Founder and senior pastor of Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC), Tunde Bakare, has knocked fellow pastors for criticising governments over the closure of churches to curb the spread of coronavirus in Nigeria.
Bishop David Oyedepo and Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, among others, have recently called for the re-opening of churches as Lagos and several other parts of the country begin the gradual re-opening of the economy.
Although, Bakare did not mention both men by name, he said on Sunday that it was wrong for church leaders to be criticising governments at this time.
“I will like to react to the lamentation of some people within the church over closure of churches, that while markets and hospitals are allowed to open Churches are not allow to operate,” he said.
“I am so glad not only churches are prevented from congregating, the mosques also are locked down. The government ordered the markets to open and to operate for a few days to prevent hunger because the palliatives by the government cannot go to every citizens in their homes right now.
“Let the church live and support the government rather than condemning them in this arduous task. We should thank God that there is no distance in the spirit, lockdown or no lockdown and that the church is not the building but the body of Christ.”
Bakare, who donated a section of his church’s facilities in Lagos as isolation centres, urged Christian leaders to do same.
“They must be prepared to offer some of their halls to government as isolation centres in support of the government,” he added.
“I recommend that our church halls be made available to government as isolation centres and those of us who could afford it, should be there to support the government. I am not suggesting what we are not prepared to do, we have already done that.”
