ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF JOS
CHRISTIAN INSTUITE
ARCHBISHOP BENJAMIN ARGAK KWASHI (OON) DD, D.Min.
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BISHOP'S CHARGE 1996
In the Name
of the Father, and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Friends
It is with joy and gratitude to God that we welcome you all to this Second Session of the Sixth Synod of the Anglican Diocese of
Jos. We particularly mention our distinguished guests who have set aside a busy schedule in order to be here today. Your
support and fellowship in the gospel is a great encouragement to us and we pray that God will continue to guide and to bless you.
Our gratitude goes to our Guest Preachers, the Rt.Rev.N.N.Inyom, Bishop of Makurdi, and the Rt.Rev.J.I. Fearon, Bishop of
Sokoto, who so willingly agreed to give of their time and energy in bringing us the word of God. We value deeply the sincere
brotherly relationship between our dioceses, of which your coming, my Lords, is a sign.
We also thank the Rev.Alan Chilver, a former Principal of T.C.N.N. and a missionary of long-standing in Plateau State. He and
his wife are well known to everyone, and we are most grateful for his sparing time to come and lead our Bible Studies.
The pastors and people of St.Paul's Church, Jos, have worked tirelessly in preparation for this Synod, and we
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are deeply grateful to them. So many people have been, and still are, working hard behind the scenes, to ensure the smooth
running of this Synod. God sees you and knows you and we pray that he will reward you.
Much work has been done, and yet we have scarcely begun, as there is more, much, much more still to do. Therefore our Synod
theme this year is :
"Pressing On" (Phil.3:14)
I want to start by bringing you up to date with our "Mission Yerwa '96", which took place from the second to the seventh of
January 1996. We felt God calling us and sending us to Yerwa as a team for mobilization, prayers and action. Our first night
was spent in prayer and those who were there will remember what happened when we prayed. We give God the glory. The
following day we again spent some time in prayer, training and fellowship before going out in small groups to witness to the whole
town. Later that evening, the Rev.J.Okolo and his music group, together with the Jesus Film team drew a crowd of close to seven
thousand people and at the end of the programme nearly two thousand people made commitments to the Lord Jesus Christ.
After this major outreach we split into four groups and went to four different locations where again each group split into two and
went to their own location, thus giving a total of eight mission groups preaching in eight different villages every day for the next
four days. In this way we reached not only Yerwa town, but also most of the villages around Yerwa. On our return we had
people give testimonies of healing, conversion and deliverance from evil forces. We cannot help but speak of what we have
seen and experienced. May God be glorified for ever and ever. We have only just started.
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To do evangelism in the way that Jesus Christ did is to do the will of God. The will of God is the most important thing in the life of
a believer. Let me use a human illustration. The will is a safely guarded document and the executors of the will are bound on
oath and by law to execute the will to the letter. The person whose will it is has to die before the will is brought into effect. So
long as he is alive he does as he wills according to his wishes and desires, but when he is dead his will becomes law; in fact his
will is secretly kept and revered and viewed with high respect. The executors of the will are careful to execute the will exactly as it
is stated, even though the person whose will it is, is dead.
I just want us to reason with ourselves. As we hold very tightly and tenaciously to human wills, but deal lightly and carelessly with
the will of God, have we forgotten that we are alive by God's will; or do we want to ignore the fact that our race, our sex, our
vocation and calling, our status, our positions, educational backgrounds, our families and whatever else we have around us,
have been carefully selected and are being executed by the will of God? No; rather, our imagination deceives us. We think that
we exist by our own wills. It is an error to think in this way. For Jesus, the will of God was his main goal in life.
The apostle Paul, in prison, receives Epaphroditus with news from the church in Philippi. Paul's ministry to the church in Philippi
was revealed to him in a vision:
"During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him,: `Come over to Macedonia and help us.'"
(Acts 16:9)
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Without delay, Paul left for Macedonia, not for any other reason than to preach the gospel. One big lesson from this is that
Paul's journeys were not unplanned and his purpose was always to preach the gospel. I recall his charge to Timothy to preach
the gospel in season and out of season:
"I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great
patience and careful instruction." (2 Tim.4:1b-2)
I am convinced that if only we realize, each one of us, that we have been saved for a purpose and that purpose is that others
might also hear the gospel and be saved, then many of the problems of the church would be solved. Not only that, but the
society and the nation, and indeed the whole world, would hear the gospel.
For Paul, following in the steps of Jesus Christ, to preach the gospel was the top priority. At Philippi, therefore, Lydia was one of
the women who received the gospel with her household. Continuing in the ministry of the gospel, Paul encountered a slave girl
who had a fortune-telling spirit. Paul rebuked this spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the spirit left. The owners of
the slave girl realized that their means of making money was gone, so they dragged Paul and Silas to the market place and got
the crowd to attack them. Finally, the apostles were put in prison. Paul and Silas, however, prayed and sang hymns to God in
prison; they considered their condition and circumstances to be the will of God and, most importantly, they saw their mission as
the will of God. As they kept on praising God in prison, a violent earthquake threw the prison doors open. The jailer, who after
this experience suspected that the prisoners had escaped, wanted to kill himself, but
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Paul and Silas begged him to stop since they were still there. He then came before Paul and Silas and asked:
"`Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'" (Acts 16:30)
God had used yet another seemingly bad situation to give life. The jailer and his whole family were baptized. One would have
thought that after this experience, Paul would have given up the vision of preaching the gospel. However, he left the region of
Philippi and went on to Thessalonica, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, through the regions of Greece, Troas, Jerusalem and later to
Rome (in prison), where he was martyred. We must understand that these are journeys of hundreds of miles, through
international communities, and without the luxuries of cars, flights, and safety. Yet the apostle persevered because the
preaching of the gospel is the will of a living God, not a dead person, but a God who is alive and whose wish it is that the world
be saved.
This same God is active through us and with us in the task of doing his will. We are therefore not lonely, not wretched, not
bankrupt in the resources required for the mission. The story of the church in Philippi must have troubled Paul a bit because the
only thing that will grieve God is when we are not doing his will, or when the church is disobedient to his will, or when the church
is living in spiritual poverty and sometimes in spiritual bankruptcy. Believe me, spiritual poverty, spiritual bankruptcy, is the
mother of all poverty and all bankruptcy. The joy that is ours in doing God's will is not bought by money; it is not by power; it is
not by our status in society; it is a gift from God to those who love to do his work. The birth of the church in Philippi as a direct
result of the work of God is what
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gives joy to Paul, and when the work of the ministry progresses, the joy increases. It is this progress of the work at Philippi that is
being threatened by those who do evangelism out of rivalry, and by those who seek the destruction of faithful servants of God,
but worst of all, by those who live lives contrary to their profession of Christ.
When the will of God is relegated to the background, other trivialities set themselves at the top. In fact, Satan sets his agenda
not from the outside, but from within, because the doing of the will of God has become a lesser priority for the children of God.
This kind of situation is a direct consequence of the way in which we receive and act upon God's will. A church which does not
hold evangelism as its top priority will find itself in a pool of turmoil of all sorts: everyone will seek his own interest; there will be
hardly any united focus, voice or action of any kind; love of the brethren will be cold, selective and superficial, if indeed it exists at
all. Everyone will be seeking his own interest and all for selfish gain. This kind of fellowship knows nothing about humility,
service or compassion, or if they do, it will be a matter of theory only, whereas Jesus, the Son of God, left his throne in heaven
and came down for the salvation of mankind. Not only did this cost him his life, but it also demanded his time, energy and
resources. This was the will of God for Jesus Christ in order that the world might hear and receive the good news of our
salvation; the news that our sins have been forgiven; the news that we can now be called the children of God. Therefore we
must demonstrate this to the world, following in the steps of Jesus Christ and following his example in the kind of sacrifice he paid
for us: that kind of sacrfice we must pay for others. As children of God we must obey God; as children of God we must do the will
of God; as children of God we must live like children of God.
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Evangelism is the will of God. When Jesus was about to go back to the Father in heaven he left this command:
"`Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.'" (Matthew 28:19-20)
The apostles took this command very seriously because it is the will of the living God. All the things that follow in the wake of
evangelism, the social consequences, the spiritual implications, and the theological interpretations are important but they are not
a substitute for the will of God. The apostles, in the face of threats from the authorities, declared:
"`Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God.'" (Acts 4:19)
So then, my dear brothers and sisters, we have been saved and called to live for God and to obey God as a sign that we are
children of God. Until we realize this and undertake to live in this way, we shall simply be parading our theologies, our knowledge
and intellectual pursuits which are all good, but which make no real impact on the issue at stake. In fact we are more likely to
remain in one place, doing all of these without moving an inch in obedience to the command of God.
Evangelism is costly. It cost Jesus his time, his resources, and most of all it cost him his life, in his obedience to the will of God.
There is no substitute for the
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fact that if we are to do the will of God, we must count the cost and bear the cost. It will not be easy or cheap. The demand and
the price are high. No wonder that some denominations, some dioceses, some churches and some individuals will do everything
to remove evangelism from the agenda of the church. In such cases, if evangelism is on the agenda at all, it is just to satisfy the
Bishop or whoever is responsible for evangelism, but it will only be discussed as a subject and allowed to fizzle out, to be
discussed again later; and so long as it is being discussed it remains purely a subject for discussion.
We must accept that in doing evangelism we will bear the cost. It needs a lot of time in prayer, in preparation, in careful planning
and training of individuals and of the church. It also takes a lot of effort to mobilize the people: it demands the total mobilization
of the church, not of just a few individuals, because the command is to the church. This takes time; it takes energy; it needs
resources; it calls for a total dedication and commitment of one's life. Sometimes money is required; sometimes some tools may
be required, but most of the time it is people who are the number one prerequisite. To participate in this sacrificial service is to
participate with God in saving the world. Not to participate in evangelism is to be opposed to God for God does not desire the
death of a sinner; he does not wish the world to be condemned. Therefore he has saved us and called us and sent us to warn
the world to turn to God through Jesus Christ. Whoever refuses to participate in evangelism is not only disobedient, but is
actually guilty of wishing the world to be condemned. More than that, however, he is an enemy of the will of God. Evangelism is
a whole life style. It is not a once and for all event. It is an ongoing activity of the church in obedience to Christ.
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"Mission is the meaning of the church. The church can exist only insofar as it is in mission, insofar as it participates in the act of
Christ, which is mission. The church becomes the mission, the living outreach of God to the world. The church exists only
insofar as it carries Christ to the world. The church is only part of the mission, the mission of God sending his Son to the world.
Without this mission, there would be no church. The idea of church without mission is an absurdity."
(V.J.Donovan: "Christianity Rediscovered")
This means that at whatever point we are in evangelism there is always room to do more. There is also room and a job to be
done by everyone in the mission of God. We all must get ourselves gainfully employed for God as a demonstration of the grace
of God upon our lives. Where we are coming from is not as important as where we are going to. The people in the street, the
traders, the homeless children, the prostitutes, the poor, the sick, the rich, the rural people, the young people, the old:
everybody must be told by word and deed about the good news, and must be shown the direction in which we are heading. This
means a radical change and transformation. This means that we must talk to the hearts of people in ways they will understand.
