By Ebunoluwa Sessou

The Shepherd- in-Charge of the Celestial Church of Christ, CCC, National Headquarters, Makoko, Yaba, Venerable Superior Evangelist, Afis Kiki, has called on all Christians to advance the gospel of Christ by investing in the spiritual growth of the youths and teenagers.

The Shepherd who spoke at the just concluded CCC International Juvenile Choir Competition organised by True Word in Season, an evangelical arm of Greater Tomorrow Group, GTG, a youth group of the CCC.

The winner of the concert was El-Morijah Parish, Ikorodu from winner with cash prize of $2000 while Ibara Cathedral, Abeokuta was the first runner- up with the sum of N500,000 and Olifi Ijaye Cathedral as the second runner-up with the sum of N250,000 cash prize respectively.

It will be recalled that 47 parishes were shortlisted for the music competition and were later reduced to 10 parishes who participated in the quarter finals. Thereafter, 7 parishes participated in the semi final and 4 parishes participated in the grand finale,

According to him, there is no material or financial possession deposited into a Christian’s account that is theirs and for it to increase; it depends on how it is used especially to expand the Kingdom of God.

“The best way to use money is to make it cater for the things of the kingdom of God including sponsoring a programme that would nurture the spiritual growth of the youths and teenagers, and spending money for God is to invite money into your treasury.

The earth is the Lord’s and the fullest thereof, including silver and gold. God will give back to Him whatever you give Him in double fold, good measure, press down and shaken together, running over.

I encourage the wealthy men and women in the society, precisely in the Celestial Church of Christ, to gather up their potentials and wealth and harness them for the kingdom of God, especially organizing evangelism, symposium, concert, Bible quiz, among others.

The Convener of the True Word in Season, Brother Bolaji Adebola, the essence of the choir competition is to create a standard and lay a better foundation for the youths and teenagers upon which the elites and the visionaries can build and move forward.

“The truth is that we have been doing things anyhow without considering that it is important to nurture the children in the right way and imbibe Godly principles and doctrines into them. It is also very critical to ensure that the true doctrine of the church is passed on to them.

“If from childhood, our children have been raised and trained to know the culture and the standard of the music that gave birth to them, I am sure their future would be standardized and they will be aligned in the true context of spirituality.

“I did not decide to do this. It was a prompt. I had the intention of writing a book for my 40th birthday. On my 41th birthday, I wrote another book. On my 50th birthday, I wrote five books and this year, which is my 51th, I received a message to organize a life changing programme for the juveniles and to celebrate the transition of our founder, Rev. Prophet SBJ Oshoffa.

“As a Christian, it is important to be obedient to the voice of God, according to Deuteronomy 28, it says, “And it shall come pass if you will diligently attend to the voice of the LORD your God. I taught everyone how to hear the voice of God, because I said, without that, there is nothing in Christianity. .

“It is a way to bring the children together and give them a vision, a focus, first, to their lives, and to bring them up in the way of God. God has given three things, and we only added one to make us never to be poor in life. Your gift, talent and skill and we only added education to it,” he said.

A musicologist, Oluwaseyi Sholagbade, explained that the participants were quickly selected by the judges.

“We looked at the quality and the originality in those children because the programme was meant to redirect and shape them for future purposes.

“The Christendom, not only in the Celestial Church of Christ, has been mixed up with all sorts of people in the name of music. They infuse all nonsense to make sense before the people and we accept it. I believe we need to start changing the narrative for the purpose of putting our children on the right path.

“This progarmme is to redirect our children’s mind from the secular mindset to the spiritual and godly way”, he reiterated.