, do pray constantly for his success in policing Lagos State. We can contribute to his success by sending information, albeit of known criminals and criminal activities around us to his office, even anonymously, should such fall into wrong hands.
A.Olajide, London, UK.
PIXES: Archbishop Sunday Ola Makinde (Right) &
Pastor Wale Adefarasin

WAS MICHAEL JACKSON SAVED?

In all of these, however, I have been more concerned for the soul of this wonderful performer. Is Michael Jackson in heaven or hell? We may not know for sure, unfortunately. He was born and raised, at least by their mum, a Jehovah’s Witness, but there were rumours that he converted, like Jermaine, one of his brothers, to Islam last year, and took the name Mikhaeel. Whether that is true or not, reports about his meeting with two Pentecostal pastors, Andraé and Sandra Crouch three weeks before he died give room for hope. Although they have denied that he specifically asked to be led to say the sinner’s prayer, as earlier suggested by Mary Mary on her Facebook page, the following quote from Dave Nassaney, Andraé Crouch's Facebook page administrator, points in the direction of salvation for the one who sought to heal the world with his music and philanthropy.

What a week that was – the last full week of June 2009. It had everything: pace, drama, passion and the very stuff of history – change. Consider the line-up: Farah Fawcett fell to the terror attack of anal cancer; the Anglican Church of North America formally came into being, pulling 100,000 conservative Anglicans out of the liberal Episcopal Church; President Umaru Yar’Adua proclaimed Amnesty to all Niger Delta militants, and Michael Jackson died.

You can be forgiven for yawning at some of the items, possibly all but the last, after all the media generally speaking, simply buried every other item the moment the demise of “Wacko Jacko” happened! KPerspective isn’t about to be different. But before we join the frenzy, let’s at least give each of these items, its brief moment in the sun.

On Monday June 22, conservative former members of the Episcopal Church, TEC, gathered at St. Vincent's Cathedral in Bedford, Texas, US for the first provincial assembly of the newly established Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). By Wednesday June 24, they had ratified their constitution and elected an archbishop in the person of Robert Duncan, who had been in the vanguard of the struggle against the liberal policies of TEC, including ordination of gay priests and recognition of intra-gender marriages.

ACNA, which as at April 2009, had 100,000 members from about 700 parishes in North America and Canada was formed by member bodies of the Common Cause Partnership such as: American Anglican Council, Anglican Coalition in Canada, Anglican Communion Network, Anglican Mission in the Americas, Anglican Network in Canada, Convocation of Anglicans in North America, Forward in Faith North America and Reformed Episcopal Church. Others are the Missionary Convocations of Kenya, the Southern Cone and of Uganda which were established to provide provincial oversight for disenchanted former Episcopalians.

While ACNA is not yet a member of the Anglican Communion because that requires a long process, both the Church of Nigeria and the Church of Uganda, with combined membership of about 26 million, are in full communion with the new province. This translates easily to recognition from about a third of the Communion.. This is a significant development that has potential for shaping not just for the future of the 77million-member Communion, but ultimately the Church in general. We shall return to this issue at a later date.

As ACNA was being dedicated on Wednesday, actress Farah Fawcett was taking her exit from this side of the great divide. Felled by anal cancer, a disease she had famously described as a terrorist, she was 62. Fawcett rose to fame on the wave of her blonde hair, when a Hollywood talent agent spotted her among "10 most beautiful co-eds" in a student magazine at the University of Texas in Austin, where she was a student.

She subsequently moved to Los Angeles, began a modelling career and eventually posed for a poster in 1975 which was to catapult her into international stardom becoming something of the ultimate poster blonde. The poster, which sold over eight million copies, was Farah’s doorway to acting fame. Ace television producer Aaron Spelling, was so fascinated by her persona that he cast her as one of the crime-fighting babes of in the famous television series, Charlie's Angels in which she starred as Jill Munroe.

Charlie’s Angels, to refresh your memory was that television series featuring three belles working for a private investigation agency to unravel all kinds of crime. It was a trail-blazer in the sense that women were acting that kind of role for the first time. It ran in the United States on the network of ABC Television from 1976 to 1981 before it made its way to Nigeria in the mid-80s. One of the unforgettable features of the series was that you never got to see the face of Charles Townsend or Charlie, their boss. The best glimpse of him you ever caught were scenes where the back of his head and his arms are visible, surrounded by pretty women, assigning cases to the Angels through a speaker phone.

