The overseer, Real Christian Gospel Ministry, Dutse, Abuja, Pastor Innocent Odo, has urged all Nigerians to emulate Jesus Christ by being kind to their neigbhours, especially the less privileged.
In a sermon at the ministry’s End of Year Thanksgiving Service in Abuja yesterday, Pastor Innocent said life makes more meaning when people reach out to others in need, thus epitomising the love Jesus Christ has for mankind by dying on the cross for the remission of their sins to gain eternal life.
He told the congregation that one must not have more enough to express kindness to others, but should do so from one’s meagre resources.
“We are here today to thank God for all His kindness during the year. Not everyone that started the year is alive or well today, but God has been kind to us and we need to thank Him. Again, we are here to share the little God has given us. We will share what we have equally and give the other half to motherless babies’ homes. We don’t have much but God says when your neighbour is hungry or thirsty, share what you have with them. If you want to wait till you have much before giving to a needy person, you may end up not giving at all, but Jesus Christ told us to remember our neighbours, remember, he used only five loaves of bread to feed hundreds of people, let us learn to emulate him, otherwise on the last day, he may say he doesn’t know us because we refused to obey him,” pastor Innocent said.
At the end of his admonition, all members of the congregation and non-members who attended the service were given some amount of money and some refreshment to take home.
Observers at the service were heard by LEADERSHIP Sunday saying it was the first time they saw money being given to members of a congregation, as the usual practice is for members to contribute money for the church.
Earlier, Pastor Innocent said the money being given to the congregants was contributed by well-meaning members and other people who felt like sharing the little they had with others, especially the less privileged.
He prayed God to be with everyone present throughout the year and to witness many more progress years. Highlight of the occasion was the testimony time when many testified to the goodness of God in their lives, including a man who said after two years of praying, a fortnight ago, a friend called to give him a new Venza car.
