THE OBAMA ERA IN RESTROSPECT

"Yes, I was earnestly hoping and praying to be proven wrong; that I had somehow been so prejudiced that I didn’t see the light in the horizon; that blinded by what one of my beloved sisters in church, as recently as last Thursday evening, called my right-wing extremism that I had misread and misjudged Obama..."

Shortly after Obama was inaugurated as the 44^th President of the United States of America, I did a piece titled, “Now, the Obama Era” (January 25, 2009). It was a glowing tribute to the fighting spirit of the man, an acknowledgement of the historicity of his election, but an expression of cautious hope about the possibilities of an Obama presidency.

Today, with another election a few weeks away and his reelection a strong possibility, I just thought to revisit what I considered the one issue critical for the future of the United States and, indeed, all nations of the world. That issue is the place of God in the running of the affairs of state.

But let’s begin this way. Yes, I did join in the celebration, although I was one of the few, very few Nigerians and perhaps, Africans, who were not excited about Obama’s candidacy. And I said so on this page in several write-ups, to the chagrin and condemnation of many.

In joining in the celebration, however, I was not simply joining the winning side. I was paying tribute to the fighting spirit of the man and the historic nature of his victory and inauguration, as the first three paragraphs of the article shows:

“It’s over – the long nights of dreaming, that is. Now it’s time to live the dream, or more correctly, the reality. It has been a long, tortuous march through long stretches of dangerous valleys and daunting mountains; a long energy sapping swim through a vast shark-infested ocean. Now, the young man who dreamt of studying law and did it; dreamt of becoming a law professor and became it; dreamt of becoming a State senator and became it; dreamt of going to Capitol Hill as a Federal Senator and made it; who in his first term as a senator slugged it out with the best of them for his party’s presidential ticket and won it; who dreamt of becoming President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States of America is safely in the saddle at the White House of Pennsylvania Avenue! Dream fulfilled!

“It was an electric moment. When Chief Justice Warren spoke the last line of the presidential oath, it was a question: “so help me God?” Barack Hussein Obama replied in the affirmative: “so help me God.” And then, in the full view of millions of people across the globe, with his hands outstretched to the man who until then had only been president-elect, Warren spoke the final words: “congratulations, Mr President!”

“And so, the skinny man with the strength of a hulk, in Davidic version, became the 44^th president of the world’s most influential nation; the very first man of colour, to lead the white dominated rainbow commonwealth that used to be known as God’s own country. Or still is?”

That done, I went on to what I considered the downside of things then, and which has not changed nearly four years down the road. Please read on:

“Through all the revelry, through the celebration of the historicity of the inauguration of the first black president in Barack Obama, it is this poignant irony that continued to haunt me. “God” was the last word this man had to mention before he became president of a nation whose founding fathers had nicknamed God’s own country.  But God had long since been relegated to the background in this land of opportunities. He had been banned from the schools and from public places. The nature and form and extent of His involvement in the affairs of the State have to be negotiated among contenders who each claim to represent Him. He has been democratized to the point of being indistinguishable! And whatever changes this celebrated apostle of change, this symbol of audacious hope, was promising held little hope that God and His values were on the road to restoration. Or perhaps it did and I had missed it.”

Yes, I was earnestly hoping and praying to be proven wrong; that I had somehow been so prejudiced that I didn’t see the light in the horizon; that blinded by what one of my beloved sisters in church, as recently as last Thursday evening, called my right-wing extremism that I had misread and misjudged Obama. I therefore, as I reported then did the next best thing:

 “So, I listened to his inaugural address. It was good. It was a beautiful piece of inspiring, rousing rhetoric. ‘Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath,’ he began. ‘The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because ‘We the People’ have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents (emphasis inserted). So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.’”

