I have thought so deeply on what to tag this piece of my worst worry… I thought of tagging it as ‘THE EPITAPH of the Church,’ but on a second thought, I felt it will not be right.

I have been having sleepless nights and restless days over too many issues and the top on the agenda is the state of the Church of Jesus Christ. My heart weeps sore and bleed uncontrollably every time I ponder on the CHURCH I ONCE KNEW.

I was 14 years when I turned my to the Lord on the 25th days of December. Attending services was a thing to which we looked forward. There were no executive or sophisticated chairs, there were no airconditioners, rarely were there fans, not even good buildings.

I recall we had benches and it was almost luxury to imagine the use of plastic chairs as we have today. We used wooden benches. We were not rich in terms of FINANCE, but when it comes to matters of Love, we were SO VERY RICH at it. In fact, it was a competition of Love. We shared amongst ourselves what we had that people were practically having their needs met.

The Church was ‘FLOCK CENTERED.’ The pastor was a living demonstration of selflessness and Love.

I remember a hymn we used to sing: “WHERE IS THE LOVE OF GOD IN YOUR HEART?”

A portion of the hymn says something like this.. “your brother is hungry and comes to you and you have food but instead you prayed and sent him away to believe God, WHERE IS THE LOVE OF GOD IN YOUR HEART?”

We saw the RAW POWER OF GOD… Miracles, Signs and Wonders were rampant; there was never a service it was not manifesting!

The Church was indeed Living not by her denominational name but but by her deeds! Permit me to say, it was ‘HEAVEN ON EARTH.’ We prayed….. Prayers was like air we breathed.

I remember when I was about 20 year’s of age, my prayer life began to accelerate beyond normal that my colleague Pastor Amadi Boniface and I had competitive prayer lives. He would pray for three hours and I went higher to Seven hours then to Twelve hours daily.

The place of prayer was the place we birthed out Power. REAL POWER. I WEEP RIGHT NOW WITH TEARS STREAKING DOWN MY CHEEKS. Where are those days…????

The days when sinners were NOT AT EASE IN ZION? Where are the days when men were called up to ministry through their personal relationship with the Lord and not a regional overseer, or affluence nor wealth?

I ASK… “WHERE ARE THOSE DAYS WHEN THE PRIEST WOULD PREACH NOT FOR THE OFFERINGS, BUT LOVE?

I ASK, WHERE ARE THOSE DAYS WHEN THE CHURCH WAS IN DEED HIS CHURCH?

I ASK.. “WHERE ARE THOSE DAYS WHEN CHURCH BUILDINGS WERE DECORATED WITH THE PICTURES OF JESUS CHRIST?

I ASK.. WHERE ARE THOSE DAYS, WHEN IT WAS AN ABOMINATION TO HANG THE PICTURES OF THE PASTOR AND HIS WIFE ON THE ALTAR?

I ASK… WHERE ARE THOSE DAYS WHEN PEOPLE FEARED THE ALTAR AND WOULD NEVER PLAY GIMMICKS THERE???????

Oh how we have FALLEN..!!!

The Church I knew was so FULL OF GOD… It was a time when we used our talents freely for the kingdom.. Instrumentalist played not for PAY..

What Happened..? How did it ever get to this rotten stage where people arrange, organize, stage manage miracles and prophecies.. and even plan with strange people who have no fear of God to act out deliverance? How did it get to this…?

People have no sense of dear or respect for the Lord.. they do sacrilegious things today…

Just where is the FEAR of God?????

The church I KNEW was so people centered, we cared for the needy and would respond anytime we were called up… Yes, we would sing, “STAND UP STAND UP FOR JESUS YE SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS.. LIFT HIGH HIS ROYAL BANNER IT MUST NOR SUFFER LOSS…..

ANOTHER STANZA SAID.. WHEN DUTY CALLS FOR DANGER, BE NEVER WANTING THERE…

Gone SEEMS to be those days… THIS WAS THE CHURCH I KNEW.. and not what we have today where the thought of the pastor is to EXPLOIT the people!!

THIS WAS THE CHURCH I ONCE KNEW… !

~ by Mark Cyril

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Author, teacher, motivational and conference speaker, Pastor Mark Cyril is the international President of CYRIL MARK WORLD EVANGELISM – an independent ministry taking the message of the cross across the Nations turning many in their numbers to salvation through Jesus Christ. He is also the Senior Pastor of Revelation Apostolic Community; an apostolic and Prophetic Word based ministry in Abuja the capital city of Nigeria – West Africa.