He has helped in transforming lots of lives, The Senior Pastor of Highland Church, Pastor Joseph Aborowa speaks to Adeola Ogunlade on his birthday and how has been going about the mandate which the Lord gave him to raise global leaders.
How do you define being called into the ministry ofpastor/spiritual leader?
Ministry to me is a divine assignment; doing what God has called and asked you to do. In Highland Church, we have been mandated to raise global leaders. This is our assignment. We mustn’t do anything to the contrary. Whenever we want to do anything, we check to be sure that we are on course. We only pursue anything that concerns the raising of global leaders. A lot of ministers do what they do because they have heard from God. The divine assignment is not something you wish to do. It is spiritual. There are forces of hell you contend with once you say you are in ministry. If you are not called, you cannot stand the power of darkness. Jesus, himself, said, “I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”. The gates of hell will always want to rise above whatever you are doing as God’s minister and you cannot face them in the energy of the flesh unless you have Heaven’s backing.
Let us in on your salvation experience?
I was born and raised in a family of priests. My father was a pastor in his Church before going to be with the Lord. My mother too was a pastor. . My siblings are all into ministry activities. We always prayed before going to bed and had devotion every morning. However, the fact that you are the son of a Pastor does not make you a child of God. You can be the son of a Pastor and be playing religion. I attended a crusade in 1992 hosted by Pastor Daniel Davis of a Church called Agape. His message hit me and made me answer the altar call. Since giving my life to Jesus in that crusade, it has been from glory to glory with me not knowing what it means to backslide. I don’t know how backsliding feels. To the glory of God, I’ve never stepped out of the faith for one day.
To what can you attribute your staying power in the faith?
God ordered my steps to my first Pastor by name, Daniel Davis. He trained in Benson Idahosa’s bible school. He got the fiery and fearless traits from Archbishop Idahosa, who was his mentor. Pastor Davis’ many sterling attributes rubbed off on me immediately after joining Agape. We became very close. I was a committed worker in the Church. My experience with him made me see Pentecostalism in a different dimension, although my father’s Church was also a Pentecostal ministry. I heard faith being preached forcefully by this young man of God. Prayers and other deposits from Pastor Davis came upon me and made me strong in the faith. It will amaze you that two years after becoming born again, I was already pastoring. In Agape ministry, I became a prominent leader shortly after I became saved. I led prayer sessions during service and stood in for him whenever he was not around. I was a major leader in the Church even though I was 21 years of age at the time.
What was your father’s reaction to your commitment to another Church?
My encounter with the Lord happened after my father had gone to be with him. In my family, it is said that I am the only person who carried the mantle of our father. After he was buried in 1989, I was asked to move into his room. I believe that by living in my late father’s room, residues of grace and anointing that were upon him fell on me. I also believe that this was what brought me into ministry. I never wanted to be a Pastor.
How did you transit from being a leader in Agape to becoming a Pastor?
I never sought nor anticipated ordination. I just love God and was passionate about him. I enrolled in an ICAN tuition center in 1994. There, I saw a yearning gap. Most of my fellow students were just churchy, not deep-rooted Christians. I immediately resolved to fill the gap. I told them I have something different to offer and started leading a chapter of the Professional Accountant Students Christian Fellowship (PASCF) that same year. Pastor Segun Kingsley was our leader then. In 1996, he traveled to start a new life in the United Kingdom. In November 2002 when Pastor Segun Kingsley came to minister in one of our conferences, he called all the leaders and poured the oil upon me in their presence.
What tragic or embarrassing situation have you encountered in ministry and how did God help you come out of it?
I sincerely can’t remember any, Sir, and I’ve been in ministry for 27 years. By God’s grace, I don’t give room for scandals. The spirit of the Lord always reveals to us scandalous situations that are ahead. If it is going to come through leadership, we remove such a person from being a leader in Highland Church. Before we bring people into leadership, we always seek God. I have done lots of leadership changes in my 27 years as Pastor because the devil can possess anybody like he possessed Peter at some point. God has given us the ability to see trouble before they materialize. When I see somebody who is not living right as a leader, we first talk to them to amend their ways and if we see that they are not worthy of the grace and the assignment handed to them, we remove them from such office. I can categorically say there has not been any scandal in my 27 years of pastoring. Talking about the gates of hell, witches had come to me to confess that they are leaving my Church because they did not prosper in their enterprise. Do you know how many people have plotted evil against this Church? You think you can run a vision like Highland Church with the gates of hell not fighting. We face attacks; they come but God has always been giving this Commission and Pastor Joseph the victory. They’ve always failed in their enterprise. There has been no hospitalization, no crisis. The journey has been from glory to glory without a better last year.
Your congregation is almost youth, how are you grooming them towards becoming global leaders?
