{"id":6128,"date":"2023-03-28T13:38:55","date_gmt":"2023-03-28T13:38:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/?p=6128"},"modified":"2023-03-28T14:10:36","modified_gmt":"2023-03-28T14:10:36","slug":"bsns-diplomatic-relations-with-the-nigerian-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/bsns-diplomatic-relations-with-the-nigerian-church\/","title":{"rendered":"BSN\u2019S Diplomatic Relations with the Nigerian Church"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"6128\" class=\"elementor elementor-6128\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-155808b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"155808b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f9d7472\" data-id=\"f9d7472\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7e4b1b2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7e4b1b2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">BSN\u2019S Diplomatic Relations with the Nigerian Church<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cd4014f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cd4014f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u2026a critical nucleus in the Bible work<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7429e48 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7429e48\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d03fbf8\" data-id=\"d03fbf8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d01c00f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d01c00f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"580\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/featuredImage-1024x580.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-6129\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/featuredImage-1024x580.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/featuredImage-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/featuredImage-768x435.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/featuredImage-1536x870.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/featuredImage.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9f8c466 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9f8c466\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-567ea1f\" data-id=\"567ea1f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e06b065 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e06b065\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Christianity is fast growing in Nigeria. In one of its studies, the Pew Research Center, a US-based global think-thank that provides information on social issues and demographic trends, projects that Nigeria will be home to the third largest Christian population in the world by 2050. This, no doubt, is the sheer grace of God at work in the Nigerian Church, that despite several persecutions, challenges and setbacks, the Body of Christ is marching impregnably forward, and the gates of hell could not prevail against it.\u00a0<\/p><p>The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the umbrella body of Christians in Nigeria, brings together the various denominations of the church into 5 categories namely: The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) made up of the Catholic Church in Nigeria, The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN)\u00a0comprising of Anglican, Methodist, Baptist Churches, Foursquare, Presbyterian, Eternal Sacred Order of\u00a0C &amp; S, Church of the Lord Aladura and other Orthodox Churches.\u00a0 Other categories include The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) made up of Pentecostal Churches, the Organisation of African Instituted Churches comprising of Churches founded by Nigerians (Africans) in Nigeria, as well as the ECWA \u2013 Evangelical Church of West Africa (Former Sandan Interior Missions) which had root in Northern Nigeria and Tekan \u2013 Denominations based in Northern Nigeria such as COCIN, HKAN NKST, Christian Assemblies, LCCN, etc.<\/p><p>The unity of the various denominations of the Church is very critical to its survival. Hence, while praying passionately for the Church, the Founder, Jesus Christ, pleaded with the Father <strong><em>\u201cthat they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me\u201d<\/em><\/strong> John 17: 21 (KJV). The Holy Bible, thus, becomes the most important tool for the unification of the body of Christ. The Bible is used by the entirety of the Christian churches for <strong><em>\u201cdoctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness\u201d<\/em><\/strong> (2 Timothy 3: 16) (KJV).\u00a0<\/p><p>It was for this purpose that the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) was established to provide this all-important tool necessary for the sustenance of the Church in Nigeria. For the Society to effectively achieve this purpose, it has put in place mechanisms for fostering amicable and productive relationship with the churches which are considered a veritable nucleus in the Bible work.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-bf75461 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"bf75461\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3ad500c\" data-id=\"3ad500c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a751304 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"a751304\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"578\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/visits.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-6130\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/visits.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/visits-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/visits-768x434.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-72052bc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"72052bc\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-436b3e1\" data-id=\"436b3e1\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b0cd550 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b0cd550\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In relating with the church, the BSN seeks to understand, identify, and meet the peculiar needs of the various segments within the denominations.\u00a0 This understanding has led to the creation of various brands of Bibles and curation of programmes that profoundly impact on Christians nationwide.\u00a0 The diplomatic relations between the BSN and the Church have indeed, contributed massively to the propagation of the gospel through concerted mission work, particularly in the hinterlands, translation of the Bible into indigenous languages, Bible Study Notes on various relevant subjects, Braille for the Blind and Sign language for the Deaf.\u00a0 The End-to-End programme of the Society remains a reference point for the consummation of the relationship between the Church and the Society in expanding the gospel to the unreached through multimedia evangelism, preaching, free Bible donations and ultimately, planting of Churches in the mission fields.<\/p><p>The Church and the BSN, thus become an inseparable partner in the Bible work in Nigeria.\u00a0 The Society constantly engages with Church leaders across all denominations to explore strategic partnerships in Bible production, translation, and distribution.\u00a0 As the world continues to evolve, bringing with it newer and more dynamic challenges and problems such as conflicting sexual orientation, gender identity, marital instability, climate change, natural disasters, global conflicts, religious intolerance, racial discrimination, gender equality, obnoxious legislations, etc., the relationship between the Church and the BSN, more than ever before, becomes more relevant to addressing these issues.\u00a0<\/p><p>Woodrow Wilson, the 28<sup>th<\/sup> President of the United States is quoted to have said, \u201cThe Bible is the one supreme source of revelation of the meaning of life, the nature of God, and spiritual nature and needs of men. \u00a0It is the only guide of life which really leads the spirit in the way of peace and salvation&#8230;\u201d\u00a0 If this is anything to go by, then the Church and the BSN must continue to work together for the good of mankind.\u00a0 This is the only fundamental and enduring relationship that is sacrosanct for the propagation of the gospel and advancement of the kingdom work in Nigeria.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-355ae8f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"355ae8f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-cebe833\" data-id=\"cebe833\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bc85d88 elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-navigation\" data-id=\"bc85d88\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-navigation.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BSN\u2019S Diplomatic Relations with the Nigerian Church \u2026a critical nucleus in the Bible work Christianity is fast growing in Nigeria. In one of its studies, the Pew Research Center, a US-based global think-thank that provides information on social issues and demographic trends, projects that Nigeria will be home to the third largest Christian population in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":6129,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[31,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gs-newsletter","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6128"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6128\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6140,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6128\/revisions\/6140"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblesociety-nigeria.org\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}