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Tag: Churches

  • “My view on churches was grossly misrepresented” – Obi

    “My view on churches was grossly misrepresented” – Obi

    Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi has said his views in a recent report was grossly misrepresented.

    Obi who spoke through his media office stated that he never mentioned that churches should be dismantled.

    In a statement issued on Sunday, his media office said”

    “The attention of the Peter Obi Media Reach, POMR, has been drawn to a huge twist in his recent media interview, saying erroneously that he called for the dismantling of Churches in Nigeria.

    “By the headline given to the interview, the import of OBI’s message has been greatly overturned and grossly distorted to serve a mischievous end.

    “The Labour Party leader is well known as a man of strong faith who has enormous respect and love for every religion and tried in the referenced interview to bring to Nigerians how religion can be more effective in their lives.

    “Obi, in the interview, was merely underscoring what Apostle James said in (James.2.14)” Faith without Works is unhelpful” and in (James2.24) “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone”

    “When Obi said that he would turn night vigil into production night, he was only stressing the importance of worshipping God through work.

    “Even Jesus Christ never picked any of his 12 disciples where they were praying but where they were working: fishermen, tax collectors, etc.

    “Proverbs 14:23 even copiously explains what happens if you fail to work: “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”

    “What we are doing in Nigeria, which is what OBI’S interview is highlighting as wrong and should discontinue is exchanging work for prayer when the two should go together.

    “There is no evidence in the scripture where Jesus Blessed an idle person; rather, we see abundant evidence of him blessing hard work as captured in the Parable of the Three Servants (Mathew 25 Vs14-30). The servant who delivered greater profit out of harder work got a bigger blessing.

    “The problem In some of Nigeria’s worshipping communities is that they are not following St James advisory(James.1.22) that we should be ‘doers of the words’

    “So, Peter Obi’s media office wishes to put it in an unmistakable tone that the slant being given to our Principal’s interview by some media houses negates the essence and should be disregarded.

    “As a man whose campaign mantra is on taking Nigeria from consumption to production, and watching the country going down because of lack of production, OBI’S message should resonate properly away from the intention of mischief makers.

    “OBI’S two main quotes in the interview “It’s attractive, politics and church, but it has to be dismantled”
    “ We are going to turn night vigil into night shift so that people can be productive.” All try to explain what is wrong in our worshipping culture that should change so that we can be in a good state of mind and body while glorifying our creator.

  • Lagos denies imposing parking fees on worshippers, churches

    Lagos denies imposing parking fees on worshippers, churches

    The Lagos State Government has clarified that the state’s parking policy will only affect motorists who intend to utilise the newly created 1,800 parking slots of the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA).

    Mrs Adebisi Adelabu, General Manager, LASPA, made the clarification in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.

    Adelabu said the authority was concerned about a recent social media post regarding parking charges for churches and worshippers in Lagos State.

    “The post incorrectly stated that LASPA on Saturday announced it will from October charge churches and worshippers in Lagos State, who parked vehicles on designated streets around places of worship.

    “To clarify the matter, LASPA wishes to emphasise that this information is inaccurate and does not reflect the true intent of our communication.

    “The Lagos State Government is not imposing parking fees on churches or worshippers for parking on streets around religious institutions.

    “Rather, LASPA is implementing the Lagos State Parking Policy to mitigate parking induced traffic congestion across the state,” she said.

    She noted that “Lagos is experiencing a high demand for parking spaces that exceeds available space like many other major cities worldwide facing similar challenges.”

    She said this shortage of space prompted the agency to adopt a regulated on-street parking model to manage parking resources efficiently.

    Adelabu recalled that the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, earlier this year,  approved the introduction of a regulated on-street parking, which was announced during a stakeholder’s forum on Feb.14.

    She said that the religious organisations and other stakeholders were adequately represented at the forum, adding that the outcome was later communicated to the umbrella bodies representing these groups.

    She added that one of such correspondences was referenced in a news release making the rounds on social media.

    “It is important to clarify that no specific religious group is being singled out by this policy.

    “Our aim is to ensure all stakeholders are informed and prepared for the implementation of the regulated on-street parking scheme.

    “Additionally, Lagos State Government has designated and “lane-marked” suitable roads for on-street parking across major zones such as Ikeja, Surulere, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, and Lekki, creating approximately 1,800 additional parking slots.

    “The communication sent to religious institutions serves to notify them of their respective roles and the financial aspects of utilising these designated parking slots,” she said.

