ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF JOS
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen We greet and welcome everyone to this, the third and final session of the Tenth Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Jos. We especially want to welcome the Rt. Rev. Ibrahim Marcus and his wife, Lai’atu from the Diocese of Yola. We are privileged to have met them many years ago and over the years they have remained fervent, consistent and on fire for the Lord Jesus Christ. On graduation from St. Francis of Assisi Theological College, Wusasa, they worked tirelessly in Kafanchan Diocese, served a period of mission in the U. K. and subsequently gained the Bachelor of Divinity degree from T.C.N.N.. Our fellowship with this family has always been in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have shared similar passions and identical commitment for the lost souls. It was a joy to see them raised up to the episcopate to join us in contending for the faith. Bishop Ibrahim is the preacher at our Opening Synod Service, and our Bible Study leader for this Synod. We welcome them both in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our preacher for the Thanksgiving Service on Sunday is the Rt. Rev. Olumuyiwa Ajayi of Pankshin Diocese, and it is a great pleasure to welcome him and his wife Dorcas. It was in December 1994 that a young Rev. Ajayi appeared one day at Bishopscourt, Dogon Dutse, claiming that the Lord had told him he was to move from his home diocese and work in Jos. We took him on, and to the glory of God he has in the years since then become a blessing, an inspiration, a guide and a mentor to very many people of all ages. As Bishop and Mama of Pankshin, they have set an even greater fire, and the growth of the church under their care has been remarkable. We welcome them most sincerely in the name of the Lord. A branch of the Bible Study groups from St. Piran’s Church was begun in Rockhaven by Dr. Matt and Mrs. Gladys Mogekwu. When in February 1997 we declared that they were now a church, they were taken aback! They realized, however, that their excuses were having no effect, and so they accepted it as a challenge, and decided to believe God. That initial, small group, a core of whose members are still around, is now Emmanuel Church, Headquarters of Rockhaven Archdeaconry. They have subsequently given birth to other congregations and have developed physically and spiritually with a lot of room for yet more growth. We thank them most sincerely for their wonderful hospitality, and for their great efforts in preparation, including the building of classrooms blocks to ensure that enough facilities were available for the Synod. They have done very well indeed, and we pray that God will bless and reward them. The work of God, however, is never without challenges, and indeed ever since the Garden of Eden man’s relationship with God has been under attack. Adam’s fall opened the way for sin to enter, and since then true faith in God has always met with temptation, opposition, persecution, distortion and every kind of enmity. In the Old Testament when God’s people were obedient and walked in God’ s way, believing and trusting in him, they won their battles, they prospered, the land was fruitful and they enjoyed security and peace. When, however, they then relaxed, pride crept in, they began to trust in themselves rather than in God, sin took over and true faith was lost. Sooner or later this downward trend was reflected in their social and business life as corruption, “419”, immorality and injustice became rife, the fabric of society fell apart and they were defeated in battle. Living conditions degenerated, the economy collapsed and God was forgotten - until one day a new godly leader appeared, a person called and inspired by God, who re-awoke faith, led the people back to obedience and righteousness and gradually the nation woke up and was re-established. This is a cycle which repeats itself time and again in history. In the Old Testament priests, prophets and kings are simply classified as having walked in the way of the Lord, or in the sin of their fathers. The effect on the life of the people and on the stature of the nation was clear. By the time of Jesus, the Temple was established but the official religion was so hemmed around by laws, rules and regulation that man’s relationship with God was no longer of prime importance. Healings were admired, authentic teaching was valued by many of the ordinary people, but the leadership did not want anyone or any idea which might threaten their privileged position, their comfortable life- style, their power and prestige. Jesus was therefore a huge threat. He spoke the truth fearlessly, taught the people in a manner which carried an immediate authority and attraction, and he showed them God - God’s love, God’s word, God’s intentions and requirements. It was more than the religious authorities could take and so they killed him. Jesus had warned his disciples that they too would suffer, and the New Testament epistles are full of warnings about false teachers and about wolves who come to kill and devour the flock of Christ. By the time that Jude wrote his letter in about A.D.70, many, if not all, of the original apostles had died, and the heretics had become increasingly bold. Even today, a lack of respect for, and a lack of commitment to the original, authentic message often becomes evident in second or third generation Christians. By this time the gospel is no longer perceived as being something “new” and so zeal has largely been replaced with lethargy, and mission has given way to maintenance or to self-propagation. This is a very serious danger to many churches here and now! You have only to turn on your TV and listen to some of the so-called Christian preaching, or look at the many posters proclaiming not Jesus Christ but some great apostle or miracle-worker, and you may begin to wonder what has happened to the gospel of Christ. The epistle of Jude therefore comes as a timely and urgent reminder to us, as individuals and as a church, of the need to contend for the faith. Today we live in a pluralistic world where moral standards are many and diverse in personal living, in society, in economics, in politics and in so many other spheres of life. From homosexuality to armed robbery, from dishonest traders to exam malpractice, from fake drugs to slavery, the list is endless, and there is the temptation to wonder why anyone should try to move such a mountain of corruption, abuse, murder and evil. Why should we bother? Will things ever change? Why does it matter? What is the driving force that will propel us to go on and on with the struggle? The one and only reason is Jesus Christ! It is important to serve Jesus Christ and even more important to know that you are serving none other than Jesus Christ. Jude, in the face of all difficulties, declares boldly and openly that he is a servant of Jesus Christ (v.1). This is in spite of the fact that when you become known as a servant of Jesus Christ you open yourself to persecution of all kinds and to possible martyrdom. Jude, however, declares