TheNewsGuru

Tag: Church

  • Coronavirus jitters: Pope Francis to conduct Sunday service online

    Coronavirus jitters: Pope Francis to conduct Sunday service online

    The Vatican said Pope Francis will deliver Sunday’s Angelus Prayer by Livestream instead of in-person from his window overlooking Saint Peter’s Square out of concern over the new coronavirus.

    “The prayer will be broadcast via live stream by Vatican News and on screens in Saint Peter’s Square,” the Vatican said in a statement.

    The Vatican had promised to review the 83-year-old pontiff’s schedule “to avoid the dissemination” of the new COVID-19 disease.

    The Argentine-born pope has been out of action for more than a week with a cold.

    He suffered two coughing fits during last Sunday’s prayer service and announced that he was pulling out of an annual spiritual retreat south of Rome to stay at home and get well.

    The Vatican said the live stream will be recorded at the library of the Apostolic Palace overlooking the square.

    The pope is currently spending most of his time at his Saint Martha’s guest house in a separate part of the Vatican.

  • Video of Davido dancing in church causes stir online

    Video of Davido dancing in church causes stir online

    Pop star, David Adeleke a.k.a Davido is known to sell out shows and perform at night clubs. However, when the crooner decides to attend church, it generates mixed reactions.

    The music star took to his Instagram page on Monday, January 13, 2020, where he shared videos of some of his family members and himself as they attended church.

    Davido was accompanied by his sister, Sharon Ademefun, B-Red and Fred Ajudua to the church, Kornerstone Prayer&Counselling Prophetic Ministry located on the Lagos Island.

    The video has continued to garner reactions online.

     

     

     

     

  • Oyedepo sacks top church officials for stealing God’s money

    The Presiding Bishop of Winner’s Chapel, David Oyedepo, has dismissed some officials for allegedly stealing from the church’s treasury.

    Oyedepo, who spoke on Saturday during an empowerment summit organised for the church’s ordained workers, however, did not disclose the number of officials affected.

    The annual event, which is usually attended by pastors, zonal ministers and their assistants, deacons, ushers and other ordained workers of the church, where they are acquainted with the church’s programme for the year, was presided over by Oyedepo, while his deputy, Bishop David Abioye, was also in attendance. Both men ministered powerfully. Oyedepo ministered on service, while Abioye spoke on consistency in service.

    In the course of the programme, however, Oyedepo took some time to talk about the goings on in the church. He revealed how some very high up officials, mainly accountants, had looted the church’s treasury.

    He said, “We had no choice but to dismiss them. You can imagine top church officials engaging in doubling figures and other dubious practices. After we dismissed them, we discovered more fraud.”

    “Those who should discover the fraud were the ones involved in it. One of them refused to confess until the last minute. Can you imagine accountants perpetrating fraud in the house of God?

    “Don’t employ them, don’t sympathise. Whoever sympathises with the wicked is wicked himself. Don’t sympathise with any perpetrator of fraud, otherwise, you are a partaker of the evil act.”

  • Why do you go to church? Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    In the scriptures, Jesus paid a visit to a General Hospital, which turned out to be a church where people came for spiritual healing. The place was full of sick people. Some had been suffering of malaria for ten years. Some had been afflicted with flu for twelve years. Others had cough for fifteen years.

    Jeremiah wondered about this kind of situation. He asked: “Is there no balm in Gilead, is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery for the health of the daughter of my people?” (Jeremiah 8:22).

    John observes that: “A certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’” (John 5:5-6).

    He had been in church for 38 years, nevertheless, his infirmity was so malignant it refused to obey the word of God. For 38 years, he had been a liar and yet he was regular in church. For 38 years, he had been a thief, and yet he was the chief usher.

    For 38 years he had been a fornicator, and yet he was the choir director. For 38 years he had been an alcoholic, and yet he was the pastor. For 38 years he had been a gossip, a cheat, a backbiter, and a lover of money. He remained covetous, malicious, quarrelsome, worldly, and proud.

