Outgoing General Overseer of New Life for All Nation Church, Pastor Sunday Edokpayi, in this interview with SEYI SOKOYA, speaks about life as a leader of a church for five years, among other national issues.
IT seems the church is adapting to the situation of the country now with the inflation, and high cost of living, which has affected everyone. Do we see this as a situation that we cannot do without?
I think we can do without it. But being that we’ve had problems in the past, that led to the present situation we found ourselves. In the past, leaders borrowed to finance governance and definitely when there is a change of power there will be a change of policy. The new leadership we now have said it cannot continue governance by borrowing money. Therefore, it is going to endanger the Nigerian economy in the future. So, he decided we needed to do something about that and that is why he introduced a new policy of no borrowing. This led to a hike in the price of oil by removing subsidy. Now, we have to pay dearly for that. This is what we are all experiencing now. You will agree with me that this has affected our economy. No amount of money that everyone receives now that it is enough to finiance one person, not to talk of a whole family. We are all you need and we are looking forward that one day God will bail us out.
As a church leader, do you agree that the church is also feeling the heat?
The church feels the greater part of it because the church is made up of people. Since we Nigerians are feeling the heat of what is going on in the country it is going to tell on the church greatly, because it is when you have in abundance that you will give. In a situation where what you are receiving is not up to carrying your expenses for two weeks not to talk of a month there. It takes only a few faithful to be faithful at this time.
Do you think it is time for the church at large to re-strategise?
The church will re-strategise when the situation in the country allows that because no amount of strategy you want to embark on that will not tell on the church and even the people. We need ourselves as a nation to survive and run the economy, especially with the fact that we are now in a period of diversification; not a time whereby one faces one angle, otherwise, the person will fail. The same applies to the church. We still need the people and God’s assistance to get things better for us.
Are you saying diversifying won’t affect evangelism?
You will discover that different region has different problems. Different calling with different provisions. When God sent you an errand; He will make provision. We also saw in the Bible as said Paul was a good example, he said, I labour to support myself. As a tent to make. He also recruited people to join him in tent making and at the same time to engage in missionary work; church planters and disciples makers. So, he diversified to support himself to fulfil God’s mandate over his life. You would see that he lamented in certain places where he stated that ‘no church contributed to my welfare’. Except for a few number of churches. Again, he said ‘With my hand, I laboured to cater for myself and also the people who work around me.’ So, diversifed. So, if we are to fulfil God’s mandate at this time we need to diversify.
Mind you, clerics, and church leaders are not exempted. You can’t place your burden on the people. It will be a double tragedy because they are already burdened. Clerics can farm, teach and become a tent maker.
You just completed your tenure as the GO of the church. How do you feel about this?
I’m so glad for one to have been in a ministry for years. Started as a convert, become a member. From a member, you graduated to become a worker, from a church worker I graduated to take some leadership roles in the church even at the centre, and from there leadership positions I occupied the office of the General Overseer of the church. I think this is a fulfilled mission. I thank God that I also retired peacefully. I give God the glory. It is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in my sight.
Do you ever envisage that you will attain this level in your Christian journey?
Never, because when we have our fathers in the Lord before us. We never envisaged that they will pass away before Christ will come. We taught that before now Christ must have come and also, even when we have not come into ordained ministry, we never even imagined that, and even when we were ordained, we still have them in our front and see them as our fathers, but gradually they went to be with the Lord till it now gets to our turn. It is the Lord’s doing and I am grateful.
What is your greatest achievement in the last five years as the GO of the church?
We give God the glory for a lot of achievements. In 2018 December when I came on board, we launched our 2019 national crusade and we planted churches and to the glory of God, we have grown in lips and bounds. We built several worship centres. We have properties in states beyond Southwest. The church is progressing. We celebrated our Golden Jubilee of the ministry last year. We also run a registered comprehensive school. We were able to secure a well-equipped secure printing press. We also got a place for the GO’s residence, which is yet to be completed.
One of my unforgettable experiences as the church leader was the ransom we paid to rescue some of our kidnapped members in the north. We were able to build the church secretariat. Importantly, we also build people, especially the youths physically and spiritually, because we believe that we cannot succeed without a successor. Don’t forget that I can not achieve this without the great support of my dear team. They made the work easy and successful.
What is next for you after retiring as the GO?
I am not tired, I only left the office of the GO due to the expiration of my tenure. I am still a minister and a God’s servant. I will only go back to base, Benin, Edo State to focus more on church planting, discipleship, and training people for ministry. I already have a plan for my retirement.
Following different approaches to successors in church leadership. Which shape will yours take? do you have a successor or does the church have its structure about that?
The church has a good structure that handles that. We have a body known as the Board of Elders and they have been given the responsibility to determine the next GO and I am confident that they are going to come out with a holistic conclusion.
Our ministry is different. We allow God to intervene in anything we do. We allow God to provide and seek peoples’ opinions. We wait on God to see who we be the leader of your people. So, it is not a thing one will rush into. But for now, we have somebody who will hold brief by the grace of God pending when the actual people will come on board as the GO of our dear church.
What should the church and the public should expect at the forthcoming convention?
Last year, we celebrated 50 years of the ministry, but this year, just as it was in the Bible days, people will rest. So we assume that we use this year to rest, but beginning next year, we want to come in a new dimension. So, this is why our conference this year is centered on prayer, with the theme “Travail to Prevail. So, we are looking at God. We want to fulfil, break new ground, and take people along in that line for them to begin afresh and look forward, because all we are seeing now is a signal that Christ is about to come. Happy is the servant who is Lord when He comes, shall find him so doing. We want to occupy for the Lord. This is not a time for jamboree; it is a moment to be in business for the Lord. The event in the Middle East is a pointer that the coming of our Lord is near. So, we want people to buckle up.
The convention will commence with a delegate conference on December 19. It is in the delegate conference that I will formally disengage my office. The main convention will be held December 21 to 24, at the international headquarters, Oloola, New Felele, Off Lagos/Ibadan expressway.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
GSK/P&G exit: Why investors are leaving Nigeria — Atedo Peterside
Founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Atedo Peterside has revealed cogent reasons investors are running away from…
How my client raped me during ritual at his house — Female traditional healer
A 26-year-old South African female traditional healer has narrated her horrifying experience of being allegedly raped by…
Naira falls to N1,099/$, closes gap to parallel market value
The official foreign exchange (FX) market on Friday oscillated downwards, thereby shrinking the gap/spread between the official and…
RIVERS CRISIS: Wike’s loyalists restrategise, insist on Fubara’s impeachment
IN spite of the intervention of President Bola Tinubu in the face-off between Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State and his predecessor, Mr Nyesom Wike, there are…
Why the north suddenly cares about northern lives
It should be made clear from the outset that I am overwrought with immense grief by the heartbreaking but…
Naked Olympics: Sporty naturists take to the beach in Rio to compete at the Naked Olympics
A group of brave nudists are competing in Rio’s NAKED Olympics every weekend, in a stripped back version of…
