Ekklesia

PRESSURE GROUPS AND THE CHURCH
What are pressure groups? Pressure groups are organised groups of people who share common goals and try to influence government policies and community leadership. Pressure groups are occasionally referred to as special-interest groups. Just as an individual has a personal interest to protect, every group in society has its interest to protect too. The essence …

BEYOND THE FACADE OF THE OFFICE OF A PASTOR – TEN FEARS
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a pastor as “… a spiritual overseer; especially: a clergyman serving a local church or parish.” The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia describes a pastor literally, as “ … a helper, or feeder of the sheep.” For many centuries, people viewed the job description of a pastor as a servant caregiver who …

Manifold Roles of the Presidency in Nigeria
What roles does the Nigerian Constitution assign the President? The roles that the 1999 Constitution (hereinafter referred to as “the Constitution”) clearly assigns the president are those of the chief administrator of the nation and the commander in chief of its armed forces (See Section 130(2) of the Constitution). But court decisions, customs, laws, and …

THE CHURCH AND HER FRANCHISE
What is Voting? Voting is the formal process by which people express their choice about the way government should be run. The word “vote” comes from a Latin word which means “wish.” Whenever a citizen cast a vote, that citizen is expressing a wish or choice. When citizens refuse to vote, it implies that do …

THE CHURCH NEEDS TO GET ITS ACT TOGETHER
I just finished reading a book titled, “Evangelicals and Politics in Asia, Africa, and Latin America,” by Paul Freston and published by Cambridge University Press in 2001. The treatise is typical of Cambridge Books. In all, I was fascinated by Chapter 10 of this book which focused on Nigeria. Excerpt from the aforesaid chapter (specifically …

Remembering Their Good Deeds
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. John 12: 24. The church in Nigeria is now about 172 years old. It is often needful to remember the steep price that was paid …