Rev Bayo Oniwinde is one of the most self-effacing men in ministry that I know. Although, he has been in ministry under the tutelage of Rev Dr Tunde Joda almost like forever and he is well-known in Pentecostal and charismatic circles, he had generally been in the shadows. Until recently!
Rev B, or “the Bishop,” as he is more widely called, began an international ministry about seven years ago after many years of forth-telling the vision. As I write this, he somewhere outside our borders teaching the undiluted word of God with signs and wonders following. Yes, that took him out of full-time employment with Voice of Faith Ministries, but no, it did not take him out of Christ Chapel International Churches where he still worships at the Ikeja Centre, and he still teaches at Patmos Bible School of Faith.
Rev B’s story has to wait another day, however, because this wonderful man of God has a message that I personally believe all who name the name of the Lord, including those in the leadership cadre, ought to hear and hearken to urgently.
First, Rev B says what passes for praise and worship in many churches today is little more than Christian entertainment - plenty of soul with no spirit in it. As he sees it that is why very little is happening in our churches. When we fail to worship God “in spirit and in truth,” we do not enter into the holy of holies and so cannot richly receive from God
Rev B would go on and on about how worship leaders can only lead under the anointing. And the anointing, though available, cannot manifest without necessary preparation. In his view, too many of those who function in the office of psalmists don’t touch the heart of God, because they are so busy pursuing things of the flesh and tend to want to rush in and out of the presence of God. It doesn’t work that way, he insists.
Talking about rushing in and out of the presence of God leads me to Rev B’s grouse with what he sees as the incursion of the fast food, or microwave culture into the church. This, in his opinion, manifests in one hour services consisting sometimes of no more than twenty minutes of the word. In a situation where most Christians attend churches only on Sundays, he wonders how much grounding such people can have in the word of God. Like he says again and again, we go to great lengths to ensure that our bodies are fed, but we starve our spirit. Yet we know that what you starve cannot grow. The result is we have healthy bodies, but poor spirits.
Yet another area of great concern for the man we love to call ‘Bishop’ is the dearth of the gifts in today’s church. The only gift that seems to be in evidence aplenty is the gift of speaking in other tongues. Where, Rev B would ask, is prophesy which the Bible clearly rates above speaking in tongues particularly during congregational worship? Where, he would further ask, is the gift of the interpretation of other tongues?
To appreciate his concerns here he would read from I Corinthians chapter 14. My own favourite translation of the relevant verses comes from the Message. Verses 22-25 puts in perspective, the place of tongue-talking and prophecy in church like this: “…So where does it get you, all this speaking in tongues no one understands? It doesn't help believers, and it only gives unbelievers something to gawk at. Plain truth-speaking, on the other hand, goes straight to the heart of believers and doesn't get in the way of unbelievers. If you come together as a congregation and some unbelieving outsiders walk in on you as you're all praying in tongues, unintelligible to each other and to them, won't they assume you've taken leave of your senses and get out of there as fast as they can? But if some unbelieving outsiders walk in on a service where people are speaking out God's truth, the plain words will bring them up against the truth and probe their hearts. Before you know it, they're going to be on their faces before God, recognizing that God is among you”.
The Holy Spirit, desiring order in the church and emphasising the importance of interpretation of tongues spoke through Apostle Paul in verses 26-33 of the same book of Corinthians. Again the Message paraphrase: “So here's what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight. If prayers are offered in tongues, two or three's the limit, and then only if someone is present who can interpret what you're saying. Otherwise, keep it between God and yourself. And no more than two or three speakers at a meeting, with the rest of you listening and taking it to heart. Take your turn, no one person taking over. Then each speaker gets a chance to say something special from God, and you all learn from each other. If you choose to speak, you're also responsible for how and when you speak. When we worship the right way, God doesn't stir us up into confusion; he brings us into harmony. This goes for all the churches--no exceptions.”
Rev B’s message to the church can be surmised like this: because praise and worship is largely not “in spirit and in truth”; the gifts are not flowing; in spite of pockets of powerful manifestations here and there, the church is generally weak; orderliness is in short supply and many, if not most, of us are simply playing church!
His insight is that we are rather like the Laodicean church to which the Lord Jesus sent this message in chapter 3 of the book of Revelations: "I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot--far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, 'I'm rich, I've got it made, I need nothing from anyone,' oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless. "Here's what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that's been through the refiner's fire. Then you'll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You've gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see (Verses 15-19)”
But this is not doomsaying. This is simply a wake of call from the One who loves us to the ones he loves, through the mouth of one of his servants. Which is why Rev B would always end with the words of verses 19-22 of Revelations 3 which I again quote from the Message as follows: “"The people I love, I call to account--prod and correct and guide so that they'll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God! "Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors! Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches."
I think we should listen to “the Bishop.”
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FROM MY INBOX
RE: IDAHOSA, TEN YEARS GONE
I was pleasantly reminded of one of God’s great Generals in Africa and indeed the world. I experienced a feeling of nostalgia as I pictured him ministering on various pulpits across the country including the church where I worship. Like him or hate him, he was a Man of God, period. When Jesus was accused of casting out devils in the name of belzebub (the devil), the bible account of Jesus answer is instructive. You cannot cast out demons in the name of their master for a house divided against itself cannot stand.
Anyway, I believe Idahosa is/was (anyone you like, since I know that he is alive and well in the Lord’s bosom) one of the saints of God triumphant and he surely paid his dues long before his time of announcement. Stories have it that at the time he married his wife, he had no decent suit of his own. His wedding suit was borrowed and all other accessories he wore at the occasion. In due season, God blessed him and made him famous and his boldness and confidence in His God he always demonstrated against the powers/forces of evil which were heavily arrayed against him.
He was a supporter of up and coming Men of God in his time regardless of their denominations or church affiliations. We respect him and wish he had lived a little longer than he did, though I believe he had fought the good fight of faith and finished his course and chose to gain more in Christ Jesus.
Uche Biosa (Mrs) Lagos, Nigeria
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