The Vice-Chancellor of Bingham University, Karu, Nasarawa State, Prof. Kuje Ayuba, said the church has important roles to play in the development and transformation of lives.
Ayuba said this at a public lecture with the theme ‘Empowering The Church for Greater Societal Impact’.
The Vice-Chancellor said that there was no better time to discuss the topic than now.
‘The church is expected to play an important role in the transformation of social, political, economic lives of the citizens.
‘It is also expected to put society in a holistic growth and development oriented direction,’ he said.
Ayuba, while referring to the church as not just the building, but individuals, said he believed that the solution to the national and global crisis was in the church.
The guest speaker, Prof. John Kennedy Opara, while delivering a lecture, said the church held immense potential for catalysing positive change and fostering societal impact.
Opara, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CSS Group, one of the largest farms
in Karu, said the church plays a multifaceted and pivotal role in the society.
According to him, the church as individuals (citizens), helps in encompassing spiritual, social and humanitarian dimensions of citizens.
‘The church is vital for community engagement and support in contemporary society.
‘One of its fundamental roles is to promote social cohesion and unity.
‘The present church must be equipped so as to give life a meaning,’ Opara said.
He said that understanding societal challenges comes in different approaches.
According to him, they include; identifying key societal issues, analysing root causes, engage stakeholders and partnerships among others.
He admonished the church to build up men and women of compassion, generosity that would work with dignity.
‘The church must encourage its members to engage in productive work that contribute to personal well being and the common good of the society.
‘The church should engage in continuous training of members through job entrepreneurship, and job
skill training for empowerment of their future.
‘It must also introduce microfinance and small business support which in time, people will stand on their own rather than depending on their certificate for job,’ Opara added.
Opara said that the church could offer technical assistance to people to help them stand on their feet.
‘When you keep mentoring people and some of them get into what you are doing, the story will be a different thing entirely,’ Opara said.
Making reference to Israel with strong economy, due to investment on food sustainability, Opara said Nigeria equally needed strong economy by empowering individuals to do same.
‘vision is superior to strength and when God put something in our hand, He expect us to use it, as such, the church must never relent in training.
He advised the church to always pray and engage in the word of God.
A staff of the university, Mrs Helen Solomon, who spoke with NAN said the lecture was inspiring.
Solomon appreciated the VC for bringing such an idea, saying t
hat she has been impacted by the lecture.
She said she has already started considering getting into farming rather than waiting and depending on salary always.
Miss Anna Ari, a Law student of the institution said she now understood that vision was a big force that drives an individual.
Ari said that the lecture also taught her that praying for God’s guidance was needed in the pursuit and execution of ones vision.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria