Nyanza Clergy petition Government to lift ban on churches over Corona virus

The Nyanza Council of Church Leaders led by their chairman Apostle Dr. Washington Ogonyo Ngede during a past Press Conference.The clergy have asked the Government to lift the ban on churches due to Corona virus-File Photo

By Dickson Odhiambo

April 15, 2020

Nyanza Clergy petition Government to lift ban on churches over Corona virus

A section of the Clergy in Nyanza region have petitioned the National Government to rescind its decision to ban going to church as one of the measures aimed at fighting the Corona virus.

Under the banner of the Nyanza Council of Church leaders, the Clergy appeals to President Uhuru Kenyatta to allow the congregation to  attend the church services as they used to do before the ban that was enforce about three weeks ago.

In a signed press statement to newsrooms by seven members of the clergy, the clergy led by the Nyanza Council of Church Leaders Chairman Apostle Dr. Washington Ogonyo Ngede, said they strongly believe that  cooperate prayers in the church will greatly help in curbing the spirit of this pandemic known as Covid-19.

 “We have also realized that most of the church members are backsliding and dying spiritually because of lack of spiritual nourishment they normally receive every Sunday while attending church services,” they said.

They request the government to allow the churches across the country to conduct their services in shifts where only smaller groups of church goers who can maintain social distance in church can be allowed to worship at a particular church service.

“In the book of Joel 2:15-16 says that blow the trumpet in the Zion and consecrate a fast. Call a sacred assembly and gather the people to pray and call upon God to save us,” they added.

The clergy say as church ministers, they should not make their members to be tormented and live in fear but should encourage them to be strong and courageous during this time of the pandemic. 

They also urged political leaders not continue preaching fear as this will make the flock to continue living in more fear, adding that messages of hope and encouragement should be preached by both church and political leaders.

“What our tongues confesses can cause death or life to our people hence there is need to get the flock and preach the messages of hope to them. In the Book of Mark 5:27 it says that no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man and then he will plunder his house. This is a spiritual warfare that can be dealt with through prayers and fasting touching the throne of our Lord,” they further said.

They have further castigated the report published in one of the local dailies that the pandemic will kill about 800,000 people in Kenya, adding that this is not good at all.

“Why are we telling our citizens that the pandemic is going to kill about 800,000 people or more? Let us not speak about failure and fear all the time as that will destroy what God wants to do for us as a nation,” they added.

They said that church leadership in Kenya was asked to pray and they did so, adding that  all times the lord has answered our prayers even as we urge the public to be conscious and not to mingle carelessly and also to follow instruction from government on curbing the spread of Covd-19. 

 “Let us work in unity and go back to our churches, call Assembly, pray while keeping social distance, 1 King 8:33-44 says when King Solomon was telling the Children of Israel that they are going to war with their enemy if they come to the church and build in the name of God and pray, God will hear them and destroy their enemy. Deuteronomy 7:14-20 says the same,” they added. 

They added that as spiritual leaders in this nation, their covenant is to work together with the government to see to the comfort and security of the people but also ensure that the voice of God through the church is not silent.

ENDS: