Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Where is the Fire? 🔥


Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Where is the Fire? 🔥


What Happened To The Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria and Clarion for New Pentecostal Revival

The Foursquare Gospel Church was the first Pentecostal church I fellowshipped with in Nigeria from my childhood in the 1970s. My older cousin, John Nnorom of blessed memory took me to the parish in Okesuna (behind the old Sandgrouse Market) on Lagos Island. The church was among the most popular Pentecostal churches during the nationwide Pentecostal revival of the 1970s and continued to the 1990s with the overwhelming  Christ For All Nations (CfaN) crusades of the beloved Reinhard Bonnke (19 April 1940 - 7 December 2019), the amiable and humble German-American Pentecostal evangelist, principally known for his gospel missions throughout Africa.
There was no Deeper Christian Life Ministry and Living Faith Ministry in the early 1970s.

The history of the Pentecostal revival in Nigeria dates back to the 1930s before World War Two and reignited in the 1970s after the Nigerian civil war.



Read the following important reports:
1930s Revival in Nigeria Sparked by Pentecostal Evangel Magazine | Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center

Nigeria that led to the formation of the Assemblies of God in that nation can be traced back to a single issue of the Pentecostal Evangel, which somehow found its way from America to Africa in the early 1930s. Histories of the Assemblies of God of Nigeria credit the periodical for sparking a hunger for the baptism in the Holy Spirit among Nigerians.

https://ifphc.wordpress.com/2020/03/26/1930s-revival-in-nigeria-sparked-by-pentecostal-evangel-magazine/

20 Pentecostal Pioneers in Nigeria by Israel O. Olofinjana (Ebook) - 
https://www.everand.com/book/387812602/20-Pentecostal-Pioneers-in-Nigeria-Their-Lives-Their-Legacies

The Foursquare Gospel Mission came to Nigeria before the independence of the country from British colonial rule. And started formally In October, 1955 by the missionary couple; Rev and Mrs. Harold Curtis from America. 

I have been to the headquarters at 62/66 Akinwunmi Street Yaba, Lagos State where I had an interaction with the children and teens in 2003 for my National Essay Competition for Secondary Schools in Nigeria cosponsored by King of Kings Books International.

The Foursquare Gospel Church presently has a list of 4,712 churches in 173 districts and 841 zones in Nigeria. But how many of them are still active in the mission fields of evangelism?

Like the Assemblies of God Church in Nigeria, one of the pioneers of the Pentecostal revivals in the country, leadership crises have been reported in the Foursquare Gospel Church and my older cousin, John Nnorom even told me and took me along to visit one of their senior pastors in Idi Oro area of Mushin on the mainland of Lagos in the 1980s. Some members left to start another church.

The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCC), 
Deeper Christian Life Ministry,  Living Faith Ministries, Christ Embassy, Mountain of Fire and Miracles (MFM) have overtaken the Foursquare Gospel Church in popularity in Nigeria. But many of their branches or parishes are not showing the same overwhelming power of the Holy Spirit of the Pentecostal revival decades ago.
They are becoming complacent about the commandments of God, because of compromising with the world in pursuit of titular status symbols of the society in the competition for keeping up with the Joneses.

Lest we forget, our Messiah Jesus Christ had the temptations to be in chariots and on horses and become the new King of Israel from the lineage of King David. But He chose to go about on foot and never rode even on a donkey until the time came for His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. 
These days, ministers of God are competing with celebrities in the world for palatial mansions, posh cars and red carpets and to be on the covers of the Forbes magazine.
They have forgotten that our Kingdom is not of this world.

Instead of competing for the salvation of souls, they are competing for real estate; spending millions of dollars that would have been invested in the upliftment of the underprivileged majority in the church and Nigeria.
Leadership is best by example. 
The leadership of the churches should be preparing for Rapture and not competing for the Forbes magazine and Guinness Book of Records.

Are you bearing fruits for God?
Or you are bearing fruits for the world?

The churches are quick to point accusing fingers at the upwardly mobile youths captivated by the new developments in mass communication with their addiction to smart phones and the internet. But they forget that the same inventions of digital information have made the accomplishment and fulfilment of the Word of God to come to pass as written in Matthew 24:14-
King James Version

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

Psalm 19:4-
King James Version

4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun."

