The Church And The Church
As a religious cum spiritual organization, the Church performs a fundamental role in human and social development. Call it social responsibility or shared value, you might not be incorrect.
At the core of this reality lays the quest to first, fulfill its heavenly mandate of nurturing souls with truth whilst preparing them for the rapture(heaven) as well as strengthening and sustaining minds for a better society.
Suffice to say, the church is a representative of GOD here on earth. However, one is left to wonder if the myriad of humanly outlined religious laws truly reflect the nature,notion and instructions of God. (By laws, I do not refer to the rules and regulations of the church as an organisation).
Arguably, the church has deviated from its paramount functionality of promoting God's instructions into elevating human rules. It has shifted from the responsibility of connecting men to God into connecting men to men, serving and servicing the body but starving the spirit and soul. Godly-character has been replaced with simply gorgeous charisma and character. The church now passes for a congregation of deceitful doers, home of hypocrites, platform of pretenders and circle of sycophants.
The church has gone worldly and in turn the world has become 'churchy'. Hence, there is a keen contest between the CHURCH OF GOD and the Church of men.
The church of men prides itself in religious activities other than spiritual exercises. The church of men finds no convenience in exposing the heartbeat of God, but in keeping church-rules. The church men glory in mundane motions and matters. This church is somewhere by your side.
Interestingly, you will still find the CHURCH OF GOD down the road, if you can search.
“That very church which the world likes best is sure to be that which God abhors.”― Charles H. Spurgeon
In recent weeks, I have read loads of comments on the wedding ceremony of John Kumuyi, son of the International Holiness Preacher, Pastor W.F Kumuyi.
But here, I will share with you a comment I recently received from one of John's age-long friends.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have spent over 20-years in Deeper Life Church and I'm privileged to know this John guy, every boy in the youth-choir with me can bear witness that unlike some other pastor children, John was an epitome of a child of Jesus. John so humble, kind as in no segregation of any sort, John ate with us and times he would stay in the brick hostel with us, sometimes slept overnight.
If disobeying some church rules is a sin then I think all Deeper Life members are sinners! The TV was apoti esu (devil's box) and now all Deeper Life churches use flat screens!
I just want my pastor WF Kumuyi to beware of the pastor sycophants around him!!! The same way they moved him to curse the youth choir in the congress of 2002 leading to the permanent ban of the so holy committed and prestigious youth-choir lead by Dr Oikelomen (Bro Albert).
If the choir is alive today I'm sure this wedding wouldn't cause issues because it would be a progressive church activity with great celebrations!!!
I grew up in a church choir where the color of your tie is a sin, the wrist watches and belts were always sins, the bright colored shirts and gowns/blouses were issues! Abah!!! Why should John's apology letter be read by babas in the church? We were not told of his wedding!!! We don't even know anything about him!! The apology is a word of expressions from the offending to the offended. Why should he apologies to me that he didn't offend? Besides the letter should be read by himself not by this pastors to show a level of godly sincerity and repentance!!!
Please Pastor Kumuyi should remember his wife mama rere Sister Abiodun, she wouldn't want her son's wedding to cause headaches! Pastor should be so careful with the people around him!!!
They didn't read the apology letters of their own children that didn't even wed in the lord "at all at all" They are not of Rome that of Rome!!! On my wall on Facebook I wrote about pastor Kumuyi's reply to a question on ancient landmark and I remember he rebuked the asking, pastor WF stated that those church rules can't stop your wedding as long as u invite Jesus 2 your wedding, Jesus will turn your water 2 wine!!!
This is to my comrade, brother and friend, John kumuyi. God bless you and your marriage. I love you, and I am happy to tell you that you didn't offend me!
God bless you, your wife your home! ~Kenny".
Conclusively, the Church as a gathering of (un)gathered people, must not loose sight of its primary responsibility of promoting cordial relationship between God and man, even in the face of its expanding secondary responsibilities.