CAC President, Pastor Samuel O. Oladele
By 'Gbenga Bankole
The President of Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Samuel O. Oladele has indentified some of the things wrong wrong with today's church.
He noted that what is wrong with the universal church is not financial power,
administration (some denominations are doing well in this regard), sophistication, gigantic church building; but the absence of Jesus Christ, saying that many denominations have locked the owner of the church, Jesus Christ outside.
The President stated this last Sunday at a service with CAC Odusona Region at the regional headquarters in Enugu State which marked the finale of his two days working visit to the region.
Speaking on the topic "What should be our attitude towards the church?" taking his text from Luke chapter 4 verse 16 to 21, Pastor Oladele further said today's church is like the church in Laodicea where everything is done in the church while the Owner is locked out.
The Clergyman narrated the story of a certain Aquinas who visited the church at Rome and was taken round the church by the Pope who said to him that "we can't say like Peter that said silver and gold we don't have", but Aquinas replied saying; "we can't also say like Peter that rise up and walk."
On the love of money among many brethren, Pastor Oladele said; "the Bible is the Word of God but not all words in the Bible are words from God. Words directly from God are in the Bible, words of Satan are in the Bible, words of man are in the Bible, words of animals are in the Bible etc. However, God breathed upon every word in the Bible for us to learn. When Solomon said 'money answereth all things' he was not in his right mind. Money doesn't answer all things. Even philosophers said 'money can buy you a bed, but can't by sleep. Money can buy you house, but can't but family. Money can buy you books, but can't buy wisdom."
He told the congregation that when Christ is not in the church and you attend the church, the only presence of Christ in that church will be the one you take there.
Pastor Oladele narrated story of Erustus who visited Bishop Hur in America with the intention of becoming a member of his church, explaining that; " the bishop said to Erustus, go and ask God and let him talk to you before you can join this church. Erustus came with this answer, 'the Lord said to me, good luck to you because that is the church I have been trying to join for the past 20years."
According to Pastor Oladele, Christians don't go to church, but Christians are the church, adding that when Christ is in you, you take Him to anywhere you go, you can worship anywhere when you have Christ with you.
Using Jesus Christ as a typical example of what should be the attitude to church, Pastor Oladele said Jesus was attending synagogue regularly, noting that; "it must be our habit to go to church regularly like Jesus. Jesus was a regular worshipper in the church and we should emulate this attitude."
He further said that Jesus didn't attend the synagogue because he wanted to officiate, He simply attended as ordinary citizen of Nazareth and not because He will preach, teach as teacher. Jesus had 18years of waiting.
Pastor Oladele stressed that Jesus Christ attended church regularly although He is omniscient.
He added that, "He knew all things more than any Rabbis. Jesus will come to the temple to listen to teachers who didn't know what they are teaching and He will not raise any answer to show that He knows more than them. What new thing will anyone teach Jesus because everything in the Bible is about Him yet He will still come to the synagogues and listen."
He stated that David was heavily anointed yet he was kept in a cooler where he became Saul's armour bearer, harpist, unlike today when youths of these days want to showcase themselves.
The glamorous service ended with monthly thanksgiving of the headquarters church, as members of the church appreciated God with their uncommon dancing steps and melodious songs.
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