This means an uncompromising presentation of the truth of God's word as it is in love and full of the Holy Spirit. This calls for
dedicated pulpit ministry, a powerful presentation of expository preaching of God's word in such a way that the listeners will
respond to the living God. We must preach not ourselves, but Christ crucified. We must not be conformed to this world, but we
must be transformed through the work of the Holy Spirit by the power of the word of God. In this regard we have only just started
and we must press on.
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The temptation is to look at what we have started and be content. The joy that accompanies the starting of a project can be so
overwhelming that the work stops completely because everyone is admiring the beginning of a laudable programme. Very subtly,
other things then choke our minds and the vision is lost. The apostle Paul would give room to none of this. His detractors could
not stop him. Enemies from within and from without could not stop him. His own personal qualifications he put aside. His health,
his condition in prison, indeed his life was completely surrendered to the task of the gospel and the mission of the church of God.
The goal was set before him. Never at any point would he have thought that having started, he had arrived. In fact, he
recognises that it is God who has started and it is God who will finish the task. We are both indebted to God and dependant on
him. Therefore every effort, all available resources, are put together towards this one goal:
"Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has
called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
(Phil.3:13b-14)
We must therefore know that our goal is to get to heaven. That is the prize for which God has called us. Our prize is in heaven;
it is not in New York; it is not in Geneva; it is not in Abuja; it is not even dollars; it is not gold, not silver; it is indescribable; it is in
heaven. It is a prize that God gives. It is where God is, and it will be given to those who do the will of God. It has been prepared
for all who are saved. Therefore our focus, our energies, all that we are, all that we have, must be put to this one task of making
Christ known.
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The idea here is that every talent and every gift; all money and energy; every person and every person's effort are all put
together towards this one goal, this one task, of evangelism. There is no room for a second goal of making money, or succes, or
prosperity, or of speculative and corrupt theologies - no room at all. Indeed, any business, or learning, or contribution which
does not further this one task of evangelism and leading people to heaven in this direction may have some value, but that value
is temporal and ephemeral. The apostle Paul had only one task, one goal, and so nothing would come between him and this one
task. He presses on, his focus is right and he strains towards the prize. People of God, let us sharpen our focus. We have only
just started, and, like Paul, we must forget what lies behind and focus on this one goal, the task of making Christ known, getting
people to live righteously, to live holy lives, and to put all their energies, all their monies, all their efforts into the mission of God in
evangelizing the world. So we must press on.
The ways in which we make Christ known are manifold. All that we are, all that we do, the ways in which we live, as well as the
words which we utter, all "speak". In the midst of this, the written word has a vital role to play. People may forget our sermons,
but they can hold on to a paper. We cannot personally reach every nook and cranny of the diocese at one and the same time,
but the printed word can be spread and studied by thousands of different people in thousands of different places today,
tomorrow and throughout the year. To this end we have established in the Anglican Diocese of Jos the Pastoral Publications
Commission, the mandate for which is as follows:
1. The Pastoral Publications Commission of the Anglican Diocese of Jos shall be responsible for the publication of such materials
as shall seek to spread
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God's Word, to teach God's people, and to build up the Body of Christ, the Church.
2. Priority in publication shall be given to those works which fulfill the requirements of 1. above, meet the local need, and are
deemed to be viable.
3. The materials to be so published shall be recomended by the P.P.C., and evaluated by the editorial unit, publication unit and
marketing unit. The final decision rests with the P.P.C..
4. No income of the P.P.C. shall be used for any other project; the monies shall form a revolving capital to be used for the work of
the P.P.C.alone.
5. Contributors and authors shall derive no personal financial gain from works published by the P.P.C..
Our publications to date include the Prayer Book; "Passion for God's Kingdom" by Canon E.S.Egbunu; "Called to Serve" by Time
Ministries International; the six-monthly "Cycle of Prayer"; "Baptism?" leaflet and "Four Steps to Spiritual Growth". Next in line are
the Hausa translation of the Prayer Book; a collection of "Sermons and Meditations" and a number of Bible Study Outlines.
Our desire to press on is born out of the fact that God has started a good work in us and we are to grow and increase from day
to day until we take the final step into heaven. We must have a complete devotion to God and live lives worthy of our calling, as
evidence of the gospel of Christ. The message of the gospel, as simple as it is, is very powerful and has a life-changng effect.
All too often, the gospel is preached by word of mouth, but is largely ignored or contradicted in the character and actions of the
preacher. This misreprents the gospel; indeed it is hypocrisy. It is not evangelism. Evangelism is the presentation of the simple
gospel with a transformational effect which concerns the
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whole of man, his environment and his family, and which also has eternal implications.
So we must press on in the word of God, putting off our old nature and putting on the new; growing in grace and persevering
through hardships; walking in righteousness and in the power of the Holy Spirit; being obedient to God's word, no matter what it
will take, and committed to Jesus Christ as Lord. We must press on to see to it that justice is done in the church, outside the
church, and everywhere. Truth must be upheld at all times and evil rejected. We must get rid of all anger and bitterness, envy,
jealousy, hatred and anything that will choke our hearts and draw us away from God. We must open our hearts and our minds to
the word of God and to his Holy Spirit, and we must live to bear fruit to his glory. We must press on and on and on and on until
the city of Jos hears the gospel, until Plateau State hears the gospel, until Nigeria, West Africa, Africa and the whole world hears
the gospel. The task is enormous but we must press on, forgetting what we have left behind.
CHRISTIAN INSTITUTE
There is evidence of God's great work in the life of the Church in Nigeria, but there seems to be no adequate preparation to
sustain the work. The training of ministers to meet the demands of the churches is bound almost entirely to the Nigerian
University syllabi which have very little to offer in encouraging a total obedience to the Great Commission. For example: the
Universities offer nothing to encourage discipline, discipleship and evangelism in their curricula. A student may study and
graduate from the University with a degree in the Faculty of Religion and may not go to church, prayer meeting or even
fellowship, yet still be a graduate staff of his diocese. Secondly, apart from a
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few committed Christian staff of the Faculties who try to offer an evangelistic point of the message of God, the rest spend a good
portion of time deflating the zeal of the poor undergraduates. Thirdly, the Anglican Church of Nigeria has no theology of its own
and no place for enlarging and propagating an evangelistic theology and mission for the Church of Nigeria beyond Diploma level.
This means that after Diploma level all our clergy graduate from the evangelical Anglican discipline of the Church of Nigeria into
anything that they can lay their hands on. No wonder that our approach to evangelism is fragmented and individualistic, with
each church or pastor doing their own thing, or vainly trying to pick ideas from other denominations.
While, in spite of ourselves, there is clear evidence of growth in the Church in Nigeria, yet we must learn from the failures in other
parts of the world. Sooner rather than later, we are going to be faced with problems of growth, of outright indiscipline and of the
normal attacks of Satan. The solution is to go back to the theology of the word of God and to affirm faith in Jesus Christ and a
discipleship rooted in a life of prayer. We have left this simple truth to confuse ourselves by much learning that has nothing at all
to do with the Great Commission. In fact most of the reasons for the desire for higher education in the Church of Nigeria are to
avoid postings to the rural places where the people are; to seek political appointments within or outside the Diocese; or even to
improve salary. This is a great danger and must be checked.
We must be careful concerning overseas studies. If the overseas schools are that good, why are their churches dying? The
long-standing claim by the West to have theological superiority can no longer hold. We must pick what is godly and reject what is
ungodly. We have no place for liberal theology: it is those who have enjoyed good health, 14
wealth, electricity, technology and good schools who can afford that. We have none of the above in Africa. If we also deny God
in liberal studies we shall end up in hell, but then our hell will be double: we shall have suffered in Africa only to suffer again in
hell, while those in the West have enjoyed enough in this life - and so are willing to go to hell out of choice!
It is true that the western world has superior technology, is financially buoyant, and has control of the world economy and politics,
but this must not be confused or equated with spiritual superiority. As far as God is concerned we are all equal and God has
given his Holy Spirit to the people of the west and to us without partiality. Therefore we owe it to our people in our own context to
present the gospel and interpret Scripture in ways that will lead them to God.
Our own contribution to this has led to the establishment of the Christian Institute. The Institute is founded upon a theology of
mission and evangelism; it is a centre for learning, interpreting and preaching the word of God. We already have staff qualified
in Hebrew and Greek, and staff who have been trained at the Cornhill Training Centre, London, in expository preaching and
Bible interpretation. It is our hope that from here will graduate personnel who are qualified and equipped for ministry anywhere in
Nigeria and beyond. The aim of our training is to ensure liturgical excellence together with spiritual, intellectual and theological
development. Our focus is quality learning for excellent missionary service. From day one, God has led us to train people who
will be loyal and dedicated to God, people who will be loyal to serve the church; people who will be loyal to authority. Whatever
contribution you can make to this noble project will be greatly appreciated.
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NIGERIA
The days are evil. We have reached the point in our nation where we are under siege. Thieves and robbers now steal in broad
daylight with sophisticated weapons, unmasked and unhindered. Our security as Nigerians in Nigeria cannot be guaranteed.
We are definitely in trouble. The value of life in this country is too cheap. The rise in the crime rate is such that in high and low
places people are surprised when anyone does what is right. It is as if there are no Christians at all in Nigeria. It is as if there is
no-one who fears God. We have reached a level where the people do not know what to believe any more. Outside the country,
even as clergymen, we are not treated with respect. We have reached the point where we as a people have lost our respect.
And yet here is a nation that has no reason at all to be poor. We have been so endowed with resources, both material and
otherwise; we have been so blessed with high calibre people, intellectuals, business men and women, public servants, religious
leaders of international repute, but the impact made by all of these is little or nil. This is our nation where people look at the past
with great admiration. This is our nation where no-one hopes for a better tomorrow. The signs are gloomy, but God still has his
people here and we have hope. Our hope is in God with whom nothing is impossible.
This is why we are here. We are here in this country as a sign and a proof that nothing is impossible with God. So we must
press on with God, looking up to Jesus who alone can turn sadness and sorrow into joy. He holds the whole world in his hand.
Therefore as a church and as a diocese in this country we must press for justice, for truth and righteousness; and judgement will
begin in the household of God.
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I am very critical of the church which condones corrupt and unbiblical practices within itself, but then turns round to condemn the
nation. I am convinced that if the sin of individual Christians in Nigeria is quantified by teaspoonfuls, then by the time all the sins
are put together in a container, the weight will be enough to sink the nation. You can add to that the sins of the unbelievers in
this same nation - and the result is left to your imagination. The individual Christians in this nation have a lot to answer for
before God, because there is hardly a government that has existed in this nation without a good number of church school
products in leadership. In fact most of the educated elite in our country today are all products of church school education, and
yet the impact of the truth of the gospel has not been felt. What we are witnessing is far from the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. The church has a lot more to correct from within in terms of its obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ and living righteously
before men, and then the world will learn from the life of the believer. It is sad that the Christians in some cases give their
allegiance first to their tribes and only after that to Christ; as a matter of fact some so-called Christians cannot be Christians
beyond the limits of their tribe. It is also sad that the church which has so little material resources has been found to be corrupt,
wasteful and to condone the mismanagement of the very meagre resources at its disposal.
What shall we say about racism, false prophecy, manipulation, fighting, cheating, and lying - all by Christians in the church?
