SHOCKING REVELATIONS: Pastor TB Joshua Is The Man Behind Al-Mustapha's Release - You Won't Believe His Reasons

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Sources have revealed that last week’s “judicial decision” which set free of murder charges Hamza Al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer to late Nigerian dictator, Sanni Abacha, is owed to President Goodluck Jonathan, who was following a “spiritual” fortune-telling that would enable him to win the 2015 election.

Controversial Lagos sect leader, Pastor TB Joshua, who has Mr. Jonathan eating out of his hands, has been identified as the person who told the Nigeria leader that his political fortune rests with setting Al Mustapha free.  

In addition, Mr. Joshua has also told Mr. Jonathan if he is to win in 2015, he needs to bring back to Nigeria James Ibori, the former Delta State governor who is currently serving a 13-year jail term in the United Kingdom.

After Mr. Joshua's spiritual “forecast” was told to Mr. Jonathan, SaharaReporters sources say he instructed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke to take care of the judges involved in the case, giving him a war chest of $2 million.  

But a judge, Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, a Northern Muslim, who was earlier contacted to do the dirty job, refused to accept the bribe and removed himself from consideration of the plan.

Another judge, Amina Augie, was then drafted to handle the Al-Mustapha’s acquittal.  Ms. Augie, formerly known as Anna Graham, who is originally from Anambra State and fourth wife of late Senator Adamu Augie of Kebbi State, took the case and assembled some lawyers to help with drafting the judgement.

It is also alleged that she got help from some members of the Nigerian human rights community in drafting the judgement, which blamed the prosecutors in Mr. Mustapha's case for doing a “shoddy” job.  Among other ridiculous arguments, Ms. Augie’s claimed in the judgement that the prosecution couldn't provide the bullet that killed Mrs. Kudirat Abiola in 1996.

In an interview with SaharaTV yesterday, Hafsat Abiola, the daughter of the slain Nigerian democracy heroine, told Omoyele Sowore of SaharaTV that the Court of Appeal has yet to provide the lead judgement read by Justice Rita Pemu in the Al-Mustapha case to the office of the Attorney General of Lagos State.  

Strangely however, Ms. Augie's concurring judgement was already made available to subscribers of an exclusive Nigerian lawyer's listserve, "Rule of Law" Nigeria.  The judgement was provided to the listserv by the chairperson of the Nigerian Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, who had initially derided a Saharareporters’ investigative report, which revealed that a deal was in the works to set Al Mustapha free of the murder charges two weeks before the judgement was hatched.
  
With reference to bringing Ibori home, it is unclear how Jonathan will go about it.  The National Assembly has approved a prisoner swap law with the United Kingdom but it is yet to be seen how Ibori might benefit from that.  Between his all-but-buried war against corruption and his deep desire to retain the presidency, there may be no limit to what policies he may come up with.

A source at the Presidency in Abuja told Saharareporters that Mr.  Joshua has so much control over Mr. Jonathan right now that whatever he requests is granted without delay because the president believes that the pastor holds the spiritual key to his electoral success in 2015.

President Jonathan and his wife, Patience have made several nocturnal visits to the pastor since becoming president.  Al Mustapha also visited the Pastor soon after he was released from prison before heading to Kano to meet with family and friends.

Why Ghanaian Archbishop "Refused Calls to Condemn T. B. Joshua"

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 Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, the Presiding Archbishop and General Overseer of Christian Action Faith Ministries (CAFM), head-quartered in Accra, Ghana, says he refused calls on him to condemn famous Nigerian Prophet, T. B. Joshua, following the death of four people in a holy water stampede at the Nigerian preacher's church in Ghana a few months ago.

"Somebody called me recently and said, 'What do you think about people rushing to a place over holy water and dying and all that; we need you to say something; you have to speak up; you have to make a statement,' and I said 'No, I don't make comments on matters like that," Duncan-Williams told his congregation in a recent sermon on Sunday July 21.

He added: "I am not called to insult and to attack people".

The General overseer of the Christian Action Faith Ministries said he believed that "which is of God shall stand and what is not of God shall fail, so I don't insult people, I don't attack people, whether they are genuine or false, it is not my job to attack and to insult them. You leave them to time. For the Bible says 'what thing so ever God does shall be forever,' so anything that is of God shall stand and what is not of God is just a matter of time, it withers away".

According to him, he told T. B. Joshua's critics: "Please don't drag me into any situation to criticise, insult or attack anybody".

It would be recalled that on Sunday May 19, 2013, Four Christians died during a stampede for 'holy water' at T. B Joshua's Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) at the Spintex Road. The stampede started when the huge congregation rushed for the free holy water from the Nigerian Prophet’s spiritual Lieutenants. About 30 people also sustained scathing injuries in the stampede which made both local and international headlines.

A General in God's Army - Smith Wigglesworth

“The Apostle of Faith”*

I saw that God wants us so badly that He has made the condition as simple as He possibly could—“Only Believe.”

