In a stirring and bold Independence Day address, Amb. Rev. Emmett L. Dunn issued a powerful challenge to the Christian Church in Liberia, calling for a “deeper awakening” that goes beyond prayer, fasting, and worship to include economic empowerment and social responsibility.
Speaking as the official orator for the 178th Independence Day celebration, Rev. Dunn used his national platform to confront what he described as the church’s passive stance toward poverty and economic stagnation in Liberia.
“To the Christian Church in Liberia, it is time for a deeper awakening,” he declared. “A revival not just of prayer and worship, but of purpose and responsibility.”
Rev. Dunn criticized the normalization and spiritualization of poverty within the church, warning against preaching that encourages people to endure economic suffering while waiting passively for divine intervention.
“For too long, poverty has been spiritualized, normalized, and even romanticized within the church,” he said. “There is no honor in poverty, and there is nothing righteous about economic suffering when solutions are within reach.”
Citing James 2:26 ~ “Faith without works is dead” ~ Rev. Dunn argued that the gospel must inspire not only personal salvation but also social and economic transformation.
“Our pulpits echo with calls to prayer without equal calls to action,” he said. “We cannot keep telling people to fast and pray for breakthroughs while doing nothing practical to equip them economically.”
He urged churches to leverage their influence and trust in society to drive meaningful development. Among the practical steps he proposed were the establishment of cooperatives, credit unions, vocational centers, and sustainable businesses. He also called on ministries to invest in community development through schools, hospitals, and programs focused on skills training and financial literacy.
“Imagine if churches became centers not just of spiritual revival, but of innovation and productivity,” he said. “The Church must lead the way in breaking the cycle of poverty, not by blaming the poor or preaching them into passivity, but by empowering them to create change.”
Rev. Dunn reminded his audience of Jesus’ example ~ feeding the hungry, challenging injustice, and taking practical steps to uplift the marginalized.
“He did not teach people to wait indefinitely for a blessing or their breakthrough,” he said. “He taught them to act, to build, and to transform.”
He concluded his oration with a passionate appeal: “Prayer is powerful, but it must lead us to action. Let the Church arise as a force not only of hope, but of tangible transformation. Let us stop spiritualizing poverty and start dismantling it. There is no honor in being poor, but there is great honor in lifting others out of poverty. That is the gospel in action.”
Rev. Dunn’s address has already sparked conversation across the country, with many praising the orator for his frankness and visionary call to action. As Liberia reflects on its future, his message may serve as a turning point for the role of the Church in national development.
