RE: PURPORTED SOCIAL MEDIA BAN: SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT

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Our attention has been drawn to the deliberate misinformation making the rounds on social media that the use of the social media has been banned in the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide. This extreme action was attributed to the Head of the Media and Publicity Unit, C.C.C. W/w, Superior Evangelist Kayode Ajala M.P.I.C, who delivered the pastoral welcome address on behalf of His Eminence, Reverend E.M.F. Oshoffa, at the ongoing Workers Retreat at the Celestial City, Imeko, Ogun State, earlier today.

Excerpts from the address which was delivered to the hearing of a large body of Shepherds, Church Workers and Seminary Staff and Students reads:

“You would all agree with me that we are passing through a difficult period when our great church is faced with variegated challenges, perhaps most disturbing of which is the wanton bashing of the image of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide, especially in the social media. It is painful to note that there is no other church in the world whose own members flagrantly batter its image like the Celestial Church of Christ. Our church has the highest number of members who use their private as well as public social media handles to run negative campaigns against their own Church, Pastor and Elders. It is rather unfortunate that most of these social media aggressors are some of our own extremely judgmental members with an overdosed sense of entitlement.”

The pastoral welcome address at the ongoing Workers Retreat then proceeded to highlight Regulative Procedures/Image Management Mandates that would soon be released to nip this malaise in the board and called on all Shepherds, Church Workers and well meaning faithfuls of the Church to join hands with His Eminence to correct this anomaly that has done and is still doing untold damage to the revered image of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide.. Such Regulative Procedures were highlighted as follows:

-Shepherds in Charge of parishes of the Celestial Church of Christ and youth leaders at all levels, are to make a conscious effort to dissuade church members under their watch from posting anything negative about the Church and fellow Church members in the media, especially the social media.

-Parish authority are to ensure that church members switch off all personal phones and mobile devices during church services, crusades and other church programs.

-The use of mobile phones, I-pads and Bluetooth Devices for recordings are hereby banned during church services and events. Also, the use of cameras and unauthorised video coverage would no longer be allowed during church services and events. Going forward, only recognized Church/Parish Media would be allowed to cover and record church services. Note that this shall also rekindle our love for carrying and reading the Bible, instead of relying on Bible Apps which content are constantly being tampered with to accommodate strange concepts.

-Recognised Parish Media Departments would be required to register with the Central Media and Publicity Unit of C.C.C. W/w to enable them participate in regular seminars, orientation and educative programs that would be organised to hone their skills as we make progress.

-Adverts of Spiritual Items and adverts asking for consultation fees for spiritual consultation are also banned as such are anathema to what the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide stands for. Violators will be severely sanctioned.

-Handbags, Travel Bags and Suitcases would not be allowed inside the church auditorium during church services and events.

-Shepherds in Charge and Parochial Committees of Parishes are to ensure that signages/stickers are pasted in conspicous places in and around the church auditorium to highlight the second and third regulations above.

-Parish Secretaries are hereby mandated to add these Regulative Procedures/Image Management Mandates to their weekly Sunday announcements (Ifilo) with immediate effect and until further notice.

-Complaints Channels via E-Mail Addresses and active Phone Numbers would be opened so that anyone with complaints/grievances can call or send mails to the church administration to lay their complaints. And be assured that such complaints would be promptly attended to.

-No member/Elder/Official of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide MUST speak to the public on behalf of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide, except those appointed and mandated by the Pastor and Spiritual Head to do so.

-Violators of these Regulative Procedures and Image Management Mandates shall be sanctioned.

-Any Parish or Shepherd to whom negative posts or videos on the Celestial Church of Christ, published on social media is traced to his Parish/Member/Elder/Official, shall also be held accountable.

We must all strive to preserve the good image of the Celestial Church of Christ and our faithful members all over the world, as well as the legacies of our father and founder, Reverend Samuel Bilewu Joseph Oshoffa, just as the Holy Bible says in Genesis 1:27: “God created man in His own image” and Ephesians 5:23 confirms that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. We must therefore not be caught tarnishing God’s image, Christ’s image nor the image of our great church and members in public or on social media.

So help us God.

The foregoing sums up the address delivered by C.C.C. Head of Media and Publicity, Superior Evangelist Kayode Ajala, M.P.I.C, on behalf of His Eminence, Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa, Pastor and Spiritual Head of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide.

ADDENDUM:

This address was neither delivered in Latin nor in Swahili nor in some incoherent language that could not be easily understood by the audience to which it was delivered. This address was delivered in simple English. Where, in the foregoing address, was it mentioned that the use of social media has been banned in the Celestial Church of Christ? Is banning the reckless use of unauthorised recording devices during our church services and programs equal to banning the use of social media in our great church??? Such misinformation could only have been borne out of deliberate mischief and an undesirable urge to resist positive change that would protect the name and image of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide.

Last year, we were all living witnesses to the viral video recorded at a Celestial Church of Christ Parish Harvest where a number of young female members in Sutana shamelessly brandished and guzzled a bottle of Henessy Whisky and posted same on social media for the world to see. Just a couple of weeks back, a so-called prophetess adorning the Sutana and blue loin posted an advert on social media seeking customers for spiritual consultation and gleefully announcing a consultation fee of N5,000 (Five Thousand Naira). Other disgusting and embarassing examples abound. These abominable developments have done untold damage to the name and image of the Celestial Church of Christ, as well as the sterling legacies handed down to us by our founding fathers. This MUST no longer be allowed to continue unchecked. Enough is Enough!

Presently, sleepless nights and a lot of gruelling efforts are being made by men and women of goodwill who desire the positive growth and progress of C.C.C. W/w to cross the ‘T’s and dot the ‘I”s of these Regulative Procedures and Image Management Mandates. Once this is completed, copies shall be made available to the B.O.T, all Heads of Diocese (Diaspora), all State Evangelists, all Superintendents of Province, all Shepherds, all Parochial Committees, Task Force Corps, C.C.C. W/w, Celestial Women Council (C.W.C), Celestial Youth Organisations, Council of Sides Men and Women, Council of Prophets and Prophetesses, the Pastor in Council and all other appropriate church organs for FULL IMPLEMENTATION.

LET’S ALL JOIN HANDS TOGETHER TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE AND LIFT C.C.C. HIGHER.

God bless His Eminence, Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa.

God bless Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide.