Pastor Olumide Emmanuel, founder of Calvary Bible Church, recently celebrated 35 years in ministry. Reflecting on his journey, which began during his university days, he shares how a divine call led him to become a teacher of God’s Word. In an interview with Adeola Ogunlade, he addresses various issues, including his stance on prosperity teachings, tithing, and the spiritual dynamics of life.
What led you to the Ministry?
In school in those days, we used to have a mid-week service every Wednesday. It’s normally a fasting and prayer school. Work and lectures used to end at 12 noon to 1p.m, and on one of those days, I heard a voice clearly that “Study more of my word for you need to teach my people.” Like I always say to people, life is only forward but understood backward. As of then, I did not know that it was the call. I didn’t know that that was an encounter, but I later got to know that it was an encounter I had and that it was God calling me to be a teacher of his word. Because from that point, I had this insatiable desire to study the word.
And every time I read the Bible, I see things that others don’t see. My level of understanding just opened up, expanded, increased, and grew; and I didn’t know that. It was when I started sharing with people all that I knew with others, we started doing a lot of stuff on campus: under the trees, in villages, we were planting 1 or 2 churches. Then, we did a lot of evangelism and stuff.
Until I came back to make use of those things I knew after graduation and then I became a pastor at 21. I was an assistant pastor in that church for about 3 to 4 years. So, God now called me to pioneer and start a ministry, which gave birth to Calvary Bible Church.
Some of your critics said you are a ‘prosperity cleric’, what’s your reply to them?
Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion. I’m not a prosperity cleric. I’m an economic empowerment agent. I don’t preach prosperity, I teach people economic empowerment.
I teach people how to become value creators and create wealth by offering value, and solving problems and meeting needs. So most of what people call prosperity messages and prosperity preaching is just materialism and greed and covetousness, and that’s not what I do.
You can be described as a motivational speaker and author of over 30 books. Where do you derive the inspiration and energy to do all these?
I have written over 100 books. Well, the inspiration is from God, and the energy is from God because I don’t think that any man or woman can achieve anything without the support of God. It’s just been God all the way.
I’ve come to realize that even though people think that I’m very, very hardworking, I’m only hardworking in my purpose. As I’m here now, if you tell me to do something that is not in line with my purpose, I’m a lazy man. You tell me to do something that is contrary to my passion. I’m a lazy person.
But when it comes to my calling, my purpose, my passion; what I am, I can work 24 hours. So, it’s all about being at the centre of the gospel for your life. But like I said, fish do not struggle to swim; birds do not struggle to fly because that’s what they are created to do. So, when you are doing what you are created to do, grace will flow, inspiration will flow.
Speak on the linkage between the spiritual and the temporal world. Which one guides the other?
In the world we live in today, the spiritual controls the natural. The spiritual realm is the realm where events are called before they happen. So, before anything has its occurrence in the natural, it has had its occurrence first in the realm of the spirit. So the realm of the spirit is the root.
The physical realm is the fruit and once you understand the workings of the realm of the spirit, you’ll be able to navigate this in the physical. That’s why I always say to people that you’re either in a secret cult or you’re in a secret place. So, of course, the supernatural is the completion of the spark of the natural.
I read somewhere where you said you don’t travel to some overseas countries. What were your past global experiences like? Which countries have you barred in your future itinerary?
