The Nation Newspaper

Tag: christian

  • Burundi wants churches to have 500 members and building before registeration

    Citing a survey last year which found that there were some 557 practicing Christian denominations in the small Central African nation, Burundi’s lower house of parliament has passed a bill requiring churches to have at least 500 members and a building to stanch the “proliferation of churches” in that country.

    Under the proposed law, foreign churches will need at least 1,000 followers before they can register as a legitimate church, according to the BBC.

    Evangelical churches have been cropping up at a rapid pace in the predominantly Christian nation of nearly 9 million people since the end of a long ethnic based civil war in 2005 in which an estimated 300,000 people were killed.

    The government, led by born-again Christian President Pierre Nkurunziza, believes that the church community is currently too haphazard, with just about anyone being able to start a church, and it has also been plagued by scandals as well. One recent scandal involved a pastor imploring barren women who wanted to conceive to sleep with him.

    The BBC said the bill got unanimous support from the MPs in Burundi’s National Assembly and is likely to get the same reception in the Senate. Once the president signs the bill into law, churches will have a year to sure up their pews or shut down their operations.

    While the politicians overwhelmingly support the move, some members of the public have questioned the wisdom behind the move, citing scriptures that contradict the number rule like Matthew 18: 20 which says: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

    Critics also cited Matthew 13:24-30 in which Jesus explains that the wheat and the tares must grow together.

    “The word must be preached whether in mountains, rivers or synagogues. The problem is not about too many churches but our economy. Life has become so unbearable and people are embarking on anything to make ends meet. No, we should not ban them. Only God will remove the wheat from chaff,” said Wellington Mukundwa in a comment on Facebook.

    “I find the decision by the lower house of Burundi shocking, particularly the thought process behind it. You do not curb abuse by limiting the number of churches. If this bill is passed into law, those ‘bogus’ pastors will simply join forces and abuse even more people. Let people face the wrath of the law when they err,” warned Edmund Mbewe.

     

    Source: Christian Post

  • Orubebe: You can be a good Christian and a good Politician

    Orubebe: You can be a good Christian and a good Politician

    Until recently, Godsday Orubebe was Minister of Niger Delta. He resigned to pursue his dream of becoming Delta State’s next governor. In this encounter with Okungbowa Aiwerie, he discussed politics and Christianity, among others.

    Ogbobagbene is an obscure community deep in the Niger Delta creeks. What motivated your building a church here?

    My father’s mother fished on the lake within the community; so my father followed her here. I grew up to see very few houses, not more than twenty thatched buildings. And we lived a communal life where you could eat in any person’s home. Due to the size of the community, people kept saying the town was not growing because there were witches in the community. So, we became a laughing stock of neighbouring communities. Although we are blessed with sand and people will come and dig sand to build block houses, but we the owners of the resources never had the funds to build block houses. I remember when one of my uncles was discussing with a friend who visited and sand dredging was going on that day and the community wanted the dredgers to pay for the sand, my uncle’s friend replied that Ogbobagbene did not understand the value of sand. I was in the restroom when this discussion was going on. I cried to God throughout that night. I cried: “God, give us the opportunity to know the value of sand”. Today God has blessed us; my brothers, sisters, cousins and nephews have all built houses in this community. You have buildings all over the community .This area, which is built up, was supposed to have been bewitched. The community believed anyone who built a house here would die. A wealthy uncle of mine who attempted to build his house on this side of the community suddenly died. So, when I wanted to build my first house (you know I happened to be the first son of my mother), my mother kicked against it. I told her I am different from other people. I told her I am a child of God and that I had my own destiny. I called my pastors and consecrated the land and I built my home. Soon, everyone started building on this side of the community. For this feat, the community bestowed the title of “Amafinowei” meaning “The man God sent to develop the town”. God spoke to me about this vision; He said build a place for me for people to come and worship me. This centre is non-denominational. The centre runs a series of projects, such as support for widows and elderly. Every last August of the year, we have a very major event where over a thousand widows and the elderly are clothed, fed and empowered.

