What Can the Church Do To Redeem the Time?


At a Time like This Can the Church Help?

It is no longer news that we are faced with hard times.  A situation where individuals provide for themselves social amenities that is to be constitutionally provided by the Government even at a reduced rate to help its citizens is beyond imagination. 

Everyone is responsible for himself, every man on his own and if you are not strong and equipped enough, oh my God…………………!!!  Your name will be sorry.
This is not funny at all and it is not just in Nigeria but around most of the countries of the world, people are struggling to survive. 

Some of these challenges are partly due to technology replacing human labor with machines. Some of it is due to social and political breakdowns, warfare, violence, and corruption. Some of it is due to terrorism and natural disasters. Some are due to lack of a good work ethic, motivation, honesty, diligence, responsibility, and so on.

In the face of all these particularly in my country Nigeria, majority of the people seem to find solace in the churches.  Many people like me have the belief that solution to these world problem will definitely come from the church.  

While I believe in miracles, there no doubt that faith without work is dead. Churches need to develop and organize entrepreneurship programmes to equip their members and also promote economic growth, development and reduce the social vices in our countries.

The absence of jobs and work is a huge factor in poverty of course. People need work to eat and find shelter and basic necessities. But unemployment or joblessness brings with it a loss of human dignity and a squandering of gifts and abilities God grants to each of us. We need jobs to be able to survive and provide for our families the basic needs.

The various ways in which the church can assist their congregation in entrepreneurship programme includes:
Capacity building programme,
Skill Acquisition Programme,
Giving Soft Loan,
Scholarship,
Mentorship,
Seminars.

Capacity building programme:
Building capacity involves skills transfer, training, human resource management, organizational development, and the strengthening of communities and social networks. There is a need for the church to organize capacity building programme so that their members can gain more skills, knowledge and values which will help them to be more productive to themselves and the society at large.
Skill Acquisition:
This can be in form of organizing training programmes in soap making, bead making, catering, photography, cosmetics and make-up, tailoring, hairdressing, shoe and bag making e.t.c.
The skills gained through this programme will enable them start their own business and also generate revenue thereby reducing unemployment in the society and also creating employment for other jobless members.
Giving Soft Loans:
Churches by granting soft loans to their members who have financial challenges will motivate their members to start and expand their business rather than killing their ideas due to lack of finance.
Scholarship:
There are some training that can be embarked upon which will add value to their members. Most members are willing to participate in the training but they lack the money to pay to acquire this training. Churches can encourage their members by giving them scholarships to acquire this training.
Mentorship:
People who have experienced in the business are connected with the young entrepreneur to assist them with the necessary advice they need to succeed.
Seminars:

Churches can organize seminars to equip members with the necessary information they needed to succeed in their business.


These I believe will give a member a sense of belonging, fulfillment and the ability to overcome.