By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The 21st Harvest Thanksgiving Service of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide, Ayo Ni O Centre for Deliverance Through Evangelism, Dakibiyu District, Kubwa, Abuja, has ended with renewed calls for Nigerians to have faith in the country and take responsibility for its future.
Speaking during the service on Sunday, September 27, 2026, held under the theme “Great Mercies,” guest preacher, Pastor Gideon Oyedepo, urged Nigerians not to surrender their minds to politicians, insisting that Nigeria is a great nation with enormous potential.
Oyedepo, who spoke to journalists after delivering his sermon, said Nigerians must first change their perception of the country and recognise its potential.
According to him, “Nigeria is a great nation. That’s the way the Lord prepared Nigeria to be. The better, the earlier we come alive or let that fact come alive in our mental orientation.”
He identified the failure of Nigerians to take control of their minds as one of the major challenges confronting the country, urging citizens to think independently and make decisions based on their understanding of the nation’s needs.
Speaking on the general elections “Nigerians must know that they have to take hold of their minds. They don’t have to continually surrender their minds to politicians,” he said.
Oyedepo also called on Christian leaders to focus more on helping ordinary Nigerians rather than politicians, saying religion and ethnicity were not the fundamental problems confronting the country.
“Religion is not the problem of Nigeria. Tribe is not the problem of Nigeria. The problem of Nigeria is that the people fail to let their minds rule them,” he stated.
He added that the Christian community had a responsibility to help Nigerians rediscover their sense of responsibility and contribute to the country’s development.
Speaking on the significance of the harvest celebration, Oyedepo said Jesus Christ represents the harvest, while the annual event serves as an opportunity for Christians to reflect on God’s mercy and prepare for the ultimate harvest.
He said the harvest also encompasses material blessings that sustain believers as they journey towards the final harvest.
The cleric, who based his sermon on several biblical passages, including Matthew 9, Luke 1 and John 12:24, described Jesus as the seed, the sower, the servant and Lord of the harvest.
Oyedepo maintained that every ending could become a pathway to divine multiplication, urging members to remain faithful and allow God’s word to transform their minds.
He said the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrated that what appeared to be an ending could lead to multiplication and greater impact.
“Every ending can be turned to divine multiplication,” he declared.
He further encouraged members to develop greater spiritual capacity and vision, saying believers should learn to see opportunities and solutions through faith.
Also speaking at the event, the Senior Pastor of the Centre for Deliverance Through Evangelism, Dakibiyu District, Kubwa, Abuja, Pastor Alex Ogundipe, expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future.
Ogundipe urged Nigerians to trust the process the country is going through and seek God’s intervention in its affairs.
Speaking on the 2027 general elections “I believe this country in the next four years, I don’t know who will be there, but I can tell you without a doubt, people will be begging to come to Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria remains a blessed country despite the negative narratives surrounding it.
“Forget what people would talk negative. This country is blessed. In four years’ time, people will be begging for Nigeria’s Visas,” Ogundipe stated.
He also outlined the church’s vision for the next 21 years, saying the ministry would expand its global evangelical outreach and establish universities and television platforms to reach more people with its message.
Another speaker, Pastor Oluremi, expressed optimism that Nigeria would become more peaceful, secure and prosperous, with greater employment opportunities for young people.
She called on Nigerian women to participate actively in the 2027 elections and vote according to their conscience.
According to her, women are significantly affected by developments in the economy and society because of their responsibilities in the home and marketplace.
“Women should vote their conscience. Women should come out and vote. It is their right to vote,” she said.
She urged women not to be carried away by campaign promises or inducements, but to consider the leadership qualities and programmes of candidates before making their choices.
Oluremi also called for the raising of godly children, saying this would contribute to building a better society and reducing crime.
She prayed for greater growth and expansion of the church, including more branches, leadership opportunities and greater opportunities for its members
Earlier, the first Bible reading at the thanksgiving service was taken from Isaiah 54:1–10, which speaks about God’s mercy, restoration, expansion and covenant of peace.
The passage set the tone for the celebration as worshippers gathered to mark the 21st anniversary of the harvest thanksgiving.
Speaking further during his sermon, Pastor Oyedepo reminded the congregation that the harvest belongs to God and urged members to understand the spiritual significance of the celebration.
He said the 21 years of the church’s existence represented evidence of God’s mercy and called on members to expect greater impact and multiplication.
The 2026 Harvest Committee Chairman, SP/Apostle Kehinde Arowosegbe, expressed gratitude to God for the successful celebration.
Arowosegbe said the committee initially faced doubts about whether the anniversary would be achieved, but attributed its success to divine provision.
“I feel so elated. Glory be to God. He has done it Himself,” he said.
He thanked members and supporters of the church and prayed for continued blessings as the ministry moves beyond its 21st year.
The 21st Harvest Thanksgiving Service, themed “Great Mercies,” featured prayers, Bible readings, worship, preaching and thanksgiving as members reflected on the church’s 21-year journey and looked ahead to its future expansion.
