Church leaders call members to get involved with “fewer stones and more grace.”
Abia State Executive Governor Okezie Ikpeazu was among the over 15,000 Seventh-day Adventists that gathered for the official launch of the Pentecost 2018 evangelism initiative in Eastern Nigeria last month. The program was introduced at the annual Prayer and Leadership Conference of the Eastern Nigeria Union Conference (ENUC) on January 14, 2018.
“We need to spread the good news of Jesus Christ; He has the solution to this world”
Speaking at the events held on the open grounds of the local church headquarters in Aba, West-Central Africa Division (WAD) president Elie Weick-Dido stressed the urgency of spreading the good news of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ and warning the world of the coming judgment.
“We need to spread the good news of Jesus Christ; He has the solution to this world,” Weick-Dido urged at the one-day leadership prayer, fasting and evangelism summit. “Members should learn how to plead with God to use them powerfully to finish the work so that we can go home and be with the Lord.”
WAD evangelism coordinator Same Vincent agreed. “The mission of the Adventist Church is to shine for God. It is good for all members to shine for the Lord wherever they find themselves. The reason for them to shine is that people need to know God, be redeemed, restored and be ready for eternity,” he said.
Ikpeazu addressed the crowd, saying he was happy for taking part in the fasting and prayer initiative. “We have come to commune with each other so that I can see the faces of those that I will join in the same flight to Heaven when Jesus comes again. Although being a governor is good but going to Heaven is more important to me than anything else in my life,” the governor said.
He reminded the participants who they are: Seventh-day Adventists—chosen people of God, people of hope who are waiting for the Second Coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ—so no matter what happens and the challenges they face, their focus must remain on our Redeemer, he said.
Weick-Dido unveiled and dedicated Mission Possible, the evangelism book that was used to train members for effective, intentional evangelism. He also offered a heartwarming prayer to bless church members, asking God for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for them to participate in evangelism. He also asked God to help those who are hurting and heal the sick.
ENUC president Bassey Udoh expressed delight at the renewed zeal for evangelism and soul-winning. He reminded that occasional crises in the church are part of Satan’s attacks and part of the signs announcing the close of earth’s history. “The grace you have received must be extended to others. Fewer stones and more grace,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, associate director for Urban Evangelism in ENUC Paul Ogaga highlighted the need to employ effective tools for city and urban ministry. He urged that every Seventh-day Adventist should be engaged in one form of literature ministry or the other.
He and his wife Esther have brought in and distributed over 900,000 pieces of literature in Nigeria. “I am a product of literature ministry, and I want to thank the Lord for all the literature evangelists whom the Holy Spirit has used to penetrate places where no human instrument can reach,” Ogaga said.
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