 As I wrote then, “That (the emphasis above) got my attention. With rapt attention, I listened as he continued: ‘That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. …Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.’” (CONTINUES NEXT WEEK)

TO ONE OF GOD’S GIFTS TO ME - AT 60

Segun Odegbami, MON...
60 going 40

"Today, my friend runs a unique sports and art academy, as well as, one of the most enduring sports marketing and promotion outfits in Nigeria. Today, he is at the head of a presidential commission designed to help resuscitate sports in schools across the more than 774 local governments in Nigeria, a job he is passionate about, but for which funding is still awaited,.. He was the visionary of one of the most audacious sports project ever attempted in Nigeria, but rubbished and sabotaged by sundry interests in our nation; a vision that would have changed the face of infrastructure in the country forever; and which almost cost him his life. - The World Cup 2010 bid."

As I set out to write this piece, a thousand and one thoughts are struggling for expression. I am replaying in my head events and circumstances that we have been in together; some truly hilarious; some grim and reputation threatening; some destiny altering. I can see as in a video the calmness, the patience, the equanimity with which this gentleman is taking it all. You are going to have to wait for my memoir to get in on these things; but today as I celebrate my friend, who, if the Lord tarries turns 60 tomorrow, I shall try to give you a glimpse into the world of a man, who I feel tempted to describe as one of God’s gifts to Nigeria, but who, I know will not only frown at such description of him. 

So, I chose to describe him as one of God’s gifts to me, which he is still not going to like very much, but which he cannot deny me the right to do.

 

Permit me to begin this way. My friend would have been an artist, but Providence directed him into the sciences, so he studied engineering. As an engineer, given God’s endowment in him, he would have been an engineer’s engineer, but God again directed differently. He led him to download his art and his science unto his pair of legs and ordered him to, of all places, you’ll say, the football pitch!

 

Many, there would have been, who thought: “wow, what a waste!” but then, as events have proven, “God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform”, to borrow a famous line from a hymn by an English poet, William Cowper.

 

I would be surprised if there’s anybody out there, who would still characterize my friend’s divine conscription into sports as a waste, but even as he made his way up the ladder of fame, if not material fortune, there were many such people. I’ll share one with you, just because it was public and published in a newspaper column this friend used to write in 1979.

 

That friend whose identity was not revealed, safe that he was a secondary school classmate wondered why he sacrificed his engineering profession for “this trade which is usually identified with dropouts”. This mate knew that he was one of the few who had always wanted to pursue academics to the highest point. Wrote this classmate:  “Although, I have always enjoyed watching you play and tried to identify myself with you in public…I still believe that you have not achieved much out of this football you are playing”. 

 

In my friend’s reply to his schoolmate’s honest opinion, viewpoint over 30 years ago, he decided to ‘count my blessings’ as he put it. Here’s an excerpt:

 

Here is a person, he began, referring to himself, “who is hero-worshipped by millions of people, male and female all over Africa; here is a person who is the dream-child of every home; here is a person who walks into any store and gets first-class treatment; here is a person who sits and dines with people of the highest echelon of our society; here is a person, who has travelled to all four corners of the world on the ticket of this trade;  here is  a person who has brought joy and set a standard for thousands of youngsters to emulate and follow; here is a person who walks down the street of his country with his head straight up, chest out, erect, confident, sure of himself and proud of his trade, respected and loved, here is a person who has all these things and more but who, for one reason or the other, isn’t an academic professor and cannot lay claim to more than that which sustains him andhis family… but standing in his trade…

 

“I would give up all the money and education in this world to trade places with this person – to have honour and respect, happiness and contentment in my ‘trade’… My dear friend, I have achieved quite a lot not only for myself but also for my country which incidentally includes you.  Therefore, if not having a series of houses, a chain of companies or a fleet of cars to show for my achievement is what you mean, I can, now see your point.”

Now, I have been this copious about this aspect of my friend’s life for two reasons. One, even that early in his career he had become a role model and he knew it, though without flaunting it. Even that early in his career he had recognized the Hand of God upon his life and the responsibility that is involved. This is the key to understanding how he has comported himself since then.

Since that time he had had the privilege of captaining the national football team. He had won laurels on the continent. He had been to the Olympics. He had swum the shark-infested waters that football politics in Nigeria has become. He had master-minded and/or consulted for institutions on youth sports development. He it was who inspired the first field gold medal ever won by Nigeria at an Olympic games. He has been a columnist for newspapers across the land and can count as one of the most prolific journalists in Nigeria, not on account of his columns on sport, but also his reportage of sports and life in general.