Farah was nominated for two Emmys and five Golden Globes, winning critical acclaim for her characterization of an abused wife in The Burning Bed. The story of her battle with cancer was widely aired in May through a two-hour documentary, Farrah's Story. In it, not even the pain she went through as the cancer progressed from her anus to her liver could rob her of her humour. As the doctors shaved off the last bit of the blonde locks that brought her to fame, she was quoted as telling the doctors, "You wouldn't stop until you got my hair." In the words of her publicist, “Farrah has passed to a better place and left the pain and confines of her bed behind…She is free to be the woman we all knew and loved; so few have touched so many."

Thursday of course was Amnesty proclamation day in Abuja, Nigeria. President Yar’Adua evinced the proclamation and signing ceremony with the solemnity of a historic event. Militants who laid down their arms within 60 days were to go home unmolested while he handed those being tried a get-out-of-jail-free card. It was all like Jesus telling the woman caught in adultery in chapter 8 of the Bible book of John: “go, and sin no more.” And I remember my Shakespeare: isn’t it the “naked truth” that, like King Lear, the people represented by these militants, (as distinct from the criminal elements), are “more sinned against than sinning?” The Amnesty, preceded as it was by the now suspended military operation of the Joint Task Force, with its clearly disproportionate collateral damage, has all the trappings of pacification. Will it work? God have mercy.

Thanks to the sense of balance of the Nigerian media, this subject is still on the front burner, at least one side of it. The announcement later that Thursday night of the death by cardiac arrest of pop music king, Michael Jackson, has since overthrown everything else. And like I said earlier not even this column can ignore such a momentous event as the passing of this iconic character.

So much has been said and written about his life, music, dance, lyrics, fashion, marriages, cosmetic surgery, his philanthropy and much more. The Guinness Book of Record proportion of the sales of his works including “Thrilla” has been chronicled. So has the eleven-tickets-per-second sale of his now aborted farewell concerts at London’s O2 Arena. The circumstances of his death are still been investigated and there are no shortages of hypothesis.

In all of these, however, I have been more concerned for the soul of this wonderful performer. Is Michael Jackson in heaven or hell? We may not know for sure, unfortunately. He was born and raised, at least by their mum, a Jehovah’s Witness, but there were rumours that he converted, like Jermaine, one of his brothers, to Islam last year, and took the name Mikhaeel. Whether that is true or not, reports about his meeting with two Pentecostal pastors, Andraé and Sandra Crouch three weeks before he died give room for hope. Although they have denied that he specifically asked to be led to say the sinner’s prayer, as earlier suggested by Mary Mary on her Facebook page, the following quote from Dave Nassaney, Andraé Crouch's Facebook page administrator, points in the direction of salvation for the one who sought to heal the world with his music and philanthropy.

He wrote: “He wanted to know what makes your hands go up, and makes you ‘come out of yourself' and what gives ‘spirituality' to music. He then requested to hear his favorite song that he loves, and wanted [them] to sing to him, so they sang that song to him, and joined hands and sang together, and he said, ‘It was beautiful.'. Crouch told me Jackson ‘definitely had an encounter' during the visit…He did NOT reject Jesus or the prayer when they prayed, and gladly joined in prayer. Crouch said, ‘He usually doesn't touch anybody, but he touched them, and held their hands in a circle as they sang and prayed. There was NO actual ‘sinner’s prayer,' however, but they did talk and pray about Jesus and the anointing of the Holy Spirit…” Would that this is true.
PIXES: Michael Jackson...As I like to remember him and
Farrah Fawcett...Charlie's Angel in the poster that brought her fame

NOT YET IN MARVEL AKPOYIBO’S IMAGE

In spite of these however, Akpoyibo has a major question to answer. Police extortion of motorists has been on the rise. Ask any bus driver or conductor. Interview any commercial motor cycle operator. They’ll tell you how brazen, how in your face this practice is. For instance, between Ikeja and Ogba bus terminals, there are up to five such “toll” collection points every night in the last several months. Of these, three are between ABC bus stop on Adeniyi Jones Avenue and CMB, a mere three stops apart, with each team of uniformed men (with at least one armed) openly collecting “dues” from bus and motorcycle operators

It was an unusual sight… a senior police officer flat on his belly, microphone in hand, “confessing” to having been a patron of the occult. For many his presence in church, a Pentecostal church, was akin to meeting a virgin in a maternity ward – an impossibility sang about some decades back by Nigeria’s own country and western music star, Bongos Ikwue.

