Posted by By BUCHY ENYINNAYA on
In these days when most men of God emphasize and preach denominationalism, a reverend gentleman has said no to such evangelism.
In these days when most men of God emphasize and preach denominationalism, a reverend gentleman has said no to such evangelism. Meeting the Pastor and General Overseer of Redeemed Pillar of Fire Praying Ministry, Worldwide Incorporated, Reverend (Dr) Adol Paul Obinwaogu, for the first time, one would think he is one of those who emphasizes church membership for selfish motives. "They should not talk about church. They should talk about Jesus Christ and salvation", he says to your surprise.
On the issue of miracles, he says, "I don't believe in instant miracles. Instant miracles are not from God." He frowns at his colleagues who pride themselves as miracle makers and admonishes them thus: "A good preacher is not supposed to show the people what God has used him to do. It is people who would tell others what God did in their lives".
Background
My father died on October 15, 1963 when I was in standard three. I stopped my studies there. I went to stay with somebody as an applicant-cum-apprentice and later left to join boxing. By the special grace of God, when I started the ministry I went for further education in a Bible School.
Boxing career
As I said earlier , I joined boxing and did it for some years. There is a name they call me in boxing, and that is, "Young Adonis." I fought as an amateur very well. God helped me to become somebody in amateur boxing before I became a professional. In Nigeria today, people know me very well, my grade in boxing, my capacity in boxing, I cannot say I am this or that .The world knows "Young Adonis". People know my standing as a boxer. I started boxing in 1976 and stopped in 1983. I left boxing to do business and God arrested me in Rome, Italy.
How God arrested me
Well, God arrested me through a very serious sickness. I was paralysed on one side of my body. I was using wheel-chair and from that to crutches. The day I accepted Christ, I dropped my crutches. And from that day till today, by the grace of God, I have been trying my best to do the will of God .
Life as a pastor
Well, the way I live, I don't preach church. I preach Christ because church can not lead any one to the kingdom of God. What will lead you to the kingdom of God is Jesus Christ. Without Christ, no eyes will see the kingdom of God. Today, people are preaching, if you are not in my church, you cannot see the kingdom of God. It is not real. The church is an organisation by men of whom Christ is the head. That is why God told Solomon, when he was building his temple, He said, the temple you are building for me is of silver and gold, if my law will be there, I will be there. The church of God today has become a political institution. The church of men and not church of God again. And that's why in my own preaching I don't talk about church, I talk about Christ. That is why I am always going to many churches, be it Catholic, Anglican,Methodist or what have you.Given the opportunity,I would even preach the gospel in mosques. Afterall, most of the things in the Bible are also in the Koran. This is part of my own understanding of christianity. I don't believe that if you are a child of God,that you should run away from somebody around you. God came for the sinners, and not for the believers.
Men of God and money
When you look at the men of God today, you notice what I said earlier. There is "calling" and there is "desire". "I want to be" and "God called me" are quite different. Those who desire to be are not called by God, and they will go there and mess up because of one thing or the other. They may be going after money, because they think that pastors always have money.Or they may think, "oh people always respect pastors" or they may even think, "Oh pastors always have nice cars, then they desire to become pastors, and if they don't find or get those things for which they entered,then they go it by all means to get them.This is one of the reasons why you see most people in the ministry putting their hands here and there seeking one political position or the other.
It is real that some men of God are into cultism. That is why I told you that there are those who "desire to be" and those who have received the "calling". Those who desire to be, must find one thing or the other to perform miracles. Those who ‘desire to be' are not called by God. They must, therefore, fight tooth and nail to "do" a miracle. This is one of the reasons I don't believe in instant miracles. I think that instant miracles are not from God.On the other hand,a good preacher is not supposed to tell people that God has used him to heal this or that. It is those healed who would tell others what God did in their lives. Watch any minister who says "God used me to heal this person." To me, such a person is not a true minister, there is something behind him.