Today, my friend runs a unique sports and art academy, as well as, one of the most enduring sports marketing and promotion outfits in Nigeria. Today, he is at the head of a presidential commission designed to help resuscitate sports in schools across the more than 774 local governments in Nigeria, a job he is passionate about, but for which funding is still awaited! As I write this he is on his way from the United States of America, leading a team of school boys from Oyo state.

 

He was the visionary of one of the most audacious sports project ever attempted in Nigeria, but rubbished and sabotaged by sundry interests in our nation; a vision that would have changed the face of infrastructure in the country forever; and which almost cost him his life.  - The World Cup 2010 bid.

Happy 60^th Birthday to you,  Patrick Olusegun Odegbami, sports icon, visionary, a man of many parts and a friend for all seasons. I am so, so grateful to God for the privilege of numbering among your friends. Your best days are ahead still, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

AT MEN OF JUDAH'S MEN'S DAY-OUT (2)

JUDAS...the dangers of goal-setting

"If you are a man, your goal was set for you in Genesis 2 - mind the store; be God’s vice regent on earth. All the goals you can set, and, which are worth setting are spiritual goals: how to read the word and be in tune with God the Holy Spirit, to reveal to you your daily baby-steps in the direction of God’s goals for you. Anything else is an exercise in self-delusion, in futility."

 

As I was reporting last time, I had the task of sharing my uninformed thoughts on “setting and achieving your goals” with an audience of very informed men, many of them versed in the intellectual thoughts on the subject, put together by giants such as Mike Murdoch and John Maxwell.

t was at a forum, Men’s Day-Out, put together by Men of Judah, a ministry to men led by Evangelist Michael Gabriel who you might remember as Michael Elumeze (all previous documents remain valid, please).

My uninformed thought runs counter to the position of these intellectual giants and I was fully persuaded that I ran the risk of disappointing the audience and may be even annoy the organisers to the point of never getting future invitations.

As I stated the last time, I wasn’t in total disagreement with most of what is already out there on the subject (who am I to, anyway?). “You know them,” I wrote. “They almost always come to these set of steps: Set simple and achievable goals; Set a timeframe; Count the cost; Strategize and plan; Take action and; Do a periodic review of your progress”.

 

I went on to ask a few basic questions: “What is a goal? What does it mean to set a goal? How do you go about the task of setting a goal? Having set your goal, how do you go about achieving it?”

 

I also attempted some answers. Using definitions from Dictionary.com as my point of reference, I said as follows:

 

“To set a goal is to determine that simple, achievable and believable result you want to achieve, your aim etc. How to go about setting that goal; that is how to identify that particular simple, achievable and believable target is not often easily explained. It is, in many cases a matter of preference, an attraction or even a whim. This in my opinion is where the problem begins. But I’ll come back to it.

 

How to go about achieving that simple, achievable and believable result or target or aim or destination has been more copiously addressed: “Set a timeframe; Count the cost; Strategize and plan; Take action and; Do a periodic review of your progress.” The “hows” of many of these steps in the process have also been variously proffered by various experts. I do not intend to go into the efficacy of those recommendations here. It should suffice to say the success or otherwise of each depends on other variables. It is, as the economist would say, a case of other things being equal.”

 

In my reportage, I came to that point where I was about to look at what you might describe as the goal-setter’s favourite scripture and had to timeout, or rather was “spaced-out”

 

That scripture is found in Luke 14:27- 33, and it reads: “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”  

 

To be sure, those words of the Lord Jesus Christ can be described as clear and prescriptive, and also lend credence to the need for determining your goal and convince yourself that you have what it takes to get there. But let’s dig a bit deeper. 

 First, it must be remembered that some of the Lord’s illustrations were not necessarilyintended to be prescriptive, as in “go thou and do likewise.” His illustrations come from practices his listeners are familiar with. For instance, he didn’t mean that we should learn to cheat on our bosses when he told the story of the smart steward in Luke 16: 1-8. So we should be careful not to turn this to a commandment.

