THE LAST FRONTIER- rescuing Baptist Student fellowship from possible encroachments and praying the Lord of Harvest unto the fields: Luke 10:1-2 #Baptistthing Is is the irony of starting a television station in 2012/2013 and calling it the New Frontier when the rest of the World began to watch television in 1920s to the 1950s or is it the fact that I am a sci-fi movie fan or even my love as it were for the Baptist Student fellowship which is possibly the only arm of the Nigerian baptist denomination used by God for decades now to keep the fire of the Lord still burning bright that warrants my article? I am sure it is the last reason which moved me to write again concerning my beloved earthly address- The Baptist denomination. For anyone just reading this post, it would be advisable to read my other posts on the need for a revival of truth in the Nigerian Baptist denomination (Search the internet). No one who has ever been blessed through the ministry of the Baptist Student fellowship that will forget easily the experience of raw pursuit of truth, innocent desire of God and the burning desire for the Kingdom which all came because at a point in time- the BAPTIST STUDENT FELLOWSHIP was the discipleship ground upon which Christ was being formed in him or her. I wrote sometime ago that instead of offering answers to issues we do not have a question for, the Baptist leadership must return to the scriptures and began to respond to God initiated ventures not just that which passes through their minds filled with the lust for power, competition with other denominations like Israel asked for a King because other nations had Kings or the promotion of traditions above the Bible. I asked a question which till now, no one has responded to but have initiated a deep underground cry for revival amidst those who still know the Lord as their God over those who see some daddys as the supreme authority. I should make it clear, the seeming rot in the leadership is not recent- in the quarry of traditions and flesh motivated culture- godsthat I labeled Irunmoles were created who not only speak while alive and active but want the rest of us(who may not understand the real politics behind it all) to quiver in fear at their voice even from the grave or pathway to the grave. I am sorry I am writing in parables! But I hope that everyone who do not understand will ask questions from the local Churches to the association and upto the convention level- knowing that we do not have a general overseer nor spiritual daddy before whom we must bow for only Jesus Christ must be the Lord over all ALONE (I did not invent this, it is in the Baptist polity). Questions of who are those helping us to think and what is the place of the scriptures in all these is still relevant? A former BSFite showed me from the magazine of The Nigerian Baptist page 34 where the NBC plan for the next two years include having Volunteer Campus Ministers in all campuses. The the article narrates briefly the history of Baptist Student Union or fellowship as it is called today and also highlighted the plans for the future. The article began the history and purpose from what I believe as an inadequate starting point. Baptist Student fellowship as it is with other units in the Baptist Church is never an act of building Churchmanship but discipleship. Ask everyone who has chosen to stay in the denomination amidst the present generation of Baptist members, it is not because of churchmanship but for the purpose of thorough discipleship opportunity made available. That is why many great denominations in Nigeria stole members from the baptist denomination. They were the people of the book and as it is often said; a Sunday school teacher in the Baptist Church can easily become the senior pastor of the new generation pentecostal Churches. So every unit is built for discipleship even the Churches still having the old women choir unit is meant to help the Old women in their discipleship training. The Bible reveals that central to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God is discipleship- Matthew 28:18-20. That is what BSF offered everyone who joined. Many who could not fulfil their flesh motivated desires left BSF and joined other Churches because to them BSF had too many laws and they were not ready to follow the popular. Yes, BSF do have many laws and may still have some pockets of senior friends who want recognition as demi-gods but it has continued to grow stronger on campuses and even in local churches. Everyone who has gone through Baptist Student fellowship always have good/thankful thoughts about BSF and when I met some former University of Ife BSFites in the U.K., it was a like a family reunion. One thing is evident- the love for the Baptist denomination became truly established in their heart when they were BSF members and their pain for BSF on campuses and in the local Churches is brewed from their fear of the encroachment of the local Churches and the leadership of the convention, and that is the truth. BSF isnt perfect and I