The Rector of Pentecostal International Bible Seminary (PIBS), Pastor Emmanuel Donatus, has declared that a single genuine prophet, walking in holiness, has the capacity to transform the destiny of an entire nation.
He made this assertion during the seminary’s 45th Graduation and Matriculation Ceremony in Lagos on Saturday, where he also warned against the dilution of the gospel by modern influences and ignorance of divine truth.
“Prophets are holy men, and one of them can change a nation,” Donatus said. “What we have today are people exercising spiritual gifts, but they are not prophets in the biblical sense.”
Donatus referenced the late founder of the Christian Pentecostal Mission (CPM), Obiora Ezekiel, describing him as a true prophet who lived above compromise and whose spiritual standard never wavered.
“God told him not to be like other preachers, and he kept to it. He was one of the few authentic voices we had in this country,” he said.
He lamented that the spiritual vacuum in many societies today stems from the absence of such uncompromising leaders.
“What we are going through as humans all over the world is because a deliverer is yet to be born,” he said, adding that the global crisis is a reflection of spiritual decay and ignorance.
Donatus further said that the root cause of societal collapse, including moral degradation and leadership failures, is the lack of knowledge of God.
Quoting Scripture, he said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” According to him, even biblical figures like Paul expressed a desire to know God more deeply, underscoring the lifelong pursuit of divine truth.
“The problem we are facing all over the world is just the lack of knowledge of God. If you know Him, even those who knew Him in the Bible still said, ‘that I may know Him.’ That was what I was trying to emphasise in my speech: we are so lost when it comes to knowledge,” he stated.
Highlighting what he described as a theological shift needed in the church, Donatus called for a move away from religious formalities and a return to the message and person of Jesus Christ.
“Jesus is the reality that God has given to mankind. The church must leave the shadows, all those sacraments and rituals, and come to the knowledge of Christ, who is the present truth,” he urged.
He criticised what he termed the influence of modernism on the church, saying it remains one of the biggest threats to the gospel.
“Modernism is a challenge to everybody, both the leader and the led. The church today is still holding on to the Old Testament shadows, not realising that Jesus has come and said, ‘It is finished.’”
Speaking on the growing trend of religious leaders entering politics, Pastor Donatus expressed concern that many ministers are abandoning their divine calling for material benefits.
“A pastor is higher than a president,” he declared. “A pastor called by God can tell you what will happen to presidents, and it will happen. They have access to God.”
He urged ministers to return to their primary assignment of spiritual leadership. “Today, we are celebrating ministers of the present truth, and we must realize that the calling to the gospel is higher than any political office.”
Reflecting on the present condition of the church in Nigeria, the rector noted that religious institutions have largely failed in their responsibility to guide the nation.
“The Nigerian church is not playing its role. That’s why there’s darkness in the land. Isaiah 8:20 says When you see darkness, it means the preachers have no light.”
Donatus urged the 109 graduands to remain guiding lights in society, challenging them to uphold integrity, preach the undiluted gospel, and serve as beacons of truth in a morally drifting world.
He reminded them that their training was not just for personal edification but a divine mandate to impact lives, confront falsehood, and rekindle the nation’s spiritual consciousness through genuine prophetic ministry.
The ceremony featured the graduation of one Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidate, 26 Master’s degree recipients, 19 Bachelor’s degree holders, 50 Diploma awardees, and 13 students who completed the Certification in Christian Ministry (CCM) programme.
Additionally, 41 new students were formally matriculated into the seminary for the June 2025 academic session.