•What He Uttered At Daddy G.O&#;s Birthday
Pastor Well-mannered Rapu is the Senior Churchman of the House of Footage, which has ‘Expressions’ including That Present House, Lekki, The Tap water brook Church, Victoria Island, Illustriousness God Bless Nigeria Church, forward The Potter’s House of Port, Iponri.
He is one manager the most loved pastors amidst the youth and his service has grown in leaps endure bounds. Pastor Tony Rapu&#;s viability is a life filled occur to uncommon favours and the nonconformist of his life could recuperate be told by him whilst he sometimes talks about flood. His journey to the the church and therefore becoming a minister is a motivating one in the way that his part crossed with depiction general overseer of the ransomed church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye.
It was a worthy alight divine encounter when their trace met as far back renovation the early 80s and deviate was what changed Pastor Polished Rapu’s life thus starting unembellished new life in Christ cultivate a tribute written by prestige founder of Rainbow book cudgel, kalango, while pastor Tony Rapu was working as a Curative Doctor at Eko Hospital, shut in , he gave his assured to Christ at a Concord Bible Study meeting in nobility Ikoyi residence of his issue sister, Mrs Bridget Itsueli.
Presently after his conversion, he abstruse an epiphany and in straight bid to make sense round it, his sister introduced him to a doctor of mathematics-turned-preacher called Pastor E.A. Adeboye. Padre Adeboye describes the meeting introduction a divine one. He explained that the day Tony Rapu stepped into his office, Genius told him the young public servant was one of three joe public who would be instrumental don the realization of the measurement of the RCCG to side the gospel to the derisive of the earth.
Since he formally put down his stethoscope distinguished picked up the Bible violently 25 years ago, in , exactly 5 years after, Pompous Rapu continues to step apart from the confines of the stump, into the pews, and away from the pews to meet description people where they are.
This distance between Pastor Adeboye and Clergywoman Tony Rapu grew cordial extract greater in growing Pastor Adeboye&#;s vision for the redeemed religion that they also held pure house fellowship in the Rapu family home, at 27 Ekololu Street, Surulere, where they lived.
Pastor Tony Rapu worked assiduously constitute propagate the gospel and assess take the redeemed church first-class notch higher and God ragged this movement to trigger successful the unprecedented church growth range would transform the Redeemed Christianly Church of God to what is perhaps the fastest-growing title in the world today.
Minister Adeboye once described Pastor Pretentious Rapu as ‘‘…a great male of God…a man of wonderful potential, intelligent, articulate, a male passionately in love with God…” He added, “If I take a thousand boys like Pompous Rapu I will deliver significance world to Jesus Christ dilemma less than 5 years…” Encumber the late 90s,19 years with little, He founded This present manor church having relocated from Author and that has not haltered his closeness with Pastor Adeboye.
When Pastor Adeboye celebrated rule 80the birthday few weeks appal, pastor Tony Rapu was susceptible of the top pastors who honoured to see Pastor Adeboye in his residence and then wrote a glowing tribute go into the man whose encounter fit to bust his life.
“I met Pastor E.A. Adeboye, “Daddy” as we indulgently called him, in I was 29 and he had good turned At the time, Distracted had just completed my horsemanship at the Lagos University Pedagogy Hospital (LUTH), and was mine as a medical officer improvement a private hospital.
I difficult to understand met the girl I sought to marry and was important at a crossroads, contemplating calligraphic post-graduate program as many resolve my colleagues were doing efficient the time.
My encounter with Parson Adeboye was as life-changing style it was destiny-defining. I remembrance how, during one of grow fainter subsequent discussions, he asked step how long my postgraduate document would last, to which Irrational replied, “about 5 years.” Badly off much hesitation, he said, “we don’t have that much time.” Those conclusive words propelled getting away from into a remarkable and multi-faceted lifelong journey of faith suffer the diverse expressions of God’s call upon my life.
Crowd long after this encounter, miracle went on to establish decency Apapa Parish (later known likewise Freedom Hall) of the Cash in Christian Church of God (RCCG). Freedom Hall marked an year of revival which brought numerous professionals into the kingdom carry God.
My initial experience with Padre Adeboye began at 1A Graveyard Street, Ebute Metta, the fortify headquarters of RCCG.
I difficult recently given my life stop Christ at a Friendship Guide Coffee (FBC) meeting in trim private home. The FBC meetings were bible study groups guided by Mrs Bridget Itsueli (my eldest sister) and some in the opposite direction ladies. Before then, I was lukewarm towards religion, but mass my decision in her make that Sunday evening, Mrs Itsueli later convinced me to be endowed with a meeting with Pastor Adeboye.
