Pastor Taiwo Adeyinka is the founder and director of Taiwo’s Prophecy Brand.
He was once a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist church in Nigeria. But it was during the time of the Coronavirus pandemic that his membership with the church got broken. During that time, while he was still an active member of the church, the pandemic broke out and people were no longer allowed to gather in public. Pastor Taiwo started preaching to the members of his household in which were majorly composed of circular film makers. And as his little ministry gradually progressed, he never returned back to the church.
He cites the following reasons for his withdrawal from the church;
“Many people typically tells me that there’s no perfect church on earth. That I’ll have to wait for Jesus coming to experience a church without sin. They claim that if everyone leaves the church because of hypocrisy, who will God use to save them. That it’s humans that runs the church and they aren’t perfect. But I tell them that God won’t keep calling a people to repentance forever. He initiated a pure system, so it’s not just a pure religious system He’s after. A pure system is suppose to groom the people. It’s the righteous character, the fruits the people bears that He seeks.
Even Jesus didn’t call the Jews forever. He later told them that their house (the temple) is left desolate. Same reason the early Christians left the Jews to preach to the gentiles after the Jews were rejected. They didn’t keep calling them forever and ever. Similar thing happened to Elijah during the apostasy of Israel under Ahab. He was sent away to a gentile widow.
It’s so bad for a church who can see their evil nature and refuse to change. And keeps aggressively opposing you who are trying to correct them.
If the system is so bad that truth can’t triumph, you dare not conform. Usually God ends up separating His messenger or servant from the midst of people who have rejected the truth. So I tell people, I didn’t quit my calling through my separation. In fact, my separation was divinely ordained. I needed to come out to fulfill God’s purpose for me and to overcome their ill intentions against me.
Some people will tell me that I should remain in their midst and be resilient. That I shouldn’t conform to their doings but keep looking up to Christ as the perfect example. They say that by constant prayer and remaining truthful, things will change.
I tell them I’ve been in that church for years. Things only get worse with them. I made no effort to leave there when it was so bad nor did I think I’ll ever leave the church until God Himself intervened on my behalf.
Let me just give a tip of the iceberg of the hell I went through with them;
-While I was in the church, with the typical shy nature I had, all I wanted was to live a simple life, worship with clean conscience, go to church and do what God wanted me to do. But due to their envy and prejudice, they kept disturbing me with their policies, trying to force you to be like them.
-Despite the strong attention on you, they denied you pastoral privileges. I barely had access to the pulpit.
-There was far more joy, happiness and fun with circular acquaintances and roommates I had when I was still in the church and even with the film makers I had afterwards than the constant backbiting, gossiping, snitching and utter lack of communication I had with them. The ostracism was so determined and hellish.
-Their envy made them continually spy on you, trying to know the in and out of you so that they’ll know well how to get at you.
-Its that same envious motive and prejudice from them that makes them feel entitled, forcing you to say things about yourself, while at the same time shunning any form of communication with you.
-I experienced persecution that I’ve never read of before by any Bible character, not even with the likes of mighty Paul or Luther of Germany. It’s common for God’s messengers in the Bible to get opposed and hated when their truth is rejected. Many times, they alone fulfill their calling in the face of intense opposition. But in my case, the advancement in technology in our times was adopted to persecute you further. Like this people prefer to communicate with you online, but deny and shun any form of interaction with you in real life. Even going as far as lying to your face just to keep you in the dark to make sure that the only option for communication you’ll get is to yield to their sadistic commands online.
And their influence, bad and negative as it is so rife. All these acts are directly opposed to what Jesus or Bible says.
Till date, they don’t seem to repent from all these evil traits. I had my times of struggles, loneliness, mockery, hatred etc in the church.
And all these are just like tip of the iceberg….”
Though Pastor Taiwo claims he’s no more a Seventh Day Adventist member, yet, he claims he still regards the writings of EG White (EG White is a woman who had visions and numerous writings inspired of God. She was a major contributor to the establishment of the Seventh Day Adventist Church).
He even references her writings to support his withdrawal and separation from the church;
“It required a desperate struggle for those who would be faithful to stand firm against the deceptions and abominations which were disguised in sacerdotal garments and introduced into the church. The Bible was not accepted as the standard of faith. The doctrine of religious freedom was termed heresy, and its upholders were hated and proscribed.”
“After a long and severe conflict, the faithful few decided to dissolve all union with the apostate church if she still refused to free herself from falsehood and idolatry. They saw that separation was an absolute necessity if they would obey the word of God. They dared not tolerate errors fatal to their own souls, and set an example which would imperil the faith of their children and children’s children. To secure peace and unity they were ready to make any concession consistent with fidelity to God; but they felt that even peace would be too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of principle. If unity could be secured only by the compromise of truth and righteousness, then let there be difference, and even war.”
