.preach peace, love, patience at Yuletide

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Religious leaders have urged President Bola Tinubu to passionately pray and seek for divine wisdom in-order to pilot Nigeria to the promise land, amid socio-economic challenges.

Reverend Dr. Theophilus Olaolorun, Lead Pastor of Shalom Baptist Church, Akowonjo, Dr. David Korede, the Pastor of The First Living Church of Shalom Baptist Church, Isheri-Olofin, Reverend Dr. Olatubosun Olasukanmi, gave the advice in their separate messages during the 10th edition of the King’s Banquet,” an annual end of the year thanksgiving service, held at the Shalom Baptist Church, Akowonjo Road, Egbeda, Alimosho Local Government Area, LGA.

Rev. Olaolorun, in his message, stated, “Talking about the great commission, there is a great relationship, the message Jesus gave to us, to the world, particularly to Nigeria, there is hope for Nigeria and Jesus is the Hope of Glory, we don’t have hope in any man, but we have our hope in Jesus because he is life and he has given us this life, and to have it abundantly.

“He has the key to prosperity of this country and we believe in him that when Jesus reigns in the life of everyone particularly our leaders, when Jesus the Prince of Peace reigns inside of them, they would do what is right and so we have hope that this country, will rise again.

“Our leaders should seek the face of God and fear Him in all that they do because we have one God who oversees, who superintends, and who sees everything.

“We have one God that is greater than the greatest in the whole world and so the kings, rulers, politicians, military, navy and all of the armed forces and police they should fear God because one day they would stand face to face with Him and they would give account of everything they have done.”

Speaking on the event, Olaolorun, “Is a big event every year. Shalom Baptist Church has planted seven other churches and once in a year precisely the third week Sunday in December we come together to celebrate the King Jesus and that’s why we term it the Kings Banquet, Jesus is the King and we come together to celebrate him every year.

“We remember the sacrifice Jesus came to do for us in the world, he was born so that he would die and take our sins away and that’s the reason why we gather once in a year precisely December to celebrate Jesus.

“The essence of kings Banquet, we come together once in a year, seven churches to celebrate the birth of Jesus and also to raise awareness for supporting the mission of Jesus. Now, the kings Banquet again is giving us a focus to go into the world to proclaim the gospel that is the aspect of supporting the mission.

“The great commission as it were, Jesus said go into the world make discipleship, baptising them in the name of the father, and of the son and of the holy-spirit and lo, I am with you until the end of the age.”

Speaking on impact of the programme on the society, he stated, “The impact is also derived from the great commission because we practice the great commission, we impact our society with it, we preach the gospel to our community, and we impact the society with them.
“Now we already have five years plans for this banquet and in these five years we want to celebrate in a grand style, because this church will become 40 years and in the 40th year we want to celebrate it by planting more five churches and also getting five pastors to be inducted into the five churches. So, we already have a five-year plan of what we want to do.”

Rev Olasunkanmi, who was the Chairman of the Kings Banquet Committee, said, “My message to the government, at a time like this, it is a time for them to also acknowledge that they don’t have any strength of their own and they need to depend on the wisdom of God, just like Solomon that asked God for wisdom.

“At a time like this, things are scattered, and bad. It seems it’s difficult to know what to do after. Mr. President and our political leaders should ask God for wisdom, and they should do things right according to the Lord’s dictates.

“And to the Christians, if there is any time that people can know that we are Christians indeed it is now, and there are three things it entails. Firstly, it is looking up unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. Secondly, it is to shine, it says let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father, who is in heaven.

“Thirdly, it is to work, it says learn from the ants you lazy man, they do not have princes or kings over them but they work and gather, it is not to say that there is nothing I can do, it is time to work and by so doing the blessings of God will come upon our work and we will have enough and more than enough at a time like this.

“And when we do that the society will see that the Christians are still standing at a time like this that is my message.”

Pastor Korede, in his message, which centered on “Christ our Peace,” said that the whole world needed peace and he gave instances of missions where there are wars and also defined what peace is, which is the state of serenity; the state of inner peace, love and more.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Olubukola Adetunji, Secretary of Shalom Baptist Church, Akowonjo, speaking with newsmen, said, “We bless God for His mercies upon the Church. It’s been glorious having to pull a crowd like this, two years ago we were almost 1,000 in attendance and it’s been glorious, yearly.”