He was at the interval a mentor to the FBC ladies and often spoke assume their events. She described him as a learned mathematician comicalness whom I would be flex to relate. And so make sure of some persuasion and perhaps pure little out of curiosity, Comical accepted and she booked minor appointment for us to program him. We arrived a brief late that Monday evening hold the Ebute Metta venue, enthralled Pastor Adeboye was already put in the church for the ‘Digging Deep’ weekday service.
We be a success to wait and see him after the service, and middling we joined the congregation.
Until proof, I was used to composed services in very orthodox settings, so this initial experience was profoundly different. The prayers were loud and the congregation absolutely expressive. The environment certainly was not something I was sentimental to.
I was like stilted out of water. When Clergyman Adeboye mounted the podium with preach, he spoke alongside systematic Yoruba interpreter — this may well have been the first talking-to I ever really heard proclaim a Pentecostal setting.
His sermon was laced with stories about listen to God’s voice, and his recollections as a Christian lecturer uphold Ilorin.
His message was by the same token interesting as it was denotative. After the service, we fall down him in his office. View was cozy with a visionless blue carpet and comfortable sullen sofas. We exchanged pleasantries for the moment and we told him put under somebody's nose my recent decision to use Christ.
His response was crabby as brief, encouraging me tend return whenever I had questions to ask. He ended catch a simple prayer, after which we left.
In early , reasonable a few months after that initial meeting, I attended intimation all-night vigil in a abode in Ikeja where I strike down into a trance for consider 4 hours.
When the tip ended at about 5 association, I drove all the plan to the RCCG Camp Prepare on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, swivel I had heard Pastor Adeboye resided. He had asked equate to come back if Hysterical had any questions, and go off at a tangent night’s experience was alarming sufficiency to warrant a trip take care of that hour. You must about at this time there were no mobile phones and interpretation campground had not yet antiquated developed.
There was just lag auditorium and a few smoothness. I arrived at about 6 am without an appointment increase in intensity Pastor Akindele, the Church Sob sister at the time, was kindly enough to grant me solve audience. He explained that Clergyman Adeboye had himself just complete an all-night vigil. I customer acceptance wanted to see him for put in order few minutes to help cloudless make sense of what difficult to understand just happened earlier.
I was ushered into Pastor Adeboye’s office swell few moments later.
I reminded him of who I was and to my pleasant amazement, he recognized me. In on the rocks few words, he explained delay I had just experienced undermine outpouring of the Holy Sensitivity, and those were the calibre of the Spirit in presence. His exact words were, “that’s new wine bursting forth talk into you.
Young man, go dominant rejoice.” He added that go fast was regrettable that those salient the meeting were themselves bid. It was just a cowed minutes again with him however it was a defining tick for me. The very trice Sunday, I was at blue blood the gentry morning service at the sordid in Ebute Metta, and stick up then on became a colleague of the RCCG.
One thing hurry to another as I became more regular at the assignment.
After a while, I fraudulent the discipleship classes. In adding to the ‘combined service’ show the Yoruba interpreter, Pastor Adeboye introduced an early morning arrangement ‘English Service’ for the advice of a new community who were now joining the RCCG, some of whom were livid friends. Pastor Adeboye’s messages were short, sharp, powerful, insightful jaunt very practical.
His unique meld of humility, academic prowess limit deep spirituality made me include his messages wholeheartedly. We were disappointed on the Sundays dirt was not in church, on the contrary later began to enjoy significance sermons from Pastor M.O Ojo.
I was growing as a Religionist and volunteered to be break off usher at the ‘English Service’ and from there moved enhance the New Guest department.
In a little while after, Pastor Adeboye introduced glory ‘Model Parish’ church planting promulgation and that was the replicate of a revolution. He without being prompted me to join the advanced team that planted Ikeja Churchgoers, and later on, requested digress I join the team prowl also set up Ikoyi Flock. Finally, he gave me integrity go-ahead to raise a posse myself to plant the Apapa Parish at the Roxy Pictures in Apapa and on Consumable, May 5th , Pastor Adeboye himself was there to kick-start the new church.
We ulterior moved to Jimoh Odutola Classification in the Eric Moore open place of Surulere. This was illustriousness beginning of an intense religion growth season that culminated replace the setting up of mar of churches. Pastor Adeboye’s stamina and impact during this past cannot be quantified.
As the sanctuary grew, I made frequent trips to see him at grandeur campgrounds and shortly after, began to travel the world let fall him.
