TheNewsGuru

Tag: Churches

  • COVID-19: CAN distances self from Oyedepo, Oyakhilome, says churches must remain closed

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has explained why churches should remain closed despite mounting pressure in many quarters for their re-opening.

    This is coming after General Overseer of The Living Faith Ministries Worldwide otherwise known as Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, said the continuous closure of churches when markets and other public institutions were reopened was suspicious.

    Founder of Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, also backed him, saying there was a calculated attempt to weaken the growth of the church in Nigeria.

    However, in an official statement, he personally signed on Friday, CAN President, Rev Supo Ayokunle, said it was not yet time for churches to reopen.

    According to him, the relaxation of lockdown had seen the country witness more coronavirus infection.

    Ayokunle said: “The above relaxation has on the other hand increased the pressure mounted on us, church leaders, from our members for the churches and other places of worship to be opened.

    “Champions for the reopening of worship centres argue that if people had contracted the virus in the markets and other places, closing the church from worshipping becomes unreasonable!

    “It is like using medicine after death! Furthermore, the church is more organised and a place of healing.”

    Despite these, the CAN President urge “all churches to remain closed because the daily increasing infected people in Nigeria is dangerous for the survival of us all.”

    He called for caution among churches for reopening, saying “the church needs to exercise restrain at this time so that we might not naively and over zealously plunge our members into regrettable destruction and sorrow.”

  • Churches, mosques to run full sitting capacities as Ayade lifts ban on religious activities

    Churches, mosques to run full sitting capacities as Ayade lifts ban on religious activities

    Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River has lifted the suspension on public worship centres in the state.

    In a statement signed by Mr Christian Ita, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor, the order lifting the suspension will take effect from Sunday, May 24, 2020.

    Ayade said conscious of the spiritual economy and in response to appeals by religious leaders in the state, lifting the suspension on public worship became necessary.

    “The order suspending public worship in the state is hereby lifted with effect from Sunday, May 24, 2020.

    “Consequently, starting from Sunday, May 24, 2020, church services are permitted but should be limited to the sitting capacity of the church, the same applies to mosques.

    “Use of face masks is compulsory for all worshipers, churches and mosques should provide buckets for hand washing, or sanitisers.

    “Churches and mosques are hereby advised to strictly adhere to the instructions as the enforcement team will still go around to check compliance,” he said.

    He added that the understanding and cooperation of religious leaders contributed immensely in keeping the state COVID-19 free thus far.

  • MURIC demands palliatives for pastors, Imams to end agitation for reopening of worship centers

    The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has asked state governments to consider giving palliatives to imams and pastors to cushion the effect of COVID-19 measures on them.

    In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ishaq Akintola, MURIC director, said the palliatives will address the agitation to reopen churches and mosques.

    “The open demand by certain religious leaders for their places of worship to be reopened lends credence to the pressure clerics are going through,” he said.

    “Even the recent decision by some state governments to reopen religious centres is not unconnected with subterranean agitations from clerics in the states. Deserted for weeks, the house of God longs for warmth.

    “The impact of the economic nosedive on imams and pastors cannot be overemphasized particularly for a country whose proletariat is overworked, underpaid and overtaxed.”

    Akintola said the realities of the Nigerian economy call for government’s attention ”particularly as they affect keepers of the house of God”.

    “MURIC therefore advises the various state governments to speedily devise means of getting special palliatives to the clerics in the churches and mosques.

    “They deserve attention at this crucial moment because they have nowhere to go. They should not be turned to beggars. They have served the government at various times. They should not be abandoned in their hour of need.

    “Besides, members of their families deserve decent lives as Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stipulates the right to life for every citizen while Section 34 confers the right to the dignity of the human person.”

  • Rights to worship: CAN tackles FG, demands reopening of churches amid Covid-19 crisis

    The Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN) has called for reopening of churches over the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Its General Secretary Barr. Joseph Daramola said it was wrong of government authorities to continue closing churches, mosques when other aspects of national life have started taking shape.

    Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, aka Winners’ Chapel International, David Oyedepo, had questioned the continuous closure of churches over the coronavirus pandemic, alleging some ulterior motives.

    Oyedepo, who spoke during the Covenant Hour of Prayer Programme last Wednesday, said if markets could be opened for six hours, there was no reason churches should not be opened for two hours.

    The revered cleric said he believed there was a gang up against the growth of the church in the country.

    Reacting to the development, Daramola during a conversation with newsmenwho said churches can still maintain social distancing while conducting services.

    He said government cannot separate the religious environment from that of the economy, adding that churches are even more orderly than markets.

    Daramola said: “Because if you are looking at the economic aspect and because of that you have open a small window then it should extended to the religious aspect. Everybody, have turned to God on this COVID-19 issue. And the voice of the people is the voice of God. When people are shouting and calling God in their house is good but there is a central place of worship approved by government. So why do you have to lock it down.

    “For anybody who is reasonable, will not throw away what Bishop Oyedepo has said. At the same time we have to balance the situation. I mean it is very logical if they said markets should open there is warning even when you are going to the market. You have to wear nose mask, and maintain certain distance which is impossible at a market place.