    How do you combine your role as a preacher and politician?

    By practice, I am a politician. I studied Political Science. I was born a politician. In 1987, in Lagos I was praying and speaking to God. I asked God to reveal to me what I was created to accomplish on earth. God revealed to me that I was meant to be a politician. I am a politician by practice and by calling a servant of God. What I do is that there is a thin separating line between my Christian life and my political life. I do not mix the two. When I am doing politics, I face the activities of politics and when I am preaching, I do not bring in politics into it. When I am practising politics, I bring in the values of Christianity. These are the values of love, equity, good; these are the things I bring into politics. So, my Christian life affects my political life. I do things differently in politics by bringing in the values of Christianity. I want to bring a new concept of love in politics, transparency, doing what is right and keeping your promises. The issues of deceit are frowned upon in Christianity. I have come into politics to let people know that you can be a good Christian and be a good politician.

    As the 2015 general elections draws near, many are scared that violence may mar the elections, what is your advice to politicians?

    If we see politics as service to humanity, then there will be no issue of if I do not get it, no one else gets it. The do-or-die attitude, some people feel it is their birthright to govern others. If we see ourselves as one, if we share love one with one and other, if we think about the development of this country, all the crisis will go away. From 1960 till date, Nigeria has been enmeshed in one crisis or another, and Nigeria has the capacity to absorb any crisis thrown at her. God has a way of taking care of the problems of Nigeria. So, my advice to politicians is that we should not see politics as a do-or-die game. We should see it as a game where brothers and sisters are thinking of becoming governor with the sole aim of taking care of the people. If that is the general thinking of everybody, we should be happy that any one that is there will do the wish of the people. I believe God will take care of 2015. There will be no crisis; we are praying for peace. God has always sustained the country because of the prayer of the saints.

    How do we deepen democracy?

    We deepen democracy by imbibing the values of Christianity and Islam, which are centred on love and by strengthening the institution of democracy, like INEC, to improve the welfare of the people. Take for instance, we are talking about the issues of Boko Haram, the money that would have been used in combating the insurgency is enough to do a number of things to empower the people. During the Niger Delta crisis, crude oil production went very low. If there is a crisis, it affects the resources of the country. A lot of states in the Northeast, the governors are crying of paucity of resources, the resources are not there to do the things ordinarily they are expected to do. If we allow the system to grow and we see government as service to the people and we love one and other, we will deepen democracy.

    During the programme, you repeatedly mentioned that every decision you have passed through is shown to you first by God and it often comes to pass. Will this replicate itself in the2015 gubernatorial race?

    The life of anybody on earth is determined by God. If God wants me to govern Delta State, it is God that knows how He will take care of the process to take me to that exalted seat. I have joined the governorship race in Delta. What will be the outcome is to be determined by God. I can only say let’s wait for God to take care of the process.

    PDP has a zoning policy which may conflict with your ambition…

    Zoning is defined by participation by all, zoning is an all-inclusive term that says that everybody must have a stake in the activities of governance, and we are graduating to a system which is that if you have somebody who can do work to satisfy all sectors, nobody will be talking of one ethnic group or another. If the resources of a nation are well-distributed to all corners, nobody will care if his or her kinsman is governor or not. In Delta State, over the period we have always had everybody working and contesting together at the end of the day whether the person is from whatever area; if he emerges, we all rally around that person to where we are going. If you are talking about zoning and you want to define it to suit yourself, then it becomes an injustice to other people. In Delta State, we have so many ethnic nationalities and if you are talking about Mr. A from an ethnic nationality and Mr. B from another ethnic nationality and you think that where Mr. A is coming from should be able to represent another ethnic group, which of course is not what should happen in government, supposing it is like that the people from the area that have not gotten anything will also say they have not we have not been represented. Delta State from creation till date we have never had an Ijaw man as governor of the state. So even if you want to look at it very from that perspective, you will see that the Ijaw man has the right to say he has to be the next governor if we are talking about zoning properly. I am talking about candidates coming out to sell themselves to the people. We should look out for someone who would unite the state; someone who will bring about love, peace and development and above all bringing concepts within the confines of Christianity in order to transparently deliver to the people of our state.

