DOES HYMN 233, STANZA 4 & 6 ENDORSE WIZARDS AND WITCHES?

Every section of Celestial Church of Christ was specifically ordained by the Holy Spirit. The Church is not based on the views of any individual, but rather on God’s decision to establish a Church that will serve as a vessel to cleanse the world.

The Pastor Founder allows the reflection of messages from the Holy Spirit to be well received. Prophets and Prophetesses in various parishes of the Church receive heavenly lyrics of the hymns, which are carefully analyzed by the second in command to the Pastor Founder, late Rev. AA Bada, who was also the first choir-master in the Church.

All of the Church hymns are spiritually inspired, with lyrics that highlight the functionality of God within the Church. These hymns serve as a benchmark for all members of the Church to use as a guiding principle in all aspects of life.

However, a particular hymn has generated various interpretations from members based on their perspectives and pronunciation of stanza 4 & 6 of hymn 233. This issue needs to be carefully analyzed for future corrections. The original printed hymn was written as “IJO MIMO AYE MBE” in stanza 4 of hymn 233. In Yoruba language, the word “AYE” represents SPACE.

The revised hymn, which includes an online application in stanza 4 of the same hymn 233, uses the Yoruba language “AIYE” which represents WIZARDS. This has sparked a debate on whether the Church is glorifying wizards and witches.

The 6 stanzas of the hymn explain the true definition of Gospel music, urging the Church to prepare for the challenges as a religious organization. The word “LAYE” was repeated with a different spelling, and its tonal meaning in Yoruba language represents the last stanza as SPACE.

In clear terms, the Music Director of the Church, who is an Associate Professor of Music and a lecturer from Ibadan Polytechnic’s Music department should examine and analyze the important definitions and provide a clear clarification to assist local choirs in their parishes in singing the correct language of hymn 233.