Bakare Vs Oyedepo, Adeboye, Kumuyi
• Winners Chapel, Deeper Life Church, CAN, Redeemed, other churches join in the fray
By HENRY UMAHI (kinghenrysun@yahoo.com), WOLE BALOGUN, RACHAEL AGUNTA, DENNIS UGBUDIAN, GILBERT EKEZIE, VERA WISDOM-BASSEY, Lagos and GODWIN TSA, Abuja
Saturday, November 21, 2009


•Pastor Tunde Bakare
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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In the aftermath of the blistering criticism of leaders of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye; Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi and Bishop David Oyedepo of the Winners Chapel, by Pastor Tunde Bakare, the Pentecostal Christian community has been polarized.

While some church members and pastors have described the radical preacher’s comments as a function of his rabid desire to be in the limelight, even at the expense of others, others said that the fundamentals he raised should be addressed.

Speaking with Saturday Sun, a visibly agitated Deacon Okpara, Media Officer of Winners Chapel, said: “Whatever Pastor Tunde Bakare of Latter Day Assembly says remains his own personal opinion and he is entitled to it. As for us in Winners Chapel, we are too busy to be featuring in such drama. As far as I am concerned, my church is not occultic.

Over 100,000 worshippers come to worship here. Do we bring them by juju? Whatever he said does not change anything. We are busy preparing for Shiloh 2009 with the theme ‘The Hour of Restoration.’
“Whether the devil likes it or not, it shall be successful. Bishop Oyedepo is not occultic and cannot teach occultic doctrines. He is a renowned man of God. He is a man of integrity, who has affected lives within and outside the country. You should know the kind of pastor that Pastor Bakare is if you have been in the media for long.”

Okpara refused to have his photograph taken, threatening hell and brimstone.
When Saturday Sun visited the international office of the RCCG, at the Redemption Camp, on the Lagos-Ibadan Express way, our reporters were asked by one Mrs. Olawole to see a woman heading the legal unit of the church. On the door that leads to her office is written Coordinating Centre.
However, when asked to react to the burning issues raised by Bakare, she retorted: “It has been the tradition of the Redeemed Christian Church of God not to comment on any issue brought from the media. We are mandated not to speak to the media on any issue. However, you can write an application for an interview and address it to the General Overseer (G.O) and take it to Ebute Metta, where our headquarters is.”

Indeed, the bespectacled, dark complexioned and robust woman of average height rebuffed every question, saying: “No comments”.
Saturday Sun wanted to know her name and designation but she said: “Look young man, I cannot tell you my name or my designation because I know you people at The Sun can say that so and so said something that is scandalous. Don’t even describe me. I have told you people what you should know. Good day.”
Efforts to get the official reaction of the Deeper Life Bible Church, at its international headquarters, Ayobo, Lagos, was unsuccessful, as Kumuyi and his key men were said not be available.

However, one of the pastors, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “We should pray for him (Bakare). This shows that he’s not following what the holy book says; he’s derailing from what he is preaching. But people should call him to order and bring him back to what we knew to be. The Deeper Life Bible Church is known for truth; people know that the church stands on the truth. Moreover, he did not catch any Deeper Life pastor committing adultery or stealing or doing anything wrong. But even Christ passed through trying period. It will fizzle out in due time.”

Reacting to Bakare’s interview, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said the pastors involved should be warned. Speaking on behalf of CAN, Engr. Samuel Salifu, general secretary said: “The Bible says it is not by our power but by the Grace of God. So, whatever position we are today, you should always remember that it is not by our works or making, but by His Grace. All this unnecessary bickering and arrogant show of wealth is not the way of Christ. Christian leaders especially, should stop playing God and refrain from unnecessary squabbles and work together for the interest of the church.

“Christians in Nigeria should always remember that they are Christians under the Grace of God and that they would give account of their stewardship when they appear in Heaven. It is, therefore, unnecessary to engage in petty issues when there is God’s work to be done. The stories in the papers between Pastor Tunde Bakare and Pastor Oyedepo are unnecessary. Whether it is T.B Joshua, Oyedepo or Tunde Bakare, all of them are doing great exploits by the Grace of God. It is not by their works because anything outside the Grace of God will end up to nothing.

“Christians must be humble and remained focus on the work of God. It is not by bragging on the pages of newspapers. A Christian is expected to do what is right, transparent, humility and honesty. Unfortunately, brethren dwell so much on prosperity.”

The CAN secretary said that the association does not impose doctrine, adding that churches are free to choose their doctrines. He said: “We don’t impose doctrines on churches. Churches are free to choose whatever doctrine they believe in. But at the end of time, everybody will appear before God and give account of himself. We cannot say one church doctrine is better than the other. It is the business of the church and its members.

