There’s nothing wrong with Christians participating in politics – Pastor Bakare (Continued from last week)

Since you have been in the political fray, what will be your recommendation to the church?I do not think except God expressly orders that the role of the church or ministers of the gospel is to form political parties. Those that God used tremendously in the political arena in the Bible days did not look […]

Since you have been in the political fray, what will be your recommendation to the church?
I do not think except God expressly orders that the role of the church or ministers of the gospel is to form political parties. Those that God used tremendously in the political arena in the Bible days did not look for power. David did not look for power until power came to him. Saul was looking for donkeys and he found the kingdom. Joseph was in prison until he was invited to rule Egypt. He did not get to become the prime minister of Egypt because he interpreted Pharaon’s dream but because of the economic blueprint he gave Pharaoh on how to salvage the economy of the country. Daniel became part of the government in Babylon because of the spirit of excellence that was found in him. John 4 tells us that God is sending us to reap where we do not bestow labour. I think God, in His wisdom, will give us training here and there and will look for the right time for us to manifest what he has bestowed upon us.
When they needed me they will looked for me. And that is what happened in 2011. I was just doing what God put in my heart and General Buhari said he wanted me to be his running mate and I said no. The first person I called was Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I told him I was not interested in the offer of Buhari but that he should help me prevail on Osinbajo to take the offer. I also discussed with Niyi Adebayo who was my colleague in UNILAG and also a BOT member of Congress for Political Change, Ife Oyedele.
I spoke with Pastor Enoch Adeboye and asked him to speak with Oby Ezekwesili to take the offer. But the attempts to get these people failed.  That was why I took up the challenge. Now, four years after, we have this scenario. The same Osinbajo that I recommended is now the running mate of General Buhari. The difference between history and prophesy is the difference between foresight and hindsight. I was not looking for power, I already had power because the Bible says, you will have power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.
I did not ask President Jonathan to send for me, but I have sat with him on a number of occasions and I have counselled him on what to do several times. We must position ourselves in such a way that when opportunity meets preparation there will be breakthrough. We are not training our people in that line but we are training them in tithe and offering and make them to always look up to us. We are not really equipping ourselves. Daniel purposed he will not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, but he had a company of people with him. Never go into politics as a lone ranger. You must have people that are backing you up in prayers, else you will be standing on banana peel. The situation in the church is that the support base is weak. I learnt that much in 2011. But my joy is that we went into politics and came back and nobody can trace any scandal to us because God has given us the grace to know how to maintain contact without being contaminated.
Many people in the church criticized you for running with Buhari because it was believed he was a fundamentalist. What do you think now?
Very good. It was easy for church people to say ‘do not support Tunde Bakare because he was with Buhari, a fundamentalist, who was supporting Boko Haram.’ But that was not true because I found that out for myself. Buhari is not a fundamentalist as people would want to paint him. People say I was too controversial. But now, an Osinbajo is running mate to the same person. Has Buhari changed?
Many church leaders who supported Jonathan then and got tax waivers and other largess. Are they now going to withdraw their support from him and say we are giving it to our tinwa tinwa? (our own person since Osinbajo is involved)? That is the problem of double-standard. If you are digging a hole for a man make it shallow, you may end up in it.
But why are we like this in the church?
We have separated heaven from the earth; we have separated spirituality from reality. We are heaven-bound but earthly irrelevant. I gave a simple example in church: one person to be praying and the other shopping. And I asked the congregation who is spiritual among the two, and they said the person praying because the person shopping is buying material things. And I say, okay let’s open the content of what the person shopping was buying and we found out that person shopping was buying things to go and give to the poor. Prayer is good, but it is not only prayer that makes you spiritual. Every act of kindness, which you exhibit to promote God’s kingdom and to impact lives, has heaven’s approval.
The Son of God became the Son of man so that the children of men will become sons of God. We have to be heaven-bound but earthly relevant. I got born again over 40 years ago and I have seen a lot in the church. There is too much hypocrisy in the church. We say one thing and mean another.
Concluded
Source: Church Times