The present state of being neither hot not cold is a rebellion against the Holy Spirit and if God should spit us out, we would be in worse fate to lose the grace of God.
God forbid such a calamity!

The signs have not stopped following us. But we have allowed the leakages of power to undermine the foundation of our faith. 

Psalm 11:3-7
King James Version

3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

4 The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

5 The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

As Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:2-9:

2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, [a]unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was."

"Romans 8:19-22
King James Version

19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."

Isaiah 40:28-31 King James Version (KJV)

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no
 might he increaseth strength."

The size of our faith is the size of our strength.

We need another Pentecostal revival to stop the widespread loss of perishing souls as despondency is making millions of youths whose faith is ebbing away to walk away from the Kingdom of God.
We must fan the embers of the Pentecostal revival of the past decades to rekindle the flames of our waning faith in supremacy of the Holy Spirit.
We must use all the available means of mass communication to ignite the revival and to do the utmost as it is written in Romans 1:16-32:

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.


- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor
The Rhema Blog
https://therhema.blogspot.com
Since 2005

#God
#Jesus
#Holyspirit
#word
#pentecostal
#revival
#rhema
#gospel
#leadership
#christians
#christianity
#christians
#john
#lagos
#nigeria
#africa
#bonke
#churches
#romans
#timothy
#matthew
#isiah
#paul
#chima
#foundation
#foursquare
#christembassy
#deeperlife
#redeemedchristianchurchofGod
#livingfaith
#church
#youth
#internet
#smartphone
#assembliesofGod
#revelation


Sunday, November 26, 2023

2 - Year Old Child Recites Psalm 23

 


2-Year Old Recites Psalm 23

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf2BrZFXiTk?si=669nIq1wyiX18EiT



Psalms 23:1-6 (KJV)

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Amen!


#God

#Lord

#JESUS 

#HolySpirit 

#holybible

#psalms

#psalm23

#child

SUPPORT THE RHEMA BLOG

The Rhema Blog
since 2005

https://therhema.blogspot.com/p/support-rhema-blog.html

Send financial support to

WEMA Bank account

8028426313

Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.

Or to 

FCMB Bank account number...5363185013

Eke Uche Franklin

Thanks.

Friday, November 24, 2023

HALLELUJAH!






 HALLELUJAH!

Testimony time!

Blessing time.

The two songs I have promised to Almighty God to record and publish are " Your Majesty, God Almighty" in English and " Soso Nanighi Ka Ngefe" in Igbo, meaning, "You Are the Only One I Worship" which I have composed and have been singing during my early morning praise and worship. And they have been inspired by His Holy Spirit.


When you are in the fullness of the presence of Almighty God, nothing else matters in the world.

You are ready to be with Him forever.

For in His presence, He gives you the utterance of His Holy Spirit.

For in His presence, there is fullness of Joy forever.

When you know Him in Spirit and in Truth, 

He speaks to you aloud and clear audibly for you to hear Him.

Until you experience the presence of God in the Holy Spirit, you don't have any relationship with God.

HALLELUJAH!

I will receive the support I have been waiting for to produce the two songs before Christmas!.

He will send me the divine helpers. 

He has done it before and He will do it again.

"Your Majesty, God Almighty!" Is an amazing song of redemption and salvation with heavenly chorus.

My doxology of 42 pages composed decades ago is as awesome as Handel's Messiah.

#God

#HolySpirit

#songs

#praise

#worship

#handel

#messiah

#redemption

#salvation














Saturday, November 18, 2023

Support The Rhema Blog

 


Kindly support The Rhema Blog

Since 2005 I have been publishing and sharing articles, sermons and testimonies on the faithfulness, goodness and mercies and loving kindness of the love and miracles of Almighty God, JESUS Christ and the Holy Spirit.

May Almighty God grant you the grace in the abundance of His infinite grace to give as much as you can to support The Rhema Blog.

Send donations to the following bank accounts:

WEMA Bank account:

8028426313

Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.

