COVID-19: PFN urges government not to cause panic in churches

Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has called on the government not to create the impression that diseases are distributed in the church, which is supposed to be a centre of the solution.

The National President of PFN and General Superintendent of New Covenant Gospel Church, Dr. Felix Omobude, made this known in a telephone interview with The Guardian while commenting on the lifting of ban on religious worship in the country.

He alleged that government had been creating more fear in the hearts of the people with the panic measures; hence he called for balance. Omobude said since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) started, the church valued government’s effort towards the well being of the people and had cooperated with the government in the understanding that it was acting in the interest of the people.

His words, “The idea should not be created that the church is a place where you distribute diseases; that is not right. The church is a centre for solutions for the people. People who have difficulties want to go to church and pray to God through Jesus Christ; it’s their belief…”

“An ideal doctor believes they treat and it’s only God that heals. There must be a balance. The government does not care for the people more than the pastors and church leaders do. We must understand that the church is part of the life of the average Christian in Nigeria. When you deny them that right, you are working against them.”

According to Omobude, an average Nigerian Christian knows what they derive from congregational worship.He called on all churches to put in place hygiene rules which must be adhered strictly to as well as teach the people to live godly and responsibly. Churches have been ministering online, on radio and television since the lockdown, he noted, maintaining that there’s need for congregational worship.