Mike Bamiloye speaks extensively on gospel filmmakers partnering with secular artistes for film productions, abnormalities among drama ministers, taking gospel movies to cinema, what ANCEDRAM stands for amongst other

By Oluwafemi Dosu

The leader of Drama Ministers in Nigeria and beyond, Evang. Mike Bamiloye has opened up and spoken extensively on some abnormalities that has crept into the drama ministry, gospel filmmakers partnering with secular artistes for film productions, taking gospel movies to cinema, amongst others.

Bamiloye who is the Board of Trustees chairman of All Nigeria Conference of Evangelical Drama Ministers, ANCEDRAM also opened up on what ANCEDRAM stands for.

Gospel Film News gathered that Bamiloye stated this while addressing leaders of ANCEDRAM at the Western Region Leadership meeting recently. EXCERPT:

*ANCEDRAM WESTERN REGION LEADERSHIP MEETING*

*”WHAT DO WE STAND FOR?”*

_EVANG. MIKE BAMILOYE (BOT, Chairman, ANCEDRAM)_

*WHAT DO WE STAND FOR?*

Jude 1:3-4 NKIV

_[3] Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints._

_[4] For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ._

Galatians 2:18 NKIV

_[18] For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor._

*INTRODUCTION*

All around us these days are men and women who are Drama Ministers without walking in the fear of God. Al around us , today, are DRama Ministers whose lifestyles are contrary to Heaven’s Approval. Many Drama Ministers are no longer walking in the fear of God. Many are full of bitterness, greed, envy, unforgiveness, etc, even though they do go about acting in churches and campuses.

If you are a Drama Minister, acting drama and making movies, but are still walking in iniquities and sins of fornication, adultery, anger, bitterness, envy, jealousy, covetousness and ungodliness, YOU ARE NOT APPROVED UNTO GOD in this noble assignment.

Secondly, ANCEDRAM!

We have got MIXED MULTITUDES amidst us! We have got members amidst us who have been polluted by the Devil and have been confused not knowing what they are doing anymore. THEY ARE NEITHER HERE NOR THERE

We have been infiltrated by Drama Ministers who carry wrong teachings and Strange Doctrines, holding Workshops, Seminars and Conferences and establishing Drama Schools to indoctrinate and educate innocent young ones who desire to serve the Lord with their gift of acting and scripting. These people are NOT APPROVED of God either.

They are MIXED MULTITUDES, UNAPPROVED by the Holy Spirit.

Now we have Movie Directors who have Worldliness harbored in their heart, and are beginning to mislead and confuse other heavenly conscious Drama Ministers.

When you see a Christian Movie Director, who instructs Casts on Sets to kiss an opposite sex, He or She is not Approved Unto God in this Holy evangelistic assignment.

When you see a Christian Movie Director, who directs a lady to sit on a man’s lap on set; or instructs a half nude dressing in movie, or making a lady to appear on set topless, and men appearing in underwear pants, for whatever reasons, he is SPIRITUALLY UNPROFESSIONAL, Untutored, Unlearned, UNAPPROVED unto God in this glorious Assignment.

We now have among us Secular Professionals BUT SPIRITUALLY UNPROFESSIONAL in Spiritual Dramatization and Evangelical Ministration Acting.

Ladies and Gentlemen, There are Secular Professionals.

But they are Absolutely UNPROFESSIONALS in the Spiritual Dramatization and Evangelical Ministration Acting.

Therefore, if they are Secularly Professionals in Secular Movie Making, WE ARE SPIRITUALLY PROFESSIONALS in Gospel Movie Making.

We know how to trust in the Lord to achieve great spectacular projects, while all they know is how to look up to financial sponsors before they could do a thing.

Therefore, as a Drama Minister, when you attempt to operate like Secular Movie Artistes or Secular Movie Makers, you don’t have knowledge of your spiritual Positions in Christ.

AND WHEN YOU TRY TO IMPOSE THE SECULAR PROFESSIONALISM UPON US IN DRAMA MINISTRY, YOU ARE MERELY WASTING YOOUR TIME, BECAUSE IT CAN NEVER WORK.

DONT EVEN TRY IT, BECAUSE IT WILL NOT WORK.

And if you are a Drama Minister in ANCEDRAM, and you are trying to put one leg in the Secular and put another leg in ANCEDRAM, you CANNOT STAND either. Because it will not work.