    Adelabu said the management of these facilities would be overseen by concessionaires under the regulation of the Lagos State Parking Authority.

    She added that LASPA remained committed to improving traffic flow and parking management through transparent and equitable measures that would benefit residents and visitors alike.

  • [Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: A new wave

    By Oke Chinye

    Read: MATTHEW 28:16–20

    Meditation verse:
    “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14)

    The coronavirus pandemic that hit the world in 2020, took everyone by surprise. Suddenly, the world stood still and watched in horror as the death toll increased by the second. It didn’t matter how much you had in your account or how many luxury cars you owned or which exotic destinations you could vacation in. All that mattered was to be able to breathe on your own.

    However, amidst the horror and hopelessness, scripture was being fulfilled. From the ashes of despair arose a new wave of glory. The knowledge of the glory of the Lord began to cover the whole earth. As the world went online, carrying out processes and activities virtually, God’s word was not left out. The gospel was being preached continuously. Church services took place online. Bible studies and prayer meetings were held online. We listened to the word of God and prayed whilst cooking, bathing, eating, and walking. In the twinkling of an eye, physical pulpits became virtual ones.

    Before Jesus left the earth, He gave us the great commission; to go make disciples of all nations. God will not initiate the advancement of this cause and halt it midway. This new wave will continue even when the tides of the corona plague have been stemmed. The world is witnessing a revival. A new wave of glory has been ushered in. The pandemic opened our eyes to the fact that we can preach the word of God and share the good news of salvation to anyone in any location in the world. It showed us that we can pray for anyone at any time and from any place. The salvation message can no longer be restrained by geographical location, time, or space.

    How can you and I plug into this new wave? Wherever you find yourself, share the good news. Your kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, office, school, and shop have become churches. Your social media handles, phones and laptops have become pulpits. You no longer need to wait to enter a physical pulpit before sharing the gospel. And you do not have to be a pastor. The great commission is for all of us.

    IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Dcns Oke Chinye, Founder, Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM)
    For Prayers and Counseling email rockteachingministry@gmail.com
    or call +2348155525555
    For more enquiries, visit: www.rockteachingministry.org

  • FG to create mass vaccination centers in Varsities, Churches, others

    FG to create mass vaccination centers in Varsities, Churches, others

    The Federal Government on Thursday announced its plans to create multiple vaccination sites in higher institutions of learning and religious centres.

    The Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Faisal Shuaib, revealed this during a press briefing in Abuja.

    According to Shuaib, the latest decision of the Federal Government to create the vaccination sites was due to the need to fast track vaccination in the country.

    He said, “We have made plans to create mass vaccination sites and such sites include higher institutions like Universities, Polytechnics and also religious centres like churches. We will be putting structures in place to achieve this.”

  • Churches should make DNA test mandatory for child dedication – Adeyanju

    Churches should make DNA test mandatory for child dedication – Adeyanju

    Activist Deji Adeyanju has said churches should ensure couples conduct a DNA test on their child before coming for child dedication ceremony.

    He also advocated for DNA test to be promoted as a national policy.

    He tweeted, “Abegiii my correct brother. DNA is a must. Let us promote it as national policy. Churches should make it mandatory for child dedication.”

    Adeyanju’s post comes amid the marital drama between popular comedian and OAP, Chinedu Ani Emmanuel, and his estranged wife Uzoma Ohiri.

    The OAP’s wife had taken to social media to accuse him of domestic violence which he denied.

    In his rebuttal on social media, Nedu accused her of infidelity, adding that a DNA test revealed that he’s not the biological father of their first son.

    Comedian Nedu to ex-wife Uzoamaka: I’ll always curse the day I met you

    His post read in part, “Our marriage was one plagued with a lot of issues. One of which was continuous infidelity from her side that led to me conducting a paternity test on our kids which led to the revelation that our first son is not my biological son even though he was born within the period during which we were married.”

  • Bandits kill eight, raze church, houses in fresh Kaduna attacks

    No fewer than eight people have been killed by bandits at Ungwan Gaida village in Chikun local government area of Kaduna state.

    The bandits were said to have invaded the community and started shooting sporadically and, in the process, shot eighth people dead.

    Confirming the incident in a statement, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the bandits also burnt down a building belonging to the Assemblies of God Church along with several other house during the attack.

    In another development, the Nigerian Navy troops stationed in the Kujama general area killed three bandits and arrested two accomplices after repelling an attack on Wakwodna community, near Kasso village, also in Chikun local government area.

    According to operational feedback to the Kaduna State Government, the troops stationed at the Kujama Checkpoint responded to reports of an attack on Wakwodna village, and swiftly deployed for intervention.

    The bandits fled into surrounding bushes on sighting the troops, and abandoned some rustled cattle, which were rounded up and returned to their rightful owners.

    The troops engaged the bandits just before Kaso village, and in the gunfight, three bandits were neutralized.

    Two locals who were injured in the exchange, were evacuated for medical attention.

    During the operation, the troops arrested a suspected bandit’s informant, Kapido Halilu, and a logistics supplier, Umar Maipashi.

    Food and medical supplies meant for the bandits were also confiscated while the suspects were taken into custody for further investigation.

  • Obey government directives on crossover services – CAN President urges churches nationwide

    Obey government directives on crossover services – CAN President urges churches nationwide

    The Christian leadership in Nigeria has directed worship centres to respect governments’ directives on New Year crossover services.

    President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Samson Ayokunle, in a statement issued on Tuesday evening, said CAN understands the unfortunate state the coronavirus pandemic has put everybody worldwide.

    The association appealed to churches to strictly adhere to COVID-19 protocols and guidelines issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), federal and state governments.

    “This caused some state governments to place a total ban on crossover night service and we are not happy that we would not be able to enter into the New Year prayerfully in joint fellowship with our brothers and sisters.

    “We, however, urge you all to abide by the directives of each state government on this so as to prevent the spread of the infection.

    “There is no sacrifice that is too much in order to put an end to the pandemic once and for all. One thing that is certain is that the end of COVID-19 is here at last in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ.”

    CAN also advised that in states where the government has placed an embargo on the crossover services, churches may meet earlier to praise God for the gift of life despite the global crisis and place their requests for 2021.

    Ayokunle added that in such states, services should end by 11:00pm at most to enable worshippers to return home on time.

    “It is a passing phase and this too shall pass away in Jesus Name. Very soon, the pandemic will become history and we will return to our usual routine services in Jesus Name.”

    He advised state governments to continuously relate with CAN leadership in their states for understanding and support of their directives.

    “We are partners in progress and development of the country. We also call on local government authorities to enforce the COVID-19 protocols in our markets and in the transport sector”, his statement added.

  • Robbers invade six churches in Osogbo, cart away mixers, amplifiers, others

    Robbers invade six churches in Osogbo, cart away mixers, amplifiers, others

    No fewer than six churches in Osogbo, Osun State were recently invaded by armed robbers who carted away a multimillion Naira public address system.

    The men of the underworld were said to have stole Mixers and Slave Engine Amplifiers at the affected churches which include Methodist Church, Isale-Aro; Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Bishop’s Court, Jaleyemi; Catholic Church, Popo; Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Isale-Aro; and Anglican Church, Balogun-Agoro.

    A member of one of the affected churches who spoke under condition of anonymity, said it was unfortunate that the robbers chose to target the House of God to carry out their nefarious activities.

    Narrating the development, the source said: “We woke up on the fateful day to discover that about six churches have been robbed by the criminal elements who invaded the said churches.

    “At Methodist Church, Isale-Aro, the robbers broke three security doors to access the church building after which they carted away one big Mixer worth about N600,000 and three Slave Engine Amplifiers worth N80,000 each.

    “The robbers also stole similar sets of public address equipment at Anglican Church, Balogun-Agoro; Catholic Church, Popo; Christ Apostolic Church, Isale-Aro; Anglican Church, Bishop’s Court and another Christ Apostolic Church around Old Secretariat axis.”

    Another church member said the matter had already been reported at Police Station, Oja-Oba, while the police officers immediately swung into action.

    “We have lost equipment worth millions of naira. After we reported the matter at Oja-Oba Police Station, police officers came to our church to make some findings. As a matter of fact, Anglican Church is the worst hit as the robbers stole several items there.

    “The police officers came and asked some questions about who we suspected could be responsible, but added that for them to go further with investigation, especially to trace the fingerprint of where the robbers touched will cost the church money.

    “So, the church had to abandon pressing ahead with the investigation since it will cost us money. We have resolved to leave the matter to God and pray that the robbers will have no peace in their lives until they return the stolen items.

    “These are public address items that we use during our services and it is unfortunate that the robbers targeted worship centres and God’s sanctuary to perpetrate their evil trade,” he said.

    When contacted, Public Relations Officer of Osun State Police Command, Mrs Yemisi Opalola clarified that the money requested for fingerprint investigation was not an extortion, but that it has to be paid where the investigation would be carried out.

