The General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministries, Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi, has enjoined former members of the church who for one reason or the other left the church to return to the fold that nurtured them in Christianity, saying they have a purpose for coming to Christ and should retain that purpose and serve God faithfully.

He noted that all the churches have their different challenges, but their members did not for that leave the church, adding that they stayed to proffer solutions.

He disclosed this while preaching on the theme, “The Joy Of Fruit-bearing Believers In Christ,” with the text taken from John 15:1-11.
Describing these former members as sons and daughters, he urged them to emulate Paul, the Apostle, and faithful disciples of Christ that remained connected to Christ till his end.

He stressed that every true child of God is a branch, while Jesus Christ is the vine and that the branch that abides not in Christ is cast away as useless.

“If man abides not in Christ, the Saviour and Lord, but abides in sin, self, he is cast away. They no longer move by the things they have heard or known, such as temperance, self-control, goodbehaviour, among others. If a man abides not in Christ, he is cast away. The Lord knows his sheep and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Keep following his steps because by their fruits, children of God are known, not by their charisma, gifts, miracles, but by doing God’s will.

“God commands us to continue in the word of Christ, in his love and do his will. But
are you his disciples indeed? He wants us to continue and not to go back and if somebody has gone back he does not want the person to rejoice in going back.

“God is not interested in I was in Deeper Life Church orthat you left the church without considering the latter end. Why do you want to tell the world your reason for leaving the church.

Are you trying to influence other people to do so too? Why do you want to know the reason a member left? Do you want to leave the truth yourself? Don’t compare, God wants you to continue. Check your Bible. Barnabas didn’t publicise why he left Paul. Demas and Judas are not happy that they left Christ. Sons and daughters don’t publicise why you left the church, come back to it and continue as the Lord has commanded that we should continue as fruit-bearing believers,” he said.

Kumuyi urged the ex-members to live a holy life and believe that God will hear their prayers.

Recalling his encounter with someone who wants him to apologise to the people that left his church to make them come back, the cleric wondered why he should be apologetic for preaching the undiluted word of God.

He said: “My friend if we say sorry and they come back you might not be able to preach the truth to them again because you have said you are sorry for preaching the truth.Instead, they are the people to confess and forsake their sin.”