When the Church Competes instead of Cooperate

 

Introduction:

Beloved, one of the greatest tragedies in the modern Church is not the pressure of persecution from without, but the quiet rise of competition within—and the pursuit of influence that slowly reshapes conviction.

The Church, ordained by Christ to function as one body, is increasingly acting like a cluster of rival institutions. Where there should be cooperation, there is comparison. Where unity should prevail, subtle—and at times open—rivalry takes root.

And when political power, cultural pressure, or global trends begin to dictate what the Church proclaims—or chooses to remain silent about—we must confront a sobering question:

Is the Church still leading society, or has it begun to follow it?

Today, ministries find themselves competing for:

• Members
• Visibility
• Influence
• Resources
• Recognition

But hear this clearly: the Kingdom of God is not a marketplace for rivalry—it is a family, intentionally designed for harmony, alignment, and shared purpose

When Reality Demands a Clear Sound
Beloved, we are not speaking in theory—we are speaking in the context of ongoing pain.
Across parts of Nigeria:
• Worshippers have been attacked
• Church members abducted in large numbers
• Priests and pastors kidnapped
• Communities displaced
Recent reports show mass abductions during church services, killings, and repeated assaults on Christian communities.
And yet, even the facts themselves are contested:
Some call it systematic persecution—even genocide
Others say the violence is complex, not purely religious
This is the tension:
Blood is real. Pain is real. But interpretation is divided.
And when suffering is undeniable, but the response is negotiable, something has gone wrong in the soul of the Church
And in the middle of it all—the Church is not speaking with one voice.

1. When Suffering is real, but the Voice is divided
Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Hebrews 13:3.
But what do we see today?
Different Voices within the Same Church:
• The Alarmed Voice
Declares:
“Christians are being systematically targeted.”
Some leaders and global advocates even use the term “genocide.”
• The Cautious Voice
Says:
“The situation is complex—terrorism, banditry, and ethnic conflict are all involved.”
• The Denying Voice.
Some officials reject claims of targeted religious killings altogether.
• The Spiritualizing Voice.
Focuses only on prayer—avoiding advocacy or engagement.
These are not just perspectives—they are fractures in the witness of the Church.
The Result:
• Confusion among believers
• Weak national and global advocacy
• A fractured moral witness
• When pain is clear, but the response is unclear, the Church loses authority.
• When pain is undeniable, but the response is uncertain, the authority of the Church begins to erode
2. When even Church Leaders disagree on Response
This is not theoretical—it is already happening.
During security interventions:
Some church leaders supported forceful action against attackers
Others strongly opposed it, insisting violence cannot solve violence
Even in specific incidents:
Police and church leaders have contradicted each other on facts, such as the number of abducted worshippers
This produces a dangerous signal:
If the Church cannot agree on facts, it will never agree on action?
3. When the Debate Shifts from Compassion to Argument
Beloved, hear this carefully:
The greatest danger is not disagreement—it is when argument replaces compassion and analysis replaces burden.
While people are:
• Being killed
• Kidnapped
• Displaced
The Church is sometimes occupied with:
Terminology (Is it genocide or not?)
Political correctness
Global perception
Meanwhile, Scripture never commands us to analyze suffering—it commands us to identify with it.
4. When Competition and Influence enter the Crisis
Now add the earlier wounds:
• Competition within the Church
Who speaks louder?
Who controls the narrative?
Who gains influence?
• Political influence on the Church
Some voices become restrained
Others become amplified
Some align too closely with power.
A Church that seeks access to power may eventually lose access to truth
A Church that competes internally cannot confront injustice externally.
And the people begin to ask:
“Is the Church still prophetic—or now political?”
5. When Global Christianity speaks differently.
The confusion is not only in Nigeria—it is global.
Within the Anglican Communion:
Church of England moves in one theological direction
Church of Nigeria stands firmly in another
So now:
Doctrine differs
• Response differs
• Moral emphasis differs
• And the world sees:
• One Church—many contradictory voices

When doctrine diverges, direction divides. And when direction divides, the witness of the Church weakens
The solution is not louder voices—but a clearer heart and a united conviction.
6. The Danger of this Moment
When all these combine:
• Real suffering + divided interpretation
• Crisis + conflicting leadership voices
• Persecution + political sensitivity
The result is:
A Church that is:
• Emotionally reactive instead of spiritually discerning
• Theologically divided instead of scripturally anchored
• Publicly visible but prophetically unclear
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. Matthew 5:13.
• When the Church debates while people bleed, it loses relevance.
• When the Church is divided in crisis, it loses authority. • When the Church aligns with power, it loses purity.
7. What should the Church do in a Moment like this
1. Return to a shared burden
Before agreement on terminology, there must be:
Agreement on compassion
Agreement on urgency
2. Speak truth—but with responsibility
Acknowledge real suffering
Avoid careless exaggeration
Avoid dismissive denial
3. Develop a unified moral voice
Not identical wording—but:
Same concern
Same direction
Same conviction
4. Resist political capture
From Acts 5:29:
“We ought to obey God rather than men.”
5. Restore cooperation in the Body
Not competition. Not fragmentation.

Warning:
When the Church debates while people bleed, it loses relevance.
When the Church is divided in crisis, it loses authority.
When the Church is influenced by power, it loses purity.

The Hope
But hear this:
If the Church in Nigeria rises:
With one burden
With moral clarity
With spiritual authority
Then:
Justice will gain voice
The oppressed will gain strength
The nation will hear truth again
God is not looking for a perfect Church—but for a united and faithful one
Conclusion: From many voices to one Witness
Beloved, this is the question:
History will remember this moment—either as the hour the Church fractured, or the hour it found its voice.
Let the Church arise:
Not arguing—but aligning
Not competing—but cooperating
Not confused—but clear
Prayer:
“Lord, in a time when blood cries from the earth, give Your Church one heart.
Where we are divided, unite us.
Where we are silent, stir us.
Where we are confused, guide us.
Let Your Church in Nigeria speak—not in many conflicting voices—but as one witness of truth and light.
In Jesus’ name, Amen

Kunle Adebambo