Yes, a substantial part of the Highland Church demography is youth. The leadership of the Church is mindful of this and factors in the nuances of youth in the pattern of our teaching of the Word and the worship of God. For starters, we have a Teenagers Church with a Pastor attached to them. We also have a Pastor for the youth congregation. The Church through these pastors regularly organize programmes and events that meet the needs of our young members, an example is Unveil Conference we held on November 20, 2021. Aside from teaching them the ways of the Lord in the language they understand, Highland Church goes the extra mile of giving responsibilities to the youth. You will find them serving in various capacities when you attend our services. Most of the members of departments and units like IT, Production, and Ushering are youth. We get them to get into the service of the Lord at a very young age. This way, they grow in grace and are even apply what they learn from their volunteerism in Church in the pursuit of their careers. We’ve had a testimony of one of our Choreographers who got a bank job after she was proved her dancing skills to the interviewers who sighted in her CV that she is a dancer in Church. There was also a Highlander who wrote in her CV that she does media presentation in Highland Church. In a job interview with one of the big four accounting firms in the country, the interviewer who knows me as a professional asked her to present as she does in Pastor Joseph’s Church. This member seamlessly presented a talk show to the panel and was given the job. We have a lot of young people who are thriving and really shining in their various endeavours because of the teachings and grace that are at work in Highland Church. These people are working with big organizations and setting up their own businesses. Our focus is to raise global leaders and we pursue this with so much passion and vigour. We do not entertain mediocrity. It must always be excellent. Our ministry doesn’t just have the vision to raise global leaders, we raise them through the teaching of the word of God and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. We don’t just teach logos in Highland Church; we teach the word mixed with the Spirit. Jesus said the words I speak to you are spirit and life. The tools that make our members global leaders are the word and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. You can’t come to Highland Church and not know within a month that this Church is worded and spirit-filled.
Can you share an insight into your relationship with God as pertains to devotion time?
I am the kind of person that has a specific time of devotion to God. Most times, I am awake till 3am or 4am. I am on duty for the Lord 24/7. Let us be on fire all the time whether in the office, on the road, or at home. This should apply to every Christian. Let us be conscious of the Lord’s presence 24/7 not just during the devotion time of 5 to 6am. Everything about me is God; I’m totally sold out for Jesus. There is no time I’m not available to counsel God’s people. Members call me by 10pm and 11pm to share their burdens. I initiate talks with the leadership of the ministry at 1am, 2am. There is nothing structured about how I execute whatever pertains to God. I don’t want to forget what the Lord tells me. So whenever he gives me instructions, I either jot them in my note or send them to the person who will get it done immediately. I speak with the Lord at 3am or 4am. I can even have my devotion and quiet time at 1pm. I don’t have structured study time. I can start studying by 6am and wouldn’t stop until 9am. I believe that this was why God made me an entrepreneur. I don’t have to use my morning to resume in one employment. As my own boss, why then should I box myself in terms of when to have devotion with God? Christians should not have a particular time of devotion because the devil can note that time and strike within those hours when you are not in the Spirit. My being on duty 24/7 is what has sustained the unbroken fellowship with the Lord since 1992 up till now. It’s the passion, zeal, and love for God. I’ve been like this since I gave my life to Christ. I spend more time in God’s presence than anybody can imagine. I spend most of my weekends with the Lord. I am on one mountain morning till night, praying, studying, and preparing for Sunday service. And you won’t see me engaged in any major activity until I have delivered the message from the Lord. Then, at the end of the service, I start counseling until 4pm or 5pm. So, let’s be on duty 24/7. This can happen in your workplace where you may not be studying the bible but you are in the spirit praying. My focus now is Highland Church. I want to give Highland Church more time than I’ve given it before not. I want to resume here; counsel more and pray more.
How do you manage family demands with ministry?
It has been the working grace, grace, and grace! However, I make conscious efforts to connect with my family. I am involved in the personal development of my three boys. I go for open days in their school. I help them with assignments. My firstborn just got admission into the university. We virtually went through the entire process together. I personally went to drop him in school. I do Church and ministry but I don’t play with my family. We do dinner and go on outings together. We go on retreat together. All my children are workers in the Church. We are all in it together. When we get home, I deliberately create time for my wife and children. I can be very away from home as I go to mountains and prayer grounds on weekends. I go to these cool places to be able to hear God because the destiny of people that are tied to the divine mandate is beyond my family. I ensure that I see my children Monday to Friday. Sometimes they head straight to my office as they are returning from school. I know the strength of every one of them. I know what each of them can do and without influencing anything, they grow up telling me that this is the path they want to pursue. When I am away from home, the moment I get back, I want to catch up with whatever I have missed in their lives.
What do you think of the 2023 general elections?
