Society Gazette Society Gazette News
Related Articles
Don’t Be Afraid of COVID-19, Adeboye Tells Church Members
General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye yesterday urged the members of the Church not to be afraid of the COVID-19, pointing out that only people whose time had come would die of the pandemic as the Lord had said.
He encouraged the members of the RCCG not to be frightened by the pandemic because they would not die before their time according to God’s words, warning however that “don’t be afraid does not mean be careless.”
He made these remarks Friday night during October Holy Ghost Service at the Redemption Camp, Km 46, Lagos Ibadan Expressway, Mowe, Ogun-State.
He explained how many people had bombarded him with questions about his stand on COVID-19 vaccination.
He said he declined to comment on the subject on the ground that it bordered on the issue of national interests.
According to him, only the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) or Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) should respond to such issues.
“I am a man under authority. So, I keep my mouth shut. What I am saying now does not necessarily represent the view of CAN or PFN. It is just my view vis-à-vis RCCG. I am not talking to Nigeria, but to my children, who are members of the RCCG.”
He held that safety “is of the Lord. It is of the mercy of the Lord that we are not consumed. If we are to go by what scientists said, we should by now be counting the number of deaths in Nigeria in hundreds of thousands. That is what the scientists projected then.
“But there is a God who answers prayers. When He told me on January 1, 2020 that the world would behave like a child in convulsion, I told you. When He said later the whole world would have a compulsory holiday, I did not know all the details then because we only know in part. We only know what He tells us. God is not talkative.
“When it became clear that we were for very serious trouble, scientists began to say what would happen to Africa now. But I cried to God. I reminded Him of the prayers of the elders. I also reminded Him that it is only God that can chase away flies for a cow that has no tail.”
Adeboye explained that he would only receive COVID-19 vaccine for the sake of the gospel, noting that he had never told his congregation not to be vaccinated.
“You have never heard that from me. Rather than live in fear or doubt, get vaccinated. If you believe that getting vaccinated will put your mind at rest, then go ahead.
“Daddy, are you saying that you too could be vaccinated? If there are nations in the world that say that I cannot come to preach the gospel there because of vaccination, I will do anything for Jesus Christ.
“If vaccination or no vaccination is going to hinder me from doing the work God has called me to do, even if they ask me to be vaccinated 100 times, I will be vaccinated. So, don’t ever say that you heard from me that I said that you should not be vaccinated.”
Adeboye, however, described as laughable the move by some governors who made COVID-19 vaccination compulsory before people could attend church gatherings.
The pastor noted that such leaders were missing the point, saying the number of vaccine jabs available in the country was not enough to go round.
He said, “The number of doses available in the country is not even enough for 10 per cent of the total population of the nation. How do you then say whoever does not take the vaccine will not be able to go to the bank and church?
“It means 90 percent of the population will not be able to access their money. We will need to go back to the olden days of keeping money, I hope you know. Well, I believe they just want to make us laugh. You know in Nigeria, we need things to make us laugh.”
