Sunday 14 October 2012

SEE WHO’S COMING TO CAMPMEETING 2012! (2)



Campmeeting 2012, this year’s edition of the convention of Christ Chapel International Churches takes off in Lagos, Abuja, Calabar, Ibadan and Port Harcourt on Wednesday.  It will end next Sunday. With the theme ‘Fulfilling Destiny’, it promises to be life-changing as the Word of Faith takes centre stage for five days, with signs, wonders and miracles following in an unprecedented manner throughout.
To make this happen, God has drawn to the meeting a company of pulpit princes drawn from the host nation, Nigeria, the United States of America and South Africa, to join chief hosts, Rev Dr Tunde & Rev Mrs Victoria Joda to speak the heart of God into the lives of the people.

Among the new ones as we saw last week were Rev Dr Ronald Merthie and his wife Patricia and Rev Mrs Germaine Wright. Here are a few more – to whet your appetite the sumptuous meal the Lord has prepared for us all.

Bishop John Adebayo Alagbala Osa-Oni is the Presiding minister of Vineyard Church International Incorporated. He is well respected for his commitment at preaching the gospel of our Lord Jesus, which he had preached at every part of the country.

Bishop Osa-Oni is one of the spiritual sons of the late father of Pentecostal churches in Nigeria, Archbishop Benson Idahosa, founder of Church of God Mission. He is also an alumnus of Christ Chapel International Churches (CCIC) and a teacher of the word whose teaching ministry has brought hope to the hopeless, salvation to the lost and healing to the sick.

Bishop Osa-Oni, a trained accountant was a part-time minister of God until 1986, when he surrendered all to become a full-time pastor in CCIC under Rev. Dr. Tunde Joda. He preaches the good news of hope and faith in Jesus Christ with signs and wonder following.

Osa-Oni shepherds a Bible believing church with headquarters at Osolo Way in Lagos. The ministry has branches in different parts of the country with God-fearing members who rely on God’s WordHe is married to Enitan, a former Chief Accountant with John Holt Plc.

Another great Nigerian minister, one of our nation’s gifts to the world in general is Apostle Sunny Aiyemo, a man of God whose apostolic calling has touched many lives. He operates in the office of an apostle. Apostle Aiyemo started working for God quiet early in life, serving in different departments of the church he attended with his parents as a child.
The church later ordained him as an evangelist. And after his education, he proceeded to the church’s Bible School in Lagos under the leadership of his mentor and senior pastor of the church.

In 1997, he alongside his wife Bukky obeyed God’s calling to begin Jubilee For All Nation Ministries and later founded Jubilee Life Christian Church in Lagos. The ministry is a non-denominational ministry that carter for the spiritual needs of the people while the church is not interested in church planting but building unity across religious and denominational divides as well as proclaiming JUBILEE to both believers and unsaved.

Apostle Aiyemo was ordained Prophet by an international ministry in Ghana, Word Miracle Church International. He is passionate about preaching the saving grace and tender loving of Jesus Christ to both believers and those without. He is anointed to proclaim liberty in the name of Jesus in all nations of the earth and his ministry has recorded lots of mind-blowing testimonies of signs and wonders following. His ministry has brought salvation to hundreds of lost souls. He is well respected and sought after speaker in many crusades and conferences within and outside the shores of Nigeria.

He runs a television programme “All Things Are Possible” which is beamed to millions of homes. He is a prolific writer and has published many books on different topics.
Apostle Aiyemo is leading a Spirit-filled church where Jesus is the centre, discipling of people to preach the gospel to believers and non-believers, alike is the focus and building unity across religious and denomination divides is a major pursuit.  He and his wife Pastor Bukky have five beautiful children.

Also billed to arrive in Nigeria for Campmeeting 2012 in a matter of hours is Eddie Tucker, a Psalmist with an impressive resume. At 19, he left his hometown in Petersburg, Virginia, US to serve as a Minister of Music at Bethel Apostolic Church during which he wrote his song “Worthy of All the Praise”. The song endeared and paved way for him to work with the likes of Keith Staten of Commission, Cedric Ford, Michael Speaks, MC Hammer and Common Unity, Douglas Miller, R. Kelly among other notable artists.

Since then, his fame has continued to rise, as he was to later become the Musical Director for the hit stage production “Rise”, written by Christopher Play Martin and Cheryl Salt Wray of Salt and Pepa fame.

In 2004, Eddie also surprised many when he showed his passion also for Television Outreach. That year, he became the pioneer Musical Director for Emmy Award winning Christian Reality TV Show “Inspiration Sensation, where he tirelessly led aspiring artists and musicians through over 100 songs in the course of the 10-week live TV show. He returned for the next two seasons as both an audition judge and Musical Director.

As a philanthropist, this 2006 nominee of Emmy Award for Best Composer and Musical Director has through his non-profit organization, Joshua Project, trained and still training underprivileged children all they need to know to succeed in music industry. He partnered Dan Willis, the creator of “Inspiration Sensation” to start an independent record label, Asone Sound Music Group.

In 2005, Eddie released his R & B debut eight-tracker album titled Day and Night, a masterpiece that rock airwaves all over the world. The album speaks from Christian perspective (Day) and night perspective – people that are yet to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Space does not permit me to tell you about some others who are going to be the Lord’s tool to bless the people in all six centres of the convention. But I assure you that none of them come behind any others in the giftings of God in which they are sure to move. See you there. 