Some have even boldly paraded themselves and their sinful acts in public while others have no other place than the church in
which to experiment with their satanic behaviour. We must be bold not only to speak against these, but actually to get rid of the
bad behaviour while salvaging the people involved. My prayer is that God will sweep the sins all out of the church but spare
the
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people. As a church we must press on to lay an example and to demonstrate to the world that we are saved, called and sent to
the world by a holy and righteous God who loves the sinner but hates the sin. This task is onorous, demanding every ounce of
energy in prayer, every effort in preaching, and everybody, everywhere declaring the Lordship of Jesus by word and deed.
I appeal to the government to be true to its programmes. I appeal to the Head of State to avoid sycophants like the plague,
because Nigeria is at a crossroads. The point at which we cross the thin red line is so close and the forces pushing us to
destruction are more than those pulling us away from it. Only God can save us.
In our own diocese we are seeing an increase in Islamic militancy manifesting itself in commerce and politics.
We are witnessing an increase in Islamic intolerance and a calculated attempt to oppose the church. Only last month the
Muslims trespassed into St.Peter's Church land at Keffi; but for the intervention of God the destruction that took place could have
been worse.
But we must press on. We will not give up. Our God is on the throne and has promised to be with us and has promised that in
the world we will have tribulation, but we should be of good cheer because he has already overcome the world. Our nation can
be a better place if we look up to this God, if we depend on him, if we trust him, if we walk in his way and obey him. As for us, in
the face of the predictable destruction that threatens us we will do our part to build schools, health care delivery systems,
develop the people and prepare the people for heaven. That is our goal. We are not depending on the signs of the times. We
are depending on God who has called us and commanded us to go and to press on ahead.
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I am also critical of the poor in Nigeria who are as corrupt and evil in all their ways as the rich and powerful. After all, it is these
same poor people who ascend the ladder of power and wealth. The local market people are no longer honest, neither are the
local crafts-people, traders, mechanics and so on, and so on. Precious time is wasted by people who take their cars to the
mechanical workshop: the mechanics do not do a good job so that you are in and out of the workshop at least twice a week, if not
daily. The tailors either do not sew to your specification, or if they do, you will have been to the shop at least ten times after the
expected day of delivery. The builders are so much in a hurry that you end up with a poor finishing and with cracks. Their
charges are all so high, and yet you do not get a good quality job for the money.
These poor people are all members of our churches who do not get good sermons to reach their hearts and so help them to
produce a good quality of life. I am afraid that the blame again for the most part is on the church. Our emphasis in the Church
of Nigeria is on money, money, money. The love of money is, we know, the root of all evil. If the church would emphasize
mission, evangelism, righteousness and justice every Sunday, focusing on these alone, and knowing that these are the
requirements for heaven, then there would be a transformation that would affect the whole nation. But for as long as our focus
and goal is the making of money, we shall remain where we are, degenerating by the day until we are consumed by destruction.
Simon, the magician, saw that the Holy Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, and he tried to buy that
same power with money. Peter rebuked him fiercely, saying, "You thought God's gift was for sale? Your money can go with you
to damnation! You have neither part not share in this, for you are corrupt in the eyes of God." (Acts 8:8-24)
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Money is good and useful, but the first thing, the one thing, is to seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and then and
only then will all the other things be added unto us. God has his reasons for that, and my understanding of this principle is
simple. If you put so much wealth and blessings at the disposal of a godless person, what do you expect? On the other hand, if
you put so much blessing and wealth at the disposal of a person who has sought and found God things will go well.
No amount of economic recovery will save our country. The more money we make, the more will be the demand for salary
increases. It is a vicious circle and there is no end to it. The solution is for our government to release the nation to religious
freedom, not in theory, but in practice; to return all missionary schools; to uphold justice and righteousness and equity. We in
the church are no exception in this matter. Sometimes we have had occasions to praise God for some governors or some
actions of the Federal Government. Please do more! The Administrator of Kaduna State will never be forgotten in the history of
this nation. The trial of economic saboteurs with a failed bank decree is a landmark in the history of this nation. Please press on
and do more! Let the fear of God be the motto of our nation. It is when people fear God that they fear the law. When people do
not fear God then the law becomes an ass. My predictions are that the fight against corruption by this government, if carried on
to its logical conclusions, will make this government heroic, and the return to civil rule a reality; on the other hand if this crusade
is not caried on to its logical conclusion, but is selective, then our hopes for this nation will be dashed and our expectations will
never be realized. We are praying to God that his mercy and loving kindness which endure for ever will extend to us and to our
generation. The church is still the only instrument of light
20
in the hand of God and we have no reason to fail for God is with us, "Emmanuel".
ADMINISTRATION
We must thank God for the work of evangelism that is going on in the Diocese. Some of the clergy have got the vision and are
doing a good job. We rejoice over what we hear in some places and we praise God and give God the glory for the zeal of many
lay men and women who also identify with their pastors and catechists in the task of evangelism. New churches are being born
everywhere. Most of what I hear nowadays is that there is a need for more workers, and with the need for more workers there is
a need for more money to pay them, and with this same need is also the need to train them. All of this boils down to money! As
a result of this the pace of evangelism can actually be slowed down because of the vast amount of money that is needed for
caring for these numerous churches. It is all Satan's technique.
Another comment I have heard is that unless these workers are trained and placed in the churches, the churches will scatter and
the congregations will no longer be ours. True though this may seem to be, I refuse to accept it. Personally, going through the
Bible, I refuse to accept that money is as important as we are making it to look in this matter. What Jesus did was to get
committed men and women who were willing to serve. He then trained them and gave them the power of the Holy Spirit and
released them to the world. They in turn selected a few; laid hands on them; they received the power of the Holy Spirit and
started doing wonders. Some of them were even martyred. Paul goes on through the whole of Europe, establishing
21
elders, laying hands on them, and going on. What do you suppose is the secret? I will tell you. The apostles trained people;
laid hands on them and sent them out, but they remained constantly in prayer and in preaching and in teaching the word. Paul
raised up prayer teams as he evangelized and went on. Jesus spent nights in prayer and other secret moments of prayer, more
than we can ever imagine. I am suggesting therefore that what we need is many more prayer teams around the diocese to
support the work of those in the field, and those engaged in rural evangelism. Those engaged in evangelism then train their new
converts and disciple them in the word and in prayer - and so the chain continues endlessly. Our evangelism effort therefore
must not rest on just the techniques and tools of getting people to make commitments and thereafter abandoning them. That
would be a waste of time, and would be evangelism only in name, and definitely not the biblical pattern of evangelism.
However, in order to encourage the new areas and to put a challenge before the pastors of this diocese, we have decided to
carve out some local government areas into archdeaconries. These are:
Pankshin Local Government Area - Pankshin Archdeaconry with Rev.Canon D.Yakubu as Supervising Priest
Wase, Kanam, Langtang North and Langtang South Local Government Areas - Langtang Archdeaconry with
Rev.Canon M.Maza as Supervising Priest
Shendam, and Quampan Local Government Areas - Shendam Archdeaconry with Rev.Canon S.O.Ajah as Supervising
Priest
Mangu and Bokkos Local Government Areas - Mangu Archdeaconry with Rev.Canon E.P.Dah as Supervising Priest
22
I have joy in reporting the progress of the Chapelries Archdeaconry, whose numbers have grown beyond what I can cope with,
and I am pleased to release this post to the Ven.Prof.C.S.S.Bello who becomes Chapelries Archdeacon with effect from 1 June
1996. St.Piran's and Jos South should not be afraid of my becoming their Archdeacon as I would not be able to do it and
honestly I do not qualify for the post! However, the Rev.Canon E.B.Ajulo becomes the Supervising Priest and priest in charge of
St.Piran's.
DIOCESAN MERIT AWARD
We have continued to emphasize that this award is strictly for contributions in evangelism and the progress of God's work in
general. We do not place ourselves in the place of God who honours and rewards all people. What we are doing is to highlight
and recognise the lives and services of godly people for an examle to the next generation.
1. Deaconess Susan C.Essam. We are blessed with a human being who serves faithfully, tirelessly and prayerfully; a great
contributor in writing, thinking and service; completely dedicated to God. She has served the Church of God in the promotion of
the gospel of Jesus Christ in the Diocese of Jos and beyond.
2. Evangelist Mrs.A.H.Dimka. Her name is synonymous with the Zumuntan Mata evangelism group. She is always out founding
churches and reporting back to the pastors. In her quiet way she mobilizes women for prayer and for evangelism. She makes it
her concern to visit and encourage rural pastors. She is a very generous woman of God who would give whatever she has to the
poor rural pastors' wives as she encourages them with her visits.
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3. General T.Y.Danjuma. A calm, quiet, but calculative and definite soldier of Jesus Christ. All we know about him is his
availability to support God's work by his presence and wealth throughout Nigeria. We in Jos have enjoyed his support for what
God is doing through us.
4. The Ven.Prof.C.S.S.Bello. A very dedicated and hard working Christian evangelist, a physician of international repute and a
dear brother. He has laboured to bring back to life many churches in Jos South Archdeaconry as well as establishing new ones.
These will be decorated on Sunday.
GRATITUDE
We lack words with which to thank God for his love and mercies towards us and for the people he uses to bless us, to encourage
us and to provide for us. During the past year there have been opportunities for evangelism, for preaching and for mission
beyond the bounds of this diocese, particularly in England, in America, at the Provincial Standing Committee in Akure (where I
was privileged to lead the Bible Studies), at Minna Diocesan Clergy School and at various Synods, conferences and gatherings.
We praise God for all that he did on these occasions and we sincerely thank our hosts and friends.
We particularly mention the Cornhill Training Centre at the Proclamation Trust in London, where I spent some ten weeks in the
latter part of last year. My ticket, accommodation and course fees were all provided by them. The Rev.David Jackman and his
team continue generously to support and to assist the work of God in this diocese. While
24
I was there I was invited to speak and preach at various meetings and churches, and a number of groups and individuals have
expressed interest in our work and have made financial contributions to enable our Pastoral Publications Commission to take off.
We are deeply grateful to them all.
Indeed, our benefactors and friends are too many for us to call them all by name, but mention must be made of General
T.Y.Danjuma's gift of twenty bicycles and five motor cycles for use in evangelism and pastoral work. Our Christian Institute
Library has benefitted from various donation of books, and the diocese has also been given an overhead projector.
REACTION!
Satan is never pleased when the work of God progresses in this way, and it is becoming increasingly clear that the spiritual battle
is getting more serious. The most obvious sign of this was the car accident which happened on thursday 28th March, when I was
returning from Minna Diocesan Clergy School, with my brother-in-law, Igal Ngable. About three hours into the return journey, as
we negotiated a sharp bend, with my brother-in-law driving, the Mercedes skidded and somersaulted, hitting a tree and the roof
of a house before finally landing. Everything in the boot and in the back of the car was thrown out. As we were both seated in
the front we were held by our seat belts, and indeed remained miraculously conscious throughout it all. We managed to climb
out, recovered what we could of our loads, and chartered another vehicle to reach Jos. Igal's arm had been trapped, but X-rays
revealed that there was no fracture. However, some hours after arriving home I was
25
unwell, and it was realized that I had sustained a head injury. This necessitated complete rest for some seven weeks, and I am
only just beginning to get back to work properly.