The Great Controversy Page 45.2,3.
“A neglect to appreciate and improve the provisions of divine grace has deprived the church of many a blessing. How often would the Lord have prolonged the work of some faithful minister, had his labors been appreciated! But if the church permits the enemy of souls to pervert the understanding, so that they misrepresent and misinterpret the words and acts of the servant of Christ; if they allow themselves to stand in his way and hinder his usefulness, the Lord sometimes removes from them the blessing which He gave.”
“Satan is constantly working through his agents to dishearten and destroy those whom God has chosen to accomplish a great and good work. They may be ready to sacrifice even life itself for the advancement of the cause of Christ, yet the great deceiver will suggest to their brethren doubts concerning them which, if entertained, would undermine confidence in their integrity of character, and thus cripple their usefulness. Too often he succeeds in bringing upon them, through their own brethren, such sorrow of heart that God graciously interposes to give His persecuted servants rest. After the hands are folded upon the pulseless breast, when the voice of warning and encouragement is silent, then the obdurate may be aroused to see and prize the blessings they have cast from them. Their death may accomplish that which their life has failed to do.”
Acts of the Apostles Pages 417.3, 418.1.
“The rulers of the people had no power to rule themselves. Uncontrolled passions made them tyrants. The Jews had accepted false testimony to condemn the innocent Son of God. Now false accusations made their own lives uncertain. By their actions they had long been saying: “Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” Isaiah 30:11. Now their desire was granted. The fear of God no longer disturbed them. Satan was at the head of the nation, and the highest civil and religious authorities were under his sway.”
The Great Controversy Page 28.1
“Thus it was that once more, because of hatred born of bigotry and self-righteousness, a servant of God was driven to turn for protection to the heathen. It was this same hatred that forced the prophet Elijah to flee for succor to the widow of Sarepta; and that forced the heralds of the gospel to turn from the Jews to proclaim their message to the Gentiles. And this hatred the people of God living in this age have yet to meet. Among many of the professing followers of Christ there is the same pride, formalism, and selfishness, the same spirit of oppression, that held so large a place in the Jewish heart. In the future, men claiming to be Christ’s representatives will take a course similar to that followed by the priests and rulers in their treatment of Christ and the apostles. In the great crisis through which they are soon to pass, the faithful servants of God will encounter the same hardness of heart, the same cruel determination, the same unyielding hatred.”
Acts of the Apostles Page 430.1.
“Opposition is the lot of all whom God employs to present truths specially applicable to their time. There was a present truth in the days of Luther,—a truth at that time of special importance; there is a present truth for the church today. He who does all things according to the counsel of His will has been pleased to place men under various circumstances and to enjoin upon them duties peculiar to the times in which they live and the conditions under which they are placed. If they would prize the light given them, broader views of truth would be opened before them. But truth is no more desired by the majority today than it was by the papists who opposed Luther. There is the same disposition to accept the theories and traditions of men instead of the word of God as in former ages. Those who present the truth for this time should not expect to be received with greater favor than were earlier reformers. The great controversy between truth and error, between Christ and Satan, is to increase in intensity to the close of this world’s history.”
“Said Jesus to His disciples: “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.” John 15:19, 20. And on the other hand our Lord declared plainly: “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” Luke 6:26. The spirit of the world is no more in harmony with the spirit of Christ today than in earlier times, and those
who preach the word of God in its purity will be received with no greater favor now than then. The forms of opposition to the truth may change, the enmity may be less open because it is more subtle; but the same antagonism still exists and will be manifested to the end of time.”
The Great Controversy 143.3, 144.1.
“Scarcely was there a generation of Frenchmen during the long period that did not witness the disciples of the gospel fleeing before the insane fury of the persecutor, and carrying with them the intelligence, the arts, the industry, the order, in which, as a rule, they pre-eminently excelled, to enrich the lands in which they found an asylum. And in proportion as they replenished other countries with these good gifts, did they empty their own of them. If all that was now driven away had been retained in France; if, during these three hundred years, the industrial skill of the exiles had been cultivating her soil; if, during these three hundred years, their artistic bent had been improving her manufactures; if, during these three hundred years, their creative genius and analytic power had been enriching her literature and cultivating her science; if their wisdom had been guiding her councils, their bravery fighting her battles, their equity framing her laws, and the religion of the Bible strengthening the intellect and governing the conscience of her people, what a glory would at this day have encompassed France! What a great, prosperous, and happy country—a pattern to the nations—would she have been!”