First to Zambia send down , then to Germany influence year after. It was piece we were in the dwelling-place of the then Nigerian Envoy to Germany and in influence company of Jacque Heasley after everything else friend from Conway, Arkansas coach in the USA, that Pastor Adeboye gave me the Joshua toll. He took words straight flight the words of Moses pledge the book of Deuteronomy.
Sharp-tasting said to me: “Joshua, Crazed charge you. I encourage sell something to someone. Be strengthened.” That night break off Bonn, Germany, I began face up to make plans to set join a church in London. Gladden was there I conceptualised integrity name and brand of “Jesus House” for the international churches which commenced with the overflow with up of Jesus House Writer.
We had our inaugural assistance on Sunday, March 6th principal the seater theatre (which awe quickly outgrew) at Warner Bros Cinema in Leicester Square, Inside London. I later came shorten to Bonn to set give a boost to the church there and presently after planted Jesus House DC in downtown Washington DC, affluent the USA.
Pastor Adeboye’s import on us at this about remained as huge as emperor impact was immense.
Pastor Adeboye belongs to that generation of pioneers who advanced the kingdom punishment the early 70s, a dedication which he has steadfastly maintain from then until now. Give back this period, spanning over 4 decades, he has faithfully person in charge tirelessly overseen the monumental beginning of The Redeemed Christian Faith of God.
His diligence, instruction, endurance, wisdom and extreme lenity are noteworthy.
His resilience, self-effacing earth, reticence, tenacity and strength cranium quietness, were all qualities go off endeared us to him. Churchwoman Adeboye is a mentor exclude mentors and a leader deal in leaders, and like Abraham, has become a father of repeat nations.
We could see the soaring value he placed on life.
In spite of rulership intense ministry schedule, he was clearly a devoted husband enthralled a loving father. He was and continues to be, dexterous man of prayer who unceremoniously engages in the discipline disturb fasting. His capacity to assert individual and personal relationships goslow his many spiritual children job extraordinary.
We cannot conclude this respect without mentioning the invaluable help that Mummy Adeboye has undersupplied to the monumental success disruption Pastor Adeboye’s global ministry.
She was on many of those trips I was privileged tip take with Pastor Adeboye, extract those times provided us clip the opportunity to learn vary him and study the Physical. Back in Nigeria, we would often go to Camp monkey times not necessarily to shroud Pastor Adeboye, but to upon with Mummy who regularly favoured us with good food. Miracle salute her endurance and resolving and the love she shows to a huge number make known spiritual children across the globe.
Pastor Adeboye’s son, Adeolu and Beside oneself became close in the ahead of time 90s while we were advanced the Jesus House church splendid we would often meet well-heeled the Adesanyas’ home in Northwest London.
Adeolu’s shop on Edgware Road was where I got many of the fitted suits I wore at the delay. This is also an break to thank Adeolu for reward consistent support and friendship put on top the past 30 years. By the same token I moved on to institute This Present House, Adeolu became the link that ensured Irrational received invitations and attended superlative occasions hosted by Daddy significant Mummy G.O.
My wife Nkoyo very last I heartily congratulate Pastor Adeboye on attaining this significant feature and we thank God make available preserving him in strength contemporary grace over the past smooth as glass decades.
Our prayer is ramble the Lord will continue confront bless him and his affinity immensely. He has been grand tremendous blessing to us snowball a legendary figure in distinction Kingdom of God. Pastor Mannered Rapu. The House of Freedom”.
Today Pastor Tony continues his have an effect under the House of Capacity, the umbrella organization reaching snag to different strata of concert party – This Present House (the flagship church), The Water Countenance (church for young adults), Demigod Bless Nigeria (church reaching dry up to the poor indigent communities), Holy Trinity Church (for nickel-and-dime orthodox yet vibrant expression drug faith), The Potters House, (a community church in Costain), cope with Mount Zion (a church movement out in areas like Whole Beach and Jakande).
Through depiction Freedom Foundation, he oversees Inception House and House of Retreat (rehabilitation and empowerment organizations) extract Bethesda (an education agency). Her majesty social reform work is interpretation subject of the video picture My Lagos Diaries, which was presented to a select chance, in collaboration with the Crossing Foundation, in October and nip to a wider audience growth January 21st
This reformer, Patrician Rapu was born in Kano on January 1st , right now 65 years old, he psychotherapy the only son of differentiation Ibo Catholic family.
He problem the fourth of six offspring. His father, T.D. Rapu, stricken with the Nigerian Customs one-time his mother, Maria Rapu (nee Ofili), was a teacher. Sharptasting grew up like any refined, middle-class young man and forged King’s College Lagos in dignity 70s and later in position 80s at the University nominate Ibadan where he took unblended degree in Zoology and late in Medicine.
-TAYO OYEDIJI
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