Cleric Bayo Oluwayemi of Wonders Chapel has cautioned Nigerians against squandering economic hours in church.

During his sermon, he lamented the trend of people spending excessive working hours at religious establishments.

He expressed disapproval of individuals closing down their businesses to serve God, emphasizing that it is not necessary.

Pastor Oluwayemi pointed out that God does not punish those who work hard, referencing doctors and nurses who work tirelessly, even on Sundays.

He urged his congregation to engage in business and to prioritize their work over excessive church attendance.

The cleric also mentioned that importance of balancing faith with practical responsibilities.

He said,

“I want to beg you, in this church engage in business. Stop wasting economic hours in church. This is June, some people they entered into mountain on May 3, and returned on June 8. Which God are you begging? Is He so wicked? If she has a shop she locked that shop for 8 days and she is expecting transportation and she considered that one faithfulness.

“Every member of this church, if you’re a business man immediately after the service go and open your shop. If you are abroad, after the service you go to work and clock in. People work on Sunday, God never sent them to hell because of working on Sunday. What of doctors and nurses? Somebody now prays overnight, then get to place of work and start dosing. You have a place of work and then go for vigil, and now dozing. They supposed to sack you.

“You’re not faithful. Why should you be dozing in an official hour? Stop using economic hours, God is not wicked. God is love. There is poverty in our land but if you can still work, you will eat.

“Somebody who is supposed to rest and the body recuperates in preparation for Monday work will be leaving vigil by 3am. Then when he’s supposed to transfer 3,000, he transfers 300,000 because he was dozing. He now says it’s the devil. Its not the devil, you don’t rest. It’s not devil, its you. You are too careless.”

Reacting to his remarks, some Nigerians took to social media to share their opinions.

Olu narrating his experience said: "I have a customer I used to buy things from. I had to change her. Why? Her shop is always under lock. Whenever I ask her, Madam, I have been coming to your shop for a while, but you're not always around, she'd say, I went to church; we had a program in the church."

Desire Don-Robinson: "I totally agree with the pastor. This is what I do teach my members in Church. God created us here on earth to work. In fact, work is an act of worship to God. Faith must go with work, if not it's a dead faith."

Robert Kehinde: "Who would force a grown adult to spend all their working hours in church if not for sheer foolishness? Trying to evoke emotion won't affect me. Work hard and serve your God well, but remember to exercise moderation in everything."

Joseph Odey Acha: "I presume his church is on X only, so spending quality time with God is now a waste of time? Something never pursues una."

Prince Okeyale: "Even if you work from January to December without rest, that wouldn't make a person rich. There is a physical world and a spiritual world, and some people are poor spiritually."

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