The recent maiden visit of the General Overseer of the United Church of Christ, Bishop Ezennaya Egbo, to the Western District II Headquarters in Ikeja area of Lagos State heralded a new dawn for the church and its existence. Rebecca Ejifoma reports that the GO’s unusual switch from saving lives in the medical world to harvesting souls for God depicts the vision of the church for humanity
In times like this when the world is in distress with daily chaos, incessant killings, divorce, sudden gender error, wars and rumours of war, political unwillingness, insecurity and hunger being the order of the day, the United Church of Christ (UCC) recently leveraged its three days programme to intercede for the nations.
Tagged, “Greater Glory”, it also afforded the UCC’s Western District II Headquarters in Ikeja area of Lagos State, the opportunity to host the General Overseer of the Church, Bishop Ezennaya Egbo and wife on his maiden episcopal visit.
The Host Pastor and District Superintendent, Reverend Roland Ukah, brought members from both far and near to genuflect with one voice to call down peace and harmony. This was part of its quest including attracting the glory of God on the people, and liberating mankind from the many ills bedeviling the society among other breakthroughs.
Led by the General Overseer of UCC, Bishop (Dr) Ezennaya Egbo, alongside other ordained men of God from other branches of the church, there was energetic worship, supplication, thanksgiving, adoration and counsel.
The Nsukka-trained Biochemist, who effortlessly switched to medicine at the University of California in the US before priesthood, demonstrated God’s love to the congregation that overflowed the brims of the square hall of the church. Aside his dab with journalism, Bishop Egbo is the Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Imo State.
While he succinctly interacted with THISDAY on the essence of his visit and the impact for this year’s power-packed conference, Egbo promptly reminisced about the days of yore when UCC was founded in 1968 and incorporated as a legal entity in 1972.
Doctrinal Statement of UCC
According to the Bishop, the UCC Fountain of Peace is a blend of the pentecostal and charismatic. This in clear terms shows that it believes undeniably in the Holy Spirit.
He emphasised that the word Pentecost is from the event on the day Pentecost. “It is a Jewish festival of 40 days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit descended on the day of pentecost. That’s why those who believe in the operation of the complete gift of the Holy Spirit are called Pentecostals.
“These gifts are called charismatic gifts. They are found in first Corinthians chapter 12 from verse one to the end. We believe in charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit, the body and also believe in the offices in Ephesians chapter four verses 11 and 12 that some are apostles, some are prophets, some are pastors and some are teachers. That’s why I say it’s a Pentecostal and charismatic church.”
While also maintaining the church’s stand in the teachings of the Holy Spirit because, the Biochemist described the Holy Spirit as a Gift to the church to showcase Jesus, he quoted Jesus who said “Go and I will bring the Comforter to be with you and He’s going to teach you all things so the giftings of the body of Christ and the word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of spirit, prophesy and all those gifts that are manifest in this church”.
He highlighted boldly: “So I can say without an iota of doubt that we are Pentecostal and by his grace. I’m also the Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship in Imo State, which is a body that comprises all Pentecostal churches in Nigeria as far as Imo State is concerned. So you can see that we are fully Pentecostal.”
Tentacles across the World
Living by the tenets of the Bible with a strategically mapped out structure for the leadership, UCC is spreading its tentacles round the world, preaching to every soul and baptising them in the Holy Trinity.
Egbo listed, “We have well over 500 branches across Nigeria. We are virtually in every part of the country except extreme Northern states because of the situation that some of our churches had to be closed.
“Today, UCC is in Katsina, Kaduna, Bauchi, Kano, Jos, Makurdi, and Yola, Western, Southern and all South-east of the nation and beyond the shores of Nigeria.
Driving Youth Engagement through Music, Skill Acquisition
Undoubtedly, music provides a way for youth to express and explore their feelings and emotions even in the church. UCC has taken a cue with a number of activities, and empowerment schemes to appropriately channel the energy of the youth for positive outcomes.
And in the words of Egbo, the administration that came onboard three years ago has charted the “Youth for Christ” programme. “You can see in the church the energy and vibrancy is evident that it’s a youth church.
Today, leaders across the world have made peace with the fact that young people are a crucial part of economic growth, hence, the dire need to curb the spiralling effect of their restiveness.
Like other concerned leaders, Egbo encourages solutions rather than apportioning blame. “Anyone waiting for the government to employ him or her is just wasting time. The government cannot do everything. That is why we have intentional programmes that are for the youths for skill acquisition.”
Away from the mainstream skills, UCC ensures it finds the passion of the participating youths, enhancing it for them to relish their lives and contribute to society. “That’s how they can be blessings to the society. We have several areas we are into and we have that working in our system.”
Breaking Gender Bias In Church
Seeing how evolving the world is with the continuous call for gender equality and parity, the UCC general overseer confirmed that the leadership of the church recognises all as the same. He classified both genders in the things of the supernatural and Pentecostal.
The Bishop expounded, “We don’t have male or female in the things of the spirit. The book of Colosians chapter three says ‘Neither male nor female and on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was released, which is the birthday of the universal church. The women were there too including the mother of Jesus who received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Notwithstanding, he maintained the position of the leadership, saying, “We believe that women have a role to play in the church so why the bias?” He queried. “We find that women also are strong and good managers, starting from the home. So we have to open up this style of opportunities for women to excel”.
