The speed at which Christianity has spread in Nigeria could be compared to the speed of a supersonic, continent-bursting jet. It has spread like a wildfire. Let us play on with that metaphor. When you buy your ticket to fly a supersonic jet, you have to prepare for the wonder and thrill of the gravity of high speed. You have to be mentally strong to defy the gravity of G-Force that is part of the hoof of a supersonic travel. And God forbidding any mishap, a supersonic jet will leave Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and arrive safely at Heathrow in one hour or less. That plane has a destination in sight.
But where is the destination of Christian belief in Nigeria? The most famous or popular destination for any Christian trip in Nigeria is prosperity. The rule book in Nigeria is that pastors have to preach, heckle, orate, shout, deliver and sermonize on messages of prosperity because that is what the itching ears of their believers want to hear. Really? I really don’t think so. If Nigerian pastors – fake or real – are all apostles of the good life and wealth, could we then say that black Africans or by extension black preachers are more prone to preach on how to amass earthly riches than other races?
Christianity in Nigeria is driven by money. Pastors are driven by how much money they could make than look after the spiritual growth of their flock. Churches in Nigeria sell anointing oil. Pastors sell sanctified pure water. They sell candles. They sell handkerchief. They make altar call and ask people to pledge donations ranging from 5,000 to 500 pounds. They pledge with their bank cards. They pledge with their bank cheques while the pastor looks on satisfied that his congregation are wonderfully obedient. It does not matter if such obedience is by compulsion, demonic spell or hypnotism.
Christianity in Nigeria is driven by greed. It is driven by selfish acquisition of material stuff like cars and houses. Pastors are bad examples here. They want to live in the best house in town. They want to drive the best car in town. They want to wear the best gear in town. They park three to five cars in their compound. They have house helps. They walk around with arrogant air in the midst of the poverty of their church members. They are snobbish, egotist and holier than thou in their manners and attitude. They have turned the scripture on its head in the area of humility and self-effacement. They want to be seen and not hidden away.
Christianity in Nigeria is powered by supernatural power or juju. When Christ is gone; when the cross is gone, when prayer is in retreat, when Bible reading is gone, when fasting is gone, when meditation on the word is gone, the only available alternative is the grove of the devil via assistance from Babalawo, adifa, alfa and sorcerers. We were once in an era of quiet acceptance of Christ but today “Jehavah sharp…sharp” has replaced the patient and long suffering Nigerian Christians. In Nigeria, pastors are ritualists, Ogboni and lodge members, Rosicrucian devotees, Hare Rama Hare Krishna followers and members of various other channels of darkness.
Christianity in Nigeria is sex driven. Adultery, lust, pornography and fornication are very rife among the brethren. Pastors are also caught in the web of flesh. Gullible young women and old women are hoodwinked into amorous, illicit and godless union with church elders, bible teachers and pastors. Pastors have been scandalized as wife snatchers. Pastors have been known to be wreckers of members’ matrimonial homes for selfish purpose. They give ungodly counsel to suffering wives for selfish purpose. They deliberately encourage vulnerable women to openly disobey their husbands.
Christianity in Nigeria is full of deceit. Pastors hardly live godly lifestyles. Hypocrisy is the bane of our Christian heritage. Many pastors are secret political party members. They love the good life but preaches the ascetic life, deceiving the brethren all the way. They entertain politicians in secret but pretend as if they are apolitical. Some drink wine, swig Guinness and do the opa ehin thingy, but they will preach against alcohol on the pulpit. Messages of honesty and coming clean are lost in translation with our pastors. They love to deceive, the very attribute of the devil himself.
Christianity in Nigeria is driven by fame and attention seeking. Preachers have refused to preach the mind of God because it is not popular. They will rather preach the mind of the people and drive them to ecstasy with prosperity sermons. Oratorical prowess have replaced anointed delivery of the word of God. Pastors are competing to return to finishing schools to polish their diction, couture and posture on the pulpit. Followers too are happy to compare pastors, not on their gifting of anointin,g but on how polish their English and grammar.
Christianity in Nigeria is suffering from aggressive tithe drive among members. Members are programmed, persuaded and cajoled to prioritise tithe above all else. Malachi 3:8 has been the all-time favourite rod of guilt and correction used to beat disobedient and reluctant tithe payers into Pentecostal line. Compulsive giving has replaced freely giving to God. Tithes and offerings have to be prized out of reluctant wallets in the Pentecostal world. The idealism of Christ loving a cheerful giver has been replaced with you must give by force and on demand.
Christianity in Nigeria is not accountable to its members. We have heard or read of cases where the mega churches build and manage their own universities. Children of poorer members of such churches are excluded because of the high fees being charge in such universities. Outsiders with money have more chances for their kids than the kids of insiders. Is this morally sound? Yes, there is a quota for the children of the poor in some of these seat of learning, but are such universities a commercial enterprises or safe community for the children of the poor to have opportunity of tertiary learning and scholarship?
Where do we go from here? Why is our Pentecostal revival a very poor model from the Bible? Do we need another revival in our churches? Do we need the Holy Spirit purge among our pastors? Do we need repentance for the sin committed against God with the way we run our Christian life in Nigeria? Could this rebelliousness be the reason why God has left us in Nigeria? Think about this: Nigeria has more churches than any nation on mother earth but Christians are still mired in sin, poverty, diseases, unemployment, unhappiness, despair, defeat, denial, untimely deaths, immoralities, greed, selfishness, wickedness, hypocrisy, absence of fear of God and daily sorrow.
Where we are as a nation is a reflection of our devotion to the Lord. We have sinned against God and hence the confusion in our moral, political, social, economic and spiritual existence. Help us, O lord!!!
. Deacon Oladeji writes from ridet@hotmail.co.uk.
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