I have this fear for the Church in Nigeria losing the essence of its existence and gradually losing its ‘Saltiness’ to the “STRONG HOLD” called “RELIGION”.
Christian leaders, Christian Fathers and Christians alike, can we pause and check our “Christ Like Value Meter”? Are we really living like Jesus did or would live if HE were here amongst us today? Don’t you all think most of us are really ‘de-valuing the Christian Life’ the Apostles and the Christian Greats have lived and laid down for us to follow? Let’s really pause and take the much talked about “Turkey” for example, because sometimes God uses some basic things to teach us lessons that would lead us through the path of HIS will.
——Rev. 3:14-22——
“Turkey” is in the present day Europe and partly in Asia, and used to be a stronghold of Christianity back in the days. Christianity existed in Turkey for about 1,023 years, the seven churches Jesus spoke of in Revelations 2 & 3(Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea,) existed in the old Turkey, the disciples were also first called Christians in Turkey(Antioch), Apostle Paul was a citizen of Turkey because Tarsus existed in Turkey.
Now the main point in view: – Turkey once had the largest Christian auditorium in Europe called Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, today that same auditorium was firstly converted to a ‘Mosque’ for over 400yrs before it was converted to an ‘Islamic Museum’ which it currently serves as today.
– The Church in Turkey lost all because its leaders and fathers paid more emphasis on Religion, doctrinal differences which weakened the value of the Church in Turkey and also birthed Petty politics in the church coupled with ethnic biases, this also lead to ‘rivalries’ amongst denominations that existed in Turkey, the Church leaders and Pastors left their “Original Assignment” of Building men to become Christian Champions they only were focused on building ‘Cathedrals’ for themselves, The Islamic faithful’s saw our ‘cracks in our false prophesied Unity’ in Turkey (we keep growing in this weakness of ours which is ‘dis-unity’) and capitalized on them and made the most of it all, today the
= The current status of the Church in Turkey is
– Turkey now has 96% Muslims and 0.02% Christians which in population is lesser than 130,000. My Fear For The Church In NIGERIA Is; We are losing grounds to
-Religion in the Church
-Disunity amongst Churches
-Ethnicity in the Church
-Denominational rivalry
-Targeted doctrinal division
-Loss of vision for the work of winning and building souls for the Kingdom to ‘Building of Cathedrals and magnificent structures’ We have littered about half baked Christians and a bunch of misdirected men/women who have failed to understand their original purpose of being called Christians.
Religion is killing the Church very fast and its is birthing other vices in the Church that is making the Church lose its original taste and its real purpose. Remember history tells us that the spiritual foundation of the Church in Turkey was stronger than that of Nigeria and Christianity had existed for over 1000yrs in Turkey unlike our fragile history which is just about 172yrs old.
Do you know that the Islam Radicalism is gradually gaining grounds and systematically uprooting the seeds sown in the hearts of men, women and the youths in Nigeria? Due to our lack of concern for Godly character and life style which should be part of us daily. If it can happen in Turkey, it definitely can also happen to Nigeria if we are not “careful”. How gradually the fear for the Church and all that concerns the Church in Nigeria dying away, and as we speak the Church is still bound to the pillars of Religion here in Nigeria and we are ‘Living a double LIFE’ that does not speak well of “Jesus Christ”.
The Church needs to wake up, I don’t mean the denomination neither am I talking to all your structures, but I am talking to all of us to start searching deep into our hearts and ask ourselves are we really “Christ like”? If we are ‘X-rayed’ will our result display Gods characters in us?
We need to rebuild our walls and focus on building men and not ‘structures’, we need to genuinely unite and become ‘iron’ so that we all can sharpen each other.
How come ‘ordinary men’ claim to bring change to us all, when Gods servants have not said the heart of the Father to all. Whose report are we suppose to believe and listen to, mans(politicians) or that of Gods through HIS prophets? Enough of playing second fiddle and being seen as weak and unserious to the mandate that was passed unto us.
Wake Up!
-Let us all pray for the emergence of the prophet for this time and age
-let us all change our attitude towards the work of God and come to clear understanding of how to ‘live the Will of God’ and have true genuine saltiness we are meant to be
-lets pray for our leaders, pastors, bishops and all to come to genuine repentance and for them to truly live the life of Jesus Christ and replicate same to their members
-we need to truly unite and deepen our Christian lives and make our values better
LET’S ARISE & LETS DO THE NEEDFUL The Revival meant to hit the World surely will start from here let’s not allow our selfish desires make us lose out and also regret.
Please friends Jesus is counting on you and I
Good Day!
I'm:
Pastor Chidi OHANUM