Posted by By CLEMENT ADEYI on
When he chose to study Agricultural Science at the Lagos State Polytechnic some years ago, his ambition was to become a full scale farmer after graduation. But he was simply wrong.
When he chose to study Agricultural Science at the Lagos State Polytechnic some years ago, his ambition was to become a full scale farmer after graduation. But he was simply wrong.
Contrary to his ambition, he went into business with one of his aunts. Not minding the success that awaited him later in the business, he dumped it and digressed into a personal transport business. Even when he was on his own, he didn't stay in the business. He seemed dissatisfied with working for himself. But little did he realise that the Lord needed him for His service.
After some time, the spirit of God ministered to him to join Decross Gospel Mission on full time basis. Bolaji Akinyemi had no option than to dump his personal business when God called him into full pastoring in 1990.
In a chat with Daily Sun, Pastor Akinyemi said after God called him into full pastoring, he gave him the unction to explain the mysteries of the scriptures. According to him, it is the divine unction he has been using to answer the divine call.
Justifying the call of God upon his life, the pastor noted that his call has blossomed into a pentecostal ministry - Sure Foundation Bible Chruch, aka (World Bank Ministry International) - where he currently serves as the preacher of the gospel.
My calling
Basically, my calling is to pastor and I know this like I know my name. Way back to 1990, I was still a young minister with Decross Gospel Mission. Then, the Lord appeared to me and asked me to shepherd His flock and He gave me basic scriptural standing (John 10:1-3). He taught me about the responsibilities of a shephered to the flock and the responsibilities of the sheep to the shepherd. From then, I began to receive the unction of God in explaining the mysteries of the scriptures which I have been using to answer His divine call.
Before I went into pastoring
I had training in Agricutural Science from Lagos State Polytechnic. After the programme, I started business in collaboration with an aunt of mine. After some time, I went into transport business after which I later joined Decross Gospel Mission on full time basis until the Lord called me into full pastoring.
My fulfilment
I wouldn't really say that I am happier now serving the Lord than when I was in business. I can only say that I feel fulfilled serving the Lord and blessing the people than I would have done in any other business.
My relationship with God
God is wonderful. He is, indeed, a father to me. He is my all in all. He is my everything. He is always there for me when everybody turns his back on me. I am a product of His relationship, a relationship I would call a Godly relationship. I had felt abandoned, dejected and lonely, but God is the only one I virtually have to encourage me. He is my lover, my sweet heart.
My offence against God
Of course, I offend God. I had said earlier that He is a father and in a father-child relationship, there is bound to be a child offending His father. I had moments of doing wrong things maybe due to my lack of understanding. But later, God would open my eyes to certain things and I would go to Him in prayers and ask for forgiveness. So, there are such moments when there would be a breakdown in our relationship due to my own fault.
It is possible to avoid sin
The Bible says he that is born of God does not sin because the seed of God remains in Him. Commitment (of sin) refers to a pre-plan or disposition to want to sin. A child of God would not have the disposition or the nature of sin in Him. People who think sin and grace go together do not understand the nature of God. When you have the nature of God, I there must be an instinct or something in you that would abhor sin. A child of God is not expected to enjoy sin, he would not encourage sin because he believes that the grace of God abounds where sin abounds. A child of God is somebody who has the nature of God in Him. So, everything about him shou repel sin.
Tithe and offering
They are one of the several instances in the churches today. There are some worshippers who do not find tithes and offering easy to pay. The natural man does not want to part with his hard-earned money, but we can not pull out the aspect of sacrifice to God because of human feelings towards money since it is a part of our service to God and we must continue to do it.
Blessing from tithes and offering
A farmer who plants seeds would always expect a harvest after a season. It is a natural propensity that when you give, you must receive in return. Whether you give to God or man is not the issue, but the issue is that a giver always expects to receive in return. Even now, Christians who are givers by natural disposition, increase in wealth. The reason is that there is a spiritual principle whereby he who blesses others is also blessed.
