The Seventh-day Adventist Church World President, Pastor Ted Wilson, urged government to sustain religious liberty and freedom of conscience in Nigeria in order to build a better Nigeria.
He said that religious liberty and freedom of conscience provides a solid foundation for peace
and prosperity in any nation hence it should be protected in all parts of the country.
“I want to thank the Christian community in Nigeria at large and the good arrangement that our church enjoys in this area.
“I also want to give a strong appreciation to the Federal Government and also to the state for the religious liberty that is provided for all citizens.
“And this is really the foundation of progress and prosperity in the nation,” he said.
He said that Seventh-day Adventist members want to be good citizens of Nigeria and other
countries around the world where the Church is found.
He added that the centenary celebration for Nigeria and the church’s 100 years celebrations made both a good company.
The cleric opined that the church members and clergy could be useful to the society “as people who do not destroy society but work hard to build it”.
He noted that “when people meet Jesus and have a relationship with Him, something happens and they become more like Christ.
“And that is what I think the church members and clergy can do to help build up the society, by leading people to Jesus Christ.
“The Seventh-day Adventist members want to be part of a fabric that builds up the society.
“They want to support those in position of authority but they really try to be a careful fabric in that society and build up society.
“Church and clergy can carry a strong role in building up a society by pointing people to biblical knowledge and the wonderful word of God, because the Bible says, “righteousness exalts a nation”
“When people have revival and reformation, when people meet Jesus on a daily basis, something happens and they become more and more like Christ. We need to be revived and transformed by Him, he said during a news conference held at the Church’s Eastern Nigeria Union Conference (ENUC) Headquarters in Aba on Sunday.
He also said that Seventh-day Adventists can be honest, hardworking, faithful people who are not trying to destroy society but to add to its infrastructure in a positive way.
Wilson thanked the news media for the work they were doing worldwide which helped to improve societies and prayed for them and Nigerian people at the end.
Filed by
Pastor Uzoma Nwosi
Communication Director