The Convener, Mission to West Africa (MTWA), John Chibuzo Enelamah has said that the Church was God’s partner in transforming the society, hence the need for pastors and other preachers of the gospel to promote righteousness in line with their calling as shepherds.
Enelamah made the observation at the 2022 edition of the MTWA, Lagos segment organised in partnership with Kingdom Apostolic Revival Ministries and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) tagged, ‘Kingdom Mandate: The Restorers of the Earth.’
The 3-day conference was held between Thursday 21 April and Saturday 23 April at the Guiding Light Assembly headquarters, Ikoyi, Lagos.
According to him, “The Church is God’s partner to transform society; so the pastors themselves must become God’s spokesmen, speaking the truth”.
Enelamah, who is also the senior pastor, EndTimes Revival Ministries and executive director, Apostles in The Market Place, said the conference was born out of a burden and desire to put the gospel of the kingdom of God centre stage in Nigeria.
According to him, the mission is to raise a new generation of pastors who will not use ministry for business to make money or who are trying to build the biggest churches in the world at the expense of God.
“When pastors understand their role in society – it means to shepherd society; to teach values, principles, character. It is not to tell people; if you raise your hand you’ll become rich. If you do this or that: no, that is not the calling of the pastor,” he said.
He further said that people would naturally cut corners when they are in a hurry to make money, and can even kill family members in the process. Hence, “The pastor is to help people take the values of God, make it personal; so that when you go to the airport, you see a Nigerian – you will not see a foreigner asking for help; why? His mindset says he’s a foreigner, he needs my help, I don’t need to scandalise him; I don’t need to manipulate him.
“You go to the market and buy something for ten thousand; you don’t sell it for two million and say I bought it for one point something million – You are lying. You are lying because of your mindset; that mindset starts from the Church, not from the society,” Enelamah said.
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Enyinnaya Okwuonu, chairman, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Lagos chapter, said the Fellowship has always been in the forefront of expanding the kingdom and returning the Church back to the standard of God, hence the need to partner with the mission to West African on Kingdom Mandate.
“As we return back to the original pattern, we are going to have Christ’s mind and Christ’s life. So, the kingdom mandate’s Mission to West Africa actually mirrors what we have in mind; that’s why we are partnering with them,” Okwuonu said.
According to him, the standard and lifestyles of many pastors are different from what the Bible says, which is why it is essential to return the Church back to Christ, the original owner. He said that people are currently using business principles in attracting people to the Church, which is not in line with the original mandate of God.
“In the mandate, Jesus said we should make disciples and that tally with our vision to make disciples; to raise people who will be like Christ, to act like Christ both in the Church and the market place of life,” Okwuonu said.
