The Church media and publicity unit of Living Faith Church A.K.A Winners’ Chapel, Ota, has denied the news making the round that the president of the church, Bishop David Oyedepo, released a threat of opening the “gates of hell” on those who oppose President Goodluck Jonathan who worshiped during the third service last Sunday.
The unit said he never said so describing the news as malicious and untenable.
A statement issued by the Church media and publicity unit reads thus: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the President and founder of the Living Faith Church worldwide, also Known as Winners’ Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, which has gone viral.
“He was reported to have made the statement last Sunday when the President of the federal republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan came to worship at Faith Tabernacle, which is the headquarters of the ministry.
The falsehood that is being spread around by mischief makers is that the Bishop, while praying for the President, said, “I will open the gates of hell to anyone who oppose you.”
“A little later, some others who in an attempt to “defend” the Bishop, came up with another quote purportedly said by Dr. Oyedepo, which is: “I will open the gates of hell to those who oppose the peace of this nation.”
“Well, let’s set the records straight: The Press and Publicity Unit of the church, publishers of Faith Tabernacle News, was at the 3rd service and recorded (on tape), the President’s 6-minute speech, the congregational prayer for him and the Bishop’s blessing on the President.”
The statement insisted that, “Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who is also the presidential candidate of the ruling party – the PDP, came to the church as the President of this country, not as a candidate in the forthcoming elections.
“And Bishop Oyedepo prayed for him, as instructed in the Bible book of 1 Timothy 2:1-2, as the President of Nigeria not as a PDP standard-bearer.”
Pointing out that in the Bishop’s prayer there was no mention of “hell” in the prayer, there was no mention of “the gates of hell” in the prayer and there was no mention of “opposition” or “oppose” in that prayer, the statement noted that, “It is very clear that these mischief makers where waiting for an opportunity, which presented itself in President Jonathan’s visit to the church in the heat of the campaigns.
“And with what we have seen, most politicians can do just anything to whip up sentiments and score cheap political points.”
Extricating the church from anything political, the statement reads, “The church has never been involved in partisan politics but has been prayerfully active in ensuring that the Nigerian ship doesn’t sink.
“The church has always obeyed the biblical injunction to pray for those in authority and the “peace of Jerusalem.”
It added that, “this is not an attempt to defend the church or Bishop Oyedepo, as we already know that no matter how far a lie has traveled, the truth will definitely overtake it.”