PROF.
BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons)
MA, PhD.
Call:
+2348037346939
E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com
THE LEADERSHIP
ROLE OF THE CHRISTIAN PASTOR IN A DEMOCRACY
“Remind the people to be subject
To rulers
and authorities, to
be
obedient, to be ready to
do whatever is good” (Titus 3:1)
INTRODUCTION:
Professor Uzoma Emmanuel in a religious article on the
page fifteen of the Nigeria Newspoint Newspaper of March 4-6, 2011 correctly
observes that Nigeria’s foremost problem hinges on leadership, as he gives his
nod of approval, as well as knocks of disapproval on Pastor Tunde Bakare’s
political ambition. In the said write- up, Professor Emmanuel insinuates that
leadership problem may have necessitated the political ambition of Pastor
Bakare to be the running mate of Alhaji Buhari under the Congress for
Progressive Change (CPC), citing that the fiery Clergyman has a political
ambition in helping to correct some of the societal ills, if given the mandate,
but affirms, “the time for him is not yet ripe, and the ambition to play second
fiddle is wrong”, as well as suggests that he should have gone for the state
house of assembly or senatorial seat…
But, Pastor Tunde Bakare made a real
goof by forgetting that his office as a Pastor is higher than that of the
President. In this connection, Andrew Mommack cities that Billy Graham
understands this, “when asked to run for president in the 1950s, he responded
by saying he would not lower himself to that position. He was not attempting to
diminish the office of the President, Mommack continues, he was elevating the
office of a minister of the gospel”. Recall also that the biblical Moses had a
royal training and would have become the president of Egypt, but he chose to be
the political, as well as the spiritual leader of God’s people in the
wilderness, and that, without mincing words, is the type of leadership God has
prepared Tunde Bakare for. Therefore, his choice to become the running mate of
Mohammadu Buhari makes him a “Moses in the cabinet of Pharaoh”, which is completely out of place for any
anointed minister of the gospel. As a follow – up, please notice that:
THE CRISTIAN PASTOR IS
GOD’S GUIDANCE COUNSELOR IN A DEMOCRACY
In his book, “Christian Behaviour in
Politics”, Ben Onyeukwu highlights that the role of the Christian pastor as
(God’s Representative) in the political life of a nation borders on guidance
and not partisan. According to P .A . Nwamuo, guidance is a help rendered to an
individual for understanding self and the world around self. He emphasizes
further that it helps one to have an insight into one’s problems. On this note,
Ben Onyeukwu also remarks that, “the Christian pastor, as a religious guidance
counselor, is in a position to always highlight on the spiritual challenges the
Christian politicians are likely to face in the pursuit of political goals,
taking cognizance of the intrigues the non- Christian (or godless) politicians
are known for, and so, plays the role of assisting them and the electorate
practice politics in the fear of God.
Biblically, Stephen James renders
that during the theocratic regimes of the nation of Israel, under such people
like, Moses, Joshua and Samuel there was no thought of the state as a secular
organization separate from the people’s religious life. However, with the
emergence of Saul as the nation’s political leader, the situation changed.
Under the new political dispensation, the Old Testament Prophets did not meddle
in politics, but considered they had both right and duty to proclaim the voice
of God to the nation, and in particular to its political leaders. This position
informed the reproves of King David for sexual immortality by Prophet Nathan (1
Samuel 12), and King Ahab for greed by prophet Elijah, (1 Kings 21). And, since
Jesus and His apostles did not guide otherwise in the New Testament, the gospel
minister should not behave otherwise.
Based on the foregoing, the writer posits that
the Christian pastor should be a strong voice against corruption and other
societal ills in a democracy, and not the one to punish offenders; he should be
a political compass, always pointing to biblical principles in politics, and
not a political pilot, who is in active exercise of the game. The Christian
Pastor, as a person of social conscience, in his worries about people who are
poor, ill or old could encourage credible lay Christians to run for elective
posts, as a way of finding solutions to the problems of the downtrodden in
society, but he should not get into partisan politics to achieve this. He
should as well use his pulpit to persuade people in authority to provide
essential amenities for the masses, but he does not need to become the
President of his country for such an accomplishment.
THE CHRISTIAN PASTOR
IS GOD’S TEACHER IN A DEMOCRACY.
