When the Altar Turns Political: Guarding God’s Sacred Space
How the sacred space of worship is slowly being invaded by worldly ambitions.
Izuchukwu Ezidimma attends an Anglican church in southeastern Nigeria every Sunday. He loves the worship, the hymns, and the community. But one service left him uneasy — not because of the sermon, but because of what followed.
That morning, the vicar invited Onyeka Ibezim, the deputy governor of Anambra State, to the pulpit. Smiling confidently, the politician greeted the congregation, praised the governor’s leadership, mentioned his political party’s “good works,” and finally made a generous donation of several million naira to the church.
(One million naira is about $650 USD.)
“It happens often,” Ezidimma admitted. “But I never spoke up. I just kept my disappointments to myself.”
He’s not alone. Across Nigeria, many believers have quietly watched as the sacred altar — a place meant for prayer and repentance — becomes a platform for politics. The language of worship is being mixed with the language of campaigns. Offerings are becoming tools of influence. And the church, knowingly or unknowingly, is being dragged into the world’s game of power and favoritism.
But recently, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Henry Ndukuba, raised his voice with clarity and courage. He reminded ministers that the altar must remain holy — a place where Christ alone is exalted, not politicians or parties.
“Our loyalty is to Christ, not to any political figure,” he said. “The church must be the conscience of the nation, not a tool in the hands of politicians.”
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Those words are a timely reminder. The church’s mission has never been to please kings, but to proclaim the Kingdom. Whenever we allow politicians to use the pulpit for self-promotion, we trade our prophetic authority for temporary applause. The altar becomes polluted when it hosts ambition instead of adoration.
Jesus did not die for a movement of political alliances — He died to reconcile humanity to God. The church must therefore guard her focus, keeping her message clear and her pulpit clean.
As believers, we must pray for our leaders, but we must also discern when flattery is disguising manipulation. When we enter God’s house, it should be to hear from Heaven, not from politicians seeking votes.
Like Ezidimma, many Christians are quietly longing for a church that returns to purity — where worship is genuine, where offerings come from the heart, and where the Word of God is the loudest voice in the room.
Because at the end of the day, no politician can save a soul. Only Jesus can.
Reflection
The altar represents a meeting place between God and His people. When that sacred space is used for anything other than worship, something within us grows restless — because deep down, we know God deserves more. Let’s pray that our churches will once again become houses of prayer, not platforms of politics; places where the humble are lifted and the proud are silenced. May we as believers keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the true King who neither campaigns nor flatters — He simply calls us to follow Him.
