Nigerian Church Leader Says Persecution Fuels Church Growth

For those who don't know, Nigeria is a religiously divided country. Islam and Christianity dominate the country with Islam in the north and Christianity in the south. While our Nigerian brethren in the South are pretty safe they are facing the danger of the prosperity gospel that we, Western Christians are facing. However, our brethren in the Northern part of Nigeria are facing lots of persecution and that seems be helping the religion spread over there. Sometimes the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the gospel as Tertullian says.

07/31/2011 Nigeria (All Africa.com)-The chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Plateau State chapter, Rev. Dafes Philip Mwelbish, has disclosed that the persecution Christianity faces in the country has remained its greatest source of growth.

Mwelbish spoke in an interview with newsmen at the ordination of 17 ministers into the full gospel ministry of the Central Baptist Conference of the Nigerian Baptist Convention in Bukuru, Jos South local government area.

Mwelbish said that all the ill-treatment the church faces would never deter it from spreading the gospel of salvation even as he advised the newly ordained pastors to represent Christ with all aspects of their life.

Earlier in a sermon, Chairman sub-Ministerial, Central Baptist Conference, Rev. David Ogunlowo blamed the crises facing the Church on divisive tendencies, adding that this is the time for the Church to unite and be formidable to fight the evil thrown against it.

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He said, "The church must wake up and fight evil. We must work together for the kingdom of God and put the devil to shame, instead of insulting one another over matters that are earthly."

The clergy warned that if Christians did not put their acts together for the progress of the church, then Christianity would be 'over-powered'.

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Also speaking, in an interview, the principal of the Baptist Pastoral School, Rev. Ayuba Iliya disclosed that, so far, the 26-year-old institution had churned out about 600 pastors and was looking forward to working on handling masters and doctorate students.

For the Chairman of Central Baptist Conference, Rev. Thomas Ndandok, the graduating pastors would make positive impact on the society where they come from and the country in general (Source).