By Rev Eniola Olatunji
There are some lessons I learnt from the commissioning of the Rivers State Ecumenical Centre by Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye which I want to share with you.
The Worship Centre was a political campaign promise of the incumbent Governor, Nyesom Wike. He Started the Project in January 2017 and then invited Pastor Adeboye to come and commission it in May 2017.
That is strange incidence number one. Nigerians have a habit of extending the duration of projects hence many incomplete projects.
Strange incidence number two is that no State Governor in the entire history of Nigeria has ever built an Ecumenical Centre in any part of Nigeria.
Wike bears the record. I believe God has used the man I personally tagged as unusual to break the limitation over that cause because others will follow suit now. Nyesom Wike’s Political story has been very controversial that many people, Politicians and non-politicians would have been willing to lead him to the cross.
I challenge a public research. This is the man who had said publicly for the umpteenth time and nobody challenged or could challenge him that Rivers State belongs to the Lord Jesus. Some people would have swallowed 50 wraps of cocaine to challenge Wike and accuse him of volatile statement but the lions went to sleep. Hmmm.
So when it was said that Pastor Adeboye would commission the church, sons of the Seminary (Clergy) and sons of the Pew (members of the church of God) would be all out to see whether the well-respected Man of God would give a hint of “Thus Saith the Lord, Wike repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand”.
The General Public has a picture of The Political Rascal of the Century on Wike and Chief Political Comedian, on Ekiti State Governor, Peter Ayodele Fayose whose wife I admire and so much respect as a “Prayer Warrior”. Few politicians are blessed like the Cicero of Esa Oke who used to boast that he was the only Governor Husband of a High Court Judge. Gentleman, Peter Odili could look his charming Supreme Court Judge wife in the face and give a dance offering in Public. God bless them. Go study Stereotype.
My writing is principally to Pastors, Ministers of the Gospel, Sons of the Seminary and Christians at large.
To The Adeboye Sermon.
1. No pre-sermon worship. When he was invited to deliver the preaching message at the ceremony, he did not raise another session of worship like in his character, he prayed and the prayer was that except God builds a house, no one can build a house for Him (God).
That is a message to those who can discern. Historical Theologians may have problems canonizing this sermon. Not typical of Adeboye. No opening worship.
2. History. Immediately after the prayer, before introducing the scripture, he congratulated the congregation present there for being part of history, worshipping in the first ever Ecumenical Centre built by any man for a state in Nigeria. He nodded positively for Wike’s act. For your information, the only existing one in Abuja was the brain child of President Olusegun Obasanjo and coordinated by Rochas Okorocha.
They did not use state funds but in this case, we are under the impression that State fund was used until Wike says otherwise.
3. AUTHORITY. Pastor Adeboye stylishly asserted his authority to deliver the message among a gallery of Bishops, Archbishops, Apostles and General Overseers (G.O) which is a prevailing pulsating tag of Pentecostal authority. First, he said he is a true African, and in African culture, it is the small boy that the elders send on errand. Adeboye, a small boy in the Church of God in Nigeria? Smiles. Secondly, to prove to contending Territorial Powers that he is qualified, he told the congregation, he has C. A. C. background; his wife was Methodist, so he is an in-law to the Methodists; He is related to the Anglicans; He is baptized in water and believes in the word so he is Baptist; and for the Catholics, every church came out of the Catholic so he is from them.
Only Bible Scholars can understand what in Christendom is called AUTHORITY. The sons of Sceva knew what authority meant. Adeboye cleared that hurdle in a jiffy. Only the deep can call to the deep.
4. No Prophetic Word. He never made his trade mark sentence: “Thank You Daddy, there is someone here ….” I believe that is a huge statement. The hallmark of the servant of God that makes him relevant to the children of men is to bring the breaking news from the Boardroom of Heaven. That place is far above where Principalities and Powers dwell or can reach. It is different to the SECRET PAVILLION of the Most High which is His REST ROOM. Hallelujah! A Priest should at a time of leading a service bring current decisions of Heaven unto mankind.
Alright, I know those who know about ‘Ruah’ which is the Spirit that come upon the Prophet (Adeboye would argue he is not a Prophet but a Pastor), would say you do not know when the ‘Ruah’ would move you. We may need to engage in theological argument with Pastor Adeboye whether he is a Prophet or not. But in Port Harcourt that day, there was no “God says ….” Can you read my fingers here and not my lips?
5. The Pivot is Prayer. Adeboye used an authoritative style in sermon delivery of saying I pray for you. Only a few Priests with great knowledge of the efficacy of prayers by faith operate in this realm. Prayer they say, is the master Key of Heaven.
