Rev Dr Stephen O. Ogundipe, a theologian at the Baptist Seminary, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, speaks with SEYI JOHN SALAU on the future of the church and the need to rethink security at the places of worship.
The youth are the future of the church; how can the church balance its teachings to appeal to all generations without disrupting its doctrinal stand?
The truth that is glaring in the community today hangs on the fact that a generation goes while another comes. In other words, the youth have the future and the church belongs to them. By nature, the youth look at the adults as people who are out of touch with contemporary issues. Why? Because the youth’s worldview is changing faster than the pace with which issues persist. The youth groups are aware of the physical changes that are not commensurate with the psychosocial changes around them. Their interpersonal changes with parents, peers, and others are no more hidden and they desire that their environment possesses stability. While changes occur on their physical and spiritual values, which also reflect on their moral beliefs and desire for independence, they refuse to be treated as children.
Youth want to be reckoned with as they try to find their niches in society. The church has never neglected the youth group in that wise. They have been involved in church life and system. The church has given the youth opportunity to handle the responsibility on key issues; provision to perform in every arm of church governance is given with guide, caution, and directive for better performance in the future. The doctrine of the church differs from the nation’s constitution or rule of law in the sense that every stage of life is cared for adequately through biblical teaching that ensures balanced growth and development. Doctrinally, the church, as far as I am aware of, holds firmly what she believes and teaches. However, interruption or violation of doctrinal standards is met with a punitive response to checkmate disorder. The church, therefore, needs to intensify effort through the Holy Spirit’s leadership and directive in promoting sound teaching among the cluster stages of life within the church.
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People argue that Christians of today are more after miracles than salvation; what is your opinion?
Miracles are unusual happenings or wonderful events that occur beyond human understanding; they are strange occurrences that reveal ability and power which humans believe came to existence by the power of God. Christians should not make miracles the prime focus of the church life but rather dwell on faith in the Lord Jesus, living a righteous life, adhering to biblical injunctions and emphasise the indwelling of Holy Spirit. In my own opinion, when the essentials that build Christian life holistically are inculcated, the Lord glorifies himself among His people by performing different positive roles that surprise people.
Attacks on the church and clergies seem to be on the increase. Do you not think the church leadership should take another look at the provision of security in places of worship?
Humanly speaking, that is nice thinking. Better still, that idea sounds good in the face value, but which device made by man is absolute and without limitation or shortcoming or cannot be circumvented by human’s anti-security scheming? The Lord counselled the Israelites at a crucial point of their life that they should not bother themselves about building walls of defence around them but should allow Him to be their wall of protection. Factually, they had powerful security installations at various strategic posts but even then, their trust in Yahweh’s unbeatable security is not jettisoned. In other words, what human device cannot do, He, God, is more than able to do it for them. God himself became the wall of security to the Israelites till today. Despite being surrounded by enemies, they still survive every attack and bombardment that comes incessantly. The church should be proactive in installing security devices but it is needful to trust the security of the King Eternal more than ever.
Nigerians appear to have lost hope in the country. How can we rebuild the spirit of patriotism in Nigerians?
Well, with the look of things, it may seem that some have lost hope in the nation because of some unpalatable experiences that many have passed through or heard happening all over the nation in terms of a harsh economy that brings suffering, unemployment that has turned thousands of graduates into wanderers and more or fewer beggars, lack of equity in social amenities, wickedness and atrocities that pervade the environment against the innocent without justice, leaders becoming broad daylight “governing robbers” for being adamant on non-payment of workers’ rights. The political sector has become derogated because of cancerous corruption that is now dignified with impunity; there is no sense of care or sensitivity to the yearnings of the masses from the three arms of government; precious lives of the citizenry are wasted through cliché of high-powered emissary, and a host of other daylight evils may dampen the spirit of reasonable Nigerians, especially the youth group. Those things should just be considered as trying times that would not last.
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The citizenry of this nation, especially the youth, need to summon the courage and be hopeful of better tomorrow, be determined to form proactive groups that would focus on national reformation, reject corruption in its entirety because it is the bane of the society and the nation, and the youth should be the vanguard of morality through psychosocial engagements. Entrenching ecological family theory would stimulate the spirit of togetherness that is meaningful. Let all youth kick against nepotism, love each other, be each other’s brother’s keeper in every circumstance, and walk and work together with sincerity.
The level of insecurity and agitations in the country has given support to the call for true federalism/restructuring, is the time right to restructure Nigeria?
Sincerely speaking, when a system is no more productive, it will be a waste of time, energy, skill, intellect, capital and other tangible resources in refurbishing and keeping such continually activated. The Nigerian system is overdue for overhauling if the nerves of power that be can gallantly recede and concede as it becomes glaring that they have no will power to turn the structure positively functional. The earlier the better for drastic steps to be taken to salvage the nation that is loaded with potential, intelligent experts in various fields of study, and the like in all sectors.
What kind of restructuring should we be looking at?
It will be wise to relinquish that exercise to those who are versed in strategies in various fields of study to come together and think up a way forward for the nation. A highly powerful delegated committee should be put in place to do that. However, whichever restructuring they would suggest, it is high time we did away with nonsensical wages given to those who supposedly need to serve the nation but now become parasites and suckers of the wealthy juice that is meant for all the citizenry. The past and present leaders in the three tiers government are doing all that is possible to the detriment of Nigeria’s self-reliance and sustainability.