not only who he himself is, but also who his Master is, and he does so knowing full well that what happened to Jesus could also happen to him. Jude was not a coward. Indeed, the Christian faith is not for cowards! It is a faith that needs to be taken seriously, taking into consideration the consequences of so doing. Jesus even said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34). In like manner Paul warns Timothy that “all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12). Peter too leaves us in no doubt that suffering for the faith was part of the deal for being a Christian. John, on the Island of Patmos, encourages Christians to endure the hardship, suffering and persecution (Revelation 14:12). When Jude, therefore, now firmly declares himself to be a servant of Jesus Christ, he does so with the full knowledge of the consequences that such a statement may carry. What is even more striking is Jude’s humility in pointing out the authority of Jesus Christ, his Lord, his Saviour and Master, even though he and James were step brothers of Jesus. In his letter, Jude is not speaking from some intellectual, academic knowledge or theory only: he is speaking of what he believes and can explain at any time, anywhere, and for which he is ready to live or die. He gives us a short-hand form of the gospel, its motivation and doctrinal ramifications for Christian living, its values and goals. We are concerned today with the first four verses, and these carry much weight in the Gospel statement for the church. Jude is here speaking to the church from his heart, stressing his encouragement and identifying with the church because of all he has experienced, known and believed. We do not know exactly where the original recipients of this letter lived, but their standing in the faith is very clear: they are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. This call is to everyone, to the whole world, but only those who believe will know who is calling them. Those who do not believe do not take this call seriously; indeed they do not even take any notice of the call of Almighty God. By choosing to ignore this call they even make themselves enemies of the gospel and reject the love of God. But for those who believe, here is the catalyst, here is the driving force that makes us keep on and on with the struggle and the battles of life. We are called, loved and kept by and for Jesus Christ and therefore we can do none other than contend for the faith. Jude is therefore making a serious point in urging those who have heeded this call to “remember” that they are not only called, but also beloved. Until you come to God through Jesus Christ you never know how much God loves you. Our man-made images of God fall completely short of who he really is. In fact, left to ourselves, our imaginations lead us to the point of even forming some kind of god or idol for ourselves. Sadly, we do not do a good job even of that: we produce a god who cannot talk, cannot see and has no feelings, and this poor god is made of some local materials. Jude, however, leaves us in no doubt about the Almighty God and God’s love and our place in the heart of God. We are beloved. God cares for us, he loves us and would hold nothing back, not even Jesus Christ, in order to save us. So Jude goes on to remind us that while we are here on earth still struggling with evil, battling with the devil, and fighting all that dehumanizes God’s people, all that destroys God’s creation, the creatures and the environment, there is a reason why God put us where we are. We are kept for Jesus. We have nothing to lose: while we are alive we live for Jesus, and if we die to go to be with Jesus: in either case, Jesus keeps us. We are Jesus’ property; we belong to him; he has redeemed us by his most precious blood; we have been bought by him for a price; we are no longer to live for ourselves, but to live for Christ. Our being kept by Jesus Christ and for Jesus Christ is for a purpose and so wherever in the world a child of God, a true Christian, saved by grace through faith in Christ, is - that child of God has a purpose. This means that we cannot be frustrated by anything, neither can we be intimidated by persecution, slander, wickedness and evil - rather we must fulfill our purpose and the purpose for which Jesus is keeping us wherever we are. Let us remember that this purpose is central to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness”. The Kingdom of God is the rule of God anywhere, everywhere and in everything. God is in control, in charge, in command. We are to search to know and to do the command and will of God and his righteousness first in everything; we are to live by the word of God, by prayer and by obedience. We are to seek to institute the reign and the rule of God everywhere: at work, at home, and at leisure. This was the constant theme and declaration of the early church: Jesus is Lord everywhere and at all times. It is the knowledge of these truths that is at the heart of Jude in his prayer for the church in asking for mercy, peace and love to be multiplied in the lives of the believers (v.2). Please bear in mind that while Jude addresses the whole church, he also has the individual Christian in mind. Jude prays for mercy because but for the mercy of God, who are we, and where would we have been? It is because of the mercy of God that we do not get the punishment we deserve, nor are we repaid as we deserve. Even though we are called, loved and kept by Jesus Christ, we of ourselves qualify only for condemnation and judgement. God’s mercy in dealing with us is the basis for our responding to God in love and service. Indeed, we do not even qualify to be called God’s children, nor even to serve him, were it not for his mercy. It is also true that only those who know, appreciate and accept the mercy of God - only those come to know and experience the peace of God. Peace, it is rightly said, is not the absence of troubles and trials, but the presence of God’s mercy. This is the peace that Paul prays for the Philippians and us to know (Phil.4:7); it is the peace that passes all human understanding. It is the same peace that Jesus gives to all who follow him: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” (John 14:27) In the midst of all the persecution, the shouting, the threats and the storms of this life, Jude assures the Christians of the very presence of peace. Jude prays for the multiplication of love amongst the brethren. This prayer is first and foremost for the church to increase in its love one to another. The Christians are to show love, to practise love towards each other in the family, in the fellowship, and across tribes, positions, status, race and class. When love is massively multiplied there will be no opportunity for hatred, bitterness, malice or slander; in fact there will be no room for the devil to operate. In any case it makes no sense for a suffering church to breed these evil vices within itself and amongst its own followers. On the contrary, a church which acknowledges the mercy of God, enjoys the peace of God, and lives the love of God will be a church