Worship
‘Babalola died a poor man’: CAC slams pastor Fatoyinbo over reckless ‘poverty’ statement
The Christ Apostolic Church has responded to the message of Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo during which he implied that Apostle Ayo Babalola died a poor man and that his children perhaps would not be happy where they are now
In a statement shared on the Facebook page of the Church signed by Pastor Ade Alawode (Director of Publicity, Christ Apostolic Church) the church maintained that it is important that the issues raised by Pastor Fatoyinbo be addressed clinically for the sake of posterity.
The church noted that in one of the trending messages on YouTube, Pastor Faroyinbo “acknowledged that Apostle Babalola was highly anointed but “had no money”, and then went on to ask sarcastically, “Where are his children?” — a question that was both insensitive and ill-informed.”
Making reference to scriptures, the church noted that it was wrong for Fatoyinbo who is the founder of Commonwealth of Zion Ministry based in Abuja, to have equated anointing with material posterity
In doing so, Fatoyinbo was accused of promoting what the Bible refers to as Simony which is the monetization of spiritual gifts
“The Scriptures do not teach that money is a sign of anointing. Rather, “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” statement noted, wondering which Bible Fatoyinbo read and preach from.
On the Question of Apostle Babalola’s Children, the church stated, “Ethically speaking, Apostle Babalola had children. Simple arithmetic should help you understand that they would be advanced in age by now; possibly your grandparents’ age. What did you hope to achieve with the mocking question, “Where are the children of Babalola?”
“Your statement reflects more on the kind of company you keep, but as a preacher of the Word, shouldn’t your conduct and utterances be guided by Scripture?
“Where in the Bible does your brand of prosperity theology originate — one that demeans people for not being wealthy? Isn’t such a message encouraging greed, corruption, and godlessness, especially in a nation already struggling with moral decay?”
Setting the Record Straight
The church then went on to set the records straight stating some other facts about the late Apostle Babalola .
The statement informed, “Apostle Babalola was called by God on October 10, 1928, at the age of 24. His ministry spanned Western and Midwestern Nigeria, and extended to the Gold Coast (now Ghana), marked by undeniable signs and wonder
“He was blessed, but not materialistic or greedy. He gave lands to the Church, supported the education of many, fed the poor, and lived sacrificially. He housed more people than just his biological children.
“When Queen Elizabeth II visited Nigeria in February 1956, Apostle Babalola was among the honored guests. Would a man in rags be granted such recognition by a colonial government? Certainly not.
“He was no fundraiser, yet God supplied his needs. His diaries are filled with divine provisions like: “Ipese Olorun loni: £100.00, £50.00…”
“He lived in a befitting home, drove one of the best Ford Jeeps of his time, and funded weddings, education, and apprenticeship programs — all without exploiting the pulpit
His children and legacy
His children that are still alive according to the statement are: Mama Eunice Wuraola Ogini and Apeke Adeniyi. “they are alive, blessed, fulfilled, and quietly serving the Lord in their respective churches. They are not loud, ostentatious, or greedy
“Apostle Babalola’s anointing impacted generations. More than 66 years after his passing, his legacy continues to inspire and bless countless lives and ministries. That is true impact.”
While stating that the measure of a believer’s anointing is not in material accumulation, but in sacrificial service, the church in the statement asked, “When Peter said in Acts 3:6, “Silver and gold I do not have…” — was he still anointed or not?”
The church further went on to quote several scriptures that warn the believers against greed and covetousness
ChurchTimes