Adegboyega Oladiran, parochial chairman of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) Ileri Oluwa Province Headquarters, Iworo Badagry, Lagos South West, tells Assistant Politics Editor, DANIEL KANU, how the 30th anniversary of the church centres on praising God and doing more in the vineyard.
The event climaxes today with an adult harvest thanksgiving service and bazaar.
Anniversary activities
Well we have been preparing for our 30th anniversary as well as adult harvest coming up on August 21, 2016. The theme is “Harvest of Praise’’. It’s a double celebration.
The adult harvest is a yearly thing and this year’s adult harvest is encompassed with the 30th anniversary of the sowing of the church.
There have been lots of activities like free medical service for the community, night vigils for all groups like women groups, sidemen and sidewomen groups, the shepherds’ wives.
A symposium was taken up by the Rector of Celestial School, E.A. Adegoke, with the theme “Where is CCC in God’s plan for the end of age.” Adegoke is a member of the pastor in council which we normally call MPIC.
A revival was handled by A.B. Samuel. There was also a children’s quiz which involved both our church and the secular church.
We had a prophets’ and prophetess’ night. It was purely a night vigil; there they prayed, delivered messages, and held other spiritual activities.
We started on Monday, August 15, with the free medical service as well as the sidemen/women vigil, followed by the symposium on August 16. We had a revival minister on August 17 as well as a Bible quiz. Prophets’ and prophetess’ night was on August 18.
On August 19 we visited an orphanage, held the anniversary praise night, and also had a red carpet with the host choir and invited guest artistes performing.
On August 20, there was also a red carpet and we had our grand patron, Dele Kosoko, who donated an office complex commissioned by the Pastor of the church and the spiritual head, E.M.F Oshofa.
Today [Sunday, August 21], is the proper thanksgiving service where we will give thanks, give praises, welcome visitors, those from the secular church and the spiritual church, friends and relatives among other guests.
Today, for the church, is total celebration.
Challenges of the church
These days there are challenges in the sense that we Christians believe that we must continue to pray because of the end time.
The devil is ruling the world now, and to avoid losing everything we gain in this world and our home in heaven, we must continue to pray, praying without ceasing.
There are other challenges not far-fetched.
For instance, the economy of the country is a challenge because there are lots of things you want to do – for example giving to the needy, the less privileged something to take home.
If not for the economy we would have done far better not only for the orphanage but for other need-meeting and socially-relevant challenges.
There are spiritual challenges, too.
Considering the community and that every member of the church is an individual on his or her own, the challenge of managing human beings is a real burden on the church itself and not only in the secular area.
But we thank God that so far so good; the church is growing despite these challenges. We are confident that God will see us through; that is our consolation.
Are churches teaching enough against corruption in the country?
That is a good question. We will always give God the glory because it’s the end time and the devil is at work and Christians will not rest on their oars in praying.
We have a lot of churches and mosques yet the crime rate is very high. The question now is, ‘Are the churches not doing enough?’ You’ve forgotten that the church itself is made up of individuals from individual families.
If we use the Bible to teach or bring up our children, they will toe the line of their parents. Most of us fathers and mothers do not seem to be doing enough.
Imagine how most parents are chasing material things just to make ends meet. We go out by 5am and don’t come back home until 11pm or 12 midnight and we never bother what our children are doing.
Yet we believe that we are good Christians and Muslims, but in the spiritual realm there are a lot of things parents should do.
The church is doing enough given its capacity. The church is made up of individuals from individual homes and that is a big challenge for you and me, not only for the church.
We should go back to our basics. That is, the way our own parents brought us up. Africans believe that your child is my child; but nowadays it’s not so common if someone smacks your child and you are told, you won’t bother to find out; instead, you take offence.
This has led to a lot of evil things because the problem of individuals relates to that of the church and the problem of the church relates to the global society as a whole.
Sometimes I even wonder what would have happened if we did not have churches as we have them today, maybe the situation would have been worse.
How Christians can be united regardless of denominations
Christians should take humility as a key word. Humility in the sense that when you are humble you teach humility, honesty, sincerity; above all, love.
If we Christians accept love as the principle of Jesus Christ we wouldn’t have much headache. But we are not humble and honest with ourselves, and above all, competition has overridden our sense of reasoning.
Then we lost love. When love is lost between two people there will be problem.
In essence, we Christians should see ourselves first as brothers and sisters and imbibe the teaching of Jesus Christ.
In some homes two children from separate families cannot play together, children from different denominations cannot play together; children from two religious groups, like Christians and Muslims, cannot play together.
But we have forgotten that we will all report to a single Person, which is God.
Will the return of schools to missionaries improve education quality?
That’s a political question. My first school was Baptist School and the way we were brought up in the religious school was far better. The teachings were full of morals with sound education that was encompassing.
The missionaries actually played a better part in moulding morality. But this morality has been lost in two ways.
First we feel that because of the situation of our country, if you don’t do or indulge in a bad thing you will not rise up or succeed.
We must ask if these church organisations are the same as before. Who are those controlling the organisation of the church? How honest, disciplined and committed are they?
These are the issues we are contending with. Even when you send your child to a Christian boarding school, don’t be surprised that it’s worse than a secular school in some cases.
But the government too is not doing enough, because most of the people who control these churches still run after government contracts. They form the boards of directors of these schools.
The only head of that school is the principal or the pastor who is made head, but all other people who manage those schools seem to come from the secular society.
What we need do is allow the Word of God take root in our lives; only then can we do what is expected of us in our schools.
It is important that we give attention to moral education in all our schools.
