These were the words of Rev. Pius Inobuh Bah, former Associate Pastor of the Beach Limbe Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC. He was responding to a question our reporter through phone asked to know about the state of things after his resignation on April 1, 2020 as PCC pastor. The man of God said,
“I refused to do that on media. I don’t want to take the church to the media. God so fight for me”
Since his resignation, there have been arguments and counter arguments as to who is right; the church or the pastor? Many have been fast to point accusing fingers at the church and say church politics, jealousy and hatred are the hidden motives behind the suspension of the man of God in a letter of the Synod Committee Executive dated the 27th of March 2020. They say the PCC has more problems than it can handle now and this explains why many keep leaving the congregation.
The church says it suspends Rev. Bah for the following reasons:
“That you Bah Pius Inobuh have not desisted from your online and offline ‘Parallel Ministry’ activities, especially the collection of funds you cannot account for in the fashion of the PCC”
“Some of your activities and pronouncements intentionally and regrettably cast a slur on the PCC which we consider are aimed to deviate Christians to your self-styled ministry”
“You have remained defiant to hierarchy’s attempt to deter you from your own style of ministration”
“The Synod of 2019 that held in Buea (20/11/19) had warned you and sent some persons to counsel you on the merit of your ministry, but sadly you did not heed to the counsel, and this is unacceptable to a Church of Order and Discipline like ours.”
Rev. Bah too has been seen by many as the cause of the trouble. Many question how a man will grow in the church, be trained and ordained by the same church, he gets up and begins to see problems with the system he has been eating with for decades. This group holds that the man of God is carried away by greed and personal aggrandizement.
Read here his resignation letter from the PCC
“MY RESIGNATION AS PASTOR OF THE PCC; 1st APRIL 2020, LIMBE.
Dear friends in Christ Jesus good morning blessings. I welcome you to April, the month of New Direction. I decided to insert this information here so that it can reach out to many who are following me online to know what exactly is my decision in respect to my service with the PCC. *Today the 1st of April 2020, I announce to all those who have links with me that I have resigned from the PCC from this day forward, and I ceased from being a pastor of the PCC*. After taking a keen look at the twist of events in the PCC my wife, kids and myself after due prayers and considerations, after seeking the face of God, agreed that we peacefully, gracefully and quitely walk away from the PCC. The PCC has a very strong organigram and good structure as laid down by the early Church Fathers but it has been tampered with everything and the sacredness of the Holy Sanctuary for which I refuse to be a part. I will forever respect the PCC structures that trained me right up to my Masters Degree and I am now I am a PhD student. I was authorised as a Pastor in 2005 and ordained by the respected and venerated Moderator of all time the Very Rev Dr Nyansako-ni-Nku on the 12th December 2007 at PC Azire in Bamenda. I have served this Church for 15 years lacking two months, at both the Regional and National levels.
The decision we have taken may hurt some people and may please others. But where my concern mostly is the voice of God I have heard and of which I am bound to follow without any external influence. I know that after my decision as agreed with my family, some people will blackmail, insult, provoke or slander me. But I can assure you that we have resolved not to insult anybody or slander anybody or tarnish anybody; we will leave in dignity and we will be looking forward and not backward to detractors. We will focus on our goals and Ministry objectives and not on side comments and detractors. We have come a long way and we are going furthest.
I have chosen to continue preaching both on the online and offline media. My wife and I have thought it over and over; and we began praying over this since December 2019 during our 21 Days fasting. We said how can we abandone all these millions of people, Christians of all branches in Christianity who get up every morning, just to get their meditations. How can we abandone them especially at this time of lent and Lockdown due to the Plague at a time the world has gone digital and the most important tool that pastors have now is the social media. How can I stop feeding the hungry people in Asia and the middle East, Europe, Africa or America where churches are faraway from them? Many persons and their families depend on these daily meditations for strength before going out daily. We cannot compromise this, the LORD told us and we are standing with it till our dying days are done.
As we leave PCC, our prayers are with the many families and friends we have met and enjoyed the things of the kingdom for all these years. We are praying for you and we have in our hearts the two pastors we stood firm behind them, the Revs Fochang Babila George and Mokoko Thomas Mbue, Simple and humble servants of God. And to those my younger colleagues and senior brothers and sisters in the ministry and all the laity especially Mami Njalla Quan Lilian and Friends here in the Country and abroad. We will forever remain grateful. Our last station and the session of PCC Beach in Limbe, we say thank you for everything. Life is like a road junction. We will always meet. As the LORD spoke to us not to get into any dispute or confrontation with anybody, we will obey that voice till the end.