To get the core of the message, it is necessary to pay attention to verses 27 and 33: And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple…So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple”

 

A deeper look at the real import of that scripture  points us in the direction of what matters – the Cross or, more clearly, our assignment, our life’s goal – discipleship! Yes, discipleship is the main message, not counting of costs. For if it were, where would be the place of faith, of the miraculous etc.

 

Space will not permit me to go much further in this reportage, but it should suffice that I pointed out that if you are a child of God, your goals are already set for you, broadly, at least. It was set in the above scripture; the how was also set. The goal is discipleship, the how to is forsake all, remove self.

 

If you are a man, your goal was set for you in Genesis 2 - mind the store; be God’s vice regent on earth. All the goals you can set, and, which are worth setting are spiritual goals: how to read the word and be in tune with God the Holy Spirit, to reveal to you your daily baby-steps in the direction of God’s goals for you. Anything else is an exercise in self-delusion, in futility.

 

Finally, I told my now silent, probably unimpressed, audience that goal setting is a risky business. Ask Judas, the Lord’s treasurer. Most people think his downfall came because he was greedy. If he were, how come he sold his master out that cheaply, a few silver coins. No! He, like many people of his day wanted liberation from Roman colonialism. Jesus was seen as that revolutionary. But then he began to say that His kingdom was not of the world! Judas’ goal was freedom, not salvation. Where did it lead him? Be careful, brothers.

 

AT MEN OF JUDAH’S MEN’S DAY-OUT (1)

Evangelist Michael Elumeze,
Coordinator, Men of Judah Ministry

Yesterday, I had the privilege of sharing thought with a gathering of men at an event tagged, Men’s Day-Out.  Organised by a men’s ministry known as Men of Judah, founded and run by Evangelist Michael Gabriel, I was one of three speakers and was handed the topic, “Setting and Achieving Your Goals”

Given my antecedents, my current activities and my current spiritual “mindset”, I couldn’t have had a more difficult assignment. Let me explain. Since leaving the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc in 1987, after 15 years, I have been an entrepreneur, albeit in areas related to my media calling. In all of those years and till today, I have had to “set goals” and attempt to achieve” them – with varying degrees of success. In the process, I have attended seminars, borrowed, bought and read books on this all important subject. Such great authors like Mike Murdoch and John Maxwell remain on my book shelf. These are great minds that have had many profound things to say about this subject. So, to ask me to talk about a subject with an array of experts available and with literally hundreds of articles on the World Wide Web to choose from, seems like inviting a mere mortal to tread where angel have.

To make matters worse, I would be speaking to men. Men, many of whom can tell you a great deal about the subject. Men who have read, things like “Seven Ways to Set and Achieve Your Goals”; “Goal Setting For Champions”; “Goal-Setting Tactics of the Rich and Famous”, Goal Setting Made Easy”. Men, some of whom know those sure-fire steps to setting and achieving goals by heart!  You get the picture? If I agree with what they have read, I would be guilty of parroting or even plagiarizing other people. If I disagree with them, I would be setting myself up for bashing.

In the event, I momentarily considered the advice one wit recent gave to men on Facebook recently. He said: “Arguing with a woman is like being arrested. Whatever you say will be used against you. Exercise your right to be silent!” But I knew that my dear Evangelist Michael would never have allowed that! So, I gave up that option and decided, in a manner of speaking, to bite the bullet.

Mercifully, I do not disagree with most of what is already out there on the subject. You know them. They almost always come to these set of steps: Set simple and achievable goals; Set a timeframe; Count the cost; Strategize and plan; Take action and; Do a periodic review of your progress.

Now, let me ask a few the basic questions: what is a goal? What does it mean to set a goal? How do you go about the task of setting a goal? Having set your goal, how do you go about achieving it? It is in attempting to answer the questions in the context of what I described as my current spiritual “mindset” that some points of departure would become obvious.

