The prophets of the Chosen Church promised a miracle ala Lazarus, but this miracle failed to happen in a community in Imo state.
The story below is a wake-up call to all gullible Nigerians who believe everything their pastors tell them, hook, line, and sinker.
The book of Matthew 24:24 says: “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25“Behold, I have told you in advance”.
This Biblical injunction freely and clearly offers an advance warning that many Christians are yet to heed. It warns about the rise of false prophets masquerading as men of god that use God’s name to swindle, deceive and hypnotize the gullible. That was exactly what happened in Umuezii, Nguru Mbaise where the Chosen Church of God prophets embarked on a failed mission to resurrect the dead. This is not the first time the Chosen Church is directly fingered in fake miracles and spiritual hocus-pocus.
A young man, from Umuezii community died in Burkina Faso in November last year under mysterious circumstances. A month after, his sealed body was brought back to Nigeria and was buried the same day in his family compound in Umuezii, Nguru Mbaise, Imo State.
Trouble started when prophets and seers of the Chosen Church of God prophesied that the dead-and-buried young man was still alive (six feet beneath the earth) as his soul has persistently approached them via telephone calls and other spiritual means, requesting immediate exhumation. His elder sister, who is a member of the Chosen Church, communicated this prophecy to the entire family, leading to a family resolution insisting on the “divinely ordered” exhumation.
The decision to exhume the dead body did not go down well with the community as such act was considered an abomination both under the native tradition and under the prevailing Catholic norms deeply established within the community. All entreaties to the family made by the traditional ruler and parish priest of the St. Luke Catholic Church, Umuezii to refrain from such religious charade fell on deaf ears. It got to a point that the deceased family representatives openly accused the church and community leaders of killing their late brother, and preventing his “god-ordained” resurrection. The family of the deceased coming out to offer apology
As a lasting solution to the impasse, the traditional ruler of the community invited the Chosen Church seers and prophets to sign an agreement of performance failing which they will be handed over to the police authorities for prosecution. The second condition was that the miracle will be performed in full public glare and in the presence of other independent witnesses. Proudly beating their chests and boasting deafeningly about their “majestic powers”, the seers and prophets signed the agreement and a date was mutually agreed for the resurrection miracle.
On the appointed day, a horde of prayer warriors, choristers, singers, speaking-in-tongue experts, seers, prophets and the like stormed the village as early as 6 a.m. The traditional ruler also invited the police, radio commentators, reporters and correspondents from local newspapers and the state-owned Imo Broadcasting Corporation. Chosen Church of God seers boastfully started with an early morning prophecy that the dead young man will “resurrect” by 12 noon prompt. The digging up of the grave followed immediately until the body was exhumed.
Then the singing, violent shaking, screaming, cursing, loud yelling and other theatrical displays in the name of deliverance prayers ensued while the large crowd of keen onlookers watched with deep interest. From 6 a.m. till 12 noon, there was no sign that the young man was preparing to wake let alone resurrect. Seeing that the 12 noon deadline had passed, the seers quickly issued another prophecy shifting the hour of resurrection to 3 p.m. By this time, the prayer and singing sessions became even more intense and violent. 3 p.m. came and went. No sign of life. The Chosen Church prophets again, quickly handed down another prophecy declaring 6 p.m. as the divine resurrection hour. 6 p.m. also went by, and the dead man remained still, lifeless and unresurrected till this day!
Understandably impatient and angry after the 6p.m deadline, the policemen on standby arrested all the prophets, dancers, singers, clappers and everybody that accompanied them to the community. But before then, the Chosen Church prophets had forwarded messages to their head office requesting for spiritual reinforcement. Undeterred by the arrest of their team members, an additional team that arrived around 6 p.m continued with the prayer sessions even more aggressively and vociferously. They prayed and sang all through the night till the following morning. Still, no sign of resurrection! The police officers, who had then totally run out of patience, arrested the remaining Chosen Church members, and everyone connected to the resurrection miracle including the deceased’s family representatives.
Some of the arrested Chosen Church members are currently on bail, while a lot more are still in custody till date. The dead body was deposited at the morgue at the Federal Medical Center, Owerri, as exhibit, pending further police investigations and prosecution of the false prophets.
I was present at the New Year church service held at St Lukes Catholic Church, Umuezii, Mbaise where the parish priest’s sermon harped on the infiltration of false prophets into the Christendom, warning parishioners to be wary of them. He then invited the members of the deceased family to tender an unreserved apology to the community for the abominable acts they committed. (PICTURED ABOVE) The deceased’s elder sister tendered what seemed like a half-hearted apology on the family’s behalf.
What happened in Imo State is reminiscent of the stories that feature on Nkan ‘Nbe, a popular Yoruba TV Program that features latter-day mystical occurrences. The Imo incident provides a compelling and cogent rationale for the effective regulation of the nefarious activities of churches whose stock in trade is to constitute public nuisance and to deceive and hypnotize the gullible. As a direct result of this incident, some Mbaise communities have proscribed the activities of Pentecostal churches in their localities.
All eyes are on the Imo State Police Command to see how they would handle this issue, and ensure that measures are put in place to deter future sinister activities perpetrated under the banner of religion. Perhaps, its time to ban the churches and their abracadabra miracles. That time is NOW!
By Victoria Ohaeri
Source: PM News
Miracle seekers be warned accordingly.
In the name of miracle, some even want to change God’s mind. Impossible. This is the day of fulse prophesies. So no matter your problem in life, go to God in prayers with sincerity and true repentance and he will surely hear you.Everybody wants problem free life forgeting that even Jesus christ told us that in the world we may face turbulent moments but courage that he has conquered the world.So it’s only in believing the resurecting power and comforming to it that you can be saved NOT looking for miracle by all means. That will not save you BEWARE.
