By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar
Territorial Archbishop of Calabar and Presiding Archbishop of God’s Heritage Centre Worldwide, Archbishop Josef Bassey, has warned that hypocrisy poses a greater danger to the Christian Church than the failures of individual believers and ministers.
Bassey spoke at a media parley in Calabar as part of activities marking his 57th birthday anniversary, where he called for a return to a Christianity centred on Christ rather than personal prosperity, comfort and ambition.
According to him, the Church must be willing to allow Christ to correct it while retaining its responsibility to speak against wrongdoing in society.
He said misconduct within the Church should be addressed through appropriate systems of correction, discipline and restoration, rather than turned into public spectacles.
“Truth does not destroy the Church. Hypocrisy does,” Bassey said, stressing that Christianity should remain centred on Christ rather than the misconduct of individual preachers.
He also criticised forms of Christianity that make personal prosperity the centre of faith, saying a pastor’s wealth should neither be regarded as proof of spirituality nor become an instrument for exploiting vulnerable members.
“A pastor can legitimately be wealthy. He can also be poor. Neither condition proves his standing with God,” he said, adding that the important questions were how the wealth was acquired, what it had done to the minister and what he was doing with it.
Bassey, who acknowledged that a difficult personal experience about a decade ago shaped his views on restoration, said he had learnt the difference between upholding God’s standards and helping a fallen believer rise again.
He said the Church should neither excuse wrongdoing nor destroy those who had committed it, arguing that spiritual leaders should tell offenders the truth about their actions while helping them through genuine repentance and restoration.
On politics, the Archbishop said religious leaders had a responsibility to speak on issues affecting citizens but must avoid becoming appendages of political parties. He said a spiritual leader should be able to commend government where it performs well and criticise it where it fails.
Bassey also described Nigeria’s economic situation as difficult, urging government to ensure that reforms translate into improvements in food affordability, transport, energy, jobs and purchasing power. He further described insecurity as unacceptable and called for greater protection of lives.
Looking ahead, Bassey urged Nigerians to assess leaders by their character, competence, capacity, record and measurable results.
