...As Church leaders advocate Gospel expansion, soul winning
In Ebonyi, the 2022 Camp Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventists Church was attended by a mammoth crowd from different parts of the state, NATIONAL PANEL reports.
The Camp Conference was held on Saturday at the Community Progressive Model School Umuigboke Ugwulagwu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Spreading a sermon anchored on the theme, "I will go: Be His Witness;" the Guest Speaker at the event, Pastor Onyebuchi Pius Nwankpa explained that "the message hinges on receiving the power of God."
Nwankpa who was the former President of the Church observed that people across the world have continued to hunt for different kinds of power and concluded 'no other power is worth searching for except the power of Jesus Christ.'
The Guest Speaker, who is also the present Stewardship and Trust Services Director of the Adventist Church in Eastern Nigeria, emphasized the need for the people to seek always only the power of God (Holy Spirit), saying just as Jesus promised for His disciples, that those serving Him as their personal Lord and Saviour shall receive it.
He noted that the power of God is meant for decent works, not power for wickedness nor for political power to destroy human society.
"The power of God is the power to make worthy life, power to prosper, and the power to present good observation to a perishing world not power to destroy," he hinted.
The Cleric also observed that "the nation is in trouble today because people have abandoned God's directives, and began to search for powers from devils.
"The people searching for powers from devils ended up thinking nothing else mattered and decided to do things the way they like.
"But if people who fear God, come to rule, you will see the difference because people will rejoice. This time, everybody is crying because of the serious hardship in the land. There is too much suffering in the land because people who do not know the true God are ruling. It is important now to understand that Jesus' power is for good, and anyone who receives this power will yield better results to the conditions of the people, by making them smile and bringing joy to the Kingdom of God - expanding the kingdom with words of God and winning souls for Christ as a representative of the Truth and Light that can only chase away darkness from our land.
"The Bible says you shall say the Truth and the Truth shall set you free. So, Jesus promised His disciples that they will get power after the Holy Spirit might have descended upon them, and they will become witnesses. So, any other power you get from anywhere except God is satanic power and it's the power of destruction."
He used the opportunity to congratulate the people who accepted Christ at the Camp meeting, describing the renewal of their covenant with Christ as the best choice, and equally urged them to be steadfast in their vows till the kingdom of God comes.
Also, the President of the Adventist Church in Ebonyi State, Pastor Emmanuel Nweke expressed gratitude for the mammoth crowd at the church's 2022 camp conference in the state.
Pastor Nweke said: "We are more than three thousand people on this ground. I'm happy that at end of the event many people accepted Christ, as their Lord and personal Saviour."
He advised the new converts and those who renewed their relationship with Christ at the event to be steadfast in their vows, reminding them that "it won't be long before the coming of the Kingdom of God."
He also commended the Church members, especially their leaders for their contributions which according to him, made the event a colourful one.
He however urged the Church members to hold unto God, believing that He would see them through in all their worthwhile engagements this year and beyond.
Another speaker at the programme Professor Johnny Ogunji urged the congregation to be "refocusing" on the activities of God, aligning his message to that of the President of Eastern Nigeria Union Conference, Pastor Professor Bassey Udoh, who described the camp meeting as an event emerged in spiritual activities.
The Camp Conference, in his words, was a time for reflection, a time for spiritual stock-taking, physical refreshment and reinvigoration.'
He further described the conference as "a time for repentance, conversion, revival and reformation, a time for a new commitment, a time for special communion with Heaven, a time for praise and Thanksgiving."
While commending the massive turnout of the Church members, the Cleric said, "whatever we do now that runs counter this spirit of witnessing and soul winning for Christ is a displeasure to Heaven."
Recall that special prayers were made by all the ministers of God, elders and members for the church, families and the nation at large.
