Epistle to Pastor E. A. Adeboye and Nigerian Church leaders.

Bolaji O. Akinyemi

The burden of truth of my stewardship started right under my roof. My wife clearly declared you are on your own and I will report you on this to Daddy John AdejoroOluwa. My Sister who is a Zonal Women Leader in RCCG skinned me to the bone with her words after she read my piece. Should I talk about the cost I counted in obedience to Christ who nudged me to write and make it a public letter.

The first five major supporters of my ministry; The Voice Of His Word Ministries, (Ile Ise Iranse Ohun Oro Re), who gives in several millions are either RCCG members or men and women with strong affiliation to the RCCG. Would I deliberately set myself against my human helpers? No preacher living in earthly hope of human endorsement of prosperity should dare that. Should I talk about the privilege of love and support that I had received from two top Pastors in RCCG in the course of my ministry life-either of them could have served the purpose, if my message was meant to be delivered to Baba directly.

A lot of people who called my number to call me names are ignorant of the duty of this dimension of ministry and its burden. To those who were weeping as they cursed, I call you blessed. There were those who also were crying as they were blessing me in prayers. Emotions make the greatest impact on fools. From the lips of the master alone must come our approval and appreciation. Welcome, thou good and faithful servant!

Emotion has the capacity to suspend reasoning of victims of witchcraft and its manipulation. If you don’t believe me, ask victims of marital abuse. Emotion is the rod of their abusers. Unfortunately the same is the rope with which they are tied down by another extreme expression of emotions, often time just moments of their been beaten black and blue.

A lot of ministerial abuses are carried out in today’s church and covered not by reasoning, but by emotional ties.

I have followed Pastor E. A Adeboye for sometime. A NIFES meeting was held at the Redemption Camp in 1986 and Baba came into the meeting to encourage us. It was my first time under his ministration. I will later be privileged in December of 1991 to have a one on one meeting with this great servant of God. It was going to be the 50th birthday anniversary of Evang. Professor Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi the following year and it was my beat as the Office Assistant of Ebenezer Obey Music Ministry and Evangelist at Decross Gospel Mission to reach out to Men of God scheduled for the meeting. The privilege of contacting grace and impartation en route the birthday celebration for me began with Archbishop Benson Idahosa, the Chariot of Nigeria and the horseman thereof! Story for another day.

My schedule to meet Pastor E.A Adeboye was at the National Headquarters of RCCG in Ebute-Meta. I got there to wait on the line but the moment I filled the visitors form with the title Evangelist, all protocol was broken. Baba had a standing instruction in those days never to keep Men of God waiting to see him. The moment my form was taken in, he excused the person in and requested that I be brought in.

That was the Adeboye of my first close encounter, a man with respect and profound humility for men of God, extended to the boy of God that I was because of my tag of service to the kingdom; Evangelist. He was scheduled to be in America from the end of March into early April which may make it impossible to make it for the event. I left appreciating grace packaged in unbelievable humility that I encountered. For whatever reason, Baba adjusted his schedule and came to the Rock New Life Centre; RNLC Abeokuta on the evening of the 2nd of April at about 8:00pm. He was turned back by the security at the gate, who couldn’t comprehend the simplicity of the man who “claimed” according to one of them, to be Adeboye.

It wasn’t the day of GSM. So Baba couldn’t have called me to inform me of his change of schedule to accommodate us, or of his coming, so, no fuse, no argument he just quietly returned back to Lagos. I was to learn of this later from my General Overseer.

Daddy G. O is a man of outstanding grace, the flip side of grace is responsibility and accountability. The greater you are, the more you are lost to yourself and brand (denominations), you hold dear.

The God who called us think of His Church in context of Nations based on Revelation 1:11 where Jesus spoke to John on the Greek island of Patmos and instructed him to write what he sees and send it to the seven Churches: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamum, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. I believe that churches are identified by the Lord specifically, though, not as denomination, but according to the community or local congregations of Christians living in each city. This position is further concretised by Paul’s model of addressing his Epistles. Either directly to persons as with; Timothy, Titus and Philemon or to Churches by their communal identity; the epistle to the Ephesians, Galatians etc. I therefore believe that the church in Nigeria will be known and identified in the same regards because of the peculiarities of the issues that we deal with. Lack of this understanding is what has engendered needless rat race among church leaders and denominational faithfuls. Same has been trading the interest of Christ’s Church in Nigeria for denominational interest by such ignorant groups and their members at every political season. More light on the dynamics of the Church of Nigeria when I write on the last in this series; Epistle to Pastor E. A. Adeboye and Nigerian Christians

Apostle Paul is probably one of the most profound teachers and preachers of the word the world may ever know, prepared by destiny and elected by grace for the purpose he was predestined. He will be privileged by grace to write 3/4 of the new testament but he never excused himself from being accountable to Christ and his word.

