A retired bishop, Akinfenwa, has urged the church to speak out against societal ills and hold those in authority accountable, saying Christians must not allow fear to silence their prophetic responsibility.
Speaking at the consecration of four new bishops, Akinfenwa said citizens had a responsibility to draw attention to wrongdoing and encourage positive action in their communities.
“We must speak! In your various locations, speak against ills, call the attention of people to what they should be doing. Whatever happens, our democracy depends upon citizens who are willing to speak. Freedom of speech matters. Freedom of association matters. Freedom of religion matters. Freedom of thought matters.
“The church must not become zombie or be afraid. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. We must be able to tell those in authority when they are doing well and when they are doing wrong. We must also be able to tell them when things are not what they should be.
“That is part of our prophetic calling. Nigeria is a nation of extraordinary resilience. We endure, we improvise, we survive, we keep moving. But resilience must never be used as an excuse to ignore suffering. There’s hardship in the land. There’s hunger in the land. There’s unemployment in the land, and talk about insecurity; there is so much in the land. There’s anxiety about the future. Many families are struggling to meet basic needs. When people tell us that they are suffering, we must not dismiss their testimony. The church must listen to the cry of the people, and the church must speak on behalf of the people.
“When the people cry, the church must not merely say, “Let us pray.” Yes, let us pray, but after we pray, let us ask, “Lord, what do You want us to do?” Prayers must lead to action. Faith must produce works. That is why James says, “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers alone. Let us say this with respect to those who lead our nation, even at this time. Look, every leader needs people who will tell them the truth, not people who will tell them only what they want to hear, not people who will deny reality in order to protect their position.”
Akinfenwa added, “And my mind tells me that it seems that with what is happening in our nation, most of our leaders may, or are not allowed to read the national dailies. For if they read it, they will be touched. Most of them, I believe, are not available—all electronic media is not available to them, they ignore it.
“The stories are there always every day, but how many of our leaders have time to listen to such things? In fact, those who surround them debar them from having such information. The truth may be uncomfortable, but knowing the truth gives leadership the opportunity to correct what needs to be corrected. Please, let us continue to pray for those in authority, that God will surround them not with merely loyalists, but with truth-tellers.”
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The retired bishop also called on the newly consecrated bishops to approach their new positions as a responsibility to serve God and the church rather than as an avenue for personal recognition.
He urged them to see their elevation as a greater call to service, stewardship and accountability.
Quoting John 9:4, he said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work,” the retired bishop said the church must celebrate its past achievements while remaining focused on the future.
“Thank God for yesterday. We celebrate what God has done, but we must press forward into what God wants to do next. The church must march on with renewed vigour and enthusiasm,” he said.
Akinfenwa congratulated the four newly consecrated bishops—Godwin, Kingsley, Julius and Fatunsi—whose journey to the episcopate began with their election at the Episcopal Synod held at the University of Port Harcourt in July.
He told them that their consecration marked a transition from their previous clerical responsibilities to a higher level of service within the Church.
“From today, dear brothers, you are no longer simply Archdeacons or members of the clergy. You are bishops of the Church of God.
“Consecration means that something has been set apart for God. You are not being consecrated for personal honour. You are not being consecrated for ecclesiastical status. You are not being consecrated so that people can add ‘My Lord’ to your name. You are being consecrated for the service of God and His church,” he said.