In 2001, I was on a global tour, which started in Europe. I toured France, Italy, Spain, and Norway for minister’s conferences and evangelism. I even ended up opening an office in Verona, Italy, where I had staff. But I soon realised prostitution was a major issue. It first hit me one day while I was preaching in Italy and I made altar calls to those who would want to give their lives to Jesus. I had people coming to me, seeking deliverance from HIV and AIDS. There were lots of HIV-positive persons within that congregation. Then I would counsel, how did you contact it and when I got to know it was through sexual immorality, then I would be told that they cannot stop because they have a contract, that they are under a covenant. It sounded so strange to me. Then I started wondering, how do you say you are a born-again Christian and you are a prostitute? I didn’t understand. I couldn’t be judging them, but at the same time, I cannot deny what the Bible says. So, it was a conflict for me. Then the climax was I went to speak at the church, one of the major churches. Then I made an altar call- you ask people to come and give their lives to Jesus. The church population should be close to 1,000; a major church, the choir was amazing. And now after my altar call, for those who wanted to give their lives to Christ should come out. And you know, because of the nature of the message I was preaching about, living a purpose-driven life, living a life to please God, living holiness and all the stuff. Do you know that the whole choir came out, ministers, church workers! I initially thought that maybe the interpreter didn’t interpret very well. I said, come on; sorry, I mean, if you want to give your life to Jesus. How can you then be living as a prostitute? And they are in the choir, ministers, and church workers! And they claim they are born-again and speak in tongues. At the same time know they have a contract, they have entered a covenant and until they finish paying, they are to continue in prostitution! You know, I heard many other funny stories I cannot go into now. At that point, I knew that this place, the people here, have another level of grace and anointing.
I don’t understand, because I can’t be judging people that they are not saved. At the same time, I cannot claim that people are saved when they are living a life where they are daily sleeping around with different people all in the name of a contract or whatever. My understanding of God, maybe they know God more than me. This shocking realisation discouraged me with missions in some parts of the world.
The hardship in the country has made Christians and others alike denounce Bible passages like the 1st Timothy 2: 1-4 or Psalm 22:28; What message do you have for people like these?
The Bible says in the last days, perilous time shall come. Many shall be lovers of themselves, unthankful and unholy. So, they are fulfilling scripture now.
However, when you are looking up to a man, you will always end up in shame and disappointment. God is our source. Politicians are not our source. The economy of the nation is not our source. Our job is not our source. Once you see God as your source, you look up to Him and you understand the laws and principles that govern the world and do your part, it’s only a matter of time before you will escape the struggles of the world. So, I will just tell people, hang in there. Tough times never last, but tough people do. Just hang in there, and you will end the testimony. Well, the summary is don’t be a hypocrite. Be a true Christian. Live for God. Because what we are practicing mostly in this part of the world is religion, not Christianity. Religion is more dangerous than the devil. Christianity is not a religion; it’s a relationship with your Creator. When you practice Christianity as a religion, you’re going to be a pawn in the hands of charlatans behind the pulpits. You are going to be a victim of the religion, myopic, limited, ignorant, interpretation of scriptures of the people you listen to. So, be a true Christian and be an example of the change that you want to see because if it’s going to happen, it’s up to you and if you are not part of the solution, you are entirely part of the problem. So, I look forward to people being a part of the leadership conference coming up on the 31st of October and the 1st of November at the Marriott Hotel, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.
There was a recent commentary by one of the leading pastors on tithes and tithing, what’s your view?
I don’t have any view on tithes and the tithing in the Bible is my view. I’m a Christian. I am a pastor. The reason why we have diverse opinions concerning many doctrinal issues in the Bible is because a lot of people bring in their own opinions and personal views into the interpretation of scripture.
So, I don’t do that. I don’t have a personal opinion or personal view about tithing. What the Bible says is what I believe, and that’s what I live by. I believe that everything that we have belongs to God. So, the entire 100% of your income belongs to God, not 10%, not 20, not 30, not 40. 100% of your income belongs to God.
People give but only a few people give exactly what God asked them to give. Don’t wait for pastors to say bring this, bring that. Pastors give general instructions. But we should ask God for specific instructions. If you follow general instructions, you will get general blessings. God is the owner of everything that you have if you are truly a child of God. Now, as a child of God, if you now understand that God is your source and everything, he has given you belongs to him, whatever He now asks you to give, 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, whatever you can give, you now give. 10% is just like a minimum requirement like an act of what you say. God, thank you for blessing me, I’m bringing this thing as an act of worship, to acknowledge that you are my source and to be able to say have your way. Anybody that is limiting themselves to 10% is actually preaching contrary to the biblical teaching of the Bible. For me, my 100% belongs to God.