Guaranty Trust Bank 

Acct: 0016426297 

Ekenyerengozi MichaeI Chima

Domiciliary account:

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc

365 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos State, Nigeria.

Beneficiary name- EKENYERENGOZI MICHAEL CHIMA

Account number- 0016426307

Bank identifier/SWIFT CODE- GTBINGLA

SORT Code - 058152353

Thanks.

Best always,

Ekenyerengozi MichaeI Chima,

The Publisher/Editor,

Nigerians Report Online

The Rhema Blog

 

Wednesday, November 08, 2023

What Pleases God?

 


What Pleases God?

◄ Matthew 5:8 ►

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

***"

If you are not pure in heart 💓

You can never see God

You can pretend to the whole world,

Cite and quote verses from Holy Bible

Flashing smiles from miles

Name dropping God on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and on WhatsApp.

But if you don't appreciate and celebrate fellow humans like you want others to appreciate and celebrate you, you don't have any relationship with God.

As He said: those who know God worship Him in Truth and in Spirit.

Not in CONCEIT

Not in DECEIT 

Not in Lies

Not in Lip service and Eye Service.

You can fool the whole world, but you can't fool God.

God knows those who truly loves Him.

As He said:

If you love me; obey my commandments.

And He says if you say you love Him, but you hate your brother or sister, you are a Liar.

If you want to have a true relationship with God;

You must have a pure heart:

Without bitterness

Without envy

Without jealousy

Without Caprice

Without malice

Without prejudice

Without avarice

Without greediness

Without wickedness

Without worshipping idols

Without whoredom.

People look at faces.

But God looks at the hearts.

For what matters most to God is for you to have a pure heart.

And worship Him in Truth and in Spirit.

Let us pray.

-; Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

Founder and Publisher,

The Rhema Blog

Since 2005.

If you love God, support the work of God by donation to:

Guaranty Trust Bank account number:
0016426297 

Or to

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc

365 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos State, Nigeria.


Beneficiary name- EKENYERENGOZI MICHAEL CHIMA

Account number- 0016426307

Bank identifier/SWIFT CODE- GTBINGLA

SORT Code - 058152353


Thank you and Almighty God will bless and increase abundantly in the abundance of His infinite grace.




Friday, June 09, 2023

The Word of God is the Greatest Power in the World

 Psalm 68:11 

The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.

 Psalm 68:11 

Many people perish every day in the world
Because of their ignorance of the Word of God.
- EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima
Publisher/Editor
The Rhema Blog
(since 2005)

I obeyed the Word of God in 1988 when I had all the money to tour the world after working as a public health illustrator for the Johns Hopkins University's Population Communication Services (JHU/PCS) to produce fully illustrated family planning methods booklets in Pidgin English, Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa distributed by the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN)) for the entire Nigeria. I was 21 and I have signed a recording contract for the production of my songs in Hollywood with all the looks and guts to be a rock star with my starry eyes, brown skin and bushy hair and walking tall. I have already written and directed my first play, "The Prodigal" for the Education Unit of National Museum on Lagos Island and profiled in the Times International news magazine interviewed by Henry Atenaga, a friend of Ben Okri when I was only 17. At 21 featured in the highly esteemed West Africa newsmagazine for my popular Captain Santana and his flying motorcycle comics. I became a national Program Consultant for the UNICEF in Nigeria at 25. Then in 1988 I became born again from the Roman Catholic Church to the Deeper Christian Life Ministry of Pastor William Folorunsho Kumuyi who had sown the seed of evangelism into my life in 1978 when I spent my long school holidays attending his school holidays classes.
From 1988 I preached the good news of the gospel of our MESSIAH JESUS Christ on the streets and on public transport buses in Lagos in English, Igbo and Yoruba for over 11 years. From the street I moved on to the internet I started my online ministry, The Rhema Blog in 2005.
The Rhema Blog is very popular among visitors from over 12 countries in the world.
I share the Word of God with testimonies of the Truth.

The greatest power is the Word of God.
And the greatest power comes from the prayer in the Word of God.
I see the world through the Eyes of God.

#GOD
#JESUS
#HolySpirit