Religion
CAN reacts as Lord’s Chosen member claims ‘angel’ gave her exam answer
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned a viral testimony of a Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries member who claimed “an angel” provided answers to her during an examination.
In the undated video, the congregant claimed during her promotional examination, an old man appeared to her and gave her answers to some questions.
“Brethren, nobody knew this question. So, all I did was to raise the question paper and declare to it: ‘I am a Chosen! I am a chosen!! I am a chosen!!! This question, who are you? Where is the God of my pastor power?’” she asked.
“Then, suddenly, an old man appeared by my right-hand side in white apparel. He told me, ‘My daughter, begin to write.’ And I began to write.”
According to Punch, Stephen Adegbite, CAN chairman in Lagos, described the testimony as “fabrications”.
Adegbite also criticised the church for allowing such testimonies while emphasising the importance of verifying claims.
He stressed that not all testimonies are suitable for public consumption and urged churches to scrutinise members’ stories before allowing them to testify.
Adegbite said CAN plans to meet on September 28 to address the concerns.
“She is entitled to her opinion as she is the owner of her mouth. But for anyone to say such, we must verify that. We must see the people in the hall, and they must testify against her that that was never the situation,” he said.
“But looking at it ordinarily, that is a foolish talk, and nobody should accept that. There are testimonies you don’t allow to be given in the church. And that is why before people give their testimonies, you should invite them and know what they want to talk about.
“If it is something that is good for public consumption, you should allow it to go. But if you know that the story they are telling can only be told to monkeys, you should ask the person to go and face the monkeys and say that, not in the church. So, that type of testimony should be served to the monkeys and not to human beings.”
Efforts by TheCable Lifestyle to get Daniel Okon, CAN president, to comment on the matter have proven abortive.
There has been growing skepticism surrounding testimonies from the church. Last week, social media users shared old clips of congregants recounting their miraculous experiences.
In one video, an elderly woman claimed she was attacked by four armed robbers but miraculously gained control of their guns.
Similarly, a man testified that he survived a kidnapping, machete assaults, and gunshots “without sustaining any injuries.”
Another man alleged that a lion rescued him from kidnappers by lifting him into the air and guiding him to safety.
Dee One, the comedian, earlier warned critics not to incur the wrath of Lazarus Muoka, the church’s general overseer.
IK Ogbonna, the actor, also called on the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to tackle the issue of “fake miracles” in churches.
Religion
You return to square one if you don’t pay tithe, says Becky Enenche
Becky Enenche, the wife of Paul Enenche, senior pastor of Dunamis International gospel Centre (DIGC), has stressed the significance of consistent tithe payment.
In an undated video circulating on social media, Becky advised Christians to constantly pay their tithe, which she refers to as “returning God’s portion”.
The clergywoman also warned that whenever a Christian fails to pay their tithe, they go “back to square one”.
Enenche also likened tithe defaulters to someone who typed a long text and mistakenly pressed the delete button.
“Paying your tithe, paying your tithe, returning God’s portion must be done consistently. Every time you miss your tithe, you go back to square one. The ones you did before become nullified,” she said.
“It is like you pressed a delete button, gbam. And all the work you did before is gone. Have you ever been typing and somebody entered the room or something mistakenly? You have typed enough text.
“The content of what you’ve typed is sufficient and you are not saving as you were typing and suddenly you press delete. You can imagine how that feels. Now what more of such a thing as your tithe.”
https://twitter.com/ChuksEricE/status/1857865926068019309?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1857865926068019309%7Ctwgr%5Ea0fe21df47634feab7fb9aa5a8c6079c7dfff01d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flifestyle.thecable.ng%2Ftrending-video-you-return-to-square-one-if-you-dont-pay-tithe-says-becky-enenche%2F
Religion
Archbishop of Canterbury resigns over child abuse allegations linked to Church of England
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has resigned following the publication of the Makin Review, which exposed the Church of England’s mishandling of historic abuse allegations involving John Smyth.
In a heartfelt statement on Tuesday, Welby acknowledged the extent of the church’s failures in responding to the abuse and expressed regret over the delayed response to survivors of Smyth’s crimes.
Welby stressed the importance of institutional responsibility and expressed sorrow for the victims and survivors of abuse, emphasising his commitment to creating a safer environment within the church.
“The Makin Review has exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth,” Welby said.
“When I was informed in 2013 and told that police had been notified, I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow.
“It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024.
“It is my duty to honour my Constitutional and church responsibilities, so exact timings will be decided once a review of necessary obligations has been completed, including those in England and in the Anglican Communion.
“I hope this decision makes clear how seriously the Church of England understands the need for change and our profound commitment to creating a safer church.”
Welby noted his efforts to implement improvements in safeguarding over the last twelve years.
“The last few days have renewed my long felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England,” he said.
“For nearly twelve years I have struggled to introduce improvements. It is for others to judge what has been done.”
Welby expressed his commitment to his faith, stating that stepping aside was “in the best interests of the Church of England, which I dearly love and which I have been honoured to serve”.
“My deepest commitment is to the person of Jesus Christ, my saviour and my God; the bearer of the sins and burdens of the world, and the hope of every person,” he added.
Welby said he would continue his work with victims of abuse, delegating his other responsibilities until a proper risk assessment process is completed.
He also requested prayers for his family, who have been a constant source of support during his ministry.
Religion
Archbishop of Canterbury asked to resign over child abuse allegations linked to Church of England
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has been asked to resign over his failure to rigorously follow up on reports of child abuse linked to the Church of England.
On Thursday, a report revealed that “horrific” and violent abuse of more than 100 children and young men by John Smyth QC, a British barrister, was covered up within the Church of England for decades.
The report followed an independent review by the archbishops’ council of the Church of England.
Smyth QC, who died aged 77 in Cape Town in 2018, was accused of attacking boys at his home in Winchester who he had met at a Christian summer camp in Dorset during the 1970s and 1980s.
He was said to have carried out lashings with a garden cane in his shed with eight boys receiving a total of 14,000 lashes, while two more received 8,000 strokes between them over three years.
Smyth QC is believed to be the most prolific serial abuser to be associated with the Church of England.
The report said Welby did not follow up rigorously enough on reports of Smyth QC’s “abhorrent” abuse, adding that he “could and should” have reported the case to authorities when details were presented to him in 2013.
It also said he might have been brought to justice for decades of abuse before his death in 2018 had he been formally reported to authorities in 2013.
Three members of the Church’s parliament – the general synod – have started a petition calling for Welby to resign over his “failures” to report Smyth’s abuse
Helen-Ann Hartley, bishop of Newcastle, has also called for his resignation.
She is the most senior member of the Church to call on Welby to step down.
Hartley said it would be hard for the Church to “continue to have a moral voice” when “we cannot get our own house in order with regard to something as critically important”.
“It’s very hard to find the words to respond adequately to what the report tells us,” Bishop Hartley told the BBC.
“I think rightly people are asking the question ‘Can we really trust the Church of England to keep us safe?’ And I think the answer at the moment is ‘no’.”
She said while Welby’s resignation would not “solve the safeguarding problem,” it would “be a very clear indication that a line has been drawn, and that we must move towards independence of safeguarding”.
In a statement, Welby said he was “deeply sorry that this abuse happened” and “sorry that concealment by many people who were fully aware of the abuse over many years meant that John Smyth was able to abuse overseas and died before he ever faced justice”.
“I had no idea or suspicion of this abuse before 2013,” he said.
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