    “It is not the investigating police team that is responsible for the fingerprint test. They will have to take it to the State CID (Criminal Investigation Department) and they don’t do it free there. It is not the police that will pay for what they will use for the fingerprint test and that was why they told them to fund the investigation.

    “The investigating team can as well tell the victims to go and conduct the fingerprint test in Alagbon, Lagos, and so it is not as if they are being extorted,” she said.

  • Pastors who refuse to open churches for fear of COVID-19 are fake – Oyakhilome

    Pastors who refuse to open churches for fear of COVID-19 are fake – Oyakhilome

    Founder, Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has lashed out at churches that refused to open for worship in Lagos State, describing them as fake.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that some pastors have kept their churches under lock and key despite the lifting of ban on religious activities. Founder, The Citadel Global Community Church (formerly Latter Rain Assembly) Pastor Tunde Bakare; founder, Day Star, Pastor Sam Adeyemi and some others have refused to open their churches for services after the Lagos State Government lifted the ban on religious centres’ re-opening.

    But Oyahilome during a service said ” if you refuse to open church for fear of being infected, you were never a believer.

    “This is a great concern because there were churches that were thought to be churches until recently. We find a lot of ministers who were thought to be advocates of the gospel advocating for shutting down the churches. (Because they cannot guarantee safety).

    “It is pressure like this that reveals what is a church and what is not. Do they really believe in God, the same God of the patriarchs in the Bible?

    “I have laid hands on some of the most infectious people on earth and had no fear of being infected. The Word of God guarantees life in Christ.

    “When you get to that point where you are afraid of opening churches for fear of being infected, you have denied the faith. You never believed,” he said.

    He said one could be a preacher but “your fear and unbelief has put you in bondage. If Jesus is real and you have him inside you, shouldn’t you be a healer of diseases? Should you be afraid? The Bible says ‘if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them’. Don’t you believe that? Do you question the validity of the words of Jesus?
    If these things are not true, then what is true? If one part of the Bible is not true, then what is true?

    “What the Lord expects us to do: There was a time the Church didn’t have knowledge of anything going on.
    I believe why God allowed the Churches to be shut down was because God wanted to get our attention.
    Usually there should be a separation of Church and State. But different leaders started making rules about wearing masks before we worship.”

    Oyakhilome added that “these guys don’t have any research that shows that using a mask saves you from the COVID-19. On the contrary we have abundant research results that prove that the mask doesn’t save you: in fact it kills you slowly. So why the mask: it keeps you subject to them. It reminds them of their power over you.

    “Don’t look at the USA because its not a good example for any country to follow right now. It’s been politicized. They are caving in to the protagonists of the left to reduce criticism. I tell you, after the elections, nobody will wear masks.”

    He stated that the testing for COVID-19 is one of the biggest fraud.

    According to him, “from different countries we have heard complaints of this fraud of a test. Those who are doing the test are behind the fraud. Every government needs to wake up now and question the fraud! Paid Journalists had better be sincere to themselves, their country and to God. I have done my research. You do yours! Get the right information.”

  • COVID-19: Oyedepo dares Sanwo-Olu, ‘decrees’ daily opening of churches in Lagos

    COVID-19: Oyedepo dares Sanwo-Olu, ‘decrees’ daily opening of churches in Lagos

    Presiding Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo has decreed that the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu should allow churches to also open on weekdays in the state.

    In Lagos, churches only open on Sundays and mosques on Fridays.

    But Oyedepo, on Sunday during worship service at Canaanland, Ogun State berated the Lagos State Government for not allowing churches to open on weekdays, describing it as strange.

    In his words: “I also heard something very strange last night that Lagos churches open only on Sundays. If I heard well, the markets open every day, public transport opens every day. Is Nigeria still a circular state? Churches in the north open everyday.

    “My sincere advise to the authority is that please, review your stand. Since the SS3 students resume, is there outbreak? The churches in Kano opened about two months now, is there any outbreak? Kogi opened earlier on, any outbreak? Before the church will turn to somebody’s pocket, it is time for God to act.

    “We will keep on hearing from heaven the latest from this altar as God liveth. So I decree the opening of churches for all weekdays in Lagos. A woman said in Ota market, ‘we that go to sell in the market are the ones who come to church to worship’.

    “I told you sometimes past that I hope this is not an anti-church virus? Not I hope, I said it is an anti-virus. An end has come to every form of assault against the church. Freedom of worship is restored to our nation, from the north to the south, from the east to the west.”