Teaching the Christ-Like Gospel

 "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Those are some of the pronouncements of Jesus Christ, emphasizing love, the forgiveness of sins, playing by the rules, and absolute faith in God. Today, emphases are now on deploying holy ghost fire to strike and scatter demonic forces and spiritual enemies tormenting us and holding our breakthrough hostage. That explains why most churchgoers are inundated with fear, suspicions, and hatred when they walk out of the church today, rather than being enriched and bubbling in Godliness, Christlike attitude, and dispositions, as well as love and kindness.

Without any doubt, Jesus Christ is missing in modern-day evangelism. Killing, kidnapping, and armed robbery are on the rise. Ritualists are unrelenting in their harvest of human parts. Politicians and public servants are perfecting new tactics to deplete our treasury. And poverty, banditry, and insurrection are exploding with no end in sight. Yet, Nigeria has the largest number of Christians and Muslims in Africa as well as the largest number of places of worship.

Go to the Nigerian National Assembly at Abuja, I do not think there is a member who is atheist or worships Olokun or Ogun, the god of iron. They are Christians and Muslims who serve God and Allah and donate handsomely to their places of worship. Whether they do it diligently, faithfully, and with all their heart is a function of what the pulpit has become. And that's the thesis of this essay. I am not blaming the ills at Abuja or in African capitals on our God's Servants, but that a shift in tone will go a long way in enabling peace, tolerance, fear of God, and a sense of accountability on the congregation and political leaders.

Today, because most of the governments in African countries have failed in their responsibilities - not doing what they are elected into office to do - the people are now gravitating towards places of worship; meeting with prophets and spiritualists to solve problems that are not spiritual-related.

It is about demand and supply. There is an ongoing surge in the number of men and women seeking salvation and transferring the search for breakthroughs in their career, finance, business, and marital life into the hands of our Pastors and Bishops to do the impossible. Thus inducing some of these men and women of God to be very creative in concocting and displaying healing power and spirituality that are inherently bogus and superficial at best.

So, it is no longer about the gospel in the spirit and like Billy Graham. The transformation the place of worship has undergone is massive, debilitating, and corrosive of societal values. Most of them can now openly dehumanize and physically assault their members, and subject their female members to the worst form of sexual abuse in the name of cleansing in other to get a husband or the fruits of the womb.

I am not disputing the existence of demons or spiritual attacks. But suffices it to say that when the elected government provides the basic necessities of life - peace and security, electricity, water supply, and reliable transportation networks - entrepreneurial zeal will skyrocket and investment opportunities will follow suit, culminating in expansion in job opportunities. , I can assure you that we will experience a surge in the number of men running to the altar to take the marital vow with their sweethearts. That's by the way. Please, forgive me for always finding ways to structure my theory to hold governments responsible for every ill in our society.