Sunday 7 October 2012

SEE WHO’S COMING TO CAMPMEETING 2012!



October heralds two major anniversaries in my world – the national independence anniversary, and the annual convention of the church where I get my spiritual nurture, Christ Chapel International Churches.

With so much already said and written about Nigeria at 52, all I can add is a little prayer: may the tiny population of the righteous among us increase in unprecedented quantum so that righteousness may exalt Nigeria, in the mighty name of Jesus.

On our annual convention, the 25th this year, I have a lot more to tell you. I have tons and tons of information to download, but of course, there is always the tyranny of space. So, I have chosen to simply focus on what you a kind of who’s who at Campmeeting 2012, which opens Wednesday October 17 at the Gymnasium Hall, National Stadium Complex in the Surulere area of Lagos mainland and in Abuja, Calabar, Ibadan and Port Harcourt. It ends on Sunday October 22.

Among the guest ministers drawn from home and three other nations of the world are Rev Dr Ronald & Rev Mrs Patricia Merthie. Campmeeting debutants, though they are, Pastor Ronald was guest of Christian Men’s Network Nigeria three years ago, when at the invitation of network president Rev Dr Tunde Joda, he ministered at Men’s Summit 2009.

He is the founder and Senior Pastor of New Life Word Centre, Texas. He was a teacher and basketball coach when he got born again on February 14, 1975 in Houston, Texas.  He made Jesus Christ his and master after years of involvement with drugs and wayward living. He had begun his professional teaching career two year earlier, right after receiving a Bachelor’ degree from Southern University in the same city.  

The same year, he received the Call to the Ministry, but did not begin until he received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit under the tutelage of Kenneth E. Hagin, Sr. in 1978. Under the influence of Dr. Hagin, he was introduced to Kenneth Copeland, John Osteen and Dr. Frederick K.C. Price who had a great impact on his spiritual and ministerial growth. Under the mentorship of Apostle Frederick K.C. Price, Dr Merthie was ordained and became a member of the Fellowship of International Word of Faith Ministries (FICWFM).  He has been a member since 1991 and presently serves as an FICWFM Area Director.

In 1976, Dr. Merthie married his childhood sweetheart Ruth Lawson and two years later began a Home Bible Study that was to become New Life Word Center Church in 1983. The two of them traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and internationally, establishing churches and conducting crusades and seminars with the power of the Word of God.

Dr. Merthie ministers the Word of God throughout Central Florida on The Lifestyle of Faith program, which is broadcast weekly on WACX.  In 1995, Pastor Merthie founded New Life Christian Academy, which serves students from K-12.  He supports local Pastors, serves on many community boards and is very active in City and County government. In 2008, Pastor and Mrs Merthie received their doctorate degrees from Friends International in Merced, California.
But in 2009, Dr. Ruth Merthie unexpectedly went to be with the Lord after a very happy marriage for 33 years. This left a huge void in the Merthie family and the New Life Word Center's Church family.  They were blessed to have four wonderful children and four grandchildren. 

In 2011, the Lord prepared an awesome woman of God who was more than competent to bring healing to Dr. Merthie, his family and the New Life Word Center's Church family.  He met and married Mrs. Patricia Mozee of Kansas City, Missouri, on September 3, 2011, who also experienced the death of her husband after being married for 33 years.  Mrs. Mozee was a long-time member and leader at Harvest Church of Kansas City under the leadership of Dr. Merthie's close friends Drs. Steve and Donna Houpe. 

Together, Dr. and Lady Merthie are continuing the work God has called him to ... "Building Families One Man at a Time."  A strong anointing rests upon Lady Merthie to minister to women and build strong team support in the Helps Ministry. Lady Merthie also brings an uplifting, fresh and innovative presence to the New Life family. Together, the Merthies remain committed to their assignment to take the Gospel world-wide and to empower men and women to Love God and Bless Their Children.

Another first-timer at Campmeeting is Pastor Mrs Germaine Wright. She is a co-founder and Pastor of Covenant Love Christian Centre in North Richland Hills, Texas which she began with her husband Nicholas. She is an experienced youth minister, teacher, conference speaker and intercessor.

Germaine began her service in the Lord’s vineyard as early as 1977, working with a number of youth ministries in the News York/New Jersey area of United States of America (USA). Apart from ministering to the youth, she had also served in various ministries as an intercessor, speaker and teacher.

In 1981, she alongside her husband moved from New York to Fort Worth, Texas and served as Secretary and intercessor in the Prayer Department of Kenneth Copeland Ministries. She also assisted the ministry of her husband’s associate pastor, Pastor Douglas Dye in Mansfield, Texas.

Six years after, Pastor Germaine and her husband Nicholas left for Nanuet, New York and served as Youth/Intercessory Prayer Directors in Pastors Clinton and Sarah Utterbach’s Redeeming Love Christian Centre. In June 1988, the Wrights returned to Texas to continue their service in Kenneth Copeland Ministries.

The following month, the couple obeyed the voice of God and began Covenant Love Christian Centre began in their sitting room in Fort Worth, Texas. The couple did not begin full-time pastorate immediately until January 1995.

 Pastor Germaine’s teachings inspire, empower, minister deliverance and healing. She teaches believers to recognize the authority they have in Jesus and how to apply it to live victorious in their daily lives. She and husband Pastor Nicholas have been married since 1978 and have three wonderful children. (CONTINUED NEXT WEEK)