which can and will contend for the faith. The first two verses of Jude’s letter are heavily loaded with strong words describing who we are in Christ, what we mean to Jesus Christ, and what we enjoy in being in Christ. Jude has used such strong words in order to help us see why the next sentence is of the utmost importance. He does so because salvation matters must be carefully explained and thoroughly understood, so that when faced with opposition or persecution, or when needing to contend or put right issues concerning this faith, you will have a strong argument. It is after saying all these things that Jude now calls on Christians to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. Not many things in this life are worth contending for. In fact it would seem that, according to Jude, nothing else in this life has such a high premium put upon it and is worth contending for in such an urgent way as is the case with our faith. Faith has such a high value that it is worth contending for with all our might. Whatever will be injurious to the faith, whatever will pull the faith down, whatever will bring disgrace to the faith and indeed whatever will mislead the faithful in their faith journey must be contended with. In matters of faith in Christ Jesus it is a struggle between life and death, heaven and hell, light and darkness. Jude identifies with the church again as he describes the faith and shows it to be effective in our common salvation. He points out that our faith is a saving faith. In the Acts of the Apostles chapter 2, when Peter preached the gospel, three thousand people were saved (v.41). Day by day “the Lord added to the number those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47) and not long afterwards another five thousand believed the gospel (Acts 4:4). Young Philip, guided by the Holy Spirit, led the Ethiopian eunuch to salvation and then moved on to Samaria, and so the gospel of salvation spread. Since then this gospel has gone on throughout Asia, Europe, India, America and Africa, and even here in Jos we testify to the power of the gospel in saving lives. No wonder Paul declared: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’” (Romans 1:16-17) In the world today there is much suffering, darkness, evil and death. The one and only power which can overcome this and transform individuals, communities and nations is the power of the gospel. The gospel is not a static, established tradition, but a living, powerful force with the ability to transform in ways which even pass the hopes and expectations of those who carry and plant the initial seed. The demonstration of the power of the gospel runs through our veins from head to foot. The gospel has an explosive power, as demonstrated in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not a passive entity simply passed on like a set of clothes which become more and more shabby and less and less attractive as successive generations handle them. The gospel is a creative power, endowed with the creating Spirit of the One who is the Creator of the universe. When faced with sin, hell and Satan, the gospel is also a destroying power, deadly, unconquerable and uncompromising. The gospel seeks approval from nobody, bribes no authority, and makes no apology for its coming. Paul says simply, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” The gospel is universal; it is for the salvation of everyone who believes, no matter where they come from or who they are. It is people, not money, that are the target of the gospel, the main asset of the gospel, and the carriers of the gospel. It is the saving power of this universal gospel which brings radical change – change from death to life, from hell to heaven, from darkness to light. This gospel is not the creation of man. It is not the invention of some clever intellectual schemer. It is the simple truth that there is no other way to deal with our sins and iniquities except through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, for “there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved”(Acts 4:12), and nothing can wash away our sins except the blood of Jesus (Heb.9:14). This message of salvation must be heard by all throughout the world, and Jude encourages us that since we have a saving faith, we must preach it. This faith is also a faith which transforms. Jude urges us to “contend” for it: this is a strong, active word, calling on believers to live out this faith in action so that those who do not know this gospel may - when they see our lives, and how we live with each other in a community, and how we live amongst unbelievers - understand the transforming nature of this faith. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me; I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see. A transformation had taken place, and John Newton, the slave-trading ship’s captain was no longer trading in slaves. In his words, “Two things I know: I am a great sinner, but Jesus is a great Saviour.” Here was a changed life that went on to change the environment, that went on to change society, and even to change the world, because of the initial transformation that took place in his heart and mind. John Newton was able to share his testimony, which affected Wilberforce; Wilberforce was converted and over time slave trading and slavery were abolished. The gospel we have received makes no sense without its transforming power, because we are not only saved to serve, but we are also saved in order to bring salvation to others. This we cannot do in our own strength, ability or knowledge: it can only come through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the heart and life of anyone and everyone who is saved. Jude explains that it is necessary for him to write about our common salvation, which implies that not only are we saved and transformed as individuals, but also the gospel has a creative effect upon us as a community. Indeed, the gospel creates a community of faith: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10) Since the gospel is all about people, it is also all about continuity. It must be transmitted and retained in its pure content and passed on from one generation of believers to the next without compromise, addition or subtraction. The cycle of faith goes round and round endlessly to the uttermost parts of the earth, until Jesus returns. This is the faith we are asked to contend for. The contention may be fierce, it may cost life or, if one survives, there may be injuries, losses, insults, loneliness and the like, but as far as faith is concerned we must contend and contend gallantly. A vital part of the transformation that this faith brings is that it sets us free! However, we must be aware that the gospel does not set us free for nothing: we are set free so that we can in turn set others free. We are set free so that we can contend against all evil that prohibits human beings from living a full and satisfying life, and contend to enthrone truth, putting into practice the teachings of Jesus, and following his example in all things. The gospel sets us free so that we can build the faith of the believers and