Réligion of Tuesday, 20 August 2013

Source: Cameroon Tribune

Illegal Churches - Evangelism Continues On Billboards...

In spite of banning orders, some preachers still use public transport buses and roadside posters to spread their messages.

Church or no church, preachers of the word of God indicate that they will take the gospel to all the nooks and crannies in Cameroon, particularly in the city of Yaounde. As the administration continues to close down certain Pentecostal churches that fail to respect the law as well as prohibit activities in certain private homes which have been transformed into church grounds, this does not seem to stop the activities of certain leaders whose churches have been prohibited. Through billboards at prominent junctions in Yaounde as well as urban and interurban transport buses, these "Men of God" continue preaching the word of God with captivating messages that do not leave many people indifferent.

At the Melen neighbourhood in Yaounde, a noticeable billboard message from Rev Dr Dieunedort Kamdem of La Cathédrale de la Foi reads; "Every Closed Church is equal to a Neighbourhood Sacrificed, History Tells Us." This billboard existed at the junction some five months before one of the churches of Rev Dr Dieunedort Kamdem was closed down by the Sub-divisional Officer for Yaounde I. Dr Dieunedort Kamdem says this billboard and many others on which he has written messages in the city of Yaounde will not be pulled down. According to the "Man of God," he is not operating against the laws put in place because just one of the 14 churches created under the Cameroon Baptist Congregation (CBC) has been banned. Dieunedort Kamdem stressed that he is just a pastor under the Cameroon Baptist Congregation and his activities to function have not been banned. As such, the Reverend says when he will receive another message from God; he will replace the ones that already exist on certain billboards in town. Around the Prime Ministerial building junction facing the Linguistic Centre in Yaounde, another large billboard of Rev Dr Dieunedort Kamdem reads; "If you do not have Jesus Christ, you are nothing".

Going through the city of Yaounde, one can still see other religious messages not only along sidewalks, but also pasted on vehicles from other "Men of God." One of such messages on urban transport buses reads: "Lord, nothing is moving in my life! Lord I want a Miracle from you. Every Sunday there is prayers at ... ... . against the spirit of failure and all chronic problems." Most of these billboards carry mobile numbers through which the "Men of God" can be reached for further prayers or other religious worries. Inter-urban travelling buses are also other fertile grounds in which evangelism has been reinforced. Passengers travelling from the capital city to the Littoral or South West Regions can testify to the constant presence of preachers at the start of the journey, who usually pray for journey mercies as well as tell them about the word of God.