However, we will resist any noticeable act of heresy against the church.”
Equally, other pastors are reacting. Speaking on the development, Pastor Daniel Ugochukwu of Fruitful Land Ministry International, Ijegun, said: “We have been taught that we are not to judge anybody, not even our colleagues in the ministry. As pastors, God has not committed judgment into the hand of any man. Jesus said He did not come to judge. God has not made any pastor, any person a judge over anything, if we do, it means pulling the hand of God over an image of God.

“There was a time Jesus gave the parable of a farmer in the Bible: We are to leave the wheat with the chaff, that they should gather all so as not to damage the seed in the process of separating the chaff. A lot of things that are hidden to man today are left for God. There are so many things we try to know when we get to heaven.”

Ugochukwu described Oyedepo as “one of the great fathers of the gospel we have here in Nigeria.”
Pastor Folorunsho Ajao, District Superintendent of Christ Apostolic Church, said: “When we mention church, it is supposed to be a forum where people of God meet. Jesus called us to work together and share our problems. The church does not mean that people should not go out for their business and engaging in daily service. Actually, the issue of regular programmes in the church is not bad because it is not compulsory.

Anyone who attends regular programmes in the church needs it. Otherwise, they will not go. So, it is a matter of choice. Moreover, there is no programme in the church that all attend. For instance, if 1, 000 worshippers are in the church, at least 200 may have time to attend regular church programme, while others go to their businesses. For me, the important issue is to have good purpose. It is unfortunate that some pastors deviate from the godly ways and practise whatever they like.”

Ajao contended that pastors making their wives automatic pastors, even when they were not called and ordained, is not biblical. According to him, all these things started with the proliferation of churches.
Pastor Chukwudi Emmanuel Onyeari, Pastor in charge of Christ Divine Ministries, said: “My reaction to the issue of Christianity is that there is no peace among the churches. Under normal circumstances, pastors are supposed to be united, loving one another so as to make progress. But it is unfortunate that we are seeing a different thing due to selfish interests. Apart from that, there is division among Christians themselves. As a pastor, I do not believe in that ideology.

“On the issues Pastor Bakare raised against some pastors, I believe that everyone has his own calling. For instance, if one has eye problem, he would go to the doctor that treats eye and not teeth ache. Some of us say we are prophets or prophetesses, but we do not know where we are following. For me, I do not address myself as prophet. Rather, I prefer being called a pastor. It bothers me that some of us have messed the whole thing up. Sometimes, we need to ask ourselves questions. Jesus Christ, who we are following was never addressed as an evangelist, pastor, prophet or bishop.

We know Him as Jesus Christ of Nazareth, but today the story is different, everyone wants to be on top for selfish reasons.
“On the issue of pastors making their wives automatic pastors is wrong. In fact, I observed that such things are common in our churches today. Even when a pastor’s wife is called, she has to go through the right process, the Bible college in order to acquire the necessary knowledge to operate successfully. Bible colleges are not there for fun, it is to train servants of God.

There is no shortcut or sentiment. There are other things the pastors’ wives, who are not called, can do to help the church grow, not serve as pastors. The major problem is that some pastors refused to obey what the Bible says. We are expected to seek the kingdom first and then all other things shall be added unto them. But today, some us seek all other things first before the kingdom of God.”

Rev Ifembiri Eugene, President of Divine Mandate Evangelical Outreach Ministry, said: “Concerning the issue, it is a known fact that Pastor Tunde Bakare has been a good contributor to the governance of his nation, directly or indirectly. Many of his prophecies have come to pass. During Obasanjo period, it was due to Bishop Bakare’s stand that made some men of God to be invited during the swearing in.

I believe he has a spiritual insight. There is a reason and that could point on what is on the ground. You can see that till now none of the seven-point agenda has been fully implemented. That shows that the president is not having absolute power to implement his polices. In spite of that, he is there on the platform of PDP. Fifty per cent of our leaders are there for themselves and never bother about the masses.
“In the religious sector, some of our pastors are not doing well.

They deviate from the right path and decide to practise what they feel will favour them. Some of us live bogus and flambouyant lives, not minding how their followers survive. Also, the issue of some of us making our wives pastors without the due process is not in line with true Christian worship. In fact, things have to be done accordingly and there should be no sentiment or favouritism. I served under Pastor W.F. Kumuyi of Deeper Life Church for 10 years. I never knew his wife, Biodun Kumuyi, till she died. But many pastors parade their wives in the ministry. And some of them bring marine spirits into the ministry and use it to pollute other women in the church, who always like behaving like her. If a man has the vision, mission and the direction, he will not marry his ministry with his family. They are two different things.

