Transcript DISCIPLING THE NATION

BRIDGING THE GAP
BETWEEN OUR SPIRITUAL
LIFE AND SECULAR
BEHAVIOUR: A TOOL FOR
GOOD GOVERNANCE
PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO SAN
SPECIAL THANKS TO PASTOR JOHN ENELAMAH OF THE AIMP WHOSE MATERIAL I
HAVE USED VERY LIBERALLY.
INTRODUCTION
• WILL GOVERNANCE IN OUR NATION BE
POSITIVELY IMPACTED IF THERE IS NO GAP
BETWEEN WHAT CHRISTIANS PROFESS OR
SHOULD PROFESS AND HOW WE BEHAVE
OUTSIDE OF THE CONFINES OF OUR SPIRITUAL
SETTINGS?
THE STATE OF THE NATION TODAY
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX (2006)
The HDI measures the average achievements in a country
in three basic dimensions of human development:
A long and healthy life, as measured by life expectancy at
birth.
Knowledge, as measured by the adult literacy rate (with
two-thirds weight) and the combined primary, secondary,
and tertiary gross enrolment ratio (with one-third weight).
A decent standard of living, as measured by gross domestic
product (GDP) per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP)
in USD.
HDI - AFRICA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD
██ high (0.800 - 1)
██ medium (0.500 - 0.799)
██ low (0.300 - 0.499)
██ n/a
THE FAILED STATES INDEX - AFRICA AND THE
REST OF THE WORLD
About 2 billion people live in countries that are in danger of collapse
Source: Foreign Policy, July/August 2012
FAILED STATES INDEX 2012
•NIGERIA IS NO. 14 OF 129 STATES. SOMALIA IS
NO. 1 . COUNTRIES ARE LISTED IN ORDER OF
FAILED OR FAILING THE EARLIER A NUMBER THE
GREATER THE WORSE ITS POSITION ………HOW
COME?;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
POVERTY AS A WAY OF LIFE
• AFRICA IS THE POOREST CONTINENT ON
EARTH DESPITE BEING THE RICHEST IN
NATURAL RESOURCES
• WEST AFRCA IS THE POOREST SUB-REGION
• NIGERIA IS ONE THE POOREST 20 COUNTRIES
ON EARTH DESPITE HUGE RESOURCES.
THE DOMINION OF CORRUPTION
IGNORANCE AND DISEASE
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NIGERIA IS :
ONE OF THE MOST CORRUPT 10 NATIONS ON EARTH
LAW AND ORDER CHALLENGES SIGNIFICANT
FAILING JUSTICE SYSTEM
ONE OF TOP TEN IN PREVALENCE OF:
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–
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MATERNAL MORTALITY, 300 DEATHS YEARLY
INFANT MORTALITY,
MALARIA,
TUBERCULOSIS,
POLIO
• HIGH ILLITERACY LEVEL/ WIDESPREAD EXAM
MALPRACTICE- 21274 CASES OUT OF 75623
BUT WHO DOES GOD HOLD RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE DESTINY OF THE NATION?
• MATT. 5.13 AND 14 “YOU ARE THE SALT
OF THE EARTH…YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF
THE WORLD”
• ROMANS 8.19 “FOR THE EARNEST
EXPECTATION OF THE CREATION EAGERLY
WAITS FOR THE REVEALING OF THE SONS OF
GOD”
THE GREAT COMMISSION: OUR MANDATE
18
MATTHEW…..
All power is given to me in
heaven and earth. 19 Go ye therefore and
(teach) make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and lo, I am with you always
even unto the end of the age. Amen.
THE BELIEVER’S FIVE-FOLD MANDATE
Be
Fruitful
Have
Dominion
Subdue
it
Multiply
Replenish the
Earth
SUBDUING A NATION: A WORKING DEFINITION
According to Matthew 28: 18 – 20, you have
not subdued a nation until the principles,
the values and virtues of the kingdom of
God have been accepted as a normal way of
life in society. This is what it means “go
teach them to observe and to do all things
whatsoever he has commanded us”.
SUBDUING/ HAVING DOMINION OVER
THE NATION MEANS………
• ESTABLISHING CHRISTIAN CULTURE, VALUES
AND PRINCIPLES IN:
• POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
• EDUCATION
• BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
• MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT
• CULTURE
THE MESSAGE FROM THE PULPIT DEFINES
VALUES, PRINCIPLES, AND CULTURE
HAS THIS HAPPENED BEFORE?
