By Lawani Mikairu

The General Overseer, G.O, and other senior Pastors of the Church of Faith Bible Ministry have called on Nigerians to focus on God and be honest in their daily dealings in order for the country to overcome her current travails.

The G.O and the Pastors made the call last Sunday while  celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Church at its headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos.

Addressing journalists at the event, General Overseer of the church, Rev (Dr) Victoria Odika revealed that her late husband  and herself started the church in 1981 at their living room when the husband was still working at the airport.

Rev.Odika also said the church was founded to make provision for Christians as well to serve both the international and the domestic airport workers, adding  that the ” church has not deviated from the mandate given to it by God.”

Going down memory lane, She said :

“I thank God that I was with my husband throughout during our formative years. I didn’t abandon him because he had so much trust in me. I was always with him through thick and thin. Pentecostal was not reigning when we started the church; though I was Catholic. My husband tried his own little way to build the church and they love him. I was born a pastor and not an evangelist”.

“I was the first person that started Faith Clinic. God gave me that annointing. The lord gave it to me as a blessing in gift. Many people were delivering safely. Many people are now applying the Faith Clinic in their churches and am I am happy that my concept has not changed. However, when they start, they give the name to their own church, then they will call me. Some used to come here for training and that is why I know a lot of people.

Expressing joy that she is well fulfilled at the 40th anniversary, she added , “Today, I am feeling so good because I believe that Jesus Christ recognises what I have been doing and that I didn’t deviate from it. I didn’t add and I didn’t subtract”.

Also speaking at the event,  the administrator of the church, Pastor Ijeoma Odika expressed joy that the church has been able to maintain the mandate that God gave them to be a church that cares for the people and believes only in the doctrine of the bible from Genesis to Revelation.

Pastor Odika said : “We have been able to maintain that in 40 years and that standard and mandate will continue to be maintained. What do I mean by the church of the people. It means that whatever comes into the church belongs to the members of the church. We are very strong on caring and welfare of our members. That is why, to the glory of God which you witnessed today, about 50 to 60 per cent of our members are up to 37 years old in this church. We have very strong dedicated people in the church”.

On the church growth and network, he said, “We have seven branches totally in Nigeria. One in Ikeja, one in Aboru, two branches in Benin, two branches in Issele Uku and Onicha Ugbo in Delta State. We also have a branch in Port Harcourt. The mandate that I am taking over from my father is to expand the ministry to go to every single state in this country with the same doctrine”.

On the milestones and achievements of the church so far, Odika said the church has  groomed so many men of God that have their churches all over the world and that over the years, their women “deliver like the Hebrew women.”

“We have Faith Clinic where pregnant women are prayed for. And they have always delivered safely. It not by the power of the founder but through the power of God. We don’t record sudden deaths in the church. These are milestones that we have every reason to thank God. Most of our members have stayed with us since the beginning of the church”.

On  anniversary message to the Nation, the administrator advised Nigerians to look unto God, adding that “quick wings have not taken us anywhere. This is the time to focus on God, be upright, honest and treat your fellow Nigerians or any other person the way you want to be treated”

Also speaking with the media at the event,   a foundation member, Elder Jonathan Uche Odika said :  “I am a founding member of the church. The church started 40 years ago in our living room at the airport quarters. The founder, my late father, was a purchasing manager at a time. I can say I was the first choir master, first secretary and the first youth leader of the church.”

” By the grace God gave my parents, the church has evolved over the years. We have branches in other parts of the country. It is very unfortunate that my father is not here today to celebrate with us. But I know he is happy wherever he is that we are able to celebrate 40 years even in his absence and pray today will be a special day. The whole world will see what we have achieved over this period of time”.

Evangelist Eunice Odika, a member of the church , who also currently runs a Window Foundation with more than 300 members , described the church as “a huge success”, adding that some people who started “such journey stopped along the line”.

She said : “We bless God for His faithfulness. A lot of people started this journey and along the line something happened. But I thank God for His faithfulness. He has helped us to continue in this faith and this race.

The anniversary ceremony attracted a mammoth crowd as members of the church branches across the country, friends and well wishers came to celebrate the success story recorded in the past four decades.