Growing up was tough, but the grace of God, the deep love and motivating advice of a caring father all combined to make him what he is today.
So when the ministry that he established clocked three years, it was a veritable time to give thanks to God for the rapid growth of the ministry, which today has the biggest church building in the whole of South East, billed for dedication in October this year.
In this interview, he talks about his journey in ministry, marriage and other issues. Excerpts…
In just three years, your ministry seems that have grown rapidly. How we were able to achieve this within three years?
It is just by the grace of God and what I call divine speed. Every year God has given us divine speed such that we are able to hold our convention in a new ground. We started from a very small place. But before our convention made it possible for us to build a bigger place. For our second convention we took well over four plots of land. Then we moved from there to build a much bigger place, which we will dedicate in October during our convention. In fact, every year, God has been moving us to new ground. We don’t know where we will be next year but we believe that He will take us higher.
How did you get the call into ministry?
I have been a prophet from birth. I can trace the start of my ministry as far back as when I was three years old. Testimonies have been coming from then. Even many members of my family, particularly my parents, uncles, nieces and some of their children have testimonies of what God used me as a child to do in their lives. For instance, some of them who were not able to conceive became pregnant after I prayed for them. The fact is that I have not really done anything outside the ministry.
I discovered that each time I wanted to do anything outside ministry, I found myself being pushed back into the ministry. So, you could say that I have spent all my life around the altar of God. Some people even think that I do other things, but the truth is that I don’t do any other business. When I travel abroad for ministrations, I don’t sell my tapes. God directed me not to do any other business. We have built standard schools but there are school administrators that are in charge. They run the schools as an independent arm. I am not directly involved; I focus on the ministry. h was
Looking back, how did you prepare for the work of ministry?
First, let me tell you that the ministry was established three years ago, precisely on November 5, 2010. Before setting up this ministry, I had been a pastor in churches founded by other people. The last church where I served as a pastor was Bible Life Church, from 2002 till 2009. I also taught in bible schools (but we now have our own bible school – Kings Theological Institute in Aba. To a large extent I schooled in Nigeria. After my university education in Delta State University, Abraka, I traveled out of the country to study marketing for two years. I also attended Teamwork Bible College, United States for a degree in Theology. I am from Orlu in Imo State. My parents are both alive and strong in the Lord.
We are seeing a proliferation of churches, with every one saying that God called them, but you see them making strange financial demands. What is your view on this?
My simple response is that when God calls a man, He also equips the person for the work He wants him to do. He will not abandon you. If God has called you, you will definitely know what He has called you to do. I hold the view that not all pastors should be founders of church denominations, nor should all be in fulltime ministry. I believe that a pastor can do the work of ministry and still engage in other economic activities. For me, not doing business is not because of ministry but it is because God said so. Personally, I desired to go into politics. That was what I wanted to do, but God persuaded me to do what I am doing now. If I were to have my way, I would like politics a great deal. I want to say that Paul in the Bible was into tent making. In as much, as he was an apostle with a special call, he was a tent maker so that he would not be a burden to the people. I hate being a burden and a nuisance to people in the name of God. As I said earlier, when God calls you, He will provide for you. He will not let you go hungry. I advise everyone who believes God has called him to find out what He has called the person to do? Which ministry is He calling you into? That God called you, does not mean that He is asking you to go and open a church. No! It took me years to work with others, to pastor churches that belong to others. In 2009, it was the founder of Bible Life Church that released me to go and set up a ministry. I am bold to say it because it is the truth. I did not leave because I felt that I should start a ministry. One thing that I feared most was becoming a founder. God told me that I will carry this vision but I was afraid, why? I know what it means to become a leader. But I was trained by Bishop Isaac, the founder of Cornerstone Christian Church. He is my mentor. He has been my mentor over the years. Up till now, he is still my mentor because when you don’t have a father in the ministry, you are bound to make mistakes that you may live all your life trying to correct. I advise every upcoming minister to have a spiritual mentor that will guide him. There is nowhere that you want to go that somebody has not gone before. If you follow the person, who has been there before, he will show you the way. Our problem is the inability to humble ourselves and be tutored by others. Don’t follow a man’s glory – check out his story. Everyman who has glory today, started from somewhere, he must have a story.
Have you written any books?
