By Stanley Azuakola

This one will stir some controversy; people will talk. One of Nigeria’s most revered Christian ministers, Pastor Enoch Adeboye,  made some rather controversial statements in a faith-based programme which aired on Dove TV, according to reports.

The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God spoke on the program, on the subjects of marriage, music, and lots more. Some of the comments are quite controversial though like the part about RCCG members marrying only themselves and the advice to ladies against marrying jobless men.

There might be a bigger context to some of these comments though, not specified in that broadcast. But here are excerpts of his talk:

On unruliness in church:
There is a difference between enthusiasm and unruliness. As unstoppable youths we need to be
enthusiastic but not unruly. Out of all the instruments mentioned in the bible for praising, the whistle wasn’t mentioned! The whistle isn’t allowed in church, leave it for the football field!

Marriage advice for the sisters:
It is better to remain single than to marry the wrong person! Marrying the wrong person is like living in hell on earth and divorce isn’t an option. Don’t ever think you can marry somebody and change the fellow, if the person doesn’t change before you get married it is a settled case.

If you marry just because a guy is rich, tall and handsome but he is not a true child of God, you are heading for trouble! Goliath was tall, King Saul was lanky but he lost his crown. Don’t marry a fool. If a guy is following you to church just to get you , you will know. Some guys are in church just to deceive you but the bible says by their fruits you’ll know them. Bible didn’t say by their words you’ll know them, some guys have sweet mouth. Don’t marry a sweet talking demon, watch their fruits.

If you marry someone who doesn’t believe in holiness, you are the one who dug your own grave yourself because you’ll only be wife number one, many others are likely follow.

Romans 8:31: The reason RCCG weds with the Bible instead of a ring is because the Bible can never change, the word of God stands forever but a ring can be removed at anytime.

Those who will reach the top must be peculiar. There is always room at the top but only few will get there.
Don’t marry a man who has no job! Before God gave Adam a wife, he gave him a job. If he says he is a contractor, ask him for evidence of his previous contracts because you might just be the contract he is on about.

Marriage advice for the brothers:
Don’t marry a Delilah. Don’t marry for beauty. Proverbs 31:30 says beauty is vain. Don’t ever marry outside the church and you have no reason to marry outside RCCG. The reason is that if you are both from the same church even when trouble comes it is easier for the pastors to handle it. Don’t marry a girl simply because she can sing. In the choir there are some people that can sing but they are fallen angels.

Marry a prayer warrior. If a girl cannot pray for 1 hour, don’t marry her. Don’t marry a girl who is lazy. Don’t marry a girl who cannot cook, she needs to know how to do chores and cook because you cannot afford to be eating out all the time. Don’t marry a girl who is worldly. If you do, you have carried what you’ll worship for the rest of your life.

Advice on music:
Music is not music unless it is organised. It must have rhyme, rhythm and repetition. While the right kind of music keeps the devil away, the wrong music can invite demons. The number one reason why God chose David to be king was because he was a musician singing the right songs.

It is possible to have wonderful music, music that will refresh you and bring God down without making noise. When the bible talks about making a joyful noise to the Lord, it was talking about shouts of Halleluyah. In your gatherings, check the lyrics, rhyme and rhythms of your songs you use in worshipping God. As much as youths might not want to sing hymns all day, make sure the songs you sing are really glorifying God not just noise.

Advice on evangelism:
As youths, take evangelism seriously! Use your youthful strength for God and be proud to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ecclesiastes 12:1 It takes only a few people to cause a riot the universities, why can’t a few unstoppable youths get up and start a riot to the kingdom of darkness? RCCG is in many nations all over the world today because your parents worked hard in their youths. When the founder, Pa Akindayomi died, RCCG was only in Nigeria and I was only 38 when the church was handed
over to me. Other youths and I took evangelism seriously. We worked hard to bring the church to where it is now, today RCCG is in many nations of the world.

IT IS YOUR TURN to take the church forward. Joshua 1:1-9, Deuteronomy 34:9: We are to build on the foundation that has been laid for us by our fathers. The elders are the foundation, the youths are the flowers. It’s a dangerous thing to be a flower, people pluck flowers but hardly do people touch the roots. If you stay connected to your roots, you’ll not dry up. The one who is unstoppable is the one who wouldn’t allow sin to come in because our God is a Holy God. If you will worship God with good music not just noise , if you’ll witness without compromising, if you will be different and ready to stand out for Christ, if you are willing to pray with ceasing then you’ll be UNSTOPPABLE.