Nigerian Ministers of the gospel should rise to the demand that the purpose of God’s destiny places on us or we may lose it. Is God asking for too much from us by demanding that we should be responsible and accountable? How more serious can accountability and responsibility get than that, which was demonstrated by Apostle Paul.

Gal 1:8 KJV, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”

That’s how serious accountability to Christ and the gospel is. Paul placed himself and Angels from Heaven under a curse if they ever deviated from the sound gospel of the kingdom.

As if the Galatian Christians were deaf, he will repeat almost the same thing in the next verse. Of course they were deaf spiritually, one of the work of the flesh and by extension witchcraft is spiritual deafness. Hearing and never coming to understanding. Christianity in Nigeria today is synonymous with witchcraft. We all have witches we have crafted. Nigerian Christians are deaf like the Galatians Christian and nothing will make sense once the idol we have graven for ourselves are touched, we go gaga!

The hope of repentance is higher for our leaders, but none at all it seems for us who are the priests at the shrine of sentiment that must be kept alive. Our idols- religious or political must maintain their honours even if it has to be at the expense of dishonouring Christ, His Word and His Body! And for the latter we can hold down the legs of the bride called Nigeria down, once it’s the turn of our political idol in the gang raping of our nation.

Our idols do no wrong, and if their wrongs are pointed out, then, it is Christ that must understand and the nation that should be the consequences.

But not for Paul, we must be accountable and responsible in the gospel and doctrine. He warned again for the umpteenth times in the next verse to the early verse we are considering.

Gal 1:9 KJV, “As we said before, so say I now again, If ANY MAN preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Emphasis mine).

As WE said before! What precisely is the relevant of Body fellowship like CAN? Politics or purity and perfection of the Body?

The subject of the gospel of Christ and his doctrine is not ‘moin-moin’ as we say of very serious issues in Nigeria.

I say again! Note the “we” and “I”, what the we said the “I” re-echoed and affirmed. How can this emphasis be lost on us! No man is above board where the gospel, doctrine and the unity the body of Christ is concerned.

In pastoral ethics, it is forbidden to rebuke an Elder in matters of church social life. We see that clearly in Paul’s pastoral epistle written to Timothy:

1Ti 5:1 KJV, “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren.”

Rebuke not; but entreat! “Epiplesso” the word in Greek. Rebuke; means to strike upon or chastise with words! Intreat, is from the word of Greek; “parakaleo” to call aside or call to one’s side. In our interpersonal social life in the local church Elders of age or by ecclesiastical status must be accorded this honour.

In closing his pastoral Epistle in the same 1 Tim 5:19 & 20, Paul returned to the management of Church in social, spiritual and doctrinal life.

19. “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

20. “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.”

So, accusation can be received against an Elder, but it must be in the presence of witnesses.

My respect for Pastor E.A Adeboye both as an Elder in age and Ecclesiastically will not wean. And I know Baba will rather encourage me like Eli did, demanding that I speak on this matter whatever it is that I have received of the Lord. I know that by God he can judge both me and my epistle and the fruit of same will be evident in the days ahead.

I am far from been qualified to raise an accusation against him as an Elder, but the public is a witness to accusation that many will prefer that we treat as a PDP family affairs till the band of APC types of leaders have leadership of the church.

Where the gospel of the Kingdom and the desecration of the mystery of Christ Body is involved. God may ordain his praise in the blabbing tongue of a babe.

I don’t understand why certain person are having issues understanding the “unscripturality” of the prayer in question, when Christ earnest desire for his church, UNITY, for which all church leaders called by Christ must be committed.

Christ Parting PRAYERS For His Church- His Body clearly shows this:

Joh 17:11 , “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” (KJV.).

Place the controversial prayer side by side the prayer Christ prayed for the Church and get Christ answer on the said prayer!

