The Unknown God Ministry Benin City

The Unknown God Ministry (Church), Benin City, Edo State

 The Southern part of Nigeria is known for their high religious practice, particularly the Christian faith, which has seen the influx of religious practitioners hiring and buying up available spaces for their religious activities. It is a common sight in the South, particularly Benin City in Edo State, to see churches and ministries set up in the name of God, outdoing one another, in a state that can best be describe as 'pure human competition'. In one house (building), you can count as much as three (3) churches, not to talk of the countless churches with different believe and doctrines adorning various streets lanes.

It is a common knowledge in the South also that, as a result of the lucrativeness of church businesses, the hitherto native/witch doctors have transformed into overnight presidents and founders of most of these new generation churches. The Southerners being too miracle seeker can go to any length to seek for solutions to their perceived problems, thereby visiting these pastors and GOs, who were neither called nor anointed into church ministry. A lot of people have on the process compounds their problems, while allowing these mogs attended to them, who in turn transfers their wicked powers into these solution seekers. Be careful therefore of where you visit as a church.

Now, as a result of the wide discrepancies and discrimination among the Christian faith which I fortunately belong, it has therefore created hatred and disunity among fellow Christian practitioners, which today is the major setback in uniting the nation Nigeria. If the church that preaches Christ love can be so divided, how can the different ethnic and religious nationals unite under one umbrella of peace and tranquility, which is highly needed for Nigeria's development today? Until and unless the church is united, there will never be a united Nigeria.

On this note, I welcome you all to the ‘Unknown God Ministry (Church)’, situated along Okabere Road, after Power Line, Off Upper Sakponba Road, By Oka Market, Oka Quarters, Ikpoba - Okha LGA, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.

At first, it was like a puzzle to me but, I was facing reality in broad day light in this 21^st Century. What quickly ran through my mind at that moment was the experience of Apostle Paul in Athens. It is therefore amazing to note that, in this age of sophisticated technology, a lot of people (Christians) are still being deceived. In Philippines 3:10, Paul said, 'That I may know him'. How then on earth will a church today choose the name 'The Unknown God Ministry'?

In the City of Athens, Paul called the people who had the inscription 'TO THE UNKNOWN GOD' ignorant worshipers Acts 17:23. I can as well confidently declare that, the pastor and members of this 'The Unknown God Ministry' are very much more ignorant of their professed Christian faith.

While Jesus was admonishing his disciples, he declared in John 6:45 'And they shall be all taught of God'. Can a God that is not known teach?

Again, the Almighty God warned us through David in Psalms 81:9 'There shall no strange god (Unknown God) be in thee; neither shall thou worship any strange god (Unknown God)'. I therefore call on the entire members of this affected church, to as a matter of urgency make a u-turn to seek and serve the KNOWN GOD through Jesus Christ.

Our forefathers who were idols worshipers in their time, never served any 'Unknown god (idol)', why will a church who is suppose to be the light of the world declared that, they are serving an 'Unknown God'?

Will you therefore worship in a church where their God is unknown or you will worship in church where their God is known? The choice is certainly yours.

However, I give God all the glory today because, I know him. He is my all in all.

All rights reserved March 2013.

lugardosas@gmail.com

SEEKING FOR HELP: CHRISTIAN/MUSLIM APPROACH IN RENDERING HANDS OF ASSISTANCE

SEEKING FOR HELP: CHRISTIAN/MUSLIM APPROACH IN RENDERING HANDS OF ASSISTANCE

Help, according to the WordWeb dictionary means:-

1.      1.  Give assistance; be of service

"Everyone helped out during the earthquake"; "Can you help me carry this table?"; "She never helps around the house"

2.       2. Improve the condition of

"These pills will help the patient"

3.       3. Be of use

"This will help to prevent accidents"

4.      4.  Abstain from doing; always used with a negative

"I can't help myself--I have to smoke"; "She could not help watching the sad spectacle"

5.       5. Give a portion of food or drink

"I served him three times, and after that he helped himself"

6.       6. Contribute to the furtherance of

"This money will help the development of literacy in developing countries"

7.      7.  Take or use

"She helped herself to some of the office supplies"

8.       8. Improve; change for the better

"New slipcovers will help the old living room furniture"

According to an adage in my language, there’s only one thing that have and will never require help before it can do whatever it feels to do, and that one thing is the SKY.

Recently, I was in a dire need of financial help and assistance, in view of a-must-solve situation that beckons on me. I approached every possible avenue to seek for help but, the more I seek, the farther it appears to be from being given. This help actually is not about looking for financial assistance from spirited individuals but, a means to borrow from whoever may be capable at the material time, to be repaid later. All avenue visited proved abortive. What a desperate situation!

I am a Christian by the grace of God and my encounter with the Church I belong (RCCG) prompted this write-up. Actually, I never solicited any form of financial assistance from our Zone/Area and I never think or even imagined that, any type or form of help will ever be rendered to me. Now, ordinarily, even without requesting for any form of help, a member in need ought to be assisted, whether he is frequent or seldom attends church, at least, to show the love of Christ to such a fellow.

Presently, our Zonal/Area Pastor is out of town. So, the rest officials told me that they will do something for me next Sunday (last Sunday) after they might have discussed with the Pastor. So, after the close of service last Sunday, the officials told me that, the Pastor said they should withhold any help/assistance they planned for me until his returns. This I am sure includes their individual help/assistance they might have summed up to render, outside the church’s help and assistance if there was. Within me in that instant, I was just laughing but seriously, I was injured. Don’t forget that I never expected anything to be done for me but, for the Pastor to insist that all help/assistance should be put on hold until his returns begins to pile up series questions in me. What will the help of the Church be at a time it is no longer important? What will the presence of the Pastor do when the time help and assistance was required has elapse? What consolation will I be granted after solving the problem I needed to solve at the time the Pastor was absent? What help will be of value to a dead man who was denied help while alive? Does it mean that, a Church cannot render help unless the Pastor is at the forefront? These and many more were the questions that ran on my mind instantly.

In this desperate situation I found myself, I approached a Muslim colleague of mine to ask for help, and once I asked, he opened his bowels of help to a Christian friend and colleague in dire need of help and assistance, without any question or rejection. This then makes me to wonder, why is our Christian community always condemning the Muslim community under every circumstance? If a Muslim friend can do what a Christian Pastor said until he is around before he will do, which actually will never be done, in view of the volume involved, why can’t the Nigerian Christian and Muslim community live in PEACE for God sake?

There’s no body in life that does not require help at one time or the other. Therefore, the one you see on the ground today will be on the top tomorrow. Always think of the ways to positively affect the lives of the people around you without binging religious sentiment to divide and tears us apart. With sincere love, we can live together in peace irrespective of the religion we practice.

May God bless Nigeria

Copyright: lugardosas@gmail.com