Apostle Alabi Michael Olufunmilade, presiding apostle of the Apostolic Mandate Ministries International, Ogba, Lagos, speaks with SEYI JOHN SALAU on the ministry’s mandate. He also touches on some national issues. Excerpts:
What is the focus of the Apostolic Mandate Ministries International?
It is a ministry that God gave to us to win souls to His kingdom, to preach good tidings to the meek, comfort those that mourn, open the prison doors to those that are bound, give garment of praise for heaviness of heart, proclaim liberty to those in captivity, proclaim the acceptable day of the Lord, and also to educate people on the implication and application of salvation, because people don’t really know the implication and the application of salvation. We have a branch in Cape Town, South Africa. We have a programme we do annually, called ‘Global Prayer Investment Summits’, and we are waiting for God’s direction for the next summit.
What doctrines does the ministry believe in and practice?
We believe in God, in Jesus Christ and in the Trinity. We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit and that the gospel should be preached to all the members on the earth. We believe that Satan exists to reclaim the mandate of God, and we are not taking anything for granted. We partake in all the celebrations in Christendom, like Christmas and Easter. We are not sentimental; we preach the gospel in truth and purity of heart.
As an apostle, what do you desire to achieve with your mandate?
My desire is to preach the gospel, so that people would know the implication and the application of salvation, because many people go to church and they don’t know the implication and application of salvation, as I noted earlier. Salvation is not going about and saying one is born again; it is not in the confession but it is in the implication and the application. By implication, I mean knowing why Jesus died and shed his blood for you. And after you are saved, you apply your salvation in enhancing your destiny.
What is your view on the church in Nigeria today?
When we talk of Nigerian church today, I grew up in an orthodox church, most of us have moved from the orthodox to Pentecostals and charismatic churches. The bottom line is the motive. Today, the motive of an average Nigerian pastor is what God is interested in. You would see what is going to happen between now till end of December, many churches would be having harvest and thanksgiving services; what is the motive of the thanksgiving? Is the thanksgiving truly to God, or the pastor just wants to gather fund for his family Christmas? In today’s church people are materially inclined, but our Lord Jesus gave us a pragmatic command, that the first consideration is the kingdom of God. As the Bible stipulates in Mathew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and every other thing would be added unto you.” But today people are not seeking the kingdom of God first; they are seeking the bread and the material, that is why we have chaos and division everywhere. More churches are springing up and more people are claiming to be Christian, yet more evils are being done in the land, which makes one to wonder. If the gospel is well preached the way it is supposed to be preached, you don’t need to appeal to somebody to do good; all the person needs to understand is the implication and the application of salvation. For instance, what are the implication and the application of education? The implication is that when I am educated I would be enlightened, I will be useful to myself and the society, then the application is for me to apply it to whatever that I am doing to enhance my destiny. If the gospel is preached, and the centre of the gospel is the message of our Lord Jesus, Jesus Christ personified, His death, His earthly ministry, His death, His resurrection, His ascension, and His coming back; these are the focus of the gospel, anything outside it negates heavenly mandate.
Does having large membership signify the anointing?
The answer is capital no. We have musicians that pull crowd, yet they are not anointed, they are just inspired by natural gifts. Having multitudes does not signify that the man is anointed, that is why Jesus narrowed it down that where two or three people are gathered in His name, He will be there in their midst. What matters are the persons that gathered, where they gathered, and in whose name they gathered, and the most important thing is the presence of God there. Some people can gather in a cathedral and the presence of God is not there, while some people can gather under the tree and God’s presence would be there.
Recently, the Lagos State government approved the use of hijab in public schools. Do you think it is a good idea?
Everything has been politicised in Nigeria. How does hijab add to the living standard of Lagosians? What does it add to the educational sector? It is just politics. I don’t see anything sensible about the approval. When I was growing up, as a Yoruba person, every family in the South West did not have one religion, because you have Christians, Muslims, and traditional worshippers in a family. Bringing in hijab is another way Satan wants to divide us the more.
Many pastors shy away from politics, are you one of them?
I am not politically inclined. I don’t like politics the way it is played in Nigeria. Politics in Nigeria is full of lies, full of diabolical and mysterious things. I am not discouraging any pastor or Christian that wants to participate in politics. As long as they can withstand the pressure there, then it is ok.
The recent dedication of Dunamis’ 100,000-capacity auditorium was criticized by many. What is your take?
There is nothing wrong in building such auditorium. Traditional rulers have shrines for their gods, why won’t somebody build a comfortable place of worship for God? I congratulate Pastor Paul Eneche and his family and the church members on the dedication of the auditorium. Anybody criticising success does not know what success and achievement mean, even those that think the money used in building the church should be channeled to helping the poor. Let me say that poverty is a thing of the mind, it is not about having money. Remember, the Bible says the poor will always be in our midst.
How do you feel about the rise of diabolic pastors in Nigeria and other parts of Africa?
The issue is that in becoming the servant of God you must be called, you must be anointed, ordained, and commissioned. Those that are involved in diabolic powers are not called; even if they are called they are not anointed, they are not ordained or commissioned. Every true servant of God must be called, ordained and commissioned, to be an apostle, prophet, pastor or evangelist. Many pastors are involved in this act because of material inclination. When you see somebody that claims to be a servant of God or a pastor quoting your phone number, calling your father’s name, telling you your home or office address and telling you everything on a spot, know that such act is a scam and the person is not a true servant of God. God can never show you everything, He shows things in parts; so when you go to church and the person there that claims to be a pastor is calling your phone number, telling you to bring cane, to bring padlock, telling you to bring coconut, he is a spiritual thief, he is not a true servant of God. My advice for Christians is to watch for fake pastors and satanic temples that look like a sanctuary. Immediately you enter a church and you are asked to bring money to sow a seed for every prayer point, and the pastor is calling your phone number, informing people about you, then you know you are in a wrong place.
On 2019 election, what message do you have for the electorates and the politicians?
I am not a politician; let everybody go and vote, and vote right. I don’t have a candidate. My prayer is for the will of God to be done in Nigeria. Let God intervene at this particular time when as a nation, we don’t know what to do because we are confused.
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