Our escape was clearly God's miracle, and we shall not cease to praise him and to thank him for his amazing protection. No-one
had ever seen a Mercedes so smashed: just our two seats, the steering wheel and the dashboard remained intact. On behalf of
myself and my family I do want to express our profound gratitude to everyone for their prayers, support, messages, Christian love
and practical help. We are also most grateful to the Anglican Consultative Council in London, who heard of what happened and
who have offered me a ticket to U.K. so that further medical checks can be done there. I hope to leave immediately after this
Synod.
CLERGY MATTERS
At the beginning of this year, three of our pastors and their families left Jos to go as missionaries to other northern dioceses: The
Rev.Canon and Mrs.S.T.Adamu and their family have gone to Kafanchan Diocese; Rev.and Mrs.J. Bwas to Katsina; and
Rev.M.Yohanna to Sokoto. The Rev.Canon and Mrs.S.M.Bello are presently spending some four months in England at the
invitation of Runnymead Deanery in Guildford Diocese. They are living and working in the parishes there. By the grace of God
we hope that the Rev.and Mrs.A.B.Lamido will go to England in September to do a year's course at the Selly Oak Colleges in
Birmingham; they are suported by a scholarship from C.M.S., to whom we are most grateful.
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On the third of February this year the Rev.E.P.Dah, Rev.I.G.Lar and Rev.S.Miner were collated as Honorary Canons, and the
Rev.S.O.Ajah, Rev.E.B.Ajulo, Rev.J.D.Aiyejoto, Rev.M.S.Bello, Rev.E.S.Egbunu, and Rev.D.Yakubu were collated and installed
as Statutory Canons. Many of you will recall the ministry of the Rev.and Mrs.Y.Ladipo in Jos: it has been our pleasure to name
him as an Honorary Canon in our Diocese. It has also been our pleasure to name as Honorary Canons the Rev.S.C. Onuegbu
and the Rev.Dr.T.T.I.Gyuse and, as a Statutory Canon, the Rev.G.U. Njoku: these will be collated in due course. The
Rev.B.C.Nwogu is no longer recognised as a canon, and his transfer back to Aba Diocese is under consideration. The
Rev.M.Ayodele has resigned from the diocese. The Rev.F.I.Esthons has also tendered his resignation, but this has been
rejected until a canonical investigation has been completed.
PROVINCIAL NEWS
During the past twelve months the following have been consecrated and enthroned as Bishops:
The Rt.Rev.J.Fabuluje as Bishop of Kwara
The Rt.Rev.P.Onekpe
The Rt.Rev.S.Oyelade as Bishop of Kabba
The Rt.Rev.G.Okpala as Bishop of Nnewi
The Rt.Rev.E.Iheagwam as Bishop of Egbu
The Rt.Rev.S.Elenwo has been enthroned as Bishop of the new Niger Delta North Diocese.
The Primate, the Most Rev.J.A.Adetiloye, has received the approval of the Standing Committee to proceed with the creation of
three new missionary dioceses in the
27
North: Damaturu (Yobe State); Otukpo (Benue State); and Birnin Kebbi (Kebbi State). The Standing Committee also endorsed
the recommendation that the Province of Nigeria be divided into three smaller provinces, each with their own Archbishop, but with
the office of the Metropolitan and Primate remaining as at present. This means in effect that the existing Supra Diocesan Boards
of Finance in the North and West, as well as the Joint Council of Dioceses in the East will now be formally constituted into
Provinces.
Another exciting development at the last Standing Committee meeting was that on Friday 22nd March 1996 the "Church of
Nigeria Missionary Society" (C.N.M.S.) was formed, with Prof.Jerry Gana as its first Chairman. This is a mile-stone in the
development of the Anglican Church in this country, and we whole-heartedly welcome this move to bring evangelism to greater
prominence and life.
The full communique issued at the end of this Standing Committee meeting may be found in the Appendix to this Charge.
VISITORS
It was a great privilege and pleasure to welcome His Grace, the Archbishop, Primate and Metropolitan, the Most Rev.J.Abiodun
Adetiloye, to our diocese in July to lay the Foundation Stone for the new Bishopscourt building. He was accompanied by the
Rt.Rev.E.Ademowo, Bishop of Ilesha, Canon A Odejide, Vicar of Our saviour's Church, Lagos, and Chief G.O.K.Ajayi, the
Provincial Registrar. This was a memorable week-end in the history of our diocese and we are indebted to His Grace for his
fatherly interest and care.
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We were delighted to welcome a return visit from a SOMA (Sharing of Ministries Abroad) Team from Northern Ireland in January.
Two members of the team, the Rev.Niall Griffin and his wife Gerry, had been here two years ago, and this time they brought
with them Mrs.Bernie Curran and the Rev.Geoff.Withers. As well as teaching and ministering to all the clergy at the Clergy
School, they visited other churches and schools in Jos and Pankshin Archdeaconries. Their ministry of prayer and healing was
deeply appreciated by everyone.
In February, the Diocese of Jos was host to the Bishops' wives from all over the Province as they came here for a Training
Course. This was an honour and privilege for us.
CONGRATULATIONS
We congratulate all our members who have received promotion, recognition or success, or who have notched up any other
achievement during the past year. We particularly mention Sir Chief N.I.Olife, one of our Bishop's nominees, who was made a
Knight of St.Christopher in the Diocese on the Niger; and our Lay Secretary, who has taken up the post of Provost of the Federal
College of Vetinary and Medical Laboratory Technology at Vom.
OBITUARY
During the year many of our relatives, friends and members have slept in the Lord. We give thanks to God for their lives, their
love and their witness, and we pray that those of us who remain may know the peace of the Lord,
29
and may never be separated from him. We particularly mention Mrs. Felicity Kwashi, the Director of Commercials at PRTV Jos,
and an active member of St.Piran's Church. She was shot by armed robbers while travelling home on Friday 10th May. Let us
observe a minute's silence.
May the souls of the faithful departed
through the mercy of God
rest in peace.
Amen.
CONCLUSION
What God has done for us and with us in the last few years is evidence of the grace of God. The Lord has done far too much for
us to doubt him now. God's overwhelming presence in our work in this diocese is our source of strength and encouragement.
We have come too far to turn back: we must press on. We are alive, so we must live for God. We must keep our focus on
evangelism and on doing the mission of God in the world. We must put aside all trivialities, petty gossip, quarrels and side
attractions, in order to -
"press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus."
+Benjamin Jos May 1996
30
APPENDIX
Communique issued at the end of the meeting of the Provincial Standing Committee (Anglican Communion)
held in Akure from 20th to 24th March, 1996.
At the end of the meeting of the Provincial Standing Committee held at St.David's Cathedral, Akure from 20th to 24th March,
1996 and chairmanned by His Grace, the Most Rev.J.A.ADETILOYE, the following Comminuque was issued:
1. The COMMITTEE acknowledges the presence and guidance of Almighty God through His Holy Spirit throughout the
deliberations, and expresses immense gratitude to God. It also conveys fraternal greetings to the entire Nation in the name of
God.
2. Political Situation
The current political situation in the country was carefully considered. While the efforts of the Federal Military Gvernment in
putting in place a Transition Programme meant to return the country to democratic governance are commended, it is however
tragic for the Government to promulgate Decrees banning comments or criticisms on the transition programme. The Federal
Government and the politicians should give credibility to the transition programme by allowing it to work. The Provincial Standing
Committee is of the opinion that June 12, 1993, has proved that Nigeria can conduct a free and fair election. Since Government
has now seen that it cannot successfully wish away June 12, it is advisable to set up a Government of national Reconciliation and
M.K.O.ABIOLA should be released to participate in the resolution of the June 12 problem.
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3. Economic Situation
The committee commended the courage of the presidency for setting up the NATIONAL ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE
COMMISSION headed by Professor Sam Aluko, while appreciating the efforts of that commission in curbing corruption and other
economic frauds. However despite all the God-given blessings in terms of human and material resources, the Nigerian Economy
continues to nose-dive with the attendant problems of unemployment, falling value of the naira, galloping inflation, failed banks,
closure of industries and the high incidence of armed robberies due to economic hardship. The committee also felt dismayed by
the complete disregard for the sacredness of life by the frequent elimination of citizens by hired assassins. The Government
should seek solution to these problems and the people too should heed the appeal to stop hoarding fuel, currency and other
products, and to return the money embezzled and kept in foreign banks so that it can be released into the Nigerian economy.
4. Education
The committee noted with alarm the break-down in our educational system. It appeals to ASUU, ASUP, NASU, POSSAN and any
other trade unions within our educational system to cease-fire in the interest of parents and students. It also appeals to the
Govenment to fund teaching and research adequately in our institutions, pay salaries of workers and replace obsolete
equipment in various fields.
5. Human Rights and Justice
The committee strongly advises government to desist from its habit of arresting and detaining citizens who express views and
opinions different from its own. Suspected cases bordering on state security should be tried before the regular courts instead of
clamping citizens into detention. The
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committee frowns at the setting up of special military Tribunals which usurp the places and duties of the regular courts. This, in
most cases, leads to miscarriage of justice. The government should also restore the powers of the judiciary which have been
eroded and repair the battered image of the judiciary so as to restore public confidence in our judicial system.
6. Religious Intolerance
The committee appeals to Government to take necessary steps to allay the fears and anxieties of Nigerians caused by religious
intolerance in various parts of the country. Lives, property and places of worship are constantly destroyed as a result of
religious intolerance.
7. Pastoral Care
The Committee urges all Pastors to lay emphasis on the pastoral care and counselling of citizens, especially at these difficult
times, and every effort should be made to assist in alleviating and solving the problems of citizens.
8. Expansion of the Church and its Missionary Outreach
In the effort to extend the Missionary outreach of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) within and outside Nigeria, the
Provincial Standing Committee is pleased to announce the establishment of the CHURCH OF NIGERIA MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
The committee has also recommended to the General Synod the creation of three Provinces out of the existing Province of
Nigeria.
9. International Relations
The committee addresses the Federal Government to discard its present "siege mentality" and to note that no country can exist
as an island by itself. Effort should be made to restore
33
relations with those countries that severed their ties with us. The Government should reconcile with those citizens who had to flee
abroad for refuge and appeal to them to return home. This is to rectify the brain-drain and wastage of human resources
suffered by our country.
The Government should stop the wasting of collosal resources on the so-called peace mission in various countries and on the
"Laundering" of the image of Government abroad. Such huge resources can be more profitably spent to feed the increasing
number of hungry citizens and to cater for other vital needs.
10. Annual Pilgrimages
The Committee urges the Federal and State Governments to stop the wasting of millions of Dollars and Naira in sponsoring many
pilgrims (both Muslims and Christians) on annual pilgrimages to Holy lands. Government should also stop the selling of foreign
currencies at subsidised rates to pilgrims.
Revd.Canon C.A.Maduoma Ven.S.B.Akinola
Clerical Secretary Ag.General Secretary
Most Revd.J.A.Adetiloye
President/Archbishop
34
The Church of Nigeria
(Anglican Communion)
DIOCESE OF JOS
THE BISHOP'S CHARGE
delivered to
THE SECOND SESSION
OF THE SIXTH SYNOD
at 10.00 a.m. on
Friday, 24th May, 1996
in
St.Paul's Church, Jos
by
THE RT. REV. BENJAMIN A. KWASHI
(Bishop of Jos)
The Rt.Rev.Benjamin A.Kwashi
Bishop of Jos
of the Father, and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Friends
It is with joy and gratitude to God that we welcome you all to this Second Session of the Sixth Synod of the Anglican Diocese of
Jos. We particularly mention our distinguished guests who have set aside a busy schedule in order to be here today. Your
support and fellowship in the gospel is a great encouragement to us and we pray that God will continue to guide and to bless you.