  • Force of attraction too strong to repel

    DUPE and Sesan were both as different as chalk and cheese. She had grown up in an orthodox, aristocratic family, proud of her tradition and lineage. Sesan on the other hand grew up in a laid-back Christian household. Her mother and father were her source of pride and she saw almost everything from their perspective. These two lovebirds met in their university during their post graduate studies in the Arts department and it was started first as friendship and then Cupid’s arrow brought them to the affectionate corridor.

    Scroll back down memory lane and you discover how hate melted into love. When Dupe first ran into this handsome dude at the fresher’s party, she didn’t even like his attitude. He was in the company of her school mate who introduced him briefly as her cousin. For the first ten minutes, they argued over every topic and she vowed never to have anything to do with this guy again. She thought he was too cavalier and he thought she was not in touch with reality.

    Interestingly, fate had other plans for them. Alphabetically destined together, Dupe and Sesan ended up sitting next to each other in class the following week. How was she going to handle this guy? Should she move away and find a better space? Well, something told her not to worry and just be herself. He was in a better mood or could it be that he had repented?

    Two weeks after that encounter, he also began to view her differently and they got closer and closer. She had never been so happy in her life. Everything about him was strange, different and exciting, waiting to be explored. He was so mysterious and, yet, so loving and she couldn’t wait to spend the rest of her life with him.

    Dupe and Sesan were as unlike as it could get. They were undeniably different. Their backgrounds, their upbringing, their culture, and their outlook towards life were all different. But though poles apart, it seemed like the magnetic laws were soon to start applying to them. The force of attraction was too strong to repel. They were soon quite inseparable. Most times, you do not really know who a person is until you give them a chance. At such moments, the adventurous side plays itself out and you can be sure to drink from the stream of love if you play your cards well.

    Of course, we all know that there are times when you put in so much and all you get is rejection. At such moments, all you need is to get a substitute and make yourself happy. Rejection doesn’t feel great and sometimes it feels unfathomable but it shouldn’t be something you allow to take away happiness from your life. The suffering that happens when rejection occurs comes from over-thinking the “loss” that you feel you are suffering.

    The reality of life is that rejection will form a part of itthere will be occasions when your date request will be rejected by someone, somewhere. It is a healthy attitude to accept that rejection is a part of life and to acknowledge that what really matters is finding the way to bounce back and try again. The truth of the matter is that, it is normal to feel bad, so don’t try to bottle up your disappointment and sadness.

    It is, however, better not to allow yourself to feel this way for too long. If you do not move away from being a sinking heart, then you may risk colouring your future emotional endeavours with a negative impression.

    You may also seek the help of a counsellor when you cannot handle it alone. Experts believe that you can open the window (s) of emotional possibilities with a loving and caring attitude towards your partner. In addition to all these, you also need to be thoughtful about the things that would captivate the one you adore as well as make him or her shed tears of affection and joy.

    You can put in extra effort and do everything that you have always imagined about your dream partner to the one that you finally find yourself entangled with for life. All you need to do an ’emotional transfusion’. This is a situation where you do everything on your affectionate list to the other person without holding anything back.

    Just give and give as much as you can and somehow you would discover that you are going to derive joy doing this too. By making someone happy you are investing happiness for yourself too and before you know it, it would be time to reap this emotional seeds in thousands. It is important to do this as often as you can and you can be sure of a great transformation in your relationship.

    If the challenge that you were experiencing was from your partner, then you are going to find that your partner will now become more caring, loving and thoughtful towards you. Here you would find that the energy of your unselfish acts resonates in the loving space of your partner.

