By staff writer
Cush International Church turned theatrical on Sunday as believers aligned to Abraham Chol, attempted forceful entry into the premises, only to meet resistant from others opposed to their dogma.
The brawl in South Sudan’s Capital city, Juba, took the intervention of the Police and the military forces to bringing the squabble under control before it could take a nasty trajectory.
Abraham Chol’s troubles emanated from his incongruity teachings, which, a sect under Pastor Samuel Mabior Aliet who currently heads Cush International Church does not accept.
However, believers who abrogate his doctrine were praying inside for over one and half year while those in favor of Chol pray outside, following incidents that happened in January.
The two antagonists converged last Friday to expiate their differences but failed to reach compromise, as Abraham declined to accept conditions the Church offered, to accept his return into Jesus Chist’s fold.
“We asked him either he will return and accept Jesus again so that we can pray together or he will leave the church if he is not a Christian,” Pastor Samuel revealed in an exclusive interview, on Monday.
The wrangle flared on Sunday, when Abraham Chol called believers of his new doctrine to come to the church and enter either by force or any other means.
“During Sunday’s prayer Abraham and his group came, but were confronted by the faithful congregation of Christ,” Pr. Samuel noted.
“They came in large number to enter into the church, the congregation who are inside come out from the church and the two sides really wanted to exchange fight, but we called the police to stop them” he added.
Unfortunately, Abraham never complied and couldn’t respect the police, but only subdued at the overwhelming number of the faithful under Pr. Samuel, who sought for peace.
Pr. Samuel told No.1 Citizen Newspaper that the police then ordered closure of the church until the matter is resolved.
“The police ordered us to lock the church after the prayer, and give the key to them until we solve our issues with members of Abraham Chol. It will be then, whether we will pray in it or not” he disclosed.
However, efforts to reach Abraham Chol, for comments, never succeeded; meanwhile an interview scheduled with Pastor Eva Samuel, who is aligned to Abraham, equally hit a dead end.
Last month, Abraham Chol was banned by the Cush International Church council from leading the service in the church after him allegedly denied being a Christian.
Pr. Samuel, who now leads Cush International Church, noted that Abraham Chol was no longer mandated to continue with the ministry, following his sacrilege against the church.
“It is well-known that people who are in the church were Christians, but he said he himself is not a Christian. That’s why we said, if you’re not a Christian, why do you come to lead the church?” he argued.
According to Pr. Samuel, someone who is non-Christians cannot lead the church.
“If you (Abraham) are god, not a Christian then you better go and get for yourself another place, and build your own temple and then you will be worshiped there,” Pr. Samuel blasts.
He said those who want to worship Abraham as god would follow him and those who don’t want won’t go.
Pr. Samuel said, the church was registered in 2008 and renewed its registration in 2022 at religious affairs and the Council of Churches of South Sudan, as Cush International Church, but Abraham Chol changed it to “Cush kingdom” without their knowledge.