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| CAC President, Pastor Samuel O. Oladele |
The President of Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria and Overseas & National Vice President of Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN), Pastor Samuel O. Oladele has told church leaders that it's their duty to redeem Nigeria through the pulpit, saying that it will be a great mistake to think politicians have solutions to the problems of the country.
Pastor Oladele stated this last week while ministering on the topic "Redeeming the Nation from the Pulpit" (text Matthew chapter 28 2nd Timothy chapter 4) at the just concluded 2022 quadrennial National Convention of Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN) with the theme "Christianity and Apostolic Fire Today". The convention was held at CAC All Saints' Chapel, CAC General Secretariat, Ibadan from Thursday November 24 to Friday November 25, 2022.
Pastor Oladele told church leaders that they are bound to influence people, just the way the Modecai influenced Esther.
"We are fathers to nations and we should behave like fathers indeed. Nations should look unto us for leadership and direction. Many of us have failed today in our duty to redeem the nation. What is on display on the pulpit today is pride, display of gift, eloquent speech etc. The real fast of the preacher is abstainance from eloquent speech for Christ to be revealed. Preaching has become a show-business today. The nation has no respect for us again because we patronize politicians for contracts and other things. The condition of the church will determine that of the nation. The time has come for us to see where we got it wrong," he stated.
Talking about the pulpit against the backdrop of what it is in most places, Pastor Oladele said the Pulpit is about maturing the souls, edify the church, but today prosperity message has taken over.
He said the pulpit has been bastardized because preachers want to make the people happy, urging them to talk about the depravity of man, saying that what we need today in Nigeria is message that will keep hurting sinners and they will keep hurting until they repent.
According to the Clergyman, if Nigeria to be redeemed, it can't trust into the hands of the politicians, but the church.
While speaking on how to redeem the nation, Pastor Oladele stated that the pulpit should be alert to her role, noting that emphasis must be placed on the depravity of human nature.
He further said that preachers should let their church members know that they are the salt of the earth and light of the world.
"Tell people that their Christianity is not limited to four wall of the church. Let people go out and prove they are light and salt," he added.
The President also implored church leaders and preachers to take Paul's admonition to Timothy in 1st Timothy 4:16 very seriously, saying that doctrine is the backbone of faith.
While saying the time has come as God's people to bring the fire of God back to the altar, he also said that there are two types of preachers; the dreamers and the receivers, the dreamers are not real, preach whatever you have received from God.
The National President, Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN)/Vice President The Apostolic Church Nigeria/LAWNA Territorial, Pastor (Dr.) E.S. Awojide said while giving the farewell message on the theme of the convention the doctrine of the Holy Ghost is not a theoretical belief, but a practical one as we remain the offspring of the early church whose acts were recorded in the Book of Acts of Apostles, the acts to be followed by any living Church.
He opined that the Acts are not to be faked but to be practiced in all its genuineness and purity as true pentecostals.
According to him, the Church needs the power, the fire of Holy Spirit today more than ever in view of the multifarious challenges bring facing the Church and the nation at this end time.
"The power of the Church is not outdated or that of history, the fire needs to be current, be active and be made alive in individuals and the church. We need to promote and protect the fire of holiness, love and brotherly kindness that is lacking today (Rev. 24). We need to rekindle the fire and reexamine ourselves if the fire is on the decline. Jesus is coming for the Church that is yet active and alive in Him. Let the sleeping lions and gants awake and keep the fire burning for the bridegroom is on the way," he stated.
The convention with different impactful sessions had in attendance ministers and members of all the denominations under CPFN namely Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria & Overseas, The Apostolic Church of Nigeria, Gospel Apostolic Church, Worldwide, Christ Gospel Apostolic Church, Nigeria & Overseas, C.C.A.A. Worldwide, Precious Stone Church, Worldwide, Savior's Apostolic Church, Worldwide, United Apostolic Church of Christ, Worldwide and Apostolic Faith Church.
First lecture was delivered by the Provost, The Apostolic Church Nigeria, LAWNA Theological Seminary, Pastor G.O.A. Alakuko on the topic "Surviving an Exilic Period of our Time" and second lecture by the Regional Superintendent of CAC Pearce Region, Pastor S.O. Aluko on the topic "Christianity in Time like this in our Nation."
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