Portrait of a Blessed Man: Response to Pastor Keji Ajayi

By: Deji Yesufu

A friend who read the first part of this series, subtitled “A Case Study of David Oyedepo”, came to the conclusion that I was a disciple of Sunday Adelaja. He felt that for me to have called Oyedepo cursed and not blessed, I must have been listening to a lot of Adelaja’s sermons. So he sent me a Whatsapp voice recording by one Pastor Keji Ajayi. In this recording, Mr. Ajayi was of the opinion that Sunday Adelaja was instigating rebellion in the body of Christ. He said that no one should condemn the ministry of men like Enoch Adeboye, David Oyedepo, Daniel Olukoya or W. F. Kumuyi. He gave the impression that these men were sacred vessels that should not be toyed with. He said he understood that there are so many things wrong with the way ministry is being run in Nigeria but he is still of the opinion that Adelaja ought not to be bringing these men to the public arena and washing the church’s dirty linen in public. He said this is causing many young people to be emboldened to condemn these men too and soon enough there would be anarchy in the churches in Nigeria, if the situation is left unchecked.

I felt sorry for Mr. Keji Ajayi and I thought I should leave a word of response for him in my column for this weekend. I would begin with a story: a few years ago I read a book called “Churches that Abuse” by Ronald M. Enroth. That book chronicled the things some church goers had experienced in the name of going to Pentecostal Churches in America. I then thought to begin to write a Nigerian version of that book but I could not continue. The few case studies of what Nigerians are experiencing in the hands of pastors in this country is not only heart rending, it is mind boggling. Mr. Ajayi mentions one popular Pastor on Lagos Ibadan expressway and says that the man is a sacred cow that should not be touched by criticism. Yet the stories I heard about this same Nigerian G.O, how he has a child out of wedlock, how he has used this same child as sacrifice to bring signs and wonders to his ministry, and how the city he has built there on the expressway has become a den of robbers, etc, is something else. Another one of the aforementioned pastors was sharing a girlfriend with a friend of mine many years ago. The said lady would later be married off to a pastor in the ministry and rumour has it that Mr. G.O still has “access”. I dropped the project. As much as I would wish to publish the story, I do not have the resources for legal battles they would conjure. Let the deceived continue to be deceived.

But that is not the sorry thing about these churches that person like me and Adelaja criticize. The sorriest thing about them is that the message that they preach is not Christian. Unfortunately, this is where Sunday Adelaja and myself would part. Pastor Adelaja would criticize these pastors mostly on the PRACTICES in their churches. I criticize them on the message they preach. This is why I could call David Oyedepo cursed. Oyedepo is not cursed because he has a private jet, or because he is the richest pastor in Africa, or because he built a city called Canaan Land. No. Oyedepo is cursed because he does not preach the Christian gospel. He preaches another gospel – he preaches a gospel of health and wealth. Which is not a gospel of Christ and anyone who preaches such a gospel, according to Galatians 1:6-9, is cursed. He is not a Christian; he is heading to an eternity without God and without Christ. David Oyedepo’s situation is peculiar, while the other pastors would need to be examined one after the other to come to a conclusion on them. And the reason why it is so important that one rings this alarm bells is simply this: if you believe the message that Oyedepo preaches, if you think Oyedepo is a Christian, you are very likely not a Christian yourself. You are very likely heading to an eternity without Christ and without God.

Having established this point, let me move to the matter of rancour in the body of Christ because of the things Adelaja, Yesufu and others are preaching. Once I did a series on conflict in the churches. In that series, I examined two scenarios from Acts 15 and showed how Apostles debated the matter of circumcision. It should be noted that despite the conclusion of that meeting, the Judaizers still continued to preach Jesus plus circumcision as a way to eternal life. Also in that passage, Paul and Barnabas had very disagreement. The Bible records that the disagreement was so sharp – over the matter of whether or not to take John Mark along with them for the second Missionary journey, after Mark had abandoned them in the first journey. In that series, I came to this conclusion that Jesus Christ is the author of some conflicts in the church. He creates them. He births them. And he coordinates them all so that it would bring glory and honor to his name.

Those who are in doubt of this fact would need to examine the emergence of the Protestant churches in the 16th century. If church was supposed to be all niceties and no debate, we would all still be bowing to the Roman Catholic Mary and be heading to a deceptive purgatory. But the Protestant fathers withstood the heresies of their day by calling the churches to a sufficient scriptures. It created conflict. It caused wars. But by the close of the day, there was toleration and liberty to practice one’s religion.

I am also concerned about persons who carrying this message of the reformation beyond even what was intended. I am particularly not comfortable hearing anyone criticize Pastor Kumuyi. Of all the Pentecostal pastors in this country, I think that man stands out. But unfortunately he has not been able to distinguish his ministry from the ministry of his charlatan friends and I am not surprised that when the tsunami came, it has dragged his own name in the mud. I also think that Pastor Sunday Adelaja is taking things too far. One of the easiest things to do is to state what is wrong; but it is even more difficult to show people what is right. And Pastor Adelaja is not helping his ministry with the kind of allegations trailing his personal life. Those who would enter into this reformation work must come with clean hands. If anything keeps me above board concerning moral matters, it is the fact that I have also criticized others. If I fall today, I would be mince meat for many.