guard against error, for example in teaching about sexual purity, marriage and family life, Christian education, mission, tithing and offerings. We must live the Christian life at home, at work, in private, in public, in politics and in the market, as well as at leisure. We are set free so that we can now work hard with a purpose. We are to bring the authority of heaven to bear here on earth, as we build structures with a purpose, instituting the reign of Jesus in all the affairs of those under our charge. Wherever we are, truth, justice, holiness and cleanliness must not be scarce. As Christians we need to show a better way of relating with others in the society, for example, by speaking politely, being courteous, and - with a smile - using the words “please” and “thank you”, rather than giving orders, shouting and intimidating people. A courteous response to your wife or husband, your child, your superiors or juniors, to those at road blocks or security check points may surprise them, and may change their world! The same applies when we are in the bank, the market, the airport or the motor park. Little by little we are contending for the faith and changing the world. A smile and a welcome which are not fake, but which are a direct result of what is taking place inside us will surely affect whoever meets us, and can turn round a hostile situation for the glory of God. This is a type of “contending” which is without guns, without force, without money, without political power, but full of conviction, led by the Holy Spirit, and those who contend in this way are following in the steps of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:21). Christian teachers should be conscientious, committed and dedicated in their teaching. Examination malpractice may arise simply because the teachers are not teaching and therefore the students are forced to cheat! Staff and students must contend for the faith by standing up for honest work and dedication to duty. Bullying and abuses of all kinds should not be known in our schools. By their own example, teachers should model respect and care for the young lives committed to them; their commitment to God should be seen in their service; their love for God should be made clear through their love for their work, for the students and for the subjects they teach. Our teachers are expected to show what it means to contend for the faith by modeling excellence in teaching. This applies to teachers in Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, the University, the Polytechnic and all educational institutions. The same goes for our mechanics who must know that a poor job, or the dishonest fixing of a spare part on a car not only costs money, but it may also cost a life, or even several lives. The only way to bring down God’s blessings on our work is by contending for the faith, doing an honest job and not participating in the world of dishonesty, but rather standing up for the pursuit of excellence as against the pursuit of “profit-at-all-costs”. Christian traders cannot trade in fake drugs and claim to be contending for the faith, neither can they be profiteering and cheating and still claim to be in the faith, as doing so is a total contradiction to the faith as a whole. The carpenter, the mason, the tailor and all craftsmen and artisans and people of different vocations in life who are Christians - all come under the same call. We are called not to go to sleep, but to contend for the faith. In recent years, the Church of Nigeria, under the leadership of the Most Rev. Peter Jasper Akinola, Primate of Nigeria, has actually led in the battle to contend for the faith against error in the church. This error has been introduced in two main areas: A denial of the authority of Scripture as the revelation of God which is “useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in reighteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16), and containing all things necessary for our salvation. The introduction of a supposedly “superior” scientific knowledge which “corrects” or “brings up-to-date” the book of Genesis, especially in the areas of creation and marriage. The proponents of these teachings deny the Biblical assertion that God’s intention for marriage is that it is only between a man and a woman; they also reject the creation story of the Bible. Furthermore, they go ahead to say that Jesus is not the only way to God and therefore is not the only means of salvation. In the last ten years several ecclesiastical meetings, conferences and debates have been held to correct these errors, but sadly, and most shockingly, these false teachings have over the years been taught in seminaries and so many books have been published that many are being led astray. This is not new as Jude points out, because he says that these false teachers have crept in unnoticed and are wreaking a lot of havoc in peoples’ faith. We must be vigilant and jealously guard our faith even as we seek to pass it on to others. To accept these new teachings is to go down the road to self-destruction and to end up in hell. We in Nigeria, and in Africa in general, have been the victims of slave trade and slavery, colonialism, diseases of all kinds, war, and inter-tribal and all other forms of communal and religious conflicts. This is on top of bad governance, corrupt, selfish and inept political leadership, leaving the populace with untold sufferings and hardships. The only hope we have is the gospel. To reject the gospel, therefore, and to follow erroneous teachings makes no sense, because the only thing sustaining us in the midst of all of these traumatic difficulties is the saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This faith, which alone is able to save and to transform both individuals and communities, we will not compromise, and, by the love and mercy of God, we will never give up, even if suffering were replaced by freedom and poverty by prosperity. From Old Testament times up to today, whenever life has become easy and painless, God’s people have constantly fallen away from the faith and their zeal has cooled down. We are determined that whatever the circumstances we shall continue to contend for the faith. In any case, we will be losing twice if we reject the gospel and end up in hell, while here on earth we have also gained nothing! The kind of error in teaching which we have mentioned seems to be captivating and appealing in each generation, especially because it twists and turns around the truth about God’s teaching on sexual relations and human sexuality. What this kind of teaching does is to pervert the grace of God and lead people in a downward spiral into all forms of sensuality. When this happens, convictions about God become an enemy, commitment to the gospel in its totality is unwelcome, and any kind of dedication to the Lord becomes impossible. People who follow this way seem to be looking for instant gratification, self-satisfying feelings and entertainment. Jude calls us to stand up to be counted in contending for the faith against such ways of living. We must demonstrate to the world in this generation that positive