Cleric tasks churches on social responsibility

The Lead Pastor of International Miracle Service and Evangelistic Ministries, Andrew Umoru, has urged churches to complement gospel preaching with social responsibility by addressing the health, welfare, and other needs of host communities.

Umoru stated that the church has a duty to care for the vulnerable, stressing that preaching salvation should go hand in hand with practical interventions to alleviate human suffering.

He spoke on Friday during a courtesy visit to the Abowa of Agbowa-Ikosi, Oba Saheed Momson, ahead of a three-day crusade in the Lagos community.

The Agbowa Miracle Crusade, themed “Emi Ni: It is I, Be not afraid,” is scheduled to run from Friday to Sunday at the Agbowa-Ikosi Open Ground, featuring a youth forum, a children’s forum, and a free medical outreach.

Explaining the rationale behind the interventions, Umoru noted that the ministry’s approach was informed by the example of Jesus Christ, who combined gospel preaching with acts of compassion.

“Jesus was not staying in one place or sitting in an armchair waiting for people to come; he went around preaching the gospel and doing good,” Umoru said.

He added that churches should not preach to hungry individuals without addressing their immediate physical needs, citing the biblical account of Jesus feeding over 5,000 people.

“The gospel has social responsibility embedded in it, and we must not preach the gospel to hungry people without addressing their hunger.

“We have a responsibility to put something back into the community,” he added.

He explained that the crusade’s accompanying activities were designed to reach various demographics, particularly children, young people, and residents requiring medical attention.

According to him, medical doctors, including eye specialists, will be deployed from different parts of Nigeria to provide free healthcare services to residents.

He stated that the initiative was intended to offer relief to individuals struggling with health challenges and economic hardship.

“Many people in this community are standing on nothing solid because of health challenges and economic problems.

“A lot of people are falling through the cracks, so we will provide assistance with food alongside medicine and other items,” said.

Describing the intervention as an outreach of comfort, Umoru expressed hope that the programme would foster peace and unity across the community.

He added that Agbowa-Ikosi would serve as the central broadcast location for the crusade, with online transmissions via YouTube and Facebook to enable wider participation.

He expressed optimism that the crusade would bring spiritual renewal to the community while providing practical relief to residents.

Receiving the delegation, the Abowa of Agbowa-Ikosi, Oba Saheed Momson, expressed support for the initiative, noting that the community welcomed opportunities for collective prayer and spiritual growth.

The traditional ruler stated that he would attend the crusade alongside his chiefs to pray for the peace and progress of the domain.

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He highlighted the importance of committing community affairs to God, describing human existence as dependent on divine grace and preservation.

Oba Momson also called for increased attention to infrastructure and economic development in Agbowa-Ikosi, identifying motorable roads, schools, electricity, and recreational facilities as urgent priorities.

He described Agbowa-Ikosi as a peaceful community populated by educated professionals across medicine, engineering, and law, noting that the town produced the first Attorney-General of Lagos State.

The monarch added that the community possessed rich cultural traditions and natural landmarks capable of driving tourism and local economic growth if properly developed.

He identified the town’s waterfront and the Eko-Osia waterfall as prime tourist attractions, arguing that targeted investments in hospitality and infrastructure would unlock significant economic value.

According to him, a well-managed waterfront would stimulate commercial activities and generate sustainable prosperity for the local economy.

He urged the government to guarantee basic infrastructure and public safety, maintaining that private enterprise and community initiatives thrive when essential services are secured.

“The moment the government provides security for lives and property and puts basic infrastructure in place, the people will sort themselves out and drive development,” the monarch stated.

The traditional ruler acknowledged the efforts of the Lagos State Government in healthcare delivery, noting that the community currently benefits from a general hospital and a primary health centre.

Oba Momson stated that the free medical outreach was timely, given the financial constraints facing many families seeking healthcare.

He explained that families frequently struggled to settle hospital bills, resulting in delayed discharges even after receiving medical treatment.

He expressed confidence that the intervention would ease financial pressure on households and bring physical and spiritual benefits to the town.

“When the people are healthy, you have a prosperous community, and I am confident that the power of God will move mightily in the lives of our people,” Oba Momson said.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria in Agbowa-Ikosi, Ayodele Godwin, expressed confidence that the crusade would bring spiritual transformation and salvation to the community.

“Our God is a God of signs and wonders, and we have great expectations that God will perform miracles and grant salvation to many in this land,” Godwin said.

Similarly, the Treasurer of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Agbowa-Ikosi, Paul Muritala, noted that the Christian community was trusting God for divine healing and spiritual liberation during the three-day event.

“We want to see the land liberated and the people of Agbowa turn to God, trusting Him for miracles including the healing of the sick,” Muritala stated.

The crusade will feature ministers from the International Miracle Service and Evangelistic Ministries, including Glory Umoru, Apostle Olu Ebayelo, Francis Adedeji, John Akhigbe, Dr Iniobong John, and Michael Arizieh.