pastors in politics-response.htm

Renowned preacher, marriage counsellor and author, Rev Dr Henry U. Ogbonna has charged churches to be more relevant in society, saying that apart from breaking the bread of life, there were a whole lot of other things they could do to uplift the nation. According to him, churches ought to be proactive and dynamic to deal with social issues.

Rev Ogbonna, who is the pastor in charge at Assemblies of God Church, Festac Town branch, Lagos also averred that by trying to elongate his tenure, President Olusegun Obasanjo is putting a question mark on the principles and doctrines of the faith he professes.

He spoke on other issues including celibacy, reincarnation and poor moral temperature in an age of religious explosion.

Background
I am Rev Dr. Henry U. Ogbonna, an indigene of Abia State. I have been a pastor in different branches of Assemblies of God Church for 26 years. I am currently heading a branch of the church in Festac Town, Lagos. I am also a marriage counsellor and author of several books on living a victorious Christian life, marriage and family.

Churches should be relevant
It is my belief that a church should be relevant in the community in as many ways as possible. You build up the people both spiritually and otherwise. For example, in our local church in Festac town, Lagos, we have instituted a skills acquisition and career guidance/counselling programme. This was informed by the realisation that there is need to offer special help to our young ones. We realised that many of them are just in church without doing anything. Some do not have the money to start anything. Some do not know what to do with themselves.

Some want to pursue one career or another without knowing how to go about it. So we decided that we should help them one way or another. We are helping them by way of counselling or guidance. To this end, we have put together a committee made up of achievers and God-fearing people to carry out this special assignment. Renowned Lagos lawyer, Mr Ntong Festus Ntong, is the secretary of the committee while Deacon Bernard Nwabuko is chairman.

The essence is stop them from roaming the streets in the interest of the church, the society and the country. The church should help to build a better society.

Indeed, apart from preaching the gospel, many churches have gone into social work, helping widows and the needy. There are also churches that have built schools to help indigent people and society in general.

Moral temperature of society
It has to do with the sphere of emphasis. These days much emphasis is being laid on material acquisition than righteousness, holiness and people tend to focus more on material things than heavenly things. This is one of the reasons for the worrisome developments in society. People are becoming religious without being spiritual. So, the more we emphasise on mundane, the more people go for them. This is the problem of today.

Pastors in politics
There is really nothing wrong with pastors going into politics. But I will describe it as a step backward. To me, if someone, a minister called by God to preach the word, which is the highest position you can think of, relinquishes his position for politics, he has taken steps backward instead of forward. However, I am not saying that it is outrightly wrong.

Taxing churches
It is not biblical for churches to pay tax. It should not be practised in Nigeria, and if that is done it will bring disaster to this nation. I must say it, it is wrong. From generation to generation, from country to country, we have not heard of any place where churches pay tax. Government should not even think about it because churches are not profit-oriented organisations although some ministers are trying to make the church look like a commercial organisation.

Reincarnation
There is nothing like reincarnation at all. The Bible says it is appointed unto man once to die and after that judgement comes. You cannot go and come back again.

Salvation and miracle
The greatest miracle that can happen to anybody is the salvation of one's soul. Salvation of the body is called miracle. But if the body is healed and the soul is not taken care of, then the individual has not achieved much.

Third term
When President Olusegun Obasanjo came into power, we all rejoiced saying that a Christian has been enthroned. A Christian is supposed to be honest. I expected that Obasanjo professing Christianity should lead by example. He should limit his tenure to the constitutionally sanctioned two terms. Then after leaving power and the people of Nigeria decide to change the constitution to allow for third term, then he can come back to contest.

It should not be for him to amend the constitution just because he wants to stay on. As a Christian, who had taken oath of allegiance to obey and defend the constitution, he should just go. He is not the only person with the ability, knowledge and wisdom to rule this nation. Those canvassing for third term are not helping him, they are overheating the polity.

Celibacy
Celibacy is biblical. The Bible says there are those who are made eunuch for the kingdom's sake. So, if someone decides not to marry because he or she wants to be full time missionary, pastor or evangelist, if that person has the gift, God will give him strength to live a celibate life.