Vol 5
No 3 ISSN 1595-6342
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May - June
2002
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CHURCH ARISE! NEWS
Re: Middle East Crises.
There have been lively feedbacks on our article on the Middle East Crisis published in the last edition. The issue was further expounded upon during our Understanding the Times Seminar (UTS)by Evangelist Tosho Oluborode of the United Nations Regional Centre for Aerospace Studies (who had to replace our beloved Dr Tale Omole of the International Relations Department of the OAU, Ile-Ife who was indisposed to attend, contrary to our previous announcements).
What is our interest in the Middle East? It is certainly not to take sides with either the Palestinian or the Israelis. Nor is it even to proffer a way out of the crisis! Rather, first, it is to make our readers aware of the real facts, devoid of the massive propaganda being sold by the media houses. And our clear conclusion on that note is that Yasser Arafat is nothing more than a helpless figurehead in this issue (confirmed when 2 cabinet members he dismissed refused to leave office!). But more importantly, our goal is to point out that the continuous escalation of the Middle East crisis is only building up to a climax. It is only a matter of a short while before it becomes inevitable that both parties (and perhaps the entire world) MUST find a peaceful solution or face the real possibility of annihilation - the Middle East is a nuclear zone!. And so our conclusion on this note is that Peace is imminent in the region, and because of the stakes, he who brings in the peace will no doubt gain much stature for his efforts. The Bible says this man will be the anti-Christ, for the only hope for true peace in the Middle East and in the entire world is nothing but the LORD JESUS CHRIST. The current Middle East crisis is then a clear indication that the times long prophesied in the Holy Scriptures are at hand. According to Evangelist Oluborode, "The Middle East Crisis is God's calendar
/ table-table of the end times."
IDENTIFYING THE NEW AGE SPIRIT
The New Age spirit can be identified in two easy ways: (1) Taking an all inclusive attitude, that suggests that "all roads lead to Heaven, and we are all worshipping the same God"; and (2) Placing all the efforts to get to heaven (or rather bring heaven to earth) squarely and totally upon Man.
Speaking on these issues at the UTS, Rev Ade Adegunwa, Chaplain of the All Souls Chapel, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife cited copiously from his wealth of experience various local expressions of the New Age Spirit in South West Nigeria. He affirmed that spiritual deception does not respect even highly literate environments. citing many instances where people who should know better were mesmerized by handkerchiefs and 'falling down' phenomenon. Also confirming the depths of prevalent occultism in the ivory tower, the Chaplain recalled an occasion he and co-workers were preparing a Retreat Ground on one of the mountains on the OAU Campus. Several fetish objects including padlocks, local combs, and names of identifiable members (married couples) of the community were found under a particular tree!
CHURCH ARISE! IS ONE OF THE SIGNS OF THE
TIMES !
That was the declaration of the man of God, Pastor (Dr) Odun Orioke, the General Overseer of the Christway Church International who was one of the speakers at our last Understanding the Times Seminar. The Apostle of 'Abundant Life' as he is generally known, affirmed that for God to stir up young professionals with a vision for a ministry like ours, and for the ministry to be bearing its fruit in its season as is the case, is a clear sign that God is at work. Hence the need to take our message very seriously. The emergence of Church Arise! at these times is a clear sign that the coming of the Lord is indeed at hand, said the soft-spoken Pastor.
To make it to Heaven despite the perils of the times, the G.O. counseled the audience (1) to be EXPECTANTLY WAITING for the Lord's coming (2) to pummel the body and be diligent with our faith, work and service (3) Maintain SPIRITUAL HYGIENE at all times, not allowing our conscience to condemn us (4) be blameless, pure and Holy - not excusing sin (5) To grow in grace (in faith love, discipline, commitment, self-denial - all round!) (6) To continually live as pilgrims/strangers in the world (7) to do the work of the Priesthood, representing God to people and vice versa (8) to be slaves/servants to Jesus (9) to be soldiers, always ready to defend the faith and (10) to be sensible runners, obeying the rules.
The meeting excellently anchored by Laja Osoniyi was rounded off by prayers said by Mrs Kehinde of the Love Fellowship.
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MINISTER
ADVOCATES FOR ACCELERATED GROWTH IN SMART-CARD TECHNOLOGY
IN NIGERIA
Science and Technology minister, Prof Turner T.
