The Chapliain, National Christian Centre, Abuja, Rev. Ini Ukpuho, who represented CAN President, Bishop Daniel Okoh, at the leadership Summit in Minna | Image: Chinwendu Nnadozie
By Mohammed Usman
Pastor Pius Ogbu Sunday of the Leprosy Mission Nigeria has said that the disunity in the churches persisted because of the quest for physical expansion than soul winning for Christ in line with the vision and mission of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
The cleric made the disclosure at a one-day leadership Summit of CAN, Niger State chapter, to remind members of the vision and mission of the Christian body and as well their duties shepherding the flocks.
Ogbu, who spoke on “The Power of Unity”, pointed out that though the diffrent denominations and blocks in the Christiandom have similarity in vision/ mission, the desire to control more grounds more often set them against each other thereby distracting their focus to actualize set objectives by the founding fathers and early missionaries.
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Ogbu, who read from various portions of the Bible to buttress his points, urged members of CAN to take a clue from the Prophets in the Old Testament and the Apostles in the New Testament; how they worked closely with one another to complete their missions.
“No single denomination can cover the entire world of Christiandom, hence the need for the different denominations and blocs to tolerate and appreciate one another in love as partners in progress rather than competitors scrambling for control of geographical frontiers than soul winning,” he said.
The CAN President, Bishop Daniel Okoh, represented by the Chapliain, National Christian Centre, Abuja, Rev. Ini Ukpuho, expressed worry that division along denominations has continued to widen the gap between Christians in Niger state and the country generally.
Bishop Okoh, who called for attitudinal change, urged Christians in Niger state to work in line with the vision by living for one another as partners in progress.
He said, “Let us ensure that the vision of loving one another as Christ loves the church resonate in us. Let us also reevaluate our oneness as one big family working towards achieving a common goal”.
Also at the event which held in St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Minna, the former Adamawa State CAN Chairman and Catholic Bishop of Yola Diocese, Most Rev. Stephen D. Mamza, challenged CAN leaders in Niger state to be conscious of banana peels associated with leadership positions.
Though his tenure wasn’t without challenges, Bishop Mamza said that he succeeded as chairman by being resilient and resisting external influences, including from governments whose involvement in the affairs of Christians in the state would have created more divisions in CAN.
Besides, Niger state CAN chairman, Most. Rev. Bulus D. Yohanna, had said the Summit was organized because of noticeable differences among the different blocs that made up association in Niger State.