But it happened. There he was at the sanctuary of the headquarters church of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, TREM in Lagos. The occasion was the 6th edition of Breeding Leadership and National Transformation (BLENT) organized by the church. Dressed in civvies, Marvel Akpoyibo, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State told an audience which included the church’s Founding/Presiding Bishop and chief host, Dr Mike Okonkwo about his sojourn in the occult in his search for “supernatural power” to enable him excel as a policeman.

He recalled how as a young officer, he was persuaded to seek spiritual protection from occultic sources so that he might survive in the Nigeria Police. But he soon discovered the futility of relying on charms for protection, declaring that he never really felt secured until he accepted God into his life. He then called on those who might still be looking for protection and guidance from other beings besides God, to retrace their steps.

Testifying further to the place of his faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ in his assignment in Lagos State, Akpoyibo was quoted as saying God had been of tremendously help to him in policing the economic capital of Nigeria. His words as reported by one of the newspapers: “When I was made the CP of Lagos, after I signed a hand over note, I told God I will not deliver the note until he signed his own column. I want you to help me police Lagos State. Before then, we were losing 10 policemen everyday, and 20 to 25 cars were being snatched everyday. But I handed over Lagos State to the almighty God and since then crime has reduced.”

Akpoyibo went on to solicit the prayers of Nigerians for the Nigeria Police, while urging youths and those indulged in crime to turn their minds to God. He counselled: “there is no virtue in criminal activities and those who engage in it will never end well…read the Bible and learn new things everyday. It will change your life for the better and take you away from sins.”

Akpoyibo left the church that Sunday, happy that he had opened up in order to encourage others to change their ways, expressing great joy that a large crowd of people went out to give their lives to Christ after his testimony. Not everybody applauded him, however. While some accused him of playing to the gallery. Others felt he was labelling his colleagues as cultists. Yet others dismissed him as superstitious and therefore unfit for his office.

So vociferous was the criticism in some circles that the State Police Command had to issue a statement clarifying issues. Spokesman, Mr. Frank Mba, explained that his boss’ comments “were not meant to cast aspersion on any group or individual and should not be misconstrued…it was meant to admonish the youth on the futility of seeking power in whatever form from occultic forces.”

Mba wrote: ”I want Nigerians to know that the CP never made the comment to elicit negative reactions; he was in fact, making himself an example of what Godliness means in everybody‘s life…Particularly, he wanted police officers to know that the only source of guidance and protection they could have is from God and not any evil forces. We are all aware that policing a state like Lagos is not a tea party, hence the commissioner thinks that if the youth become more God-fearing, they will shun crime and the state will be the better for it…”

All of that was September last year. Since then I have watched the policing scene in Lagos with heightened interest. Has the fact of having a “born again” Christian as police commissioner changed anything? Has crime rate dropped since his public confession that he sought the assistance of God to police Lagos? Has there been any dramatic, not to say, miraculous unravelling of any crime since then?

Although, I do not have statistics to support this, I believe that the crime rate has indeed dropped. It is true that factors such as increased funding through the security trust fund, which translates to better equipping; the reduction of the pool of miscreants through creative employment policy of the state government, and the God-fearing leadership of Governor Babatunde Fashola have all combine to make this possible. But it is true, isn’t it that, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain (Psalm 127: 1)?

Two incidents serve to reinforce my belief that Akpoyibo and his team have indeed had the divine hands of God working with them. You probably heard about the story of the boy who was kidnapped at his parent’s church at Magodo on the outskirts of the metropolis. The boy was found, if my memory serves right, within 24 hours. What struck me about this was the commissioner’s testimony on television that when the boy’s father came to his office, among the first things they did was pray together! To someone else that was wasting valuable crime-bursting time. To the commissioner that was obviously touching base with his senior partner! The second incident was the Niger Delta-like abduction of some foreign nationals in the creeks of Lagos Island. The speed with which the crime was detected and the victims freed was uncharacteristic of the Nigeria Police.

