Bishop David Oyedepo, the General Overseer of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, highlighted the resilience of the Christian faith through home-based fellowships at the Leadership Empowerment Summit in February 2025.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
Drawing from a historical account during the reign of the fourth Fatimid Caliph, Al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah, Bishop Oyedepo illustrated how the early church thrived despite severe persecution.
Between 953 AD and 975 AD, Caliph Al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah relocated his capital from Tunisia to Egypt and initiated a campaign against Christians by decreeing the closure of all churches and prohibiting the ringing of church bells. The penalty for defying this decree was death. Consequently, for nine years, church buildings remained shut, their gates rusted, and some even became shelters for animals. While a few devout Christians journeyed across deserts to monasteries for worship, the majority adapted by transforming their homes into centers of prayer and worship.
After nearly a decade, the Caliph, curious about the impact of his policies, disguised himself and walked through the streets of Old Cairo on a Sunday. To his astonishment, he heard prayers, Â Biblereadings, and hymns emanating from numerous homes. Realizing that his attempt to suppress the faith had inadvertently decentralized and strengthened it, he revoked his earlier decree, stating, “Open their churches, let them pray as they please. I thought I closed the church in every street, only to find out that I opened a church in every house.”
Bishop Oyedepo used this narrative to stress the  biblical model of meeting “from house to house,” as depicted in Acts 2:46. He encouraged congregants to invite newcomers to host cell meetings in their homes, emphasizing that hosting such gatherings brings blessings.
“Never forget that those who accommodate the ark accommodate the blessing,” he remarked. He further highlighted that the proliferation of home cells makes the church formidable, ensuring its growth and resilience against any form of adversity.
Reflecting on recent global events, Bishop Oyedepo noted, “Remember what we saw in COVID-19, but the church cannot be locked out.” He urged believers to continue fostering the church within their homes, through Bible reading and worship, reinforcing that the cell system is divinely ordained to keep the Church of Christ advancing, regardless of external challenges.
In conclusion, he affirmed, “Nothing will ever stop the Church of Christ from going forward.” The congregation responded with a resounding “Amen,” embracing the call to strengthen their faith communities through home fellowships.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