Let me conclude by drawing an analogy from the scriptures that Pastor Ajayi used himself. It is the parable of the wheat and the tares. Christ calls us to allow them all to grow. There would come a time of judgement when God would sort the wheat from the tares. Just as we have the wheat and the tares in Pentecostal ministry, we also have them in those in the reformation circle. With time the false would be weeded and the true would remain.

Let me help Pastor Ajayi put his recorded message in perspective. I believe that Christ is able to protect both his honor and the honor of people truly serving him in the body of Christ. He does not need you, sir, to help him do it. There is one thing that concerns our Lord above even his honor and that thing, I believe, is the matter of the gospel in the world today. While the churches wine and dine; build cathedral and buy jets; and flaunt riches in the eyes of the world; millions flock into hell without Christ and without God. God wishes that the church grasp the true Christian gospel and then preach this. This is what would save sinners. Men would not be saved until they hear the gospel. If what you preach is not the gospel, it is a righteous thing for God to ensure that every battle is fought to rid that message of falsehood until the truth remain, because it is that truth that would save sinners. Or else all we would have is Pharisees making proselytes and turning them to be twice the son of hell that they are.

If you find me criticize Oyedepo, Adeboye or Olukoya, know that it is not because what they do; it is because of what they preach. And when the true gospel is lived and preached by our pastors, ultimately they would begin to do what is right. They would carry Christ out honoring actions in the nations that men would behold their good works and glorify our God in heaven. If all men condemn you, you may wish to look at yourself carefully to be sure that you are actually not condemned by God too.

Deji Yesufu is author of the book Victor Banjo. He can be reached on newdejix@gmail.com

Source: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2069415186468014&id=1505609702848568

The first installment from last week:

Portrait of a Blessed Man: Oyedepo as Case Study

By: Deji Yesufu

During the course of the past week, an online news medium published a story saying that David Oyedepo, the presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Churches, worldwide, had opened a new housing estate. The photo, which is attached to this article, showed a smiling Oyedepo with pictures of the housing estate that had scores of houses already finished, waiting for their lucky occupants to have them. As of the time of writing this article, David Oyedepo is said to be the third richest pastor in the world. He is clearly the richest pastor in Africa and his wealth continues to increase. Some have tried to estimate his riches to be no less than $150B; however David Oyedepo waves such reports away. He states confidently that he is a lot wealthier than those reports state. David Oyedepo, some would say, is a picture of a blessed man.

Concluded:

http://mouthpiece.com.ng/portrait-of-a-blessed-man-oyedepo-as-case-study/

VBCampaign:
The first installment from last week:

Portrait of a Blessed Man: Oyedepo as Case Study

By: Deji Yesufu

During the course of the past week, an online news medium published a story saying that David Oyedepo, the presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Churches, worldwide, had opened a new housing estate. The photo, which is attached to this article, showed a smiling Oyedepo with pictures of the housing estate that had scores of houses already finished, waiting for their lucky occupants to have them. As of the time of writing this article, David Oyedepo is said to be the third richest pastor in the world. He is clearly the richest pastor in Africa and his wealth continues to increase. Some have tried to estimate his riches to be no less than $150B; however David Oyedepo waves such reports away. He states confidently that he is a lot wealthier than those reports state. David Oyedepo, some would say, is a picture of a blessed man.

Concluded:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8ch-OFS2Ng
You need to have one quiet nice day to watch the above YouTube clips, you'll be doing a SMH whilst your ears get full
I changed the clips for this one, if you havent got a strong liver, please dont watch it. It is a very emotional clip.
The original clips I was going to offer are a two part full of seedy deals scandals between church and establishment etcetera

MuttleyLaff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8ch-OFS2Ng
You need to have one quiet nice day to watch the above YouTube clips, you'll be doing a SMH whilst your ears get full
I changed the clips for this one, if you havent got a strong liver, please dont watch it. It is a very emotional clip.
The original clips I was going to offer are a two part full of seedy deals scandals between church and establishment etcetera

Thanks MuttleyLaff. I'll be watching it right away

VBCampaign:
Thanks MuttleyLaff. I'll be watching it right away

I will asap paste the clips of how Naija churches roll in the bed with the establishment.

MuttleyLaff:
I will asap paste the clips of how Naija churches roll in the bed with the establishment.

Uploaded on Facebook. Reactions are very interesting. On the other hand, it seen these things do not shock Nigerians anymore

VBCampaign:
Uploaded on Facebook. Reactions are very interesting. On the other hand, it seen these things do not shock Nigerians anymore

I will soon provide this other two part YouTube window I originally was going to give. You'll hear an insider expose of churches shady deals with establishment, hush keep quiet settlements to aggrieved complainants etcetera

VBCampaign:
Uploaded on Facebook. Reactions are very interesting. On the other hand, it seen these things do not shock Nigerians anymore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqF3sYOHoEg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h-heosCy2o


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxHjyOzT6Qg

Here are clips as promised
Dont be fooled by the titles, he is still a believer, and that matters a great deal lot.
Just pay attention to every word as he narrates the politics, seedy deals, settlements, ambitions, deceptions, treacheries, disillusionments etcetera

MuttleyLaff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqF3sYOHoEg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h-heosCy2o


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxHjyOzT6Qg

Here are clips as promised
Dont be fooled by the titles, he is still a believer, and that matters a great deal lot.
Just pay attention to every word as he narrates the politics, seedy deals, settlements, ambitions, deceptions, treacheries, disillusionments etcetera

Ok