Ota Freedom Crusade: Dumb of 30 years speaks, sundry miracles
….Prophet Ojo donates Cow for crusade baby’s naming- JP Ademola
In what could aptly termed spiritual synergy, Prophet JP Ademola of Word Life Church organised a crusade in cahoots with Prophet Sam OJO of FARIM. The event tagged Freedom Crusade has remained talk of the town, thanks to many miracles recorded.
In this chat with Debo Akinyemi, the main organiser of the crusade, Prophet John P. Ademola shares the unprecedented experience at the crusade.
Multitude at the crusade ground
THE RECENTLY HELD FREEDOM CRUSADE SHOOK THE GROUND IN OTA TOWN. HOW DID YOU COME BY THE IDEA OF THE EVENT.
We thank God for the crusade.it was held for Eight days, though it was originally planned to be four five days. But when we saw the hand of God, we added additional three days. It all started some time April this year when the Lord spoke to me while I was on the mountain. He said go back home and put your house in order because I am about to explode the work that I have committed in to your hand. When I got back home, I called my leaders and told them the message I received.We then began to train more workers.In the process we had 50 ordinands in the various categories from within our church and other ministries affiliated to our church. We were doing that , waiting for what God was going to do.
HOW DID PROPHET SAM OJO COME IN TO THE PICTURE
Well, we both have come a long way together. I have been friend to his elder brother for over 30 years.So when I heard what God had been doing through his ministry, I made attempt to reach him through the phone. But we could not get to talk for a long time. As God would have it, we were able to establish contact.
Then he came to visit us during our weekly programme. He even ministered for three weeks at the programme. And it was on his third visit that he said God would want us to go to the open place in town to hold a crusade. And that was how we both conceptualised the Ota version of Freedom Crusade.
YES, THERE WAS LEADING BY GOD AND PROPHET OJO WAS WILLING OFFERED TO PARTNER YOU. INSPITE OF THIS, DID YOU ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR ON SECURITY, WEATHER AND LOGISTICS.
By the time we plunged into preparations for the crusade we did not even know what to expect. But God took control. As you know the rain this year was very heavy. But rain did not disrupt the event for one single days. On one of the days, the prophet said God told him to expect rain but that it would not disturb us. And it happened exactly like that. We just had a little shower and just for some minutes. As for security, some miscreants came around but God took control by forcing them to cooperate with us.
APART FROM PROPHET OJO WHO THE OTHER HIGH PROFILE MINISTERS IN ATTENDANCE.
According to our publicity materials we were expecting Dr. Lanre Teriba, Bunmi Akinlanu, Pastor Akintunde, Ijo Odi, Mega 99, Alaara and others. Of all these people it was only Mega 99 who couldn’t make it. Many other stars even came on their own to show solidarity. For instance Dele Gold came on his own. And to our surprise he pledged to support the next edition of the Crusade with 50 bags of rice. God was just wonderful at the crusade.
NOW IT WOULD HAVE COST A LOT OF MONEY TO PULL THAT OFF.HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO RAISE THE FUND.
We had very little time to plan the event and it involves a lot of money. For instance the stage, lighting and electronics alone gulped N 700,000 every day. And our own ministry, Word And Life would not have been able to shoulder that all alone. So Prophet OJO and his own ministry came in to provide the needed support financially. He really did well.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WERE THE GAINS OF THE EVENT IN SPIRITUAL TERMS?
Pastor John Ademola
Wow! That crusade was just a unique one. We did not even set an organising Committee. We were doing things directly and things were just falling into place. Concerning the gains, first and foremost, the words of God were preached raw and direct. As a Bible scholar I can easily detect when someone is preaching what is not in the Bible.I thank God that what came out was the raw and pure word of God .
Besides, there were many shocking physical miracles. There was the case of a woman whose menstruation had ceased the whole of the year. The thing returned right on the crusade ground. There was the case of another woman who had been dumb since birth. She opened her mouth to utter words at the crusade. And over 200 hundred souls were won at the crusade. We also had the case of some people who probably were not sure if they had received their miracles on the spot. They came back to testify when they got home and found out they had been healed by God.
On each day of the crusade births were recorded. Some day we had two, some day we had three. There was even the case of a baby born right at the crusade ground. Everybody was happy and Prophet OJO even carried the baby and danced with the baby. There was also the case of one baby that the mother gave birth to immediately she got home from the crusade. When we got the news everybody started donating things towards the naming. Prophet OJO donated a cow. He made the father of the baby to follow him to Ibadan where he bought the cow and handed it over to the man. We did the naming on the Saturday following the Crusade and the whole of the community was there to witness it. In fact the naming turned in to another crusade entirely.
AFTER WINNING OVER 2OO SOULS HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THEM IN YOUR CHURCH SPACE.
We had to break down our old structure to create expansion. We have been making use of large tents since the crusade. We now have a good problem on our hand about how to help the convert settled down in our midst.
YOU SAID THERE WERE FORMER HEMP SMOKERS AMONG THE CONVERTS.DO YOU HAVE ANY PLAN TO REHABILITATE THEM.
Oh thank God for that question. We have plan in place for them. We want to place some of them on apprenticeship to learn artisanal trades of their choice. We have called on the professionals among our members to help us take these people in to their shops for training. And very soon we hope to see them gainfully engaged so that they may return to the society better than we met them.
IAM SURE THE CRUSADE WOULD NOW BE A YEARLY AFFAIR.
Yes, that is very correct. We have been encouraged by the success of this first one. So plans have commenced for that of next year. We plan to bring Evangelist Ebenezer Obey as one of the main attractions at the event.
IT TOOK A COLLABORATION BETWEEN YOUR CHURCH AND THAT OF PROPHET OJO.DOES THAT SAY ANY THING ABOUT THE MERIT OF DOING THINGS TOGETHER IN THE CHRISTENDOM.
Christians have always stood to gain immensely from unity of purpose. It pays for churches to collaborate in the interest of the gospel .When the body of Christ is United then there would better
