Lagos/Abeokuta as power base: Joshua Selman replies critics

….says “I am still a student in the school of the Spirit”

The Founder of Eternity Network, Apostle Joshua Selman has responded to criticisms of his statements a few weeks ago on the spiritual implications of Lagos and Abeokuta axis.

He had said in a message that anybody that would have global presence and effectiveness in spiritual matters must step on Lagos and Abeokuta in one of his messages.

Many people took him up on this and described the assertion as being heretic.

But in a live video chat with Dele Osunmakinde published on Sunday monitored by Church Times, Selman said he did not make the statement as a doctrine.

He said he was open to correction and was still a student in the school of ministry. He said when he made the statement, he was talking on doors. “I was speaking on portals and prophetic implications of portals. I was saying there are certain territories that when God wants to announce you, he will make your feet to step on those territories. I did not teach it as a doctrine. I said it as a man.” He added however that what he said “is largely true” based on his own prophetic insight.

Selman also stated that there is more to the controversy. He said, “If you seek for truth with an open heart, you will find it. There are many more accurate voices than me in the body. You have to probe the motive behind the controversy. If I die today, it’s the unique expression of the grace of God in my life that will be missed. But spiritual growth in the Body of Christ will continue. I should not be a big deal.

“When people begin to attack a man of God and calling out sentences, phrases they run into trouble. Even if what I say is wrong, it won’t be the last wrong thing I will say. People die in the hands of doctors every day and we still call them doctors, we call them professors, we give them awards. So why are we so harsh on men of God? Where there is a problem is when a man of God stands as an absolute authority. I am only an effective member of the Body of Christ I am also a student in the school of spirit.”

He said he had no problem with people criticizing men of God noting that “Correcting the body of Christ is an office. The first requirement of that office is love. Our children will edit what we call Rhema today. If I had attacked some men of God before, I will look stupid today.”

On those who have been criticizing him, he said, “One thing I will like to say is that I love you. I don’t believe you are trying to challenge me unduly and I know you are doing your best for the body of Christ. And I salute you that you were able to detect what I said. Next time I think if you find anything wrong in what I say or any other man of God for that matter, it is better to ask the man of God to shed light on what he said. If the man then demonstrates rebellion and hard hardheartedness then that is where the problem is.”

While insisting that he does not have problems being criticized, he said, “I think there are many messages out there and you may pick certain things based on the mentorship you have received. It must be very focal that the love of God is seen in you. In a bid to correct somebody, do not get into error yourself.”

He noted however that the goal of some critics is not to correct but it is to put some people down “For all the people who love me, give people a chance to be wrong. Let us show love in our dealings. Criticism gives people the opportunity for the person to be Berean Christian. If I am wrong I am not ashamed to say I am wrong. I said what I said from a prophetic standpoint. People have a right to disagree with me. When people disagree with you it gives them room to study. If I make a mistake I am not too proud or too arrogant not to accept I made a mistake. We are advocating a dimension that is real.”

He counselled that people should not find joy in bringing others down to show they are up. “I must love the Body of Christ than myself and my reputation. I am a human being, I can make mistake. We must approach ministry as students in the school of ministry. Those who see more than us must be able to carry out their corrective roles in a discreet way. Rather than do a social media critic why not do a podcast and send to the man of God. If I receive such video I will be grateful and faithfully look at it. When you feel that a man of God’s message has a perspective that you don’t like, it is alright. That should not be a shock. The key is to sustain love. At the other end, when people challenge you as men of God be calm and don’t fight back and encourage people who love you not to fight back.”