Newly elected and inaugurated Executive Council members of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Bauchi State chapter have been charged to lead the membership with fear of God and fairness.
They were also charged to promote unity, peace, cooperation, and understanding among congregations of the member churches in order to achieve the set objectives of propagating the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The charge was given by the National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Evangelist Francis Wale Oke, while officially presiding over the inauguration of the Executive Council held on Saturday at the Events Centre of the AMAKs Hotel, Bauchi.
The PFN National President, who was represented by the National Vice President, North-Central, Prophet Isa El-Buba Saddique, stressed that the most important thing is the unity of the body of Christ, especially in this period of need in the country.
He said that the people are yearning for the words of God, which give hope to the hopeless, but they can only be propounded in an atmosphere of peace and unity, not amongst themselves alone but with other arms of the Christian community in the state.
The PFN National President commended the maturity displayed during the electoral process that brought in the new EXCO members, saying that it was a demonstration of growth in the PFN and calling on other states to emulate Bauchi State.
Francis Wale Oke also commended the executive for organising a dinner, saying that it was a welcome and wonderful development that will further bring the PFN membership together as it will serve as an avenue of socialisation and togetherness.
He said, “I want you to assist each other, support each other, and work for each other. I want to see all church projects completed in turn. Buy motorcycles for each other and cars for each other. You can only do those when you relate to each other with trust and confidence.”
He then commended the State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for showing quality leadership of the Christian community in the state, urging it to keep it up in order to ensure stronger ties among all of the arms that make up the association.
Francis Wale Oke also used the occasion to commend Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, for allowing peaceful coexistence among the people of the state, irrespective of their religious differences.
He stressed that peace can only be achieved and sustained when people are allowed to practice their religious beliefs without interference from any quota.
In his post-inauguration speech, the new chairman, Pastor Promise Nuhu Yohana, assured that the new leadership will ensure an all-inclusive administration as its doors will be wide open for constructive criticism and advice.
He stressed that the new EXCO will key into the 10 agenda items of the National PFN as outlined by the National President, Francis Wale Oke, stressing that the essence is to promote togetherness in the PFN at all levels.
Promise Yohana also said that his administration will ensure that in the next 4 years, the PFN will have its own permanent and functional Secretariat where daily activities of the PFN will be conducted.
The PFN Chairman added that there will be training and retraining of pastors and other church leaders in order to ensure that they are up-to-date in the performance of their spiritual callings and exhibit well-developed understanding.
According to him, “This series will commence next month; a few will be selected and trained on how to be more effective in the propagation of the gospel.