WHITE GARMENT CHURCHES AND INGLORIOUS IDENTITIES

What comes to your mind when you see someone wearing a white garment? It is even worse when the person sits next to you in a bus or comes to preach to you. You approach the person with suspicion, not warmth. Your view lenses begin to work and you remember all that have been said about them- the idol worshipers who use candles and do fetish things on the beach.  You do not think there could be true Christians in their folds. You have heard stories and have even seen some with your eyes. False vision fabricators, satanic clerics, bleached skinned choristers, polyginist leaders, and the list goes on.

Are we justified to judge this people and stereotype them in our minds so much so that even when some of them tend to follow biblical principles, we still do not want to see them as bible believing churches?  Have we taken time to see beyond this inglorious identity and think on the fact that few vegetables might have spoilt the broth?

ROBERT Stock, in a contribution to an article on the Encarta Microsoft shares a stereotyped world view by writing that “Nigeria also has many independent African churches, such as Cherubim and Seraphim, which incorporate African cultural practices such as drumming, dancing, and polygyny (multiple wives) into Christianity (sic)”.  That this statement was once a fact at a time, especially regarding the claim on polygyny cannot be denied. The claim on Polygyny can be explained in the context that white garments churches originated from what is called African indigenous churches in the league of which we have the Celestial Church of Christ and other Pentecostal churches like the Redeemed Christian Church of God, CAC, Mountain of Fire, etc.

TO SAY that all white garment churches engage in pagan worship amounts to hasty generalization. That was obtainable in the past because some of the converts were idol worshipers who joined the fold because they could identify with the use of their native language (which sinks more into their inner deity) other than the practice in the orthodox churches where the language of worship was that of the colonial masters.  But these practices which are validated by the Old Testament have now been eroded with civilization, coupled with a better scriptural understanding. I stand to say that any white garment church that still engages in these old and odd practices does so at the peril of ignorance or even to  deceive people and exhort money;  a practice that is fast gaining ground across denominations in the Nigeria of today.

WE need to re-orientate our viewing lenses on white garment churches.  There have been new developments to show that even a coming together of the numerous splinter groups which now form separate independent  branches may come together to align with the founding vision of Saint Moses Orimolade, the founder of the Cherubim and Seraphim church. Anyone with doubts about the emergence of a new C&S brand should take a look at campus fellowships in institutions of higher learning in Nigeria where  different folds come together  to worship as one body under the umbrella of  Unification. This unity has given way to new developments and a hope of the mother churches coming together as one too.  The C&S Church, aka Unification, Obafemi Awolowo University is an iconic brand that enjoys loyalty among the OAU community and other places.  Joyful Noise, an annual concert organized by the fellowship attracts crowd from various denominations to the 5000 (read five thousand) capacity sitting Amphi- theatre.

SO next time you see anyone wearing a white garment, don’t be quick to give them up as “those people”. Like Chimamanda Adichie said in her global TED talk in 2009, “when we realize that there is not a single story about any place, we regain a kind of paradise”. So let us concentrate on the good things about white garment churches and refrain from spreading the bad news. Good things abound if we care to look beyond the surface.

 HannaH