It is arguable that there is no more significant patriarch of the Pentecostal Movement than Smith Wigglesworth. While he was not the catalyst for breakthrough revivals such as the one in Wales led by Evan Roberts in 1904 or that of the Azusa Street Mission in 1906 that was led by William Seymour, it was Smith Wigglesworth’s steady faith and staying power that made the Pentecostal revival the most significant Christian movement of the twentieth century.
Where other Pentecostal ministers would emerge overnight and then disappear from the public scene almost as quickly, Smith Wigglesworth traveled widely from after the death of his wife in 1913 until not long before his death in 1947. During these decades his ministry of faith and miracles changed the face of Christianity and set the stage for the Charismatic Renewal that would restore the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the modern church.
An Early Call To Evangelism
Smith was born in a small village near Menston, Yorkshire in England on June 8, 1859. Smith’s younger years were marked by a hunger for God, even though his parents were not Christians at the time. His grandmother was an old-time Wesleyan, and she always made sure that Smith attended meetings with her when she could. When he was eight, he joined in with the singing at one of these meetings, and as he began, “a clear knowledge of the new birth” came to him. He realized in that moment just what the death and resurrection of Jesus meant for him, and he embraced it with his whole heart. From that day forth, he never doubted that he was saved.
Soon he began operating as the evangelist, which would be most of his life’s focus. His first convert was his own mother. When his father realized what was happening, he started taking the family to an Episcopal church. Although his father was never born again, he enjoyed the parson, who just happened to frequent the same pub as he did, and remained a faithful church-goer through Smith’s youth.
When he was thirteen, his family moved from Menston to Bradford, where Smith became deeply involved with the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Even though he couldn’t read, it was at this time that Smith began the habit of always having a copy of the New Testament with him wherever he went. Then in 1875 when Smith was about sixteen, the Salvation Army opened a mission in Bradford, and Smith found a powerful ally in his desire to see people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. In the meetings he attended with the Salvationists, he soon learned there was great power behind prayer and fasting.
At seventeen, Smith met a Godly man at a mill who took him in as an apprentice and taught him the plumbing trade. He also told Smith about what the Bible taught on water baptism, and soon afterwards Smith gladly obeyed and was baptized in water. During this time, he also learned more about the second coming of Christ and strongly believed that Jesus would come at the turn of the century. This made him ever more vigilant to “change the course” of everyone he met.
The Favor of God
In 1877 at the age of nearly eighteen, Smith decided it was time to set out on his own. He went to the home of a plumber and asked for a job. When the plumber told him he had no need for any help, Smith thanked him, apologized for using his time, and turned to walk away. Immediately, the man called him back. He said, “There is something about you that is different. I just cannot let you go.”† At that, the man hired him on the spot.
By the time Smith was about twenty, the man he worked for could not keep him busy anymore—he just worked too efficiently! So Smith moved to Liverpool to find more work. There he began to minister to the children of the city. Ragged and hungry children came to the dock shed, where he preached the Gospel to them and did his best to feed and clothe them from what he made as a plumber in the area. He also visited the hospitals and ships, praying and fasting all day on Sunday, asking God for converts. As a result, he never saw fewer than fifty people saved each time he ministered. He was also frequently invited by the Salvation Army to speak at their meetings, but though he saw great results, he was never eloquent. He often broke down and cried before the people because of his burden for souls, and it was this brokenness that brought people to the altar by the hundreds.
Smith Meets Polly
It was also around this time that Smith watched with great interest as a young, socially affluent woman came forward in one of the Salvation Army meetings and fell to her knees. She refused to pray with any of the workers until the speaker known as “Gypsy” Tillie Smith came and prayed with her. When they were done, the young woman jumped to her feet, threw her gloves in the air, and shouted, “Hallelujah! It is done!”
The next night as she gave her testimony, Smith felt as if she belonged to him. As Smith later said, “It seemed as if the inspiration of God was upon her from the very first.”‡ The young woman’s name was Mary Jane Featherstone, but everyone called her “Polly.” She eventually received a commission as an officer in the Salvation Army from General William Booth. Smith did what he could to work near her, and in the coming years a romance bloomed between them.
As Smith and Polly grew closer, Polly eventually faced the difficult decision of choosing either to continue with the Salvation Army or her love for Smith. Even though Smith never officially joined the Salvation Army, he was considered a private in their ranks, and Polly was an officer. There were strict regulations against officers and lower ranks having romantic relationships, so even though they always remained true friends of the Salvationists, Polly retired from their ranks and took up mission work with the Blue Ribbon Army. Those in her Methodist church also recognized her calling and asked her to help evangelize their churches. Hundreds were converted as a result.
A Divine Partnership
Polly had from the beginning the eloquence Smith longed for but couldn’t learn. When in 1882, Smith returned to Bradford, he and Polly wed. Polly was twenty-two years old and Smith was twenty-three. In their thirty years of marriage, the Wigglesworths had five children: Alice, Seth, Harold, Ernest, and George. Before each child was born, Smith and Polly prayed over them that they would faithfully serve God throughout their lives.
Smith and Polly had a burden for a part of Bradford that had no church, so they soon opened the Bradford Street Mission and began ministering together. Polly did most of the speaking, because she was the stronger and more accomplished of the two as an orator, and Smith oversaw the needs of the rest of the work. While she preached, he was at the altar praying for more to come to Christ. Of this relationship, Smith later said, “Her work was to put down the net; mine was to land the fish. This latter is just as important as the former.”§
A Cold Winter
The winter of 1884 was very severe in Bradford, and plumbers were in high demand. As a result, a time of intense work began for Smith that would last for the next two years, and he became literally consumed by his natural occupation. His church attendance declined and slowly but surely his fire for God began to grow cold. In the light of Polly’s increasing faithfulness, Smith’s backsliding seemed all the more pronounced to the point that her diligence began to wear on him.
Then one night, this came to a head when she came home from church a little later than usual. Smith confronted her: “I am master of this house, and I am not going to have you coming home at so late an hour as this!” Polly quietly replied, “I know that you are my husband, but Christ is my Master.”** At this, Smith forced her out the back door, then closed and locked it. However, in his annoyance, he had forgotten to lock the front door, so Polly simply walked around the house and came in through the main entrance, laughing.
When Smith finally saw what he had done, he caught her laughter and realized how silly he had been. Together they laughed about the matter, but to Smith it was also a revelation of how cold he had grown in the things of God. Shortly afterward, he spent ten days praying and fasting in repentance, and God gloriously restored him.
Smith Meets “The Lord that Healeth Thee”
On a trip to Leeds for plumbing supplies, Smith heard of a meeting where divine healing was to be ministered. He attended and was amazed at what he saw. What others saw as fanaticism, Smith recognized as sincere and of God. On his return to Bradford, he would search out the sick and pay for their way to attend the Leeds healing meetings. When his wife grew ill once, he told her about the meetings, somewhat afraid that she would think he had finally gone off the deep end. Instead, she accepted it and agreed to go to the meetings with him. When the prayer of faith was offered for her in Leeds, she received an instant manifestation of healing.