I have written over seven books. I have one entitled Living a blameless life that is selling very well. I am the author of Morning Dew, a daily devotional book. I have authored several books and journals.
Share the story of how you met your wife.
I went to preach and ran into the wife of pastor and a friend. The woman happened to be the sister of my wife. She introduced my wife to me that day and we parted ways thereafter. In the course of time, when I was set to marry, God made it clear that the person I was introduced to my wife. As God was convincing me at the same time, He was also convincing her. So we got married. I didn’t really go through so many protocols because it was divine. The whole thing just flowed. I didn’t go through all those hurdles because I am not a very patient man. God knowing my kind of person, He did not allow me go through that. As a matter of fact, God knows all of us and He knows our weaknesses and strengths. So, when you are in His purpose, He will make things work for you. One of the things that I praise God for today is that He has made it that the ministry has not treated me badly. And that is because I believe that God wants me to stay in ministry. Ministry is not my choice but it is God’s choice for me. If ministry had frustrated me, who knows, I would have left the ministry because I may not have the patience that others will have. Some of my colleagues when I see them go through tough times, and yet they keep pushing on, I thank God that mine is not like that. I didn’t marry my wife early in life because I had this idea of breaking poverty. I wedded my wife in 2006, but before marrying I had built a house in my village and town. My wife is from Anambra State and her name is Uzoamaka Innocent.
What are the sweetest things you like about your wife?
My wife has taught me to know that everyman has a wife – when you get your own wife, you will know you have your own. She understands me. I am a very difficult man to marry because by my nature, I am a perfectionist. I am very impatient and I like my things the way that I want them. I don’t like mistakes. I don’t take no for an answer. I am a goal getter and an achiever. The only thing that you will tell me and I will listen to you is that there is an achievement to make. Everyday, I ask myself, what have I been able to achieve today? And my wife understands me because I don’t rest. Most times, she hardly sees me. We may seat together and duty calls, I will stand up without so much explanation, I will walk out of the place and she understands that duty calls. I don’t joke with my work, which is the church. By the grace of God, I give everything to the ministry. The ministry is my life and my wife understands. Some women would complain but my wife has never complained. In fact, she has been very supportive, she takes care of the children. Each time that they go on holidays, I wish to go with them but most times I cannot make it because of the work that I am doing. Several times, I have not been able to stay outside my station for more than three days. Most times when I travel to the US, I only spend three days and come back. She is a wonderful woman and I love everything about her. I celebrate her.
What do you hate most in life?
What I hate most in life is lies. I can accommodate a thief but I cannot accommodate a liar. The Bible tells me that every liar has a father in the devil. As a matter of fact, when I discover that somebody is a liar, it will take God to speak to me before I can have dealings with that person. I like anyone whose word is his life and when I say, I will be here by 10’clock, check me there and I will be there. One thing that I am known for among pastors is that if you invite me for a programme, and I accept to come to your church, five minutes before the stipulated time, I must be in your church. For me, anything that I tell you now, I will do everything humanly possible that I do not go back against my word. Lying is one thing that I dislike because a liar cannot be trusted, dependable. A liar cannot be my friend.
What advice did you get, which has kept you going?
Life itself is a risk. Risk in the sense that everything that you do in life has to do with faith. Faith makes us believe that we can go out and come back. A lot of people leave their houses in the morning and they are unable to come back but faith tells you that you can and you can achieve. I come from a humble background but something kept me going even as a child. I told myself that I would break the poverty in my family. I don’t know how but I was convinced that I was going to break it. Life was tough for us as I was growing up. When I was due to write the West African Examination Council (WAEC) examination, there was no money to pay the fees. My father sent me to several relatives, who turned me down. I came back to my father and he brought out his bicycle, which was the only valuable property that he had at that time. He told me to sell the bicycle. I didn’t know how we were going to get a quick buyer. My father looked at me in the face and said he doesn’t know what else to do but something in him told him that I would wipe away his tears. He told me that I should be courageous. I looked him in his eyes and I left. Some years later, he still remembered that word and said: “I told you, you will wipe my tears and today, you have wiped away my tears.” So those words which encouraged me to move on was the greatest advice ever received. At every point of my life, when it looks as if I will stop, I will remember that word and I will keep moving. Knowing that my father is alive, I will not want the tears that he felt that I had wiped off to ever come back.
Culled from The Sun newspaper
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