I am a priest who speaks for God. I am not a prophet of doom. I see peace reigning all over Nigeria, election or no election. I see something greater than election befalling the world, not just Nigeria. Christ can come this year, he can come next year. Why are we talking about the 2023 elections when rapture can take place way before then? People should be more conscious about the coming of Christ, not scheming for who will emerge as the next President of Nigeria. Who says that the man carrying out human sacrifice so as to occupy political office will be alive when the time for election comes? Let’s rather talk about Jesus and his second coming which can happen at any time. This will help every one of us to live our lives one day at a time. But if he doesn’t come before or by 2023, peace must reign in Nigeria because we are here. Political actors heat up the country to a boiling point and everything still cools down because of those of us who are the elect of God. 2023 will be one of those years if we are still here.
Can Pastor go into politics and possibly become president of a nation? Is it part of calls?
If the Pastor has the grace to assume such public office or political appointment, I am not against it. One thing is that I can never criticize any man of God I have respect for. I will only speak for the people of God not to be deceived because there are so many deceivers who the bible already identified as wolves in sheep clothing. We have to beware of them. If a man of God says God has called him to be the president of Nigeria, I won’t question that. But for me as Pastor Joseph Aborowa, I consider it a demotion to be called the President of Nigeria. I see being the President as a demotion because I’ve been called to raise global leaders. A global leader is not just the President of one nation. From Highland Church, we are going to have Presidents of the United States. We are going to produce the Prime Ministers of Canada, United Kingdom etc. We are talking about global leaders here. So, how can I abandon this assignment and call to now serve as the President of a nation for four years? It is indeed a demotion of the grace of God upon my life. If another man of God or a member of this Church wants to be the President of Nigeria, it is in my place to anoint and pray for such an aspirant. Already, I am praying for every member of this Commission to be great and become Presidents and Prime Ministers of great nations of the world. But personally, I am not called to seek political office. I am speaking strictly from the bible. I’ve not been called to be a king. In the bible, you must note that there are three major offices. We have the king, the priest and the prophet. I’ve been called to operate in the office of a prophet and a priest. In the Old Testament, the priest is the intermediary between the people and God. He helps them with sacrifice, speaking to God on their behalf and performing all the religious rites that they need to do. The people also see priests as the mediator between them and God. This is why when somebody falls into sin, he brings a lamb or a sheep and confesses to the priest, revealing the sin committed. The priest then asks him to lay his or her hand on the animal and confess all the sins committed. The priest then takes the animal, slaughters it as a sacrifice for sin, it goes up to heaven and the priest says the person’s sins are forgiven. As for the prophet, he is the oracle of God. He speaks on behalf of God, saying “Thus sayeth the Lord”. Examples are Elijah, Elisha and the men of old. Prophets speak on behalf of God. This is who I am. I’m not a king. The office of a king is a man who has been anointed to lead. They are Herold, Saul, Joseph; they are also the provincial leaders like Daniel, Shedrack, Meshack and Abednego, Nehemiah. They are the Prime Ministers, Presidents, governors of our present age. These are political leaders anointed for that purpose. In the whole of the bible, only one man operated in the three offices of king, priest and prophet. And that is David. So, if I have been anointed to be a priest and prophet, becoming a king, which is the President, is indeed a demotion. This is my reality and rhema. Another man of God may have the grace. Since David operated in those three capacities, it is possible.
How about Pastors who make themselves kingmakers or godfathers to public office holders?
I don’t like the word godfather, I prefer to use kingmakers but not in the negative perspective. I want to remain in my office as a spiritual leader who raises global leaders. These people I raise can become anything. Even in my capacity as a Pastor, people come to me for investment decisions, marital decisions, and even when they want to relocate abroad. They come for counsel and prayers. Sometimes, I have an immediate word to share with them, at other times I ask them to call back later so that I can seek the face of God regarding their matter. After sometimes I call the person(s) to tell them that this is what the Lord is asking you to do and people who carry out the instructions from God always return with multiple testimonies of success. If I anoint the person God is asking to get into politics and he eventually wins an elective position, does that make me the godfather or kingmaker? I only spoke as I was directed by the Lord. You must also know that one of the jobs of a pastor is to bless God’s people. This blessing cannot be quantified as it can make you a great person in politics, industry, career, business, or whatever area of endeavor they are pursuing.
You added a year to your years on earth, how does that feel like and why is the entire Church celebrating your birth anniversary?
I am not a party person. We are rather making a thanksgiving service out of my birthday to appreciate God for his grace and faithfulness. If God has allowed you to see another year, why not return all the glory to him? The psalmist prayed of the Lord, teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. The celebration of my birthday by the Church is not to eulogize man but God. What do we have other than what the Lord has given us? This birthday celebration is actually a way to tell people about Christ. The thanksgiving is in Church, not club or hotel. We are still going to pray and preach on that day. We threw the invitation open to everyone, not just my extended family members. It’s for the evangelical purpose that the Church resolved to gather people to thank God for my life and ministry and to use the occasion as a means of seeing to the salvation of people.