*SEVEN REASONS WHY WE HOLD THIS EMERGENCY LEADERSHIP MEETING*

*1. WE SHOULD EDUCATE OURSELVES, AS THE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS OF DRAMA MINISTRY lN NIGERIA.*

WE SHOULD BE ADEQUATELY EDUCATED, AS THE DRAMA MINISTERS OF WESTERN REGION WHERE ANCEDRAM ORIGINATED FROM.

– A LOT OF US IN DRAMA MINISTRY ARE LACKING IN KNOWLEDGE OF THINGS AND ISSUES RELATING TO OUR MINISTRY.

– MANY OF US KNOW LITTLE AND CARE LESS ABOUT:

       – ENTERTAINMENT WORLD AROUND US.

       – SOME NOTABLE SECULAR ARTISTES AND THEIR LIVES

THIS KNOWLEDGE IS NECESSARY LEST YOU ARE DECEIVED OR CAJOLED INTO DOING WHAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO.

*2. KNOWING THE POSITION OF THE LEADERS:*

– SILENCE ALL THIS WHILE ON THE PART OF THE LEADERS HAS NOT ALLOWED ANCEDRAM MEMBERS TO HAVE A CLEAR FOCUS OF THE POSITION OF THE FATHERS OF THE ASSOCIATION.

– WE CALL THIS MEETING TO MAKE OUR POSITION KNOWN TO THE WESTERN REGION LEADERS, WHO WOULD TRANSMIT THIS TO THEIR MEMBERS BACK HOME.

*3. IT IS TIME WE TELL THE WORLD WHERE WE BELONG AS AN ASSOCIATION.*

1 Kings 18:21 NKJV
[21] And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.

– YOU EITHER STAND FOR SOMETHING OR STAND FOR NOTHING. YOU CANNOT STAND IN-BETWEEN.

– BUT ALL AROUND US TODAY, IN ANCEDRAM, ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE NEITHER HERE OR THERE.

        – They Put One leg in the Secular World and out the other leg in the Christian World.

        – They want to be relevant in ANCEDRAM and want to be relevant in Nollywood.

AND WE ARE NOT WORRIED, WE DO NOT MIND, WE DONT BEHAVE AS IF IT MATTERS TO US.

– WE ARE LEAVING MANY PEOPLE CONFUSED WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH GOSPEL MOVIES.

– IT IS IMPACTING NEGATIVELY ON THE DISCIPLESHIP OF THE PEOPLE THE LORD IS USING US TO TRANSFORM.

*4. ARE THERE CHRISTIANS AND BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST AMONG THE SECULAR MOVIE ARTISTES AND PRODUCTIONS?*

– If We Say There Are No Christians And Believers Among The Secular Movie Productions, It Is Like Saying There Can Never Be Believers Among The Police.

IT IS A SELF DECEPTION. THERE ARE CHRISTIANS, EVEN PREACHERS AMONG THEM.

– Eucharia Anunobi

– Patience Ozorkwo

– Zark ORJI

– Pat Attah

– Larry Koldsweat, etc

BECAUSE THEY ARE CHRISTIANS, ARE THEY QUALIFIED TO JOIN US IN CHRISTIAN FILM PRODUCTIONS?

(Will Answer The Question later)

*5. IT IS TIME WE AVOID DESTROYING WHAT THE LORD HAS HELPED US TO BUILD OVER THE YEARS.*

Galatians 2:18 NKIV

_[18] For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor._

– When We Bring Believers Secular Movie Actors Into Our Movie Productions, It Is Similar To Pulling Down What We Have Built Up Over The Years:

– They Are Christians, But The World That Have Known Them Playing Many Ungodly, Unedifying And Immoral Roles As Professionals Over The Years, Have Not Known Them As Christians.

– What Do The World Know Nollywood For?

      – The Yoruba Nollywood Is Known For Idolatory, Ungodly Philosophies And Satanic Solutions To Human’s Problems.

       – The English Nollywood Are Not Edifying And Also Very Ungodly

– So Lives Of People Are Not Blessed, And An Average Family Does Not Want Their Children To Imbibe The Philosophies Of These Movies.

– Coming Across Any of These Characters In A Movie Meant For Evangelism And Missions, Would Definitely Confused Your Audience.

*6. DOES ANCEDRAM DISLIKE THE IDEA 0F TAKING OUR MOVIES TO THE CINEMAS? WHAT IS OUR STAND?*

Because There are Many ANCEDRAM Members who are confused on this, and some are desiring to go with their Movies, but do not know the Stand of the Association.

