Nigerians are globe trotters since the late 1800s. Nigerians can be found in almost all the 6 continents and close to the over 200 nations in the world today. Nigerians travel to the other nations of the human universe for all reasons, such as, (i) Asylum seeking during the former days of the military dictatorships of Buhari, Babangida, and Abacha in Nigeria. (ii) Business opportunities in the other nations, the professional advancement of their academic/personal careers, on-the-job trainings from their employers in Nigeria and for more advanced education,. (iii) Medical check-ups and treatments. (iv) International professional conferences, meetings and Church preaching engagements abroad by Nigerian pastors. (v) Economic refugees, employments, permanent immigration visa applicants, prostitution and drug trafficking. (vi) Vacations and recreational purposes. Nigeria is also a highly religious nation with every Nigerian either practicing Christianity, the religion of Islam or the traditional religions.
The last 10-15 years have also seen the rapid influx of the major Nigerian Church denominations to the diaspora communities of Nigerians, such as, The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCC), The Deeper Life Church Ministry, The Living Faith Church, The Redeemed Evangelical Church, The Christ Embassy Church, The Kingsway International Christian Center and The Word of Life Bible Church into the developed nations, such as, America, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, France and Germany.
The following distinguishing trademarks are visible in all these Nigerian Churches abroad or in the diaspora:(i) They are primarily populated mainly by the same Nigerians in those countries where these Nigerian Churches are found and with insignificant or limited membership from the locals. (ii) They are the direct extensions of their parent Churches in Nigeria. (iii) They are never autonomous in any of their local operations in those foreign countries, but they always take their final orders from their headquarters in Nigeria. (iv) They always send a major part of their collected tithes and offerings back to their parent Churches in Nigeria. (v) Most of their pastors and bishops are always selected from their parent Churches in Nigeria before sending them abroad. These pastors can easily be recalled back to Nigeria by their parent Churches and leaders. (vi) The Churches are run exactly like a multinational corporations for profit making and the profits that are made in the diaspora are sent back to their corporate headquarters in Nigeria. (vii) These Churches in diaspora are always patronized by the same popular Nigeria pastors in Nigeria during any of their very important yearly programs. (viii) These Churches in the diaspora have failed to directly evangelize the local populations significantly into their midst, but are generally patronized by the Nigerians in diaspora that were members of these Churches when they once lived in Nigeria.
In conclusion:Are these Nigerian Churches in diaspora set up primarily to truly evangelize the local populations in those nations where they can be found today all over the world or they are simply another avenues for the money making for their general overseers and Church headquarters in Nigeria? Is this present pattern of Church growth that are used by these parent Churches in Nigeria biblical by falling completely in line with what we can see clearly in the entire account of the early Church as it is depicted in the New Testament Scriptures? Is this truly global evangelism in all reality, truth and honesty or the avenues to make those hard-currencies in the name of Christianity?
No comments:
Post a Comment