    Church-Hospital

    At the General Hospital in Bethesda, Jesus asked the man who has been sick for 38 years: “Do we want to be healed?” He asks the same question of us today: “Are we interested in being healed at all?”

    That is the crux of the problem. We are sick and we keep coming to the hospital, but we are not interested in being healed. We are not interested in being changed. We are not interested in being transformed. We are dying of leprosy but we are not interested in being cleansed. So why do we keep coming to church? Don’t we know the church is a hospital?

    We go to church to see and be seen, rather than to hear and be healed. We go to church to fulfill righteousness than to be made wise unto salvation. We go to church to show off our latest clothing and our new hairstyle than to worship God. We spend more time trying to decide which clothes to wear to the church service and which shoes and bags to match than to secure the grace that is sufficient unto the day.

    Now that you are back home from that wonderful service, what have you achieved? What did you learn there? What did you receive? How many compliments did you get about your new dress? What did they think about the way you sang that special number? What was the reaction to your testimony about your new job? Was that fine girl in church? Did she notice you?

    Hearing ear

    But did you hear the gospel? If you hear we will be healed. The scripture cannot be broken. If you are not healed after all these years, it either means that you have not heard or have simply not believed or are simply not interested.

    Jesus says: “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.” (Mark 4:24). “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20). “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.” (John 5:25).

    So, what have you heard? Have you heard that if you sow 100 naira you will reap 1000, or have you heard that if you sow righteousness you will reap mercy? Have you heard that the seed is money or have you heard that the seed is the word of God?

    Have you heard that angels drop bags of blessings before the praise worship? Have you heard that if you change your church you will be cursed? Have you heard that if you wear earrings or smoke cigarettes you will not go to heaven? Have you heard that if you are a Christian and don’t have a car it is an insult to God? What exactly have you heard?

    Have you heard that the soul that sins will die? Have you heard that fornicators and adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Have you heard that drunkards don’t go to heaven? Have you heard that quarrelsome people, backbiters and gossips don’t spend eternity with God?

    If so, why do you persist in these things? Do you plan to continue in them for the next 38 years?

    Jesus says: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27). “Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:5),

    Do you go to church to hear the voice of Jesus or do you go to hear the voice of strangers?

    Hoodwinked

    Paul marveled at the Corinthian church: “You have such admirable tolerance for impostors who rob your freedom, rip you off, steal you blind, put you down- even slap your face.” (2 Corinthians 11:19-20).

    So, tell me, why are you a member of your church? You have been there for thirty-eight years and have still not been healed of your infirmities; yet you remain. You know your pastor is sleeping with a chorister; yet you remain. Every Sunday you are harassed into giving more offering than you would like or can afford; yet you remain.

    You remain, not for the sake of Christ, but for the sake of men. You remain because of social and soul ties. You remain because your pastor has style. You remain because that was the church your parents went to. You remain because your friends are in the church. You remain because your business associates are in the church. You remain because you have been hoodwinked by another gospel.

    Why do we receive in our churches the traditions of men? Where does it say in the scriptures it is a sin to leave your church for another one? Where does it say your so-called tithes are unacceptable as gifts to children of the Motherless Babies Home? Where does it say if a woman wears trousers or earrings she would be disqualified from heaven? Where does it say you have to go to Bible College before you can be baptised?

    Answer such questions not by reference to your pastor’s dictates, or by reference to the conventions of your church, but by the word of God.

    Jesus says: “These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:8-9).

  • Irate youths set ablaze Akure church over missing baby ‘buried at altar’ [VIDEO]

    Sotitobire Miracle Church in Akure, Ondo state, has been set ablaze by irate youths over speculations that the corpse of a one-year-old boy declared missing was exhumed in the church.

     

    It has not been confirmed if the body of the child was found in the church.

    TheNewsGuru gathered that the police are said to have intervened in the chaos reportedly shooting an operator of a motorcycle taxi and arresting some journalists who were covering the incident.

    Back in November, Gold Kolawole the baby, was declared missing during a church service.

    According to sources within the church, the boy who was at the children’s department of the church could not be found after the service.