Pastor Paul Erakhifu of the United Apostolic Church of Christ said: “What God needs from every pastor is to focus attention on their spiritual callings and not to be distracted by the earthly things. With the way some of us are going, the church of God would soon be fully commercialized. It takes total submission, knowledge of God and commitment to succeed in the pastoral duty. So, those of us in the system should not see it as an ordinary business where money is the target.”

Rev Emmanuel Aleyakpo of the Church of God Mission, Apapa branch, said of Bakare’s outburst: “I don’t believe that Bishop David Oyedepo is practising occultism. He is a man of God who preaches the word of God and believes in it. For anybody to say he is an occultist based on what he believes in or do, I disagree with it totally. As for the use of anointing oil, it depends on what one believes in, because it is optional. The oil is meant for anointing believers, which is from the Old Testament. When David was to be made a king, he was anointed and the spirit of God came down upon him. Today, many people have also embraced that part of the portion from the Bible.

“I totally agree with Pastor Tunde Bakare that it is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and not the other way round. But if Oyedepo says it is not the symbol of the Holy Spirit but the life of God in a bottle, this does not mean he is an occultic. And that does not also mean that he is right. The truth is that it is a level of people’s understanding. People must understand that it is not the oil that heals believers but their faith in God. The use of oil is a level of one’s belief. Oyedepo, no doubt, is a man that believes in the word of the Lord and preaches it.

“As for churches preaching about wealth creation, I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. Serving God does not mean one must be poor. God’s house is a place of salvation, deliverance and prosperity. If people were poor before, people expect you to be prosperous as soon as you give your life to God. He is the giver of everything, including prosperity, so a place of God is a place of wealth. Churches preach idea and knowledge to people on how to make money, which they, in turn, bring back to God. It is God that gives them the wisdom and knowledge on how to make money. So, people should not say churches don’t ask their believers on how they make their money. Nobody prays for criminals or evil-minded people to make money for them. Churches pray for people to make use of their lives and be prosperous. It is the blessing of God we offer. As you are blessed, extend it to others also.

“On the issue of a pastor’s wife becoming a pastor because of her husband’s position is dependent on their calling. Some people married people who have the same belief as them in order to move their ministry forward. It helps in strengthening the husband in the work of God. However, that does not mean that when a man becomes a pastor, his wife must automatically become a pastor. That is the truth.”

Pastor Abraham Okoyah said: “As far as I am concerned, I don’t think it is right for anybody to judge the righteousness of another man because it is expressly stated in the scriptures. Every judgment is left in the hands of God. He alone has the right to determine who is doing His will. So, Pastor Tunde Bakare has no right to judge Bishop David Oyedepo. Oyedepo is a man of God, who has advanced in the scripture and has been doing the will of God to the best of my knowledge. For Bakare to regard his preaching and practices as occultic is wrong. I will not toe that line.

All this pastors should be banned or sumtin!
Most of them only know how to steal from poor, deluded nigerians!

Praise the Lord, for he doth bestoweth that consuming hatred and jealousy in the hearts of pastors, against other competing pastors, and He shalt verily cause the pastors to fucketh each other up with hired assassins.

Hallelujah !

Jakumo:

Praise the Lord, for he doth bestoweth that consuming hatred and jealousy in the hearts of pastors, against other competing pastors, and He shalt verily cause the pastors to fucketh each other up with hired assassins.

Hallelujah ! 

Vintage Jakumo 

Everything worked for good for those that love God.
Thy shall not judge.

:-x :-x :-x :-x :-x :-x :-x :-x :-x :-x

the spam bot didnt ban this bastard of an OP?

Hmmm, Pastor Tunde Bakare again? Na wa o!

please can anybody help me with links on how to get the transcript of the controversial slam by pastor Bakare

I would love to have jakumo's view on all of this charade

Well i happen to be navigating the web with a quaint phone and uncharacteristically missed jakumo's comment. Now that was not unexpected however,

dem go soon expose dem secrets and later cry wolf.

See these con artistes opening each others yansh in public.

They are all rogues. period.

I think the government should open a ministry to handle these pastors.

Religion is dividing Nigeria. Pastors are all competing against one another. There are pastors coming from churches who are of the same denomination, in the same town, the same diocese, which mean they have the same beliefs and worship the same God. Yet, they never come together. What is so ironic is that these pastors all feel that church is the place for unification and love.