Gospel We Preach Must Be Reflected In Our Lives — Remi Tinubu

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has urged Christian leaders to ensure that the Gospel they preach is reflected in their daily lives, calling on the Church to promote unity, strengthen families and contribute to national development.

She made the call while addressing the Lausanne Nigeria Congress 2026, a national gathering of church leaders, missionaries and Christian organisations in Abuja.

According to the First Lady, the theme of the congress, “Let the Church Declare and Display Christ Together”, underscores the need for Christians to demonstrate the teachings of Jesus Christ through their actions and relationships with others.

“To declare Christ is to share the message of His love, His sacrifice and the free gift of salvation He offers. The Gospel we proclaim must shape the life we live and influence the lives of others,” she said in a statement issued by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi.

Tinubu explained that displaying Christ goes beyond preaching the Gospel to demonstrating His character through good works and service to humanity.

Quoting Matthew 5:16, she said: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

The First Lady said the Church in Nigeria had a vital responsibility to nurture hope and compassion, strengthen families, mentor young people and encourage peaceful coexistence.

She also urged church leaders to build communities where everyone is treated with dignity, regardless of their background.

“As you deliberate during this congress, I urge you to translate your discussions into commitments that will bear fruit across our congregations and communities,” she said.

“Let us leave here with renewed conviction to declare Christ faithfully, display His love consistently and fulfil our calling together.”

Tinubu expressed optimism that the congress would promote unity among Christians across the country.

In his remarks, the National Chairman of Lausanne Nigeria Christian Missions, Reverend Yunusa Nmadu, said the Church had a responsibility not only to pray for Nigeria but also to lead by example by demonstrating the values of Christ, particularly love and unity.

He urged Christians to pray for the country and its leaders while calling on the Church to reject denominational, tribal and ethnic divisions.

Nmadu stressed that Christian leaders must demonstrate unity through their conduct and commitment to the common good.

He described the congress as an opportunity for the Nigerian Church to proclaim the Gospel while embodying Christian values through social action.

The congress also seeks to address concerns about the declining influence of the Church despite its numerical growth over the past two decades.

Similarly, the Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, Anglican Communion, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Lausanne Nigeria Christian Missions, Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, called for unity of purpose among Christians.

Ndukuba said denominational differences should not undermine the unity of the Body of Christ, noting that there would be no denominations in heaven.

He added that greater unity among Christians would contribute to peace in Nigeria and across the world.

Prayers were offered for Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu, other national leaders and the peaceful conduct of the 2027 general elections.

More than 5,000 church leaders, missionaries and representatives of Christian organisations from across Nigeria are attending the three-day Lausanne Nigeria Congress 2026.

The Lausanne Movement, which focuses on global evangelisation, traces its origins to the first International Congress on World Evangelization, held in Lausanne, Switzerland, in July 1974. The gathering was spearheaded by renowned evangelist Dr Billy Graham.