Category: Sunday magazine

An Abuja-based Church recently witnessed what insiders described as “a palace coup”. Over 20 members of the men’s fellowship walked out during a Sunday service. The pastor, according to eyewitnesses, was preaching on marriage. Most of the women, it was gathered, were hailing the pastor and clapping away for the wonderful insights.

Just at the height of the excitement, the president of the men’s fellowship reportedly stood up and signalled to other men. Like a well-rehearsed movie, they all walked to the altar, shook their heads at the bemused preacher and walked away with apparent annoyance. Sources later said their action was to protest the female-friendly messages and policies of the Church. They alleged most of their wives have embraced such women empowerment messages, making them unmanageable at home. None of them, it was gathered, never returned to the Church again.

Such walk-outs may be considered extreme but truth is many men are quietly turning their backs on churches. Men Matters trainer, Dr Francis Akin-John, said most churches have a ratio of 70/30 in membership with men at the lowest rung. The reason, according to his book The real man in every Church, is because most men are leaving churches in droves.

Churches, he confirmed, are chasing men away unwittingly through obnoxious practices and policies. Some of these practices include promotion of the culture of feminism, lack of programmes targeted at men, absence of adventures and outreaches, meaningless meetings and absence of rooms for expression, among others.

Akin John said: “Most of our churches are female-oriented. You have women’s fellowship, mothers’ day, women convention and several outreaches targeted at women. But how many of such exist for men? The impression is many men start feeling out of sort and place. The women feel more appreciated and recognised while men feel estranged. They leave in no time.”

The church growth expert also revealed many churches deliberately make themselves less attractive to men because of the impression that they cause too many troubles. He explained: “By nature, women are pacifists and conformist but not men. They challenge and query everything. They task leadership and hold them up to accountability. Many pastors and churches are uncomfortable with this stance and therefore work towards having less men with less ‘troubles’.”

President of the Gospel Baptist Conference of Nigeria and overseas, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, agrees churches attract more women than men. He blames the development on the gender qualities of women. “Women are naturally lovely, kind and more dependable than men. They trust easily and love the things of God. So, it is normal that they will be more religious and more in churches.”

He disagrees the situation is not so much about atmosphere and policies in churches but more about gender differences. “Men, on the other hand, have issues to confront with. They have economic pressures and demands contending with them. So, once they have issues, they run away. That is the way it is and why many of them are fewer in churches,” he stated.

Because of perceived marginalisation, most men in the church have become rebellious, pointing out every error and fault with the leadership. “An idle hand is the devil’s workshop. When you don’t engage men, you indirectly ask them to find something else to do. They start creating problems and spearheading breakaways,” Akin-John revealed.

He and Atilade agree that every church needs the services and membership of more men. “Without them, we cannot evangelise the world. Women cannot go as missionaries. Men are also good with physical works. We need them badly and will have to accommodate them some ways,” Atilade said.

But Akin-John places the responsibility on the church. “Thank God for women but we should not build churches around them. Our churches should be masculine to confront evils and dare the devil. We cannot afford sit-back members who are not risk-takers. So, we must engage men and address reasons why they are leaving,” he began.

On what to do specifically, he said: “Churches must have outreaches and special programmes designed for men. We must create more roles and rooms for men. Yes, they could be troublesome and difficult to pastor but we must channel their energies to positive use. That is how to retain them and build homes where men are true leaders and churches where things are stable”.

Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere is the founder of Omega Power Ministries (OPM), arguably the fastest growing church in Port-Harcourt, which has been involved in gigantic humanitarian projects around the country. Chinyere spoke with Sunday Oguntola on the vision behind the gestures and sundry issues surrounding his life and ministry. Excerpts:

Your church recently opened a free restaurant and gave out 10 litres of kerosene to 4,000 families. What is the motivation behind these humanitarian gestures?

I will just say it is simply passion for Christ and humanity. Many people are suffering. A lot of families cannot cook because they don’t have kerosene. Many are angry because they are hungry. You can’t see all of these as a Christian and fold your arms. You have got to want to do something and that is exactly what we are doing.

But are you sure you are not biting more than you can chew, considering that you also have a multi-skilled vocational centre running in different parts of the country?

We have been able to sustain everything by the grace of God. We have two vocational centres in Ghana, a tailoring institute in Lagos, a free hospital in Abia State. I am sure God is interested in what we are doing and that is why He is providing for us.

OPM is just six years with amazing explosion. What is the secret?

The secret is the passion for Christ. Many came into ministry to make money or be famous but I can say I am one of the few people God called. I didn’t want to be a pastor. I didn’t attend any Bible college. God called me and equipped me Himself.

Okay, let’s get a bit into your background. Where are you coming from?

I was born into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Emmanuel Nwankwo of blessed memory in Abia State. We were Jehovah Witnesses until I met Christ. My last church was Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM). I left for about six years before I surrendered to God and started OPM.

What were you into before you came into the ministry?

I wanted to travel out and that was what I was living for. One of my brothers overseas was processing my travelling documents and sponsoring it. He wanted me to come over to America but for six times, I was denied visa. I guess that was because God wanted me to do His work. Now, I travel without much ado to different parts of the world.

So, how has OPM been faring since it started?

It has been awesome. God has been good to us. We have 72 branches now in London, US, Ghana and other parts of the world.

Well, we have seen many churches that started so well but fizzle out in no time. What are you doing to ensure OPM remains a force to be reckoned with?