I read this story with keen interest especially with d submission of the writer.”its time to ban the churches and their abracadabra miracles. That time is NOW!” Do we stop taking drugs bcos thrs a lot of fakes in the market? Or we stop plyin d road that accident happen evriday! If negative, how come we make such suggestion when it comes to faith/religion matters. That only shows how much the devil is against d church. That a pentecostal church acts in error(not sayin d church in question was wrong) does not mean all pentecostal or miracle believin churches are wrong. I weep fOr d day such writers will need a miracle? Eish!!
This is one of the half-baked stories by the half-baked reporters today, I professionally look at the details of the report and it has no date,specific names of the people (I don’t mean Church name) and other details that would have authenticated this report,it is high time the media stop decieving the gullible Nigerians. It is the prayer of the saints that is keeping this country together,if not there wouldn’t have been any reason to have a country called NIGERIA again.
Even it didn’t work must ur hatred against pentecostal grow to that extent? Try banning pentecostal and see if it will work. We are not follow miracle but miracle suppose to follow us, if truly we work with God. If u don’t seek God u will seek the devil(juju). Be careful Herod, Nebuchadenzer, even Pilate fought because they failed to understand Mary and Joseph had been favoured with saviour’s birth. They failed but that doesn’t prove God liar who said ‘these signs shall follow them that believe’
D other time it was a man dat wanted to work on sea like JESUS CHRIST! Dis time around is to wake a dead person! Anybody born in flesh and decided to b like JESUS CHRIST shall be put to shame in JESUS name……u pple r not GOD and u can Never b pls stop deceiving us.
One word describes the deceivers and the deceived in this story: dumb!
It is necessary for everybody to trust in the miracle power of God but trusting in the church name to move mountain is false. It is only true faith that we can make the blind see & other miracles. Our problem is that we want everything to be so easy for us,miracles are possible if you truly believe but not this monitry believe & self centred believe. We are not ready to pray fast & wait on God to do his will, all we are good at is. This church dey do miracle or this pastor dey do miracle, we can’t get it right that way only those who are calling God from a pure heart can perfom miracle even you if you can believe. Let us stop jumping from pillar to pillar looking for God while God is with us always but our ways are keeping him far from us. Miracles are possible & miracles exist we can’t stop miracles neither can we stop churches but we can stop ourselves from going to false prophets
Fake miracles! I’m asking this question directly to Mr Lazarus Mouka, are you aware of this development @ Amuzii Nguru? What is your response, or re-action towards these accusations? If those self-acclaimed miracles of yours are real, why must it be so publicized. How many of such real miracles by Jesus Christ our Lord were so publized? Let’s not fight for Divine favor and miss the main point thereof-it’s just a piece of advice for you, and your Public brandishing, self decieving , and arrogant squad of false prophets. Thanks!
Why are people tempting God for Christ sake?? Jesus had the power to avoid the cross but He didn’t,He had the power to destroy the devil that came to test Him in the wilderness but He didn’t. May God have mercy on us.
Miracle ended with d Apostles and Disciples of Christ. D quest for money, fame etc have robbed all and I mean ALL today’s men of God their power to perform miracles if not there couldn’t have been any blind man in Nigeria.
Point of correction: “The story below is a wake-up call to all gullible ‘Nigerian Christians’
who believe everything their pastors tell them, hook, line,
and sinker.” Thank you.
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Speechless,these is pastor thing. Touch not my prophet an do them no harm. Their judgment is heavier than man judgment
Fake or not, true or lie, please let us not rain curse on ourselves and family in the name of exposing people or getting stories. It is dangerous expecially to Men of God. God gave Saul to David but David said he will never lay his hand on the annoited. Be warn!!! God have mercy
These is serious!!is it the lords chosen charismatic revival ministry or which?cuz am not sure is the lord chosen dat i kw of
Hahahaha,the Scam called christianity…hahahaha
Victoria, its a big shame and unfortunate that your story displayed a very high level of immaturity and prejudiced against Christians and Churches that are rather not catholic, like you are. Yes, its sad and painful that a Ministry would go so far to do what they did in that community. An incident like that does not change God. It does not mean that real miracles do not exist. I am a bonafide beneficiary of real miracles. So, don’t deceive yourselves and other people by writing so much emotional sensationalism, and think that it will help you win more followers, or make your readers like you more. In fact, your write up shows how ignorant you are. You talk about abomination; how can you be so easily deceived by the traditions of men. You know what! Anyone that is not born again, and even worships and honours statues of dead saints, is so dead and confirmed condemned to hell fire with the devil and his demons forever, except they come out of it. Again your high level of ignorance could not let you understand what religion is. For your information, Christianity is not a religion. Religion is just a minute part of christianity, which is just visiting the fatherless and the taken care of the widows among the Christian community. Christianity is the pulsating life of God in a human being. It is the revelation of Divinity in the life of man. Oh, I feel sorry for you and those communities who because of that unfortunate incident may have decided to block real Christianity and light from reaching and making them who God had destined to make them. No catholic church, no catholic priest can ever help them get salvation, and I tell you more, they will suffer untold darkness if they reject Christ and the real christianity and think their salvation is in the catholic Church. Oh, what a shame, and how lost you and them will become without Christ. You will never see miracle in your life for as long as you think and talk as your write-up indicates, and believe me, a time will come in your life, you will cry and wish for one, but it will be far from you because of your foolishness and ignorance.
U guys should stop baseless criticism against the churches of Christ. How are u sure dt this really happened. God is a “consuming fire” be warned. This kind of castigation will lead to no where.