Our gratitude goes to our Guest Preachers, the Rt.Rev.N.N.Inyom, Bishop of Makurdi, and the Rt.Rev.J.I. Fearon, Bishop of
Sokoto, who so willingly agreed to give of their time and energy in bringing us the word of God. We value deeply the sincere
brotherly relationship between our dioceses, of which your coming, my Lords, is a sign.
We also thank the Rev.Alan Chilver, a former Principal of T.C.N.N. and a missionary of long-standing in Plateau State. He and
his wife are well known to everyone, and we are most grateful for his sparing time to come and lead our Bible Studies.
The pastors and people of St.Paul's Church, Jos, have worked tirelessly in preparation for this Synod, and we
1
are deeply grateful to them. So many people have been, and still are, working hard behind the scenes, to ensure the smooth
running of this Synod. God sees you and knows you and we pray that he will reward you.
Much work has been done, and yet we have scarcely begun, as there is more, much, much more still to do. Therefore our Synod
theme this year is :
"Pressing On" (Phil.3:14)
I want to start by bringing you up to date with our "Mission Yerwa '96", which took place from the second to the seventh of
January 1996. We felt God calling us and sending us to Yerwa as a team for mobilization, prayers and action. Our first night
was spent in prayer and those who were there will remember what happened when we prayed. We give God the glory. The
following day we again spent some time in prayer, training and fellowship before going out in small groups to witness to the whole
town. Later that evening, the Rev.J.Okolo and his music group, together with the Jesus Film team drew a crowd of close to seven
thousand people and at the end of the programme nearly two thousand people made commitments to the Lord Jesus Christ.
After this major outreach we split into four groups and went to four different locations where again each group split into two and
went to their own location, thus giving a total of eight mission groups preaching in eight different villages every day for the next
four days. In this way we reached not only Yerwa town, but also most of the villages around Yerwa. On our return we had
people give testimonies of healing, conversion and deliverance from evil forces. We cannot help but speak of what we have
seen and experienced. May God be glorified for ever and ever. We have only just started.
2
To do evangelism in the way that Jesus Christ did is to do the will of God. The will of God is the most important thing in the life of
a believer. Let me use a human illustration. The will is a safely guarded document and the executors of the will are bound on
oath and by law to execute the will to the letter. The person whose will it is has to die before the will is brought into effect. So
long as he is alive he does as he wills according to his wishes and desires, but when he is dead his will becomes law; in fact his
will is secretly kept and revered and viewed with high respect. The executors of the will are careful to execute the will exactly as it
is stated, even though the person whose will it is, is dead.
I just want us to reason with ourselves. As we hold very tightly and tenaciously to human wills, but deal lightly and carelessly with
the will of God, have we forgotten that we are alive by God's will; or do we want to ignore the fact that our race, our sex, our
vocation and calling, our status, our positions, educational backgrounds, our families and whatever else we have around us,
have been carefully selected and are being executed by the will of God? No; rather, our imagination deceives us. We think that
we exist by our own wills. It is an error to think in this way. For Jesus, the will of God was his main goal in life.
The apostle Paul, in prison, receives Epaphroditus with news from the church in Philippi. Paul's ministry to the church in Philippi
was revealed to him in a vision:
"During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him,: `Come over to Macedonia and help us.'"
(Acts 16:9)
3
Without delay, Paul left for Macedonia, not for any other reason than to preach the gospel. One big lesson from this is that
Paul's journeys were not unplanned and his purpose was always to preach the gospel. I recall his charge to Timothy to preach
the gospel in season and out of season:
"I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great
patience and careful instruction." (2 Tim.4:1b-2)
I am convinced that if only we realize, each one of us, that we have been saved for a purpose and that purpose is that others
might also hear the gospel and be saved, then many of the problems of the church would be solved. Not only that, but the
society and the nation, and indeed the whole world, would hear the gospel.
For Paul, following in the steps of Jesus Christ, to preach the gospel was the top priority. At Philippi, therefore, Lydia was one of
the women who received the gospel with her household. Continuing in the ministry of the gospel, Paul encountered a slave girl
who had a fortune-telling spirit. Paul rebuked this spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the spirit left. The owners of
the slave girl realized that their means of making money was gone, so they dragged Paul and Silas to the market place and got
the crowd to attack them. Finally, the apostles were put in prison. Paul and Silas, however, prayed and sang hymns to God in
prison; they considered their condition and circumstances to be the will of God and, most importantly, they saw their mission as
the will of God. As they kept on praising God in prison, a violent earthquake threw the prison doors open. The jailer, who after
this experience suspected that the prisoners had escaped, wanted to kill himself, but
4
Paul and Silas begged him to stop since they were still there. He then came before Paul and Silas and asked:
"`Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'" (Acts 16:30)
God had used yet another seemingly bad situation to give life. The jailer and his whole family were baptized. One would have
thought that after this experience, Paul would have given up the vision of preaching the gospel. However, he left the region of
Philippi and went on to Thessalonica, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, through the regions of Greece, Troas, Jerusalem and later to
Rome (in prison), where he was martyred. We must understand that these are journeys of hundreds of miles, through
international communities, and without the luxuries of cars, flights, and safety. Yet the apostle persevered because the
preaching of the gospel is the will of a living God, not a dead person, but a God who is alive and whose wish it is that the world
be saved.
This same God is active through us and with us in the task of doing his will. We are therefore not lonely, not wretched, not
bankrupt in the resources required for the mission. The story of the church in Philippi must have troubled Paul a bit because the
only thing that will grieve God is when we are not doing his will, or when the church is disobedient to his will, or when the church
is living in spiritual poverty and sometimes in spiritual bankruptcy. Believe me, spiritual poverty, spiritual bankruptcy, is the
mother of all poverty and all bankruptcy. The joy that is ours in doing God's will is not bought by money; it is not by power; it is
not by our status in society; it is a gift from God to those who love to do his work. The birth of the church in Philippi as a direct
result of the work of God is what
5
gives joy to Paul, and when the work of the ministry progresses, the joy increases. It is this progress of the work at Philippi that is
being threatened by those who do evangelism out of rivalry, and by those who seek the destruction of faithful servants of God,
but worst of all, by those who live lives contrary to their profession of Christ.
When the will of God is relegated to the background, other trivialities set themselves at the top. In fact, Satan sets his agenda
not from the outside, but from within, because the doing of the will of God has become a lesser priority for the children of God.
This kind of situation is a direct consequence of the way in which we receive and act upon God's will. A church which does not
hold evangelism as its top priority will find itself in a pool of turmoil of all sorts: everyone will seek his own interest; there will be
hardly any united focus, voice or action of any kind; love of the brethren will be cold, selective and superficial, if indeed it exists at
all. Everyone will be seeking his own interest and all for selfish gain. This kind of fellowship knows nothing about humility,
service or compassion, or if they do, it will be a matter of theory only, whereas Jesus, the Son of God, left his throne in heaven
and came down for the salvation of mankind. Not only did this cost him his life, but it also demanded his time, energy and
resources. This was the will of God for Jesus Christ in order that the world might hear and receive the good news of our
salvation; the news that our sins have been forgiven; the news that we can now be called the children of God. Therefore we
must demonstrate this to the world, following in the steps of Jesus Christ and following his example in the kind of sacrifice he paid
for us: that kind of sacrfice we must pay for others. As children of God we must obey God; as children of God we must do the will
of God; as children of God we must live like children of God.
6
Evangelism is the will of God. When Jesus was about to go back to the Father in heaven he left this command:
"`Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.'" (Matthew 28:19-20)
The apostles took this command very seriously because it is the will of the living God. All the things that follow in the wake of
evangelism, the social consequences, the spiritual implications, and the theological interpretations are important but they are not
a substitute for the will of God. The apostles, in the face of threats from the authorities, declared:
"`Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God.'" (Acts 4:19)
So then, my dear brothers and sisters, we have been saved and called to live for God and to obey God as a sign that we are
children of God. Until we realize this and undertake to live in this way, we shall simply be parading our theologies, our knowledge
and intellectual pursuits which are all good, but which make no real impact on the issue at stake. In fact we are more likely to
remain in one place, doing all of these without moving an inch in obedience to the command of God.
Evangelism is costly. It cost Jesus his time, his resources, and most of all it cost him his life, in his obedience to the will of God.
There is no substitute for the
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fact that if we are to do the will of God, we must count the cost and bear the cost. It will not be easy or cheap. The demand and
the price are high. No wonder that some denominations, some dioceses, some churches and some individuals will do everything
to remove evangelism from the agenda of the church. In such cases, if evangelism is on the agenda at all, it is just to satisfy the
Bishop or whoever is responsible for evangelism, but it will only be discussed as a subject and allowed to fizzle out, to be
discussed again later; and so long as it is being discussed it remains purely a subject for discussion.
We must accept that in doing evangelism we will bear the cost. It needs a lot of time in prayer, in preparation, in careful planning
and training of individuals and of the church. It also takes a lot of effort to mobilize the people: it demands the total mobilization
of the church, not of just a few individuals, because the command is to the church. This takes time; it takes energy; it needs
resources; it calls for a total dedication and commitment of one's life. Sometimes money is required; sometimes some tools may
be required, but most of the time it is people who are the number one prerequisite. To participate in this sacrificial service is to
participate with God in saving the world. Not to participate in evangelism is to be opposed to God for God does not desire the
death of a sinner; he does not wish the world to be condemned. Therefore he has saved us and called us and sent us to warn
the world to turn to God through Jesus Christ. Whoever refuses to participate in evangelism is not only disobedient, but is
actually guilty of wishing the world to be condemned. More than that, however, he is an enemy of the will of God. Evangelism is
a whole life style. It is not a once and for all event. It is an ongoing activity of the church in obedience to Christ.
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"Mission is the meaning of the church. The church can exist only insofar as it is in mission, insofar as it participates in the act of
Christ, which is mission. The church becomes the mission, the living outreach of God to the world. The church exists only
insofar as it carries Christ to the world. The church is only part of the mission, the mission of God sending his Son to the world.
Without this mission, there would be no church. The idea of church without mission is an absurdity."
(V.J.Donovan: "Christianity Rediscovered")
This means that at whatever point we are in evangelism there is always room to do more. There is also room and a job to be
done by everyone in the mission of God. We all must get ourselves gainfully employed for God as a demonstration of the grace
of God upon our lives. Where we are coming from is not as important as where we are going to. The people in the street, the
traders, the homeless children, the prostitutes, the poor, the sick, the rich, the rural people, the young people, the old:
everybody must be told by word and deed about the good news, and must be shown the direction in which we are heading. This
means a radical change and transformation. This means that we must talk to the hearts of people in ways they will understand.
