Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN has disowned the pastors of an End-Time Church, the Whole Bible Believers Church, in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state, one Josiah Peter Asumosa for his despicable act of unholiness, heresy and misleading teachings.
The Asumosa was arrested in Ondo for allegedly camping his church members on the church premises, and misleading them into believing that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ popularly referred to as the Rapture is now.
Josiah Peter Asumosa, was an assistant Pastor in the church located in the Ondo West Local government area of Ondo State.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the CAN President, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, His Eminence, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle, on Tuesday, 5 July 2022 said that CAN condemned in strong terms the despicable act of the pastor and described it as misleading and ungodly.
“Though, the Pastor in question and his church, the Whole Bible Believers Church in Ondo are not members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at all levels and so, he is not known to us, the fact that the church claims to be a Christian church necessitates that we state our position on his practice,” CAN clarify in the statement.
According to CAN, the pastor was lying to the uninformed members that Rapture would take place in April but later said it had been changed to September 2022.
CAN stated that the pastor, further told the young members to obey only their parents in the Lord.
“We are therefore calling on the Police to thoroughly investigate him and his activities with a view to prosecuting him and his cohorts if there had been any infringement on the laws of Nigeria and the rights of the members in his custody.
“No true pastor would claim to know the date of the rapture because the Bible has stated it clearly that it is only God who knows the date.
“Whoever claims to know the date is not only misleading the public but cannot claim to be a genuine Servant of God. He is at best, an agent of Satan pretending to be a Pastor.” The statement reads, further.
The association hailed the Nigerian police and commended their diligent job in rescuing the victims of the Church from its premises.
They call for further investigation and probe of the Church and those behind the heretic doctrine of the Church adding that the rescued victims should be subjected to a thorough medical checkup.
“CAN, therefore, commends the Police for their prompt actions which included rescuing over 70 victims from the Church premises.
“They should further be subjected to medical check-ups since nobody knows what they were going through where they were camped.
“We hereby urge all denominations to keep an eye on the pastors under them towards ensuring wholesome biblical conduct.
Members of the churches all over the nation are enjoined to cross-check every teaching from the Bible before believing it.” The statement reads.