They both became passionate about the message of divine healing and their meetings began to grow, causing them to need a larger mission space. Soon they obtained a building on Bowland Street and opened the Bowland Street Mission. Across the wall behind the pulpit they hung a large scroll which read: “I Am the Lord That Healeth Thee.”†† Not many years after this, in the first years of the 1900s, Smith received prayer for healing a hemorrhoid condition he had battled since childhood. He was soon fully healed and never had a problem with this condition for the rest of his life.
Embracing Divine Healing
Over the years that followed, the healing available through God increasingly became a part of Smith’s sermons and ministry, though healings were not frequent nor truly spectacular at first. Then those in the Leeds Healing Home recognized Smith’s faith and asked him to speak while they were away at a convention. Smith accepted only because he felt he could get someone else to do it once he was in charge of the meeting, but all others refused, insisting they felt God wanted him to speak. Smith ministered his sermon hesitantly, but at the close of the service fifteen people came forward for prayer, and all of them were healed! One of them had hobbled forward on crutches and began dancing around the room without them after Smith prayed for him. He had been instantly healed! No one was more surprised by the results of his prayers than Smith himself.
Desiring More of the Spirit
In 1907, Pentecost had reached Sunderland, and Smith heard that people there were being baptized in the Holy Spirit and speaking in other tongues. Smith felt he had to see this for himself. Smith was among those who believed that sanctification and the baptism in the Holy Spirit were the same, so he felt he already had this baptism. Others warned him that these people in Sunderland were not receiving the Holy Spirit, but demons instead. Other friends with whom he prayed urged him to follow his own leadings.
When he arrived at the meeting in Sunderland, which was being led by Vicar Alexander Boddy (who had attended some of Evan Roberts’ meetings in Wales during the Welsh Revival), he was surprised at the dryness of it in contrast to the moves of the Spirit he had experienced elsewhere, especially among the Salvationists. In fact, he grew so frustrated at this, he interrupted the meeting, saying, “I have come from Bradford, and I want this experience of speaking in tongues like they had on the day of Pentecost. But I do not understand why our meetings seem to be on fire, but yours do not seem to be so.”‡‡ Smith was so disruptive that they disciplined him outside of the building.
Smith Receives the Baptism
He soon decided he needed to return to Bradford, but before doing so decided to go to Vicar’s home and say, “Goodbye.” There he met Mrs. Boddy and told her he was returning home without speaking in tongues. She told him, “It is not tongues you need, but the baptism.”§§ Smith asked her to lay hands on him before he left. She agreed, praying a simple but powerful prayer, and walked out of the room. It was then that the fire fell, and Smith had a vision of the empty cross with Jesus exalted at the right hand of the Father. Smith opened his mouth to praise God and began instantly speaking in tongues. He knew immediately that what he had received of God now was much fuller than what he had received when praying and fasting and asking God to sanctify him.
Instead of going home, Smith went to the church where Vicar Boddy was conducting the service and asked to speak. Vicar Boddy agreed. Smith then spoke as he never had before, and at the end of his “sermon” fifty people were baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke in other tongues. Even the local paper, the Sunderland Daily Echo, picked up the story and headlined the meeting and what Smith had experienced. Smith telegraphed home about what had happened.
“That’s Not My Smith!”
Upon arriving home in Bradford, Smith found a new challenge to what he had experienced. Polly met him at the door and firmly stated, “I want you to know that I am just as baptized in the Holy Spirit as you are and I don’t speak in tongues. . . . Sunday, you will preach for yourself, and I will see what there is in it.”*** When Sunday came, Polly did see what there was in it, as Smith preached with a power and assurance she had never heard in him before. She squirmed in her seat thinking, “That’s not my Smith, Lord. That’s not my Smith!” At the end of the sermon a worker stood to say he wanted the same experience Smith had received, and when he sat back down, he missed his chair and fell to the floor!
Smith’s eldest son had the same experience. In a very short while there were eleven people on the floor, laughing in the Spirit. Then the entire congregation was absorbed in holy laughter, as God poured even more of His Spirit out upon them. In the coming weeks, hundreds in Bradford would receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit and speak with other tongues—one of whom was Polly. The couple soon began traveling throughout the country, answering calls to speak and minister.
This experience also caused Smith to pursue God more than ever through prayer and fasting. He answered every request he could of those asking for divine healing. Sometimes he took a train to the nearest city and then borrowed a bicycle to ride another ten miles to reach the person. Soon he had no more time for his plumbing work, so he vowed before the Lord that if he were ever in severe need again in his life, he would return to plumbing; otherwise, he would serve as a minister for the rest of his days. The Lord made sure Smith never returned to plumbing.
Polly Goes Home to Be with the Lord
Not long after this, while waiting at a train station to leave for Scotland, Smith received word that his beloved wife, Polly, had collapsed at the Bowland Street Mission from a heart attack. He rushed to her bedside only to discover her spirit had already departed. But Smith rebuked death, and she came back. Smith had just a short time to visit with his wife again, and then he was impressed that it was time for her to go home to be with her Lord and Savior, so he released her again. Polly passed away on January 1, 1913, and it was as if her dedication and spiritual power went with her husband after that and multiplied the effects of his ministry.
Immediately, Smith started to minister again throughout the country, traveling with his daughter, Alice, and her husband, James “Jimmy” Salter. Smith continued to preach a simple Gospel of “only believe.” In a time when other ministers seemed frail and failing despite the enormous revivals that had come through their ministries, Smith soon rose to prominence in Pentecostal circles because of the undeniable power in his ministry and the uncompromising stability with which he operated. His convictions would never change in the next four decades, and Smith remained a growing force for God and Pentecostalism right up until his death in 1947.
The Apostle of Faith and His Worldwide Ministry
In the months following Polly’s passing, Smith’s fame in England grew, and in 1914 he began traveling abroad to minister. By the 1920s and 1930s there was no more sought-after speaker in Pentecostalism. Although he never accepted the cloak, his acknowledgement as the “Apostle of Faith” made the Pentecostal world look to him as one of its greatest patriarchs, even though he had never been involved in any of the revivals that started the movement. Miracles, healings, the dead being raised, and other signs and wonders followed his ministry as he continued in the uncompromising and blunt style that no one could ever emulate.
Truth be told, Smith just never seemed to feel the need to be polite when chasing out sickness, disease, and other works of the devil. His sentiment was also that if the Spirit were not moving, then he would move the Spirit. This was not arrogance, but confidence in the work God wanted done on the earth. Smith would create an atmosphere of uncompromising faith in the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit would never fail to show up.
In 1922 Smith traveled to New Zealand and Australia, among other places, and in a few short months saw thousands saved and several Pentecostal churches birthed in the greatest spiritual renewals either nation had ever seen. In 1936 he traveled to South Africa and delivered to David du Plessis a profound prophecy of the upcoming revival of the Charismatic Renewal that would not even start until after Wigglesworth’s death. By this time Smith was in his seventies and probably the most well-known Pentecostal in the world.
Going Home
Then on March 12, 1947, while attending the funeral of a fellow minister, Smith bowed his head in the midst of a conversation and went home to be with the Lord without any pain or struggle at the age of 87.

