The Deeper Life General Overseer, Pastor Kumuyi during their annual National December Convention, on Saturday, told his church members not to celebrate Christmas. In his words, he said,
“We don’t celebrate Christmas. It actually came from idolatrous background. That is why you don’t hear us sing what they call Christmas carol, Never! We always say it is the Christmas retreat. We are only gathering together because it is the holiday period and love the lord more, and rededicate ourselves more."
Well, The Director of Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, has replied him, saying that, celebrating Christmas is biblical and that is how it will remain. He also said that, Don’t Pastor Kumuyi’s celebrate him, so why shouldn’t we celebrate Jesus. His words;
“I don’t know what he means by saying the practice of celebrating Christmas is wrong. “Is he saying that Christ wasn’t born? That he didn’t come to die for us? Does he not celebrate his own birthday? "Do Kumuyi’s pastors not celebrate him? It is not everything I react to; some people just seek attention. If Kumuyi is a Christian, then he must believe in Christ.
“The celebration of Christmas didn’t just start today; it is too public an event for anyone to say that they don’t know what it is about. If Kumuyi is condemning the commercialization of Christmas, I can understand that. Christ came to redeem us from our lost state; this was actualized through his coming, his birth; that is why we celebrate Christmas. It is the fulfillment of God’s promise.
“I saw him on the television a few days ago. He was in Akwa Ibom State and was the chief preacher during their Christmas celebration event. Kumuyi is just saying what he feels; he is not making any doctrinal statement.”
