Monrovia – There has always been something strange about the Saint Assembly International – a religious sect – which came under the spotlight recently for indoctrinating minors to allegedly forgo all forms of formal education.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson-Mbayo, [email protected]
The church has constantly reacted to being branded a ‘strange’ church, arguing that the Liberia Council of Churches is aware of its existence and doctrine.
However, a FrontPage Africa’s investigation has found that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the custodian of Articles of Incorporation in the country, has no record of Saint Assembly International.
Article of Incorporation is a set of formal documents filed with the government to legally document the creation of a corporation. It states the pertinent information such as the firm’s name, address, type of services and others.
The Liberia Business Registry could not also trace any document from their archive on the Church.
Recently, the Liberia Council of Churches said they learned about the church based on a communication received from the Liberia National Police (LNP). The LCC said they don’t know how the church was established.
“We got to hear about them through the police who informed us about fracas between parents and the church and their way of worship,” the LCC said.
Christoe WlehToe, Secretary General of the LCC, in an interview with FPA said the communication from the LNP was for LCC to find solution between parents and the church after it claimed that they are members of the umbrella organization.
“The LCC like to say that they (Saint Assembly) are not members of the LCC and that we don’t know them as a church related organization or ecumenical collaboration work,” he said.
Wleh Toe said, “We don’t know about them,” adding that there are lots of churches that the LCC have ecumenical collaboration with but do not have any collaboration with the Saint Assembly Ministry International.
“They communicated with us to find solution; it was concern that parents reported the church to the police so they wanted us to find solution,” he said.
The LCC secretary general added that the meeting with the church at the LNP headquarters was meant to establish that the church properly identify itself through legal documentation so that they can know the church’s principles.
“And what they stand for, what are the objectives as a church and whether it is link to the Bible so that the country cannot have a national crisis with other churches in the country,” said WlehToe.
He said since the meeting was held in early July till now the Church has not presented their constitutions and by-laws to the council.
“So, we have no information on them yet and we are still perusing that.”
He said though the constitution calls for freedom of association, it is not clear on faith as compare to the last constitution.
“When people coming in the country and portraying an act of Christianity and that is completely different from what the church look like that should be a concern to the country,” he said.
Wleh Toe said the LCC is to engage the religious advisor and foreign affairs to know whether they are registered under the law.
“But we have to be careful as a state so that we can’t turn the country into demonic nightmare where people will have all kinds of connection to Christianity that is nudity, same-sex, sexuality been planted in the church.”
He said it’s time the religious community stand against anyone who wants to spoil religious harmony, adding, “We can’t be perfect but the issue of morality should be a concern.”
When questioned by the Police about their Articles of Incorporation, Saint Assembly urged the Police to read the Bible in order to understand its scope of operations.
“The LCC don’t know their doctrine and we ask them on what people say about their doctrine and all they show is the Bible,” Police investigators told FPA.
“We ask them ‘what does the constitution say,’ they connect us with scripture, every church is connected with a Bible; you take the laws to the Government for article of incorporation.”
“The country is a country of law and the Bible is how you live your life to please God. The Bible verse “Love the Lord with all heart, soul mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself” summarize the entire Bible.”