Every genuine call is to nothing but the purpose of fulfilling the earnest prayer of Christ for the unity of the Body. This is clearly stated without ambiguity by the Apostle Paul when summing up the reasons and purpose of our callings in Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the UNITY of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Christ the First Born.

We must understand the model that Christ represent. Every ministry and church are like franchise outlets.
Rom 8:29
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

All foreknown and predestinated has a standard image to be conformed to; The Son! We all as brethren has a First Born to lined behind and look up to; The Christ!

The parable that our first born parish- The City of David as become is a proof of where RCCG and our first born are! Those of us looking up to RCCG one way or the other are trapped in this journey in the flesh. Daddy G.O and the RCCG family must accept their spiritual leadership of the Church of Nigeria and be responsible to God and to His Word to provide inspiration and directions. Beyond the RCCG is the first born position of COD pace settings in many things. The nest of the business eagles! Arguably, home to highest number of billionaire in any local church on the shore of Africa. The place to which high flyers return to give their worship to God, we thought, until the event of Wigwe’s death and the drama of our shamelessness that followed. Those who found nothing wrong with all Christians and other denomination bowing down to members of RCCG are already up in “arms” ready to defend Sister Siju!Would our First Born call a noisy party in mourning without the approval of our father? I doubt it! Is this present COD the first born to which Christ will bring all Christians and denominations to bow to?

The conspiracy of our political and religious leaders against the poor in their faithfulness to Mammon to keep the masses oppressed was revealed at COD. Event at the First Born Parish is a parable of how Mammon seats in churches and revelling leads our congregations in worship.

In Biblical histology, revelling will come to mind when the city of Ephesus is celebrating the feast of the goddess Diana, usually accompanied by the celebration of Bacchus the very god in the bottle making men drunk without leaving behind sexual orgies!

Revelling is synonymous with Paganism! In I Peter 4:3, revelling is associated with the lifestyle of those who are pagans. To be a pagan is not to know there is God and live as though God does not exist!

That is the standard set by our first born at the time we should be in ashes and sack clothes not mourning the Wigwe who have taken their flight into glory. But the spiritual deafness that deprived us the privilege of knowing such calamity was lurking. But instead, our chief mourners rolled out drums in celebration of what exactly?

Would it have been too much for the Iluyomades to call off the party and in honour of their departed spiritual children choose to give out 60 scholarship to indigent students at the Wigwe University to identify with his legacy?

This, as many on canal adventures may perceive it is not an attack on Pastor E.A Adeboye nor an insult to RCCG. It is the pricking of the conscience of COD. The call to order of RCCG and all of us who names the name of the Lord to depart from the way of the world. It is God’s warning to us as His servants and His CHURCH and I hope all church leaders and Christians in Nigeria are taking their lessons. I speak not to those who have tickling ears and have hired teachers for themselves. I write not to those who have failed to understand that no matter our years in Christ and maturity in Him. We are a piece of contradiction walking on two legs. The ground of constant battle between the flesh and the spirit. The “helipad” of ascension to the Father of all Spirit, if to the Spirit we yield ourselves.

May those who still have ears hear what the spirit is saying to his church.

The Church of God in Nigeria is marching on, ditto for RCCG! For Christ is building his Church and the gate of hell can never prevail.

To the Wigwe Family, the bond of Christ is eternal, the error of yielding to the flesh in moment the Spirit was needed. We live of this in regrets.

Elder Shyngle Wigwe, on behalf of Christ Church in Nigeria, I make my plea to you and I hope the Church that might have accepted the privilege of our Heroes’ rites of passage will in the oneness of Christ Body, see reasons with me. Sir, I pray that your years of labour to Christ through the RCCG family will not be lost to the sentiment of our error. Christ I believe is appreciative of your service to him. In the opportunity to play our role during their rites of passage will our repentance be measured and our gratefulness shown to God and to the world. Please, for Christ sake and the memory of Herbert, Doreen and Chizi give us this privilege.

Elder, it’s too late in the day to allow bitterness conquer your loving heart. May fortitude be yours and ours to bear this loss and may the God of all comfort, comfort you and us together.

Dr Bolaji O. Akinyemi is an Apostle and Nation Builder. He’s also President Voice of His Word Ministries and Convener Apostolic Round Table.

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