Pastor Ibiyeomie's Warning to Church Members Fuels Reactions, Bans Popular Habits Inside Church
- Pastor Ibiyeomie compared members chewing gum during service to animals, stating firmly that the habit is a sign of disrespect to the sacredness of the altar
- Worshippers have been told to keep their water bottles outside and their mobile devices away, as the preacher insists on total concentration during the word
- The clergyman distanced his church's conduct from other Pentecostal denominations, criticizing the laxity often seen in contemporary gatherings
- A public affairs analyst, Ayo Adeleke, stated that Pastor David Ibiyeomie has the right to set standards for his church
Founder of Salvation Ministries, David Ibiyeomie, has become a major talking point online after a viral video captured him issuing strict conduct rules to members during church service.
In the clip making the rounds on X, formerly known as Twitter, the clergyman passionately warned worshippers against chewing gum, drinking water, or operating mobile phones while inside the church auditorium.
Source: Instagram
According to him, the church is a sacred place that must be treated with seriousness and respect.
Speaking before his congregation, Pastor Ibiyeomie condemned behaviours he described as disrespectful during worship sessions.
“Don’t chew gum when you’re in church, you’re not a goat,” he said.
He also instructed members not to drink water during service, insisting that anyone who needed water should step outside the auditorium.
“Don’t drink water in church. If you want to drink water, go outside,” he added.
The pastor further warned against the use of mobile phones during worship, stressing that members should avoid distractions and focus on spiritual activities.
“Don’t use phone at all in church,” he stated.
He also made a remark comparing his church’s practices to what he called “Pentecostal churches,” saying such churches were more relaxed about allowing water inside auditoriums.
Watch the video here:
Netizens comment on Pastor Ibiyeomie's message
Legit.ng compiled the reactions of social media users below:
@chijioke6883 commented:
"Not all people chew gum just for fun some might be suffering from Stroke, paralysis or any kind of sickness,I know someone like that the doctor told him to make chewing gum his habit."
@official_tivick stated:
"Man, this your quote is misleading Thank God I watched the video, no part of it where he mentioned "This is not a Pentecostal church, only Pentecostal churches allows water inside church.”
@vsoghec commented:
"If he says Jesus is Lord, some persons will still find fault in how he said it, yall be alright Las Las, if you're using your phone as note pad, that's OK, but surfing the net while in church is rubbish, 2hrs od decency and decorum in church is a problem"
@MondayCaroline noted:
"We shouldn’t drink water in the church ke! Ah! God no send una all this one o"
Source: Instagram
Analyst backs Ibiyeomie's standard
A public affairs analyst, Ayo Adeleke, stated that Pastor David Ibiyeomie has the right to set standards for his church.
He said:
"David Ibiyeomie has the right to set standards of conduct in his church, especially if he believes they promote reverence and reduce distractions during worship. However, while discouraging phone use and distractions may be understandable, banning water completely may appear too strict to some people, especially for health or medical reasons."
Ibiyeomie recounts obedience financial testimony
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Pastor David Ibiyeomie of Salvation Ministries shared a 1997 testimony in which he said he gave out his entire ₦5,000 salary after receiving what he described as divine instruction.
The cleric recounted that shortly after the sacrifice, a church member visited his home with N25,000 and food items, saying she was led to bless him.
He added that the woman also later experienced her own financial breakthrough.
Source: Legit.ng