    “Church can still maintain social distancing. If the church service is two hours before, there is no reason the church cannot make it one hour. They will now spread services to follow the social distancing order. This is my advice. You cannot divorce the religious environment from the economic environment.

    “There should be no total lockout of churches and Mosques. We can regulate it. All those government officials that are talking to us about it, they put on masks”.

  • Oyedepo complies with police, suspends plans to reopen his churches nationwide

    Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, has on Sunday complied with the police and government’s directives on religious gathering despite his earlier threat to reopen church activities.

    Recall that TheNEwsGuru(TNG) had earlier published that the police in Ogun State on Saturday cautioned the pastor against reopening his churches nationwide.

    The police had claimed that it had information that some religious leaders in Ogun State were preparing to open their religious centres for people to converge.

    The state Police Spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, therefore appealed to such religious leaders to have a change of heart.

    TNG’s gathered that, rather than open his church, Oyedepo held another online church service today.

    In his live message entitled: ”Commanding the supernatural,” Oyedepo said the ‘Supernatural is the natural estate of every believer.”

    The cleric urged Christians to believe in the word of God because it empowers them to manifest as children of God.

  • Right to worship? Police issue warning to Oyedepo over decision to reopen church

    Right to worship? Police issue warning to Oyedepo over decision to reopen church

    The police in Ogun State have issued stern warning to Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church over his plan to reopen his church.

    The police gave this warning in a press release signed by the state Police Spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi and made available to journalist in Abeokuta on Saturday evening.

    Recall that TheNewsGuru (TNG) had on Friday reported that Oyedepo, said he had declared his churches open, while stressing that anybody against the reopening of churches will die.

    Oyedepo’s Living Faith Church is headquartered in Ota, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government area of Ogun State.

    In a veiled reference to Oyedepo, the police said they have information that some religious leaders in Ogun are preparing to open their religious centres for people to converge.

    This, the police said was in total disobedience to both the state and federal government directives.

    Oyeyemi, said appealed to such religious leaders to have a change of heart, saying “security agencies in the state will view the opening of worship centres with all seriousness.”

    The statement reads:“It has come to the notice of Ogun State Police Command that some religious leaders in the state are preparing to open their various religious centers for people to converge in total disobedience to both the state and federal government directives.

    “The command hereby appeals to such religious leaders in both Islamic and Christian faith who may be having such intention to have a change of mind because the security agencies in the state will view such with all seriousness.

    “The command will not tolerate any act capable of undermining the determination of the state and federal government to fight the COVID 19 pandemic to a standstill.

    “The commissioner of police, therefore, wish to use this medium to remind all religious leaders that the ban on all forms of gathering; be it social or religious is still in force. He also admonished all and sundry to cooperate with the government in its efforts to make the state coronavirus-free.”

  • Oyemade tackles Oyedepo, Oyakhilome on closure of churches

    Oyemade tackles Oyedepo, Oyakhilome on closure of churches

    The Senior Pastor of The Covenant Christian Centre Lagos, Pastor Poju Oyemade, has disagreed with prominent preachers against the continuous closure of churches over the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Though the lockdown has been eased in Lagos, Ogun and FCT, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered worship centres will remain shut till further notice.

    But founder of Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, slammed the authorities for closing churches, saying they should be healing centres.

    Founder of Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, backed Oyakhilome, stating the continuous closure of churches was suspicious.

    According to him, it was part of the moves to stop the church of God from expanding.

    But Oyemade, whose birthday on his Instagram page, said the closure of churches does not in any way stop the Holy Spirit from working.

    Making reference to the Bible, he said: “The sick healed in the book of Acts were healed on the streets, in people’s homes, in public places and not within the four walls of a Church.”

    He added: “Closing the doors of a physical building does not in any way mean the closure of the anointing of the Spirit from working.

    “Church buildings may be shut down but true faith and the anointing of the Spirit has not stopped working.

    “There is a difference between expression of emotions and the manifestation of the anointing to heal the sick.

    “There is nowhere in Jesus’s ministry where the healing of the sick was preceded by a congregational service.

    “In the Book of Acts, the sick were healed predominantly on the streets with no fanciful service going on.

    “Closure of a church building does not stop the rivers of living water from flowing out of your belly. It resides in our inner man.

    “There was collective prayer to receive a supply of the Spirit which led to outdoor manifestations.

    He referred to Apostle Paul insisting Christians don’t have to be together in a physical space to receive that supply.

    “Did he not say to the Church at Phillipi, I know this shall turn to my salvation through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus? The Church was miles away from where Paul was.

    “Charles Finney began a massive revival by people praying in their homes all keeping watches at the same time. They all chose the exact time to pray and they did in their homes until the Spirit broke out on the streets.

    “They did not criticise any other Church or ministry of weakness. Criticizing others doesn’t attest to the fact that you have strength. They only stayed with God until something broke out on the streets.”

  • COVID-19: Its foolishness to shut churches and open markets, hospitals where people die everyday – Oyedepo tells FG, States

    COVID-19: Its foolishness to shut churches and open markets, hospitals where people die everyday – Oyedepo tells FG, States

    Presiding Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo has chided the Federal and State Governments for opening markets and continue to lock up churches in the country.

