By Muhammad Adamu
Christians have been urged to emulate the virtues of love, honesty, patience, obedience, and trustworthiness as exemplified by Jesus Christ.
The call was made by the President of ECWA International, His Eminence Juma Ayuba Bagat, while delivering his 2025 Christmas sermon at the ECWA Church, LCC Wurno, in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
Describing Christmas as a sacred and significant event, the ECWA International President said the celebration marks the birth of Jesus Christ, which he described as a supernatural occurrence beyond human logic and reasoning.
Reading from the Book of Matthew, Reverend Bagat admonished Christians to reflect the teachings of Christ by embracing love, generosity, sharing, obedience to God’s commandments, and trustworthiness in their daily lives.
He cautioned against reducing Christmas to mere merrymaking, urging Christians to celebrate the season with purpose and to shun all forms of social vices often associated with the festivities, noting that a disciplined lifestyle ensures fulfilment both in this world and in the hereafter.
The cleric also offered prayers for divine intervention to address the security challenges facing the nation, calling on God to expose those responsible for acts of violence and insecurity.
In his remarks, the President of Child Talented Discovery Africa, Engineer Noah Dallaji, emphasized the need for unity, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths in the area.
He described the Christmas season as a time for love and compassion, particularly towards the needy, and prayed for God’s guidance and blessings in the coming year, 2026.
The event was enlivened by performances from various Christian music groups, with singers drawn from different parts of Nigeria and neighbouring countries.