By Sam Eyoboka

DAYS after this year’s Christmas, a day set aside to mark the birth of the progenitor of the Christian faith—-the debate over the actual date of birth of Jesus Christ rages on as the General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Dr. Daniel Olukoya, said the celebration is unbiblical. Speaking at the Wednesday Manner Water Service which coincided with the 2019 Christmas celebration at the church’s headquarters in Lagos, Olukoya became the first frontline Pentecostal minister to openly declare that no book in the bible recorded the word ‘Christmas’ or that Jesus was born on December 25.

“If you really study the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, there is no word like Christmas. The Bible only recorded that the Shepherds were taking care of their flocks during a very cold season when they sighted the star that announced the birth of Jesus Christ. This cold period could be around April or May,’’ Olukoya said. According to him, December 25 is a date originally set aside by the ancient Romans for Mars festival by the worshippers of the sun. Olukoya said that the birth of Jesus Christ was subsequently co-opted into the same date to give the Mars festival more popularity and then renamed ‘Christmas’. He warned the modern Christians to stop promoting such unbiblical celebration. According to him, the MFM church has decided to henceforth engage members in various spiritual activities during such periods and other public holidays to discourage them from partaking in such unscriptural celebration. In a similar development, the General Superintendent, Deeper Life Christian Ministry, Pastor Williams Folorunsho Kumuyi, has endorsed the position of Dr Olukoya that December 25 was not the birthday of Jesus Christ. Kumuyi made this known during the annual December retreat held at the Deeper Life Camp on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun state, saying: “My people have gone astray, you’ve gone back into the world. All the merriment of Christmas, drinking, all the celebration of Egyptians is now upon you…come to Jesus.”

He further said: “The ministry has never celebrated Christmas since inception. It actually came from an idolatrous background. That is why we never sing Christmas carols. The essence of the December retreat is to reconnect ourselves to the Lord because it is a holiday period. “You will never hear us say Christmas retreat but December Retreat.” To further buttress this point, controversial On-Air Personality, Daddy Freeze, took to his Instagram account to state his stand about Christmas. Freeze said: “At least I’m not the only one warning you about how the wrath of God will consume those practising this abomination”. Freeze also referred to the words of Olukoya which was on his account. Bemigho Reno Omokri, an activist and a one-time adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan wouldn’t let the Christmas day controversy slide without giving his opinion.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/12/christmas-is-unbiblical-pastor-olukoya-kumuyi-daddy-freeze-reno-omokri-concur/