Excerpts from the book... Crazy things we Pastors do... Tunde Babalola. Chapter 5 This testimony I am about to state, is one of the few that changed my perspective on accumulation of material wealth by men of God. In 1989, I listened to one of Nigeria’s foremost televangelists and preacher give his personal testimony. He has since gone to be with the Lord. This man was the first to distribute Christian tracks from an helicopter. In the city of Ibadan, in the eighties, he had a revival campaign, that drew millions to Christ. At about midnight, sometime in April, as the festive season was kicking in, he had his aides go around the city of Ibadan, sticking posters on the wall, reading “Mo Ti Ri” a local dialect for “I have Found It” It was called the Eureka Campaign. These posters were a topical issue in every school, bars, offices and on the streets. The question was Who found what? what did he find? A scientific breakthrough? Money? A missing dog? A wife or husband These posters troubled everyone. I was one of them. Two weeks later, just before Easter, overnight, these posters were removed and replaced by another which read “New Life In Christ” What the man found was a new way of living.This campaign was followed up by a crusade which brought a massive revival to the city. This man had done great things for God. The dead had been raised, the crippled walked, blind receive their sight. But this was the evangelists personal testimony: “One evening…”he said “ I was standing on the balcony of my house, watching my driver (chauffeur) wash the cars. We were preparing for a crusade in Osogbo in Western Nigeria. I called out to the driver and instructed him to change plans. We were no longer using the Mercedes Benz wagon, we will be going in the new Peugeot instead. A few minutes later, I thought, well, why not use the more rugged Volvo, as the road was going to be bumpy or better still, the Land Rover. So, I commanded him to get the Land Rover ready. He must have been thinking, what a confused man I was. Suddenly an emotion welled up inside me. I thought, my God, how far have you brought me. I started from nothing, my parents could not afford to send me to school, days upon days with only a meal between. How far I have come, as I walked with you. Who would have thought I would be in a position in life, where I am now commanding someone else to wash cars of different brands. Oh Lord my God, how faithful you are. You have indeed prospered me. And to cap it all, when I die, there are crowns of glory awaiting me in heaven… As I mentioned the last words, I heard a voice behind me saying to me “What was that you said about rewards in heaven…” It was so loud, I turned around, shocked, but there was no-one there. Instinctly, I knew it was the Holy Spirit. Lord, you promised us, there are crowns of glory in heaven and you are a rewarded of our labour in the kingdom. Yes, I am. But I was referring to your comments on you being prosperous.The question is, at whose expense have you prospered? I do not understand the riddle, Lord “at whose expense?” “Yes, you have prospered, but at whose expense?” was all I heard again. So I asked the Lord for an interpretation. And this was what He said to my heart, “Son, yes, I have brought you from a rocky place, from the miry clay to a place where your feet is standing. I filled you with my Holy Spirit and have made use of your available hands. Yes you have prospered but have you considered who has lost out, for you to prosper? “ “Lord…” by this time, I was on my knees, right there on the balcony “….I have defrauded no man. I have used the resources you gave me diligently.I have given to the poor. But Father, show me my faults…” Okay, he said to me. Lets start by looking at all the exotic cars that you have parked in the yard. How many? I could count 9 in the fleet aside of two or 2 personal buses. But Lord, I said, weakly…these we need for evangelism. Very true, he replied “ but what about your aides in the ministry? Shall we begin with the assistant pastor Question- what does he drive? Answer-An ageing Peugeot 404 Q-And your Choir leader? Answer- A Vespa motor bike Question- Oh, and the head of prayer…? Answer- A bicycle. Really? But look at you. 9 cars at the last count for you alone. And the swelling bank accounts worldwide? And the houses? 2 in Ibadan, 5 in Lagos, 2 in Akure, 1 in London…. At this stage, I was deeply convicted and I begged the Lord to stop counting. With tears in my eyes, I called out to the driver below “Kasali…take the new Peugeot to Assistant Pastor Omole, give the Choir leader the Volvo, let the Head of prayer take the Toyota Corolla….” When it got down to the last 2, the Holy Spirit said…” Stop. You only need two, should one break down, you can use the other. And what are we going to do about the houses? So I distributed all the houses to motherless babies, widows, the mission house and the homeless, till I had only the roof on my head and the one in England as a mission house. Then my peace returned.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 09:34:09 +0000
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