Months after they were shut down as one of the measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government had in June announced that churches
Months after they were shut down as one of the measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government had in June announced that churches and mosques could resume.
In line with the directive, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, also gave churches and mosques in the state the green light to reopen as from August 7. However, the clerics of some churches, with their headquarters in Lagos, have, however, declared that they would not reopen their worship centres.
On Saturday, the Fountain of Life took to its social media page to announce that its online services will continue. In the post, the church said it would communicate date for resumption of physical gatherings to members of the congregation.
“Our Church Service this Sunday will hold online by 7am and 10am across our live streaming platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Mixlr, YouTube, Rave TV, and our website,” it wrote on Twitter.
The Covenant Nation is also another church that didn’t hold physical service. Poju Oyemade, the senior pastor of the church, in a post on social media, however, fixed September 6 as the tentative date for reopening.
“The Covenant Nation has set Sunday September 6 as the tentative date for the reopening of onsite Church services. We will continue all our services online for now. Let’s stay in prayer,” he wrote.
TB Joshua, founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), on Tuesday revealed that his church would remain closed until he “hears from God.” He, however, commended the Lagos state government for the directive.
“However, having heard from the authorities, we are now waiting to hear from God. Please be assured that as soon as we hear from God, we will inform you when our services will resume. Emmanuel – God is with us,” he wrote on Twitter.
Other popular churches that didn’t hold physical services today in Lagos are Sam Adeyemi’s Daystar Christian Centre. The church’s senior pastor, said online services would continue until it is safe for physical gathering.
“The leadership of Daystar Christian Centre has resolved not to open her worship centres for physical gathering on the immediate,” the statement partly read.
In the same vein, the leadership of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM) said its buildings would remain closed for all branches in Lagos and Ogun states until September 12, 2020. The move, the church said, was to ensure it puts in place the required preventive measures as stipulated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as well as federal and state governments.
The House of God Church is also among Christian worship centres that did not hold physical service today.
Chris Okotie, its founder, who had been critical of government’s directive on reopening of worship centres, said he will not reopen his church.
“Our doors will remain closed until these profanation and secularization have been pulverized by the Emperor of heaven. Unto him shall the gathering of the people be. To thy tents O Israel,” he said.
The clergyman had earlier criticized the proposed guidelines offered by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to the federal government, saying they were “unbiblical”. Okotie also said that wearing a face mask or face shield in church goes against the basic tenets of the Christian faith.
Also Godman Akinlabi’s Elevation church didn’t operate physical service today.
Tunde Bakare, the serving overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, formerly known as Latter Rain Assembly had kicked against the directive on the reopening of religious centres. He faulted the decision to reopen worship centres when the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) projected that the COVID-19 may reach its peak in August. He advised worshippers not to be “deceived by the government or religious leaders.”
“I have to appeal to you once again, please keep safe and do your best to stay alive. Do not let anyone, whether religious leader or governmental leader, to drive you like a sheep to the slaughter. If they (the government and the disease control authorities) said that the month of August is going to be the peak of the infection, why should they ask people to rush in (re-open the churches) again?”
“Please keep safe and do your best to keep alive by keeping all the necessary rules. We know that by the grace of God this pandemic like the others before it has an expiry date. It shall not see our end. We shall see its end in the mighty name of Jesus.”
He said that his church will remain closed until the coast is clear.
