By Juliana Nwachukwu
The Bishop on the Niger, Anglican Communion, Anambra State, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Owen Nwokolo, has called on christians to embrace the responsibility of giving, stressing that giving for the gospel should never be mistaken for exploitation.
He said this while delivering a soul-stirring homily on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at the Calvary Chapel, GRA, Onitsha, during the chapel’s weekly midweek worship.
Preaching on blessings and obligations of christian giving, Bishop Nwokolo reminded the faithful that giving was a vital act of worship and a natural response to God’s grace.
“Christ gave His life for you. You are free today because of the impact of the gospel. But what have you done in return?” he queried.
He warned against the growing tendency among christians to shy away from meeting the material needs of the Church and its ministers, noting that this reluctance often stemmed from misunderstanding and suspicion.
“It is not exploitation,” the bishop clarified. “Yes, there are exploitative ministers, but genuine service must be supported. You ought to give if God blesses you. There should always be a reward for service rendered,” he remarked.
Bishop Nwokolo described giving as an expression of gratitude to God and a guarantee for the continued sustenance of the mission of the Church.
He emphasized that “material things are needed in the Church,” and called for discreet and sincere almsgiving, lamenting the failure of the society in the areas of charity and caring for one another.
The homily challenged worshippers to reflect deeply on their personal contributions to the gospel and to recommit themselves to supporting God’s work.
“What have you done for what you have received from God?” he further asked, urging christians to give with love, purpose, and a sense of responsibility.
Highpoints of the service included the glamorous celebration of the bishop’s birthday and a prayer session during which time the bishop blessed the chapel fathers following a solemn thanksgiving by the men commemorating the International Father’s Day marked recently.
- Nwachukwu is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State *