    Modupe Kolawole, mother of the child and member of the church, said she suspects foul play in the disappearance of her son.

    Alfa Babatunde, founder of the church, was arrested following the incident, and he has been in the custody of the DSS.

    He was arrested based on a petition written by the parents of the missing child.

    The Ondo state police command have asked residents to disregard the rumour.

    In a statement, Femi Joseph, the command’s spokesman, said it is not true that the body of the missing child was exhumed in the church.

    ”The Ondo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public particularly the People of Ondo State that they should disregard the rumours making the rounds that the body of a recently declared missing boy in the state has been exhumed from Sotitobire church in Akure,” he said.

    ”It is most unfortunate that this misleading information spearheaded by a popular TV station, has ignited a spontaneous reactions from the people leading to wanton destruction of properties and injuries to many. The church building was also set ablaze by irate youths.

    ”Some of our officers despatched to the scene to contain the situation were pelted with stones with many of them sustaining injuries. Their patrol vehicle was also badly damaged. This rejoinder became necessary to disabuse the minds of many Nigerians who might have fallen for this wicked lies and propaganda.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6N0aM1j5Qo/

  • Building collapse: Lagos shuts two churches, 17 houses in Ikorodu

    Building collapse: Lagos shuts two churches, 17 houses in Ikorodu

    Officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, at the weekend shut down 19 buildings in Igbogbo Baiyeku area of Ikorodu, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria for violating the town planning laws of the State.

    General Manager, LASBCA, Engr. Abiola Kosegbe, led the enforcement team of the agency, escorted by officials of the State Taskforce. The Chairman, Igbogbo Baiyeku Local Council Development Area, Olusesan Daini was also in the team.

    Two churches were among the buildings sealed. One of them is the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, and a Cherubim and Seraphim Church on Bamgbose Street in the area.

    In one of the area, eight buildings were shut because their owners did not have building permits and other required documents. Buildings were also shut at Kosebinu Orepekun Street, Market Street, Ogolonto, among others.

    According to Kosegbe, the government team was in the area on enforcement and sensitisation to let the people know the reason why they must build right in view of incessant collapsed buildings being experienced in some parts of the state.

    She said developers could not erect any building without informing LASBCA, saying that was the reason government officers were shutting down structures.

    Kosegbe said any developer that did not notify government about development of their structure could be arrested, as government did not want incidence of collapsed buildings.

    According to her, most of the properties sealed had already been served abatement notices, adding that LASBCA also engaged in post construction audit, where those who had already completed their buildings were asked to present documents to ascertain if they got the needed permits to erect such structures.

    Chairman, Igbogbo Baiyeku LCDA, Daini, said the essence of the enforcement and sensitisation exercise was to reduce incidence of building collapse and maintain standard.

    “The problem we have is that people don’t build right. Affected residents are to go to LASBCA to regularise their documents and those building now should get their building permits. They should be citizens. Government is not doing this alone to generate revenue, but to protect the citizens,” he said.

  • Easter killings: Okoh urges church to defend itself against further attacks

    The Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican communion), the Most Rev Nicholas Okoh has said that the time has come for the church to defend itself from further attacks.

    Okoh’s statement was made in reaction to the recent bombing in Sri Lanka which led to the death of over three hundred worshipers.

    Okoh said, “The bomb in Sri Lanka is part of terrorism in the world, it is a coordinated effort of evil people, we pray we don’t have it again, but more importantly we should make arrangements to protect ourselves.”

    In a similar vein, Okoh condemned the killing of nine members of the boys brigade in Gombe state during an Easter procession, describing it as unfortunate.

    “It is unfortunate that such a thing should happen on Easter Day. It also shows that our country has not arrived, that people tolerate others.

    “People are marching, showing joy, showing happiness and somebody decides to crush them and kill so many for no reason.

    “We pray that we will not live like that again, and look forward to a better Nigeria; Nigeria that will be transformed, that has hope and a place for everybody,” he said.