To further walk the talk, UCC placed some ordained female pastors to steer the wheels of their churches. “Some of our women who are heading churches across the country,” says Egbo with dignity.
Reaching the World through Digitalisation
Just like the corporate and social world, the church has gripped technology dearly to spread the gospel. “We’ve been part of this. Before God called our leader to glory, he ran a TV ministry in the early stages. I had to run a radio and TV programme even currently in the South-east.”
However, he chipped in a byword, “Everything that appears to be negative has a positive aspect. COVID-19 forced people to make it off on digitalisation,” he narrated. And with some sense of worth, the revivalist outlined some of the platforms they anchor on including YouTube, Facebook and a website for transmission.
Of course, the leadership of the church expressed constructive belief in the power of the media because, according to the GO, even the gospel itself is a product of the media. “Without the Bible today it’s also a work of the media. It’s journalism recorded by people. I don’t see why the church should shy away from it to reach out.
“There are many people who may not come into the conventional settings for some reasons but you have the message through social media channels. And we created a department for that in the church.”
UCC Weekly Itinerary
Unlike in the days of yore when Christian centres would engage in house fellowship every Sunday from 6p to 8pm and beyond. This was after its morning service, UCC had amended its service itinerary. There are special programmes fashioned from Mondays to Saturdays at various times of the day while Sundays are irreversibly dedicated to celebrate Christ.
As a minister of the gospel, Egbo expressed, “People come to church for Bible study service then we dismiss,” pointing out that these members have other things to do. “They can do other things that are supposed to help them. We don’t believe that you must be in the church 24 hours non-stop and neglect other aspects of human endeavor. You can also have a church 24 hours like the programme today, sit in your house and still follow up in the evening. That’s one of the advantages of ICT.”
The Church and Divorce
At UCC, its stand on the issues of divorce and marriage is in sync with the Bible. The GO precisely told THISDAY, “Divorce could be inevitable. Even God says he hates divorce. And marriage is a contract – something could happen and two persons that are not of the same parents but of different backgrounds.
“It takes the grace of God to make them work. When it becomes inevitable that there are irreconcilable differences and there is a divorce we will try to intervene. But if that happens, we will not kill anyone.”
Male and Female Created He Them
Whereas on the issue of male, female, binary or non-binary among the new others on the gender list, Egbo sternly concluded, “That is a no-go area. God said in the book of Romans chapter that men and women loving themselves is natural.
“We stand on heterosexual relationship,” he clarified. “But then also we won’t kill those who have found themselves in the other divide. Homosexuals or lesbians, Jesus loves them.
“It could be demonic activities or an inborn error of metabolism as a biochemistry student. What I would do is to look at them with understanding and reach out to them with the love of Jesus and pray that God would help them.”
The Bishop gentleman, therefore, prescribed that prayer remains the chief remedy. He added that the way out is by prayer and counselling and not to condemn them and see them go to hell fire.
Balancing Ministry and Family Life
“In UCC”, the general minister commanding admitted that they counsel young pastors to allow their spouses to get trained so they can have a hands-on experience of the involvement of the pastor and priest. “You are not just for your wife. So she understands that every occupation has its own demands.
“If you are a banker, you go to work Monday to Friday. Sometimes you come back late. Saturday and Sunday are yours. Even for a trader the same way but if you are a pastor, it’s a 24/7 work and so she has to understand that I’m married to a man of God.”
And to illustrate his values, the Bishop didn’t leave the shores of Enugu to Lagos alone. He was in the warm company of his radiant wife, Prophetess (Dr.) Christy Egbo. And unanimously, their call to men of God remains to preach the authentic gospel of Jesus Christ.
According to the parson, the gospel says ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and other things shall be added unto you’.
He cautioned also, “The undue crave for wealth, titles, things that are not really kingdom-minded is making people see the church as a business centre which isn’t so.”
This is as he reminded the shepherds of God’s vineyard that God’s house should be a house of prayers indeed.
A Word for Christians Called in God’s Vineyard
Despite the admiration and accolades that come with his certificates, Egbo chose to bow to higher authority when He received the call of God.
“If you are called, you can’t shy away from it. He’s the one that made you. He knows why he made you, put all the things in you to use you as a medium to reach out. God Himself cannot come down. I’ll advise such people to answer the call.”
Leanings
Just like the daily saying “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”, the Bishop of UCC International is not always about his professional and religious leanings.
Part of his leisure time is dedicated to reading, playing football, and watching nature. “I intentionally had to put myself into studies – just the development capacity,” harping on the fact that as a leader, one needs to develop one’s capacity.
His first degree was in Biochemistry in 1984 University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Then he went on to Imo State University to study Law and proceeded to gain some knowledge in Journalism.
On April 29 in 1984 he went to Ondo State for his National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) where his whole mission took a new twist. He took a pleasant stroll down memory lane. “I had an encounter that turned around this situation. One early Monday morning, I was sitting up when a bright light like oxyacetylene used in welding struck me.
“I found myself coming out of myself. I began to move in a celestial world. He showed me Heaven and earth and ordered me to go back and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Coming back, I had no interest again for all those things.”
Quote
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and other things shall be added unto you”