convictions about God, the Bible and the Holy Spirit are the only key to living any meaningful life here on earth, and to attaining eternal life. We therefore appeal to us all to demonstrate boldly and single-mindedly a firm conviction about God, a solid commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and to be consistent in walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. Our reason for doing this remains the same: we have been saved in this life in order to bring the same salvation to a perverse and lost world. Without conviction, commitment and consistency of living we become just like the rest of the world rather than being light and salt to the world. If we do not stand up to be counted and to contend in this manner we shall actually be taking sides with those who deny our only Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. This is so because it is impossible to take a neutral position: “He who is not with me is against me” (Luke 11:23). Not to contend will be to deny Christ’s power to save, his power to change and to cause change and his power in righteousness and holiness. At this point we call on the church to be on the look out for these subtle, unhealthy and unscrupulous teachings that seem to be creeping into the church unnoticed, and which have the sole aim of weakening the faith and destroying unsuspecting victims in the fellowship. We must therefore examine certain church practices, traditions and the tribal customs that are coming into the church, some of which have even taken superior positions over the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must first rise and contend for the faith within the church, before the rest of the world will take us seriously. In fact all that Jude has said so far must first of all take full effect in the life of the individual and show itself from within the immediate family, before it can reach out to the community, and make clear its relevance to the world at large. The struggle and fight against sin is an internal one until it produces in us that strength of character which enables us to carry our convictions outside. A weak faith cannot stand to contend with anything in or outside the family, not to mention reaching out to the larger community. Recently it has been our observation that the church has compromised on issues, and has become willing to suppress truth when matters of justice arise and when this affects people from certain localities, race or tribe. On other occasions the church does not take the time thoroughly to investigate cases of gossip, slander or blackmail and this results in innocent persons being ostracized, marginalized or condemned without due investigation having been made to find out the facts and the truth of the matter. Worse still, when some issues have been thoroughly investigated and the truth established, sentencing becomes difficult because the personalities involved come from powerful tribes or powerful groups or belong to some influential societies or family lineage. These are all examples of compromises which weaken our ability to contend for the faith. We must understand that our faith is based upon the truth of the gospel. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Whenever and wherever we are not standing on the truth we are building on sinking sand. We cannot afford to compromise the truth of the gospel as it affects any thing or any matter or person. To do so is to begin to compromise until slowly but steadily the faith is weakened and the propelling power to contend for the faith is lost with time. Jude leaves no Christian and no church with any room for compromise. We must rise and contend for the faith. MISSIONS AND EVANGELISM We remain committed to the mission of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are confident in the power of the gospel to save, to deliver and to bless all people. We want to bring this life-saving message to any communities and peoples who will open the doors of their hearts and the doors of their communities to us. We pledge our lives to bringing nothing but blessings to people. We have met and prayed and discussed with our Supervising Priests, and under the direction of the Holy Spirit we have pledged to double our congregations and the number of our churches by the end of June this year. We will undertake an appraisal of this effort and plot our strategy for accomplishing this goal and more before the end of the year. The Lord may choose to surprise us more than we had expected and he may even bless out little effort beyond our thoughts or imaginations. There is no room for anyone to feel called to ministry or leadership in the church in this diocese without fully embracing this passion, which is the mind of Christ. It is the mind of Christ that all people be saved and brought to the full knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ to enjoy the fullness of life and gain eternal life. Our mission in Jos Diocese is pro-active, offensive and driven by the leading of the Holy Spirit. We trust that in his infinite love and mercy he will see us as being fit for this task. We thank the Lord for our mission director and the leadership team who have invested our mission emphasis in Jos East during the first quarter if this year. It is our belief that God is moving his missionary headquarters to Africa (exactly where it is, is not clear, but certainly in Africa). However, we are convinced that the operational headquarters of God’s mission is in Jos and we will wish to be part of the ministry in the mission headquarters for God. We are encouraging all the churches in our diocese not to lose sight of God’s mission and not to lose sight of our collective mission until the gospel has been taken from Jos to other parts of Africa and on to Europe, Asia, America and unto the uttermost parts of the world. We can only do this when we rise and make it our aim to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. The first Christians to arrive in Nigeria were missionaries and evangelists: Henry Townsend, Samuel Ajayi Crowther and their colleagues who came on missionary expeditions up the River Niger in the 1840’s. As in the days of St. Paul, those who first accepted the gospel at once became missionaries themselves as the church began to take root in pockets here and there. The church simply WAS the mission and it was encouraged onwards by Henry Venn’s great vision of the church as self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating. As soon as a baby local church could stand on its own the original missionaries moved on to another areas, leaving the African agents to lead the local congregation and to evangelise the immediate area. It is for us highly significant that one of those very first missionaries was Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the boy slave who was freed, converted, educated in Sierra Leone and England, came back to his native region as a member of the missionary expeditions of the 1840’s, was subsequently ordained and later consecrated in Canterbury Cathedral as “Bishop in the said countries of Western Africa beyond the limits of our dominions” in 