Cleric Tasks Church on Biblical Role in Nation Building as ‘The Church and Nation Dialogue’ Ends in Jos

Our Correspondent

A faith-based civic engagement program has called on the Nigerian Church to rediscover its biblical responsibility in building a nation where peace, justice, prosperity and human dignity flourish.

The call was made during the Church and Nation Dialogue with the theme “Nigeria Between Peril and Promise” organized by the ECWA Plateau Church, EPC, Jos, with the final session scheduled for Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 4:30 PM.

Speaking in a reflection on Monday, October 19 session, convener Citizen Bolaji O. Akinyemi said the dialogue explored “Recovering the Biblical Theology of Nation Building” with a focus on Jeremiah 29:7 and 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

“Jeremiah 29:7 commands God’s people to ‘seek the peace of the city’ and pray for it, because its peace determines their own peace,” Akinyemi said.

The cleric explained that the New Testament amplifies the responsibility in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, which calls believers to pray for those in authority so that society may enjoy a peaceful and quiet life marked by godliness and dignity.

According to him, the Scriptures present more than a call to prayer, but a summons to responsible citizenship, godly leadership and pursuit of the common good.

He added that the Monday, October 19, session also examined the contrast between the “principalities” believers wrestle against in Ephesians 6:12 and the authorities to whom they are instructed to be subject in Titus 3:1.

“Nation building is not alien to biblical faith. It is part of our responsibility to God and humanity,” the statement said, adding that fulfilling it requires discernment, civic responsibility and practical understanding of authority, accountability and the common good.

The closing session will focus on the theme “Repairers of the Breach: From Prophetic Conversation to National Transformation Pathway” and dwell on training and activating young people as agents of national transformation.

“Nigerian youths are not a generation to be suppressed or stopped. They are a generation to be understood, trained, engaged and empowered through a deliberate leadership development system. The question is not whether the energy of our young people can be contained. The question is whether the Church and the nation can provide the wisdom, structures and opportunities to direct that energy towards building a better Nigeria,” Akinyemi said.

Organizers said the future of Nigeria demands more than prophetic declarations, but prepared people, responsible leadership and a generation equipped to repair the breach.

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