Dictionary.com defines a goal as “the result or achievement toward which effort is directed, aim, end” and “the terminal point of a race”, among others.  Though these two definitions should suffice, you may add words like “target”, “destination” etc. We have been taught that such goals must be simple and achievable. Somebody says goals must be believable.

To set a goal is to determine that simple, achievable and believable result you want to achieve, your aim etc. How to go about setting that goal; that is how to identify that particular simple, achievable and believable target is not often easily explained. It is, in many cases a matter of preference, an attraction or even a whim. This in my opinion is where the problem begins. But I’ll come back to it.

How to go about achieving that simple, achievable and believable result or target or aim or destination has been more copiously addressed: “Set a timeframe; Count the cost; Strategize and plan; Take action and; Do a periodic review of your progress.” The “hows” of many of these steps in the process have also been variously proffered by various experts. I do not intend to go into the efficacy of those recommendations here. It should suffice to say the success or otherwise of each depends on other variables. It is, as the economist would say, a case of other things being equal.

Incidentally, one of the most famous Biblical passages quoted in support of goal setting and cost counting are these words of the Lord Jesus Christ found in the St Luke’s gospel:

“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Forwhich of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27- 33).

 Clear and prescriptive you will say and it does lend credence to the need for determining your goal and convince yourself that you have what it takes to get there, until you dig deeper! That was one of the things I did at the meeting yesterday, which I shall share with you next time. Stay tuned.

 

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

"I wish to place this incident in the public place in case of any abuse of the cap by persons who are not members of the network. CMNN members are spirit-filled disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, who are responsible citizens. I cannot say the same for the unknown people now in unauthorized possession of the three caps."

My daughter-in-law, currently on National Youth Service in Nigeria had cause to go to the Ojo Barracks of the Nigerian Army on Friday last week. As she was about to exit, one soldier sighted a black sack in the boot of the car. He demanded to see the content. She obliged.

On inspection of the sack, the “officer and gentleman” found branded tee-shirts and fez caps belonging to Christian Men’s Network Nigeria. Now satisfied that the contents were neither arms nor explosives nor contrabands, you would have thought that that was the end of the matter. But, the soldier thought differently. Ignoring all protests, he helped himself to three of the caps, worth N1,500.  

While it is certainly not cost-effective to pursue the retrieval of the stolen caps, I wish to place this incident in the public place in case of any abuse of the cap by persons who are not members of the network. CMNN members are spirit-filled disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, who are responsible citizens. I cannot say the same for the unknown people now in unauthorized possession of the three caps.

OLYMPICS LONDON 2012...AND THE WINNER IS ...

"In the end, the enemy won, or thought it did. KICC had to move out of its property and relocate somewhere else, eventually not too far away Were that to be the end of the story, I wouldn’t be writing this piece. But even as the Olympics opened last week Saturday in London, Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo and KICC were at the centre of things, even as he had desired. They are there courtesy of a door the Lord opened through Lay Witnesses for Christ International, LWFCI. The body presided over by Dr Sam Mings is currently running what it styles, “Bridging the Gap, UK Outreach 2012” with KICC at the core of it."

The Games of the 2012 Olympiad were still six years away. Visionary that he is, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo wanted Kingsway International Christian Centre to be right at the heart of things. And why not, the church, with a 9.5 acre campus right at centre of the site earmarked for the games, was already at an advantage.

Oh, yes, he knew it was going to be tough since approvals for the church to remain on that site had been continually refused and a deadline for vacating the place had been set for November 2006. But he wasn’t going to give up easily because as he put it then, “KICC wants to be a centre of an outreach to athletes, officials, media and spectators who visit London during the Olympics.”  I recall stating in a 2006 piece in this column, that while Ashimolowo saw in it “an opportunity too great to miss,” the enemy saw in it “an opportunity too great…to look the other way about”

We did say then also that if the enemy could do anything to slower the pace of KICC’s development, it would, because of the clarity and size of its leadership’s vision in these words:

“Apart from the battle for souls some eight (read six) years away, however, is also the spiritual battle the enemy inevitably must seek to wage against the current activities of KICC and its well-articulated vision. For instance, KICC with a current congregation of 12,000 members and a network of 22 churches around England and two independent branches in Africa projects to grow to 25,000 by the year 2010. Well known for its outreaches to drug addicts, prostitutes and the homeless as well as in after-school programs, literacy classes and food distribution…KICC also plans to open 1,000 Caring Heart Centres; pioneer city churches around the world; reach 100 nations through radio and TV specifically and generally to broadcast the gospel world-wide, using every electronic means.”