In spite of these however, Akpoyibo has a major question to answer. Police extortion of motorists has been on the rise. Ask any bus driver or conductor. Interview any commercial motor cycle operator. They’ll tell you how brazen, how in your face this practice is. For instance, between Ikeja and Ogba bus terminals, there are up to five such “toll” collection points every night in the last several months. Of these, three are between ABC bus stop on Adeniyi Jones Avenue and CMB, a mere three stops apart, with each team of uniformed men (with at least one armed) openly collecting “dues” from bus and motorcycle operators. These, for the avoidance of any doubts, are not “stop and search” operations or any other kind of crime prevention efforts. They are undisguised, devil-may-care N20-N50 extorting exercises.

Now, street wisdom has always had it that these guys are not acting alone; that they report to their various bosses, who give returns to their own bosses, right up to the highest level. State commissioners are rumoured to be somewhere in this chain. Is this still true? Does it happen in Lagos under a born-again, spirit-filled police commissioner? Or is it beyond a commissioner to tackle? The characteristics of a kingdom is said to derive from the character of the king. Something is terribly out of sync between the perceived image of Commissioner Akpoyibo and the street image of the police he leads in Lagos State. Will it still be so this time next year? We wait and watch.

PIX: Mr Marvel Akpoyiboh, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State...Wanted, A Police Command in his image


FROM MY INBOX

RE: THE RISE AND RISE OF CARNALITY
This is a perfect reportage of a powerful message by an inspired child of God. It is a timely warning to all in position of leadership in the body of Christ. I pray that the Holy Spirit will further minister on this to our hearts. Rev. Bayo's main theme is actually on "Holiness and Christian compromise". Christians are gradually blending with the world, adopting worldly tactics even for evangelism. This has resulted in the breeding of a generation of shallow, superficial believers, "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof..."

Church and ministries leaders in Nigeria, especially the pentecostals, should come together and agree on certain biblical standards of holiness in worship, which are not to be compromised in our worship of God. Jesus Christ is coming soon, we must not be caught napping. God bless you, Sir.
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted" - Anon

Akintunde Makinde,
Apapa, Lagos

THE RISE AND RISE OF CANALITY

His antidote to this is “worship in the Spirit”. That is, worshipping in other tongues, which is currently not in vogue, even in pentecostal and charismatic churches. Referring to the following words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24), Rev B said our humility must lead us to depend on the Holy Spirit even in our worship. Otherwise, it is not true humility and our worship would, more often than not, be unacceptable to God, since it is likely to be tainted by the flesh. Praise and Worship led of the flesh is unacceptable to God. It’s like Cain’s offering.

Carnality is on the rise among us Christians and many of the churches are helping its growth. In fact, many churches are today more carnal than spiritual. That about sums up the wake-up call issued last Tuesday by one of my pastors. Though, it was a revisit of what had become, for him, the most critical issue in the church today which, I had occasion to report last year, still, I feel an urgent need to share it again.

“Him” here refers to Rev Bayo Oniwinde, one of God’s gifts to the Body in the area of teaching the undiluted word of God. A man of faith who moves in the utterance gifts, he traces the genesis of his ministry to the year 1977 when he clearly heard the Lord say to him, “Feed My Sheep". He subsequently went into full time ministry in 1986 joining the Voice of Faith Ministries which is more popularly known as Christ Chapel International Churches in Lagos Nigeria, founded and led by Word of Faith icon, Rev Dr Tunde Joda.

Bishop, as he is fondly called is therefore a product of the “Coach” Tunde Joda school of ministry, under whose tutelage, he served for about fifteen years, learning and functioning in such diverse areas of church and ministry as pastoral, administrative, church planting, and marriage counselling. He was also involved in Bible School coordination and lecturing as well as conference planning. He is still on the teaching staff of the church’s Patmos Bible School of Faith.

Author of three books, "It is Written", " Believers, Your Case in Life is Different" and "What You Say Will Make Your Day", he currently runs Bayo Oniwinde Ministries, an independent international ministry which has seen him minister at seminars and conferences in places as far-flung as India, Britain, the United States, Estonia, Norway, and Sweden.

Ministering at CCIC, Ikeja Centre, his home church, Rev Bayo told the congregation that the level of carnality appears to be growing by the day, aided and abetted by what might be called the seeker-friendly disposition of many church leaders. This itself is the result of the drive for increased membership, which has led many churches to adopt ministry styles that are trendy and deliberately designed to pander to the preferences of the potential congregant.