This means an uncompromising presentation of the truth of God's word as it is in love and full of the Holy Spirit. This calls for
dedicated pulpit ministry, a powerful presentation of expository preaching of God's word in such a way that the listeners will
respond to the living God. We must preach not ourselves, but Christ crucified. We must not be conformed to this world, but we
must be transformed through the work of the Holy Spirit by the power of the word of God. In this regard we have only just started
and we must press on.
9
The temptation is to look at what we have started and be content. The joy that accompanies the starting of a project can be so
overwhelming that the work stops completely because everyone is admiring the beginning of a laudable programme. Very subtly,
other things then choke our minds and the vision is lost. The apostle Paul would give room to none of this. His detractors could
not stop him. Enemies from within and from without could not stop him. His own personal qualifications he put aside. His health,
his condition in prison, indeed his life was completely surrendered to the task of the gospel and the mission of the church of God.
The goal was set before him. Never at any point would he have thought that having started, he had arrived. In fact, he
recognises that it is God who has started and it is God who will finish the task. We are both indebted to God and dependant on
him. Therefore every effort, all available resources, are put together towards this one goal:
"Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has
called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
(Phil.3:13b-14)
We must therefore know that our goal is to get to heaven. That is the prize for which God has called us. Our prize is in heaven;
it is not in New York; it is not in Geneva; it is not in Abuja; it is not even dollars; it is not gold, not silver; it is indescribable; it is in
heaven. It is a prize that God gives. It is where God is, and it will be given to those who do the will of God. It has been prepared
for all who are saved. Therefore our focus, our energies, all that we are, all that we have, must be put to this one task of making
Christ known.
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The idea here is that every talent and every gift; all money and energy; every person and every person's effort are all put
together towards this one goal, this one task, of evangelism. There is no room for a second goal of making money, or succes, or
prosperity, or of speculative and corrupt theologies - no room at all. Indeed, any business, or learning, or contribution which
does not further this one task of evangelism and leading people to heaven in this direction may have some value, but that value
is temporal and ephemeral. The apostle Paul had only one task, one goal, and so nothing would come between him and this one
task. He presses on, his focus is right and he strains towards the prize. People of God, let us sharpen our focus. We have only
just started, and, like Paul, we must forget what lies behind and focus on this one goal, the task of making Christ known, getting
people to live righteously, to live holy lives, and to put all their energies, all their monies, all their efforts into the mission of God in
evangelizing the world. So we must press on.
The ways in which we make Christ known are manifold. All that we are, all that we do, the ways in which we live, as well as the
words which we utter, all "speak". In the midst of this, the written word has a vital role to play. People may forget our sermons,
but they can hold on to a paper. We cannot personally reach every nook and cranny of the diocese at one and the same time,
but the printed word can be spread and studied by thousands of different people in thousands of different places today,
tomorrow and throughout the year. To this end we have established in the Anglican Diocese of Jos the Pastoral Publications
Commission, the mandate for which is as follows:
1. The Pastoral Publications Commission of the Anglican Diocese of Jos shall be responsible for the publication of such materials
as shall seek to spread
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God's Word, to teach God's people, and to build up the Body of Christ, the Church.
2. Priority in publication shall be given to those works which fulfill the requirements of 1. above, meet the local need, and are
deemed to be viable.
3. The materials to be so published shall be recomended by the P.P.C., and evaluated by the editorial unit, publication unit and
marketing unit. The final decision rests with the P.P.C..
4. No income of the P.P.C. shall be used for any other project; the monies shall form a revolving capital to be used for the work of
the P.P.C.alone.
5. Contributors and authors shall derive no personal financial gain from works published by the P.P.C..
Our publications to date include the Prayer Book; "Passion for God's Kingdom" by Canon E.S.Egbunu; "Called to Serve" by Time
Ministries International; the six-monthly "Cycle of Prayer"; "Baptism?" leaflet and "Four Steps to Spiritual Growth". Next in line are
the Hausa translation of the Prayer Book; a collection of "Sermons and Meditations" and a number of Bible Study Outlines.
Our desire to press on is born out of the fact that God has started a good work in us and we are to grow and increase from day
to day until we take the final step into heaven. We must have a complete devotion to God and live lives worthy of our calling, as
evidence of the gospel of Christ. The message of the gospel, as simple as it is, is very powerful and has a life-changng effect.
All too often, the gospel is preached by word of mouth, but is largely ignored or contradicted in the character and actions of the
preacher. This misreprents the gospel; indeed it is hypocrisy. It is not evangelism. Evangelism is the presentation of the simple
gospel with a transformational effect which concerns the
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whole of man, his environment and his family, and which also has eternal implications.
So we must press on in the word of God, putting off our old nature and putting on the new; growing in grace and persevering
through hardships; walking in righteousness and in the power of the Holy Spirit; being obedient to God's word, no matter what it
will take, and committed to Jesus Christ as Lord. We must press on to see to it that justice is done in the church, outside the
church, and everywhere. Truth must be upheld at all times and evil rejected. We must get rid of all anger and bitterness, envy,
jealousy, hatred and anything that will choke our hearts and draw us away from God. We must open our hearts and our minds to
the word of God and to his Holy Spirit, and we must live to bear fruit to his glory. We must press on and on and on and on until
the city of Jos hears the gospel, until Plateau State hears the gospel, until Nigeria, West Africa, Africa and the whole world hears
the gospel. The task is enormous but we must press on, forgetting what we have left behind.
CHRISTIAN INSTITUTE
There is evidence of God's great work in the life of the Church in Nigeria, but there seems to be no adequate preparation to
sustain the work. The training of ministers to meet the demands of the churches is bound almost entirely to the Nigerian
University syllabi which have very little to offer in encouraging a total obedience to the Great Commission. For example: the
Universities offer nothing to encourage discipline, discipleship and evangelism in their curricula. A student may study and
graduate from the University with a degree in the Faculty of Religion and may not go to church, prayer meeting or even
fellowship, yet still be a graduate staff of his diocese. Secondly, apart from a
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few committed Christian staff of the Faculties who try to offer an evangelistic point of the message of God, the rest spend a good
portion of time deflating the zeal of the poor undergraduates. Thirdly, the Anglican Church of Nigeria has no theology of its own
and no place for enlarging and propagating an evangelistic theology and mission for the Church of Nigeria beyond Diploma level.
This means that after Diploma level all our clergy graduate from the evangelical Anglican discipline of the Church of Nigeria into
anything that they can lay their hands on. No wonder that our approach to evangelism is fragmented and individualistic, with
each church or pastor doing their own thing, or vainly trying to pick ideas from other denominations.
While, in spite of ourselves, there is clear evidence of growth in the Church in Nigeria, yet we must learn from the failures in other
parts of the world. Sooner rather than later, we are going to be faced with problems of growth, of outright indiscipline and of the
normal attacks of Satan. The solution is to go back to the theology of the word of God and to affirm faith in Jesus Christ and a
discipleship rooted in a life of prayer. We have left this simple truth to confuse ourselves by much learning that has nothing at all
to do with the Great Commission. In fact most of the reasons for the desire for higher education in the Church of Nigeria are to
avoid postings to the rural places where the people are; to seek political appointments within or outside the Diocese; or even to
improve salary. This is a great danger and must be checked.
We must be careful concerning overseas studies. If the overseas schools are that good, why are their churches dying? The
long-standing claim by the West to have theological superiority can no longer hold. We must pick what is godly and reject what is
ungodly. We have no place for liberal theology: it is those who have enjoyed good health, 14
wealth, electricity, technology and good schools who can afford that. We have none of the above in Africa. If we also deny God
in liberal studies we shall end up in hell, but then our hell will be double: we shall have suffered in Africa only to suffer again in
hell, while those in the West have enjoyed enough in this life - and so are willing to go to hell out of choice!
It is true that the western world has superior technology, is financially buoyant, and has control of the world economy and politics,
but this must not be confused or equated with spiritual superiority. As far as God is concerned we are all equal and God has
given his Holy Spirit to the people of the west and to us without partiality. Therefore we owe it to our people in our own context to
present the gospel and interpret Scripture in ways that will lead them to God.
Our own contribution to this has led to the establishment of the Christian Institute. The Institute is founded upon a theology of
mission and evangelism; it is a centre for learning, interpreting and preaching the word of God. We already have staff qualified
in Hebrew and Greek, and staff who have been trained at the Cornhill Training Centre, London, in expository preaching and
Bible interpretation. It is our hope that from here will graduate personnel who are qualified and equipped for ministry anywhere in
Nigeria and beyond. The aim of our training is to ensure liturgical excellence together with spiritual, intellectual and theological
development. Our focus is quality learning for excellent missionary service. From day one, God has led us to train people who
will be loyal and dedicated to God, people who will be loyal to serve the church; people who will be loyal to authority. Whatever
contribution you can make to this noble project will be greatly appreciated.
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NIGERIA
The days are evil. We have reached the point in our nation where we are under siege. Thieves and robbers now steal in broad
daylight with sophisticated weapons, unmasked and unhindered. Our security as Nigerians in Nigeria cannot be guaranteed.
We are definitely in trouble. The value of life in this country is too cheap. The rise in the crime rate is such that in high and low
places people are surprised when anyone does what is right. It is as if there are no Christians at all in Nigeria. It is as if there is
no-one who fears God. We have reached a level where the people do not know what to believe any more. Outside the country,
even as clergymen, we are not treated with respect. We have reached the point where we as a people have lost our respect.
And yet here is a nation that has no reason at all to be poor. We have been so endowed with resources, both material and
otherwise; we have been so blessed with high calibre people, intellectuals, business men and women, public servants, religious
leaders of international repute, but the impact made by all of these is little or nil. This is our nation where people look at the past
with great admiration. This is our nation where no-one hopes for a better tomorrow. The signs are gloomy, but God still has his
people here and we have hope. Our hope is in God with whom nothing is impossible.
This is why we are here. We are here in this country as a sign and a proof that nothing is impossible with God. So we must
press on with God, looking up to Jesus who alone can turn sadness and sorrow into joy. He holds the whole world in his hand.
Therefore as a church and as a diocese in this country we must press for justice, for truth and righteousness; and judgement will
begin in the household of God.
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I am very critical of the church which condones corrupt and unbiblical practices within itself, but then turns round to condemn the
nation. I am convinced that if the sin of individual Christians in Nigeria is quantified by teaspoonfuls, then by the time all the sins
are put together in a container, the weight will be enough to sink the nation. You can add to that the sins of the unbelievers in
this same nation - and the result is left to your imagination. The individual Christians in this nation have a lot to answer for
before God, because there is hardly a government that has existed in this nation without a good number of church school
products in leadership. In fact most of the educated elite in our country today are all products of church school education, and
yet the impact of the truth of the gospel has not been felt. What we are witnessing is far from the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. The church has a lot more to correct from within in terms of its obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ and living righteously
before men, and then the world will learn from the life of the believer. It is sad that the Christians in some cases give their
allegiance first to their tribes and only after that to Christ; as a matter of fact some so-called Christians cannot be Christians
beyond the limits of their tribe. It is also sad that the church which has so little material resources has been found to be corrupt,
wasteful and to condone the mismanagement of the very meagre resources at its disposal.
What shall we say about racism, false prophecy, manipulation, fighting, cheating, and lying - all by Christians in the church?
