EMERGING MARKETPLACE LEADERS: ARE THE CHRISTIAN YOUTHS READY?
-Christian Youth Leader, Rev’d Emem Jacob offers Insight
The coming on board of Pastor Umo Eno as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State ushers in a new season of endless possibilities for the entire citizenry, particularly the youths. Being a marketplace minister, he will want to see the emergence of marketplace leaders from the Church youths. But are the Church youths ready?
Rev’d Emem Jacob, Youth Leader, Fathers In Faith for Good Governance offers some insights. “The Church youths are creative. We have talents amongst them in ICT and entrepreneurship. What is lacking is effective coordination of our resources to prepare the youths as leaders of the marketplace.”
He urged the youths to wake into the reality of today’s economy, review the Arise Agenda of the Umo Eno administration and conduct needs assessment to identify where in the blueprint the Church youths fit in.
According to him, youths are prepared to deploy their ingenuity in technology to boost the job creation programme of the new government.
The Church youths expect government to integrate them into skills improvement scheme. Rev’d Emem Jacob, who is also the senior pastor of Christian Fellowship Evangelical Church, Akwa Ibom State, is confident Church youths will leverage their resourcefulness to rise above limitations.
He, however, urged Church leaders to invest in grooming youths. “The Church is full of talented youths. They need exposure to key marketplace knowledge, they need innovative skills to participate in the digital economy, the blue economy, and oil and gas.
The Church should not only preach but should intentionally invest in them, support and prepare them for to take dominion in the highly competitive industries,” he added.
The marketplace is a melting pot where many competencies in various capacities of human capital development, finance, technology and governance are exhibited.
Chris Patton defines marketplace ministry as, “The directing of evangelism and other Christian activities toward the secular marketplace.”
Explaining, he said: “It is being a disciple and witness for Christ in and through your work or business. A similar approach is having the attitude of being a full-time minister in the workplace.”
The Church youths must take dominion in the marketplace because, for example, in the National Assembly, have leaders who profess to be Christians but the interest of the Church is not in their mind.
So, when legislation is inimical to the growth, development, and general well-being of the Church, these legislators will not stick out their necks to defend the Church. They will even team up with anti-Christian elements to frustrate Church growth. It will only take Church-minded, Christ-centric leaders to defend the interest of the Church.
In the media for instance, you will find out that a lot of anti-Christian programmes like pornography, Satanism, violence and idolatry are commonplace because big media owners are either atheists or none Christian believers. These billionaire media-preneurs would rather use their extensive influence and mega resources to project largely elements that have no regard for the Christian faith. Rev’d Jacob believes the Church youths are talented enough to close this gap; he solicits support of Church leaders, government and good-spirited individuals to encourage the youths to sprout.
