THE CHURCH IS SLEEPING

It is sad that the so-called Islamic sect called Boko Haram has turned Northern Christians into mere chickens and goats which invariably indicated that the church has lost its first port of call in the ministerial works of God.In Matthew 13: 25 says ' But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way'. Since 1999 till date, ever before the emergence of this dreaded and callous Islamic group, Christians have been victims of this sectarian violence in the Northern region. Over thousands of Christians have lost their precious lives and property worth billions of naira destroyed for crime not committed or known.

The recent bomb attacks in Kaduna and other northern states respectively that broke the camel back when christian youths took to streets of the region for reprisal attacks on the Muslims and other nefarious elements that are perpetrators of this heinous acts in recent time which infuriated the Federal government to immediately declared 24 hours curfew in the region for such unscrupulous killings of harmless Christians with no resistance.The too many bomb attacks on northern Christians which human lives have been abruptly wasted in the altar of wicked people who felt the leadership at the national level has been betrayed by the destabilization of the PDP zoning arrangement.The many government promises to curb the security threats in the region have not yielded any positive result rather increase perpetual killings while the operators are walking free in the region. It is glaring that the barometer of Boko Haram attacks are purely in human and religious affairs which some school of thought presumed that it was a political influence on some certain machinery who believe they ought to be the caretakers of the government at all levels.The security of Churches is everybody affairs at this critical time. Even President Goodluck Jonathan cannot provide security operatives to the Christians in the North.Our so-called christian and secular musicians who ought to pass the message of peace to the region are rather glorifying themselves to the prism of naira notes.

The most annoying part of it is that , after the reprisal bomb attacks of the Boko Haram has succeeded in unleashing terror on the harmless Christians when the Federal government will declare such region on a state of emergence. Even the police are prey to the Boko Haram attacts while the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) are spared to some extent as a result of their well-equipped preparation towards the fight of terrorist attacks in the region.The worrying situation is that the southern churches have kept silent so long that the Boko Haram has taken over the kingdom of God in the name of serving riches than heaven.Some Nigerians still believe that Boko Haram members are mere foreigners who are hugely paid to carry out their nefarious activates on the innocent Christians and nothing else. In the book of Matthew explains to us that Christians are slumbering while the enemies have taken advantage of the churches.For Christ sake Boko Haram members are not spirit but human beings that are desperate to take Christians to the cleaners.

Many years ago, precisely, the house of God was seen as a holy ground where sinners come to make restitution and Christians worship God in their faith but the reverse is the case.It has become a market place where only those that are wealthy and can speak polish English Language are respected and promoted because of their fat tithes and offerings at any given service time. Most Nigerian pastors are only interested on how beautiful are their churches or numbers of wealthy worshipers and nothing else.Even the so-called notable praying churches in the days of Elijah are now joining the leagues of prosperity card carriers while Christians are dying in thousands in the north. To the

extent that Boko Haram members have marked some prominent Churches that they will attack in the North and South in the

nearest future if not prevented now by various leadership stakeholders of the body of Christ, since the government have failed at all levels to protect lives and property.Taken statistical look at these new generational churches in Nigeria, there is no physical father that is bold to challenge the evil activities of this Boko Haram rather luring Christians to carry arms and ammunition which is against God's doctrine.The late Bishop Benson Idahosa who came out publicly on air to challenge the nefarious activities of the evil people in the society and issued curses on them without being afraid of the next line of action. How many of these Pastors are ready to take their evangelism to interior villages where idolatry and demonic activities are the order of the day.Every pastor now want to be seen on air with designer suits and nothing else.There is no particular father that is heading PFN or CAN as a role model to new generational churches rather than competition of the gospel and church population with books written by these pastors compelling members to buy it as means of business transformation and others.

The Essence of establishing Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and Christian Fellowship of Nigeria(CAN) is solely bastardized by some certain influential pastors who believe that only pastors with large congregation are better off in decision making of these bodies.Papa Ayo as the president of these two bodies is just

a leader not a father.Most pastors are not members of these bodies because some characters being portrayed in these bodies in recent times are welcomed by real called ministers of God who are ready to make heaven. Even pastors now dine and wine with evil people that are part and parcel of this sectarian violence across the country. They now exalt themselves as miracle healers without given praise to God.

The devil is no longer afraid of the church anymore. Some pastors that God is using to help dejected souls in Nigeria are being condemned by some clergies that have more than ten posh jeeps in their houses with expensive jets. If all the wealthy pastors can surrender their wealth to the poor then Nigeria will be heading to internal and external breakthrough.

The quantum of deaths in every satanic attacks that occurred in Nigeria, Christians are major victims.Though in the Holy Bible Christians were major victims as a result of preaching the gospel of Christ which is the reflection in the north and the sign of end time .In Matthew 12:32 says And whosoever speaketh a word against the son of man,it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him,neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Now a pastor came to one prayer meeting saying that IBB invited him to preach in his house knowing very well that these were past leaders that turned this country into a sorry state which he was telling the avid congregation how connected he was. Can you serve God and devil at the same time? The temptation of Jesus Christ has been underrated by some selfish ministers of God who are playing to the gallery of wealthy politicians. Though present ministerial work needs money to grow the work of God but some charlatans have entered into God's work as a business for covering their evil activities. Every activity in Church is being monetized by most pastors. Only few churches still preach salvation and the coming of lord Jesus Christ. One of the pastors that died on the recent Dana Airline always preach on the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ which he had the premonition that he will live the earth someday. Attending Bible colleges do no make a pastor but ability to accept Jesus Christ with genuine heart.

One Delta popular gospel musician precisely Evang Emma Ofano in his song ministration said if offerings and tithes are separated from some of the new generational churches, some pastors will park off their callings. He was specifically right. It is not as if God is not present in the Church but most activities are being centered on mundane things which it is difficult to separate some churches from club houses.The Lagos state government under the Lagos State Environment Protection Agency(LSEPA ) and Lagos State Advertising Agency (LASAA) to regulate the activities of church posters and sound system during programmes and others in the State. The church is adamant of this policy being placed on churches.Prayers are being mortgaged for money together with members testimonies and others.

Me think, all the pentecostal and orthodox churches and pastors must start praying for cleansing of sins in this generational ministries now and allow God to decide their ministerial callings while these bodies must checkmate the activities of their members rather using the pulpit to send their arsenal of attacks on innocent ministers of God.Political pastors must call for repentance now. BY GODDAY ODIDI 080643548693,08058124798,20 oro

street Ajegunle Apapa Lagos. Public Affairs Analyst.

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Articles by Godday Odidi