According to the Most Rev. Dr. Caleb Maduoma, Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Owerri and Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ideato, it is faith and not emotions that creates a believer’s reality. He said this during the reading of the Bishop’s charge at the Third Session of the Sixth Synod of the diocese held at Christ Church, Ntueke, Ideato-South LGA, Imo state. The Archbishop explained that weeping is an act of hopelessness and not faith. Therefore, he charged Christians to stop wailing over their situations and start trusting God for miraculous interventions.

Speaking on the theme for the Synod, “Never give up,” Archbishop Maduoma said that anyone who endured to the end shall be saved. He noted that often times believers miss out on their miracle because they become distracted with the problems surrounding their circumstances and thus, never receive their breakthrough. He cited the Biblical example of Jairus who refused to be deterred from receiving his daughter’s healing from Jesus, explaining that Jairus was confronted with several oppositions that could have prevented him if he had succumbed. The Cleric stated that Jairus had to break away from tradition and overcome the fear of losing his position in the Synagogue to approach Jesus, adding that he also had to fight through a crowd to get to Jesus and to get Him to his daughter’s side.

The Bishop of Ideato diocese emphasized that it was Jairus’ love for his daughter and faith in the ability of Jesus that gave him the courage not to give up. He also pointed out the fact that Jesus cared about Jairus’ faith and therefore sought to protect it from the doubt that could have arisen as a result of the announcement that his daughter was already dead. This, according to the Archbishop is the reason Jesus immediately asked Jairus not to be afraid, but believe. In the same vein, the Cleric said that Jesus is telling believers today to not give up. The Bishop of Ideato charged believers not to allow themselves to be distracted or interrupted in their journey with Jesus. He added that as human beings, one is constantly faced with the battle of emotions as a result of life’s choices that must be made. But, he encouraged believers to look to Jesus for direction and solution to life’s challenges.

Archbishop Maduoma concluded that Jesus won the battle at the cross of Calvary and is calling His children to never give up, but believe in His ability to make what seems impossible to be possible. He reiterated that no matter how hopeless the situation may seem in the country or community, Jesus is able to turn around any circumstance for good, adding that problems cease when it encounters Jesus.

Meanwhile, the Senator for Imo West Constituency, Hope Uzodinma during the Synod pointed out that the objective of the Church is no different from that of politics, in the sense that they both seek the salvation of the human race, ensuring that human activity is conducted in an orderly and lawful manner. The Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who was the keynote speaker for the 2016 Ideato Diocesan Synod called on the Church to be concerned with the happenings in the political sector to avoid being completely sidelined. He stressed that it is the duty of Christians to show interest in what happens in politics, stand up for justice, proclaim the truth and speak out against oppressive policies of government. He added that the Church must ensure that Christians in government conduct themselves in a manner that is truly reflective of Christian values and virtues.