Some have even boldly paraded themselves and their sinful acts in public while others have no other place than the church in
which to experiment with their satanic behaviour. We must be bold not only to speak against these, but actually to get rid of the
bad behaviour while salvaging the people involved. My prayer is that God will sweep the sins all out of the church but spare
the
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people. As a church we must press on to lay an example and to demonstrate to the world that we are saved, called and sent to
the world by a holy and righteous God who loves the sinner but hates the sin. This task is onorous, demanding every ounce of
energy in prayer, every effort in preaching, and everybody, everywhere declaring the Lordship of Jesus by word and deed.
I appeal to the government to be true to its programmes. I appeal to the Head of State to avoid sycophants like the plague,
because Nigeria is at a crossroads. The point at which we cross the thin red line is so close and the forces pushing us to
destruction are more than those pulling us away from it. Only God can save us.
In our own diocese we are seeing an increase in Islamic militancy manifesting itself in commerce and politics.
We are witnessing an increase in Islamic intolerance and a calculated attempt to oppose the church. Only last month the
Muslims trespassed into St.Peter's Church land at Keffi; but for the intervention of God the destruction that took place could have
been worse.
But we must press on. We will not give up. Our God is on the throne and has promised to be with us and has promised that in
the world we will have tribulation, but we should be of good cheer because he has already overcome the world. Our nation can
be a better place if we look up to this God, if we depend on him, if we trust him, if we walk in his way and obey him. As for us, in
the face of the predictable destruction that threatens us we will do our part to build schools, health care delivery systems,
develop the people and prepare the people for heaven. That is our goal. We are not depending on the signs of the times. We
are depending on God who has called us and commanded us to go and to press on ahead.
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I am also critical of the poor in Nigeria who are as corrupt and evil in all their ways as the rich and powerful. After all, it is these
same poor people who ascend the ladder of power and wealth. The local market people are no longer honest, neither are the
local crafts-people, traders, mechanics and so on, and so on. Precious time is wasted by people who take their cars to the
mechanical workshop: the mechanics do not do a good job so that you are in and out of the workshop at least twice a week, if not
daily. The tailors either do not sew to your specification, or if they do, you will have been to the shop at least ten times after the
expected day of delivery. The builders are so much in a hurry that you end up with a poor finishing and with cracks. Their
charges are all so high, and yet you do not get a good quality job for the money.
These poor people are all members of our churches who do not get good sermons to reach their hearts and so help them to
produce a good quality of life. I am afraid that the blame again for the most part is on the church. Our emphasis in the Church
of Nigeria is on money, money, money. The love of money is, we know, the root of all evil. If the church would emphasize
mission, evangelism, righteousness and justice every Sunday, focusing on these alone, and knowing that these are the
requirements for heaven, then there would be a transformation that would affect the whole nation. But for as long as our focus
and goal is the making of money, we shall remain where we are, degenerating by the day until we are consumed by destruction.
Simon, the magician, saw that the Holy Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, and he tried to buy that
same power with money. Peter rebuked him fiercely, saying, "You thought God's gift was for sale? Your money can go with you
to damnation! You have neither part not share in this, for you are corrupt in the eyes of God." (Acts 8:8-24)
19
Money is good and useful, but the first thing, the one thing, is to seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and then and
only then will all the other things be added unto us. God has his reasons for that, and my understanding of this principle is
simple. If you put so much wealth and blessings at the disposal of a godless person, what do you expect? On the other hand, if
you put so much blessing and wealth at the disposal of a person who has sought and found God things will go well.
No amount of economic recovery will save our country. The more money we make, the more will be the demand for salary
increases. It is a vicious circle and there is no end to it. The solution is for our government to release the nation to religious
freedom, not in theory, but in practice; to return all missionary schools; to uphold justice and righteousness and equity. We in
the church are no exception in this matter. Sometimes we have had occasions to praise God for some governors or some
actions of the Federal Government. Please do more! The Administrator of Kaduna State will never be forgotten in the history of
this nation. The trial of economic saboteurs with a failed bank decree is a landmark in the history of this nation. Please press on
and do more! Let the fear of God be the motto of our nation. It is when people fear God that they fear the law. When people do
not fear God then the law becomes an ass. My predictions are that the fight against corruption by this government, if carried on
to its logical conclusions, will make this government heroic, and the return to civil rule a reality; on the other hand if this crusade
is not caried on to its logical conclusion, but is selective, then our hopes for this nation will be dashed and our expectations will
never be realized. We are praying to God that his mercy and loving kindness which endure for ever will extend to us and to our
generation. The church is still the only instrument of light
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in the hand of God and we have no reason to fail for God is with us, "Emmanuel".
ADMINISTRATION
We must thank God for the work of evangelism that is going on in the Diocese. Some of the clergy have got the vision and are
doing a good job. We rejoice over what we hear in some places and we praise God and give God the glory for the zeal of many
lay men and women who also identify with their pastors and catechists in the task of evangelism. New churches are being born
everywhere. Most of what I hear nowadays is that there is a need for more workers, and with the need for more workers there is
a need for more money to pay them, and with this same need is also the need to train them. All of this boils down to money! As
a result of this the pace of evangelism can actually be slowed down because of the vast amount of money that is needed for
caring for these numerous churches. It is all Satan's technique.
Another comment I have heard is that unless these workers are trained and placed in the churches, the churches will scatter and
the congregations will no longer be ours. True though this may seem to be, I refuse to accept it. Personally, going through the
Bible, I refuse to accept that money is as important as we are making it to look in this matter. What Jesus did was to get
committed men and women who were willing to serve. He then trained them and gave them the power of the Holy Spirit and
released them to the world. They in turn selected a few; laid hands on them; they received the power of the Holy Spirit and
started doing wonders. Some of them were even martyred. Paul goes on through the whole of Europe, establishing
21
elders, laying hands on them, and going on. What do you suppose is the secret? I will tell you. The apostles trained people;
laid hands on them and sent them out, but they remained constantly in prayer and in preaching and in teaching the word. Paul
raised up prayer teams as he evangelized and went on. Jesus spent nights in prayer and other secret moments of prayer, more
than we can ever imagine. I am suggesting therefore that what we need is many more prayer teams around the diocese to
support the work of those in the field, and those engaged in rural evangelism. Those engaged in evangelism then train their new
converts and disciple them in the word and in prayer - and so the chain continues endlessly. Our evangelism effort therefore
must not rest on just the techniques and tools of getting people to make commitments and thereafter abandoning them. That
would be a waste of time, and would be evangelism only in name, and definitely not the biblical pattern of evangelism.
However, in order to encourage the new areas and to put a challenge before the pastors of this diocese, we have decided to
carve out some local government areas into archdeaconries. These are:
Pankshin Local Government Area - Pankshin Archdeaconry with Rev.Canon D.Yakubu as Supervising Priest
Wase, Kanam, Langtang North and Langtang South Local Government Areas - Langtang Archdeaconry with
Rev.Canon M.Maza as Supervising Priest
Shendam, and Quampan Local Government Areas - Shendam Archdeaconry with Rev.Canon S.O.Ajah as Supervising
Priest
Mangu and Bokkos Local Government Areas - Mangu Archdeaconry with Rev.Canon E.P.Dah as Supervising Priest
22
I have joy in reporting the progress of the Chapelries Archdeaconry, whose numbers have grown beyond what I can cope with,
and I am pleased to release this post to the Ven.Prof.C.S.S.Bello who becomes Chapelries Archdeacon with effect from 1 June
1996. St.Piran's and Jos South should not be afraid of my becoming their Archdeacon as I would not be able to do it and
honestly I do not qualify for the post! However, the Rev.Canon E.B.Ajulo becomes the Supervising Priest and priest in charge of
St.Piran's.
DIOCESAN MERIT AWARD
We have continued to emphasize that this award is strictly for contributions in evangelism and the progress of God's work in
general. We do not place ourselves in the place of God who honours and rewards all people. What we are doing is to highlight
and recognise the lives and services of godly people for an examle to the next generation.
1. Deaconess Susan C.Essam. We are blessed with a human being who serves faithfully, tirelessly and prayerfully; a great
contributor in writing, thinking and service; completely dedicated to God. She has served the Church of God in the promotion of
the gospel of Jesus Christ in the Diocese of Jos and beyond.
2. Evangelist Mrs.A.H.Dimka. Her name is synonymous with the Zumuntan Mata evangelism group. She is always out founding
churches and reporting back to the pastors. In her quiet way she mobilizes women for prayer and for evangelism. She makes it
her concern to visit and encourage rural pastors. She is a very generous woman of God who would give whatever she has to the
poor rural pastors' wives as she encourages them with her visits.
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3. General T.Y.Danjuma. A calm, quiet, but calculative and definite soldier of Jesus Christ. All we know about him is his
availability to support God's work by his presence and wealth throughout Nigeria. We in Jos have enjoyed his support for what
God is doing through us.
4. The Ven.Prof.C.S.S.Bello. A very dedicated and hard working Christian evangelist, a physician of international repute and a
dear brother. He has laboured to bring back to life many churches in Jos South Archdeaconry as well as establishing new ones.
These will be decorated on Sunday.
GRATITUDE
We lack words with which to thank God for his love and mercies towards us and for the people he uses to bless us, to encourage
us and to provide for us. During the past year there have been opportunities for evangelism, for preaching and for mission
beyond the bounds of this diocese, particularly in England, in America, at the Provincial Standing Committee in Akure (where I
was privileged to lead the Bible Studies), at Minna Diocesan Clergy School and at various Synods, conferences and gatherings.
We praise God for all that he did on these occasions and we sincerely thank our hosts and friends.
We particularly mention the Cornhill Training Centre at the Proclamation Trust in London, where I spent some ten weeks in the
latter part of last year. My ticket, accommodation and course fees were all provided by them. The Rev.David Jackman and his
team continue generously to support and to assist the work of God in this diocese. While
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I was there I was invited to speak and preach at various meetings and churches, and a number of groups and individuals have
expressed interest in our work and have made financial contributions to enable our Pastoral Publications Commission to take off.
We are deeply grateful to them all.
Indeed, our benefactors and friends are too many for us to call them all by name, but mention must be made of General
T.Y.Danjuma's gift of twenty bicycles and five motor cycles for use in evangelism and pastoral work. Our Christian Institute
Library has benefitted from various donation of books, and the diocese has also been given an overhead projector.
REACTION!
Satan is never pleased when the work of God progresses in this way, and it is becoming increasingly clear that the spiritual battle
is getting more serious. The most obvious sign of this was the car accident which happened on thursday 28th March, when I was
returning from Minna Diocesan Clergy School, with my brother-in-law, Igal Ngable. About three hours into the return journey, as
we negotiated a sharp bend, with my brother-in-law driving, the Mercedes skidded and somersaulted, hitting a tree and the roof
of a house before finally landing. Everything in the boot and in the back of the car was thrown out. As we were both seated in
the front we were held by our seat belts, and indeed remained miraculously conscious throughout it all. We managed to climb
out, recovered what we could of our loads, and chartered another vehicle to reach Jos. Igal's arm had been trapped, but X-rays
revealed that there was no fracture. However, some hours after arriving home I was
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unwell, and it was realized that I had sustained a head injury. This necessitated complete rest for some seven weeks, and I am
only just beginning to get back to work properly.
