Apostle Dr. Joshua Afolabi, General Overseer of Palace Fire Chapel, Iba, Lagos, reflects on God’s faithfulness in 2025, celebrates entering 2026 as a season of new opportunities, and recounts testimonies in his family and ministry, including growth, achievements, outreach impact, and international missions. He attributes his busy ministry schedule and multiple awards received in 2025 to God’s grace rather than personal strength.

Looking ahead, he declares 2026 as Palace Fire Chapel’s “Year of the Holy Spirit,” expecting deeper spiritual experiences, soul-winning, healing, deliverance, restoration, and financial breakthroughs for members.

Drawing from over 32 years in ministry, Afolabi emphasizes key lessons: never judge or look down on others, as God can restore and elevate anyone. He strongly cautions against condemning pastors, especially on social media, arguing that criticism of ministers often targets the gospel itself. He likens the Church to a hospital—imperfect because it involves humans—and suggests that public attacks on pastors are fueled by spiritual opposition and “transferred aggression” from societal frustrations.

While acknowledging that erring pastors should be held accountable, he commends senior church fathers who pursue restoration rather than public condemnation of “wounded soldiers of Christ.” He urges believers and ministers to exercise restraint, seek reconciliation over condemnation, and avoid judging spiritual matters they may not fully understand, stressing that Christians are called to reconciliation, not public destruction of fellow ministers.

Afolabi says he is not troubled by criticism of pastors on social media, explaining that such attacks are ultimately against Christ and part of spiritual opposition to the gospel. He argues that the Church, like hospitals or other human institutions, cannot be perfect, yet pastors are unfairly singled out for condemnation while professionals like doctors, politicians, or pilots are not similarly attacked. He believes the devil uses criticism to weaken faith in the Church and the gospel.

He also attributes public attacks on pastors to transferred aggression, suggesting that Nigerians redirect their frustration with government policies—such as compulsory taxation—towards churches, even though tithing is voluntary.