BY NDIFREKE EKPO
Birth in the stormy waters of cries, strife, orchestrated attacks and denigration, this child of circumstance was determined to ride the breaker right on the crest, and also destined to be great. Five years on with swathes of areas cutting across other fields of the gargantuan ministry, The Apostolic Church Nigeria in Akwa Ibom State, it’s glaringly unfolding as petals that the Holy Spirit is up to something.
Recently in a chat with newsmen at Ndiya, Nsit Ubium at the end of the 3rd Central Field major convention, Apostle (Dr) John Buzu, the FCT field superintendent asserted that God spoke to him several years ago of His plan to extend the spread of the FCT field to Akwa Ibom Territory.
This message, in human perspective had an obscure chance of success, particularly as Akwa Ibom Territory appeared quite formidable and impregnable back then. But trusting God to accomplish whatever He says, he (Apostle Buzu) soldiered on in earnest anticipation of the manifestation of the divine promise. The pastor emphatically agreed that he is still very keenly watching and following God’s plans for this baby.
In his words, “I am too busy at Abuja and Lagos to think of engaging in such a project of this magnitude in Akwa Ibom. Really, I do not know what God want to do with Central field project; hence we as mere men are just following Him.” Central field’s history is a mixed grill of disagreement, antagonism, acrimony and unwholesome Christianity, certainly not a pot pourri of history anyone could be proud of reopening.
However, a pleasant reminiscence of those dark days of ignorance, when both parties went for each other’s jugular over the media, reveals that the unfortunate incident tore the body of Christ to shreds, and ridiculed it in the eyes of the unbelievers and other denominations alike. This gravely exposed the feeble flock – who had been pressured to choose between Paul and Appolos to the vagaries of death and hell, while gladiators on both sides egoistically chanted war songs, stockpiled armaments, drew dangerous war plans and recruited agents from the devil to fight for Christ.
Fortunately, the Holy Spirit punctured all of that madness and initiated a ceasefire. Today, it is classic case of no victor no vanquish, an excellent opportunity for rebuilding broken relations. Leaders on both sides should realize that as mere men they’ll never understand the mystery of God’s walk- Jesus Christ one walked on the sea and even his closest allies (disciples, mere men) mistook him for a ghost! If Christ, the head of the church is a mystery, then the church, the body must surely be a mystery too.
While congratulating the leadership of Akwa Ibom Territory for their show of maturity and tolerance, especially in the face of provocative “defection” of some areas to central field, I urge them to sustain the restrain and see the development as a test of the gospel they preach daily. I equally thumb up “runners” of the central field vision for sustaining the focus on the task of growing the project to this extent.
Methinks this is a case of a rejected son in a family who wins an outstanding award and the entire family shares the fame. I caution them to be mindful of the vexatious issues of poaching to grow their size. They should rather set target and break fallow grounds, particularly in parts where the church has not gained penetration.
They should stretch even beyond the State/nation. Maybe the Holy Spirit is replaying an old saga of the early church that led to Apostle Paul setting up churches in areas as far as present day Turkey – eastern Europe, from where central Europe, north Africa, west Africa were evangelized.
It all started with an explosive disagreement in Jerusalem. As Pastor Buzu said, we are all waiting as witnesses to what God’s plans are for this project – central field. Everyone involved should see themselves as tools in the hand of the creator as He set out to build a rapturable church. The goal should be evangelism, nothing but evangelism and yet again evangelism.
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