Members of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Province 3, Delta State, on Sunday celebrated this year Pentecost Day with prayer, just as the body protested against the spate of killing, kidnapping and the destruction of lives and properties across the nation.
Activities marking the Pentecost Day started with 3 day fasting and prayer at different churches in the four local government Areas of Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Udu and Ethiope East that makes up the province, and was rounded off on Sunday with Christians gathered, carrying various placards bearing inscription such as,”End Bloodshed in Nigeria,” “Enough is Enough,” “No To Insecurity,” Stop the Genocide,”Every life Matters,” “An End To Kidnapping.”
Presenting his address, the National president of PFN, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, who was represented by the Province 3 Chairman, Revrd Dr Emmanuel Eredoro said the church was burdened by the lost of sense of value for human life and its sanctity in Nigeria.
He said the body came up with the decision to pray and speak to leadership of the nation during an executive council meeting of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), after deliberation on the security situation of the country.
He said the level of banditry, violence, insecurity and savage killings across the nation’s landscape has risen to an intolerable height, such that every Nigerian should cry out against it to God for divine intervention.
Citing cases of the kidnapped Chibok girls that were still languishing in captivity, Deborah Samuel burnt to death in Sokoto, the killing going on in states like Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna and others, the body noted that the intolerable violence was becoming unbearable in the country.
According to them,”The level of banditry, kidnapping, violence, insecurity and savage killings across the nation’s landscape has risen to an intolerable height such that every Nigerian should cry out against it to God for divine intervention, and to our government for immediate and effective action.
” We are burdened for the lost of our sense of humanity. We are burdened for the unchecked rampaging of bandits, murderous herdsmen killing Nigerian farmers on their farms, Boko Haram insurgents using the noble religion of Islam to perpetrate heinous violence against peaceful Nigerians unchecked across our national landscape.
“What is going on in Nigeria do more than take lives. It fractures unity, scares away investors, drives our best minds abroad,weakens the bonds between the citizens and the state, and creates a wave of terror that make the Nigerian people no longer safe.”
The body called on the federal government of Nigeria to fulfill its constitutional and moral duty of protecting every citizen irrespective of tribes or religion.
The body also urged all christians in Nigeria to stand together in unity, defend the faith, speak with one voice and pray for God to intervene.
Earlier, the guest preacher, Bishop Chris Okoh, in his sermon titled,” The Return of the Power and the Glory of the Church,” noted that the present day church has been weakened and lost focus because of the desire to make quick success.
He said some so call men of God have become so carnal minded, running after fame and wealth, telling lies and give false prophecy so as to cajole the people to give financially, saying that the early church was born in power after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
Reading from Joel 2:3, Isaiah 6:1-3 and Hag. 2:9, the servant of God said titles like Bishop, Archbishop, wealth and fame can not restore the glory of the church, urging the church to repent from their wicked ways.
Bishop Chris Okoh advice that for the church to get back the power of God, both pastors and christians should walk in obedience to the world of God, do His will all the time and continue to pray for the release of God’s power and blessings.
The Pentecost Day was attended by leaders of the province 3 and christians from different churches in the Pentecostal fold
