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Inioluwa Ogunleye
1 month ago
Overview
Five Nigerian churches that don’t celebrate Christmas
1. Jehovah’s Witnesses: Historically, Jehovah’s Witnesses were one of the largest groups to refrain from celebrating Christmas. While they initially observed the holiday, the organization stopped celebrating it in 1928.
2. Seventh-Day Adventist Church: Seventh-Day Adventists, who worship on Saturdays (the Jewish Sabbath), also do not celebrate Christmas. The church explains that since Jesus wasn’t born in December, and the Bible does not command the celebration of His birth, Christmas is viewed as a commercialized event with pagan origins.
3. Deeper Life Bible Church: Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, leader of Deeper Life Bible Church, declared several years ago that his congregation does not celebrate Christmas. During the church’s 2013 December retreat, Kumuyi explained that Christmas has idolatrous origins, and since Christmas customs and songs are not found in the Bible or early Christian practices, Deeper Life refrains from participating in these traditions.
4. God’s Kingdom Society (GKS): The God’s Kingdom Society (GKS), founded in 1934 by St. Gideon Meriodere Urhobo in Nigeria, commemorates Jesus Christ’s birth in October with an event called Freedom Day. GKS avoids celebrating Christmas in December due to its pagan roots and believes the October date aligns better with historical and biblical interpretations.
5. Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM): Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), led by Dr. Daniel Olukoya, does not celebrate Christmas due to its pagan origins and lack of biblical foundation.