While Smith would never form his own denomination or write a book, let alone a systematic set of doctrines and theology, his simple faith still impacts believers today. His relationship with God produced power that had not been seen on the earth for many centuries. For this reason, God also showed him things that others only dreamed of seeing. He never wanted to be put on a pedestal and worshipped, but be instead, an example of what every Christian can experience if they would “only believe.”

The Story of A.A. Allen: A Biography

ASA ALONSO ALLEN

(March 27, 1911 - June 11, 1970)

A. A. Allen was clearly one of the most important revivalists to emerge in the early days of the healing revival and was one who ploughed on with grass-roots healing revivalism for over twenty years until his death in 1970.   Charismatic and controversial, this comparative latecomer to the revival was known as ‘the boldest of the bold’ amongst his peers and loved by thousands of his followers.

Early days
Born in Sulphur Rock, Arkansas, in 1911, he grew up with an alcoholic father and an unfaithful mother who lived with a series of men. "By the time I was twenty-one," recalled Allen, "I was a nervous wreck. I couldn't get a cigarette to my lip with one hand. . . . I was a confirmed drunkard." (Lexie Allen, God’s Man of Faith and Power, p57, 1954). Two years later he served a jail sentence for stealing corn in the midst of the depression and thought of himself as "an ex-jailbird drifting aimlessly through life."  It was at this point that Allen was converted in a "tongues speaking" Methodist church in 1934He met his wife, Lexie in Colorado and she became a powerful influence in shaping him for his future ministry.
Licensed by the Assemblies of God as a minister in 1936 began an effective evangelistic ministry  at a small church in Colorado.  After a two year pastorate he spent four-and-a-half years during World War II, as a full-time revivalist.  He was the worship leader, musician and preacher but low finances and mediocre results took their toll on this father of four children.  He left the itinerant ministry in 1947 when he was offered the security of a pastorate in a stable Assemblies of God church in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Healing ministry begins
Soon after moving to Texas he heard news of the revival and read a copy of ‘The Voice of Healing’ magazine which he found incredulous and labelled the revivalists "fanatics." However, in 1949, he attended an Oral Roberts campaign in Dallas where he was enthralled by Roberts' power over the audience and left convinced that the revival was from God
Back in Texas, when his church board refused to sponsor a radio program, he resigned and began conducting revivals again with the hope that he too might develop a major healing ministry. In, He sent his first report to The Voice of Healing in May 1950, from Oakland, California, "Many say this is the greatest Revival in the history of Oakland" in what was to become typical AAA style.
He said, “Although I do not claim to possess the gift of healing, hundreds are being miraculously healed in this meeting of every known disease. I do not claim to possess a single gift of the Spirit nor to have the power to impart any gift to others, yet in this meeting, as well as in other recent meetings, all the gifts of the Spirit are being received and exercised night after night. (The Voice of Healing May 1950)
Observing the burgeoning ministry of others he noticed that the evangelists who were drawing the largest crowds were doing so under canvas. In the summer of 1951 joined the ranks of the tent ministries giving a down payment and commitment to pay off the remaining amount as the ministry grew – and it did. He established his headquarters in Dallas and in 1953 launched the Allen Revival Hour on radio. He conducted overseas campaigns in Cuba and Mexico regularly, and by1955 was broadcasting on seventeen Latin American radio stations as well as eighteen American ones.
His inimitable style
Allen's sanguine personality expressed itself in his enthusiastic reports, unparalleled showmanship and startling miraculous claims.  He was a persuasive preacher, with a compelling presence and unusual empathy and rapport with the common people.  He preached an old-time Pentecostal message with consummate skill. His message of holiness resonated in the hearts of those reared in austere Pentecostalism.
His stage presence and theatrical approach endeared him to the economically deprived working class and also to black communities. Ever the showman he made religion enjoyable and church-going fun.
But, above all, it was the power of God which attracted the huge audiences over the years.  Thousands were converted in the midst of dramatic public healings and deliverances from evil spirits. Nothing was ‘done in a corner’ but all was employed to support the message that Jesus was alive and interested in the needs of ordinary people.
Troubles along the wayA. A. Allen considered himself the most persecuted preacher in the world. The Assemblies of God were not happy with his apparently questionable, or at least exaggerated, claims. His readiness to publically counter-attack his accusers brought a continual stream of criticism and alienation from mainline Pentecostals.    
But the accusation that he drank abusively was the straw that broke the camel’s back. In the fall 1955, he was arrested for drunken driving while conducting a revival in Knoxville, Tennessee. The local press took the opportunity to attack and expose Allen and the beleaguered minister forfeited his bail rather than stand trial on the charge.
Whatever the truth was Allen called the incident an "unprecedented persecution" aimed at ruining his ministry. As always he employed even the worst accusations to reinforce his claims that his commitment to God’s work in God’s way was truly from heaven, despite the fact that the Devil continually tried to destroy his ministry.  His Miracle Magazine published his defence:
Allen declares that all this is but a trick of the devil to try to kill his ministry and his influence among his friends at a time when God has granted him greater miracles in his ministry than ever before. . . . If ministers pay the price of real MIRACLES today, they will meet with greater persecution than ever before. The only way to escape such persecution is to fold up and quit! But we are going on! Will you go on with us? (Miracle Magazine October, 1955)
Gordon Lindsay felt that the Voice of Healing had to take "a strong stand on ethics." Allen resigned from the group, pre-empting their imminent dismissal.   He immediately began publishing his own magazine, and, although he affected a cordial relationship with his former colleagues in the Voice of Healing, feelings remained strained.
In some ways independence suited Allen. His daughter recalled:
The Knoxville event also led to Allen's separation from the Assemblies of God. It was suggested that he "withdraw from the public ministry until the matter at Knoxville be settled." Allen’s response was to surrender his credentials as “a withdrawal from public ministry at this time would ruin my ministry, for it would have the appearance of an admission of guilt."
The independent roadBy the mid-1950’s many of the more moderate ministers tried to continue to work with the Pentecostal denominations - or at least to remain friendly – but Allen repeatedly attacked organized religion and urged Pentecostal ministers to establish independent churches which would be free to support the revival. He charged that the Sunday school had replaced the altar in the Pentecostal churches and that few church members were filled with the Holy Ghost:
“Revivals are almost a thing of the past. Many pastors, and even evangelists, declare they will never try another one. They say it doesn't work. They are holding "Sunday School Conventions," "Teacher Training Courses," and social gatherings. With few exceptions the churches today are leaning more and more toward dependence upon organizational strength, and natural ability, and denominational "methods." They no longer expect to get their increase through the old fashioned revival altar bench, or through the miracle working power of God, but rather through the Sunday School.”

The Miracle Revival Fellowship
In fall 1956, Allen announced the formation of the Miracle Revival Fellowship, an alternative fellowship intended to license independent ministers and to support missions. Theologically, the fellowship welcomed all who accepted "the concept that Christ is the only essential doctrine." Allen urged laymen as well as ministers to join his fellowship, through his "Every Member an Exhorter plan." Although Allen announced that "MRF is not interested in dividing churches," he also disclosed that "the purpose of this corporation shall be to encourage the establishing and the maintenance of independent local, sovereign, indigenous, autonomous churches." The fellowship listed more than 500 ministers in its "first ordination
Advance through the storm
Interestingly, as other ministries were struggling and the revival was waning, Allen’s charisma and ministry skills coupled with well-staged revivals and an amazingly gifted team, enabled him to re-establish his ministry and rebuild a substantial and effective work.
Miracle Magazine was resounding success. At the end of a year's publication in 1956,  it had a paid subscription of about 200,000,and, according to Mrs. Allen, was "the fastest growing subscription magazine in the world today." In 1957, Allen began conducting the International Miracle Revival Training Camp, an embryonic ministerial training centre. In 1958, he was given land in Arizona where he began building a permanent headquarters and training centre. At the height of the 1958 crisis in the revival, Allen announced a five-pronged program for his ministry: tent revivals, the Allen Revival Hour radio broadcast, an overseas mission program, the Miracle Valley Training Centre, and a "great number of dynamic books and faith inspiring tracts" published by the ministry. In 1958, Allen purchased Jack Coe's old tent and proudly announced that he was moving into the "largest tent in the world.” His old-time revivalism, up-beat gospel music and anointed entertainers continued to attract the masses.
Allan died at the Jack Tar Hotel in San Francisco, California on June 11, 1970 at the age of 59. Some claim that Allen died an alcoholic because the coroner's report concluded Allen died from liver failure brought on by acute alcoholism. Others know that he had battled with excruciating pain from severe arthritis in his knees, for over a year. It is true that Allen had undergone surgery on one of his knees and in June of 1970, was considering surgery on the other knee. They believe that the Coroner’s Report of “fatty infiltration of the liver” was a result of the few times he used alcohol in his last days to alleviate the excruciating pain of his arthritis.
Whatever is true of his death the life of A. A. Allen was one of extraordinary commitment to Jesus Christ which brought victory over the enemy of mankind.   A. A. Allen was a true survivor. Even though the revival was declining in the late 1950’s and 1960’s his commitment to old-time faith-healing campaigns ensured the continuing testimony of signs and wonders to the next generation. He may have had his personal ‘quirks and foibles’ but the testimony of thousands of the blessing they received, the enduring love for God that resulted and the demonstration of the power of the Gospel are good reasons to give God thanks for such an amazing life!

Pastor Andrew Osakwe: A Great Man of God and a gift to this Generation

                                                                

Andrew and Ndidi Osakwe are the Senior Pastors of Summit Bible Church. Andrew (popularly called Pastor Andy) studied at the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria, and graduated with a degree in Medicine, while Ndidi studied Psychology at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

In 1996, after five years of medical practice, Andrew sensed it was time to answer God's call to take the gospel to the nations. He thereafter resigned from medical practice, and together with Ndidi, he attended Rhema Bible Training Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. They have been in full time ministry since then.