Our escape was clearly God's miracle, and we shall not cease to praise him and to thank him for his amazing protection. No-one
had ever seen a Mercedes so smashed: just our two seats, the steering wheel and the dashboard remained intact. On behalf of
myself and my family I do want to express our profound gratitude to everyone for their prayers, support, messages, Christian love
and practical help. We are also most grateful to the Anglican Consultative Council in London, who heard of what happened and
who have offered me a ticket to U.K. so that further medical checks can be done there. I hope to leave immediately after this
Synod.
CLERGY MATTERS
At the beginning of this year, three of our pastors and their families left Jos to go as missionaries to other northern dioceses: The
Rev.Canon and Mrs.S.T.Adamu and their family have gone to Kafanchan Diocese; Rev.and Mrs.J. Bwas to Katsina; and
Rev.M.Yohanna to Sokoto. The Rev.Canon and Mrs.S.M.Bello are presently spending some four months in England at the
invitation of Runnymead Deanery in Guildford Diocese. They are living and working in the parishes there. By the grace of God
we hope that the Rev.and Mrs.A.B.Lamido will go to England in September to do a year's course at the Selly Oak Colleges in
Birmingham; they are suported by a scholarship from C.M.S., to whom we are most grateful.
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On the third of February this year the Rev.E.P.Dah, Rev.I.G.Lar and Rev.S.Miner were collated as Honorary Canons, and the
Rev.S.O.Ajah, Rev.E.B.Ajulo, Rev.J.D.Aiyejoto, Rev.M.S.Bello, Rev.E.S.Egbunu, and Rev.D.Yakubu were collated and installed
as Statutory Canons. Many of you will recall the ministry of the Rev.and Mrs.Y.Ladipo in Jos: it has been our pleasure to name
him as an Honorary Canon in our Diocese. It has also been our pleasure to name as Honorary Canons the Rev.S.C. Onuegbu
and the Rev.Dr.T.T.I.Gyuse and, as a Statutory Canon, the Rev.G.U. Njoku: these will be collated in due course. The
Rev.B.C.Nwogu is no longer recognised as a canon, and his transfer back to Aba Diocese is under consideration. The
Rev.M.Ayodele has resigned from the diocese. The Rev.F.I.Esthons has also tendered his resignation, but this has been
rejected until a canonical investigation has been completed.
PROVINCIAL NEWS
During the past twelve months the following have been consecrated and enthroned as Bishops:
The Rt.Rev.J.Fabuluje as Bishop of Kwara
The Rt.Rev.P.Onekpe
The Rt.Rev.S.Oyelade as Bishop of Kabba
The Rt.Rev.G.Okpala as Bishop of Nnewi
The Rt.Rev.E.Iheagwam as Bishop of Egbu
The Rt.Rev.S.Elenwo has been enthroned as Bishop of the new Niger Delta North Diocese.
The Primate, the Most Rev.J.A.Adetiloye, has received the approval of the Standing Committee to proceed with the creation of
three new missionary dioceses in the
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North: Damaturu (Yobe State); Otukpo (Benue State); and Birnin Kebbi (Kebbi State). The Standing Committee also endorsed
the recommendation that the Province of Nigeria be divided into three smaller provinces, each with their own Archbishop, but with
the office of the Metropolitan and Primate remaining as at present. This means in effect that the existing Supra Diocesan Boards
of Finance in the North and West, as well as the Joint Council of Dioceses in the East will now be formally constituted into
Provinces.
Another exciting development at the last Standing Committee meeting was that on Friday 22nd March 1996 the "Church of
Nigeria Missionary Society" (C.N.M.S.) was formed, with Prof.Jerry Gana as its first Chairman. This is a mile-stone in the
development of the Anglican Church in this country, and we whole-heartedly welcome this move to bring evangelism to greater
prominence and life.
The full communique issued at the end of this Standing Committee meeting may be found in the Appendix to this Charge.
VISITORS
It was a great privilege and pleasure to welcome His Grace, the Archbishop, Primate and Metropolitan, the Most Rev.J.Abiodun
Adetiloye, to our diocese in July to lay the Foundation Stone for the new Bishopscourt building. He was accompanied by the
Rt.Rev.E.Ademowo, Bishop of Ilesha, Canon A Odejide, Vicar of Our saviour's Church, Lagos, and Chief G.O.K.Ajayi, the
Provincial Registrar. This was a memorable week-end in the history of our diocese and we are indebted to His Grace for his
fatherly interest and care.
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We were delighted to welcome a return visit from a SOMA (Sharing of Ministries Abroad) Team from Northern Ireland in January.
Two members of the team, the Rev.Niall Griffin and his wife Gerry, had been here two years ago, and this time they brought
with them Mrs.Bernie Curran and the Rev.Geoff.Withers. As well as teaching and ministering to all the clergy at the Clergy
School, they visited other churches and schools in Jos and Pankshin Archdeaconries. Their ministry of prayer and healing was
deeply appreciated by everyone.
In February, the Diocese of Jos was host to the Bishops' wives from all over the Province as they came here for a Training
Course. This was an honour and privilege for us.
CONGRATULATIONS
We congratulate all our members who have received promotion, recognition or success, or who have notched up any other
achievement during the past year. We particularly mention Sir Chief N.I.Olife, one of our Bishop's nominees, who was made a
Knight of St.Christopher in the Diocese on the Niger; and our Lay Secretary, who has taken up the post of Provost of the Federal
College of Vetinary and Medical Laboratory Technology at Vom.
OBITUARY
During the year many of our relatives, friends and members have slept in the Lord. We give thanks to God for their lives, their
love and their witness, and we pray that those of us who remain may know the peace of the Lord,
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and may never be separated from him. We particularly mention Mrs. Felicity Kwashi, the Director of Commercials at PRTV Jos,
and an active member of St.Piran's Church. She was shot by armed robbers while travelling home on Friday 10th May. Let us
observe a minute's silence.
May the souls of the faithful departed
through the mercy of God
rest in peace.
Amen.
CONCLUSION
What God has done for us and with us in the last few years is evidence of the grace of God. The Lord has done far too much for
us to doubt him now. God's overwhelming presence in our work in this diocese is our source of strength and encouragement.
We have come too far to turn back: we must press on. We are alive, so we must live for God. We must keep our focus on
evangelism and on doing the mission of God in the world. We must put aside all trivialities, petty gossip, quarrels and side
attractions, in order to -
"press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus."
+Benjamin Jos May 1996
30
APPENDIX
Communique issued at the end of the meeting of the Provincial Standing Committee (Anglican Communion)
held in Akure from 20th to 24th March, 1996.
At the end of the meeting of the Provincial Standing Committee held at St.David's Cathedral, Akure from 20th to 24th March,
1996 and chairmanned by His Grace, the Most Rev.J.A.ADETILOYE, the following Comminuque was issued:
1. The COMMITTEE acknowledges the presence and guidance of Almighty God through His Holy Spirit throughout the
deliberations, and expresses immense gratitude to God. It also conveys fraternal greetings to the entire Nation in the name of
God.
2. Political Situation
The current political situation in the country was carefully considered. While the efforts of the Federal Military Gvernment in
putting in place a Transition Programme meant to return the country to democratic governance are commended, it is however
tragic for the Government to promulgate Decrees banning comments or criticisms on the transition programme. The Federal
Government and the politicians should give credibility to the transition programme by allowing it to work. The Provincial Standing
Committee is of the opinion that June 12, 1993, has proved that Nigeria can conduct a free and fair election. Since Government
has now seen that it cannot successfully wish away June 12, it is advisable to set up a Government of national Reconciliation and
M.K.O.ABIOLA should be released to participate in the resolution of the June 12 problem.
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3. Economic Situation
The committee commended the courage of the presidency for setting up the NATIONAL ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE
COMMISSION headed by Professor Sam Aluko, while appreciating the efforts of that commission in curbing corruption and other
economic frauds. However despite all the God-given blessings in terms of human and material resources, the Nigerian Economy
continues to nose-dive with the attendant problems of unemployment, falling value of the naira, galloping inflation, failed banks,
closure of industries and the high incidence of armed robberies due to economic hardship. The committee also felt dismayed by
the complete disregard for the sacredness of life by the frequent elimination of citizens by hired assassins. The Government
should seek solution to these problems and the people too should heed the appeal to stop hoarding fuel, currency and other
products, and to return the money embezzled and kept in foreign banks so that it can be released into the Nigerian economy.
4. Education
The committee noted with alarm the break-down in our educational system. It appeals to ASUU, ASUP, NASU, POSSAN and any
other trade unions within our educational system to cease-fire in the interest of parents and students. It also appeals to the
Govenment to fund teaching and research adequately in our institutions, pay salaries of workers and replace obsolete
equipment in various fields.
5. Human Rights and Justice
The committee strongly advises government to desist from its habit of arresting and detaining citizens who express views and
opinions different from its own. Suspected cases bordering on state security should be tried before the regular courts instead of
clamping citizens into detention. The
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committee frowns at the setting up of special military Tribunals which usurp the places and duties of the regular courts. This, in
most cases, leads to miscarriage of justice. The government should also restore the powers of the judiciary which have been
eroded and repair the battered image of the judiciary so as to restore public confidence in our judicial system.
6. Religious Intolerance
The committee appeals to Government to take necessary steps to allay the fears and anxieties of Nigerians caused by religious
intolerance in various parts of the country. Lives, property and places of worship are constantly destroyed as a result of
religious intolerance.
7. Pastoral Care
The Committee urges all Pastors to lay emphasis on the pastoral care and counselling of citizens, especially at these difficult
times, and every effort should be made to assist in alleviating and solving the problems of citizens.
8. Expansion of the Church and its Missionary Outreach
In the effort to extend the Missionary outreach of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) within and outside Nigeria, the
Provincial Standing Committee is pleased to announce the establishment of the CHURCH OF NIGERIA MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
The committee has also recommended to the General Synod the creation of three Provinces out of the existing Province of
Nigeria.
9. International Relations
The committee addresses the Federal Government to discard its present "siege mentality" and to note that no country can exist
as an island by itself. Effort should be made to restore
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relations with those countries that severed their ties with us. The Government should reconcile with those citizens who had to flee
abroad for refuge and appeal to them to return home. This is to rectify the brain-drain and wastage of human resources
suffered by our country.
The Government should stop the wasting of collosal resources on the so-called peace mission in various countries and on the
"Laundering" of the image of Government abroad. Such huge resources can be more profitably spent to feed the increasing
number of hungry citizens and to cater for other vital needs.
10. Annual Pilgrimages
The Committee urges the Federal and State Governments to stop the wasting of millions of Dollars and Naira in sponsoring many
pilgrims (both Muslims and Christians) on annual pilgrimages to Holy lands. Government should also stop the selling of foreign
currencies at subsidised rates to pilgrims.
Revd.Canon C.A.Maduoma Ven.S.B.Akinola
Clerical Secretary Ag.General Secretary
Most Revd.J.A.Adetiloye
President/Archbishop
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The Church of Nigeria
(Anglican Communion)
DIOCESE OF JOS
THE BISHOP'S CHARGE
delivered to
THE SECOND SESSION
OF THE SIXTH SYNOD
at 10.00 a.m. on
Friday, 24th May, 1996
in
St.Paul's Church, Jos
by
THE RT. REV. BENJAMIN A. KWASHI
(Bishop of Jos)
The Rt.Rev.Benjamin A.Kwashi
Bishop of Jos