Our way forward:
For the moment we will remain in prayers while feeding God’s children through the media. Our next step will be decide by God as soon as he deems it necessary. Please kindly pray for us and for those who will be disappointed by our action to resign, we hope you will later on understand us.
Remember that Romans 8:28 says “And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. I prophesy, Everything is turning around for our good in the name of Jesus Christ.
I prophesy, as nothing and nobody can stop a moving electric train; let our advancement be like that of an electric vehicles or train in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
I prophesy may God turn all obstacles and stumbling blocks into stepping stones, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
I prophesy, the LORD God who calls, justifies, glorifies and anoints; pour his favour and Grace upon you and your families in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Who or what can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus? Prophesy to yourself. I am a winner. I am a victor. I am born to reign and born to shine, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ we have prayed with thanksgiving Amen. GOD DEY UP. Me too I dey up. NOMANNOPASSGOD!!!”
And in another publication on facebook, he says one of the reasons he resigned from the PCC is to continue preaching to millions across the world using various media. But he waits on God for direction. Read the reaction
Dear family of God’s people good morning blessings. In the wake of my resignation from the PCC, a lot has been written and said over the air and the media by different persons concerned. The media houses both print and television contacted me to tell them my own side of the story and the Guardian Post Newspaper when confronted how they could send out an information without balancing the story, confessed that pastor sent them the suspension letter and a note attached to it to guide them on how to tell the story in their favour. Glory to God. I have vowed not to say anything bad about the PCC as I exit. And I will maintain my stance on this. I have also seen many write ups with my pictures on them, each telling their own side of the story they way they understood it. Some are saying I am right others say I am wrong. Different types of adjectives have been used to describe me both in the positive and in the negative. Of course this is what you will expect when a decision like this is taken and it also shows the calibre of the person concerned. *But in all these things, I have only one major thing to tell all of you who are following my daily devotional, that a lie cannot last forever. A lie cannot last forever. Truth cannot be killed and buried. No matter how it is hidden, it will come out someday. I will not fret or be offended by anything written or said. My decision has been made and I made it with the help of the Holy Spirit and my family. We are ready to face our tomorrow together. My wife is strongly behind me and my kids have understood well what we have told them after our morning prayers and they too are praying for us.
We are not looking backward, our eyes are fixed for the way forward. So what is said behind us will not change our course. Others have said all sorts of things about other men of God like TB Joshua, Pastor Chris, John Chi, Benny Hinns, Archbishop Duncan Williams etc and now it’s me. It only makes such people better and better. They keep moving on and impacting their viewers and followers while others keep licking their wounds behind.
Like St Paul says, “Not that I have made it on my own but I press forward forgetting what lies behind me” . Hasn’t the good book said “If a man puts his hands on a plough and keeps looking back is not fit for the kingdom of God? Success oriented people do take a step at a time. Never look back to your past achievements, they will make you lie on your laurels. Never look back to your past mistakes and errors, they will discourage you. Never look back to the friends who have deserted you, you will not see the new ones standing ahead to lead and help you succeed. Never look backward, never never!!!. If you must look backwards, then it will be to learn from the lessons of the past to make the future better. I believe in what I write and I approve that this is the way a man who wants to make an impact in his generation must think and act. Think positive, be visionary, be focused and be open minded.
Therefore, as we get closer and closer to the climax of Lent, fix your eyes on the cross of Jesus Christ and know that he has called us to take up our own little crosses and come follow him. Fix your eyes on him, the author and finisher of your faith. He who has called you (Me) is faithful and he will never leave us nor forsake us. God is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress. To him be all the glory.
PRAYER:
Declare this prayer with me; Heavenly Father, I acknowledge you as LORD and Saviour over my life and Ministry. You called me and not man and you commanded me to fear you (God) and not man. Give me the grace to stand firm as usual and to finish my race faithfully, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ we have prayed with thanksgiving Amen. GOD DEY UP.Me too I dey up.
NOMANNOPASSGOD!!!
In the days and weeks ahead I will inform you of what I intend to do with my life and Ministry. Keep praying for me as I take these days in retreat to seek God’s face. The Lord ministered to me that very soon new laws and regulations will be put up such as a ban on my mediations in different forums. Be ready for this and make your necessary preparations on how to be receiving it as a group. Create your different local forums and group chats where you will be sharing these meditations daily so you don’t miss out on them. One of the main reasons I came out of PCC is to keep feeding you all with these meditations. To God be all the glory
By and large, there is a problem somewhere and needs strategic management in order to live as one again with a common goal and we are the actors and should aim at throwing water on the burning flames than petrol.
What is your assessment of the situation?
By Awoh Caleb in Yaounde.