In the ensuing battle, Ashimolowo essentially played the love card with the London Development Agency. He and his team made some offers that should ordinarily be seen as public-spirited. This, according to him, included offering to “help London offset a reported $1.7 million funding gap between committed funds for the Olympics and its real cost…” be part of the Olympic legacy by building a basketball stadium, which is needed for the Olympics. The reaction we are getting does not make sense, but we know the reasoning behind it. As our church grows, there is a reaction in the spiritual.” The basketball stadium on offer then was estimated to cost $57million.

In the end, the enemy won, or thought it did. KICC had to move out of its property and relocate somewhere else, eventually not too far away  Were that to be the end of the story, I wouldn’t be writing this piece.

But even as the Olympics opened last week Saturday in London, Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo and KICC were at the centre of things, even as he had desired. They are there courtesy of a door the Lord opened through Lay Witnesses for Christ International, LWFCI. The body presided over by Dr Sam Mings is currently running what it styles, “Bridging the Gap, UK Outreach 2012” with KICC at the core of it.

Information available to this writer shows that KICC is playing host the LWFCI Team; providing for them a Regional Command centre at Darnley Road, in Hackney, and an Athlete Hospitality Centre at Hoe Street in Walthamstow, both in London.

The church's contribution, in this respect, it was learnt, includes provision of six computers; two of which are being used for streaming and the other four for administrative purposes. The church is also believed to be providing refreshments and meeting the transportation needs of the team and helping with the media requests for the Olympics.

In a personal message on this dramatic open door published on the KICC website, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo affirmed:

“We believe that our participation in the LWFCI programme has been God ordained. Proof of this is by the way in which Dr. Sam Mings first connected with KICC. When he came to KICC to ask for our support, his primary reason (apart from wanting the endorsement and support), was Kingdom focused. Our KICC church building is in close proximity to the Olympic venue…Prior to coming to the ministry he met Eddie Mapakau who he appointed the national director for LWCFI. At the time of meeting Eddie he was not aware the man he had connected with and wanted to give the leadership to was a member of KICC. It was later on that this was made known…As a consequence this meant from the beginning of our working together that there would be a flow of understanding, common purpose and unity of spirit. Good team work and structured plans have emerged which has resulted in a great programme being developed…”

And so, Ashimolowo and KICC are where they have always prayed to be, at the spiritual heart of London 2012. In my books, that is the most golden gold medal of them all.

WANTED URGENTLY: A KINGDOM-DRIVEN CHURCH (3)

Adelaja at a ChurchShift event

"Yet all we do is gather on Sundays in the no-longer-safe ambience of our sanctuaries and pray. We pray and assure ourselves that all will be well, and there is nothing wrong with that. But there’s a lot wrong with stopping there. We are the salt of the earth (see Matthew 5:13), say the scripture, but salt only savours, flavours and preserves when it engages with other substances. Ever had a delicacy called salt-a-la-carte for dinner?"

Pastor Sunday Adelaja, from whose book I have been quoting extensively in this serial, had been praying. God’s Embassy, the church he founded and still runs in Ukraine, was about to go homeless, thanks to a government agency that was determined to muzzle the gospel.  Now when you realize that as a former socialist soviet republic, Ukraine only had a semblance of rule of law. Impunity was still alive and well, while freedom of worship was a novelty.

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing in his spirit. He thought he heard God saying “the people are the power;” and that it was time to take that power to the streets. He was shocked. But once he became convinced that it was truly the voice of God that he heard, he tok all the necessary steps to obey.

The result: “As I and the people in my church began to grasp our kingdom calling, our fear melted away. We decided to take the massive risk and march on city hall, even in the face of danger…Little did we know that this act of obedience to a divine instruction from heaven, though unconventional, would go a long way to shaping the history of our nation…”

It was that experience and the principles that he learnt from it that led him to ChurchShift, the book, and the international ministry that has evolved from it.

In concluding this serial, let’s read a bit more from ChurchShift: “…The church is the primary vehicle God uses to train people so they know how to find their promised land and rule in their nation. Church is the headquarters, but battles are not fought at headquarters. They are fought in the field.

“First Timothy 3:15 calls the church the pillar and foundation of the truth. It upholds the kingdom by being the school, the equipping place, and the place of support for world changers. But our focus must remain outside, not inside. We are to go from the “school” into the world and bring the powerful kingdom principles to bear on its problems.

“When Christians change the goal of the church and make it a place of conservation and escape rather than equipping and sending, we are working against the Great Commission. We are conserving crowds, not sending them out. We are hoarding kingdom resources, namely, people and their gifts. In many churches, God’s workers are in captivity. They are like prisoners and the pastors are the wardens.

“We are not called to huddle inside the church sanctuary but to restore the kingdom of God to the world. But some Christians and preachers misinterpret the word ecclesia, the Greek word for “church,” which means literally “called-out ones.” They mistakenly believe it means we are to be “called away from the world.” This is a grave error. Jesus said in John 17:15, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”

“As a church we are “called out” from the evil principles of this world, but we are still required to live here. We are not built for monasteries. Our calling is to operate from a different and superior set of principles than the world we live in. The church is to train us to be Christlike, to embody Jesus and His principles, so that in everyday life we may operate from a godly perspective. “That’s what the church is for. That’s why we come on Sunday. That’s why we preach, teach, and worship together.

“God holds the church responsible for societies. It is the most potent organization in the world because it was started by Jesus and is His bride. No other entity in the world is as important as the church, in spite of all its failures; it is the hope of God because through it, and only it, the kingdom can come…”

In 2007, this column carried a four-part serial, A Wake-Up Call to Church Leaders. In the third part published on August 12, I wrote: “…For too long, we have been contented to sit by and watch while politicians, of all hues, toy with the destiny of our nation and the future of our youths. We have become like the clean-up specialists who waiting in the wings to clear the mess made by politicians. Or like fire fighters after the act of arson is well under way.

“When they start sectarian violence, we rush in with words of comfort and relief materials for the victims. When they bastardize government universities, we fall over ourselves to build our own. When they rig elections, we sermonize on the need to move our nation forward. One wise man said politics is too important to be left for politicians; we say politics is too dirty to be played by “real Christians.” The result is what we are seeing today – five of six governors accused of wrongdoing in office; one already convicted; one already singing canary-like and one almost certainly irredeemable – are Christians, nominal or not!”

Today, five years later, the situation is not any better. Corruption still bestrides the land colossus-like, and Christians - nominal or not - still have the same dubious statistical advantage among its perpetrators and beneficiaries. The Church is still playing the emergency manager. In parts, the church has slipped from being passive by-standers and collateral victim to the perennial direct victims. The beat goes on, but the song has changed from the slightly melancholic to outright dirges.

Yet all we do is gather on Sundays in the no-longer-safe ambience of our sanctuaries and pray. We pray and assure ourselves that all will be well, and there is nothing wrong with that. But there’s a lot wrong with stopping there. We are the salt of the earth (see Matthew 5:13), say the scripture, but salt only savours, flavours and preserves when it engages with other substances. Ever had a delicacy called salt-a-la-carte for dinner? The Lord Jesus, who described Himself as the light of the world (see John 8:12; 9:5) says exactly the same of the Church (see Matthew 5:14). Did anybody ever notice that He didn’t say we are the light of the Church? So, what are we doing huddling behind closed doors?  What use is a 1000 watt bulb street light on a bright tropical sun-lit afternoon? Think on these things. (CONCLUDED)