Anglican bishop laments ‘lack of hands for God’s harvest’

Speaking shortly after the ordination service which took place at the Cathedral Church of St Bartholomew in Kubwa, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the bishop said to get committed workers is difficult. He explained, “To get people who can sacrifice, people who can deny themselves is not easy. That’s why we’re still having shortage of […]

Speaking shortly after the ordination service which took place at the Cathedral Church of St Bartholomew in Kubwa, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the bishop said to get committed workers is difficult.

He explained, “To get people who can sacrifice, people who can deny themselves is not easy. That’s why we’re still having shortage of workers. People come up but when we measure them, they are not fit for the work.

“In the time of Christ, he said the labourers are few but the harvest is plentiful. At that time, the Pharisees and Sadducees were there but they couldn’t do the work! So we continue to fall short of workers—dedicated people, sincere people, loyal people.”

He was worried that some people come to the church with quest for money, some for positions and some for the collar.

He said, because people want to acquire power and perform miracles, they go into all kinds of organisations, all kinds of cults that promise them heaven and earth.

“On that basis, we resolved that all those who would come into the ministry must decide that they are going to stick to Jesus only and nothing else. We tell them, if you join this work, don’t join ogboni, don’t join one cult or the other…For you to go to babalawo to get power to come and use it in the church, we are against it.”

On the debate about President Umaru Musa Yar’adua’s health, the bishop said Nigerians are deceiving themselves.

“Right from when this man was governor, we know how he governed. During the presidential campaign about two years ago, you and I saw know how he could hardly move for campaigns. In the middle of the campaigns, he was rushed for treatment. You and I know that since he came to power, he had consistently gone for treatment in Saudi Arabia.

“We aren’t saying one would not be sick. But when it becomes very clear that a person doesn’t have the health ability and the mental ability and the charisma and the power that goes with them to rule a country like Nigeria, it is very clear. And all we are suffering now is purely lack of effective and charismatic leaders in this country. Nigeria is a tough country and we need a tough person, a very healthy person who is thinking, who is running to deal with the serious problems we are battling with for the past 50 years.

“So my counsel is for this man to take his health very much important. Nigeria is a country where whether you serve well, nobody says thank you. So why destroy yourself when you know that you have health problem. Go home, take care of yourself, take treatment and take care of your family!”

The Bishop of Ogbosho Anglican Diocese, Rt Rev Matthew Ademoye Osunade who delivered the sermon said there is shortage of manpower in the ministry due to the rapid influx of people from all over the country into Abuja.

He said population has also continued to increase due to rising birth rate. He said though many profess to be Christians, they are not Christians at heart.

“Many are in the church to socialise, many are there for burial rites and so on,” he said noting that “we would continue to have bad eggs.”