‘Religious Leaders Must Speak against Social Vices’

Oluchi Chibuzor

As the country continues to face growing challenges of various social vices, the need for religious leaders to become an active voice against these trends has been emphasised.
Giving his voice against this trends over the weekend, the convener, Mission to West Africa (MTWA), John Enelamah, said the churches must realise that they are God’s partner in transforming the society, hence the need to promote righteousness in line with their calling as shepherds.
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.
“The Church is God’s partner to transform the society; so the pastors themselves must become God’s spokesmen by speaking the truth.
“When pastors understand their role in the society, it means to shepherd the society; to teach values, principles, character. It is not to tell people that if you raise your hand you’ll become rich or if you do this or that, no, that is not the calling of the pastor.”
Also, the executive director, Apostles in The Market Place, said the conference is borne out of a burden and desire to put the gospel of the kingdom of God at the centre stage in Nigeria.
He maintained that “people will 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.
“You go to the market and buy something for N10,000; 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.
Also, the Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Lagos chapter, Enyinnaya Okwuonu,  explained that 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 the mission in West African on Kingdom Mandate.
According to him, “The standard and life styles 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.”