Friday 13th August 2021 Devotion
Scripture:- John 4:3-42
Topic:- Christ Apostolic Church
The Christ Apostolic Church is distinctly an indigenous African Church.
By its structure, belief, and practices, it is an independent Pentecostal Church.
The history of the Church is traceable directly to our forefathers, namely Oba/Pastor Isaac Babalola Akinyele, Pastor David Ogunleye Odubanjo, Joseph Sadare, Miss Sophia Odunlami.
And Evangelist (late Apostle) Joseph Ayodele Babalola was called to the Ministry by the Lord on 11th, October 1928.
A. Apostle Babalola’s call subsequently led to the great revival of 1930.
Before then, there was 1918-28, Faith Tabernacle era characterized by the formation of praying groups such as the Precious or Diamond Society found in small pockets all over Nigeria.
The brethren in control were Joseph Sadare (a.k.a. Esinsinade), D.O. Odubanjo, I.B. Akinyele (late Olubadan of Ibadan), and Miss Sophia Odunlami.
The majority of the members of the first group of Diamond Society were worshipers at St. Savior’s Anglican Church, Ijebu-Ode, where they began meeting regularly for prayers and spiritual guidance in 1918.
Mr. D. O. Odubanjo soon developed contact between members of the ‘Praying Band’ and Pastor A. Clark, the leader of Faith Tabernacle in Philadelphia, USA.
Through correspondence and receipt of tracts and magazines such as ‘The Sword of the Spirit.
Soon, tension rose between the group and the Anglican Church over such practices as divine healings, opposition to infant baptism, reliance on dreams and visions, abstention from dancing, drumming, debt-owing, drinking of alcohol, gambling, and mixing with non-Christians.
Mr. Joseph Sadare was compelled to give up his post in the Synod and others were forced to resign their jobs and to withdraw their children from the Anglican School.
But in less than a decade, branches of the group had been established in Lagos, Ibadan, Ilesa, Oyan, Ile-Ife, Minna, Jos, and Zaria.
Their members had also imbibed reliance on the power of prayer, divine healing, and all-sufficiency of God.
Fortunately, the Great Revival of 1930 with Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola as its medium, emerged in July 1930 at Oke Ooye, Ilesa.
Those who assisted him during the Revival included D. O. Odubanjo, Oba I. B. Akinyele, and J. A. Babatope as well as Babalola’s followers such as J. A. Medayese, A. O. Omotoso, John Oye, J. B. Orogun, and Philip Mabigbade among others.
Prophet Daniel Orekoya, later on, came to the scene.
The Great Revival did not only embrace all the beliefs accepted by the Faith Tabernacle group but also went further by embracing the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the spiritual manifestation of seeing visions, prophesying, speaking in tongues, and dreaming.
B. History Of The Christ Apostolic Church:
Consequently, upon this, people with diverse diseases were healed in thousands and, in turn, they spontaneously rejected their “juju” and other medicines.
Massive revivals hitherto unknown in Nigeria ensued. Thousands of people surrendered theirs lives to Jesus.
Meanwhile, the Church leaders were subjected to avoidable intimidation, harassment, and humiliation at different levels of society.
So, on their behalf, Mr. D. O. Odubanjo sought co-operation with British Apostolic Brothers in Bradford, England.
Thus on 23rd September 1931 three missionaries, viz. Pastor D. P. Williams, A. Turnbull, and W. J. Williams arrived in Nigeria as guests of the Church.
In November 1931, the visiting missionaries ordained the first seven Pastors of the Church who had earlier on been ordained by proxy by Pastor A. Clark in America.
Three of the new Pastors namely, Pastor J. B. Sadare, D. O. Odubanjo, and Oba I. B. Akinyele later came to play important roles in the growth of the Church.
After the return of the white Missionary delegates to Bradford, Pastor George Perfect and Prophet Idris Vaughan came to Nigeria on 22nd June 1932 to strengthen the bond of fellowship between the two religious bodies.
For a time, the religious activities of the white brothers complemented the religious exploits of Joseph Ayo Babalola.
Prayer Point:-
Oh Lord God, help me to worship You in spirit and in truth henceforth by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Happy Weekend!
