Nigeria: Persecution Fuels Church Growth

Nigeria: Persecution Fuels Church's Growth [Excerpts]

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.

He lamented the decay in the society where the mode of dressing among youths has taken a shameful dimension and lamented that when the issue of secret societies is mentioned, it is the names of Christians that are heard. He called on parents to watch over their children and guide them aright.

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.

(Achor Abimaje, "Nigeria: Persecution Fuels Church's Growth," allafrica.com, July 31, 2011).