How Christians In Osun Celebrated 2019 Pentecost Day

Christians, across denominations, in Osun have celebrated this year’s Pentecost Day with prayers for peace in the state and Nigeria.

The annual programme, the fourth of its kind was held on June 10, 2019 at Government Technical College, Osogbo.

To prepare ministers ahead of the day’s main programme and launch them for a more spirit-filled ministrations in their various churches, there was a Minister’s Fire Conference where the convener of the annual Pentecost Day celebration, Bishop Mike Bamidele prayed for men of God in preparation for the celebration.

Bamidele, the founding Bishop of Victory Life International, encouraged ministers of God not to be tired of preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ notwithstanding the challenges that may confront them.

The Minister’s Fire Conference was organised to equip pastor, ministers and evangelisers for greater evangelism and revival in their spiritual lives.

Delivering his sermon, Bishop Bamidele charged ministers of God to be bold, confident and courageous in their ministration and evangelism.

In his sermon tagged: “The Undeniable Secrets of a Successful Minister,” Bishop Bamidele said any minister of God who had not yet have encounter with the Holy Spirit is not fit to be a minister.

According to him, the celebration of the Pentecost afforded ministers and other believers the opportunity of having fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit in order to be fortified for greater evangelism.

Part of secrets of how ministers of God can be successful, according to Bamidele, is meeting the Holy Spirit and boldness to complete the spiritual assignments.

He said, “successful ministers must be filled with the Holy Spirit. This encounter will lead to transformation because this Spirit will make ministers bold, courageous and confident to overcome challenges,” Bishop Bamidele said.

The bishop therefore prayed for the participant ministers across different churches and denominations.

At the Pentecost Day celebration in the afternoon of that day, various men of God including Baba Abiye of Ede, preached and prayed for Christians in the state.

The founding Bishop of Victory Life International, Bishop Mike Bamidele, while addressing the Christians, said that lack of values, integrity and honesty is responsible for mirage of challenges battling the nation.

The man of God said expect values are changed, Nigeria may not overcome her security challenges.

Bamidele advised government at all levels to recognise change agents in churches, mosques and other places where sound morals are taught and give them their dues to reach out to every one across the country.

Praying for the multitude of Christians from different churches in Osun state, the bishop said Pentecost signifies a new beginning and urged Christians to allow Holy Spirit to operate in them in order to transform the country to good.

He advised governments to create platforms whereby youths attitudes and orientation to life can be changed. He said most youths now commit suicide after suffering depression of not enjoy quick wealth. He said this is part of the rots of Nigeria of which only value change could heal.

Bishop Bamidele, the convener of the annual Pentecost Day Celebration, called on the government of Osun state to declare Pentecost Day public holiday for Christians since the government had declared public holidays for Hijrah and Isese for Muslims and traditional worshippers respectively.

He said, “the message for this year is about sounds from heaven as the day of Pentecost signify a new beginning so will anyone connecting with the the Holy Spirit have a new beginning in his life and for Osun state, we are awaiting a judgement from the Supreme Court, and we believe that the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Justice will do justice to the case.

“For our nation, the 9th National Assembly will start operating, we believe it will be a new dispensation where there will be speed in accomplishment, there will be understanding, there will be rapid progress for our nation in the area of employment and in the area if establishment of industries, and especially the security situations in the land. The fire of the Holy Ghost is a secret for security. Where there is no integrity, there will be no security because people are crooked.

“Security is tied with integrity, honesty, decency of hearts. A new orientation that must be contacted through those who are teachers of God’s ways is needed in our country because our values and attitudes have corrupted us so that there is no measure of what anybody does that can actually bring security expect values are changed and the agents of value change are in the churches, mosques and various spiritual organizations and didactic places where they teach people with the authority of God.

“Unless out nation in our own peculiar circumstances, recognises them, give them their dues and allow them to reach the nation officially.. I am not talking about unofficial religion, I am talking about giving access and creating platforms whereby youths attitudes to life can change, whereby generation can begin to imbibe honesty, integrity, where people can begin to live a clean life where Yahoo Yahoo, kidnapping, armed robbery are dealt with.

“Bring all the arms and ammunitions from anywhere, if value is not dealt with, you will only be killing the old ones and the new ones will be emerging. Our problem in this country is a value problem.

“We don’t want to work hard, we don’t want to be honest. Look at every song by most outstanding artistes is talking about how to get rich quickly, how to have girls around you, build big houses and have big cars. These songs go into the minds of young ones and once they can’t get the money, they get depressed and start committing suicide.

“Governments should allow schools to keep teaching sound morals and didactic teachings. Osun state government should give balance to the recognised religions. In the eight years administration of our dear Governor, a very religious person, Rauf Aregbesola, he gave Isese day to indigenous faith, he gave Hijirah to Muslims and he left Christians unattended to and I say no, he should also attend to them too because we also have Pentecost Day which is the official day for the birth of the Church of Christ on earth in the upper room.

“Official day for the birth of the church is in the upper room. It is something celebrated globally and its a holiday in other nations. So government should recognise it. If nothing is being said now, one day, somebody may rise up, younger person who feels he has been cheated and may go violently. But this one is let’s talk intelligently, peacefully and constitutionally,” he said.

Other highlights of the conference included Church planting by all denominations and the release of power for signs and wonders by Bishop Bamidele.

Politicians and traditional rulers were in attendance.

Joint choir that consists of choristers of various churches rendered glorious songs.