Dear Nigerian Christians,
I write this letter to you with mixed emotions and feelings. I am excited the year is winding down and heralds a New Year while at the same time saddened by the state of the present day church in Nigeria in fulfilling God's purpose on the earth.
Economically and financially, 2019 is going to be a tough year for majority of Nigerian Christians. It is only those who have prepared for the tough times that will survive and even thrive.
The church is the body of Christ with Christ himself as the head and every other Christian as His body. For the purpose of structure, we have been given the five-fold ministry according to Ephesians 4:11 namely, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors (or shepherds) and teachers.
Most times, the leadership of a local church is head by a lead pastor. This lead pastor is the shepherd, the one who ensures the flock are tended to and taken care of; he ensures no harm comes to any of the flock and per adventure a member seems to go astray, he goes after that member to ensure he is saved. His priority is ministry to God and to God's people.
However, these days the local church is head by lead pastors who only seem to care about the numbers; the increase in revenue and income and how it can be sustained, how "church" can grow and more people can become members of the local church thereby increasing the revenue. These leaders are ready to stretch their members to give until they are limitlessly stretched while they are not prepared to do the same. They are ready to discard of any member that either does not agree with their stance on issues or has any differing opinion to theirs. They do not care for how your income can increase in order for you to be able to give more.
The truth is that everyone is looking out for themselves and therefore I write to fellow Nigerian Christians, as we head into a New Year 2019 which already promises to be tough according to current economic indices, LOOK OUT FOR YOURSELVES FIRST, your pastors will not. They are under great financial pressure; they have bitten more than they can chew and are burdened with heavy financial debts and mess. The pressure, they will in turn put on you by stretching you to give beyond your means without a care of how you are doing, be it spiritual, emotional or temporal.
Read, do research on how you can increase your income and equally how you can multiply it so that when you give, it does not stretch you to your financial ruin. Study business and trading principles, study the real estate market, STUDY, STUDY AND STUDY!
The reality is far beyond what we see every Sunday when we all put on our best clothes and put forward the impression that all is well.
No, all is not well and it saddens me to see many of us struggling daily with very basic things as feeding, transport and accommodation.
Until we begin to have church leaders whose priority is ministering to God and to God's people, brothers and sisters, those we have will come after every single dime in your wallets and bank accounts. The only way to survive this onslaught is to prepare by increasing your income and multiplying it.
A word is enough for the wise.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ahead.
Yours faithfully,
Yomi Faneye.
