Mr Edward Asuelimen, Chairman of Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria (CCRN), Abuja Archdiocese, said that Christians have the responsibility to fulfil the mission of Christ on earth.
Asuelimen made the ball while speaking with the New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday at the “2017 Prayer Project Rally’’ organised by Abuja Archdiocese CCRN.
The 34-day 2017 Prayer and Fasting Project which started on Dec. 27, 2016 is expected to end with a rally on Sunday, Jan, 29 at Papal Ground, Kubwa.
The Chairman said the prayer project, a yearly programme, which started in 2005 had helped Catholics and Christians in general to be conscious of their mission on earth and to live with eternity in view.
“The impact is that it has made us to be conscious and develop our spiritual and physical life. It is a way of keeping us at the feet of Jesus at all times.
“Every year, it is a new vision; if it is not beneficial, we wouldn’t have had more than 30,000 people, even non- Catholic Charismatic Renewal yearn for the programme yearly,’’ he said.
Asuelimen, however, advised Catholics that have established their private ministries to check their lives and be focus in the mission of preaching the gospel.
The Chairman said that church is a body of Christ, according to 1st Corinthians Chapter 12, adding that no one is bigger or small than other.
“Check your conscience if what you do now is what Jesus would have done in His time and if all the apostles opened their churches everywhere.
“The essence of the private ministry is that I have a gift and I don’t want anybody to tell me what to do. I want to do it in my own way and earn some gratification.
“ The Bible says, `freely you have received and freely you should give’.
“We lay faithful as Catholic Charismatic Renewal members, we are not ordained priests, we are advised as Paul will say that if you don’t work, don’t eat,’’ he said.
Asuelimen said that some members with private ministries had been carried away with the worldly things rather than obeying the authority that God has put them under.
He said that some of them know that if they remain under the structure, making money out of it would become difficult so they want to go their own way where they can make money.
“That is what is the essence of promoting private ministries. I can tell you,’’ the leader said.
He, however, said that it was his expectation that God should visit His people at the prayer rally and meet their various needs.
Similarly, Bro Godfrey Anyebe, the Chairman of the 2017 Prayer Project, Planning Committee said that the essence of the project was to pray for the grace to arise and shine as Christians.
Anyebe, the Assistant Secretary of Abuja Archdiocesan of CCRN, said the organiser was hoping that God would transform life of members in the rally to true Christians.
He said the programme was organised to change characters.
“We should wake up to the reality of God because there are so many distortions; so many people call on God but engage in corruption, bribery, robbery and so many atrocities in the society,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the theme of the prayer project is “Arise and shine’’ taking from the book of Isaiah Chapter 60 verses one to three. (NAN)
