Christian Leadership For National Empowerment

Leadership For National Empowerment
The Christian’s Role in Nation Building & National Transformation
(Presented At the Trinity House Church Leaders’ Retreat, January 2011)

“A nation is built, besides other factors, by common civil values, common symbols, common sense of progress, common participation in decisions, equality before the law, mutual respect for others and tolerance, and a feeling of freedom”
–From a report by Lutheran World Federation

Que? Which Faith has Scriptural support to demonstrate these values?
Que? What is the role of the Church in bringing forth such a nation?
Que? How do individual Christians participate in the process
That is what we are now to answer

FIRST PRINCIPLES:
-Gen. 1.2, in the beginning there was chaos, today gross darkness covers the earth just as in Biblical times(Isa. 60.2)
-God transformed the earth, then he made a Man made like Him to take Charge (v26)-Christ is the express image of God and we His body, and thus, it is to the Church we look for godly leadership of nations. (Col. 1:15-18)
-God rules in heaven, but the earth He gave us as His proxies (Psalm 115.16).
-It is written, the kingdoms of the world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord (Rev 11.15)
-Through Abraham, the covenant of nationhood and rulership was established (Gen. 12.1-3)
-The covenant was established by Bread (Body) & Wine (blood), and a King/Priest…transferring royalty to Abraham(Gen. 14:18-20)
-And Abraham obeyed God in doing the needful, and today we have the Jewish/Arab/Christian nations, about 3 billion people

WHY DID WE LOSE DOMINION OVER THE EARTH?: (The Priest & John –A study in typology)
-Truth and mercy are no longer in our midst (Hosea.4.1)
-A lack of knowledge (Hosea 4.6)
-A love for money/syncretism (adding other things to our faith) (Hosea 4.12)
-We refuse to take charge over the allotted territory in the governmental arena, out of fear or ungodly contentment (Judges 1.28)
-And God allowed the evil to become a thorn in our national life (Judges 2.1-3)

WHAT DO WE DO NOW? (The Millionaire, his daughter and the pool –Isaac Newton at work)
-Take a stand against our Goliaths (corruption, mal-administration, syncretic worship and values)
-Explore our 4-cardinal giftings for service to nation (Genetic, Emotional, Intellectual and Spiritual)
-Positioning; we need to go to where the gifts are required, as David went to confront Goliath, and Esther went to the foreign king's palace, ditto Joseph, etc
-We need to impact/influence the society proactively by corporate charitable strategies
-We need to confront bad leadership with the examples of Elijah, Samuel and Nathan
-We need to serve in active governance like Joseph, Mordecai, Esther and Daniel
-We need to respond to the community around us…let our light shine, so God may receive glory
-We need to influence public discourse with our values by conferences on governance
-We need to establish organs that confront policies inimical to our own values
-Separation of Church & state was not God’s idea…the State is Subject to the Creator.
-“He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God” (2 Sam. 23.3b) Lets make this happen, then true peace will be evident in the nations working according to God's programmes established through His elect.

God Bless You, and God Bless Nigeria.