Oyahkilome: Pastors yet to reopen churches over COVID-19 not true believers

Chris Oyakhilome, founder and president of LoveWorld Incorporated better known as Christ Embassy, says pastors who are yet to reopen their churches over COVID-19 fears are not genuine believers.

Religious centres were shut in March as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

But on June 1, the federal government lifted the ban on religious gatherings, directing states to follow suit.

In Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor, lifted the ban on religious centres on August 7 while Dapo Abiodun, his Ogun counterpart, approved the reopening of churches and mosques on August 14.

However, some pastors announced that their worship centres would remain closed, citing their members’ safety.

Among these pastors are Tunde Bakare,pastor of Citadel Global Community Church; Chris Okotie, superintendent of the Household of God Church; and Temitope Joshua, general overseer of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN).

Others are Sam Adeyemi, senior pastor of Daystar Christian Centre; and Daniel Olukoya, founder of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM).

But while addressing members of his congregation on Wednesday, Oyakhilome reportedly said pastors keeping churches closed because of COVID-19 lack faith in God.

“If you refuse to open church for fear of being infected, you were never a believer,” The Nation quoted him to have said.

“This is a great concern because there were churches that were thought to be churches until recently. We find a lot of ministers who were thought to be advocates of the gospel advocating for shutting down the churches. (Because they cannot guarantee safety).

“It is pressure like this that reveals what is a church and what is not. Do they really believe in God, the same God of the patriarchs in the Bible?”

He said it is unfortunate that those who claim to be true Christians would lock places of worship.

“I have laid hands on some of the most infectious people on earth and had no fear of being infected. The word of God guarantees life in Christ,” he added.

“When you get to that point where you are afraid of opening churches for fear of being infected, you have denied the faith. You never believed.”