You can be forgiven for wondering: what’s the difference between a male and a man? And that is precisely the problem with society today, particularly, the Nigerian nation. Most people do not realize that it takes much more than being male to be a man. Ben Kinchlow, it was who put that truth into a powerful aphorism, popularized by the late Edwin Louis Cole: being a male is a matter of birth, being a man is a matter of choice. In other words, the fact that you were born with the ’Y’ chromosome simply makes you a male; but you have a choice whether to remain just a male or rise to be a man.This is a truth that has eluded most men, including Christian men, over the ages. It is a truth which unless the men of any nation become acquainted with and eventually internalize, that nation can never really develop. At best it might experience stunted growth, but real development to the level ordained by God shall be impossible.
So what makes the difference between maleness and manhood, you ask. The answer is simply this: Christ-likeness. In fact the Holy Spirit caused a man of God to put it into the maxim: manhood and Christ-likeness are synonymous. That man, Edwin Louis Cole went on to build an international men’s ministry around it and through that ministry founded what is known today as the international men’s movement.
This is also the truth that some men have, these past few years, been propagating among Christian men in Lagos and some cities of Nigeria. It is the truth that this group of men has now decided to aggressively propagate beyond the confines of their current areas of influence.
Operating under the umbrella of Christian Men’s Network Nigeria, this ministry is an affiliate of the Texas, United States-based ministry of Ed Cole, as he is more popularly known. Under the spiritual guidance and leadership of one of Nigeria’s foremost teachers of the word of faith, Rev Dr Chris Tunde Joda, this network steps out this Saturday with an event known as Luncheon with the President.
It this event, Dr Joda, more endearingly known as the coach to those of us who receive our spiritual nurturing from Christ Chapel International Churches of which he is founder and senior pastor, will be talking to the men on The Culture of Christian Manhood.
This is not CMN Nigeria’s first event. In fact those of us involved have lost count. There was the Mighty Man of Valour Conference held in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt between June and July 2001 which featured, apart from Dr Joda such great men of God as Rev Larry Titus from Youngstown, Ohio, United States of America who had been in ministry for 35 years. There was also Minister Emmanuel Asiedu Appiah, then Executive Director, Leaders International, a body, which had identified Africa’s 21st Century Challenge as that of Developing Godly Leaders. An internationally acclaimed Business Consultant and CMN representative in his home country, Ghana, he conducted series of word-based workshops on leadership and management. Kunle Falola, a Minister of Songs, who used to be known as Dizzy K, also came in from his London base to minister in anointed and prophetic songs. Of course Dr Edwin Louis Cole’s video ministrations also featured prominently.
At the close of that particular conference believed to be first ever such gathering of Christian men in Nigeria; a very perceptive communiqué was issued to which I shall return presently.
Over the years there had been the quarterly Breakfast with the President which held mainly at the CCIC Joy Centre Auditorium in Surulere. There was the Mighty Man of Valour Award special event held at a popular eatery in Surulere during which the president, Dr Joda received the network’s Mighty Man of Valour Award. Three of the network’s partners were also honoured with the Man of Valour award at the event which featured Rev Dr Jide Awosedo, Chairman/Chief Executive of Grant Properties Ltd as guest minister. The Ikeja Chapter ran an entrepreneur development seminar series titled Wealthy Place; while its chapters in Ojokoro, Victoria Island/Lekki were also very active.
From the foregoing, it is clear that Christian Men’s Network Nigeria has neither been idle nor is it new on the events circuit. So what makes Saturday’s event special, you wonder? Well it is special because right from that beautiful morning in February when the president directed the coordinators to put it together, something clicked in most hearts that it was going to mark the beginning of a new phase for the network. That phase, you may describe as pre-movement stage. And everything had been done simply in agreement with the direction of the Holy Spirit.
The theme for instance took a while in coming! That’s because the president would not be led by even his own wisdom in this business of raising mighty men of spiritual substance and discipling them, considerable as it is. Then the coordinating team found itself putting considerably more effort than usual in spreading the word across churches in Lagos and beyond! Much more effort in fact than should ordinarily be required for an event holding in a 300-seater hall!
But most strikingly for this writer who happens to be at helm of the coordinating team was this feeling in my spirit since the last quarter of last year that 2006 was going to be the year of the Kingdom man in Nigeria. All the pointers have been there since the year began. At the February meeting I spoke about earlier the President under the unction of the Holy spirit said that a men’s movement that will turn things around in our nation was about to begin. He pointedly told the men in attendance that they were created for glory and must prepare to walk in that glory in this year of the Lord’s glory as prophesied by the late Brother Kenneth Copeland.
A perusal of that 2001 communiqué (see In the Beginning) tie s everything together.
All things considered the time for Nigerian Christian men to break denominational and other barriers, come together and sharpen one another to take their place is NOW – on the eve of another round of electioneering, democratic transition and economic reform consolidation. The time to stop being just males and stand up to be men is here. The time to learn the ways of Christian manhood is here. That is the significance of Saturday’s meeting
You can be forgiven for wondering: what’s the difference between a male and a man? And that is precisely the problem with society today, particularly, the Nigerian nation. Most people do not realize that it takes much more than being male to be a man. Ben Kinchlow, it was who put that truth into a powerful aphorism, popularized by the late Edwin Louis Cole: being a male is a matter of birth, being a man is a matter of choice. In other words, the fact that you were born with the ’Y’ chromosome simply makes you a male; but you have a choice whether to remain just a male or rise to be a man.
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