First Lady: Church must turn gospel into action

• Tasks on unity, peaceful coexistence, youth mentorship

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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

First Lady of Nigeria Oluremi Tinubu has challenged the Church in Nigeria to move beyond preaching the Gospel to demonstrating its values through practical actions that promote national unity, strengthen families and foster peaceful coexistence.

She said the impact of Christianity must be evident in the lives of believers and the communities they serve, urging church leaders to translate their teachings into tangible commitments that address societal challenges.

Mrs Tinubu spoke on Wednesday while addressing the Lausanne Nigeria Congress 2026, a three-day gathering of more than 5,000 church leaders, missionaries and Christian organisations in Abuja, according to a statement issued by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi.

Speaking on the theme, “Let the Church Declare and Display Christ Together”, the First Lady said the Church had a responsibility to demonstrate Christ’s character through compassion, service and respect for human dignity.

“To declare Christ is to share the message of His love, His sacrifice and the free gift of Salvation He offers. The Gospel we proclaim must shape the life we live and influence the lives of others,” she said.

She explained that displaying Christ meant allowing His character to be reflected in the conduct of Christians and their contributions to society.

Quoting Matthew 5:16, she urged believers to let their good works demonstrate their faith and inspire others to glorify God.

“The Church in Nigeria has a vital responsibility to nurture hope and compassion, strengthen families, mentor our young people, encourage peaceful coexistence and help build communities where every person is treated with dignity,” she said.

Mrs Tinubu urged participants to ensure that the deliberations at the congress produced measurable outcomes beyond the gathering.

“As you deliberate during this Congress, I urge you to translate your discussions into commitments that will bear fruit across our congregations and communities.

“Let us leave here with renewed conviction to declare Christ faithfully, display His love consistently and fulfil our calling together,” she said.

In his remarks, the National Chairman of Lausanne Nigeria Christian Missions, Rev. Yunusa Nmadu, said the Church must complement prayers for the country with practical leadership and the demonstration of Christian values, particularly love and unity.

He urged Christians to pray for Nigeria and its leaders while calling on the body of Christ to overcome denominational, tribal and ethnic divisions.

Nmadu said the congress provided an opportunity for the Church to unite in proclaiming the Gospel and demonstrating Christian values through social action.

He also challenged Christian leaders to address what he described as a decline in the Church’s influence despite its numerical growth over the past 20 years.

The Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, Anglican Communion, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Lausanne Nigeria Christian Missions, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, also called for unity of purpose among Christian denominations.

Ndukuba argued that denominational differences should not undermine Christian fellowship, noting that there would be no denominations in heaven.

He said greater unity within the body of Christ could contribute to enhanced peace in Nigeria and across the world.

Prayers were offered at the congress for Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu, other leaders and the peaceful conduct of the 2027 general elections.

The Lausanne Nigeria Congress 2026 brought together more than 5,000 church leaders, missionaries and Christian organisations for discussions on evangelism, unity and the Church’s role in society.

The global Lausanne movement was founded by renowned evangelist Billy Graham and held its first international congress in Lausanne, Switzerland, in July 1974. It has since continued to promote cooperation among Christians in advancing evangelism worldwide.