The Christian pastor is a spiritual
leader, and one of the ways he performs this leadership function is by
teaching. The BBC English Dictionary states that, “if one teaches someone
something, one gives them instruction so that they know about it or know how to
do it. This plays – up the responsibility of the Christian pastor in teaching
biblical principles for good democracy. Erik and Elena Brewer remark that, “in
any prosperous and thriving democracy, there are several factors that must be
present to encourage the citizens to obey the law and live in harmony with one
another. The first factor they say, “is that human life must have value”.
According to them, “if human life does not have value, then the state or
society will not promote quality among the people. This is where the leadership
role of the Christian pastor becomes outstanding in a democracy, since, as
vanguard of the people, he teaches from the scripture those things that promote human value, as well as
ensures that such things are considered for legislations for the good of the
people, probably, by sponsoring private bills, and this, he does not need to be
president, governor or local government chairman of/in a country to achieve.
The Christian pastor is also an
anti-corruption crusader in a democracy. This leadership role places him above
any persons in the corridors of the civil powers, since he is God’s
representative that voices the condemnation of such a malady, whether within
the circles of government or that of the ordinary citizens. If so, the
Christian pastor should confine himself to the teaching of the scriptural
precepts that promote obedience to God and civil authority, instead of
intruding into partisan politics, he should be satisfied with what God Has made
him, instead of trying to remake himself. The Christian pastor should also
understand that he is a political, as well as a spiritual leader in the church,
instead of playing second fiddle in the arena of civil politics, he should
equally deal decisively with inordinate political ambition, instead of hiding
under the cloak of helping to correct societal ills.
THE CHRISTIAN PASTOR
IS GOD’S HUMAN RIGHTS LEADER IN A DEMOCRACY.
In history, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Remains a first class example in human rights leadership in the world. He did
not become the President of the United States of America to destroy the walls
of racial inequality and discrimination, but simply used his pastoral tool, the
pulpit, to accomplish his God – given tasks. In 1954, Martin Luther King became
pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Always a
strong worker for civil rights for members of his race. King was, by this time,
a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the
Advancement of Coloured people, the leading organization of its kind in the
nation … In 1957, he was elected President of the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference, an organization formed to provide new leadership for the burgeoning
civil rights movement. According to Nobelprize.org, between 1957 and 1968, King
traveled over six million miles and spoke over twenty – five hundred times,
appearing whenever there was injustice, protest and action …
Similarly, the Wikipedia notes that,
the Most Rev. Dr. Desmond Tutu (born October, 1931) is a South African activist
and Christian cleric who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent
of apartheid. He was the first black South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape
Town, South Africa, and primate of the Church of the Province of Southern
Africa (now the Anglican church of Southern Africa). Archbishop Tutu has been
active in the defense of human rights and uses his high profile to campaign for
the oppressed. Here in Nigeria, the Archbishop of the Owerri Catholic
Beclesiatical province the Most Rev. AJV. Obinna and others are also doing well
in the defense of human rights, and other related matters, without civil
powers.
No doubt, Martin Luther King,
Desmond Tutu and Archbishop Obinna as cited, are obvious models in the sphere
of Christian pastoral leadership in a democracy or in any other form of
government. With this in mind, it becomes proper to promote that the Christian
cleric should use his pulpit to campaign for the liberation of the oppressed in
society, who often suffer from the harsh policies put in place by those in
authority. He should take to heart that God raised him to put up a good fight
against injustices meted out on the poor by those who rule them. The Christian
Pastor also has a duty to champion the course that seeks to alleviate the
suffering of the people by way of persuading those in civil authority to
sincerely provide them with the basic necessities of life, and so, he ensures
that the government serves the citizens well. The Christian pastor is the voice
of God to Pharaoh and therefore, should not be a member of his cabinet. He
carries the message, “let my people go” , and not the compromise of looking for
a position in his government .
In conclusion, please recall that
the political ambition of Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Later Rain Assembly of
Nigeria had informed the topic under review, and the writer had biblically and
historically shown in this work that his present political action is not a good
example for the Christian Pastor. Those who know Pastor Bakare would attest to
the fact that he is the like of Martin Luther King, Jr. of the United States of
America, Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and Archbishop Obinna of
Nigeria, and had in recent past been very active in human rights leadership,
while pastoring his church. But, what is today redirecting this noble
charismatic Christian cleric of the twenty – first century may not have been
known to him or to those who appreciate his efforts in the past, and so, the
writer prays God to open his inner eyes to understand once again that the
anointing of the Lord in the life of the Christian pastor is often dormant in
the domains of the civil powers, but always active in the arenas of the church
and humanitarian services. The leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of
Nigeria (PFN) should as well take note... DEAR
PASTOR, MIND YOUR PULPIT.
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