Bishop Seun Adeoye, the spokesman for the World Bishops’ Council in Africa, has decried the rising number of fake pastors in Nigeria, calling for urgent church cleansing.
In a statement issued to commemorate the 70th birthday of one of the state’s church leaders, Bishop Gideon Folahanmi, Adeoye, who is the General Overseer of Sufficient Grace and Truth Ministries in Okinni, Osun State, challenged the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria to immediately begin registration and licensing of all practising clerics in its fold.
He bemoaned the fact that social media platforms have given many of the fake pastors unrestricted access and voices, allowing them to “emit foul odours and vomit dirt from their bowels in the name of prophecies.”
The statement further read in part, “Today, we are surrounded by the so-called men and women of God declaring fake prophecies, spreading unbiblical doctrines, engaging in all manners of immoral behaviours and undertaking all sorts of rituals at the altar.
“Although, these false pastors are in the minority, they are dangerous to the church and the society. They dupe in the name of God. They cause havoc to the Church and so many pains and shame to true Christians. They are worse than bandits.
“These wolves should be identified, exposed and disgraced. These shafts must be separated from the wheat. They are not called by our Lord to preach the gospel but they see the Church as a means of livelihood to serve the gods of their bellies.
“Therefore, these bad ones must give way to allow the gospel of Christ to flourish. CAN leaders should embark on urgent cleansing by registering and licensing all genuine men and women of God in its fold. By this, we can easily identify the evil ones and help deliver victims from their wickedness.
“CAN leaders should be ready to come out boldly to deny anyone who engages in satanic activities and deregister any pastor whose behaviour is inimical to the well-being of the body of Christ. Enough of all these nonsenses in the name of God.”