By Sam Eyoboka & OLAYINKA LATONA

DESPITE the security challenges in parts of the country, the Deeper Life Bible Church yesterday held its inaugural special glorious celebration, after which the General Superintendent, Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi called on the Federal Government to be more proactive in the handling of the security challenges.

The programme which held symultaniously across the world is aimed at celebrating the goodness of God despite the sectarian crises in the North said to have claimed over 1,000 lives, worship centres and several business premises in the North.

According to a statement signed by the church secretary, Pastor Jerry Asemota at the end of the programme at the church’s International Bible Teaching Centre, IBTC, Ayobo area of Lagos, siad: “It is natural for people to continue to ask God for more blessing without giving thanks for the ones received.

“While we celebrate, we hand over other life challenges to God who is able to see us through. As for our country, Nigeria, we want to urge every citizen to pray to God; the solution to the country’s challenges lies with Him,” Kumuyi stated.

“At the same time,” he continued, “we urge the leadership of the country to be more proactive. We sincerely believe that good governance can go a long way in addressing many of the problems we are currently experiencing.”

Turning the citizens, the holiness preacher urged Nigerian citizens and followers to always pray for “our leaders and as a nation we must follow after righteousness.”

Justifying why a church should be celebrating while Islamic fundamentalists are torching churches in different parts of the North, Kumuyi said many of “our members still have earthshaking testimonies of great things God did for them.

“As a church we have many proofs of God’s favour and that gives us assurance that there is hope for this nation. In the world today, people celebrate many things, we in the church are celebrating in our own way.”

According to him, “the entire family of Deeper Life wants to gratitude to God for all His goodness and mercies towards us. Some people may say why do we celebrate miracles in the face of security challenges in the country, unemployment, poverty, diseases and infirmities? Why our hearts go out to the families of the victims of the recent unfortunate occurrences, notwithstanding, it is a settled fact that God is still good.”

In the course of the program-me, several individuals from different parts of the country including one Chika Anazodo and Mr. and Mrs. Benedict Ogbonna gave outstanding testimonies of how God delivered them from various life challenges.