Andrew and Ndidi are committed to love God, love His people and live devoted to His calling. In 1998, they both pioneered Summit Bible Church in Abuja, Nigeria, which has grown into several branches in the FCT, and other outreaches. In 2007, they pioneered Summit Bible Church, Kissimmee, Florida, USA, and in 2013 the Summit Bible Church, UK was born. They both work together in the Lord's vineyard as a team and minister God's word with simplicity, clarity and prophetic insight. Their teaching and preaching are confirmed by accompanying signs and characterized by demonstrations of the Holy Spirit and power.

"Kingdom Talk with Dr. Andy Osakwe,” their weekly program, has motivated many to step into a vibrant and fruitful Christian lifestyle. The program airs on Kingdom Africa on Saturdays at 8.30am, Hosanna Broadcasting Network on Tuesdays at 9:00pm and NTA Makurdi on Fridays at 5:00pm.

Andrew is also the founder and president of Andrew Osakwe Ministries International, an organization that holds trainings, workshops, seminars and crusades around the globe to strengthen individuals, local churches and to spread the message of hope, love and dominion to God’s people!

Andrew and Ndidi met each other as youth corps members at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Abuja. They got married shortly after their meeting in 1994 and are blessed with four lovely children.

SHOCKING DISCOVERY: Weird Church Where Animals Are Offered As Sacrifice

Welcome to a weird church where animals are freely slaughtered for sacrifice. As you step into this place of worship, you are confronted with the sight of a spot on the right that will make you conclude that you may have strayed into a slaughterhouse.

Even though insinuations of a slaughterhouse stick out starkly and grisly, this is by no means an abattoir. There is neither buying nor selling of meat in this worship centre called: As God Said, It Must Done, The Temple of The Most High God.

An evangelist at the church explained that the spot is called the ‘Earth Altar’ and that it’s where different types of sacrifices are offered unto God.

Located on a street named after it, Off Fakunle Street, Oke-Aro in Ogun State, a suburb near Lagos, the church is neither Pentecostal nor orthodox. All the same, both the shepherd and the sheep are strongly convinced that they are serving the living God the right way.

This reporter gathered that the blood splattered all over the ‘Earth Altar’ is that of animals. Similarly, in sharp dissonance, the mode of worship verges on the oddity, just as members cling on to what many people will consider unusual beliefs and teachings of the church.

As your curiosity wanders untrammeled at the multihued sight of the church and the strangeness of its name, you meet Prophet Blessed Dike, the general overseer and self-styled seer.

He tells you with celestial audacity that God revealed the name of the church to him while in a trance. “While I was praying God gave me the name of this church from the Book of Isaiah 46 verse 11”, he said.

A probing by this reporter further revealed that besides the ‘Earth Altar’, the church also has a place called the ‘Holy of Holies.’ A worker in the church, Mr. Isaiah Anyaehie explains that the ‘Holy of Holies’ was put up as a replica of the ark of God built by Moses in the Old Testament.

Like the pool of Bethesda in the Bible, members believe that anytime you are sick and you climb into the ‘Holy of Holies’, you would instantly receive your healing.

Here, members show forth when they also want to receive forgiveness of sins and other requests from God. “We have access to the ‘Holy of Holies’ anytime there is a special programme in the church. When you ascend into the ‘Holy of Holies’, you would be healed of whatever ailment you have and whatever you ask God for, He would do it for you,” another member said.

While you are still wondering why the entire premises is painted in red and white, the self-styled seer tells you that white symbolizes peace while red is totemic as it blots out sins.

“God used the blood to wipe out the sins of Adam and Eve. We offer sacrifices because that is what God commands. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other great men in the Bible offered sacrifices,” he said.

A female member of the church revealed to this reporter that members of this church are expected to wear red or white attires every first and last Sunday of the month. On the floor of the auditorium, there are straight red lines drawn across the floor. She explained that the red lines are Angels’ pathways. “God revealed to Daddy to make those pathways because angels usually visit the church,” she said.

There are two types of sacrifices that are offered in As God Said It Must Be Done, the Temple of The Most High God, this reporter gathers. There is the sacrifice of atonement, which is offered when seeking forgiveness of sins from God.

In carrying out the sacrifice, the prophet slaughters whatever animal the member provides at the ‘Earth Altar’ and ‘forgiveness’ is obtained from God after the prophet has prayed and blessed the person.

There is also the sacrifice of thanksgiving offered when a member wants to thank God for a favour granted him by God. The type of animal used for this type of sacrifice may vary based on individual needs. “You can bring a cow, a ram, a goat, a chicken or even a dove,” another female member of the church said.

Creepy and funny caveats are never in short supply at As God Said It Must Be Done, the Temple of The Most High God. For instance, a woman who is in her monthly cycle is not allowed to enter into the temple; else, she may be visited by God’s wrath.

Prophet Dike said “It’s a sin for a woman to come into the church while she is observing her menstrual flow. It is a very terrible thing. No woman has the right to come into the presence of God while she is menstruating.”

More

Christian Girl Flees Pakistan After Blasphemy Charges

Rimsha Masih, a Christian girl who was accused of blasphemy for allegedly burning Islam's holy book in Pakistan, is now living safely in Canada according to Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.

The case focused international attention on Pakistan's harsh blasphemy laws.

Her lawyer said she fled Pakistan with her parents, three sisters and a brother, on March 14. because of concerns for her life.

The girl was arrested in August in Islamabad after a Muslim cleric accused her of burning the Koran. The cleric was later arrested for faking evidence.

Pakistani mobs have attacked and killed people accused of blasphemy in the past. Two prominent politicians who have discussed changes to the blasphemy laws have been killed according to The Guardian.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/July/Christian-Girl-Flees-Pakistan-After-Blasphemy-Charges/

Syrian Catholic Priest Killed as Crowd Cheers

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Grizzly stories of murders, rapes, and beheadings by Islamists are increasingly appearing in the news. The latest: the brutal public murder of three Catholics in Syria, attended by a cheering crowd.

The execution of Father Francois Murad, a Syrian Catholic priest, and two others was posted by Live Leak according to Catholic Online. The Blaze reported that Syrian rebels took Murad and two others from a monastery in the northern town of Gassanieh.

Video was distributed that allegedly showed the three victims seated on the ground, surrounded by a mob cheering on their execution. That video was falsified according to the Italian press. The three Christians were killed but rumors the priest were beheaded are not true. How the three victims were killed is not yet known.

Andrea Avveduto, a writer who works with the Church of the Holy Land wrote, "It seems like various old news stories have been mixed up." The video was "uploaded by al-Qaeda to terrorize Christians."

Avveduto confirmed that "the corpse of Murad was intact."

Meanwhile, a story from Pakistan emerged recently of two teenage sisters who were shot to death after a video of them playing with two younger children in the rain shows the girls appearing to dance.

Britain's Daily Mail reported that residents of the town of Chilas were angered by the video, which was circulated on cellphones.

And in Egypt, five Islamists gang raped a Dutch journalist in Tahrir Square. She was discharged from the hospital after surgery, YNet reported.

According to a recent U.N. report, sexual assaults against women have increased under Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and his coalition partners, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafist al-Nour Party.

In February 2012, TV and radio journalist Lara Logan was brutally raped in Tahrir Square. She miraculously survived the assault, was hospitalized when she returned to Washington, and recovered at home with her husband and two children.

In October 2012 Islamists attempted to rape French reporter Sonia Dridi just before a live broadcast for France 24 TV from Tahrir Square. Dridi said she "managed to avoid the worst thanks to the heavy belt" she was wearing around her slacks.