  • [Photo] Human parts thieves caught digging graves in church’s cemetery

    [Photo] Human parts thieves caught digging graves in church’s cemetery

    A bricklayer, Kunle Adewunmi, an alleged specialist in breaking into cemeteries to steal human body parts, and his two accomplices have been arrested in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    They were arrested penultimate Saturday after allegedly stealing human body parts from no fewer than 35 tombs in recent times.

    It was said that nemesis caught up with the trio while they were digging up graves at a cemetery belonging to a parish of the Methodist Church at Ogbe, Abeokuta.

    They were said to have been sighted by a female member of the Odua People’s Congress (OPC), who was attracted to the scene by the loud sound of diggers used by the suspects.

    The woman, sources said, raised the alarm which attracted other OPC members in the area who apprehended the suspects.

    Members of the church were said to have identified Adewunmi as the bricklayer usually hired to plaster graves after burial of bodies at the graveyard.

    ‘’The bricklayer is very known to the church members. He is the one usually contracted to plaster tombs inside the cemetery and took advantage of that to carry out his nefarious act at the cemetery.’’

    The suspects were handed over to the Ibara Police Division, where the suspects allegedly mentioned a trader at the Itoku market as receiver of human parts stolen from the graveyard.

    Meanwhile, the suspects have since been arraigned before an Isabo Magistrate’s Court, Abeokuta, and granted bail in the sum of N200, 000 each.

    A source however said only one of the suspects had been able to perfect his bail at press time.

  • I am bothered Falz doesn’t go to church- Mother laments

    I am bothered Falz doesn’t go to church- Mother laments

    It is no longer news that Nigerian rapper, Falz recently released his much-anticipated album, ‘Moral Instruction,’ which is a body of work that sheds light on the social ills in the country. Amazingly, Falz parents were present at the event.

    During the highly engaging event, his mother lamented over the fact that the singer doesn’t go to church.

    She said: “Folarin, you don’t go to church and I am bothered. I hope you would start going to church this year.”

    The singer also confirmed that he doesn’t go to church.

    Hear him:” “I have nothing against the church or going to church; everyone has the right to practise the religion they desire but personally, as a Christian, it has been a while that I have been to church. It does not make me less of a Christian.

    “The most important thing is spirituality and your personal connection with God. The reason I haven’t attended a church service in a long while is because I went to a few churches and during sermons, I was put under undue pressure. There was a time that a pastor called me to the altar just to acknowledge my presence for being in church.

    “In my mind, I felt that the service was not about me. I felt that everybody was there to worship God, yet they were putting undue pressure on me. The pastor gave me the microphone to address the congregation and I was puzzled; what did he expect me to say to the congregation? These are some of the issues. I just want to go to church and worship God like a regular member of the congregation. I do not want that kind of attention. I was hoping that I would go to church on a Sunday and it would not be like any other day I’m at a public place or doing a show,” the singer told Punch

     

  • Gunmen invade Onitsha church, kill assistant pastor

    A 26-year old man, on Wednesday, was reportedly killed by unknown gunmen in Christ Holy church at No 30 Orumba Street Okpoko, Onitsha, Anambra State.

    The deceased, Justice Njigbo, the assistant pastor of the church, was said to have been shot dead by the suspects after inflicting severe injury on him.

    According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen, numbering three, had gained entrance to the cleric’s apartment, around 4am after scaling through the fence of the church premises.

    A source close to the church, said the suspects carted away valuables, including phones from the apartment.

    When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed confirmed the incident.

    He said the corpse had been deposited at the mortuary after the body was confirmed dead by the doctor.

    He said, “Three unknown men, at about 4am, scaled the fence of Christ Holy church located at No 30 Orumba Street Okpoko and forcefully entered the room of the Assistant Pastor one Justice Nonso Njigbo ‘m’ aged 26 years.

    “They inflicted a deep matchete cut on his fore head, shot and injure him on the left thigh and made away with phones of the occupants.

    “Police detectives attached to Okpoko Division visited the scene and rushed the victim to St. Charles Boromeo hospital where he was confirmed dead on arrival.

    “Corpse deposited in the same hospital morgue for autopsy while effort is being intensified to apprehend the assailants and bring them to Justice.”