By Wilson Adekumola
Despite complaints of moral decadence among young people in the society, Pastor Mrs. Ifeoma Obaro believes differently.
Her experience working with the young people of the Redeemed Christian Church of God alongside her husband, Pastor Jacob Obaro has been awesome.
Pastor and Pastor Mrs. Obaro
She shared her experience with Church Times at the inauguration of the new Glory to Glory Youth Province 7 at Magodo, Lagos on Sunday, February 7. Her husband is the Pastor in Charge Youth Province 7
She recounted how they started saying “The youth ministry is a ministry my husband and I have been very passionate about. My husband has been pastor of the youth from his younger days. He was president of the youth fellowship. He has pastored young people over time. He has been a regional pastor for the youth in RCCG and until recently he was Assistant National Youth pastor for the whole of RCCG.”
She expressed great thanks for what God has been doing in the life of her family noting that they have a strong support system that has helped them to impact the lives of young people.
“The Lord has helped us to help young people to be a light in midst of the dark world. There has been a lot of decadence in our society in terms of moral value, in terms of perversion of all kinds. But in RCCG, God has been shining His light through the youth. We thank God that He has counted us among the vessels in His vineyard to use for such an awesome job and we are thankful,” She said.
While noting that the newly inaugurated province started as a parish 10 years ago, she said, “It is heartening that God has given us more responsibilities in the church to pastor over Youth Province 7. Before it was a youth church, just a parish. To the glory of God, it became an Area, then a Zone, and today by the grace of God, Glory to Glory House is a province headquarters. What it means is that Glory-to-Glory House now has 66 other youth parishes under it.”
She said the first strategy is to get young people acquainted with the saving grace of Jesus. “We let them know that nobody can shine the light without salvation and we let them know that Jesus is the light of the world. People are seeking fulfillment in things like alcohol, sex but we minister to them that no vacuum can be filled except that which the only spirit fills.
“We also have an outreach and empowerment programme where young people are empowered with skills. We talk about acquiring education, perfecting your life skills. Skills such as media skills, computer engineering skills, hairdressing, fish farming, hat making, bead making, software development, and many other skills. Those are the kind of empowerment we run across the churches we have pastored. And we have seen awesome results.”
According to her, the province is a province of perfection. “The motto and the vision God gave us is ‘perfecting the saints and impacting our world. When the youths are perfected spiritually, it becomes easy for them to perfect their world. Glory to Glory House is a beacon of light in the society.”
She maintained that the church will continue “to strengthen its strong areas of word, worship and warfare. We are also a family church.
“You experience warmth in any of the parishes under us. You are also sure of getting the undiluted word of God. The message is the same but the method can be different.”
Obaro: You can’t pastor youth without being active on social media
Choir members singing during inauguration
Obaro disclosed that the experience of pastoring the youth has been awesome noting however that “Every work has its glory, its hazard. You know young people are very intelligent. Before you say anything, they have already known what you are talking about.
“So, you have to move very fast with the time. You have to be updated. You have to know where they are going. You cannot be pastoring the youth and you are not active on social media. They are on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, and other social media platforms. They are in different places doing different things. So, you need to know where they are and engage them where they are so that you will be able to get them.
She says further, “Youths are not just the future, we are the present. For you to dominate your future you must first dominate yourself. Dominating yourself means you must have control over yourself and your emotion. And you must first be in charge of who you are before you seek to impact other people.”
Giving examples of young people like David and Gideon that God used in the Bible days she urged young people to live their lives in such a way that their youthfulness is not despised.
“Having been fully loaded it is time we impact the world. The world is waiting for us, the world is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, who are the sons of God? You and I are the young people the world is waiting for”
