04/09/2026
DIVINE REFRESHMENT: A CALL TO RETURN TO THE SOURCE OF LIFE
The Bishop of Isi-Mbano Diocese, His Lordship, Rt. Rev. Godson Udochukwu Ukanwa, PhD, JP, Ambassador of Goodwill to the State of Israel, has called on Christian faithful to return to the source of spiritual life and embrace a renewed commitment to Christ.
The Bishop made the call during the opening service of 2026 EFAC Convention of Isi-Mbano Diocese, held at Annunciation Convent, Ehime, on Friday, September 4, under the theme, “Divine Refreshment for Kingdom Fruitfulness,” taken from John 15:1–9.
He noted that the Church, families and individuals are going through a season of weariness, stressing that divine refreshment is “not a call to another programme, but a call to return to the source of life.”
Bishop Ukanwa urged every priest, evangelist, catechist and lay leader to recover the daily discipline of abiding in Christ through unhurried prayer, systematic Bible reading, regular fasting, self-examination and sacramental devotion.
He warned that a minister who no longer prays is like “a branch already withering.”
The Bishop also charged the Church to pursue evangelism and church planting, reaching marketplaces, schools, motor parks, the diaspora and the digital world with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
He further called on the faithful to pray fervently for Nigeria and the world, particularly for revival, righteous leadership, peace and the salvation of many, noting the challenges of economic hardship, insecurity and moral confusion.
Bishop Ukanwa concluded with a prayer that the 2026 EFAC Convention would bring pruning, refreshing and a new season of fruitfulness, reminding Christians of Christ’s words:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.”