On the second anniversary of the Tahrir Square protests that precipitated the fall of the Mubarak regime, the United Nations reported not less than 25 sexual assaults. http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2013/July/Catholic-Priest-Beheaded-in-Syria/

E.X.P.O.S.E.D!! See The Ghana Voodoo(JuJu) Priest That Gave More Than 1700 “Pastors” Spiritual Powers To Perform Miracles, Grow Churches And Make Money

                                 

Ever wondered why nowadays there seem to be more prophets than ordinary people in Africa? Even President Robert Mugabe last year warned Zimbabweans to watch out for false prophets. The Head of State also wondered why Zimbabwean prophets alone have outnumbered prophets mentioned in the bible. 

My Zimbabwe News team conducted a research on ‘powers behind miracles’ that some if not most prophets use to draw multitudes of desperate Christians. Some ‘men of God’ actually brag that they possess powers to perform any type of a miracle while some boast of being the first prominent prophets to be established in Zimbabwe and other countries in Southern Africa. 

A research conducted by My Zimbabwe revealed that over 1,700 pastors and ‘men of God’ from different parts of Africa have approached the seemingly most powerful ‘sangoma’ in Ghana for powers to perform miracles. So authoritative is the much-dreaded fetish priest Nana Kwaku Bonsam of Ghana that he openly and publicly dares ANY of his critics to challenge him in a battle of supernatural powers. 

My Zimbabwe has learnt that Nana Kwaku Bonsam has got his shrine at Sa-Peiman, a village on the outskirts of Nsawam in the Eastern Region of Ghana. His god is called ‘Kofi-Kofi’, and is the one who provides him with supernatural powers that are desperately needed by different pastors from all walks of life. 

A Ghanaian newspaper reported that after visiting Nana Kwaku Bonsam, hundreds of top-of-the-range cars were seen parked at his shrine as various prominent businesspeople and celebrated church founders gathered to secure his services. 

The rule is that one could only enter the shrine barefooted and without a phone or a wrist watch. The fetish priest is by no means a poor man, as anyone who enters his shrine for consultation pays an amount of GH¢10 (about US$5.28) which excludes the cost of the rituals. As part of his rituals, the priest hangs a cat alive and slaughters several fowls, a white dove, pigeons and goats and then spills the blood on his god. The inner shrine is parked with several other gods and also has many cartons of talcum powder, Holy Bibles, razor-sharp machetes hung around the room, a riffle, golden rings, money, padlocks, calabashes and many other items which were veiled. 

Narrating in an interview how powerful he is, the much dreaded man boasted of his capabilities. 

“I’m a fetish priest; a powerful one of course, and I use my powers to heal the sick, help people who want to travel abroad, help traders get better sales, protect people from fraudsters, dis-empower witches and wizards or help people who have one problem or the other. I am well-known for the wonders I perform in this country so I receive people from all parts of the country and even people from other countries,” he said. 

The self-styled sangoma was quoted in an interview with Ghana’s Daily Guide as having said he once produced ‘miracle money’ before a highly respected traditional Chief. 

“I produced money, a gold watch, handkerchief and other things there and that was so wonderful before the chief of Techiman. At the palace, I was able to plant cocoa seeds and they germinated on that same day; I planted a mango seed and it germinated the same day and I killed a house-fly, resurrected it and made it fly round for all to see,” he said. 

Still on ‘miracle money’, Nana Kwaku Bonsam said when he started performing his ‘miracles’, anything that he touched turned into money. 

“Anything I touched turned into money and I even stood on a fresh egg, which did not break,” he said. 

The sangoma confirmed that indeed there are pastors who have, and still approach him seeking powers to start prominent churches and perform miracles. 

“Yes it is true. I give powers to perform miracles to a lot of pastors. Currently I have over one thousand seven hundred and something pastors; I might need to look into my register for the figure. When they come to me I give golden rings to some of them after taking them through a ritual bath. I give them the ring and a Bible and the power I want them to get is what I put in the ring. I give some the power to heal, others to see into the future and or the past, or do anything I want them to do. It helps their churches get more members who always want to see signs and wonders,” he revealed. 

Asked if he would expose the false pastors who acquired powers from him to perform miracles, the sangoma said: 

“I am only against those false pastors who have come to me for powers and yet are not keeping their mouth shut but rather making provocative statements against me. I am also against those who have gone for powers from other shrines yet preach against us and do not abide by our rules.” 

Nana Kwaku Bonsam further ‘showcased’ his talent of unbelievable miracles: 

“I can produce money from nowhere. I can plant a palm tree and make it grow that same day. I can pull the edge of a sharpened cutlass on my throat without it cutting me. And I can heal a lot of sicknesses,” he said. 

The fetish Priest attacked flamboyant pastors who enrich themselves at the expense of their followers. 

“Some of them are using the church for fashion parade. Listen to how they preach in their churches and how they mention the names of their church members who have AIDS as if it is not an embarrassing disease. Why are they riding in a lot of cars when their church members are hungry? The Bible itself says we should all bring our belongings, sell and share with the poor and needy. Was that not why Jesus beat up the gamblers in the temple? Some pastors today are virtually being worshipped by their church members, when Jesus himself was a humble person,” he said. 

He said if he wanted he could do like any other false pastor who disguises using the bible 

“I was born Stephen Osei Mensah. I was not born a fetish priest. I was attending church when I got possessed and if I wanted to do what others (false prophets) are doing I would have attached my fetish to my Bible and called myself Reverend Stephen Osei Mensah,” he said. 

My Zimbabwe figured out that several Ghanaian pastors and bishops have previously challenged Nana Kwaku Bonsam, but they all couldn’t take the risk. 

According to Bishop Obinim, founder of International God’s Way Church, if any Pastor dare doubts the anointing God has given him, the person should meet him and he will call THUNDER from Heaven to strike him. Nana Kwaku Bonsam came forward and took up the challenge and Bishop Obinim reportedly gave excuses resulting in the ‘spiritual wrestling’ failing to take place. 

Prophet Nicholas Osei alias Kumchacha also challenged the renowned fetish priest for a spiritual battle after arranging to meet at Tema-based Adom FM’s premises in Ghana, My Zimbabwe has learnt. However, a mammoth crowd that besieged the premises to witness the grand ‘spiritual showdown’ got disappointed after Prophet Kumchacha made second thoughts at the last minute and failed to turn up. 

Meanwhile several Zimbabweans have been to Ghana and other Western countries over the past few years. Some of them (names withheld) returned back home and became so powerful in their line of industry.

Son’s Wedding Controversy Pastor Kumuyi Offers To Resign

• National Overseer In Jamaica Removed
• Suspension Of Couple Wrong, Pastor Bakare Tells Deeper Life
• No, Couple Should Have Followed Church’s Tradition,’ Say Bishop Chukwuma, Others

      

Pastor William Kumuyi  offered to resign as General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church following the controversy that trailed the wedding of his second son, John.

John Kumuyi and his wife, Love had engaged in acts, which negated the church’s tradition during their wedding held in Jamaica on June 15, 2013. Love, who is a daughter of the National Overseer of Deeper Life Bible Church, Jamaica, Pastor Augustine Odih,  was dressed in a fitted stylish wedding gown with transparent short sleeves. She also wore makeup, jewelry and carried a bouquet of flowers. The couple cruised in a limousine and had a huge wedding cake.