Fund raising in the church
God does not depend on the congregation to bless the pastor or his church financially. The most important thing a pastor should do is to be committed to service and his calling and he would see God always making provision. If you are always committed to your vision for the ministry, the vision will always bring the supply.
Pastors who accept huge donations from members without asking questions
It is not possible for a pastor to know every member's source of income. You can't have the data of every one of your members. When a member of a church makes a heavy donation or pays incredible tithes, what the church should do to save its reputation is set up a committee to meet with the organisation the member works for and ascertain the source of his income and possibly do restitution if the income is doubtful. The church must be able to find out the source of income of members who bring huge sums of money to the church.
Christian dressing
Dressing varies from one culture to the other. However, there is a kind of dressing that befits a Christian. Every child of God should have a sense of modesty in dressing. As every professional has its code of dressing, so also Christianity has its dressing code.
Flow of miracles in churches today
Nothing validates a man of God's ministry than the working of miracles. There is a level you will get to in your work with God and discover that nothing validates your ministry than 1he workings of miracles.
The Bible talks about the anointing of the Lord Jesus; how God anointed Him and talks about the signs and wonders that followed His ministry which were the proofs of His anointing. The sign of approval of ministry comes in the dimension of the supernatural. No matter how supernatural you are, when you see miracles happen, you get confused. Even though y&u have just finished preaching and you ask those who are flowing in miracles on a daily basis, how God works miracles, they won't be able to explain the mystery. They don't understand it because they are mere vessels in the hands of God. So, they can't understand or explain how God does the miracles through them. Therefore, we human beings can not attempt to validate a minister's anointing for miracles. We cannot validate what is above our understanding. Doing so shows that we don't really understand the scriptures and don't even believe in miracles.
There are some moments we may not understand the workings of God in a particular dimension and may begin to think that those who are called of God are not genuine.
Criticising other men of God
I do not criticise anybody. I can't criticise any minister of God and I can't validate the source of miracles of individual ministers of God.
All I know is that God Almighty has the capability to work miracles any time and at all times. Therefore, we shouldn't censor the flow of miraculous but teach the scriptures in relation to miracles so that people will be able to differentiate between original and fake. When you compare a minister's teaching or preaching with the scriptures you will be to know whether he is genuine or fake. If his teaching is consistent with the sc' ures, then his miracles can't be fake.
Life after death
There is life after death. This is evidenced in the story of the' man and Lazarus. Lazarus, after death, was carried to heaven by the angels whil e rich man went to hell. Everything does not end here. Man is different from an. s. After death, everybody is going to give account of himself and after the judgment live in eternity in hell fire or kingdom of God based on the judgement passed by God.
Church, politics, crime and riches The Bible desribes Christians as the light of the world.
It is not wrong for them to get invofved in politics but the problem is that the calibre of Christians we have today can't change the face of things in. this country if they get into power. If within the corporate entity, Christians steal money to finance the work of the church, they would equally maintain the tendency to loot the treasury of the country. God will not count on such Christians and empower them as the light of God in this country. Some of our politicians are Chistians but their hands are not clean. We do not have the quality of Christians that can project the image of the word of God in the political terrain.
However, there are many genuine men of God and I don't see anything wrong with men of God aspiring for political power. Many of them in big positions today are doing well. They are very sincere and honest. For example, Dora Akunyili, the NAFDAC boss, is doing very well. She has really changed the image of NAFDAC, an individual being the hight of the world.
There are several Christians like her who are trying to effect a change that can bring glory and honour to the church.
Who goes to heaven or hell?
The Lord Jesus charged us to go to the world and preach the gospel. He that believes and is baptised shall be saved but he that does not believe is damned already.
All it takes to be qualified for the kingdom of God or heaven is simply by believing that Jesus came, died and rose from the dead and He is the saviour.