have had my few negative encounters with the tradition of worship of senior friends who think we need their permission to be holy because they were the standard yet the word alone gave me victory over traditions and today I see people practising the liberty of the spirit in the same BSF that years ago told me I needed to pay homage to certain former Daddys. Nevertheless, I understand the reason why the senior friends tried to keep in touch- BSF years were investments of hearts and a bank for that which is precious spiritual in their Christian development. Now the same issues are beginning to rear its head in BSF and it is coming from the quarters of those helping the rest of the denomination to think even though this is a Congregational Church. I believe and so I speak and ask what question is the volunteer campus ministers going to be answering? WHAT IS THE QUESTION? I have raised other questions sometime ago that; the question the leadership should answer is why the local Churches are turning to cemeteries where the vibrant BSFites who graduated from the University seem to lie buried and forgotten? Why is it that the only very few ones we hear-of after their glorious exploits in BSF are in the seminary and very very few they are? Why do they disappear? If they cannot answer us, the commissioning of Volunteer campus minster will infect the remaining vibrant life and hope of the Nigerian Baptist denomination. Ask the BSF you know why many campus BSF seems a lot vibrant than the BSF in the local Churches and they will tell you- that it wasnt the Volunteer campus minister, it was the volunteer Church traditions choking the life out of them. If the convention wants to help- dont ask the Student Ministry Leaders in the Baptist Building(who chose them?)- ask the Campus fellowship presidents and they will tell you what needs to be done. Check how BSLF is functioning in the seminaries. The Student in the seminary began their Baptist Student Leadership Fellowship (BSLF) and the level at which it thrives or is popular with former BSFites who are currently studying in the seminary says a lot about what the leadership should be doing about BSF on campuses. The Soul Competency or freedom of conscience many had heard about as a Baptist polity can only be seen in its truest possible form on campuses and that is the secret of the fire of the Lord still burning on campuses. Baptist student returned to local Churches from campuses filled with the Holy Ghost and soaked in the word. The God-given freedom and ability of persons to know and respond to God’s will is what makes BSF a unique unit and probably the LAST FRONTIER for restoring the pursuit of God to the local churches and preserving the heritage of the Baptists in Nigeria. Baptist corpers fellowship inaugurated after the manner of other denominations will not keep the young ones from leaving the denomination. You may not really be able to beat the original inventors at their own game. The level at which new generation denominations are financing their Corpers fellowships may be a bit too high for the Baptist competitor but support the ministry of the Baptist student fellowship and we may surely protect and preserve the future of the Baptists in Nigeria. To the units of disciples sent out to preach Jesus had this to say; ... The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest (Luke 10:2). That should be the prayer. The campuses is an undeniable field where the love for Gods word alone is built and the desire to bring changes by faith to the world is often birthed. Former #BSFites talk about BSF like it was heaven on earth. All those who chose to remain and pray for revival of Gods word over traditions in the Nigerian Baptist have found in the denomination a treasure and this treasure was sowed when they were BSFites on campuses. Go ahead and introduce answers when there are no questions relating to it on the campuses and the thing which the denomination greatly feared may come upon her. And do not be surprised, many will resist these encroachments on Gods own field(BSF) and the breaking of the fundamental right of every Baptist Student fellowship member- which is a major difference between Baptists and many other denominations that no person or group outside of a Baptist congregation is to have any authority over the church in regard to beliefs and religious practices. Furthermore, all of the members within the church FELLOWSHIP are to have equal voice in the governance of the church. I therefore. write to all who remember what God used BSF to do to pray and ask until revival begins. I write to those still on the campuses to keep the fire burning- search the scriptures alone, bow to Jesus Christ alone and proclaim the Gospel alone- that is why you are Baptists.Do not leave- this is your earthly address and it is a field ripe for harvest. Shalom to the Israel of God. (c) Bishop Ponle Alabi #copeainc
Posted on: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 10:51:00 +0000
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