From Rhoda Godwin, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has again stressed the need for Christians to sink their denominational differences and work as one united indivisible body in the service of God and humanity.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo laid the emphasis while speaking at the inauguration of new State Officers of the Organization of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) at the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Kpansia in Yenagoa.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Mr Doubara Atasi, at the weekend, Senator Ewhrudjakpo urged the Christian community to be more united now than ever in view of the challenges facing the church in particular and the society in general.
He maintained that Christians could impact society if only they uphold and practice the true values of Christianity which hinges on love as espoused by Jesus Christ.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo admonished them not to discriminate against one another on the basis of denominations and the various Christian blocs they belong.
While congratulating the Chairman, Senior Apostle Michael Makpah, and other officials of the OAIC, the Deputy Governor charged them to make patience, politeness, prayerfulness and critical reflection as their guide to avoid what he calls “followers induced errors”.
In the spirit of the 25th anniversary of the creation of Bayelsa, he also restated the call on the people to overcome hatred, malice and the pull-him-down syndrome with love for one another as well as cooperation and support to the government.
His words, “We have a disconnect between our Christian values and the Christianity that is in us. Until the Christianity in us surpasses the ordinary Christianity the Pharisees and the Scribes exhibited during the period of Christ, we will not be able to make the desired impact on society.
“I charge you to maintain the focus on your vision and don’t get distracted by what the people say. Don’t do the mistake of Moses and King Saul in the Bible. They listened to what the people said and not what God directed them to do.
“Leadership is a difficult task. But let me recommend the 3ps of patience, politeness and prayerfulness to you for you to succeed. You must learn to be patient because it is lack of patience that causes what I call followers-induced errors.
“It is very dangerous and attracts serious punishment because God does not hold the followers responsible but the leaders for any decision that was taken or not.
“And that is why if you watch me well, I don’t bother myself with what people say in the social media. Whatever you say in the social media is immaterial to me. What matters to me is whether the decisions I’m taking, impact positively on society or not.”
Performing the inauguration on behalf of the Nigeria Regional President of OAIC, His Eminence Dr Napo Emuchay, the Chairman South-South, Archbishop Israel Ege, charged the new leadership to be servant-leaders and make love for Christ their watchword.
Archbishop Ege, who is also the South-South Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), particularly advised the chairman to build on the achievements of his first term by maintaining an open and healthy relationship with other officers in building the body of Christ.
In his exhortation titled “The Dilemma of Leadership”, Apostle Precious Puanoni, enjoined the new leadership of the Organization of African Instituted Churches to see their emergence not only as an honour but a call to sincere service of God.
Drawing his message from Hebrew Chapter 5, Apostle Puanoni, urged them to think and act as generational leaders while making conscious efforts in building synergy to strengthen unity among Christian churches within and outside the state.
In their separate goodwill messages, the National Vice President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Apostle David Zilly Aggrey and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Religious Matters, Rev. Godspower Asingba, thanked the OAIC for re-electing Senior Apostle Michael Makpah as chairman of the bloc.
