You recently took over as the head of the church, how has the experience been?
It has been the tradition of the leadership of the church to always transfer its clerics to oversee its various branches across the country. This development was what brought me to one of the branches in Ibadan, Oyo State, Oke-Ado Methodist Church precisely, in October last year. The experience so far has been awesome and I am happy to be part of the church as a minister. This is my job and my calling and I gladly accepted whatever that comes through it. Going by the records of the church, I would be the 13th presbyter of the church.
Methodist church is one of the early churches in the country, but it seems the church has been overshadowed by the new churches. What is your view on this?
Yes, it is one of the orthodox churches. You will agree with me that when we had a few churches in the country, there was discipline and fear of God, but the arrival of various new churches has made Christianity questionable. Despite the fact that we have many churches in the country, problems are on the increase. Orthodox churches have not deviated because of the fact that we have our own tradition and we have remained disciplined. I am not saying that we are perfect, but no one can wake up one day and say we he wants to establish a Methodist Church. This is why some people are thinking that we are not expanding. Nobody or preacher will preach holiness without mentioning John Wesley, who is the founder of Methodist Church. As our name implies, we do things in methods and we don’t make noise about what God is doing in our midst. The church is not archaic.
What is your reaction of a notion that orthodox clerics are too soft as regards evangelism as against the new churches?
As said earlier, we have principles and we do things with methods. The church usually has a place of worship and an equipped home for their ministers in order to have a rest of mind in doing the work of God. I think if such provision is made by a church, what is expected from one is to face one’s call and perform service to God with all commitments. But some denominations are causing problems for themselves by installing someone who has no fear of God or who was called to plant or oversee a church as a result of his or her influence.
The work of God is spiritual. Before you can become a priest in Methodist church, you must spend four years in theology school and have in-service of three years, as well as follow some due process. The proliferation of churches with many clerics is causing embarrassment for Christianity. It is sad when we hear or witness ungodly acts in the vineyard. A Methodist cleric would not think of engaging in diabolical acts to make his church grow or perform signs and wonders when he is mindful that his transfer is certain, but others who are not genuine clerics that know they would always be there would do everything possible to amass wealth and do what God has not sent them.
Personally, my focus is to give people an undiluted message of God. The major problem we have in Christendom is that we are unable to control the establishment of churches in Nigeria; even the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) cannot control it. Many churches have turned to business centres, but we in orthodox are an exception. Pastors of orthodox churches are under authority and are supervised; we cannot do what we like or take any decision that is contrary to the rules and regulations of the church.