1864. Crowther’s vision, commitment, determination and linguistic abilities were gifts from God which were used to the full for the founding of the Anglican Church in Nigeria. His concern for education, agriculture, the welfare of the people, and the building of the economy which was linked to the elimination of the slave trade, all grew out of the gospel and in turn furthered the work of the gospel. His was what we might today term a “wholistic” approach, of which we are the beneficiaries and which we in our generation seek to continue and to develop yet further. The contributions of the gospel missions on the Plateau are now seen not only in every facet of life, but are also visible in the very lives of the beneficiaries of the mission. For us to neglect this fact is to be ungrateful for the labours of our heroes past and an insult to the sacrifices made by our grandparents. More than that, the graves of the missionaries who died to bring us these benefits will rise in judgement against us! We in our time and generation owe it to the next generation of people in UK, Africa and wherever the gospel has not carried its blessing, to move with the same commitment, urgency and passion until the gospel is preached with power to the whole world. This is an urgent and real task for us and for our children in Jos. We must ensure that the church here can stand so firmly on the gospel, that from here missionaries can now go back to England and other countries, not for business or for what they can buy, but in order to propagate the gospel which was once brought from there to us, but which now needs strengthening and renewing in those lands. PLATEAU STATE Jos is the capital of Plateau State in Northern Nigeria. It is a large, growing city with well over a million inhabitants, and is remarkable for its cosmopolitan nature. Representatives of many different ethnic groups live in Jos, some coming for short periods, others living here for most or all of their lives. The majority come for trade and business. In terms of religion the inhabitants are mixed, being predominantly Christians and some Muslims with a few pagans. Geographically, Jos is an important gateway. It lies south of the Sahara but north of the confluence of the Benue and Niger rivers. It is a commercial centre and many traditional and modern trade routes pass through this city. If approached from the north, Jos may be seen as the door to the rest of Nigeria. As Jos is situated high on the Plateau (some 4,000’ above sea level), the climate is attractive and many commercial, academic and religious organisations have their national headquarters here. It is this place of all places that has become a battle ground since 2001. But it is also this place where God in his wisdom has decided to put us as a church, as a people and as a community of faith to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. As in 2001, 2004 and again in 2008, it is fairly obvious that there are some Muslim sects who hold the view that the Church must not be allowed to exist in the North of Nigeria, and if possible in the whole of Nigeria. Such groups: do not need to be provoked to begin burning churches, killing Christians and destroying Christian businesses; will stop at nothing, including using political means, economic power, and outright violence in subduing, subjugating or systematically or forcefully relocating non-Muslim communities in this country; will use whatever means possible, including foreign links and the international media for propaganda, lies and calumny against the Church. These assertions have good backing from our experiences so far in the last ten years of Christian battering in Jos and Plateau State. The recent crisis was said to have been triggered off by the just concluded Plateau State Local Government Elections. It must be mentioned, however, that the results had not yet been released when some Muslim youths unleashed mayhem on Jos North Local Government Area. The Muslim youths had already encircled some routes into Jos and caused blockades on the main roads so that people wishing to come into Jos or go out of Jos could not do so. A majority of those trapped and killed or injured were Christians who were running for safety. It is noted that the propaganda machine spearheaded by BBC and CNN reported that 300 corpses, purported to be Muslim bodies, were seen in a mosque a few hours later. Unless these corpses can be traced to an address and locality the reporters have done nothing except to project the church in a bad light and to scapegoat Christians and cause reprisal attacks to the detriment of Nigeria as a nation. In any case, were these supposed 300 dead people killed by Christians? The questions still remain: i.Were there really 300 bodies? Where is the evidence? ii.Were they all Muslim corpses? iii. What are their names, their addresses and nationalities? The time has come for NIREC, the Federal Government and the Federal legislators to sit down and take a resolute decision on the matter of freedom of religion as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution. Religion has become a tool for disgruntled politicians who never seem to be arrested, for faceless religious leaders who seem to enjoy bloodshed and for some Nigerians whose intent is to destroy this country for their own selfish ends. A law should be put in place to fish out these kinds of people and to imprison those who would use religion in politics, or use religion for any destructive activity in this country. Where a religion cannot promote peace, unity and progress of communities, that religion should be scrapped from this country. Such a religion constitutes a sister to a secret cult or a brother to terrorism. We are disturbed by the fact that in this case in the November / December crisis in Jos foreigners were said to have been involved in the fighting. Some of the Muslims youths and foreigners were also alleged to have been arrested in military and police uniforms. It is most shocking to us that foreigners, for the sake of religion, should have a higher status than Nigerians in their country. Worse still is the fact that Nigerians are prepared to hire foreigners to kill their fellow countrymen, destroy the economy of their fellow countrymen, and loot the properties of the fellow countrymen – all in the name of politics or religion. For the sake of building Nigeria, we therefore propose an urgent, mass, deliberate, calculated programme of Youth education, empowerment, training and employment, at federal, state and local government levels. To neglect this is willfully to ignore the huge problem of engaging a formidable army of angry, hungry and hopeless youths who are ready and available for any mischief or evil at any time. It should also be pointed out that there is no record that Christians have ever begun a crisis or been the ones to initiate violence. Even during the crisis period itself there was no mass attack on Muslims in areas where non-Muslims were in the majority. The reverse, however, is not true, as non-Muslims living in a predominantly Muslim area were extremely vulnerable. The situation in Jos, if not checked and stopped, will spread. This is because the lies and calumny that have been spread have a tendency of not getting to the root of the matter and of not establishing truth. For us to help build this nation, truth and justice are non- negotiable for every Nigerian, regardless of race, creed or sex. Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ must remain unshaken, our resolve for the mission of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ immovable, and our commitment to building the Kingdom of God and so building Nigeria resolute, as we give ourselves to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.1 The suffering resulting from the attacks, the persecution and all that follows our losses is a cause for grave concern. However, what worries us is what lies behind this. Plateau State boasts of having a majority non-Muslim population and a majority church-going population, but seems unable to put its act together and truly co-operate as one, across tribe, denomination, social relations and so on. It appears that the gospel has either not taken root and so is superficial, or a good number of so-called church-goers are actually pagans who do not believe the Bible, nor have they had an encounter with Jesus Christ and so they are not walking in the light of the Holy Spirit. This picture appears to be bleak and hopeless, but the evidence is clear before the eyes of everyone. Our argument is simply this. When anyone is in Christ Jesus he is a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). This is the experience of everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and as Saviour, and in whose heart the power of God is then at work to produce a remarkable change visible to all eyes. This is what it means to be born again, to be a Christian, to have faith in God, knowing that having been forgiven we must now forgive others, and that having been reconciled to God we must now become ambassadors of reconciliation, reconciling men to God and to one another. Sadly, what we witness in the civil service, the political terrain, in cultural circles and in ethnic groupings shows a total contrast to this and exhibits a lack of belief in the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There appears to be no difference between the evil practices that go on amongst unbelievers in the world and the practices that go on in Plateau State amongst so-called Christians in every sphere of life. This clearly shows a “no gospel” situation. We, however, have made up our minds to stand up and in Plateau State to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. Our generation benefitted from good primary school education at an affordable rate. We also benefitted from affordable secondary school education, and went to university. We received mail and collected post from mail boxes at home delivered by mail runners! Hospitals were great centres of hope and things were working, until .... And now before our own eyes, we are unable to do the same for our children. Our own younger brothers are still living with us as jobless graduates, unemployed, or still wondering what to do with life at thirty. These young people can hardly keep a home, keep themselves or others. There is a political divide that has left our generation in bitterness and anger. We are neither an upper middle class nor a middle class at all. Consequently, this divide has caused a gulf between the people of the same age group, following after the example of the older political class. As a pastor of God, we see no reason for the gulf created, nor for the division propagated, neither do we understand the bitterness involved in all the divisions. We are a people of the Kingdom where there is neither Greek not Jew, male nor female; our responsibility on earth is to prove that we are citizens of heaven here on earth. It is not for nothing that God has given to us these privileges. God is giving us another opportunity to demonstrate his word in his world. We must together work towards a new nation and a new Plateau State. If we believe God, it will happen and we will be a light to the nations. We are responsible for where we are, and God has always been a maker, creator, or re-creator of human affairs. God's requirements for those he will use have never changed. He is looking for those who are available, amenable, teachable and dependable. Truly, if you are not available, it is certain that God will still do his work without you. The issue before us now is the leadership crisis in the State and the nation. There is also a downturn of economic fortunes; there is a decline and deterioration of public facilities and infrastructure; there is a fundamental rejection of spiritual values. We are convinced that God has called us here, not by accident, but by divine arrangement, for each one of us to acknowledge the grace of God upon our lives. Have you ever thought of what legacy you will leave behind, and what achievement you have to show on earth before your Creator? Therefore three things are necessary now: First: a total and absolute turn of our hearts to God through Jesus Christ. There should be no compromise in bringing our homes and society to God. We must take with all seriousness our commitment to live for God in obedience to his word. Secondly: we must avail ourselves for service and leadership in our nation, armed with the reign and rule of God in every sphere of life, and with the primary aim of making the next generation a grateful generation and a happy generation, as well as making it easier for men to believe God and to serve God. Thirdly: there must be a joining of hands in the brotherhood of Jesus Christ through the grace of God. Whatever your political persuasion may be, this is an uncompromising, unifying factor. As we say these things, we are pained at heart as the church continues in fragmentation, insincerity and disloyalty to God. We do not for one moment imagine that we all here shall go into the ordained ministry to put the church right, but we are convinced that if all that has been said is taken seriously, then not only the church, but the generality of the society will take their cue from us, because, like salt and like light, we will affect our environment. What is more, God will be glorified, and he will prove himself in our lives as we persist in continuing to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. If anything, it seems that over the past years the bitterness has increased, ethnic polarisation and gaps have widened, religiosity has taken over the church and the politics of the land have preyed on the ignorance of the people, divided the people, manipulated and robbed the people of true joy in service and sincere electioneering processes. These are not small matters before God. We shall be held accountable if we do nothing, and we ourselves will not escape the wrath and judgement of God. We must know that to surrender to evil is not right for any child of God because Jesus has already defeated the devil and so we know that good will always triumph over evil. The implication of this is that any true child of God should develop and form a