Dramatic footage of a young man dangerously jumping from The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) gallery was shown to congregants on Sunday 28th September 2014, coupled with a stern message from T.B. Joshua to his detractors.
As the under-fire pastor moved in the midst of worshippers during a time of prophecy, commotion ensued when a young man blindly leaped off the high gallery of The SCOAN. Crying out whilst writhing on the floor with church workers gathered around him, he claimed he needed ‘deliverance’ from Joshua.
Later in the prayer line, the young man, who sustained only a minor injury to his hand in the fanatical act, asked God for forgiveness for disrupting the service, adding that he loved Joshua’s ministry and wanted his prayers.
Joshua played back the clip of the ‘suicidal’ act, which was remarkably recorded from a distant camera. “There is nothing you can do secretly here without being exposed by the Spirit of God,” he commented, reminding people how a security camera similarly captured footage of the tragic building that collapsed in The SCOAN, now crucial evidence in the ongoing investigation.
In an uncharacteristic fashion, Joshua had earlier spoken angrily about people spreading lies and falsehoods in relation to the incident, warning that God’s wrath would soon befall them.
“Don’t allow yourself to be used by satan,” Joshua cautioned people. “I said that our God will get back to them. He has started somewhere… I pray the satanic agents should be the only ones to suffer this. Warn your family and brothers about their talk… God is a God of vengeance – anybody can go for it.”
The cleric continued that the incident was actually provoking God to reveal to the world more evidence of his Divine calling.
“I have been on this journey for 27 years. Do you think God can close His eyes and rubbish everything here? They are asking God to bring more evidence of whether He is the One who called me. Warn everyone to be very careful. This issue at hand is a delicate issue. Whatever anybody wants to write, let them write it; they will be the ones to read it. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Let us be very careful of our tongue,” he somberly stated.
Joshua has been the centre of a barrage of criticism since the tragic building collapse in his church claimed 115 lives, 84 of whom were identified as South Africans.
“Your responsibility is to the victims and the relations of the victims and martyrs of faith,” the controversial pastor continued. “If you say you are born again, look for them. Share what you have with them – your love, prayer, affection and strength. This is what we call ‘born again’ – your pain is my pain; your joy is my joy.”
Joshua prayed for family members of the ‘martyrs of faith’, that God would “open their understanding more to know happened here”, as well as giving them “the grace to continue in Him”.
He added that only genuine Christians would understand his message and response to the tragedy. “When you are outside the light, you can’t understand what I am talking about,” he said.
Ihechukwu Njoku is freelance Nigerian journalist who writes about the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).
