Pastor Chris Okotie of the Household of God Church International Ministries has condemned online services being carried out by Christians due to COVID-19 restrictions saying it’s not scriptural.
According to Pastor Okotie, Christians can only worship God truly when they gather together physically.
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Giving his view through a sermon titled, ‘The COVID-19 Mystery’, Okotie insisted that the viral disease is a satanic conspiracy to challenge God’s power by keeping Christians out of the Church.
He said;
“We are dealing with one of the most sinister conspiracies in human history. What we call the online church is absolutely untrue, because for you to be in church, you have to be ecclesia, which is translated from the Greek word, ec, which is out, and the word caleo, called out.“
“You cannot gather unto God until you are called out. That’s why Israel was called out of the world. So, this thing, this phenomenon that we are talking about, the Internet and cyber churches, is totally unscriptural.
God knows where you are; if He was not interested in the assembly, you don’t need to come to church; you can pray in your house. I pray in my house. You praise in your house. I praise in my house. He can see all of us. He doesn’t need computers. But that denies Him who He is; so, we must – that’s why the bible puts that verse as an imperative – you must not forsake the assembly of yourselves together.”
Pastor Chris Okotie has never hidden his opposition for COVID-19 restrictions prescribed by the Federal Government.
He has also been known to critisize the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for their support of Government restrictions on religious gatherings saying they had no authority to speak for the body of Christ.