By Paul Dada
Although I left the Deeper Life Bible Church as quietly as I could, the news of my exit spread like wildfire. And it caused leaders to have panic meetings.
In fact, the pastor in charge of the youth ministry in the Agege Province called me. What I called Agege Province is referred to as Old Agege in Deeper Life. It is a rough equivalent of what RCCG calls Province. Agege as of the time I left was made up of close to 25 Groups of Districts. A Group of Districts could have five Districts or so under it. And a District could have two or more location churches under it.
As of the time I left, I was the most notable and most influential leader of the Youth Choir in the Agege Province while still performing the leadership function with the adult choir in my District.
The pastor I mentioned earlier first expressed the surprise that I didn’t tell him I was leaving, though I saw him a few days back. But I made the excuse that I couldn’t tell him yet because as of that time, I hadn’t informed my Group of Districts Pastor.
He then said a meeting was ongoing, and the leaders were concerned that many of the youths would want to follow me out of DL. I assured him nothing of sort was going to happen.
But I learned from reliable sources that brethren close to me were being queried by some leaders if they had plans to leave with me.
I received calls and WhatsApp messages from not a few shocked brethren who wanted to confirm if I had left or why I did so.
I patiently explained to anyone or everyone who asked me that I left based on divine leading.
But there were others who didn’t talk to me. One of them was a certain District Pastor who chose to castigate me before his congregation. I learned from different sources that he announced to his people that I had left and warned or counselled them from following me.
My wife and I used to be close to a family in that district. I hadn’t seen them for a while so, I had a strong urge to visit them. I decided to go with two brothers from our housechurch. Besides me preaching to one of the visitors to the family, all we did there was pray for them.
A Deeper Life Women Co-ordinator who heard of my visit, approached the mother of the house and expressed disenchantment that she received me. The same Women Co-ordinator later harassed my wife because of me.
But many Deeper Lifers were still going to show more outrage on Facebook. The first major fall-out I had with Deeper Lifers online happened when I wrote a series of posts showing from the scriptures why compulsory tithing is an obsolete Old Testament law and not a requirement for New Testament saints. I was insulted by some Deeper Lifers. Among them were youths who used to look up to me.
And when I did a series where I through the scriptures debunked the one-time or second work of grace sanctification and made a case for progressive sanctification, I got into trouble with a UK-based Deeper Life Pastor who accused me of teaching an error, unfriended and blocked me on WhatsApp. Lol.
But nothing I had written outraged Deeper Lifers as my series titled “Love Letters to Deeper Lifers”. Before I wrote that series, I had to wait until I was sure it was what God wanted me to do. It took me time to decide on writing it. The letters identified idolatry or overhype of the leadership in Deeper Life and called them to repentance. But hell was let loose against me.
I was maligned, traduced and severely opposed. A good number of them said I was disrespecting Pa Kumuyi. Many made posts and comments against me. I was accused of jealousy.
But I wrote out of the deep concern and love for a denomination of which I was a member for three decades. Anytime I felt the urge to warn Deeper Lifers, I would write a post to that effect. But they kept getting infuriated.
Meanwhile, a good number of Deeper Lifers would Nicodemusly chat with me to agree with what I wrote.
Some Deeper Life leaders have warned their followers against me. One unintelligent fellow said I should have been arrested by the police. I have been called names like “backslider” and “deserter”.
But I remain unfazed.
But unknown to many, I still have a good interpersonal relationship with some Deeper Lifers.
(To be concluded).
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