– ANCEDRAM DOES NOT DISLIKE OR OPPOSE THE IDEA 0F TAKING CHRISTIAN MOVIES TO THE CINEMAS AT ALL. THERE COULD BE SOULS THERE TO BE REACHED ALSO.

HOWEVER, OUR MAJOR POINTS OF CONCERN IN THE CINEMA ARE THESE:

1. ANCEDRAM IS MISSIONS- AND EVANGELISM-ORIENTED:

The Principles Are Based On Mass Evangelism.

We Desire To Use Our Little Resources To Reach Out To Multitude Of Souls At A Time.

– So, Basically, We Desire Taking Our Movies To Outreaches And Crusades And Revival Programs Where We Can Reach More Number Of People Than Inside Smaller Cinema Halls.

2. SECONDLY THE IDEA 0F CINEMA IS MERE OF A STATUS SYMBOL AND COSMETICS THAN OF EVANGELICAL OUTREACH.

– In Most Cases, You Spend A Lot To Bring Your Movie To The Cinema.

– The Hall Is Paid For, And Publicities Are Done And Logistics Are Arranged.

– People Don’t Usually Fill The Hall As Expected, And A Very Large Percentage Of People That Come Are Christians And Not Unbehevers.
(Examples We’ve Seen Before)

– The Most Important Point Of Serious Concern Is The Lacking Spiritual Atmosphere For Post-Ministration Activities Like, Praise And Worships, Altar Calls, Prayer Sessions, Counselling And Follow Up.

– For These Reasons, We Consider Cinema Outreach More Of An Entertainment Than Of Ministration.

EXCEPT ON THE FOLLOWING GROUND:

A. THE MOVIE SHOW IS GATE FREE

B. THE HALL IS FULLY PAID FOR HOURS THAT WOULD INCLUDE ALL THE COUNSELING, PRAISE AND WORSHlPS, AND POST-MINISTRATION ACTlVlTlES.

*7. WHAT DOES THE ANCEDRAM CONSTITUTION SAY ABOUT PARTNERING WITH THE SECULAR ARTISTES FOR FILM PRODUCTIONS:*

ARTICLE 3,

SECTION 1,

SUB-SECTION VII (Discipline)

Biblical Basis for ANCEDRAM Disciplinary Actions is based on:

1 Corinthians 5:11 NKIV

_[11] But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner – not even to eat with such a person._

The Sub-Section on Discipline says among others:

Any erring member shall be disciplined according to the bye-Iaws of THE CONFERENCE if found guilty of any of the following offences:

Paragraph (4) States:

_”Participating with secular actors in Secular PRODUCTIONS and Featuring Secular Actors in his/her productions”_

THE CONSTITUTION IS THE STAND OF ANCEDRAM ON PARTNERING WITH THE SECULAR ARTISTES IN A MOVIE PRODUCTION.

*8. CAN BELIEVER ACTORS IN NOLLYWOOD CROSS OVER INTO ANCEDRAM OR PARTICIPATE IN OTHER DRAMA MINISTER’S MOVIES?*

– Yes, If They Can Follow The Due Process And Patiently Pay The Necessary Price.

The Number One Case Study Is Joy Edjeren, Who Was Deep In The Nollywood Before Jesus Christ Found Her And Saved Her.

      – She Crossed Over To Jesus Christ And Burnt The Bridge Behind Her, Without Any Desire To Go Back To Them Again.

      – She Submitted Herself To Discipleship And Biblical Training.

      – Then, Very Importantly, She Began To Tell The World Her Testimonies Of Her Conversion From Nollywood Into Christ.

      – She Came Up On Social Media Where Those Who Knew Her In Nollywood Could See Her, And Began To Talk To People About Her New Found Faith, So People Who Knew Her Life Before Now Began To Be Introduced To Her New Faith.

– More Importantly, They Don’t Go Back And The PeopIe Again Keep Seeing Them In New Movies They Have Done.

*And That Is The Difference In The Case Of Many Of The Believers Who Are In The Secular Movie World.

They Would Claim They Are Born Again And Have Given Their Lives To Christ, But People Would Still Be Seeing Them In Ungodly And Unedifying Movies. So,

Their Conversion Is Never Taken Serious, And They Can Therefore Not Impact The Lives Of Men Positively.

****VIDEO TESTIMONY 0F IOY EDIEREN.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f9Xa45OEOJY

About The Author