A handful of Christians with ulterior motives staged protest – PCC Pastor

Rev. Pastor Abong Ezekiel, the pastor of Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) Dibanda (Mile 14) in Buea Subdivision, has told MMI in an exclusive interview that he will continue to serve as the congregation’s legitimate shepherd unless the church hierarchy decides to replace him or redeploy him.

He was reacting one week after a group of Christians, including the group president of the Christian Women Fellowship (CWF) of that congregation, tried to forcefully evict him from the worship house.

In an exclusive chat with MMI’s CEO, Mimi Mefo Takambou, Rev. Abong, who has been pastoring the congregation for five years now, said he has no problem with his congregation. “I have served God and my congregation with all due diligence, without any issue, but one thing in life is that you can never please everyone,” Pastor Ezekiel told MMI.

However, a few worshippers, he claimed, are pressuring him to go against his calling and personal values.

On Sunday, October 8, the irate worshippers chased him out of the congregation after accusing him of not being accountable to them.

The Christians said they didn’t want him as their pastor anymore and claimed that he had insulted them. They also said that he is due for retirement.

Rev. Abong refuted claims that he insulted his Christians and denied all other allegations they levied against him.

The 60-year-old said he is still five years younger than the retirement age for PCC pastors.

He also told MMI that the PCC’s hierarchy has waded into the problem and is dialoguing with Christians to resolve it.

This Sunday, Rev. Abong did not worship with his Christians, and a ‘guest pastor’ delivered the sermon.

He, however, said he won’t be leaving the congregation unless the PCC’s hierarchy decides otherwise.

He believes he came to the congregation to serve the Christians, and he will continue working there “until the Lord says ‘go elsewhere’”.

Read the full interview except below:

Hello reverend, We have seen you on video where your Christians are sending you out of the church. What really happened?

I was transferred there in 2018. I’ve been there for the past five years. This is my sixth year. And after ordination, a pastor must be where they are posted until they are transferred; it is God’s will. They say that I’m over 60 years old and I should go on retirement, but the PCC has the retirement age at 65.

I just celebrated 60 on August 21, 2023. They say that I should bring harvest Thanksgiving money, which is for the central church, and that we should sit down, count it, and know what is going to the central church. They now accuse me of not being accountable.

A congregational meeting has been scheduled for the 17th of December. Yet they do not want it. They say, ‘no,’ it must be precipitated.

But how does a congregational meeting hold without the financial secretary, who is currently taking care of personal duties?

The Presbyterian Church is a church of order and decency. We don’t do things in a hurry; we make sure rules are strictly followed and respected. I am here on official capacity as a spiritual leader.

The Christians accused you of being ungrateful for the things they have done for you. They claimed you insulted them as dirty people, and so on. How do you respond to these accusations?

That is also not true because I had to borrow money from Pres Micro Finance and also from one of my savings accounts at PESH. PESH is our social scheme: the Presbyterian social scheme, or social help.

The PCC moderator is aware of that and facilitated the process for me. The compound cost me close to 30 million FCFA. And i can tell you that Christians did not build it.

The angry Christians said you insulted them. Is that true?

No, I have not and never will. I only preach in the church, and if any of my sermons have had an impact on anyone, it has never been intentionally or personally directed at them.

All my sermons are in a book that is available for anyone to see. It starts with a prayer and ends with a prayer.

Are you saying that it was just a handful of Christians chasing you?

That is right; they are up to 1/4 of the entire congregation. The rest of the Christians do not have issues with me. I don’t understand why they had to do that and take a video of me and send it to the public. God is my witness, and I am okay with everyone else.

Where are you now? And are you still the pastor of the church?

Of course. I am in Mutengene, Limbe Road, where my house is.

And if they say I will not be pastor of the church anymore, they are not the synod. Only the Synod has the right to make any decision about a pastor because we are under their jurisdiction.

Is the PCC Moderator aware of this situation?

The PCC Moderator, Rt. Rev. Dr. Fonki Samuel Forba, is aware of the situation. The Presbyterian Secretary is aware of the situation, and when they locked the church on that fateful Sunday, I came and I begged them to open the church; they said, ‘Pastor go, ya own don correct.’ [We have had enough of you.]

As I climbed on the bike because all my cars were bad that morning, I got a bike, and it took me home. Our Presbyterian Secretary is in my immediate hierarchy; he is aware of it. They are seeking solutions to the issue.

Looking at how things are going within this congregation, are you comfortable working there or do you want to precipitate your departure?

I wouldn’t precipitate my departure. I will like to work until the Lord says, ‘Go elsewhere’. I have a very good relationship with people. It’s just that not all will like you. Some will hate you, and some will love you. Courage, brothers; do not stumble.

So there was no service the following Sunday at the Presbyterian Church in Dibanda?

There was a service, and a guest pastor and another visiting pastor led the service. I will still remain the pastor of that congregation until further notice. I will still remain the congregational pastor of that congregation until I’m redeployed.

Rev. Abong told MMI that time heals everyone and that the standoff with his Christians will not be an exception. He says the doors of the church remain open to all members, and that because it is the house of God, God looks out for everyone and forgives all.

©️ Mimi Mefo Info (MMI) Exclusive