Internet Fraud: Palace Fire Pastor Blames Church, Family For Escalation

Pastor Joshua Afolabi, Head Pastor Palace Fire Chapel.

By LOVETH AZODO,  Lagos

The Head Pastor, Palace Fire Chapel AKA Edenic Ministries, Rv, Dr, Joshua Afolabi has frowned on the rise of Internet fraud, kidnapping and diabolical means of getting wealthy, saying that the unbalanced prosperity teachings of some churches and lack of proper parenting are the major causes of these dubious act trending amongst Nigerian youths.

Out of 74 ’email scammers’ arrested by the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation last year, 29 of them were Nigerians in a global operation, internet fraud has reportedly been onward and upward with more Nigerian youths getting themselves enrolled into the dubious act.

The Reverend whose church is situated along Lagos State University (LASU) Road, Iba, Lagos, said this on Sunday, April 12 at the recap service of its annual convention with the theme: ” Uncommon Breakthrough”

According to Afolabi, Most churches teach only on prosperity, it is time for the church to go back and focus more on basic teachings.

“The problem we have is the church because some of us don’t focus on basic teachings, and that is why I don’t joke with teaching, I am a prophet but I don’t prophesy all the time, when the unction  comes I do but I teach on attitude character and hard work.”

He insisted that the church should balance its teachings “let’s tell them that hard work pays, diligence because what someone keeps hearing he becomes.”

“When the only thing they hear is ‘you will prosper!’ ‘you will be favoured!’ without teaching them how and when someone comes with a diabolic and corrupt solution they jump into it, we have to start teaching them that there’s genuine prosperity and principles to follow for the genuine prosperity.” he stated

“These days women also do the kidnapping, yahoo plus because their family members keep comparing them with their friends, So it’s time for us to go back and start teaching them that it’s not only to pray shout amen. But in other way we are in the end time and all these things must happen the Bible says gross darkness shall darken the people but the Lord will save his people.”

Speaking on the impact of the convention he said “our convention, apart from its spiritual benefits, the convention gives us the opportunity to give back to our society we feed the poor, give to the widows, then we give scholarships, which we don’t announce for some reasons we visit the prison and hospital, we give them something. Some of the Beneficiaries of this outreach are graduates now while some are still in school and the church pays the bills. We have two persons waiting for their business to be funded by the church, they are outside now because the church is about giving not only receiving, we are of the duty to be a blessing to people so if they lie just to get money from us it’s between the person and God.”

In his optimism he said that in the next five years the church convention will be an international programme that will attract ministers all over the world.

Also speaking, Dr.  Evang. Disun Oladebode, the Chairman/CEO New Creation Development told Optimum Times that he is a deliverance minister that has received two mandates from God: spiritual and business mandate.

The real Estate Expert said “I came to tell the congregation on what makes uncommnon breakthrough difficult. I love teaching people especially the youths on how to create wealth because because they are teachable, the gospel needs money. I’m into real estate development. I teach on God’s principles to create wealth

The UK based Evangelist encouraged young Ministers to go into business and politics stating that politics is a call from God. However he said “it is wrong to go into politics because your friend is there and that is why we have abnormalities in our political sector. You mustn’t be a politician but can be a supporter of politians. You should first of all know ur purpose because it is ur purpose that determines what and how you do the things u do”

Speaking on the role of the family to curb internet fraud in the country, pastor Akeem Idoniboye, a porthacourt base minister said “we have to make greater demands on parents on raising children, earlier one person’s child is everybody’s child but it’s not the same now, but the child you don’t train will come back and hurt children, that is why you have to pay a seed of word, kindness and correction

“Every generation is meant to be better and greater than the previous generation I pray for the grace of God upon the youth so they can be able to carry this burden and blessing.”