INTERESTING: Winners Chapel Shut Down In Cameroon?

Pastor Oyedepo: church closed in Cameroon after tragic ‘miracle’

Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has ordered the closure of nearly 100 Christian churches in key cities, citing criminal practices organized by Pentecostal pastors that threaten the security of the Central African nation.

Among the affected churches was Winners Chapel founded by Nigerian pastor, David Oyedepo.

Biya is using the military to permanently shut down all Pentecostal church denominations in the nation’s capital, Yaounde, and the North West Regional capital, Bamenda, which have the largest Christian populations in Cameroon. More than 50 churches have now been closed, with the government targeting nearly 100 in eight other regions.

“We will get rid of all the so-called Christian Pentecostal pastors who misuse the name of Jesus Christ to fake miracles and kill citizens in their churches. They have outstretched their liberty,” Mbu Anthony Lang, a government official in Bamenda, told CNN Wednesday.

Nearly 500 Pentecostal churches operate in Cameroon, but fewer than 50 are legal, he added.

On Sunday, a 9-year-old Christian girl collapsed and died during a prayer session in Winners’ Chapel, a Pentecostal church in Bamenda. The girl’s mother, Mih Theresa, told CNN Wednesday that the pastor intended to cast out the numerous demons that were in control of her daughter’s life.

“I want the government to stop these pastors who use mysterious powers to pull Christians and kill then for more powers. All my children have ran away from the Catholic Church in search for miracles, signs and wonders,” she told CNN while holding back tears.

Another Christian, Mveng Thomas, said his marriage ended abruptly when a Pentecostal pastor ordered his wife to dissolve their union. He said the pastor described him as “an unrepentant devil.”

But Pentecostal pastors said the move is evidence of Biya’s insecurity about the churches’ criticism of the government.

Pastors marched against the government’s decision Wednesday in Bamenda and Douala. Pastors said the Biya government sees the mass proliferation of churches as a threat.

Boniface Tum, a bishop of the Christian Church of God in Yaounde, said that Biya, who has been president since 1982, is becoming insecure about the freedom of speech within these churches.

“Authorizing only the Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Muslim, and a few other churches, is a strict violation of the right to religion,” Tum added.

Targeted Pentecostal Christians in Bamenda are transforming their private homes into churches.

North West Regional governor Adolphe Lele L’Afrique said Wednesday that police had discovered the abduction of 30 children under age 18 by a pastor in Bamenda. The pastor said he wanted to remove the children from a bad society, Lele added.

Government officials also say that some pastors convince congregants that they do not need professional medical treatment for their ailments.

“How can a pastor say the sick needs no medical doctor? We need sanity in our Christian lives,” Nyang Blaise, a youth leader for Biya’s ruling party, CPDM, told CNN.

One woman said her mother was refusing cancer treatments because of her pastor.

“My mother’s condition is worsening after doctors confirmed she had cancer. She is dying silently, and yet we cannot persuade her to see a doctor for proper treatment, against her pastor’s wish,” Deborah Tanyi said.

Source: Premium Times

UPDATE: Why we shut down churches - Cameroonian government

Paul Biya

The government claims the churches threaten the security of the country.

The Cameroonian government has started a massive crackdown on Pentecostal churches in the country as President Paul Biya claims they threaten the security of the country.

The CNN is reporting that Mr Biya has ordered the country’s military to ”permanently shut down all Pentecostal church denominations in the nation’s capital, Yaounde, and the North West Regional capital, Bamenda, which have the largest Christian populations in Cameroon.”

According to the CNN, more than 50 churches have been closed so far with the government aiming to close about a 100.

“We will get rid of all the so-called Christian Pentecostal pastors who misuse the name of Jesus Christ to fake miracles and kill citizens in their churches. They have outstretched their liberty,” Mbu Anthony Lang, a government official in Bamenda, told CNN Wednesday.

Mr. Anthony says of the over 500 Pentecostal churches in country, only 50 are legal.

“I want the government to stop these pastors who use mysterious powers to pull Christians and kill then for more powers. All my children have ran away from the Catholic Church in search for miracles, signs and wonders,” said Mih Theresa whose 9-year-old daughter died last Sunday at the Winners’ Chapel in Bamenda during exorcism to cast out “numerous demons” in control of her life.

The Winners’ Chapel is owned by David Oyedepo and is one of the biggest Pentecostal churches in Nigeria.

Mveng Thomas told the CNN that his marriage ended abruptly after a Pentecostal pastor told his wife to leave. He said the pastor described him as an “unrepentant devil.”

A regional governor, Adolphe, L’Afrique told the CNN that police had arrested a pastor for abducting 30 children in Bamenda. The pastor claimed he wanted to remove the children from bad society, Mr. L’afrique told the CNN.

Government officials also claim that some pastors tell their congregation not to seek professional medical treatment for diseases.

“How can a pastor say the sick needs no medical doctor? We need sanity in our Christian lives,” Nyang Blaise, a youth leader for Biya’s ruling party, CPDM, told CNN.

“My mother’s condition is worsening after doctors confirmed she had cancer. She is dying silently, and yet we cannot persuade her to see a doctor for proper treatment, against her pastor’s wish,” said Deborah Tanyi, whose mother was told by her pastor not to get medical treatment for her cancer.

Pentecostal churches however said the government’s move is driven by “insecurity about the churches criticism of the government.”

On Wednesday, Pentecostal pastors in Bamenda and Douala marched against the government’s crackdown.

“Authorising only the Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Muslim, and a few other churches, is a strict violation of the right to religion,” said Boniface Tum, a Bishop of the Christian Church of God in Yaounde.

Source: Premium Times