For over 7,000 youths of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Nigeria, Saturday, September 22 was an unforgettable day as the Dr. Oluseye Yomi-Sholoye Foundation launched a capacity building conference for them.
Despite the heavy rains, the youth who could not be accommodated inside the 5,000 capacity centre crowded the long street dancing to the rhythm of music from the centre.
Aside the capacity building conference, the gathering served as an opportunity for the church to relaunch itself in Christendom with focus on reshaping youths as tomorrow’s leaders.
Tagged Seraph Youth Arise, the event which held at 10 Degrees Event Centre, Oregun, featured entertainers such as Yinka Quadri, Idowu Philips (Mama Rainbow), Yinka Quadri, Teju Baby Face, Ronke Oshodi-Oke, Alhaji Wasiu Balogun, Shola Allyson, Shola Allyson who lectured the youth on how to achieve their dreams and become good citizens.
Also at the event were that Onigbobi of Igbobi, Oba Owolabi Adeniyi, former Executive Director of Fidelity Bank Tobi Lawal, Balogun Oluwo, Laolu Gbenjo, Seun Aransiola, Mike Abdul, Big Bolaji, Senior Apostolic Mother, Esther Ajayi (United Kingdom District) and Chairman Cherubim and Seraphim Lagos State Baba Aladura Abikoye.
She said: “Many of our youths today lag behind their peers in the scheme of things in the society of which we are a part. In view of this, efforts are being made for Seraph youths to get trained in various vocational skills which we belief would intimately enhance the purchasing power of our future generation in the church.
“The foundation is poised to partner corporate organisations, financial institutions to train our youths and also make financial grants available for successful members to establish their small businesses and eke out a living.
“We have also realised that most of our members are not so financially endowed and this is telling on the youth of the church greatly. The organisers of this programme did appreciate the biblical injunction that man shall not live by bread alone, but they also understand that man cannot live without bread.
“This gathering is indisputably the largest gathering of youths of Cherubim and Seraphim organisation in any part of the world. We give glory to God that it is a reality. There was an event on July 20 at the Seraphim Land
(Night of Restoration) and it revolutionalised the entire fabric of the church. Immediately after the Night of Restoration vigil, we began to receive series of telephone calls, text messages from members asking for a sustained vigil.
“That gave rise to the dinner and the official launch of our pet project, The New Seraph on August 22. You should be aware that the journey to where we are today in the New Seraph began when God commanded me to spearhead the revitalisation of C and S churches.
“The commission that I was given, among others, was to focus on youths in the C and S Church since they are the leaders of the church tomorrow. But there can be no proper starting point from rejuvenating the church without understanding where we are coming from as a church.
“We all have to recall that for a long time, our church has been ridiculed in Christendom. Members of the church were disparaged and seen as second-class Christians, albeit rather erroneously. During this period the church was often castigated as being occult, where members are perceived as never-do wells, illiterates and the church seen as belonging to the downtrodden.
“Erroneous as the blanket categorisation of all members of the church into this sphere, there are, however, a few bad eggs out there that are dragging the name of the church in the mud. So, it is imperative that we all have a role to play in changing this wrong perception about the church.”
Yomi-Sholoye said the reformed C and S should be grounded in the Word of God and that there should be less emphasis, total dependence on prophesy.
She said: “Not that prophesy is bad, what should be uppermost in our hearts is the efficacy of prayers and good teaching of the Word of God.
“The message each and every one of you should take home is that the C and S Church is at an age of rebirth. There should be new ways of doing things in the church; our modes of dressing, worship, our carriage among co-Christians, require total upgrade.
“We need to bring in dynamism into the church without necessarily eroding the laid-down behavioural tenets handed down to us by the founders.”
Gospel artiste Allyson thrilled the crowd with her performance and also admonished them to stay committed in the church.
“The Spirit of God is potent in the C and S Church. Do not be discouraged. This is where you ought to be,” she said.
Using veteran Nollywood actors who are members of the church as examples, she told the youth not to be deterred as they can get to any height they aspire.
Talking about her life she said she went through series of abuses and was exposed to several vices but what kept her was her commitment to the C and S Church as she was a member of the choir at four.
The MC delighted the crowd with jokes before the ministration of a gospel artiste, the Cherubim and Seraphim-born Noel where the youth danced.
Veteran actress Philips alias Mama Rainbow entreated the youth to be conscious of the things they get involved in their youth.