  • Christian pilgrimage, an enriching spiritual experience —Uduaghan

    As the World Sango Festival continues today, last Monday marked the celebration of Aje Oloja Day at the festival.

    The day was marked with colourful celebration with market women from different parts of Nigeria who came to celebrate with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III.

    Speaking on the occasion, chairperson and Iyaloja-General of the federation, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu – Ojo, said all traders make effort to impact on the economy of the nation.

    According to her, this Sango Festival, as organized, is the first time the Yoruba nation will come together to celebrate cultural unity, devoid of any form of politics.

    She noted that activities of the market women are the central oiling machine for the economy, noting that without the market women, trade and commerce would not succeed.

    She added that the location of market attracts the siting of financial institutions, thereby causing growth and expansions in the banking sector.

     

  • Understanding the family (4)

    Dear Reader,

    In this concluding segment of Family Forum for this month, we will be looking at what God’s Word has to say about the Mystery of One Flesh.

    Let’s examine some of the things we can learn from the mystery of one flesh, in understanding the family.

    Treat Your Spouse As Yourself

    An understanding of the mystery of one flesh will make husband and wife treat each other the same way. What you cannot do to yourself, don’t do to your spouse. Treat your spouse the way you want your spouse to treat you. Care for your spouse the same way you want him/her to care for you.

    The Word of God says: For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church (Ephesians 5:29). The American Heritage Dictionary defines “nourish” as “to provide with food or other substances necessary for life and growth; feed. To foster the development of, promote.” It defines “cherish” as “treat with affection and tenderness; hold dear. To keep fondly in mind.” A husband and wife should foster the development of each other, promote each other, treat each other with affection and tenderness, hold each other dear, and keep each other fondly in mind. It takes an understanding of the mystery of one flesh to be able to do this.

    Make No Provision For Divorce

    Do all within your power to avoid divorce. God’s Word says: For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously (Malachi 2:16). God hates putting away! What God hates, you should hate too. What God has joined together, nothing should put asunder (Matthew 19:5-6; Mark10:9).

    When there is a challenge in your home, divorce should not be the first option that comes to mind. Rather, it is important to first identify and analyze the challenge. Then, make proposals and choose a possible solution. This way, most problems can be solved. What you don’t confront you never conquer. Be committed to deal with problems, not walk away from them. Divorce can be likened to marital amputation. It causes a lot of grief, pain, and wound that only God can heal. Even when a wound is healed, the scar remains, and in most cases, for life. Make no plans for divorce. Remember, prevention is better than cure.

    The breakdown of the family unit is one of the greatest calamities our society faces today. The partners go through untold agonies, not to talk of the shattered lives of children, who go through turmoil and devastation. Probably you are reading this article and have been considering divorce, according to you, because there is no way out. Hold it! Who knows, this might be the reason God gave you the opportunity of reading this article. Or, are you already divorced? Do not allow a sense of condemnation to overwhelm and destroy your colorful future. God is a Restorer. Do you know a miracle can still take place in your life and family to bring about a restoration? And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm … (Joel 2:25).

    The general principle is: no divorce. But if you are already divorced, God picks you up where you are. If you are re-married now, God recognized the marriage relationship you are in now as binding. What you did in the past is past, ask God for forgiveness and go on from there. You need to make it a biblical relationship.

    Share Your Bodies With One Another

    Husbands and wives should learn to share their physical bodies with one another. After marriage, the physical body of the husband belongs to the wife, and that of the wife belongs to the husband. Both of them are to enjoy satisfaction from each other’s body. They are not expected to refrain their bodies from one another anymore. See what the scripture says in I Corinthians 7:4-5: The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other… Man and wife, understand that your physical union is your creative power. God created sex, and it is a key part of our lives. It is meant to be enjoyed exclusively by a husband and his wife after marriage. This physical union is what produces children. Sex is to be enjoyed, not endured. Don’t use it to punish your spouse!