habit of courage in all forms of righteous acts; should stand up for the truth and enthrone truth everywhere, and live a fruitful life for the benefit of others. It is in this light that we feel led to point out the following: The vicious cycle of vengeance and vindictiveness, unforgiveness, hypocrisy in religion, spiritual prostitution and oppression must not be allowed to continue. We must pursue reconciliation, rehabilitation and physical and spiritual reconstruction for the progress of our people. We must make it a priority to seek the spiritual and physical welfare of all people, but especially of the youth. Pursue justice and righteousness for all people. Build trust, faith, family life and the educational growth of our people. Build structures that will support the pursuit of the above. We will not and we dare not surrender to the devil; we must reject the so-called “Nigerian factor”. We have a mandate in the gospel: we must contend in the faith and for the faith. Let us remember: God will judge and God measures with a different yardstick. He won’t ask what kind of car you drive, but how many people you gave rides to. He won’t ask how many bedrooms your house has, but how you raised your children and treated your family. He won’t ask about the designer names in your wardrobe, but who you helped to clothe. He won’t ask about your salary, but how much you invested in building his Kingdom. He won’t ask your job title, but if you tried to perform with excellence and integrity. He won’t ask how many friends you had, but how many people you were a friend to. He won’t ask what neighbourhood you lived in, but if you loved your neighbour. He won’t ask about your politics or the colour of your skin, but about the quality of your character. So don’t just work hard, work hard for the right reasons! We must contend for the faith and institute the right structures for God’s mission, revival and for the spiritual and physical development of the State. GRATITUDE We wish to register our thanks to God for the members, pastors, lay and ordained leaders of the Diocese of Jos. You have shown tremendous courage in the face of difficulties and in the times of our persecution. Your resilience and determination to stand for Jesus Christ have not only encouraged us to lead but have born testimony around the world to the glory of God. In spite of all the blackmail by BBC and CNN you have demonstrated the love of Jesus Christ to one another and even to those who hate and persecute you. We may not have media to report our good sides, but be encouraged in this: the Lord, the rewarder and judge of all men, shall not forget you on the Day of Christ. We register gratitude to the Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Rev. Peter Jasper Akinola: his visit to encourage us, his prayers and gifts to the Christian Church on the Plateau were a huge boost and support to the people of God. We must thank HART, ably led by Baroness Caroline Cox, CSW (Dr. Khataza Gondwe), St. Mark’s Albuquerque, international friends in the UK and USA and all over the world, who have sent cards, letters, emails; some have offered prayers and assistance and support. These have helped to keep us going in spite of the hardships. It is, however, very sad indeed that the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom in their 2009 Annual Report recommends that Nigeria be listed as one of thirteen “Countries of Particular Concern” under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act, for violations of religious freedom. It is claimed that the Nigerian Government has done little to address sectarian and communal violence and that this has fuelled religious intolerance. The Report stresses that although Nigeria is among the most economically prosperous countries in Africa, the severe violations of religious freedom must be addressed for Nigeria to realise lasting progress, security, stability and prosperity as a democracy. On the home front, we are indebted and encouraged by the practical love demonstrated by Bishops and Dioceses of the Church of Nigeria who in these difficult times demonstrated an unprecedented type of solidarity with us. We are grateful. Many more whom we do not even know have shed tears and cried to the throne of grace on our behalf. God sees, and he knows you all and, according to Revelation 21:4, he will wipe away all tears. Moreover, we do not know how to thank sufficiently the members of our Diocese of Jos who, despite the troubles, ensure that vulnerable members of our community are shown the love of Christ: our clergy widows continue to enjoy the full salaries of their late husbands; all clergy children enjoy free tuition and board in any of our Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools. These are testimonies to the encouragement we receive to pursue our uncompromising position for the gospel in order that we stand to contend for the faith. We wish to add to the list of support a welfare package for academic and non-academic staff of all our schools in the Diocese of Jos, concerning their biological and adopted children in any of our schools where such staff work: they are to enjoy a 20% discount on school fees for up to four children. Secondly, all Heads of Departments in our schools are to enjoy an increase of 5% on their basic salary as from 1 September 2009. This is our response to your willingness to serve as partners in mission and as co-labourers in the vineyard of the Lord. CONCLUSION God is looking for contenders for the faith, for men and women who will be steadfast, courageous and faithful to stand up for the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in politics, in the market, in business, in public and private service, in schools, universities, in the armed forces and in every walk of life. God is looking for men and women, young and old, who will fight sin, corruption, lies, evil, wickedness, laziness, filthiness, unfaithfulness, slander, drunkenness, hypocrisy, fornication, poverty, stealing, cheating, adultery, mediocrity, witchcraft and all forms of practices that contradict the will of God for humanity. God is looking for men and women who will contend for the faith until individual lives, communities, the environment, the vision and mission of the church, the state and the nation are transformed and brought into the Kingdom of God. God is earnestly searching and looking for those who will respond to this call today. You can, even now, enlist and be counted as a contender for the faith in this generation. A day is coming when all hatred, bitterness, wickedness and evil shall cease. That day will be our day of joy when we see our Redeemer; and on the Day of Judgement the Judge will be our Saviour, even the Saviour of our souls, Jesus Christ. Until that day comes we, in our turn, shall not cease to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. In the power of the Holy Spirit, we shall stand and fight manfully against the world, the flesh and the devil, and by His grace, we shall continue Christ’s faithful soldiers and servants unto our lives’ end. Amen. +The Most Rev. Dr. Benjamin A. Kwashi Bishop of Jos May 2009 |