The misdemeanor, which attracted widespread criticisms, had earned the newlyweds suspension from church activities despite showing remorse and tendering an apology to the church, blaming their misconduct on the fact that both of them had resided abroad for so long.

Sunday Sun gathered that the practice in the Deeper Christian Life Ministry is that if members’ children misbehave, both the children and their parents get punished on the grounds that it’s the parents’ failing in their responsibilities that made the children to err. Although the children involved in the Jamaican wedding infraction are adults, the leadership of the church regarded their action as a strong breach of its tradition, and immediately removed the bride’s father,  from his position as National Overseer in Jamaica.

To demonstrate that there is no double standard in the church, it was further learnt that Pastor Kumuyi, at the meeting held by the leadership of the church on the matter, offered to resign as General Superintendent, but was prevailed upon not to.

According to the Sunday Sun source, the General Superintendent did not take kindly to the couple’s behaviour and, unlike Eli in the Bible who did not discipline his sons and incurred the wrath of God, Pastor Kumuyi had ensured that the offenders were sanctioned.

Meanwhile, the suspension of  John and his wife from church activities has provoked mixed reactions from notable church leaders and other Nigerians.

Outspoken  Pastor and the General Overseer of Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare who was once a member of the church condemned the punishment meted out by the church, describing it as wicked. Said Pastor Bakare: “I personally did not see what they have done wrong. A man is entitled to his own authority in his own home.1st Peter Chapter 3. A wife should dress to please the husband and not the members of the church or public. It’s sheer wickedness to the couple, they should leave them to enjoy their honeymoon. They should not squeeze them to the modus operandi of a particular organization. I did not see anything wrong in the wedding. The bride was not naked or dressed inappropriately and  the groom didn’t. Esther the queen was beautifully dressed in the bible to gain the king’s attention. They should not make mountain out of a molehill. I was in the Deeper Life Bible Church for five years and nobody compelled me to dress the way I dressed. My wife was with me in the church though we weren’t married then. She wears earrings and dresses nicely. All this talk about this couple should stop.”

In the same vein, a leader of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Osun State and General Overseer of the Royal Family Life Ministry, Pastor Sam Segun-Progress described the suspension of John Kumuyi and his wife from the church as a wrong decision taken by the leadership as capable of sending wrong signals about Christianity to the public, especially non-Christians.

He said: “dressing in any way does not affect the faith of any individual. Putting on earrings and making up do not by any way mean sinful acts. It’s not against Christian faith to dress the way the woman dressed. But it was actually against the doctrine of Deeper Life Bible Church, and since the church is not the Kingdom of God, the couple should be allowed to do that which pleases them and their belief.”

According to him, the Bible states clearly that, “there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus,” adding, “for any church leader to condemn a member contravenes the standard of the scripture, which is the symbol of our Christian faith. The doctrine of any church has nothing to do with the kingdom of God. Every individual should be allowed to do that which pleases his faith,” he added.

The Osogbo-based Christian leader who noted that the church should be a rehabilitation centre, said “I would have appreciated it better if this affected couple were just disciplined within the church and were not suspended,” saying that the suspension of the two notable members of the church was capable of sending them out of the church and Christianity totally.”

According to him, “all I can deduce from what happened in the Deeper Life Bible Church is hypocrisy and this is not too good for our churches and the church leaders. I will urge the leadership of Deeper Life Bible Church to read the book of Exodus and see what God says about hypocrisy. The development in the church was a bad omen for the body of Christ and did not portray the church well before the public, especially the non-Christians.”

The Pentecostal preacher maintained that, “It is the wish of God that everybody comes to repentance. Jesus Christ during his eventful ministry on earth did not send anybody away. Even  sinners ate with him and he did not condemn them. Why should we now suspend people and send them out of the church for an act which was merely against the doctrine of the church and which no one can prove was against the kingdom of God? Is any Church the kingdom of God? Or can anyone assume the position of God?”

He urged Christian leaders to live above hypocrisy and allow the spirit of God to direct them in their dealings with fellow human beings, even as he called for genuine acts, saying, “God cannot be mocked and God cannot be deceived by anyone.” He counseled Nigerian leaders to learn from the development in the church and serve with genuine hearts, saying the country needs genuine and purpose-driven leaders in a time like this.

Corroborating the views of Pastor Progress, a leader of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Osun State, Apostle Durodola Michael expressed worry about the development in the Deeper Life Bible Church and declared that the decision of the leadership of the church was not only harsh but contradicts Christian faith, which he said places premium on repentance.

He said “the leadership of the church should have forgiven the couple who after realizing their mistakes tendered an unreserved apology to them. Christianity teaches us forgiveness and one of the tenets of the Christian faith is forgiveness. The couple after apologizing to the leadership of the church needed not be punished again if the church will follow the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

According to him, “the only area where I noticed that the church leadership erred was their lack of forgiving spirit. It was reported that the couple apologized and that should have been the end if the church would go by the teaching of Christ. The action of the church was capable of sending the couple out of the church system.”

He noted that the doctrinal practice of the church might not stand the test of time considering  developments in the world and the expansion in the church, especially its location in most western countries now.

“The church cannot continue with its practice. I don’t think the practice can last. Before now, it was a sin for members of the church to have televisions in their houses, but today they don’t only have them, but the General Superintendent of the church even ministers via the television to his members and others across the world. So, such practice can’t last.

For Mr Tony Okafor, Chairman, Law Students Forum, Anambra State, “the world has grown beyond a period when somebody will hold one to the traditions of one’s father.  People should be allowed to exercise their freedom without any form of chains or handcuff. It’s natural that after parental tutelage, the child should be allowed to exercise his or her right upon growing up.

“The constitution of this country is very clear that everyone has freedom of religion; it is a fundamental right that cannot be derogated by anybody, including parents. So I think Kumuyi and his church should allow the young couple exercise this rights as enshrined under Section 38 of the Nigeria Constitution.

The lesson for the leadership of the church is that there is a limit within which you can put people in a cage and expect them to be quiet all the time.”

Apostle Lawrence Achudume of Victory Life Bible Church, Abeokuta said the development reveals that some things  some churches are holding on to are no longer relevant. He said “I was once in the Deeper Life many years ago. I know some of them are no longer practicable in the 21st century. For the son of General Superintendent who was raised in Pastor Kumuyi’s house and the girl in question who is the daughter of another General Superintendent of the church in Jamaica, to come and negate the rules shows that something is wrong with the doctrines they are enforcing. The couple can’t claim to be ignorant of the doctrines of their father’s church. The couple can’t claim that they have not seen how those who have married before them in the church did. The lesson I want the leadership of the church to learn from this is that they should not go ahead preaching or forcing things their children or congregation can’t follow. The world is changing.”

“The suspension itself on a global society is an infringement on their fundamental human rights.  The couple has apologized openly; why the suspension? Will the suspension rewind or cancel the wedding if the church had been silent on it?   The couple deliberately wanted to do what they did, and they have done it. By their pedigree, they knew the rule and they deliberately broke the rule. It’s also a lesson to Nigerian parents. We should not be too rigid or harsh on our children; we should give them an element of freedom, because time is changing from the time we were born.”

