Posted by By SIMEON MPAMUGOH on
The Sure House, an outreach ministry of the First Gospel Bearer's Assembly, recently held an international power-packed night of healing, prayer and worship tagged 'Night of Miracles". The event featured Bishop Charles Lackey and Apostle John Dew, internationally recognized as outstanding teachers with scriptural truth in the light of contemporary pastoral ministry.
The Sure House, an outreach ministry of the First Gospel Bearer's Assembly, recently held an international power-packed night of healing, prayer and worship tagged 'Night of Miracles". The event featured Bishop Charles Lackey and Apostle John Dew, internationally recognized as outstanding teachers with scriptural truth in the light of contemporary pastoral ministry.
Apostle Dew is of Full Gospel Christian Centre, while Bishop Lackey, 75 years old, is of United Christian Assembly, USA. From Nigeria were US-based Reverend Alfred Oriala and Pastor George Diala. Chief Host, Pastor Chukwuma Akobundu, shares with Daily Sun, the objectives of the programme, among other issues.
Background
I possess Bachelors Degree (Bsc) in Clinical Biochemistry. Master of Science (Msc) in Pharmacy and Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) also in Pharmacy. I was doing my PHD programme when God called me into the ministry in 1996. I began my walk with God in Christ Embassy, where I spent 14 years. Within the period, I attended Loveworld Ministerial College where I bagged Diploma in Ministry as Lay Pastor.
As a Lay Pastor in Christ Embassy, I could do my secular job as consultant and project development executive and also pastor a church. While in Christ Embassy, I planted six churches, pastored and pioneered across the suburbs of Lagos State. It was in the seventh church I was about to plant that God gave me the vision to start up Sure House Ministry of First Gospel Bearers Assembly located at Oshodi, Lagos, which I also communicated to the leadership of Christ Embassy. And seven is a number of perfection.
Night of miracles
It was an all night meeting with a theme 'By my Spirit" (Ecct. 3:1) where God specially instructed His people to come together (Deut. 16). It was a time the Lord calls us into Him for a definite purpose. It was a meeting we looked forward to with great expectations of strong presence of the Holy Spirit. We had a firm conviction that the answer to our need is the supply of the Holy Spirit. It was a night that was filled with the fullness of God and we were empowered supernaturally for the next level of our success, as sickness and diseases were healed by the manifested presence of the Lord.
The glory of God was revealed and lives transformed as many were lifted up to walk in divine wisdom and experience the reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Objectives
We were not looking for a vigil, it was a night meeting we anticipated teaching, worship, prayer, healing and miracles packaged by the Spirit of God to meet the needs of the people. The ministry is located in a surrounding noted as flash points in terms of social unrest and banditry, so Night of Miracles offered us quality time to pray as a ministry against anti-social behaviour within the environment which ordinary Sunday cannot provide. In a nutshell, the event was a festival for miracles for the church which was aimed at impacting lives, and providing atmosphere for healing of diverse manners.
Divine mandate
The Sure House Ministry, which is an offshoot of First Gospel Bearers Assembly, is Apostolic Ministry where we plant churches. In my 14 years with Christ Embassy, God gave a specific instruction to me; to go and raise people of prevailing intercessors and true worshipers; people who will understand strategies of prayer first and all other things will follow therefrom. We have other mandate that God revealed to us through training and consultation for other pastors. So, our mandate is crystallized in our moto which is 'Building our people for a blessed world." In the days to come, Oshodi will be changed as we evangelize the city and the people.
Landmark
The first thing that happened at the Night of Miracles was when Apostle John Dew made an altar call before he began to teach and several people milled out to give their lives to Christ, sick people were ministered unto, prophecies went forth, and the man struck by partial paralysis was transformed by the power of God at the 9- hour meeting.
Challenges
The challenges are in the number of people who are willing to go work for God, considering the area - Oshodi, we want to conquer. The scripture says 'the harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few" (Mat. 9:30). We also have challenges in the area of financial and spiritual resources. When we started the ministry, we didn't have anything in terms of partners and sponsors. Most of the people in the ministry were jobless without vision, a typical case of David walking with distressed, discontented and debtors. (1 Sam. 22:2). So, our major challenges were in human resources.
Evangelism
Each programme we organized was targeted at soul winning. Night of Miracles was a mega outreach to win souls. Our catchment area is Lagos and is targeted at a segment of the people and we have two years to conquer it by winning them through outreaches and programmes which will be extended to other places.
Motivation
The joy of the harvest. When I put efforts, I get results. We are not moved by the physical but spiritual blessings that will come thereafter.
Blanket ban on miracles telecast
I grew up in a miracle church. We believe that such oppositions will come but it will not stop miracles from taking place in the body of Christ. Miracles are interventions of God in the circumstances of men, but for whatever reason the ban came, miracles are true signs for those who believe. However, the blanket ban on miracles telecast by the regulatory authority in charge of broadcasting in Nigeria will not stop the power of God from manifesting. The ban has even helped the gospel to a new level via satellite television, where the miracles are today being broadcast.