The General Overseer of the Deeper Christian
Life Ministry, Pastor W.F Kumuyi, has again
warned members of the church against
celebrating Christmas, saying the annual
celebration of Christmas is idolatrous and
unscriptural.
Kumuyi warned that partaking in the
celebration made Christians to go back from
the commandment of Jesus Christ.
The cleric said this on Saturday at the annual
national December convention of the church,
which held at the church’s camp ground in
Ogun State.
He said, “We don’t celebrate Christmas. It
actually came from idolatrous background.
That is why you don’t hear us sing what they
call Christmas carol, Never! We always say it
is the December retreat. We are only gathering
together because it is the holiday period and
love the lord more, and rededicate ourselves
more.
“When you find anybody coming in, or any
leader, trying to introduce the idolatry of
mystery Babylon, that they call Christmas and
you want to bring all the Christmas carol
saying that is the day that Jesus was born,
and you don’t find that in the Acts of the
Apostles or in the early church, then you don’t
find that in the church either. If you don’t
know that before, now you know.”
He warned that any of the church’s leaders
that tried to introduce the “idolatry of
Christmas” into any section of the church
would be sanctioned, while also encouraging
other believers in Christ to jettison the
celebration as part of their sacrifice to
perfection.
Kumuyi said the duty of the church was to
make people more like Jesus Christ and not
join in worldly celebrations.
“We are not trying to make the church turn like
the world. We want it to be like Jesus Christ,
and more like the Apostles. If you don’t have
that mind with us, then you have permission to
go to other places,” he added.
But the Director of Social Communications,
Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Monsignor
Gabriel Osu, in his reaction to Kumuyi’s
proclamation, said, “I don’t know what he
means by saying the practice of celebrating
Christmas is wrong.
“Is he saying that Christ wasn’t born? That he
didn’t come to die for us? Does he not
celebrate his own birthday? Do Kumuyi’s
pastors not celebrate him? It is not everything
I react to; some people just seek attention. If
Kumuyi is a Christian, then he must believe in
Christ.
“The celebration of Christmas didn’t just start
today; it is too public an event for anyone to
say that they don’t know what it is about. “If
Kumuyi is condemning the commercialisation
of Christmas, I can understand that. Christ
came to redeem us from our lost state; this
was actualised through his coming, his birth;
that is why we celebrate Christmas. It is the
fulfilment of God’s promise.”
“I saw him on the television a few days ago.
He was in Akwa Ibom State and was the chief
preacher during their Christmas celebration
event. Kumuyi is just saying what he feels; he
is not making any doctrinal statement.”
The spokesperson for the Christian
Association of Nigeria, Oshodi chapter, Lagos
State, Pastor Barnabas Otoibhi, said that
Christmas was worth celebrating.
Otoibhi told one our correspondents in a
telephone interview that the origin of Christmas
was not as important as its essence.
He said, “The origin of Christmas, as we know
it, could be traced to Roman Emperor,
Constantine. Christmas was a day for
celebrating the Sun God. However, because
Constantine was a Christian, the day was
changed to commemorate the birth of Jesus
Christ.
“The tradition has continued to date and since
the aim of Christmas is to celebrate Jesus
since there is nothing bad in honouring Jesus.
Also, the worship of the Sun God was done in
Rome and not everywhere in the world, so it is
not part of our history.
“We mark Christmas with the singing of songs
as a day, which has now been consecrated.”
Source: Punch Nigeria
Life Ministry, Pastor W.F Kumuyi, has again
warned members of the church against
celebrating Christmas, saying the annual
celebration of Christmas is idolatrous and
unscriptural.
Kumuyi warned that partaking in the
celebration made Christians to go back from
the commandment of Jesus Christ.
The cleric said this on Saturday at the annual
national December convention of the church,
which held at the church’s camp ground in
Ogun State.
He said, “We don’t celebrate Christmas. It
actually came from idolatrous background.
That is why you don’t hear us sing what they
call Christmas carol, Never! We always say it
is the December retreat. We are only gathering
together because it is the holiday period and
love the lord more, and rededicate ourselves
more.
“When you find anybody coming in, or any
leader, trying to introduce the idolatry of
mystery Babylon, that they call Christmas and
you want to bring all the Christmas carol
saying that is the day that Jesus was born,
and you don’t find that in the Acts of the
Apostles or in the early church, then you don’t
find that in the church either. If you don’t
know that before, now you know.”
He warned that any of the church’s leaders
that tried to introduce the “idolatry of
Christmas” into any section of the church
would be sanctioned, while also encouraging
other believers in Christ to jettison the
celebration as part of their sacrifice to
perfection.
Kumuyi said the duty of the church was to
make people more like Jesus Christ and not
join in worldly celebrations.
“We are not trying to make the church turn like
the world. We want it to be like Jesus Christ,
and more like the Apostles. If you don’t have
that mind with us, then you have permission to
go to other places,” he added.
But the Director of Social Communications,
Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Monsignor
Gabriel Osu, in his reaction to Kumuyi’s
proclamation, said, “I don’t know what he
means by saying the practice of celebrating
Christmas is wrong.
“Is he saying that Christ wasn’t born? That he
didn’t come to die for us? Does he not
celebrate his own birthday? Do Kumuyi’s
pastors not celebrate him? It is not everything
I react to; some people just seek attention. If
Kumuyi is a Christian, then he must believe in
Christ.
“The celebration of Christmas didn’t just start
today; it is too public an event for anyone to
say that they don’t know what it is about. “If
Kumuyi is condemning the commercialisation
of Christmas, I can understand that. Christ
came to redeem us from our lost state; this
was actualised through his coming, his birth;
that is why we celebrate Christmas. It is the
fulfilment of God’s promise.”
“I saw him on the television a few days ago.
He was in Akwa Ibom State and was the chief
preacher during their Christmas celebration
event. Kumuyi is just saying what he feels; he
is not making any doctrinal statement.”
The spokesperson for the Christian
Association of Nigeria, Oshodi chapter, Lagos
State, Pastor Barnabas Otoibhi, said that
Christmas was worth celebrating.
Otoibhi told one our correspondents in a
telephone interview that the origin of Christmas
was not as important as its essence.
He said, “The origin of Christmas, as we know
it, could be traced to Roman Emperor,
Constantine. Christmas was a day for
celebrating the Sun God. However, because
Constantine was a Christian, the day was
changed to commemorate the birth of Jesus
Christ.
“The tradition has continued to date and since
the aim of Christmas is to celebrate Jesus
since there is nothing bad in honouring Jesus.
Also, the worship of the Sun God was done in
Rome and not everywhere in the world, so it is
not part of our history.
“We mark Christmas with the singing of songs
as a day, which has now been consecrated.”
Source: Punch Nigeria
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