Founder of the Odua People’s Congress, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun also asked that the couple be left alone. “People should allow the young couple to live their lives the way they want it. In a wedding ceremony, a couple is free to do whatever they want to do. It’s their day of joy. Their outfits should be what they want to wear and not what the public expects them to put on. Whether the wedding is flamboyant or not depends on the bride and the groom. In the first wedding of Christianity, there was eating and drinking, as a matter of fact, when the wine was exhausted, they requested for more to satisfy the guests.”

Mrs. Stella Awoh, a lecturer at the Yaba College of Technology said that judgment should be left to God. “Leave Judgment to God,” adding, however that the bride could have conformed to  church rules.

“Kumuyi must have his reasons for allowing it. Remember that the church members now watch TV unlike before. Let us leave judgment to God. But that girl could have conformed to the tradition of the church. Head covering is a must in Deeper Life Church and as long as that is the tradition of the church and it’s biblical to cover the head, the girl could have covered her hair on her wedding day, although God answers prayers whether the head is covered or not,” Awoh said.

While many condemned the church’s action, others, on the other hand argued that the church was right in punishing the couple.

According to Rev. Joseph Olusegun Awusinu of Hosanna Mission of Christ Ministry International, Abeokuta, Ogun State, “where there is no law, there is no sin, once they have rules and regulations in the church, by way of their doctrine, the couple ought to have obeyed them. Once they have gone against it, they needed to be punished. So to me, the suspension is in order. It’s to serve as a deterrent to other members of the church who may want to go the way the couple had gone. My appeal is that the leadership of the church should not allow the suspension to last long. I agree that civilization may have eroded some of the doctrines of the church, but I think  anyone or group who does not want to respect the doctrines can take their exit. But once you decide to stay in a church, you must respect their rules and regulations to the letter.”

To Mr. Biodun Ogunleye of the Anglican Church Communion, Abeokuta, what the leadership of the Deeper Life Church did  was to tell the world that they practice what they preach. “To me, I think the son or daughter of a pastor or Imam should practice what his or her father or mother preaches. Once their doctrines negate what they did, they should be punished, at least to tell the world that being the son or daughter of an influential person does not matter. It’s a lesson to our children too that we must always respect the wishes of our parents and leaders.”

The General Superintendent, Voice of Freedom Ministry, Benin, Edo State, Abraham Chigbundu in his reaction said, “the truth of the matter is, if you accept to be part, you should follow the tradition of the place. What they did  violates   the tradition of the church, not the Bible.

“They should have known that their conduct  would upset the church. The two have tried to make a statement that it’s not this outward appearance. Nobody condemned the limousine.  There is likelihood more of this will occur. Moderation does not mean you’re a moron.

“For the suspension, the Church is right in keeping its tradition. In summary, (1) They should have obeyed the church rules. (2) The Church is right to have suspended them and (3) They are making a statement by saying change the rule. The leaders should look into it and see how they can correct it.”

In  his reaction, the Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, said the action of John and his wife is regrettable, especially as both are children of top-ranking leaders of the church. He also commended the church for sanctioning the duo and said such caution would as well serve as indirect caution on the rest of the church. He also advised that people should not view the decision of the church as unnecessary vilification, adding that since both culprits  are adults coming from the first families of the church, they have no excuse for failing to comply with the rules and tradition of their church.  His words:

“The Deeper Life Church has a long reputation for simplicity – no earrings, no makeup, perming of hair or artificial hair and all that. The church has no room, whatsoever, for flamboyancy, either in dressing or any other thing about life. So, the couple’s action was a complete sell-out and very discouraging attitude. And I encourage the leadership of the church to take further action towards returning to the basics of the church’s tradition of simplicity, modesty and decency. It’s good they were cautioned because, I believe, the suspension is geared towards instilling discipline in the church. Deeper Life has long been known for modesty and decency. What John Kumuyi and his bride did was almost opposite of what Deeper Life preaches and the action has given the church a bad impression. So, whatever action the church has taken against the duo was simply a caution and a reminder that people should be very cautious about the way they dress and their general lifestyle.

“So, I think Pastor Kumuyi allowed the axe to fall on his son,because he realizes that leadership, at all levels, must be by example. People must be careful and endeavor not to fall into the temptation of handling church’s funds as personal affair. There should be overall discipline in the church because the church belongs to God, not man. Even the issue of makeup and other issues raised, are all against the teachings of Deeper Life that we all know. And that was why the couple had to apologize to the church,”

To the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN),Oyo State, Pastor Ayo Olabisi, the Deeper Life Church deserves commendation for the action it took against the couple. Olabisi commended the Deeper Life Church committee for the suspension of the couple, saying  “There should be discipline in the house of God. That is how it should be. Where there is discipline, you can’t just be behaving the way you like. I wholeheartedly support it.”

Also, a member of Deeper Life Church in Ibadan who craved anonymity said she doesn’t understand why John was suspended when his father who is the General Superintendent of the church was said to be at the wedding. “At least, he should have told them if they didn’t know that the mode of dressing of the wife is against Deeper Life doctrine.”

An elder in Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Samuel Odekunle also commended the church for the couple’s suspension  adding that CAC doctrine is also against such reckless dressing, though according to him, some CAC members are also guilty of the same offence. “Sometimes, you will not be able to differentiate a Christian home from  a non-Christian home by the way some people dress during their wedding.”

A leading motivational speaker and Senior Pastor, Destiny Life Christian Centre in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Pastor Tony Banks in his reaction said the couple should have known that they cannot dress outside the standards set by the church as long as they remain members.

He also argued that it is high time the church jettisoned some of its doctrines, which actually hinder spiritual growth and progress.

“First of all, it is imperative to say that Dr. W.F. Kumuyi is a sincere, great and anointed servant of God. However, when it comes to doctrinal and life issues, no one is infallible.

“The bride and groom, who are members of Deeper Life should and are expected to obey the rules and codes of conduct of the ministry, since they are members of the church. They can dress up as they want from the day they withdraw their membership of the church.

“However, the leadership should, henceforth, learn to amend  some of the church’s puritanical doctrines that are inimical to Christian growth and progress.”

Speaking in the same vein, Pastor Funwei, who attends the Deeper Life Church, said, “the church stands on holiness. We are not sentimental concerning issues like that, whoever is found wanting must be disciplined no matter the title he or she is holding. We so much believe that in heaven, title does not matter but the righteousness and how you obey God will definitely count on that day.

Pastor Leo Nwokoji, a member of Deeper Life Church said the action is not a condemnation, but a form of discipline, saying that there are standards and everyone upholds such standards. Anyone that defaulted should be disciplined, he said, adding that there is no immunity in God’s kingdom.

Emeka Ejim who is the Provincial Youth President, Anglican Youth Fellowship, Enugu Province, said “…the bride and groom are both living outside the country where culture, ways of dressing, etc are not given any attention. The modus in the Western world as regards to  church tradition is that you should come to God the way you are… gays, lesbians, don’t cover your hair etc…so I blame them for not conforming to their church’s doctrine on outward appearance…if they had wanted the ‘oyibo way of wedding’ it’s simple, go to the church that suits your taste, more so that the leader of the Deeper Life, Pastor Kumuyi is directly involved. Also the counseling section that prepared them for the wedding has a question to answer. Were they rightly informed of the church’s norms? If yes, then it’s an act of disobedience to the church authority.