Olusegun Olanrewaju
Director of the Global Mission Board, Nigerian Baptist Convention, Dr Femi Adewumi, on Sunday said Christians are not doing enough to fight insurgency in Nigeria and other troubled regions of sub-Saharan Africa.

Adewumi, who was a guest minister at the King’s Banquet organised by Shalom Baptist Church in Akowonjo, Lagos State, said churches in Nigeria must rise and work as a team by taking the gospel to the camp of the insurgents for a change of orientation.

The banquet tagged: Celebrating Christ’s birth and supporting His mission, which is the eighth in the series of the church’s expanding discipleship programme, also featured a musical concert.

However, speaking on the theme, Missions: Challenges and Opportunities, Adewumi noted that those perpetuating evil are doing what they are doing because they believe they are fighting for God when they are not.

He said, “These people are doing what they are doing because they do not know God. As Christians, we all know the story of the Apostle Paul. He was prosecuting Christians and he thought he was doing it for God, and when he encountered Jesus Christ, he was on his way to Damascus to go and persecute Christians, he thought he was fighting for God, but when he encountered Jesus Christ, the scale fell off his face.

“So, until the church of God comes together to help our brothers and sisters who are not Christians to help them so that the scales will fall off their eyes, they cannot see it the same way again. What is in their heart is not what is in our hearts as Christians. They do not know that what they are doing is wrong.

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“Many of these insurgents who are doing what they are doing still believe that they are fighting for God and that is the root cause of the problem. So, the church must come together as one, the church is not united, every church is operating on its own and the image of God is with us.

“As Christians, if we agree to work as one there is nothing we cannot achieve. What is causing the problem for the church is disunity. As long as we are not working together, we cannot achieve much.”

Ahead of the general election, the cleric said the church must mobilise her members, encourage them and let them know that if they do not come out to vote, they are sinning against God. They must be part of those who will choose their leaders and must pray about the direction to go.

Adewumi urged the electorate critically x-ray the antecedents of those aspiring to lead us and match it with their records, adding, “It will give you an idea of what they can achieve and not what they promise.”

Corroborating the above views, the Lead Pastor of Shalom Baptist Church, Rev Dr Theophilus OlaOlorun, said the electorate should vote for people with integrity, people who make promises and keep to them.

“For the forthcoming election, let us remain focused and be prayerful, for the Lord is in charge. People should go and collect their PVCs to be able to exercise their franchise.

“Let us follow their track records over the years and we should be able to choose the right one for this country,” he added.

Speaking on the event, OlaOlorun was also celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, adding that He came to the world to “deliver us from the power of sin and to give us eternal life. We also use this event to raise support for His mission.”

He, however, called on the young to give themselves to the work of God and preach the gospel to those perpetuating evil.