    In marriage, sex is the ultimate in oneness between a husband and wife. Your sex life affects your attitude positively or negatively. Sexual tension is the foundation of crises in many marriages and homes, but it can be avoided. My husband says when a marriage lacks romance, it starts suffering disintegration. Never give your body to your spouse because you want to get something from him/her. In marriage, never be found prostituting your body; it is perverted sex!

    When a husband and wife are truly united in body, it becomes easy to overcome temptations from outside. Remember that sex is only proper in the context of marriage. Outside of marriage, sex is sin (I Corinthians 6:9). In actual fact, it is the scarlet sin, and it sinks destinies! Your destiny shall not sink!

    However, for you to enjoy family life and your marriage according to the design of the Almighty God, then you have to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour. By so doing, you confess your sins to Him and tell you will not go back to them again. Are you ready to give Him your life? If you are, please say this prayer with me: “Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I believe You died for me and on the third day, You rose that I might be justified. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom”.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 08141320204; 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

  • Agbakoba threatens legal action over Christian/Ecclesiastical courts

    Agbakoba threatens legal action over Christian/Ecclesiastical courts

    Former President of the Ni- gerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) has threatened to sue the National Assembly and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) over the non-inclusion of Christian/Ecclesiastical Courts in the constitution.

    In a July 16 letter, titled Establishments of Ecclesiastical Courts, addressed to Senate President David Mark and Attorney-General of the Federation, Agbakoba said though provisions were made for other religions, none was made for Christianity in the Constitution.

    He gave the National Assembly seven days, effective July 16, to address the issues raised in his letter, failing which he will initiate legal proceedings.

    Agbakoba argued that the absence of Christian/Ecclesiastical courts in the Constitution is a violation of Section 42 of the  1999 Constitution which prohibits discrimination on account of religion.

    “I am a Christian and Catholic by faith. I have read the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and have observed that no provision is made for Christians to have their religious/spiritual affairs adjudicated by persons adequately learned in Ecclesiastical laws/ biblical jurisprudence.

    “Islamic and Customary practitioners are well recognised and accommodated in the Constitution by the establishment of the Customary and Islamic court systems in Sections 260, 265, 275 and 280 but  no corresponding provision is made for Christians or Ecclesiastical Courts.”

    Christians, according to him, are forced to resort to Customary and High Courts which are manned by persons of little or no knowledge of Ecclesiastical law and jurisprudence.

    “This in my view violates Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution which prohibits discrimination on account of religion.”

    Agbakoba asked that provisions should be made for the establishment of Christian/Ecclesiastical Courts, in the present on-going review of the constitution, adding that Nigeria is a multi religious country and faith is personal.

    “I believe matters of faith should not be contained in the Constitution as provided by Section 10 which prohibits state religion.  But if we must retain customary and Islamic law systems, and I have nothing against this, then provision must be made for Christian/Ecclesiastical Courts,” he added.

    The learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria attached a draft bill for the establishment of the Ecclesiastical Court of Appeal for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, as he claimed to have received it from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), to the letter sent to the Senate President for the consideration of the Assembly.

    He threatened that he would head for the court if nothing is done within the period of ultimatum given to the Senate on the matter.

     

  • Christian Doherty hibernates with his millions

    ABUJA-based comedian, Christian Doherty, won the 2011 edition of the Glo Naija sings and has somewhat gone underground since he smiled home with $100,000 and a brand new Rav4. Nothing seems to have been heard from the bulky guy, coupled with the fact the organisers of the television reality show did not do another edition .

  • Tundun Abiola now a christian

    TUNDUN Attah , the daughter of the late MKO Abiola and Chief(Mrs.) Adebisi Abiola, if information available is anything to go by, may have accepted the Christian faith. We gathered that she has also dropped her Muslim name, Hauwa, for Victoria, a name she adopted at conversion.

    Sources who should know disclosed that Tundun’s decision in converting to Christianity was fired by her love for her husband, Atama. It will be recalled that Tundun and Atama got married in London in May 2009. Their marriage has since been blessed with a son.