…. as Church turns 70 years in October

By Ebunoluwa Sessou

The General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Reverend Sam Aboyeji, General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Ghana, Rev. Dr. Francis Sey, President, Koinonia Ministries Ibadan, , Rev. Emiko Amotsuka and Founder and President of The Word Commission International and The Word Assembly Churches , Rev. Isaac Omolehin among others men of God have been billed to speak at this year’s its International Conference for Ministers and Leaders, I.C.M.L, in April at the Ajebo campground, Ogun State.

Speaking at the press conference heralding the conference, the general Overseer, Reverend Sam Aboyeji disclosed that the conference is a training aspect of the church set aside annually to equip the ministers and leaders in order to be effective in their services.

With attendance from all Foursquare Churches in Nigeria, West Africa, Europe, as well as other denominations within Nigeria, the conference is scheduled to hold from Monday April 14– Friday April 18, 2025, and is expected to accommodate over 8,000 ministers, leaders and workers from within and outside Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria.

With the theme, “Faith for Great Exploits” Aboyeji said, the references were taken from the books of Hebrews 11:2 and Daniel 11:32 which is apt, inspiring, and a clarion call to operate in the realm that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ would expect of us as Christian leaders and workers.

“Faith is the confident assurance that everything we hope for will be accomplished. It is the conviction that God is a rewarder of all those who diligently seek Him. Faith is the key to great exploits in our Christian life.

“By standing on the promises of God and stepping out in faith, we will achieve great exploits and bring honor to His name. Exhibiting uncommon faith for great exploits gives us confidence in God’s power and spurs us into taking steps that will result in great exploits.

Aboyeji said, the church has continued to place a premium on adequately equipping our workforce to adapt to the realities of propagating the glorious gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ through the foursquare platform, as well as to live as Christ Ambassadors here on earth.

“The Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria takes pride in the training mechanisms it has in place to equip pastors, leaders, workers, and members to become better Christians, competent ministry workforce, result-driven leaders and pastors with an understanding of how best to engage the harvest we have been commissioned to bring in, and positively influence our world for Christ.

“To buttress the value the church places on theological education and training, our LIFE Theological Seminary was pioneered in the same year that the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria was established, in 1955, through the selfless missionary efforts of an American couple, Rev. Harold & Faye Curtis”, he said.
According to him, the conference dates back to the 1970s when it was known as the National Leaders and Workers Retreat, before it was repackaged and rebranded as the International Conference for Ministers and Leaders.

Aboyeji noted that “Adequate arrangement is being made to host an exciting, engaging, rewarding and spirit-filled conference that will herald an unprecedented transformation in Christendom as we activate our faith for unparalleled exploits to the glory of God.

Aboyeji further noted that the church would be celebrating her 70 years anniversary in October as a bible school established in Nigeria to train pastors.

According to him, “The Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria started in Herbert Macaulay Way, in a popular place called Yankee Bar in 1955 and today blossomed, matured, and also transplanted into other countries of the world from Nigeria.

“The Foursquare Gospel Church, known globally as the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel is an Evangelical and Pentecostal denomination founded in 1923 by renowned Canadian/American lady preacher and first female televangelist, Sister Aimee Semple McPherson in Los Angeles, California, USA.

“The Global Foursquare Church which is 102 years in existence has its firm presence in well over 150 nations of the world. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the church in Nigeria.

Speaking on why the convention was moved from November to October, Aboyeji said it was necessitated by logistics issues. We believe that the platinum jubilee will attract lots of people within and outside the country.

“Foursquare has been consistent as a Pentecostal church and we are not ready to compromise that virtue in terms of doctrine and service to God. We have been intentional in the training of our youths, teenagers and children as we believe that they would succeed us.

“Any church that wants to be retained should be intentional about the youths, teenagers and children ministries”, he concluded.