Covid-19: Pastor Okotie Condemns Online Churches; Says Services Unscriptural; Controversy Trails Him

By Akinwale Kasali

Presidential Candidate of Fresh Party in 2007, 2011 and 2015,  who is, also, General Overseer of Household of God Church International Ministries, Chris Okotie, has once again stirred the hornet’s nest with his Controversial statements that  conducting services online is not scriptural.

Since the  Covid-19 Pandemic outbreak, most Churches all over the world, adopted online services, in a bid to abide by the social distancing guidelines.

But, Okotie, in a message he titled ‘The COVID-19 Mystery,’ said that God is not interested in computers and prefers an assembly of Christians.

He made reference to the Bible verse talking about not forsaking the assembly of the Saints.

Okotie said: “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 pray in your house. I praise in my house. He can see all of us. He doesn’t need computers.

According to him, forsaking the assembly of his people denies God of who he is.

“Conducting services online denies God of who He is; so, we must not forsake the assembly of yourselves together, that’s why the bible puts that verse as an imperative,” Okotie  added.

The comments of Okotie has, however, led to criticism and counter criticism from different quarters.

The Social Media have been awash with some users lambasting the Pastor as a failed Politician, who derived pleasure in deceiving people with fake prophesies.

“Pastor Okotie is just looking for relevance. He had deceived himself and his followers all through the time he aspired for Presidency, lying that God said he should vie. He has lost it”.

Another said that Pastor Okotie is trying to come out from obscurity to gain relevance having been in Siberia all this while.

“He is just waking up from his slumber? All these Pastors, atimes, just want to be heard”.

Supporting Okotie, a social media user said Okotie has a right to his opinion and he believes he has a point having backed it up with some Bible quotes, but it is left to anyone to decide which way to go.

It would be recalled that Okotie accused the owner of Microsoft, Bill Gates, of leading a conspiracy to destabilize the global economy and carry out a “satanic agenda” against the Church.