By Okey Ifionu
Although Diocesan synods are an annual event in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), no two synod sessions are exactly the same. Not only the themes, but also the preachers and other resource persons are often different, depending on the discretion of a bishop. One thread, however, runs through every synod session: The presidential address, also known as the bishop’s charge. It is arguably the main motif of every synod. It not only provides an incisive exposition of the theme but also takes a panoramic sweep of all that is happening in the diocese and across the country. You would be right to call it a useful handbook on everything and anything of significance to a diocese. All synod delegates and observers wait expectantly for it. It captures, in a way that no other aspect of the synod does, the theme and vision of the synod. It tells you what the bishop, also known as the president of synod, is thinking of, in terms of the priority of the diocese at any given time. In other words, a theme gives you a peep into what matters to a prelate concerning certain spiritual, social and economic issues.
Bishop Akinpelu Johnson’s fascinating theme for the first session of the seventh synod of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland, (DLAM) which just ended, was: “But Do Mine First.”
Adapted from the Bible’s account of the encounter between Israel’s influential Prophet Elijah and a Sidonian widow (1Kings 17:1–13), the theme sought to draw attention to a whole range of issues including unconditional loyalty to God, God’s faithfulness to His words, His rare sense of humour in dealing with humans, the power of prophecy and the rewards of sacrificial giving. It was indeed a timely reminder that obedience to God, even when it is not convenient, invariably attracts great rewards.
In the story of Elijah and the Zarephath widow, the starving prophet had apparently been directed by Yahweh, the God of Israel, to this widow for his sustenance. It seemed improbable but God’s ways are unsearchable. Prior to this, He had sent ravens to supply meals to the powerful, yet vulnerable prophet. On meeting the widow, Elijah had asked for a cup of water to assuage his thirst, but as the woman was about to go and get the water, the prophet, like Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, asked her to also get him a morsel of bread. This was in a period when Northern Israel was going through a severe famine. The widow’s natural response to the prophet’s second request was all too predictable. She couldn’t afford a piece of bread or so she thought, because all she had in her food store would be barely enough for her and her son before they would die from the starvation ravaging Samaria. Nevertheless, the prophet doubled down on his request, asking the widow to first provide for him, and assuring her that her food store would not run out of provision. The widow obeyed, even if reluctantly. And true to the word of Prophet Elijah, as given to him by Yahweh, she and her son, never lacked food throughout the remaining period of the famine. It is an interesting story that demonstrates the power of God to meet the needs of all who put His interest first.
In an age when self-indulgence is so prevalent, the synod theme couldn’t be more relevant. How many people care to know what the mind of God is on any given issue, let alone make it a priority? How many people are willing to give to God that which appears to be impossible, or obey God when the stakes are rather high? How many ministers of the Gospel would confront ungodly leaders the way Elijah tackled King Ahab and his domineering wife, Jezebel?
In the bishop’s presidential address and all the sermons and Bible studies that took place at the synod, these were recurring questions.
In a riveting opening sermon at the Cathedral Church of St. Jude, Ebute Metta, the bishop of Akoko Edo diocese, the Rt. Rev. Ebenezer Saiki, challenged the full capacity audience to always endeavour to know what God expects them to do in every given circumstance, and to obey Him. We may not always hear only things that suit us, the preacher said. God’s instruction can be disruptive of our personal plans or wishes. Little wonder, some people argue that it is dangerous to hear from God because He may give a directive that we don’t like. Yet, said Bishop Saiki, it pays to trust and obey God. The reward of such obedience is immeasurable and transcendental. In his words, “when we prioritise God’s interest, we cannot lose.” The preacher illustrated, with touching personal experiences, why it pays to hear and do the will of God. As he put it, “it is for us to prioritise God in all that we do because those who do his bidding will have all other things added to them.” In serving God, he said, Christians must avoid self-pre-occupation because it tends to lead to disobedience of God and its adverse consequences.
In his 90-page presidential charge which lasted nearly an hour-and-a-half, the Rt. Rev. Johnson spoke on many subjects apart from his impressive exposition of the synod theme. His address covered the state of the nation, Lagos state, and other critical issues such as insecurity, petroleum products, the Uromi killings, the state of emergency in Rivers state, unemployment, corruption and graft, electricity supply, and of course, diocesan matters. He expressed concern over the worsening situation in Nigeria, hoping, however, that things will get better with time. He had plaudits for the Lagos state administration for its “hard work and vision”, commending the emphasis on the provision of infrastructure and investment in education.
The synod president condemned violence in all its forms, deploring the incidence of mass killings in various parts of the country. He called for thorough investigation of such crimes and the need for the law-enforcement agencies to earn the trust of the Nigerian people. Public functionaries must be transparent and selfless. He described the state of emergency in Rivers State as unfortunate, and called for resolving political disputes in a manner that does not threaten peace. Unemployment also received his attention. Our governments, at all levels, he said, should formulate people-friendly policies to reflate the economy, stimulate productivity, create jobs, and arrest the brain drain plaguing the country.
On the synod theme, Bishop Johnson reminded his audience of the need to be loyal to God unconditionally. Acknowledging the challenging economic situation in the country today, Bishop Johnson said it is possible that church members are not as willing to give as they used to.
In his words: “…What do we do when people are afraid to give amid their many wants?” Cajoling or threatening such members should never be an option. Referring to Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Church in Corinth, the bishop said, in extenso: “Paul lets us in on a fundamental secret of giving, when in encouraging the Church in Corinth to greater acts of generosity, he refers to the struggling Church in Macedonia and their surprising donation to the Church in Jerusalem; that the members of the Macedonian Church, ‘first gave themselves of the Lord’(2Cor. 8:5). In our own parlance we.say, ‘if we touch the heart, we will touch the pocket. This works even if the giving is in talent and time and not necessarily treasure. “Touching the pocket first, without touching the heart, makes it much more difficult to get a sincere and willing response for the Lord’s work.”
The synod president then encouraged both the clergy and other Church leaders to do God’s work in such a manner as to promote mutual trust, and bring glory to the name of the Lord.
In a stirring closing sermon delivered in the packed auditorium of Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial Anglican Church (BAHM), Surulere, Bishop Festus Nwafili, of Ndokwa Diocese, harped further on the great importance of acknowledging God as our mainstay, and according Him the priority He deserves. Those who seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness will certainly have all other things added for them, he said. According to him, all synod delegates and indeed all Christians must be willing to be channels of generous support for God’s work. The benefits are incredible and can only be received by those who “put God first by doing His first.”
• Ven. Ifionu, an editor and former deputy Managing Director of ThisDay Newspapers, is of the Anglican Diocese of Lagos Mainland