There are many people whose words carry no weight. Adeboye operated under the three principal levels of anointing – Leper; Priestly and Kingly. Refer to NIV 1 Kings 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” He severally used the: I pray for you method because he knows whom he has believed. NIV 2 Timothy 1:12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. There were roaring thunders of Amen.
6. It’s a Homily. The sermon was vintage Adeboye teaching about doors and gates in special homily with copious examples from the Bible. Ps. 24: 7-10. sHis allegory to non-availability of gates in Mushin, Lagos to the numerous ‘prison gates’ of Ikoyi in the same Lagos was palpating. According to him, you erect gates where treasures are kept. There so many things kept behind Ikoyi or Lekki gates. Again that is deep. The rich will squeeze their faces like the mask of the Masquerade from Ikot Ekpene – terribly ugly and fearful. Adeboyes’ sermons are predictable to sons of the Seminary who did Preaching and Homiletics. It always point towards salvation. He tied the teaching on Doors and Gates to Jesus who said I am the door and told his listeners that except he who is the Door holds your hand, no door will open for you. He has the key to all doors. The delivery of the sermons of Adeboye is always laced with wisdom, whether the ones delivered in the sanctuary (church) or palaces (for Governments). He perhaps is the only known Nigerian Preacher who will give conditions on salvation to Governments and insist on a refined altar call. As he was waiting for the congregants to take salvation decision, some ushers were slipping pieces of paper to the ones who yielded to the message. Again, Adeboye knew the power of conviction when he vowed that I will pray for you. That was the essence of the credibility of Adeboye among other titled clerics. I am not writing on Adeboye as a Doctor of Mathematics and the relevance to the psychology of the acceptance of his sermons or personalata. But I state of continuous exhibition of wisdom in his conducts.
7. No laying on of Hands. When the family of Wike was called out, Pastor Adeboye did not lay hands on anyone. Was it instructional? Could we assume that the man of God was not carried away with emotion? Some Ministers would take that for an opportunity to show off their anointing level laying hands and waiting for the cameras to capture manifestations. So, I conject Adeboye has a great measure of self-control which is a requirement for the function of the Bishop (Elder). NIV 1 Timothy 3:2 “Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach”,
8. Summary. The edifice erected by Julius Berger is a classical one that can sit 2,000 worshippers. Internal facilities cannot be discussed here.
The lessons drawn from Pastor Adeboye are that the art of Preaching is a serious celestial business and not the congenital prevailing message of prosperity. The methodology of packaging of messages is something that should be well balanced and deliberately presented to appeal to the conscience of man. Adeboye is an enigma of the difference between the Palace Priests and the Prophets of the Old Testament times.
Also Read:Kogi auto crash claim Five children,14 adults- FRSC
Women who wears make-up are doubtful of God’s perfect creation – Adeboye
Yoruba person of the year award for Adeboye,Kumuyi
The Palace Priests were out to say what pleases the ruling class but the OT Prophets were more conscious of the Word rather than the ruler. Adeboye may not be seen to carry the Jehu anointing which confronts, curses and destroy political leaders even the terrible ones that carry lethal powers like Jezebel but it is crystal clear that this is a very humble man that conducts his ministry with intense and immense wisdom.
I sure know you remember when He said Nigerians should greet themselves “Happy New Year in June”. He played gently in the pre-election developments that ushered his son to Aso Villa. I wonder what would have been happening if the Charismatic man with Elijah’s anointing, Papa Archbishop Benson Idahosa were to be alive in the cult infested Rivers State or the Herdsmen onslaught matters. The fearsome Idahosa would have publicly spit fire. A political minded person would be expecting God’s word on the political instability in Rivers State.
For Adeboye, God is still observing developments and the cup of the Troublers of the soul of Rivers State was not yet full no matter the status of those involved.
For the Minister reading this, what Personality have you carved out for both Christians and non-Christians to know you with? Do the operators of the Kingdom of Darkness see you as a jolly good fellow? Have you tried an integrity test? Jesus Christ did. He asked His disciples “who do men think I am?” That in Public Relations is what we call MIRROR IMAGE. What image do you carry?
As for me, I join Pastor Adeboye to congratulate Governor Nyesom Wike for making history as the first person to champion building an Ecumenical Centre in any state of the federation.
Rev. Eniola Olatunji is the founding Pastor of Divine Vessels Assembly, Abuja, He was a Broadcaster with several media houses; a News Editor with two Newspaper outfits and operated in the Advertising and Public Relations fields before becoming a Minister of the Gospel.