Isoun at the launching of Smartcard Society of Nigeria has said there was need for an accelerated growth in the smartcard industry for the realization of "our desire to build an e-economy". Among the goals to be pursued is the development of "chip operating systems that support multiple applications and secure independent data storage on one single card" - as in using the same card for fool-proof identification, as well as for commerce (among other possibilities); such that no one living will find life easy without acquisition of one such card.
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YET, THE GATES OF HELL CAN NEVER PREVAIL
Despite the onslaught of hell against the Truth of the Gospel, the true Church in the various denominations keeps marching on. As exemplified by this recent statement from Anglican Archbishops all over the world:
"In the light of current challenges to historic Christian doctrine from various quarters, and of the growing influence of different kinds of "post-modern" theory which question the very idea of universal and abiding truth, the Primates wish to re-affirm the commitment of the Anglican Communion to the truths of the fundamental teachings of the faith:
* Our God is a living God
* Our God is an incarnate God
* Our God is a triune God
* Our God is a saving and serving God
Declaration by Anglican Archbishops around the world at Canterbury in April. Guardian May 5, page 25
DISASTERS
AROUND THE WORLD: HUMANISM IS HELPLESS
-148 die as EAS plane crashes into a busy Kano
neighbourhood. 6 passengers survived.
-225 persons die as Taiwan Airliner crashes into the sea on its way to Hongkong (Guardian May 26, pg 1)
-15 die in plane crash in Tunis (Guardian May 11, pg 5)
-100 die in Mozambique Train crash (Guardian, May 26, pg 5)
-5 die in London Train crash (Guardian May 11, pg 5)
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UNDERSTANDING
THE TIMES SCHEDULE
Wed August 14: Video Show
(Countdown to Eternity)
Wed September 11: Lecture
(The New World Order)
Wed October 9: Seminar
(Titles to be announced)
Wed. November 13: Video Show
(One World Religion)
Wed. December 11: Lecture (Evolution or
Creation, How did we get here?)
That is every 2nd Wednesday of the month. Venue is the
Conference Centre Library. Time is 5.00 - 7.00 pm. Please pray
for these meetings and inform somebody about them. Thank you!
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GOSPEL
POWER
Police have been called in to process thousands of pounds of stolen goods handed in by committed Christians after they sat through a sermon on the commandment; 'Thou shalt not steal". Items including 1,500 pounds sterling in cash, diamond, jewellery, watches and wallets have been left in "honesty bins" by Church goers who attended the meeting at the Norfolk Showground at the end of May. British preacher, John John urged his 3,500 -strong audience to go home and think about things they had acquired dishonestly. The power of the Gospel was adequately demonstrated throughout the week as 90 items were deposited anonymously in the bins. (Guardian June 9 Pg 28, based on report from the Telegraph)
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US donates fingerprint
unit, scanner, others to Nigerian Police
"In line with its efforts to fight crime worldwide, the US government has donated a fingerprinting and training unit worth $28,000 to the Special Fraud unit in the Nigeria Police" reported the Guardian on May 1 (p4 The story continued: "In a recent statement, Deputy Police Commissioner Haz Iwendi indicated that the Nigeria Police has started to work hand in hand with US Secret Service to ensure more effective investigations and probes against the activities of crime syndicates.."
In case you have been skeptical about emerging technologies (especially dealing with global surveillance!) reaching the less developed countries in this generation, perhaps you need to have a re-think?
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UNDERSTANDING
THE TIMES
Having exhausted all possible explanations, our technical crew have to conclude that they have been subject to an unprecedented spiritual attack as the devil desperately gave them some good run for their faith during the UTS. Very strangely, only one message, the first one, recorded on the tape. The other messages by Rev Adegunwa (on Spiritual Deception) and Pastor Orioke (What manner of men ought ye to be) failed to leave any impression of the tapes. This was discovered only at the end of the day. Unfortunately the commercial video camera crew we invited also failed to turn up for the event, meaning those highly inspired and powerful messages can only be re-played in the hearts of the few people in attendance. Why is the devil so much against these messages getting out? Find out by participating in our next Understanding The Times meetings scheduled as
shown in the lower right panel:
<CONTD. ON
RIGHT PANEL>
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