The Great Controversy 278.1
He also references E.G White’s writings to emphasized the evil they did to him;
“The words of Christ teach that we should regard ourselves as inseparably bound to our Father in heaven. Whatever our position, we are dependent upon God, who holds all destinies in His hands. He has appointed us our work, and has endowed us with faculties and means for that work. So long as we surrender the will to God, and trust in His strength and wisdom, we shall be guided in safe paths, to fulfill our appointed part in His great plan. But the one who depends upon his own wisdom and power is separating himself from God. Instead of working in unison with Christ, he is fulfilling the purpose of the enemy of God and man.”
The Desire of Ages 209.2.
“Instead of apologizing for the act of which they complained, or explaining His purpose in doing it, Jesus turned upon the rulers, and the accused became the accuser. He rebuked them for the hardness of their hearts, and their ignorance of the Scriptures. He declared that they had rejected the word of God, inasmuch as they had rejected Him whom God had sent. “Ye search the Scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of Me.” John 5:39.”
“The Jews had the Scriptures in their possession, and supposed that in their mere outward knowledge of the word they had eternal life. But Jesus said, “Ye have not His word abiding in you.” Having rejected Christ in His word, they rejected Him in person. “Ye will not come to Me,” He said, “that ye might have life.””
The Desire of Ages 211.4, 212.1.
“Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin to answer the charge of Sabbathbreaking. Had the Jews at this time been an independent nation, such a charge would have served their purpose for putting Him to death. This their subjection to the Romans prevented. The Jews had not the power to inflict capital punishment, and the accusations brought against Christ would have no weight in a Roman court. There were other objects, however, which they hoped to secure. Notwithstanding their efforts to counteract His work, Christ was gaining, even in Jerusalem, an influence over the people greater than their own. Multitudes who were not interested in the harangues of the rabbis were attracted by His teaching. They could understand His words, and their hearts were warmed and comforted. He spoke of God, not as an avenging judge, but as a tender father, and He revealed the image of God as mirrored in Himself. His words were like balm to the wounded spirit. Both by His words and by His works of mercy He was breaking the oppressive power of the old traditions and man-made commandments, and presenting the love of God in its exhaustless fullness.”
“Jesus knew that the priests and rabbis were determined to take His life; yet He clearly explained to them His unity with the Father, and His relation to the world. They saw that their opposition to Him was without excuse, yet their murderous hatred was not quenched. Fear seized them as they witnessed the convincing power that attended His ministry; but they resisted His appeals, and locked themselves in darkness.”
The Desire of Ages 204.4, 213.3.
“They had signally failed to subvert the authority of Jesus or to alienate the respect and attention of the people, many of whom were convicted by His words. The rulers themselves had felt deep condemnation as He had pressed their guilt home upon their consciences; yet this only made them the more bitter against Him. They were determined to take His life. They sent messengers all over the country to warn the people against Jesus as an impostor. Spies were sent to watch Him, and report what He said and did. The precious Saviour was now most surely standing under the shadow of the cross.”
“In one of the earliest prophecies of Christ it is written, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be.” Genesis 49:10. The people were gathering to Christ. The sympathetic hearts of the multitude accepted lessons of love and benevolence in preference to the rigid ceremonies required by the priests. If the priests and rabbis had not interposed, His teaching would have wrought such a reformation as this world has never witnessed. But in order to maintain their own power, these leaders determined to break down the influence of Jesus. His arraignment before the
Sanhedrin, and an open condemnation of His teachings, would aid in effecting this; for the people still had great reverence for their religious leaders. Whoever dared to condemn the rabbinical requirements, or attempt to lighten the burdens they had brought upon the people, was regarded as guilty, not only of blasphemy, but of treason. On this ground the rabbis hoped to excite suspicion of Christ. They represented Him as trying to overthrow the established customs, thus causing division among the people, and preparing the way for complete subjugation by the Romans.”
The Desire of Ages 213.4, 205.1.
“All who in that evil day would fearlessly serve God according to the dictates of conscience, will need courage, firmness, and a knowledge of God and His word; for those who are true to God will be persecuted, their motives will be impugned, their best efforts misinterpreted, and their names cast out as evil. Satan will work with all his deceptive power to influence the heart and becloud the understanding, to make evil appear good, and good evil. The stronger and purer the faith of God’s people, and the firmer their determination to obey Him, the more fiercely will Satan strive to stir up against them the rage of those who, while claiming to be righteous, trample upon the law of God. It will require the firmest trust, the most heroic purpose, to hold fast the faith once delivered to the saints.
Acts of the Apostles 431.1