But let’s put things in context. The theme for the month of June is Humility and the centre pastor, Rev Ajibola Oluyede had set the tone by defining humility as total, child-like dependence on God, rather than some external self-deprecation. He had explained that unless properly understood, it is possible for pride to manifest as false humility. The kind of humility God expects of His people is the kind that does not say I can’t; it’s the kind that says I can, because I am not the one who is going to do it; it’s my God. In other words, it’s humility borne out of total submission.

Ten days or so into the month-long programme, Rev B, who had been away, began to speak about humility in much the same terms, homing in on total dependence on the Holy Spirit in everything - to the exclusion of all else. He began, as he was wont to, with praise and worship in the Church. In his opinion, too much flesh has been brought into this very important part of the church’s fellowship. Referring to the showmanship, stylistics and histrionics that have become the hallmark of music ministry in many of our churches, he dismissed them as Christian entertainment rather than worship.

His antidote to this is “worship in the Spirit”. That is, worshipping in other tongues, which is currently not in vogue, even in pentecostal and charismatic churches. Referring to the following words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24), Rev B said our humility must lead us to depend on the Holy Spirit even in our worship. Otherwise, it is not true humility and our worship would, more often than not, be unacceptable to God, since it is likely to be tainted by the flesh. Praise and Worship led of the flesh is unacceptable to God. It’s like Cain’s offering

What applies to the music ministry applies to all other areas of activities of the church. He said of ministry of the word: “It is not phonetics or eloquence; it is about the Holy Ghost and the plan of God”. In his view, what is happening in the churches today is simply following the vogue. It is about ‘this is the way they are doing it’. So people just copy what they see others doing that looks successful, irrespective of whether it is God’s plan for their own ministry or not. And since, the way they are doing it is not of God, He plays the observer rather than lead participant. This has to change.

Touching other salient points, Rev B said church leaders quarrelling with one another and refusing to make up; some refusing to apologise to their brothers, even when the Holy Spirit is leading them to, are not doing God’s will. He’s not going to stand for that in the new dispensation. There are those who think they can go it alone and are therefore unwilling to associate with others. God’s position on unity is clear; the Church is one body, indivisible and interdependent.
Speaking on the carnal pursuit of wealth in the church, Rev B recalled that he had been at ministers’ conference where a lot of time was spent on the marketing of stocks and shares. At one such conference, the sales pitch for a particular company’s stocks was that the G.O had bought. Well there’s nothing wrong with buying shares, but it does reflect the state of the church if such a thing takes considerable time at a ministers’ conference. Wealth belongs to the church, children of God are expected to be financially buoyant, but if it’s of God, it will come by the supernatural. Citing example of the early church, he said they lacked nothing. The Holy Spirit was in charge and nobody needed to be cajoled to bring resources into the kingdom. People did it voluntarily laying it at the apostle’s feet. The couple which attempted to fool the Holy Ghost, Ananias and Sapphira never lived to tell the story (see Acts 5). The power to make wealth comes from God. And if we will humble ourselves and listen for the voice of God, we will prosper.

God’s vessel has to be holy, submitted to him and willing to carry the anointing with humility and use it with responsibility, he said. When some ministers get big, they become complacent. Much time is spent in carnally putting up programmes and projects; while so little time is spent on the pursuit of spiritual direction and the power that comes with it. If we put the Holy Spirit in the driving seat, the world would see a church that is united and powerful. Even the intellectual bows to the supernatural. When people see the power of God at work, even the most “religious” of them will come running.

Concluding on an almost apocalyptic note, Rev B reminded us that Jesus Has made it clear that He would come back for “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27) and He’s not going to allow anything or anyone get in the way of his plans. He said, although God really doesn’t want to bring judgement upon the people, it doesn’t seem like we are giving Him a choice. Unless we change, it will happen and it will begin at the top, with those who are supposed to know. The point is that God is going to bring revival into His church. And if that requires that some current leaders be removed, He’ll do it and replace them with those who will follow his set pattern.

The Holy Ghost, not our intellect and the wisdom of the world, must be allowed to stay in the leadership of the church.

PIX: Rev BAYO ONIWINDE... A burden for revival in the Church