• YES. THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION IN
EUROPE , AND AMERICA AND THE INFLUENCE
OF ITS PRINCIPLES ON JAPAN AND THE REST
OF ASIA.
• THE PURITAN’S INFLUENCE ON EDUCATION,
WORK ETHIC, CULTURE, POLITICS, BUSINESS
BY A STRICT APPLICATION OF THE PRINCIPLES
OF THE GOSPEL IN EVERY AREA OF LIFE.
• WEBER, ASHTON, ESTABLISHED THE LINK
BETWEEN THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION
WHY DID THE GOSPEL
TRANSFORM EUROPE ,
AMERICA………?
ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE
• Alexis De Tocqueville was a French Political
Philosopher who came to the United States
of America in the 1830’s in search of her
greatness. After a thorough examination he
concluded:
• I sought for the greatness of and genius of
America in her commodious harbours and
her ample rivers, and it was not there;
ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE
• I sought for the greatness in her fertile fields and
boundless prairies, and was not there; in her rich
mines and vast world commerce, and it was not
there. Not until I went to the churches of America
and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness
did I understand the secret of her genius and
power. America is great because she is good and if
America ever ceases to be good, America will
cease to be great
SO WHAT WERE THEY
PREACHING?
GOSPEL PRINCIPLES THAT
CHANGED THE WORLD
THE BIBLE IS THE COMPLETE AND INERRANT
WORD OF GOD.
THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE BELIEVER: 1 PET. 2.9
BELIEVERS ARE KINGS AND PRIESTS REV. 5. 10
1.EDUCATION PROV. 8:10 & 11
2.HARDWORK / PLANNING –THE PURITANIC
WORK ETHIC Proverbs 14:2 LUKE 14:28
3. TIME-CONSCIOUSNESS Ecc3:1
4. INTEGRITY – Matt 5.37
5. RESPECT FOR CREDIT AND OBLIGATION Psalm
37:21
GOSPEL PRINCIPLES CONTD.
6. SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT MATT 25 14:30
7. THE RULE OF LAW Romans 13:1
8. PAYMENT OF TAXES AND DUES TO GOVT.
ROM.13:6&7
9. FAIR PAY C0L.4:1
CHRISTIANS TOOK OVER THE MIND OF
AMERICA THROUGH EDUCATION
• PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: FOUNDED IN 1746 BY NEW LIGHT
PRESBYTERIANS TO TRAIN PASTORS. HER MOTTO “UNDER GOD’S POWER
SHE FLOURISHES”
• HARVARD: FOUNDED IN 1636 BY PURITANS. ITS FIRST MOTTO: ‘TRUTH
FOR CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.”
• IN ONE OF ITS EARLY DIRECTIVE TO STUDENTS IT LAYS OUT THE WHOLE
PURPOSE OF EDUCATION: “
– “LET EVERY STUDENT BE PLAINLY INSTRUCTED AND EARNESTLY PRESSED TO
CONSIDER WELLTHE MAIN END OF HIS LIFE AND STUDIES IS TO KNOW GOD
AND JESUS CHRIST WHICH IS ETERNAL LIFE(JOHN 17.3)AND THEREFORE LAY
CHRIST IN THE BOTTOM AS THE ONLY FOUNDATION OF ALL SOUND
KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING”
–
YALE FOUNDED IN 1701 IN THE COLONY OF CONNECTICUT BY CLERGY MEN TO
TRAIN CLERGY AND POLITICAL LEADERS
CHRISTIANS TOOK OVER THE MIND OF
AMERICA THROUGH EDUCATION
• PURITANS TAUGHT READING AND WRITING
TO A LARGELY ILLITTERATE NATION
• ESTABLISHED SCHOOLS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
SIMPLE DEFINITIONS OF INTEGRITY
BASIC HONESTY
•TRUSTWORTHINESS MATT. 5.37 LET YOUR
YES BE YES AND YOUR NO BE NO.
•RESPECT FOR OBLIGATION
•CREDIT WORTHINESS PS. 37.21
•THE SAME IN SECRET AND IN PUBLIC –
CHARACTER AND REPUTATION MATCH.
RIGHTEOUSNESS PROMOTES!
• RIGHTEOUNESS EXALTS A NATION
PROV. 13.4
• BUT A NATION IS A MAN (GEN
12.2
• SO INTEGRITY PROMOTES A
PERSON.
