“I want the church and God to forgive me. I am the cause of the evil that has befallen the church. I planned it, nurtured it to maturity and executed it. Many of the people that fought the battle with me don’t even know what they were fighting for. But Unfortunately, many of them have paid the supreme price. My wife was the only person that knew what I was fighting for, she supported and threw all her weight behind me. It helped in energizing me. Whenever I remember the way she died, goose bumps rises all over my body. It all started when Pastor Ephraim was posted to our church. A lot of things changed. The church has been my major source of income before he was posted here. I used to steal from the offering and tithe.”

There was noise everywhere but the host pastor managed to make the congregation calm.

“Elder, please continue with what you are saying.”

“I am in serious pain. It’s as if I am in fire. Please I need water to drink,” elder Femi requested.

Someone was sent to get water. After drinking the water, he continued with his confession.

“As I was saying, I had no major source of livelihood apart from income generated from the church. That was why I was always available to run both minor and major errands in the church. I knew what I was making from it. When one of our former pastors discovered what was going on and confronted me, I threatened that I will scatter the church. So, he let me be. But pastor Ephraim was different. He put structures in place that removed my mouth from food. That made me to be very angry with him. I decided to mobilize the members against him. Many were gullible, so they joined me in the fight. I am sorry for everything. I apologize to the family members of those that lost their lives.”

Elder Monday’s wife interrupted his speech, “Did you say apology. You deceived and killed my husband and you are here to apologize. Elder Femi, God will not forgive you. May you die a more painful death than the people you led astray.” She dived towards the altar in an attempt to fight elder but they held her.

“I am so sorry. It is my selfishness that brought this doom to the church. But then, I want to thank God for Gad. He is lucky to have a godly wife. If not , he would have been the first person to die. Wives, I want to advise you, don’t join your husbands to do evil. It backfires. If my wife did not support me in the evil part I was treading, maybe I would have repented. Even, if I did not repent, at least she will be alive today. Now, see the effect in my family. My children are now sheep without shepherd. My son; Tobi died. Ah! my Tobi. The only good thing I had in this life was Tobi. Loving, understanding, respectful, but he has gone. Now I am left with nothing. I am heart broken. The ones left are behaving like fools. I was the one that dragged Lekan into the mess. I sent him to go to the General Overseer to tell lies against the man of God. Now he is living in anguish. The accident that took Tobi’s life ruined Lekan. His two hands and legs were amputated. The wound has refused to heal. Lekan is looking for death, but death seem to be far away from him. Nobody is forcing you to come to church, but if you decide to serve God, please serve him well. Serve him with all your heart. Honour your pastor. It is true that there are fake pastors, there are also real ones. Don’t mess with real men of God. I tried it and the result is not funny.”

He started feeling very hot again.

“Water please I need very cold water, ice block Let it be poured on my head. It is burning. That is what I have been passing through. Ah fire fire…….”

He was pointing at his front as if he was seeing something.

“Elder what is it?” pastor asked,

“They are dragging me into fire. Please tell them to leave me.”

He started struggling, as Pastor rushed to hold him and pray for him, he gave up the ghost.

As some people tried to carry elder Femi’s corpse out of the church, a woman was at the corner lamenting.

“Ah my husband, Ifeanyi died for nothing. He was a good man. He doesn’t look for trouble. He was just deceived. Elder Femi deceived my husband. I was at home with my husband when elder Femi crawled in deceptively and deceived my husband. He came with evil stories about Pastor. Telling my husband that Pastor was suspecting his source of income. Ah! I warned my husband to be careful and not say anything evil against the servant of God. From time to time elder Femi would come, he and my husband will be gossiping about Pastor . Before, you know it my husband started suffering from cancer of the throat. Now I have become a widow. Elder Femi, if truly you have died, may you die again. ”
The guest minister went to hold her.

“Madam it is alright. Stop weeping. It’s a pity that your husband was caught in the web. There are many deceivers in the church. They are so crafty that you might not know their real intention when they come to meet you. That is why we all need the Holy Spirit. No matter how careful you are, they can deceive you, if you don’t have the Holy Spirit. Forget the leadership position anyone is holding in church, if the Spirit of God in you did not accept anyone, then, be careful of that person.”

As the guest minister was still addressing the woman, some young men dragged a mad man to the altar. Mr. Friday had been mad for a while. He was on chain because he was so violent. When his wife saw what was happening in church that day he decided to bring him to church, for the man of God to pray for him. As far as Mrs. Friday was concerned, her husband was one the people that loved the pastor and supported his ministry.