    Oyedepo, in his sermon, said the churches should be opened, wondering why government took such a foolish decision.

    He said there was something wrong for government to allow markets to open for six hours and not allow churches to open for two hours.

    “There should be opening of the churches around the world. Sir, there is something wrong for people to be allowed to be in the market for six hours and can’t be in Church for two hours.

    “It is an upside down ways of looking at things, while quoting Ecclesiastic 4:13 which said “Better is a poor and wise child than an old foolish king who will no more be admonished.”

    “Which one is more orderly, the market or the church? I can smell a rat, the Lord spoke to me about it yesterday. Behind all this, how do we stop the church from exploding?

    “The greatest headache of the power of darkness is the expansion and progress of the church. No civilization had ever endured without a foundation in Christ.

    “I can smell a rat, the forces of darkness are influencing people against the church, targeting the church. But the gate of hell shall not prevail against the church, they shall gather but they shall fall. The devil and all his agents will pay for this.

    “Hospital where people die everyday is opened and the church is closed,” he stated.

  • COVID-19: CAN demands re-opening of churches, says only God can end pandemic

    COVID-19: CAN demands re-opening of churches, says only God can end pandemic

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called for the re-opening of worship centres in the face of the coronavirus disease.

    The Christian body expressed concerns over the shutdown of churches as part of measures to checkmate the spread of the virus.

    The CAN in the South-East argued churches should not remain closed forever because they are centres of hope for the people as every other solution to the pandemic seemed elusive.

    In a statement on Monday by the CAN Chairman, South-East, Bishop Dr. Goddy Okafor, the body said: “From the feelers around the globe, it is quite glaring that the solution to this global problem lies in God’s hands.
    “While we appreciate the efforts being in place by various governments of the world to solve this problem, we must say that God must be resorted to at this point in time.

    “We have seen that even the so-called world powers have melted in the face of this epidemics. This leaves us with one option- to seek the face of God as a people. Prayer is the answer, the key to this problem.

    “To this end, we call on the government to re-open worship centres and allow the people the opportunity of gathering together to cry unto God.
    “During such a period, Churches would take adequate measures to maintain social distancing by limiting the number of worshipers at a time, as well as providing items for social hygiene. This is the only way out of this global confusion.”
    Okafor equally condemned the recent fire incident at the Accountant General of the Federation’s office, calling for discreet investigation.

    “This is one incident too many and we ask that a proper investigation be carried out to ensure that there are no under-current dealings.

    “It should not just be dismissed as an ordinary fire-outbreak considering allegations of sleeze currently trending in the face of the government’s social parliatives,” he further stated.

  • COVID-19: Wike makes U-Turn as churches, mosques reject suspension of lockdown for Easter, Juma’at prayers

    COVID-19: Wike makes U-Turn as churches, mosques reject suspension of lockdown for Easter, Juma’at prayers

    Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike, has made a U-turn on his earlier decision to permit churches and Muslims to worship in full congregations for Easter celebration.

    The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paulinus Nsirim, in a statement at the weekend, said the decision was taken after due consultations with eminent clergy men, well-meaning Nigerians and civil society groups.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, churches should stick to the 50 persons per service to maintain social distancing,” he said.

    Wike, in a statewide broadcast, temporarily relaxed the restrictions on large religious gatherings directing Muslims to observe their Jumaat prayers and Christians to worship in full congregations on Sunday.

    Rivers has two confirmed cases of COVID-19 based on statistics published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

    The governor said: “In the spirit of Easter, therefore, and after a careful review of the state of COVID-19 situation in our state, all Moslem faithful should observe Juma’at prayers in their mosques or prayer grounds throughout the State and pray for the peace, forgiveness and the blessings of Allah upon the State.

    “All Christians should have Easter Church Services with their full congregation and pray to God to forgive us of our sins, continue to intervene in our affairs and protect the State and our people from the Coronavirus”.

    It was, however, gathered that religious leaders in the state while appreciating the generosity of the governor and his passion, opted to toe the path of caution.

    The Muslims reportedly turned down the offer as they shunned large gathering for their Jumaat prayer on Friday while most residents expressed fears that allowing larger gathering of worshippers could reverse the gains of the governor in his fight against the pandemic.

    The Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt also wrote a letter dated April 10 to all the priests in the zone, urging them to stick to all health tips against the prevention of the pandemic.

    The diocese, in a letter signed by its Bishop, Camillus Etokudoh, appreciated the Governor but turned down the offer after considering its health implication.

    The letter said: “We deeply appreciate statewide broadcast of the governor during which he temporarily relaxed the restrictions on large religious gatherings for Moslems on Friday for their prayers and for Christians on Sunday to have their full congregation for Easter celebrations.

    “However, in the face of the threat of COVID-19 and having prayerfully considered the implications of the risks to our expected crowded congregation on normal Easter celebration, we hereby request you our priests and lay faithful to continue to keep to the CBCN and our diocesan pastoral directives”.