PERCEPTION OF NIGERIANS AS
FRAUDS
• CHEATING IN EVERYTHING – EXAMS,
GOODS AND SERVICES, CERTIFICATES,
WORKPLACE
• 419, STEALING
• CORRUPTION-- SMALL AND GRAND
THE COST OF LACK OF INTEGRITY
• SMALL BUSINESSES NOT GROWING
• MONEY FROM DIASPORA NOT GOING INTO
BUSINESS
• INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSES DRYING UP- EVEN
EMAILS MAKING ENQUIRIES ARE NOT
ACKNOWLEGED
• NIGERIAN DOCUMENTATION SUSPECT
• PROBLEMS FOR NIGERIANS BUYING AND SELLING
ON THE INTERNET THE NIGERIAN IP ADDRESS IS A
PROBLEM
TRUTH MANY DO NOT KNOW
BECAUSE:
• THE WORLD IS IN SEARCH OF THE NIGERIAN
OF INTEGRITY TO DO BUSINESS WITH
• INTEGRITY TAKES YOU BEYOND YOUR
QUALIFICATIONS
• BECAUSE THE TRUSTWORTHY NIGERIAN
SEEMS RARE YOU HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY;;;(PERCEPTION ARBITRAGE)
TO TAKE OVER GOVERNMENTS IS….
NOT JUST BY THE TEACHING OF
VALUES…………
• BUT TAKING THE MESSAGE OF THE
REDEEMING LOVE OF JESUS IN THE FORM OF
PHYSICAL HELP TO THE POOR AND
VULNERABLE. TO “THE LEAST OF THESE”.
THROUGH AFFORDABLE EDUCATION, HEALTH
CARE, ASSISTANCE TO WIDOWS AND
ORPHANS ETC.
THE STRATEGY:“THE LEAST OF THESE’
MATT.25.40
THE STRATEGY FOR INFLUENCING THE LARGEST
NUMBERS IS BY ADDRESSING THE GREATEST AND
MOST WIDESPREAD NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE.
ALL OVER AFRICA THE PARISH TODAY MEANS SCHOOLS,
HEALTH CLINICS, WORKSHOPS AND AN INDIGENOUS POSTAL
SERVICE. IN MOST OF AFRICA THE CHURCHES HAVE
DELIVERED MORE REAL DEVELOPMENT TO PEOPLE THAN ALL
THE GOVERNMENTS, THE WORLD BANK AND AID AGENCIES
ROBERT DOWDEN
EVERY PARISH AN OASIS OF
SALVATION AND HELP TO THE ‘LEAST’
• SCHOOLS
• CLINICS
• EDUCATION FOR THE DISABLED,
•
ASSISTANCE FOR POOR WIDOWS
• LIBRARIES
• IT FACILITIES
ON EVERY STREET AND WITHIN 5MINS WALKING DISTANCE OF
EACH OTHER A PLACES OF LEARNING , HEALTH FACILITIES,
LIBRARIES, IT FACILITIES, AT SUBSIDIZED SUBSCRIPTION.
HAS THIS WORKED ELSEWHERE?
HARAKAT AL –MUQAWAMAT ALISLAMIYAH
HAMAS
HAMAS
• Hamas was created in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed
Yassin, Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi and Mohammad
Taha of the Palestinian wing of Egypt's Muslim
Brotherhood at the beginning of the First
Intifada, an uprising against Israeli rule in the
Palestinian Territories.
H A M A S: HELPING THE POOREST
• Through its funding and management of
schools, health-care clinics, mosques, youth
groups, athletic clubs and day-care centers,
Hamas by the mid-1990s had attained a "wellentrenched" presence in the West Bank and
Gaza.[17] An estimated 80% to 90% of Hamas
revenues fund health, social welfare, religious,
cultural, and educational services.[18][19][20]
HAMAS WINS
• January 2006, Hamas was successful in the
Palestinian parliamentary elections, taking 76
of the 132 seats in the chamber, while the
previous ruling Fatah party took 43
WHAT HAPPENED WHILE THE SONS OF
GOD SLEPT…..
OTHERS ARE AFFECTING DESTINY
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TB JOSHUA
MORMONS
OPUS DEI
BRACS
CONCLUSION
• THE CHURCH IS NOT AN END IN ITSELF. IT IS
GOD’S MEANS TO AN END. THAT END IS TWOFOLD. THE FIRST IS THE SALVATION OF SOULS.
THE SECOND IS ESTABLISHING HIS KINGDOM
IN EVERY FACET OF LIFE. THE ROLE OF THE
CHURCH I.E. YOU, IS TO CHANGE THE
CULTURE AND WAY OF LIFE OF THE NATION.
THAT IS WHAT ‘DISCIPLING THE NATIONS’
MEANS.