Lately, the Church has been under severe and harsh criticism due to the mistakes of pastors and members of the clergy. A lot of non-Christians have used these situations to deride the body of Christ and paint all the clergies with bad brush. The death of Sammy Okposo, a celebrated gospel evangelist and singer has been attributed to the rejection he faced by the Body of Christ when he was highly criticized for his mistakes as a human being. In this light, a man of God, Courage Igene the General Overseer of All Nations Church has come out to shut the critics and naysayers saying that they are not in the position to judge. “We should be very careful how we put ourselves in the position of God and judge people harshly.
Who are we to condemn anyone that God did not condemn? We have failed to show love to our fellow brethren in situations where we should and it is unfortunate.”
Speaking to cross section of journalists, Apostle Courage Igene, a Pastor based in Dallas, Texas said ”The Body of Christ needs to do better on showing love to our wounded warriors. Many times, when something negative happens to a minister, other ministers would isolate that person and castigate that person, making them feel rejected. Was this what Jesus taught us?” This is exactly how the notable singer Sammy Okposo was treated. Many Pastors cancelled his meetings.
He added that “We quickly join the unbelievers to attack our own. It ought not to be so. Where is the Love of God in us? Please, Let us do better. Let’s stop the hate and bitterness.
Let’s love one another in righteousness and have a ministry of reconciliation and restoration which is what Jesus called us to instead of that of judgment and condemnation.”
He opined that Christians should endeavor to defend the gospel in these perilous times that the devil is doing everything to turn people away from God. With the current realities in today’s world where church attendance have dwindled and reduced since the Covid 19, he said that there is need to ensure that Christians do not lose focus on the word of God and try as much not to follow the people of the world from bringing down the church.
“Imagine a pastor telling the young man (Sammy Okposo) that he is not worthy to be on their altar anymore and that they will discourage anyone they know not to invite him.
Any pastor that told him such are demon possessed. I repeat, they are full of the devil and do not know the God they claim to preach. I really thank God that He is not a man!” Apostle Courage Igene concluded.