It was a different, howbeit, lovely Christmas day service at The Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju, Lagos. Although the church did not hold its usual annual Carol service this year for obvious reasons, the Christmas day service still had a tinge of carol festivities thanks to the Grace Levites and the Grace Band. They created an atmosphere of Yuletide joy through their various renditions of evergreen Christmas carols and hymns.
In an unusual move, and for the first time in the church’s history, the Senior Pastor, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, was absent from this year’s Christmas day service.
However, he did not leave the church wondering too much as he sent a special Christmas Day message to the congregation through a video recording.
In his message to the church, the man of God reminded them that the Christmas season has and will always be unique and special to everyone regardless of their religious stance or beliefs.
The reason, according to him, is that it was the day heaven and earth met in a holy kiss defining the love of the Father in the birth of His Son, Christ Jesus. He went ahead to rejoice with Fountaineers: “I join every Fountaineer to say, Hurray! Merry Christmas! Despite what we’ve gone through, the love of God is so palpable.”
Regarding his physical absence from the service, the Senior Pastor explained it as a necessary need. According to him, the fathers of faith had come together to encourage him to take a break from ministration.
This comes on the heel of the recent passing of his beloved wife and mother of the Church, Pastor Nomthi Odukoya.
He says, “It is not in my character not to be around during Christmas. However, given the recent happening in our congregation and our lives, the fathers of faith would rather have me step away for a while to recuperate for some weeks so that I can regather my energy spiritually, emotionally, physically and in every considerable way.”
He expressed appreciation to the entire church for understanding his absence and hoped for a merry Christmas. Pastor Taiwo asked that the church keep praying for him.
In answering the question in the hearts of many regarding Christmas without Pastor Nomthi, he said, “Pastor Nomthi is having the best Christmas ever! For you and I, it’s by our faith. For her, it is the real thing; she is in our future.”
The Senior Pastor went on to urge the church to celebrate the season and not forget to demonstrate and share the love of Christ with others.
While encouraging them to dance and sing their best, he ended his message with: “I miss you, I love you all wonderful Fountaineers, God bless you.”
Pastor Matel Okoh speaks on The Preferred Government at The Fountain Of Life Church Christmas Day service
Meanwhile, the church was not left without a word of encouragement from the Lord through the ministration of Pastor Matel Okoh of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Jesus House, New Jersey, USA.
Taking his scripture from Isaiah 9:6, Pastor Matel Okoh spoke on ‘The Preferred Government’.
He noted that the government of Jesus Christ, as prophesied over 4,000 years before its full manifestation, is a different government.
This Divine government, according to him, is one not affiliated to any political party but that anyone who is born again becomes a citizen of the government of Christ Jesus.
The cleric equally noted that unlike the government of this world, which takes undue advantage of its citizens, the government of God’s kingdom provides for its people.
“There are no crooked roads or potholes in God’s kingdom. There are no road reconstructions. Instead, the roads in this kingdom are paved with gold,” he said.
The clergy explained that the government of Jesus Christ is a selfless one, and Christ Himself, on whom the government rests, cannot be voted in or voted out. “His government is permanent, and what He declares concerning you will come to pass”.
