As the 2025 Adult Harvest Thanksgiving Service gradually draws to a close across parishes of Celestial Church of Christ officially ending on 21st December 2025 renewed conversations have emerged around the true essence and spiritual mandate of Harvest, as clearly outlined in the Church Constitution, Section 99 (F).
The constitutional provision gives clear instructions to parishes on how Harvest Thanksgiving should be conducted, emphasizing order, moderation, purpose, and alignment with God’s mandate. However, in recent years, Harvest celebrations in several parishes have increasingly taken on a different form.
Across various parishes, Harvest services were marked by lavish spending, high-profile musical performances, elaborate decorations, and the provision of assorted delicacies for guests. While these celebrations created lively atmospheres, they also sparked condemnation and controversy, with critics questioning whether such practices align with the biblical and constitutional objectives of Harvest.
Many observers lament that the spiritual focus of Harvest Thanksgiving appears to have been overshadowed by social display, competition, and entertainment, leading to attitudes that some describe as contrary to God’s instructions for sustaining His divine mandate.
Against this backdrop, a viral online video featuring Brother Bolaji Ademola, the visionary of True Words in Session, popularly known as “Greater Tomorrow,” has reignited the conversation. In the widely circulated clip, Brother Bolaji delivered a direct and uncompromising sermon during a parish visit, offering a doctrinal and moral perspective on what Harvest should truly represent in the Church. He stressed that Harvest is not meant to be a party, nor a platform for showcasing affluence or entertaining friends and associates.
According to him, the primary focus of Harvest Thanksgiving must be compassion and responsibility specifically toward the less privileged, widows, the needy, and the vulnerable within and outside the Church. He expressed concern that many parishes now channel their energy toward pleasing guests and social circles, while neglecting those whom Harvest offerings are biblically meant to uplift.
Brother Bolaji message has since resonated widely, provoking reflection among clergy, church administrators, and worshippers alike. To many, his intervention serves as a wake-up call—a reminder that Harvest is a spiritual covenant, not merely a ceremonial celebration.
As the 2025 Harvest season concludes, his words challenge the Church to re-examine its priorities, return to constitutional discipline, and realign Harvest Thanksgiving with its original spiritual, social, and redemptive purpose.
