The President, All Africa Baptist Fellowship, Rev. Israel Akanji has inducted Rev. Thomas Takpatore as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Nigeria, Garki Abuja.
In an interview with newsmen on the sideline of a special induction service on Sunday, Akanji charged the new senior pastor of the Baptist Church in the heart of the Nigerian Capital to always seek the face of God.
He tasked Takpatore on good leadership and sustained commitment to his duties as the chief shepherd of the church while urging members to give him the required support.
He said the First Baptist Church should continue to uphold its status as a pacesetter congregation in the capital of the biggest black nation on earth.
Akanji who is also the President, Nigerian Baptist Convention, urged all Nigerians to support and pray for leaders across all levels as the country faces multiple challenges.
“We have our own human responsibilities in the difficult times we are in, we must be praying for government.
“The Bible says that the people of God must pray for the leaders because nobody assumes leadership without the knowledge of God; whoever that person is, God has put him or her there.
“It is our own to pray for them and support them and then to be good citizens to contribute our own quota.
“We should not break the traffic lights, we should not drop banana peels from our cars on the road; we should keep the cities clean. We should be fair to the environment.
“We should be lovers of one another, let the killings and attacks of people, that is shedding blood, should discontinue in our country.
“And I tell you the truth, the whole world will come to watch Nigeria, if we can just embrace brotherly love among one another,” he said
The President, Men Missionary Union (MMU) Mr Augustine Beguwa said that the induction of Rev. Takpatore meets the yearnings of all the members of the church.
He said that Takpatore had served as pastor in the church for over 17 years, describing him as an experienced administrator and accommodating minister of God with all the required qualities to lead the church.
Beguwa tasked members to cooperate with the new Senior Pastor and prayed God to give him the wisdom and the ability to take the church to greater heights.
Also speaking, Deaconess Olukemi Adebimpe-Ojo, the President of Women Missionary Union (WMU) in the church expressed satisfaction with the choice of Takpatore and his induction as senior pastor.
She said that all the women in the church had been waiting for the inauguration saying that Takpatore had been good in every area of his ministry.
Adebimpe-Ojo prayed God for more unction for the senior pastor to function well and fresh oil of wisdom for him to succeed in his new task.
Also, the Youth President, Ms Idowu Fagbemi said that the induction of Takpatore births a new dawn for the church.
He said that Takpatore is a father to all sayings that he is an exemplary leader for all youths to emulate.
Fagbemi pledged the support of all the youths in the church to the success of the new senior pastor of the church.
Responding, Takpatore said he is thankful to God for the great privilege given him to serve His church saying that God’s plans for the church will come to pass.
He said that he is will to serve and that he had adopted teamwork and community approach to all church activities.
I am just so thankful that God has also given us a great church to serve in our prayer. Trust is that, that which God had proposed for this church will come to pass.
“And this will be a great time of listening to God and obeying God and doing that which God has called us to be, to be a light to our world, and to be a blessing our world In Jesus name.
“It’s a team work, we are all working together, praying together and looking at God’s word together and just trusting God, looking up to God for what God will do in our lives and do in our nation.
“God has been faithful, He is the master shepherd that leads his people and he has led us through various levels at various times and seasons.
“And He has brought us to this point and we are thankful to God for his leadership,” he said. (NAN)