An Open Plea to the Nigerian Baptist Family
*”An Open Plea to the Nigerian Baptist Family,*
The time has come for courageous truth-telling. What we are currently witnessing at New Glory Baptist Church is a crisis, long dead and buried since September 23, 2018, when the agitators left the church. Unfortunately, the unsolicited interference of the Convention President, Rev. Dr Israel Akanji, in the affairs of our church led to the reawakening of the crisis, which is now striking at the very soul of our denomination. When leaders entrusted with shepherding God’s flock instead wield ecclesiastical power as a weapon, we must sound the alarm.
The facts are undisputed:
* The autonomy of a local Baptist church, an agelong policy handed over by the founding fathers, is being violated and threatened.
– Pastors and members face unprecedented persecution
– Sacred Baptist principles have been sacrificed for institutional control
– The very properties built through members’ sacrificial giving are now under siege
This is our Martin Luther moment, shall we nail our theses to the denominational door? Shall we stand with the oppressed against Pharaoh’s court? The spiritual descendants of the early Baptists who suffered for their convictions cannot now become persecutors.
I call for:
1. An immediate cessation of unbidden and dictatorial interference in the affairs of every local Baptist church by the leadership of the Convention
2. Collective efforts of all the Baptist Churches in Nigeria to vehemently resist the evil agenda to remove the autonomy of the local church, a core distinctive of the Baptist faith
3. Transparency and accountability of our leaders in all their undertakings/activities.
Let us repent where we have failed. Let us restore what has been broken. And let us reaffirm what our Baptist forefathers died to protect, that every local church stands equal before God, not subject to ecclesiastical tyranny.
The world is watching. History is recording. And Christ Himself will judge our actions.
With love and concern,
ALABI, Oluwapelumi J.