By Our Correspondent
William Kumuyi, general superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, says it is wrong for “genuine believers” to disrespect political leaders over their seeming failure to keep electoral promises.
The cleric said this on Monday in a post on his Facebook page.
According to Kumuyi, Dapo Asaju, vice-chancellor of the Ajayi Crowther University and a bishop of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), had recently spoken on the need for clerics to speak more on national.
In his post, Kumuyi, who said he understands that clerics have a role to play on demanding good governance, added that it is wrong to embark on protest against government by destroying public facilities.
“We cannot dismiss the concerns of Bishop Professor Asaju. The patriot that he is, he like all of us, wouldn’t want the escalation of our problems to get to the boiling point of no return,” Kumuyi wrote.
“If all else has failed, he seems to say, God’s true representatives in the confines of His Holy Church here in Nigeria cannot fail to lead us away from the cusp pointing down to a dark abyss.
“He is also right to insist that pastors must not be satisfied with the ‘narrow’ mission of entering the annals as the clergymen with the largest congregation in Africa or the world. They must worry more about the environment these worshippers go into when they are discharged from the precincts of the Church.
“Do they march into the deadly embrace of harlots, armed robbers, kidnappers, drug addicts, the sick, unemployed youth given to crime and hopelessness, corrupt political office holders, broken homes, occult campuses, idolatry, immorality, urban violence etc.?
“At Deeper Christian Life Ministry, we are far more aware of this existential crossroads than many perceive. We present the Word of God as delivered in the Holy Bible, alright. But we warn that in the long run, the Lord is interested in a fusion of obedience to His Word and relating amicably with fellow human beings, regardless of class, colour, caste (religion) or culture.
“We teach that if you’re a genuine believer in Christ, you wouldn’t hate your neighbour. Nor would you disdain those in power because they appear not to be delivering on electoral pledges such that you would go on the rampage, destroying government property or pillaging the public till.
“We teach a linear life of Christian walk: you can’t be a saint on Sunday and a monster on Monday.”
“Needless to say, God recognises the dual nature He has clothed us with, physical body and soul. Both need to be fed proportionally. The inner soul requires the Word, while the external body needs material fulfillments through food, shelter, healing, job, joy, justice, etc. The Creator hasn’t annulled that order.
“He expects the state to cater for the body while He saddles the Church with providing for the inner being. None is mutually independent of the other. Societies run into straits, setbacks and storms when they neglect this arrangement.”
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