You are right. I have seen churches rise and die. But this is of God. There is nothing I have to do to sustain the momentum. It is up to God and I am following Him every time. Mine is to listen and follow His leadings. I don’t really have anything else to do. God is the one at work. If it were brain works, we would have crashed. God is the one calling the shots. I don’t even know what to do next until He speaks. We bought our Lagos property. How? God just said we should buy the property and we did. I don’t plan. I have no strategies or formulas. This year alone, we have opened three branches but I don’t know how many more we will open later. So, it is all about God. He is the one at work in OPM.

People allege your humanitarian activities are driven by quest for more membership. They must be right, isn’t it?

Well, I went to Government Technical College, Port Harcourt and everybody knows me there. When I was in school, my provisions never lasted for one week because I was always sharing. Giving is a passion for me. The first person I accommodated in life stole my N1, 000 then but that never deterred me. In No 608, Ikwere Road, Port-Harcourt, and I am telling you this so that you can make investigations, that was where I was doing a phone call business. There was a pastor of Greater Love Assembly, Rev. Akoma, who was sent packing with his family of two kids, a wife and housemaid by the landlord. I brought them into the shop where I was living. My landlord came and said it was a shop and I could not accommodate people there. I said no I had already paid for the space and could do whatever I wanted. Would you say I did that to get members? When I was giving out provisions in schools was it because I needed members? I was not even born again then. I was a fighter. Everyone knew me there. I used to be known as Chibuzor Nwankwo but changed my surname to Chinyere. I was always fighting for the less privileged and those oppressed. So, it is part of my life.

You must have had a rough background. You want to recall some of those rough patches you went through?

I was a cleaner at the airport here in Lagos for about three to four years. One day, I was wearing a safety boot. The former Chief of Staff, Paul Uwadike, knew about this. A soldier came in and said I should remove the boot and I said no. He hit me with the butt of the gun and I collapsed. Uwadike personally paid for my medical bills in Naval Hospital. When I was two years old, I was thrown down by my uncle from a three-storey building. The house was 112, Ikwere Road, Port Harcourt.

Why did he throw you down?

He claimed I slipped off his hands but I believe the enemies wanted to use him to truncate my destiny. Thank God for one Dr Green, who rescued me at the hospital. The building is still there till date. In fact, I once contemplated buying it to serve as a monument because I would have died there. You can imagine a two-year-old thrown down from a three-storey building with rough floor. I came to Lagos and slept under the bridge for months before I could get accommodation.

So, these experiences influence what you do now?

I would say yes. But I didn’t start when I became rich. Even while I was living under the bridge, I was always sharing my meals. I had many suits and clothes that I hardly wore. So, I came up with the idea of opening a free boutique where people could come and pick whatever outfits they wanted in Port-Harcourt. When I announced this, many people joined and started donating for the boutique. That is what Jesus will do. I recall a church where the pastor said he had some suits and did not know what to do with them. He then organised an auction where people paid millions to buy the suits. Jesus would never do that. I was wondering why not give it to the poor?

Does it bother you what church leaders like you do with ostentatious living?

It bothers me to be honest. People give to the church so that they can be taken care of, not because they want the pastor to live off them. Any pastor who does that is a criminal. The money should be used to do the work of God and serve the people.

But the argument is the church is not a charity

Then, what is it? The church is a charity. That is why we are exempted from payment of tax. You use God’s money to buy private jets and you think you are right? The money should be used for the people. I have built houses for widows and many people but I live in a rented apartment.

Maybe that is because you can’t afford to build one yet

If I want to build a house today, it takes me nothing. I can even ask one of the widows to vacate one of the houses for me. But I want to build God’s kingdom and the people first. That is my priority.

With the rate OPM is going, when are you buying your private jet?

I am not buying any private jet. Do you know the money to maintain it can turn millions of lives around? Some people have three jets and just park them.

So, you will never buy a private jet?

I haven’t said that. But for now, let me see how I can invest in people first because the vision is not about private jets. If I have an emergency, I can charter a plane to anywhere in the world. For now, I don’t think I will want to buy a private jet. To charter a plane is about $5,000 but to buy a jet is about $2.5 billion. There is no comparison at all. You can eliminate poverty in a church by investing that money into people.

When OPM is 10, where do you imagine it will be?

I see us in every major city of the world, touching and blessing lives.

Members and well-wishers of Glory Christian Ministries (GCM) Lagos were in a jubilant mood last week during the 21st anniversary of the church.

The anniversary also coincided with the official dedication of the church’s new ultra-modern auditorium dubbed The Gloryland Dome.

Resplendent in various attires, members danced and praised God for the double celebrations.

The Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Dr Mike Okonkwo, in his message titled “Let the flow continue” urged the church to sustain the momentum.

He said the completion of the new building was a call to more works and not the end of a phase.

Okonkwo lamented that many works of God have been truncated because people relaxed, feeling they have arrived.

According to him: “Anointing often comes but the flow is the problem. Many receive anointing but stop doing the very things that took them there.”

Rather than relent, he said the completion of the project was a call to “pray more and be more committed to the study of the word.”

He added: “It is a testimony of the faithfulness of God and an evidence of the efforts you all put into completing this edifice. But I want to urge you not to rest on your oars.

“If there is any time that this ministry needs to pray more and work even harder, then this is the time.”

Pastor Tunde Bakare, who took the dedication prayers, called on God to descend on the building and change lives.

He said: “Attaining 21 years is one thing that we should be thankful to God about. But to successfully complete a beautiful structure such as this is reason enough for more celebration.”

The General Overseer of GCM, Dr. Iroufagha James, expressed delight at the achievement.

He attributed the feat to the grace and mercies of God.

He stated: “For us it is a double celebration and we are overwhelmed by the grace and mercies of God in the life of this ministry.

“We have had our ups and down but we have been able to overcome the odd and now we are 21 years old.”