By Oyinlola Awonuga
A church leader, Pastor Abiola Iyiola Moses has lamented the unwholesome practices in the Body of Christ wondering if the church is really making progress or disintegrating.
In an open letter addressed to the leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and the Christian Association of Nigeria Moses who is the General Overseer of Christ Abundant Mercy Bible Mission located in Ketu, Lagos noted that the great commission of Jesus that his disciples should go into the world and make disciples of all nations is being jettisoned for ephemeral things while big churches that pretend to be carrying out this task are busy oppressing smaller churches.
“Jesus gave us the great commission and directed us to make disciples of all nations. Such commandment means we should go out and look for lost souls. But the big Churches are now poaching the small Churches, luring members of other denominations with food, money, job and various incentives into their own assemblies.
“These wealthy Churches buy land, Church building and properties of the upcoming Churches or Churches with financial challenge, instead of rendering help to such Churches when they are in need.They build their Assemblies next to another Church thereby bringing enmity to the Body of Christ, encouraging other unstable Ministers of the Gospel to seek for other means or power to pollute the Body of Christ.”
He noted further that churches that are well entrenched rather than cooperate with smaller churches with the sole aim of bringing many to the kingdom of God are busy destroying the foundation of these churches adding that many have lost steam in the church today.
“it is sad that many Christians are being prosecuted for fraudulent acquisition of properties, money laundering, embezzlement and lots more. False prophets abound everywhere. People are being manipulated for material gain. Immorality has become the order of the day while many are now seeking for demonic powers to do what God has sent them to do. We indeed need to repent.”
The clergyman decried the rate at which pastors are merchandising the anointing of God upon their lives. “Prophecies are now for sale, Anointing services for sale, Communion services for sale, Deliverance for sale! Are these the soul-winning ways? Are these the ways to launch the net for a draught? We now make prophecy books to reach the people in high places not to teach them the way of the Lord, but to be afraid and come for cleansing in a way of getting gains of unrighteousness from them – Balaam’s way.” He said.
He called on church leadership to repent while also urging believers to turn to the Lord in repentance and determine to do the right thing. He pleaded, “Let’s do the needful according to the teaching of Christ – The Head of the Church whom we shall stand before?
Quoting Matthew 7:21-23) he said, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesized in thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity”
He then pleaded with the church to go back to the great commission of preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God while also ensuring that the unity of the body of Christ is protected.